Here it is! Video footage of the BB recording Good Vibrations vocals!!!!

[sidewinder572]

There's that wide shot of the guys in the studio. Man Brian sure is tall isn't he?

[Jay]

Holy f*ck. 

[Shady]

This footage blows my mind. I sense a documentary coming..

Actually somebody posted that CBS were doing a story on SMiLE, Maybe this is from that

[Jaspy]

That's so cool!

And today I'm even allowed to play AGD: Didn't I tell you these never before seen black and white photos posted on Brian's site recently are film stills?

[Pretty Funky]

This footage blows my mind. I sense a documentary coming..

Actually somebody posted that CBS were doing a story on SMiLE, Maybe this is from that

Will go well with 'The Beach Boys Present SMiLE Live' one- off reunion gig next year.

Go on Brian, Mike, Al and Bruce. You know you want it!

[Jaspy]

So great to see Brian, on his peak as producer, happy with the Beach Boys around a microphone. Now, the quesiton burns if this is silent footage or if a soundtrack could give more insight into this GV vocal session.
And to come up with Brian's famous shirt once again, the footage of him standing on the mixing console seems to come from a different session. There are also much published color photos of these filmed sequences.
Anyway, I'm blown away!

[STE]

So great to see Brian, on his peak as producer, happy with the Beach Boys around a microphone. Now, the quesiton burns if this is silent footage or if a soundtrack could give more insight into this GV vocal session.

    <---

[Jaspy]

  <---

What does that mean?
That I should shut my mouth?
The footage is silent?
You know it but won't tell?
Life can be complicated...

[Shane]

My jaw is on the floor as well.  Perhaps this is some of the Bob Golden Good Vibrations footage???

[John Stivaktas]

Bruce Johnston on SMiLE: "We were going from Little Richard to Stravinsky as far as musically - the step".

That surely is a classic quote!

[Andrew G. Doe]

So great to see Brian, on his peak as producer, happy with the Beach Boys around a microphone. Now, the quesiton burns if this is silent footage or if a soundtrack could give more insight into this GV vocal session.

Well, given that the finished version has been dubbed over the footage, I'm guessing it's mute.

[Freddie French-Pounce]

So great to see Brian, on his peak as producer, happy with the Beach Boys around a microphone. Now, the quesiton burns if this is silent footage or if a soundtrack could give more insight into this GV vocal session.

Well, given that the finished version has been dubbed over the footage, I'm guessing it's mute.

The real question is, when do we get to see it all?

[Andrew G. Doe]

So great to see Brian, on his peak as producer, happy with the Beach Boys around a microphone. Now, the quesiton burns if this is silent footage or if a soundtrack could give more insight into this GV vocal session.

Well, given that the finished version has been dubbed over the footage, I'm guessing it's mute.

The real question is, when do we get to see it all?

I'd guess it might be made available in relation to a notable event in BB history. Any ideas, 'cause I can't think of anything right now.

[Freddie French-Pounce]

So great to see Brian, on his peak as producer, happy with the Beach Boys around a microphone. Now, the quesiton burns if this is silent footage or if a soundtrack could give more insight into this GV vocal session.

Well, given that the finished version has been dubbed over the footage, I'm guessing it's mute.

The real question is, when do we get to see it all?

I'd guess it might be made available in relation to a notable event in BB history. Any ideas, 'cause I can't think of anything right now.

Nope, me neither

[John Stivaktas]

Here's an interesting point about this footage of Good Vibrations. Much has been said about the lost vocals from the Columbia sessions and the subsequent inability thus to make a true stereo master of Good Vibrations. Seeing how the guys were around two microphones in this footage, how does one get the separation required for a stereo mix anyway? (Even if their background vocals were double-tracked, which no doubt they were)

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Here's an interesting point about this footage of Good Vibrations. Much has been said about the lost vocals from the Columbia sessions and the subsequent inability thus to make a true stereo master of Good Vibrations. Seeing how the guys were around two microphones in this footage, how does one get the separation required for a stereo mix anyway? (Even if their background vocals were double-tracked, which no doubt they were)

The stereo separation would be solely available from the double tracking.  Theoretically, if the tape were found, we would have two separate mono leads on two tracks, and the remaining 5 tracks would be various backing vocals, double-tracked often.  This was not true stereo recording.  You pan one pass left and one right.

[Ian]

While the Badman book has a lot of errors-for what it's worth he mentions in his book (under October 1966) that the BBs filmed a few different promo films for GV including one of them "rehearsing" in the studio that he states aired on French TV at least once.  This footage could be what he is referring to

[Iron Horse-Apples]

It is wondeful to see this. I especially love the ariel group shot, with Mike on his mic, and the other five packed in together. I'd read about it, but to see it. No wonder the vocals are so tight. It's real teamwork, packed in close. At 2:33 you can even see the black box Al is standing on!

