SMiLE Sessions box set!

[seanmurd]

I'll go back to an idea I've suggested for SMiLE promotion several times: They should have held a contest for the SMiLE nerds -- "Make Your Own SMiLE" -- and used that to fill up the summer. Have fans send in their SMiLE comps, get a couple of Capitol interns to listen to them all

But Capitol would be endorsing some bootlegged material if they had done that!  Otherwise I tend to agree with your post however.

"SMiLE Fans Own SMiLE Bootlegs" is not exactly an "above the fold" headline, is it?    It would all be in good fun, "All submissions become the property of Capitol Records" etc. etc. If it weren't for the fans and their bootlegs and their SMiLE comps, no one would know or care about SMiLE today.

[guitarfool2002]

While I think Mr. Murdoch has some fine suggestions for promotional ideas, we're treating this release as more important than it has been perceived outside of this forum. There are only about 25 of us here who are actively discussing THE SMiLE SESSIONS release and probably less than a dozen who are disgruntled over the lack of forthcoming information. That doesn't amount to much. Has Capitol really dropped the ball by not catering to a specific group of people who could fit comfortably on a single touring bus? Maybe we need to let go of our egos a bit.

As LostArt and monicker intimated, and Arcade Fire recently sang about, "we used to wait". At one time, when I saw a film I really enjoyed, I knew that I would probably have to wait years before I would have the chance to see it again. I would attend a concert and hear the performer sing a new song which, again, might not be available for me to hear again for a year or more. Nowadays, I know that I can pretty much watch any movie I want instantly...and there are a dozen fan videos on YouTube of that new song performed in concert last night. Sure, that's what I'm used to now and I like having that kind of accessibility. But it's okay to wait a little bit too.

Instant gratification is a double-edged sword. I like having the information instantly available. But there was also something very fun about waiting for the new copy of Goldmine, finding a new album or video to buy in the ads, sending off the check, and waiting for it to arrive. There was something fun about calling and taking the subway and bus to video stores around Boston trying to track down an elusive full-length copy of "American Band" on VHS, or the Monkees box set after it went out of print. It was awesome to travel to the record shops around Back Bay and Cambridge hoping to find a smile hiding in the racks...but again, that's just me and I like the search sometimes as much as the actual item I'm searching for.

As cool as it is to type in a few lyrics of a song, search Google, and find that song, it was neat to actually experience the physical search as well. It wasn't instant but it was cool.

I think you could count the number of folks getting that impatient with the Smile release schedule on one hand, not even enough to fill a tour van.

[Dunderhead]

Wow...has it gotten old in here. People are really just falling over themselves to make excuses for capitol records.

[LostArt]

With age comes wisdom, sonny.  Now get off my lawn!

[seanmurd]

Wow...has it gotten old in here. People are really just falling over themselves to make excuses for capitol records.

There's no NEED to make "excuses" for them -- they haven't done anything wrong! They may not be going about this the way WE want, but things are proceeding quite normally for an ordinary box set release. The "x" factor here is doom-spewing, hyperventilating Beach Boys fans.

[guitarfool2002]

I'm still waiting to read the explanation behind the statement "Smile really isn't that popular".

[rab2591]

Jeesh Fishmonk, it almost sounds like Cohen hacked into your account. Do I have to keep reiterating the facts about Capitol's SMiLE promotion thus far? Seems as if all my explanations have fallen upon deaf ears.

[drbeachboy]

Wow...has it gotten old in here. People are really just falling over themselves to make excuses for capitol records.

You pissin' and moanin' about the lack of information from Capitol is what's OLD. It is so unbecoming of you.

[seanmurd]

Jeesh Fishmonk, it almost sounds like Cohen hacked into your account. Do I have to keep reiterating the facts about Capitol's SMiLE promotion thus far? Seems as if all my explanations have fallen upon deaf ears.

I've been saying the same things, but people believe what they want to believe...

[Shady]

I'm still waiting to read the explanation behind the statement "Smile really isn't that popular".

Stupidest comment ever, Fishmonk has been on point lately but that was just ridiculous

new here, but my guess for what it's worth, is that Capitol are going to cash in on Christmas and release TSS late October to maximise sales.

