Some early facts and gifts from Smile Sessions

[vintagemusic]

The One picture marked, JIM GORDON is definitely him. The other photo with the guy sitting in the corner
is not him period.

Gordon is quite tall, perhaps 6'5 its easiest to spot him when he is standing next to other people
because of his height.

Incidentally I recently recieved an email from a woman who has a movement to get Gordon released
back into the public. She said he is great with the new generation of medications they have.

The only question I have is, what if he doesn't take his medication ?

It's very exciting to see the original equipment and baffling etc of the original studios, I didin't get to
see most of those. The "Goldstar" walls with the little perforated holes reminds me of the control
room of the old American Recording studio city. Maybe in the tracking room too I cant remember. I believe
that's to deaden reflection and keep it flat.

[All Golden 74]

Anyone else notice how Brian's pants almost exactly match the blue paint color on the walls.  Kinda funny and strange all at once, like he is starting to match the studio.  Too bad his shirt wasn't the same off-white color as the tiles  .

[bgas]

The One picture marked, JIM GORDON is definitely him. The other photo with the guy sitting in the corner
is not him period.

Gordon is quite tall, perhaps 6'5 its easiest to spot him when he is standing next to other people
because of his height.

  I also think the guy sitting off to the side( in the corner?)appears to be Jim Gordon, based on the other pictures I've seen. 
It's really hard to tell heights, when people are seated. How is it you're so certain it's not Jim?
Granted, I'm not a Jim Gordon expert. 

[guitarfool2002]

Shameless plug: For vintagemusic and others interested, here's a link you might want to check out if you haven't seen it: http://www.classicstudiosessions.blogspot.com/

I made that Jim Gordon photo from a series of screenshots of Sonny and Cher film shot at Gold Star in '66, it's the only post there on our blog so far!   I would have posted the video itself but in launching the blog, we thought it would be best to avoid copyright issues and use still photography, so I did sceenshots instead. Let me know off the board if you want a link to the original film.

It is amazing how few shots exist of Jim Gordon at this time. There are some of him working with Brian, wearing a firehat, etc. But overall, considering how much work he did in the 60's and how many hits he played on, there is such a lack of photos and info it's unbelievable. I know of unpublished/unseen shots of Jim from this time (66-69), hopefully someday this stuff will come out.

[vintagemusic]

The One picture marked, JIM GORDON is definitely him. The other photo with the guy sitting in the corner
is not him period.

Gordon is quite tall, perhaps 6'5 its easiest to spot him when he is standing next to other people
because of his height.

  I also think the guy sitting off to the side( in the corner?)appears to be Jim Gordon, based on the other pictures I've seen. 
It's really hard to tell heights, when people are seated. How is it you're so certain it's not Jim?
Granted, I'm not a Jim Gordon expert. 

I am no Jim Gordon expert either. I met him a couple times around 1974 when he was in the Souther Hillman Furay band
recording at Podolors. The guy standing with the vibes or percussion whatever that is. Thats the guy I met. The guy seated
appears to be a different person. Jim Gordon is from Sherman oaks, and he played on Layla, neighborhood kids into music were
very cognizant of who Jim Gordon was in that neighborhood because of this. I don't remember a lot of ten minute chats I had with
people 35 years ago, but I remember meeting Gordon because it was such a big occasion, and we would see him out and about
in the neighborhood buying gas or eating a sandwich, and the guy seated does not appear to be the same guy.

[bgas]

The One picture marked, JIM GORDON is definitely him. The other photo with the guy sitting in the corner
is not him period.

Gordon is quite tall, perhaps 6'5 its easiest to spot him when he is standing next to other people
because of his height.

  I also think the guy sitting off to the side( in the corner?)appears to be Jim Gordon, based on the other pictures I've seen. 
It's really hard to tell heights, when people are seated. How is it you're so certain it's not Jim?
Granted, I'm not a Jim Gordon expert. 

I am no Jim Gordon expert either. I met him a couple times around 1974 when he was in the Souther Hillman Furay band
recording at Podolors. The guy standing with the vibes or percussion whatever that is. Thats the guy I met. The guy seated
appears to be a different person. Jim Gordon is from Sherman oaks, and he played on Layla, neighborhood kids into music were
very cognizant of who Jim Gordon was in that neighborhood because of this. I don't remember a lot of ten minute chats I had with
people 35 years ago, but I remember meeting Gordon because it was such a big occasion, and we would see him out and about
in the neighborhood buying gas or eating a sandwich, and the guy seated does not appear to be the same guy.

