The
Elvis Album
Millie
Ridge
 |
Red
cover...
1991
edition
White
cover...
2004
edition
|
 |
Originally
released in 1991 (Brompton Books Ltd/Bison Books), this delightful
hardcover is one of those photobooks designed to please most
fans. The 2004 reissue from Greenwich Editions (ISBN: 0-86288-524-8)
in the UK and Australia features a new cover (with dust jacket)
and is competitively priced.
Unlike
the specialist photobooks published by Ger Rijff and Joe Tunzi,
The Elvis Album is not a slimline volume. Throughout its 300+
pages you may have seen most of the visuals before, but thanks
to a first rate book design it is a book you can't help but
enjoy.
The
chapters flow chronologically from The Hillbilly Cat to Elvis'
resurgence as a live performer. With a heady mix of full page
photos and montage selections, The Elvis Album is literally
cram packed with a blend of color and b&w photos that
reach out and grab your attention.
There
are many great photos in The Elvis Album. Some of my favorites
included:
- Elvis
in his two-piece black jumpsuit on opening night in Vegas
in 1969
- film
posters from around the world
- numerous
informal candids of Elvis circa 1968-70
- candids
of Elvis with fans in the 1950s
- several
shots of The King with his natural hair color
- interesting
magazine covers
- Elvis
& Priscilla in Germany
- the
original Elvis and Larry Blong (clone) photo
Other
notable visuals include Elvis and Bill Haley and Elvis with
a young Nancy Sinatra following his discharge from the Army.
If
I have any criticism of The Elvis Album it is that there should
have been a lot more of Millie Ridge's sparse text. However,
this arguably won't annoy too many fans as in any photobook
it is the visuals that fans want to see.
Verdict:
The Elvis Album should deservedly enjoy brisk sales over
the Christmas-New Year season. Buy it either for yourself
or a friend. You won't be disappointed.
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