THIS!!!

Also respect to rab who's been making very sane posts 

[Dunderhead]

Smile isn't very popular, sorry to have to be the one to break the news.

[Shady]

Smile isn't very popular, sorry to have to be the one to break the news.

Back that up with a fact for once in your life because I got a few that could prove you otherwise

[Dunderhead]

lol

[Shady]

Yeah see you can't, you think SMiLE's not popular, for whatever reason you've come to that conclusion


Just leave and come back when the boxset is out, you're a dark cloud on this board

[drbeachboy]

Smile isn't very popular, sorry to have to be the one to break the news.

You answered your own question. Why should Capitol spend anymore money on marketing & advertising for a niche product? The people who are going to buy it already know 98% of what will be on it.

[Dunderhead]

You can't prove or disprove popularity. It's foolhardy to even try. Like there's some smoking gun out there, some fact that will settle the matter in an objective fashion.

You answered your own question. Why should Capitol spend anymore money on marketing & advertising for a niche product? The people who are going to buy it already know 98% of what will be on it.

That's exactly the point I was making in the first place...so....
Capitol is planning three different versions of this thing, they're obviously hoping that people besides us are going to buy this release. Yet they've done an awful job with marketing. If they want this thing to have crossover appeal, if they want regular people to buy this, they have to create interest. Which they haven't done. They people they want to buy the one disc version or the two disc version have all forgotten about this by now.

[Mike's Beard]

I understand where he is coming from but it would have been better if Flash Harry had stated that Smile has a cult fanbase and is not widely known in mainstream music circles than to say it is unpopular.. A large portion of today's music fans would be unaware of it's existence if you were to mention it to them. To say Smile's not popular seems to imply that everyone is aware of it but it is disliked.

[Dunderhead]

I understand where he is coming from but it would have been better if Flash Harry had stated that Smile has a cult fanbase and is not widely known in mainstream music circles than to say it is unpopular.. A large portion of today's music fans would be unaware of it's existence if you were to mention it to them. To say Smile's not popular seems to imply that everyone is aware of it but it is disliked.

Whatever you have to tell yourself.

[guitarfool2002]

You can't prove or disprove popularity. It's foolhardy to even try. Like there's some smoking gun out there, some fact that will settle the matter in an objective fashion.

If you can't prove or disprove popularity, and it's "foolhardy" to even try, then why did you originally make the statement that Smile *isn't* popular? Your own words: "Smile really isn't that popular". Again, what do you base that statement on and why bother making that claim if you yourself said you can't prove or disprove it? Trying to stir the pot for the sake of stirring it? Trying to start a debate then saying the point cannot be debated?

[Mike's Beard]

Sorry to ruffle your feathers Flash. Please continue to enlighten us with more pearly nuggets of your wisdom.

[LostArt]

You can't prove or disprove popularity. It's foolhardy to even try. Like there's some smoking gun out there, some fact that will settle the matter in an objective fashion.

You answered your own question. Why should Capitol spend anymore money on marketing & advertising for a niche product? The people who are going to buy it already know 98% of what will be on it.

That's exactly the point I was making in the first place...so....
Capitol is planning three different versions of this thing, they're obviously hoping that people besides us are going to buy this release. Yet they've done an awful job with marketing. If they want this thing to have crossover appeal, if they want regular people to buy this, they have to create interest. Which they haven't done. They people they want to buy the one disc version or the two disc version have all forgotten about this by now.

I think you'll probably see the big promotion push after the set is officially announced, w/release date(s), tracklisting, etc.   There's still lots of time.  Patience, son.  Good things come to those who wait.

[Dunderhead]

Sorry to ruffle your feathers Flash. Please continue to enlighten us with more pearly nuggets of your wisdom.

Excuse me, it hasn't just gotten old in here. It's gotten downright ancient!

[Shady]

  I think Fishmonk missed the smile thread blowing up so he felt like stirring the pot

[LostArt]

Excuse me, it hasn't just gotten old in here. It's gotten downright ancient!

Thank goodness.  Listening to you youngsters fret and fuss is getting boring.

[Jason]

All of you take your petty squabbles to PMs. Now.