In that case, I defer to your greater knowledge

[vintagemusic]

The guy seated reminds me of, Billy Burnettes uncle or dad, Dorsey Burnette
your sixteen your beautiful and your mine. I dont know who that is, but it
reminds me of someone from the Elvis rockabilly crowd.

[guitarfool2002]

For comparison:

The guy at Gold Star:


Jim Gordon:

[vintagemusic]

The other guy looks a little like Hal Blaine. Maybe this is all an inside joke?
or a drummer's mixup ?

[Bill Barnyard]

The guy to the right of the picture looks a bit like recording engineer, Larry Levine who was based at Gold Star at this time.



This is a pic of Larry - not sure from which period - early 60's I think.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Works for me.

[vintagemusic]

I worked with that guy many years later (80's). That could be him (in photo)

Sadly I met him for a couple sessions at a cut rate studio, apparently
there was no pension plan for engineers and he needed the money.
That might be him, it does sort of look like him. He's very famous, he
worked on some other big big sessions besides Brian Wilson, Spector?
Elvis? Did he pass away a few years ago?

[Bill Barnyard]

Larry died 8 May 2008 on his 80th birthday. He had a web site which is still up. Some nice studio pictures.

http://www.larrylevinerecordingengineer.com/

[vintagemusic]

There was this cut rate place on Fairfax called "hit man recording" just awful
cheapest rates in town... Does anybody remember if he worked there for extra
money in the eighties ? I seem to recall he did.

Artie Ripp had another place in the Valley, and that place was awful also (Fidelity recording?)
Did he moonlight there for extra cash in the eighties?  Parts of the 80's are hazy for me.

Does anyone remember ?

[juggler]

Jim Gordon... what a sad story.  Incredibly talented musician, yet plagued by substance abuse and mental illness demons... along with a violent streak.

I remember when he was awarded a Grammy for songwriting for "Layla" (Clapton's early '90s remake of the song).  There was a story in the newspaper about how he watched the ceremony in the prison TV room but happened to have stepped out of the room when his name was called.  When he came back into the room, his fellow inmates told him that he had won a Grammy.

[buddhahat]

"As for my own music, 'Smile' is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and segues."

http://www.nme.com/news/the-beach-boys/56941

Pretty uninteresting article, but thought the above quote was worth posting as Brian is obviously in 'promote smile sessions' mode.

[seanmurd]

"As for my own music, 'Smile' is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and segues."

http://www.nme.com/news/the-beach-boys/56941

Pretty uninteresting article, but thought the above quote was worth posting as Brian is obviously in 'promote smile sessions' mode.

He's even promoting the segues! Or, if you work for Billboard, the "segue ways"! 

[c-man]

For comparison:

The guy at Gold Star:


Jim Gordon:

Yes, blown up to this size, definitely not Gordon.  Probably Levine.  Good work.

[Andrew G. Doe]

"As for my own music, 'Smile' is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and segues."

http://www.nme.com/news/the-beach-boys/56941

Pretty uninteresting article, but thought the above quote was worth posting as Brian is obviously in 'promote smile sessions' mode.

Nope - he's obviously talking about BWPS. Has to be, given that Smile, being unfinished, never had any sequences or segues to be proud of. 

[desmondo]

"As for my own music, 'Smile' is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and segues."

http://www.nme.com/news/the-beach-boys/56941

Pretty uninteresting article, but thought the above quote was worth posting as Brian is obviously in 'promote smile sessions' mode.

Nope - he's obviously talking about BWPS. Has to be, given that Smile, being unfinished, never had any sequences or segues to be proud of. 

Err nope Smile 66 you mean

[desmondo]

"As for my own music, 'Smile' is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and segues."

http://www.nme.com/news/the-beach-boys/56941

Pretty uninteresting article, but thought the above quote was worth posting as Brian is obviously in 'promote smile sessions' mode.

Nope - he's obviously talking about BWPS. Has to be, given that Smile, being unfinished, never had any sequences or segues to be proud of. 

Err nope Smile 66 you mean

You mean SMiLE 66 `Andrew surely

[Andrew G. Doe]

"As for my own music, 'Smile' is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and segues."

http://www.nme.com/news/the-beach-boys/56941

Pretty uninteresting article, but thought the above quote was worth posting as Brian is obviously in 'promote smile sessions' mode.

Nope - he's obviously talking about BWPS. Has to be, given that Smile, being unfinished, never had any sequences or segues to be proud of.  

