Mark Linett Billboard Interview About SMiLE

[SMiLEY]

Wind Chimes is in a different key on Smiley, isn't it? If so, the Whispering Winds section wouldn't work with the earlier version.

[Jeff]

OK, to answer part of my own question, the Hawthorne liner notes seem to say that the slow "I know that you'll feel better" was recorded on 3/3/67.  Thoughts on Hawthorne With Me Tonight?  On Whispering Winds?

Based on the sound of With Me Tonight, it sounds much more like the April Vegetables sessions than the June sessions that produced the Smiley version.  No hard evidence though.  If you were to insert it into Vegetables, would it fit into the Smiley or Smile version better?  (There was an insert for Vegetables recorded April 6 I believe)

I've never heard anyone suggest that Whispering Winds wasn't recorded during Smiley - and it sounds like it's from that era/studio from the sessions on the Smiley Smile SOT.
[/quote]

I certainly don't have any evidence that Whispering Winds was recorded during Smile, but I have a few reasons for thinking that maybe, possibly, it could have been.

1- The way it was tacked on to Smiley Wind Chimes with very, very low volume could be BW's way of saying, hey, we did a lot more for this song during Smile, but I'm going to keep it hidden from you (as he did with most of the rest of Smile).  Why else would he record such a beautiful section of that song but make it so hard to hear?

2- He used in on BWPS.  I believe that everything else on BWPS at least was written during Smile (though I'm not sure about all of H&V).  It would seem strange for him to include something that had no connection to Smile at all.

3- It sounds more like a Smile bit than a Smiley Smile bit.

As for its inclusion on the SOT SMiley SMile sessions, I'm not sure that means a whole lot, given that they made other mistakes, such as making the Can't Wait Too Long tag a H&V SMile track.

Anyway, just speculation.

[Dunderhead]

Here's a question,
what mixes of SMiLE songs did Brian personally do?

[theCOD]

Nearly laughed wine out of my nostrils.  Help yourself to a medal and take the rest of the month off.

Wait... you don't think that was hilarious?  Maybe you just don't get my style.  I'll take the medal, but I'll be back tomorrow for more SMiLE updates.  Talk to you later, Boiled Egg.

 

Edit:  I guess this is off-topic now, but I would really love to get the Smiley Sessions after this.  I know I'm just being greedy at this point, but whatever.  Didn't someone (Alan Boyd?) confirm that they have everything they need for a stereo mix?  When I heard the Smiley version of Wind Chimes in stereo for the first time it really opened my eyes to the entire album.

[Chris Moise]

I don't think we should expect the TSS box to use firm dates for "start" and "end". After all, the PET SOUNDS SESSIONS include "Sloop John B", recorded long before the rest of the album, but exclude other (ultimately) non-PS material recorded in the late summer/fall of 1965. Just because PET SOUNDS hadn't "officially" started recording in July 1965 doesn't mean we'd want to exclude "Sloop John B" sessions from the PSS box (well, maybe some people would, but I think I made my point...).

Er, the fact that "Sloop John B" is actually on Pet Sounds is probably why it was included in the Pet Sounds Sessions box.

[desmondo]

Here's a question,
what mixes of SMiLE songs did Brian personally do?

Great question - anyone?

[Ron]

Edit:  I guess this is off-topic now, but I would really love to get the Smiley Sessions after this.  I know I'm just being greedy at this point, but whatever.  Didn't someone (Alan Boyd?) confirm that they have everything they need for a stereo mix?  When I heard the Smiley version of Wind Chimes in stereo for the first time it really opened my eyes to the entire album.

Yeah, it'd be cool if they do a Smiley Smile set, and then just go COMPLETELY insane and do a Love You box set.  Never happen, but since everybody's waited 45 years for SMiLE, I'll wait the next 45 years for a Love You box set. 

[drbeachboy]

Hey, only 13 years to ago for Love You and maybe only next year for Smiley.

[Jeff]

Wind Chimes is in a different key on Smiley, isn't it? If so, the Whispering Winds section wouldn't work with the earlier version.

I replaced the Wind Chimes fade with the same piece from SOT 17, and inserted Whispering Winds where the SOT 17 piece cuts out.  I've got to say it sounds pretty good.

[SMiLEY]

Wind Chimes is in a different key on Smiley, isn't it? If so, the Whispering Winds section wouldn't work with the earlier version.

