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The Australian Elvis Discography & Price Guide
Author: Adrian Payne
Publisher: Standard Publishing House Pty. Ltd.
ISBN: 0-949203-26-2 (paperback -- large format, 72 pp.)
Some Elvis fans really are dedicated, aren't they? Okay, a lot of us sit back and let the few do most of the work, preparing newsletters, organising events, researching Elvis history, and so on, but thank goodness there are people to do that dirty work.
Australian Elvis fan Adrian Payne must surely rank amongst the very dedicated. I've just come across his 1995 book, "The Australian Elvis Discography & Price Guide." It is a wonderful demonstration of excellent research and presentation. Although perhaps of more interest to Elvis record collectors, it is still interesting to those of us who are not quite so completist.
The book represents the first attempt to catalogue Elvis's Australian releases and does so in fine fashion. The compilation includes over 500 colour illustrations, offering a superb overview of the covers used for Elvis's 45s, EPs, and LPs, not forgetting box sets and special bonus items. Theses illustrations accompany a complete chronological listing of the releases, including all of the reissues. Furthermore, notes explain the sleeve and label variations and additional sections provide similar information about Australian sheet music, magazines (80 covers are shown) and posters and other OZ memorabilia, all related to Elvis, of course.
The quality of both illustrations and information is excellent and it really is a pleasure to simply leaf through the book, noticing sleeves with which we in Europe (and, I dare say, elsewhere outside Australia) are familiar, but also coming across those more typically Australian issues: the original Australian gold, black and white label used by RCA on Elvis's first Australian LP; the "Change Of Habit" EP; the "Elvis In The 70s" LP.
When first published in 1995, just 1000 copies of "The Australian Elvis Discography & Price Guide" were produced. Some 300 remain. Anyone interested should contact author Adrian Payne directly, either at his email address:
or his postal address:
PO Box 277
The book costs US$ 30, which includes postage. (I did a search on the Web and found a second-hand copy for US$ 53, without postage, so Adrian's price seems reasonable.)
I'm glad I came across this little gem; I'm no record buff, but I thoroughly enjoyed this publication and I'm sure you will, too.
David Neale
copyright August 2004
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