Err nope Smile 66 you mean

You mean SMiLE 66 `Andrew surely

Nope - to my mind, Brian's clearly talking about BWPS, which has sequences - three of 'em - and segues (many). Smile, some 44 years ago, had neither sequences nor segues. It's all in the context:

"He said of Pet Sounds: "It's a good album, but not the best. I think The Beatles' Rubber Soul is still the best album of all time. As for my own music, Smile is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and seques."

So, he compares Pet Sounds to Rubber Soul and finds it wanting (man's a fool, of course), then says "as for my own music", i.e. his solo material. The distinction is clear.

The defense rests.  

[desmondo]

"As for my own music, 'Smile' is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and segues."

http://www.nme.com/news/the-beach-boys/56941

Pretty uninteresting article, but thought the above quote was worth posting as Brian is obviously in 'promote smile sessions' mode.

Nope - he's obviously talking about BWPS. Has to be, given that Smile, being unfinished, never had any sequences or segues to be proud of.  

Err nope Smile 66 you mean

You mean SMiLE 66 `Andrew surely

Nope - to my mind, Brian's clearly talking about BWPS, which has sequences - three of 'em - and segues (many). Smile, some 44 years ago, had neither sequences nor segues. It's all in the context:

"He said of Pet Sounds: "It's a good album, but not the best. I think The Beatles' Rubber Soul is still the best album of all time. As for my own music, Smile is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and seques."

So, he compares Pet Sounds to Rubber Soul and finds it wanting (man's a fool, of course), then says "as for my own music", i.e. his solo material. The distinction is clear.

The defense rests.  

Nope - to my mind he's obviously talking about SMiLE as a piece that's finished - as we don't know what SMiLE would have been in 66/67 its difficult to say no sequences and no segues back then

SMiLE, as a work of art conceived, written and performed by BW, VDP and all the players, is finished and completed. It was done so in 2004.

[drbeachboy]

"As for my own music, 'Smile' is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and segues."

http://www.nme.com/news/the-beach-boys/56941

Pretty uninteresting article, but thought the above quote was worth posting as Brian is obviously in 'promote smile sessions' mode.

Nope - he's obviously talking about BWPS. Has to be, given that Smile, being unfinished, never had any sequences or segues to be proud of. 

Err nope Smile 66 you mean

You mean SMiLE 66 `Andrew surely

Nope - to my mind, Brian's clearly talking about BWPS, which has sequences - three of 'em - and segues (many). Smile, some 44 years ago, had neither sequences nor segues. It's all in the context:

"He said of Pet Sounds: "It's a good album, but not the best. I think The Beatles' Rubber Soul is still the best album of all time. As for my own music, Smile is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and seques."

So, he compares Pet Sounds to Rubber Soul and finds it wanting (man's a fool, of course), then says "as for my own music", i.e. his solo material. The distinction is clear.

The defense rests. 

I believe he was speaking of BWPS, as well, but you do have to read into it a little bit, because when he says "as for my own music", it is all his music whether solo or Beach Boys.

[Andrew G. Doe]

"As for my own music, 'Smile' is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and segues."

http://www.nme.com/news/the-beach-boys/56941

Pretty uninteresting article, but thought the above quote was worth posting as Brian is obviously in 'promote smile sessions' mode.

Nope - he's obviously talking about BWPS. Has to be, given that Smile, being unfinished, never had any sequences or segues to be proud of.  

Err nope Smile 66 you mean

You mean SMiLE 66 `Andrew surely

Nope - to my mind, Brian's clearly talking about BWPS, which has sequences - three of 'em - and segues (many). Smile, some 44 years ago, had neither sequences nor segues. It's all in the context:

"He said of Pet Sounds: "It's a good album, but not the best. I think The Beatles' Rubber Soul is still the best album of all time. As for my own music, Smile is my most ambitious album in terms of sequences and seques."

So, he compares Pet Sounds to Rubber Soul and finds it wanting (man's a fool, of course), then says "as for my own music", i.e. his solo material. The distinction is clear.

The defense rests.  

Nope - to my mind he's obviously talking about SMiLE as a piece that's finished - as we don't know what SMiLE would have been in 66/67 its difficult to say no sequences and no segues back then

SMiLE, as a work of art conceived, written and performed by BW, VDP and all the players, is finished and completed. It was done so in 2004.

Exactly. And released as BWPS. Nice of you to agree with me. Eventually.