Ger Rijff and the Elvis Presley Import CD Revolution of the 1990s!

Ger Rijff and the Elvis Presley Import CD Revolution of the 1990s

How a Dutch Collector Helped Rewrite the King’s Legacy—One Silver Disc at a Time

If you were an Elvis Presley aficionado in the 1990s, you might remember the thrill of tracking down an Import CD promising “lost studio outtakes” or “never-before-heard live recordings.” Ger Rijff, a Dutch collector, author, and archivist, became a prominent figure within the specialized field of Elvis Presley memorabilia. His dedication to the subject significantly influenced underground collecting practices and contributed to new perspectives on the appreciation of Elvis Presley’s music.

With the arrival of the compact disc, the 1990s ushered in a golden age for music collectors. CDs offered crisp sound and a compact format, allowing previously hidden recordings to circulate more widely than ever before. While the Beatles and Bob Dylan fueled much of the early Import craze, it was Elvis Presley—the “King of Rock and Roll”—whose vast, mysterious archives became irresistible to fans and opportunists alike.

Here, Ger Rijff emerged as a pivotal figure. Well-known among Presley fans for his deep knowledge of Elvis’s sessions, memorabilia, and history, Rijff was far more than a passive observer. He became infamous for his involvement in some of the most coveted and controversial Elvis Import CDs of the decade.

Though originally celebrated for his exhaustive work on the Beatles, Rijff’s interest in Elvis ran deep. Drawing from his collector’s zeal and contacts across Europe and the U.S., he unearthed rare tapes and session reels—snippets of studio chatter, alternate vocal takes, and concert performances that RCA had never officially released.

Rijff’s Import CDs offered improved sound quality over earlier vinyl versions and became collectibles themselves.  Lushly packaged, with detailed liner notes often penned by Rijff himself, these discs felt like artifacts from an alternate Presley universe—one where studio banter and rehearsal takes mattered as much as chart-topping hits.

Collectors were attentive to identifying features such as artwork closely resembling that of RCA, detailed track listings, and assurances of previously unreleased or rare material.  Disc titles such as “Finding the Way Home,” “Unsurpassed Masters,” and “The American Way series” passed from hand to hand at record fairs and through underground networks, each carrying stories of their own.

Some of these CDs focused on legendary sessions—like those at American Sound Studio in Memphis, where Elvis recorded “Suspicious Minds” and “In the Ghetto.” Others spotlighted rehearsal tapes, alternate mixes, or even radio broadcasts lost to time. For diehard fans, these Imports filled in the gaps left by official releases, while also raising new questions about the stewardship of Elvis’s musical legacy.

The explosion of Elvis Imports also brought its share of controversy. Record labels and the Presley estate worked hard to protect copyrights, occasionally launching raids or legal threats. Enforcement failed to keep pace with technology, and demand for unreleased Elvis remained high.

Rijff’s work, while celebrated by collectors, drew mixed reactions from the broader Elvis community. Some saw him as a preservationist and historian, ensuring that musical treasures didn’t languish in vaults. Others accused importers of undermining artists’ legacies and depriving rights holders of revenue. Rijff often said his passion was the music and the fans eager to hear every note the King recorded.

As the digital age dawned and CDs gave way to downloads and streaming, the Import CD era faded—but the impact remained. Several official Elvis box sets were released in the 1990s-2000s, aligning with the interest shown by collectors such as Ger Rijff.   Some previously imported tracks even found their way onto sanctioned releases, blurring the lines between underground discovery and mainstream canon.

For many Presley fans, the 1990s stand as a golden age of collecting—an era when Ger Rijff and a handful of devoted archivists pulled the curtain back on the King’s deep creative reserves. In the process, these Import CDs didn’t just preserve Elvis’s legacy—they expanded it, inviting new generations to discover the full story behind the legend’s enduring voice.

In the end, Rijff’s role in the explosion of Elvis Import CDs was as much about curiosity and care as it was about rebellion. The King sang of mystery trains and blue suede shoes, but thanks to Rijff and his tribe of collectors, it’s the previously unheard-of songs that continue to make hearts race and collectors search for “just one more” elusive disc