What "commemorative releases" should we expect for the 50th anniversary?

[runnersdialzero]

The Smile Sessions is interesting in that it really, really seemed to go for sounding like a muddy Brian mono mix from 1967 throughout and does a fairly decent job of it. It sounds very... saturated, or something, in a way that a lot of those old mixes/masters sounded, albeit not totally spot on given they were working with digital instead of analog only.

So yeah - compare The Smile Sessions to any other recent stereo mix and you'll hear a difference.

[rab2591]

Greatest Hits: 50 Big Ones is on amazon for $35.

http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Hits-50-Big-Ones/dp/B008U6QAA0/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1344347946&sr=1-3

release date: September 25. Same day the re-issues become available on Amazon.

[pixletwin]

Ordered. Thanks for the heads up.

It is interesting that the "Greatest Hits" place holder has not updated to match this.

[rab2591]

Ordered. Thanks for the heads up.

It is interesting that the "Greatest Hits" place holder has not updated to match this.

Though it may not be a placeholder at all - could just be a dumbed-down version of 50 big ones.

[John Manning]

Is it appropriate to revive this post of Jon's now, here in this thread?

Can't help but think this would be a bloomin' marvellous release for the 50th anniversary:

9/4/09

BEACH BOYS ARCHIVE INCLUDES LEGENDARY 1972 CARNEGIE HALL TAPES

by Howie Edelson

The Beatles aren't the only '60s icons preserving their legendary catalogue and vault; the Beach Boys' team is hard at work cataloging the thousands of tapes which make up their archive. The team -- chief archivist Alan Boyd and producer/engineer Mark Linett -- has recently collected all of the known elements of the band's unfinished 1967 album Smile, and have now uncovered the multi-tracks for the Beach Boys' two historic concerts at New York's Carnegie Hall on November 23rd, 1972.

For years, only half of one of the shows has been available in pristine stereo on the underground market. Boyd says that the band's company Brother Records is in possession of all of the multi-track masters of the shows, and is now collecting appropriate film and video footage which could be included on a potential project.

Elvis Costello saw the Beach Boys six months prior to the Carnegie Hall show in his then-hometown of Liverpool, and was amazed at how the band's current image and musicality transcended their iconic '60s image: "I saw the Beach Boys in Liverpool at the Liverpool Empire. That was a very different experience. They were in that... one of the periods, although Carl and Dennis (Wilson) were singing in the band, Brian (Wilson) wasn't with them, but the Surf's Up album and the beautiful Carl And The Passions album were out -- and Holland -- those records were out. Dennis sang an extraordinary version of "Cuddle Up" at that gig, which I'll never forget. That was an incredible thing to see; because although the main writer wasn't present, you realize that they had reclaimed themselves as a creative band away from the cliched idea of these guys that sing these car songs and dress in stripey shirts."

The songs performed by the Beach Boys at Carnegie Hall: "Sloop John B.," "You Need A Mess Of Help To Stand Alone," "Leaving This Town," "Darlin'," "Only With You," "Heroes And Villains," "Long Promised Road," "Don't Worry Baby," "Student Demonstration Time," "I Get Around," "Marcella," "California Saga," "Help Me, Rhonda," "Medley: Wonderful/Don't Worry Bill," "God Only Knows," "Do It Again," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Wild Honey," "Good Vibrations," "Surfin' U.S.A," "Fun, Fun, Fun," and "Jumpin' Jack Flash."

The official members of the Beach Boys at the time were Dennis and Carl Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Blondie Chaplin, and Ricky Fataar.

Alan Boyd says that his and Linett's primary public duties for the Beach Boys are locating the masters to the band's earlier work, and remixing them into modern stereo mixes for the band's numerous career-spanning compilations: "The fans and the public at large really seem to like these new stereo mixes, and that was really apparent when Mark did Pet Sounds in 1997. And the reaction to that is so strong that he started looking at other albums and other tracks, so every time we have the opportunity -- we did a lot of this on the Hawthorne record -- we've been going back and doing that, 'cause there's so much pressure brought to bear, y'know, in the market, for things to be in stereo."

Boyd and Linett -- both Grammy nominees -- have collaborated on such recent Beach Boys collections as Endless Harmony, Hawthorne, CA, Good Timin': Live At Knebworth England 1980, The Warmth Of The Sun, The Original U.S. Singles Collection The Capitol Years 1962-1965 box set, and the recently released Summer Love Songs.

Linett is also known for his work with Brian Wilson over the past two decades -- including the revamping of the entire Beach Boys' catalogue beginning in the late 1980's. Linett's work on 2004's Brian Wilson Presents Smile was nominated for a Grammy for Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical).