I replaced the Wind Chimes fade with the same piece from SOT 17, and inserted Whispering Winds where the SOT 17 piece cuts out.  I've got to say it sounds pretty good.

I've been going through my old SMiLE mixes from the old days. I found two Wind Chimes -- one was pitch-shifted to accommodate the Whispering Winds bit, so I think they are differing keys.

[bsten]

Why do we always think "albumwise"? Why do we always talk about SMILE as a finished product - but then it wasn't. The creation of songs is an ongoing, endless process. How do we really know SMILE was "abandondoned"? Was it really? How do we know Diamond head and many songs written later on couldn't have been on a later version of SMILE, like the one that was going to come out in the 70's? Yes, there was a track list back in 1966, but was SMILE really meant to be that way? We really don't know, do we? Only Brian knew for sure - or maybe he didn't... Or maybe he really didn't care... Yes, we have the 2004 release, but in the early 00's Brian was another person, not the 1966 Brian that most of us know - and miss...

Yeah, maybe he' smessing with us for kicks. Maybe the '67 announcement that it was cancelled was just a put on. Maybe the later tracks that surfaced were just parts of a work in progress that he was teasing us with.

So - please tell me - do we have a starting date and an ending date for Smile? E.g. they started recording Smile on [insert date] and ended on [insert date] ??   Hmmmm  

[The Shift]

Why do we always think "albumwise"? Why do we always talk about SMILE as a finished product - but then it wasn't. The creation of songs is an ongoing, endless process. How do we really know SMILE was "abandondoned"? Was it really? How do we know Diamond head and many songs written later on couldn't have been on a later version of SMILE, like the one that was going to come out in the 70's? Yes, there was a track list back in 1966, but was SMILE really meant to be that way? We really don't know, do we? Only Brian knew for sure - or maybe he didn't... Or maybe he really didn't care... Yes, we have the 2004 release, but in the early 00's Brian was another person, not the 1966 Brian that most of us know - and miss...

Yeah, maybe he' smessing with us for kicks. Maybe the '67 announcement that it was cancelled was just a put on. Maybe the later tracks that surfaced were just parts of a work in progress that he was teasing us with.

So - please tell me - do we have a starting date and an ending date for Smile? E.g. they started recording Smile on [insert date] and ended on [insert date] ??   Hmmmm 

I'm not sure that Brian sees it as finished yet. This box will just be an interim release, like Al's Postcards EP. SMiLE will be finished when Brian aks us to sanction its validity, and we give it our stamp of approval. Not until.

[Mahalo]

In 5 years after the release of the SMiLE set, Capitol will re-issue it in full stereo...then 5 years later in a fancier package and a better mix...then after another five years some more missing SMiLE stuff will magically appear to be issued...

[Roger Ryan]

One thing to consider regarding "Whispering Winds" is that the melody is based on the vibes part that ends "Holidays". When using "Holidays" to create "On A Holiday" for BWPS, it was logical to segue into the "whispering winds" vocals to introduce "Wind Chimes".

One curious thing about the "whispering winds" vocals is the reverb. Unlike all the other vocals recorded at Brian's home studio, "whispering winds" has that pro studio sound. Did they achieve that reverb by recording in an empty swimming pool? I know there was talk about how the pool was used for this purpose, but all of the vocals on SMILEY SMILE (aside from the pro studio-recorded segments of "Heroes & Villains" and "Vegetables") sound very dry, like they were recorded in a living room without effects (apart from tape speed manipulation).

[Bicyclerider]

Here's a question,
what mixes of SMiLE songs did Brian personally do?

Great question - anyone?

Brian did mixes of some songs, mostly mixes of sections of songs, and he edits on some other songs that he never got around to mixing.  
Mixes:  Good Vibrations, obviously

Prayer (with edit of next last to section)

Worms (no vocals on verses, no vocals on second Bicycle Rider chorus)

Heroes - single of course, cantina version, mixes of sections edited together on SOT, mixes of cantina section and other sections, lost acetate edits/mixes

Cabinessence - several mixes of the sections of this combined together in different ways, no final mix of the entire song

Old Master Painter/Sunshine - acetate mix with backing vocals on "false Barnyard" - unclear if a tape of this was found after the GV box set (Linnett suggested a better source for this had been found in ICE magazine after the GV box set was released)

Wonderful - first version with Brian's vocals mixed and only exists as a mono tape as far as we know, also a backing vocal (yodelling backing vocs) without a lead vocal mix

Child - mono mixes of the verses, middle eight, and chorus with two different backing vocals, plus a completed instrumental mix of the entire track edited together (3 minutes)

Barnyard with backing vocals/animal sounds
 
Wind Chimes - he did a mix of this on acetate described by Vosse but it's not been found, unless it shows up on The Smile Sessions

Vegetables - on SOT there are mixes of all the sections, some with overdubs not on the multitracks (you can hear the overdub attempts on SOT), including the great "Fade to Vegetables."

