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Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: September 30th, 2025, 8:24 am
by Bilbobaggins
I was 19 then. And yes, those were the days! Everytime I got the new Elvis fan mag in the mail (I believe it was the Dutch mag "Elvisions") I almost got a heartattack from seeing all these adds for the newest boots. Remember, in those years RCA came with almost nothing. Compilation after compilation and dull coverdesigns without even the faintest bit of creativity. So, even now, I am still gratefull to my fellow countryman, the late Ger Rijff for playng such a big part in the bootlegscene. His, and of course others', work was outstanding and made with love for the man and his music.

Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: September 30th, 2025, 3:20 pm
by Axeman
I've seen that set a few times over the years, but only in the the last few years was I able to obtain a copy for myself. What a beauty!

Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: September 30th, 2025, 3:48 pm
by OnStage55
Ahhh, the Bootleg days of the 80's, good times, I miss those days, they were so exciting for me.
Every time I would see them in the various fan club flyers, I would be salivating. I had to have them all. :D

Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: October 1st, 2025, 3:51 am
by Bilbobaggins
Another Laurel "Blue Hawaii" release was this single LP from 1987.
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And of course, the "Bootleg Elvis" entry...

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Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: October 1st, 2025, 5:09 am
by Alexander72
Bilbobaggins wrote: September 30th, 2025, 8:24 am I was 19 then. And yes, those were the days! Everytime I got the new Elvis fan mag in the mail (I believe it was the Dutch mag "Elvisions") I got almost got a heartattack from seeing all these adds for the newest boots. Remember, in those years RCA came with almost nothing. Compilation after compilation and dull coverdesigns without even the faintest bit of creativity. So, even now, I am still gratefull to my fellow countryman, the late Ger Rijff for playng such a big part in the bootlegscene. His, and of course others', work was outstanding and made with love for the man and his music.
Talking Ger Rijff: I've been toying with the idea of ​​featuring Ger Rijff's role in the Elvis world (books, RCA releases, bootlegs) in an episode on my YouTube channel. It's a bit like a tribute, like the previous Boppin' Bob Jones episode. Is his involvement in the bootleg world also described in the Bootleg Book? I don't own the book myself so can't check. Would you mind sharing some excerpts about him with me? Is he mentioned by name in the book or only his labels? (I always assumed he was being a key figure). A Ger Rijf episode is an episode I am dying to make and do have most of his books but lack an overview on his bootleg work yet.

Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: October 1st, 2025, 5:43 am
by Bilbobaggins
Alexander72 wrote: October 1st, 2025, 5:09 am
Bilbobaggins wrote: September 30th, 2025, 8:24 am I was 19 then. And yes, those were the days! Everytime I got the new Elvis fan mag in the mail (I believe it was the Dutch mag "Elvisions") I got almost got a heartattack from seeing all these adds for the newest boots. Remember, in those years RCA came with almost nothing. Compilation after compilation and dull coverdesigns without even the faintest bit of creativity. So, even now, I am still gratefull to my fellow countryman, the late Ger Rijff for playng such a big part in the bootlegscene. His, and of course others', work was outstanding and made with love for the man and his music.
Talking Ger Rijff: I've been toying with the idea of ​​featuring Ger Rijff's role in the Elvis world (books, RCA releases, bootlegs) in an episode on my YouTube channel. It's a bit like a tribute, like the previous Boppin' Bob Jones episode. Is his involvement in the bootleg world also described in the Bootleg Book? I don't own the book myself so can't check. Would you mind sharing some excerpts about him with me? Is he mentioned by name in the book or only his labels? (I always assumed he was being a key figure). A Ger Rijf episode is an episode I am dying to make and do have most of his books but lack an overview on his bootleg work yet.
A episode dedicated to Ger would be great. In the book however, he is mostly referred to as "the Dutchman". So, even though, it's quite obvious who he is referring to, in principal...it could be anyone.

I will send you a private message soon.

Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: October 1st, 2025, 4:26 pm
by Jomies
AfoolSuchAsI. wrote: September 28th, 2025, 5:00 am
Jomies wrote: September 27th, 2025, 3:18 pm Very nice from Ger.
We also have it in our collection.
Buy it original from a friend from Ger.
Love those old bootlegs!
In the Raii Amsterdam i spoke Gerr Rijff back in the days a great guy man a really nice man . About 25 years ago ?
I haved two books with his handwriting from Andylon L.
I went to his house three times with a very good friend. It was wonderful to meet him. I have fond memories of that time. I saw photos from the 1950s that made my jaw drop. It's sad that he's no longer with us.

Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: October 2nd, 2025, 4:43 am
by Bilbobaggins
In 1984 this beauty was released; "Radio Recorders Revisited". A nice selection of outtakes from the "Kid Galahad" sessions.

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Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: October 2nd, 2025, 7:25 am
by LSP-4445
Is there an Elvis site online that has high-quality artwork (front/back) of these classic vinyl album covers?

Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: October 2nd, 2025, 8:51 am
by Bilbobaggins
LSP-4445 wrote: October 2nd, 2025, 7:25 am Is there an Elvis site online that has high-quality artwork (front/back) of these classic vinyl album covers?
Not that I am aware of... would be great though.

Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: October 3rd, 2025, 8:11 pm
by Mike C
JohnnyByeBye wrote: September 27th, 2025, 2:11 pm
Mike C wrote: September 27th, 2025, 12:12 pm
I think it is mentioned in the Elvis bootleg book that the tapes used by Laurel for the set were cassette copies dubbed from the mono sessions reels Vic Colonna had acquired from a former Radio Recorders engineer. Vic sent the tapes to Ger just before the FBI picked him up.
Was it so that the original source of these were some kind of backup tapes from the sessions, purchased from the engineer? There was the great transcript of a "book" that never was by Vic Colonna in the old forum and I seem to recollect something like being writyen in that text.
The tape source Vic acquired were the mono session reels which ran as a backup during the sessions. He located the engineer who had kept them (after RCA refused to take possession of them) by calling around recording studios. He then had the reels dubbed to cassettes.

Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: October 3rd, 2025, 8:24 pm
by Mike C
Bilbobaggins wrote: October 1st, 2025, 5:43 am
Alexander72 wrote: October 1st, 2025, 5:09 am
Bilbobaggins wrote: September 30th, 2025, 8:24 am I was 19 then. And yes, those were the days! Everytime I got the new Elvis fan mag in the mail (I believe it was the Dutch mag "Elvisions") I got almost got a heartattack from seeing all these adds for the newest boots. Remember, in those years RCA came with almost nothing. Compilation after compilation and dull coverdesigns without even the faintest bit of creativity. So, even now, I am still gratefull to my fellow countryman, the late Ger Rijff for playng such a big part in the bootlegscene. His, and of course others', work was outstanding and made with love for the man and his music.
Talking Ger Rijff: I've been toying with the idea of ​​featuring Ger Rijff's role in the Elvis world (books, RCA releases, bootlegs) in an episode on my YouTube channel. It's a bit like a tribute, like the previous Boppin' Bob Jones episode. Is his involvement in the bootleg world also described in the Bootleg Book? I don't own the book myself so can't check. Would you mind sharing some excerpts about him with me? Is he mentioned by name in the book or only his labels? (I always assumed he was being a key figure). A Ger Rijf episode is an episode I am dying to make and do have most of his books but lack an overview on his bootleg work yet.
A episode dedicated to Ger would be great. In the book however, he is mostly referred to as "the Dutchman". So, even though, it's quite obvious who he is referring to, in principal...it could be anyone.

I will send you a private message soon.

Please, please go for the episode. Actually make two -- one for his vinyl releases and one for his cds.

Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: October 6th, 2025, 3:24 am
by Bilbobaggins
This one, released in 1990, has a selection of "Paradise Hawaiian Style" outtakes. Though the photo on the front cover is from "Blue Hawaii".


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And of course, the "Bootleg Elvis" entry:

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Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: October 6th, 2025, 8:06 am
by JohnnyByeBye
Bilbobaggins wrote: October 2nd, 2025, 4:43 am In 1984 this beauty was released; "Radio Recorders Revisited". A nice selection of outtakes from the "Kid Galahad" sessions.
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This was a really quality product with exceptional sound and beautiful artwork. Elvis in his vocal prime. Really 10/10 package I bought it new back then and have never regretted iit :)

If you compared a record like that to any RCA output in 1984, there was no contest

Re: The "Laurel" bootlegs

Posted: October 8th, 2025, 3:02 am
by Bilbobaggins
The last of the Laurels that I have in my collection is "Loving You Sessions". Again, a lovely cover and a great listen.

If anybody who has the remaining albums in their collection and wants to post them... do not hessitate!

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And the "Bootleg Elvis" page...

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