Brian (and Bruce!) interviewed on tonight's Front Row

[Smilin Ed H]

"Paul Gambaccini is an idiot"

True.  I'm sure it was he who described Dennis as just a drummer and not a very good one. Hell of an obit.

[juggler]

Yes, Carl sounds almost like Brian here at times. 
Well ok, have to listen to the complete song.
But we agree it's not Bruce!

The piano could be Bruce. It sounds like someone who can play trying to sound like someone who can't. (the chord inversions and harmonics are too accurate for a self taught musician)

Anyone know who played the piano on Country Air?  The playing style sounds the same to my ear.

[Aegir]

COME ON GUYS. Brian is playing the piano on Surf's Up.

[Andrew G. Doe]

  This is really happening.  The SMiLE Sessions... is coming..... Finally. 

Somewhere in this world, Phil Cohen just fell over backwards, dead.

[Andrew G. Doe]

That little snippet of "Surf's Up '67" - I'm speechless.  So beautiful I can't even believe it.

It certainly is, and it's certainly not Brian who sings it.

You, sir, are an idiot, and a deaf one at that. You're saying that having discovered and listened to all five takes, Mark & Alan looked at each other and said "let's f*ck with some people's minds and say it's Carl". When you hear the full track, you'll realise just how wrong you are.

And people wonder why I sometimes get a little cranky...  

[Jameswilliam]

That little snippet of "Surf's Up '67" - I'm speechless.  So beautiful I can't even believe it.

It certainly is, and it's certainly not Brian who sings it.

It is DEFINETLEY Brian.  That is a silly thing to say.  No one would sit and play Surf's Up at a piano besides Brian at the time.  The quality is so good 

[Jaspy]

You, sir, are an idiot, and a deaf one at that. You're saying that having discovered and listened to all five takes, Mark & Alan looked at each other and said "let's f*ck with some people's minds and say it's Carl". When you hear the full track, you'll realise just how wrong you are.

And people wonder why I sometimes get a little cranky...  

Dear sir, I nearly spurted my coffee over the keyboard from laughing.
Thanks for the compliment, I just burnt your book.
Of course I know all that , because I'm an intelligent human being.
But listening to these few seconds, it really sounds like Carl at times.
And my dog agrees.
I know, when the vault-rats state it's Brian, then they know what they are saying.
Just wanted to put a bit of pepper in the soup.

[bossaroo]

I wouldn't call you an idiot, but if anything was ever Brian it's THIS.


Now the God Only Knows "guide vocal" from the Pet Sounds box, on the other hand...

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

You, sir, are an idiot, and a deaf one at that. You're saying that having discovered and listened to all five takes, Mark & Alan looked at each other and said "let's f*ck with some people's minds and say it's Carl". When you hear the full track, you'll realise just how wrong you are.

And people wonder why I sometimes get a little cranky...  

Thanks for the compliment, I just burnt your book.

It's Obvious You Never Read It, Or You'd Never Doubt AGD EVER.

[Peter Reum]

Nah, it's the fuckin' Easter Bunny that sings Surfs Up.......

[SMiLE Brian]

Well said Mr. Reum.

[buddhahat]

Hey give the guy a break - we all mis-hear things in these tracks. I actually find the debate over who's playing the piano slightly loonier.

[Peter Reum]

That's the Big Bad Wolf on piano.....

[Alex]

Yessss! Just heard the SU snippet! The out of tune Chickering piano makes it that much better! Why wasn't that on Wild Honey???!!!

And of course, Bruce parroting the tired "Brian doing drugs=bad" line.

[SMiLE Brian]

Yessss! Just heard the SU snippet! The out of tune Chickering piano makes it that much better! Why wasn't that on Wild Honey???!!!

And of course, Bruce parroting the tired "Brian doing drugs=bad" line.

Bruce also saying the tired "smile isn't commercial" line. Whats his idea of commercial, making more "hey little cobra" type songs in 1967?

[Runaways]

lol, hilarious that someone thinks that isn't brian singing.  very obviously brian.  there are times he sounds like carl, but they're brothers.  Brian has that (aauuuhhhhhn) in his falsetto that's there.  sometimes the "surf's up aboard a tidal wave" can sound like carl, but the key up sounds like brian.

[drbeachboy]

I understand Bruce's initial concern about Smile not being commercial, but considering what was released instead makes that comment sound off base. As for the drugs, I can see where he's coming from. Being on the road as much as they were, I am sure they saw changes in Brian that people around him everyday may not have taken notice of right away. I am sure that for Brian it was tough balancing being creative, yet commercial, too. The move of the Beach Boys from 45 hit singles to more album oriented material had to scare them as they tried to maintain their popularity.

[Wrightfan]

One thing that makes me wonder about Surf's Up...on this Wild Honey version Brian doesn't sing canvas the town on the first verse just like in the demo.

Was that his intention all along? To just have that be instruments?

[CarlTheVoice]

Well I have just listened to the show, with headphones of course. Musically, wow! Love it all , especially Child. It is so wonderful to hear the band sing this, not Brian's band. I've never heard any boots so this is amazing for me. I am sooo looking forward to receiving my copy of TSS now. I might even blow my money on the box set after hearing this show. Got a few comments re Paul Gamberchini and Bruce though. Bruce doesn't come across great - he seems quite anti-Smile at points and very supportive of it at others. Paul Gamberchini and his Brian was the genius comment.....yes he was the genius, but saying the rest of them were JUST singers? I want to explain to this guy why he is totally wrong. All in all the show was totally worth half an hour of my time. I hope this album goes global!

[John Manning]

That's Murry on the piano and Audree singing, surely?

[runnersdialzero]

One thing that makes me wonder about Surf's Up...on this Wild Honey version Brian doesn't sing canvas the town on the first verse just like in the demo.

Was that his intention all along? To just have that be instruments?

It's strange to think about, but there it is. I guess that comes with just being used to the 71 version, and later the BWPS, etc. that insert it in there. It does feel empty, but then who knows what Brian intended for that section?

[Mikie]

And of course, Bruce parroting the tired "Brian doing drugs=bad" line.

Bruce can parrot it all he wants. Reason he wasn't there most of the time during the sessions was because of it.

[runnersdialzero]

Drugs played a very big part in Smile's creation, but it also played a very big part in its demise, too. Don't see how that can be denied outright or anything. Of all people, Brian was extremely ill equipped to be so far and so constantly under the influence of any of that stuff. So yeah, Bruce makes a fair point, I really feel. I think he's much more concerned with Brian as his friend and a person than as his meal ticket or, in our case, a songwriter/musician/whatever. That's fair, too.

[Mikie]

Drugs played a very big part in Smile's creation, but it also played a very big part in its demise, too.

Yep. I asked Marilyn why in the early 90's. Without hesitation, she said drugs. Brian will tell you that too, but we know other things contributed to it being aborted.

[harveyw]

My first exposure of Smile was via a Paul Gambaccini-hosted Radio 1 documentary about The Beach Boys in (I think) 1980. He played Surf's Up on that show too. That's where it all changed for me. Thus Gambo's alright by me. He sometimes comes across as a little too fact-oriented & not enough emotion-oriented (as someone who heard his eulogy at John Peel's funeral I can attest to this), but y'know "self-proclaimed professor of pop" is a bit harsh. He really knows his stuff.

But then I think Bruce's idea of releasing Smile on a classical label as a Brian-&-Van-Dyke project was a pretty sound one. It might not have sold quite so well, but the freedom of such an arrangement might have given Brian the space & time to actually finish it.