The Elements - there's a mono mix with crackling special effect, on SOT

I Wanna Be Around/Workshop - master was edited together at end of session by Brian and the engineer but no mono mix known

This is from memory, I think Look was edited together but not mixed.  Can't remember if Holidays has a mono mix or not.

Correction:  no Fire mono mix.
And he did edit the Wind Chimes multitrack sections together - leavinga couple of seconds of empty air space between two sections that Linnett edited out for the GV box set mix.

[The Heartical Don]

Edit:  I guess this is off-topic now, but I would really love to get the Smiley Sessions after this.  I know I'm just being greedy at this point, but whatever.  Didn't someone (Alan Boyd?) confirm that they have everything they need for a stereo mix?  When I heard the Smiley version of Wind Chimes in stereo for the first time it really opened my eyes to the entire album.

Yeah, it'd be cool if they do a Smiley Smile set, and then just go COMPLETELY insane and do a Love You box set.  Never happen, but since everybody's waited 45 years for SMiLE, I'll wait the next 45 years for a Love You box set.  

Yeah, great. We'll all be either deep under the ground, turned into ashes, or senile - only a lucky few will be in an old folks' residence, clattering with their dentures, and holding on to their Zimmer frames when the postman at long last delivers that 6 CD Love You Sessions box set. They will turn on their hearing aids to 11... then the the triumphant yell by Carl will come... 'Roller Skater Child'... 'HARRRR'... and then the last of us will simultaneously drop dead like flies.

What a prospect.

[The Shift]

Edit:  I guess this is off-topic now, but I would really love to get the Smiley Sessions after this.  I know I'm just being greedy at this point, but whatever.  Didn't someone (Alan Boyd?) confirm that they have everything they need for a stereo mix?  When I heard the Smiley version of Wind Chimes in stereo for the first time it really opened my eyes to the entire album.

Yeah, it'd be cool if they do a Smiley Smile set, and then just go COMPLETELY insane and do a Love You box set.  Never happen, but since everybody's waited 45 years for SMiLE, I'll wait the next 45 years for a Love You box set. 

Yeah, great. We'll all be either deep under the ground, turned into ashes, or senile - only a lucky few will be in an old folks' residence, clattering with their dentures, and holding on to their Zimmer frames when the postman at long last delivers that 6 CD Love You Sessions box set. They will turn on their hearing aids to 11... then the the triumphant yell by Carl will come... 'Roller Skater Child'... 'HARRRR'... and then the last of us will simultaneously drop dead like flies.

What a prospect.

Could be worse – the Postcard From California Sessions box set has been scheduled for release shortly before Sol goes supernova, subject to tinkering...

[The Heartical Don]

Edit:  I guess this is off-topic now, but I would really love to get the Smiley Sessions after this.  I know I'm just being greedy at this point, but whatever.  Didn't someone (Alan Boyd?) confirm that they have everything they need for a stereo mix?  When I heard the Smiley version of Wind Chimes in stereo for the first time it really opened my eyes to the entire album.

Yeah, it'd be cool if they do a Smiley Smile set, and then just go COMPLETELY insane and do a Love You box set.  Never happen, but since everybody's waited 45 years for SMiLE, I'll wait the next 45 years for a Love You box set.  

Yeah, great. We'll all be either deep under the ground, turned into ashes, or senile - only a lucky few will be in an old folks' residence, clattering with their dentures, and holding on to their Zimmer frames when the postman at long last delivers that 6 CD Love You Sessions box set. They will turn on their hearing aids to 11... then the the triumphant yell by Carl will come... 'Roller Skater Child'... 'HARRRR'... and then the last of us will simultaneously drop dead like flies.

What a prospect.