Outstanding footage.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

And also, check out the old 4-track recorder Mark loads the tape  in. Does anyone know the make and vintage of it?

[Amy B.]

Here's Brian talking about GV, with some great photos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEFEG3oVG10&feature=related

[guitarfool2002]

While the Badman book has a lot of errors-for what it's worth he mentions in his book (under October 1966) that the BBs filmed a few different promo films for GV including one of them "rehearsing" in the studio that he states aired on French TV at least once.  This footage could be what he is referring to

That's what I was suggesting a week ago - that this was one of the multiple "promos" mentioned in the Badman book for Good Vibrations. Badman's description of the group rehearsing in the recording studio matches this footage exactly...leaving out that it was at Columbia studios, the mics are AKG c12's, and that a full series of color still photos were shot at this same session.

Getting back to that film, another piece of info I don't believe anyone chimed in on when it was posted a week ago: I mentioned the still shot of Brian working the controls. In this new clip, we can actually see Brian on film working the controls on the board at Columbia.

Now...we were told Brian had his hand slapped down for doing the very same thing at the same studio, we were told it was strictly against Columbia policy for anyone but the union engineers to work that board, and Bruce Johnston this fall said it was forbidden for anyone to touch the board.

yet there we have film of Brian working the controls. Mythbusting, redux! 

[DonnyL]

And also, check out the old 4-track recorder Mark loads the tape  in. Does anyone know the make and vintage of it?

It's a Scully 280, mid/late '60s vintage.  Most of the reels visible are Scotch 201/202/203.

[guitarfool2002]

My jaw is on the floor as well.  Perhaps this is some of the Bob Golden Good Vibrations footage???

That film was shot at an instrumental session, not a vocal.

[Will C.]

I've been soaking in this new Good Vibrations recording footage for a good amount of time now.  Just watching it and watching it.  I haven't posted yet 'cause I've been speechless.  I am in awe of the fact this never-before-seen or long lost footage is being shared with us at this moment in time.  Particularly I want to say something about the shot at 2:41 in right after Al says "We were passionate about getting it right."  Here's the link again, cued to the moment -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot7vCQisW_4&t=2m40s


That part where you see Al, Bruce and Brian around the mic.  It just strikes me to the core because it embodies what I visualize a golden era Beach Boys vocal session to look like.  They're swaying and moving to the music, Brian with his eyes closed seemingly in deep concentration and in another place locking in with the complex music.  You see Al point to Brian at one instance, perhaps acting out a line, hoping to query Brian, questioning his part... who knows.  Once again Brian's eyes are closed, so he's not even noticing.  Overall a very quick shot of three of the boys but a wonderful moment that I'm overjoyed I witnessed on video.  We've seen a good deal of footage in the past, but if you're anything like me you soak up any video footage you can find of this group and savor it.  To be given the gift of looking in on footage of this Good Vibrations session is something that legit makes myself and I'm sure most fans experience an almost euphoric moment of joy.  Sounds silly but don't lie to me, you know what I mean.  I have to say I'm very appreciative of the band and any strong forces around the band helping make this release possible and presenting the material this exceptional way. 

Another side thought.  I do think Al is magnificent in almost any interview I've seen him in.  Some people may not agree with everything he's ever done musically with the band (I honestly don't think I could say I agree with everything any member of the band released, so I'm not trying to single him out in that manner), but I'm a big fan of a great amount of his contributions and think he understands his band's legacy and accomplishments, yet he has never come off as a pretentious rock legend when speaking on them.  "We were passionate about getting it right."  A true professional speaking on the effort that went into some out of this world music.  In a promo video for their The Warmth Of The Sun compilation, he says "Each song, or each track selection is a special little message and they convey a certain optimism, and collectively they're extremely powerful."  Don't know about you but that's a very well crafted and concise statement I wish I could come up with when somebody asks me why I like the Beach Boys so much. 

This is the part where you link me to a bizarre 70s era interview with Al doing something ridiculous to prove me wrong.  And yes I've seen the goat jump on him in the NBC special.  Talk about possibly his weirdest interview sound clip ever.  It's where he's talking about trying to survive and the wilderness and some other hardcore sh*t.

[send me a picture and i'll tell you]

This is the part where you link me to a bizarre 70s era interview with Al doing something ridiculous to prove me wrong. 

Not from the 70's, but...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slLIu5Yb1MI

Start around 3:00.