Could be worse – the Postcard From California Sessions box set has been scheduled for release shortly before Sol goes supernova, subject to tinkering...

  right-o! Currently I am enjoying the big, big moon that's over us now in the clear early spring skies... that, together with the announcement of the SS box set is enough to make me happy for the foreseeable future.

[Micha]

Yet Frank Holmes supposedly says Cabinessence is about pot and that's the way it is? I'm skeptical.

While I tend to believe there are drug references in Vega-Tables (thinking of the times, it would be strange if there were NO drug references on that record), I really think it's too much a stretch to believe "Cabin Essence" is a wordplay with "cannabis". I'd believe it if there was a can o' biscuits in one corner of the cabin...    As we're at that, why not claim the title was a reference to the novel "Ape and essence" by Aldous Huxley? It nearly rhymes, you know? 

And for the "wadoo" chant: When Cool Cool Water was included in the 10 Years Of Harmony sampler, they printed the full lyrics of every song on the fold-out cover (or the inside sleeves, that I'm not sure of), and for the chant section the lyrics read: "Water, water, water, water..."

[Runaways]

i find it weird that people think that the lyric is "wadoo".

[Jeff]

One thing to consider regarding "Whispering Winds" is that the melody is based on the vibes part that ends "Holidays". When using "Holidays" to create "On A Holiday" for BWPS, it was logical to segue into the "whispering winds" vocals to introduce "Wind Chimes".

One curious thing about the "whispering winds" vocals is the reverb. Unlike all the other vocals recorded at Brian's home studio, "whispering winds" has that pro studio sound. Did they achieve that reverb by recording in an empty swimming pool? I know there was talk about how the pool was used for this purpose, but all of the vocals on SMILEY SMILE (aside from the pro studio-recorded segments of "Heroes & Villains" and "Vegetables") sound very dry, like they were recorded in a living room without effects (apart from tape speed manipulation).

There's about 14 minutes of session tape for Whispering Winds on SOT 18, so that might answer these questions.  I'm not able to listen to them closely right now, but it at least sounds clear that it wasn't recorded in a swimming pool.

[The Heartical Don]

i find it weird that people think that the lyric is "wadoo".

I always heard it as 'water' and I don't have the intention to change my perception just because a few nutters on the internet are going off the deep end because they can't bear the terrible void in their lives suddenly brought about by a certain announcement the validity of which can only be empirically tested at the precise moment when delivery trucks will arrive at numerous record stores and solidified versions of the fantasies as yet merely describable as 'pipedreams' of said nutters will be unloaded and offered for purchase.

[desmondo]

As for the person who wanted to hear an all instrumental version of "The Elements", try this...

Earth -- "Fall Breaks and Back to Winter"
Air -- "Our Prayer"
Fire -- "Mrs. O'Learys Cow"  (use that composition only -- no "Bag of Tricks", "I'll be around", etc.)
Water -- Water Chant   (again, no "Cool, Cool Water"," Da-Da", etc.)

Love and merci,   Dan Lega


Dammit, you were that close !  

To what?

[desmondo]

As for the person who wanted to hear an all instrumental version of "The Elements", try this...

Earth -- "Fall Breaks and Back to Winter"
Air -- "Our Prayer"
Fire -- "Mrs. O'Learys Cow"  (use that composition only -- no "Bag of Tricks", "I'll be around", etc.)
Water -- Water Chant   (again, no "Cool, Cool Water"," Da-Da", etc.)

Each piece is about a minute long -- and while it's not all instrumental (i.e., "Our Prayer", Water Chant"), there are no real lyrics, per se, and in my opinion it's a killer of a suite!.  Okay, yes, it spoils the idea of using "Our Prayer" as the opener of SMiLE, but I think it's worth it!

Ahh of course you could switch Prayer to the first opener (becomes an intro) and then FBFTW becomes a perfect link to MOC

Genius

[Andrew G. Doe]

As for the person who wanted to hear an all instrumental version of "The Elements", try this...

Earth -- "Fall Breaks and Back to Winter"
Air -- "Our Prayer"
Fire -- "Mrs. O'Learys Cow"  (use that composition only -- no "Bag of Tricks", "I'll be around", etc.)
Water -- Water Chant   (again, no "Cool, Cool Water"," Da-Da", etc.)

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

Dammit, you were that close !  

To what?

My preferred "Elements" - replace "Prayer" with "Country Air" and you're there. Even - back in the days of cassettes - did an edit of "CA" that excised the choruses. Know what ? It sounded some good.