The Beach Boys -- featuring Mike Love and Bruce Johnston -- perform tomorrow night (September 5th) in Saint Petersburg, Florida at Tropicana Field.

Beach Boys cofounder David Marks will join Southern California rock legends Dean Torrence of Jan & Dean and Billy Hinsche at Endless Summer Quarterly's East Coast Convention dubbed the "Pet Sounds Safari" on September 11th and 12th in Cornelius and Davidson, North Carolina -- which is just 20 minutes North of the Charlotte Metro area. Proceeds from the convention will benefit the Cornelius Animal Shelter. For ticket, schedule, and venue information, log on to endlesssummerquarterly.blogspot.com.

Brian Wilson kicks off his next series of solo dates on October 23rd in Mount Pleasant, Michigan at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort.

Wilson has just added a new date to his itinerary, and will play on November 12th in Lowell, Massachusetts at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium.

[Justin]

Nice to see that even in the so-called "dying CD age" fans can still get some great box sets of their favorite artists:  Add Johnny Cash to the list of artists who will have their entire catalog available in a mega-huge box set.  Out in October 2012:

59 albums
63 CDs
Plus two new compilations: The Singles, Plus a 2-CD, 55-song collection of single sides that did not originally appear on albums




If the Beach Boys aren't going to follow suit we can't say the reason is because there is no "market" for such a release.

[John Manning]

Snap!

Johnny Cash is getting a new box set of all his Columbia albums.... Makes the theoretical BBs album idea look workable - it'd be fewer albums and arguably just as saleable.

I know it now looks like we're getting a six CD set but this shows an alternate path that coulda been travelled; or perhaps even a complementary path...

http://theseconddisc.com/2012/08/20/the-fabulous-and-complete-johnny-cash-legacy-announces-columbia-album-collection/

[Justin]

Nice!--I've been in and out of that thread, not really catching everything there.

Columbia sure loves their artists because this new Johnny Cash set mirrors the Miles Davis set I've been harping about since Day 1. 

70 CDs (all 52 of Miles' Columbia recordings in Japanese-styled mini LP jackets)
1 DVD,
250-page book with a biography, a fully annotated discography, a complete song index, and rare photos.



Everyone poo-poo'd that idea saying it'd be too cost prohibitive for fans and that these type of box sets are only catered for snooty jazz fans.  I guess we can also add Johnny Cash fans to the list of "elite sophisticates" who enjoy their complete catalog box sets too.  Apparently, Beach Boys fans can't shell out the big bucks?

[runnersdialzero]

They're waiting for Brian to die in order to maximize profits.

[Justin]

You'd think a 50th Anniversary with a newly reunited band fronted by both Brian Wilson and Mike Love would do the trick to maximize profits.  Guess not...

[SloopJohnnyB]

You'd think a 50th Anniversary with a newly reunited band fronted by both Brian Wilson and Mike Love would do the trick to maximize profits.  Guess not...

Did I miss something? Did Capital announce that there will NEVER be a Beach Boys (complete works) Box set released? We have the remasters on the way. The 50th tour DVD is on the way. A new box set collection is on the way. So many new BB products! Are we forgetting SMILE? I don't see how those involved would have time to release a complete works box set this year.

The tour and new album was a huge success. A follow up album and tour is inevitable. I don't see the group ending things after the current tour.

My concern is that we buy the remasters and they end up being on the 'complete works' box set.

[Awesoman]

You'd think a 50th Anniversary with a newly reunited band fronted by both Brian Wilson and Mike Love would do the trick to maximize profits.  Guess not...

Did I miss something? Did Capital announce that there will NEVER be a Beach Boys (complete works) Box set released? We have the remasters on the way. The 50th tour DVD is on the way. A new box set collection is on the way. So many new BB products! Are we forgetting SMILE? I don't see how those involved would have time to release a complete works box set this year.

The tour and new album was a huge success. A follow up album and tour is inevitable. I don't see the group ending things after the current tour.

My concern is that we buy the remasters and they end up being on the 'complete works' box set.

Yeah seriously.  We're getting a pretty good deal here.  The only thing missing is the kitchen sink!

I wouldn't be surprised if Capitol released a "phase 2" of the Beach Boys remastered catalog which would include albums such as Friends, Holland, Wild Honey, Love You and 20/20.  They've released all these albums before...

[Mikie]

We're getting a pretty good deal here.  The only thing missing is the kitchen sink!

They should release that too!

[TV Forces]

Nice to see that even in the so-called "dying CD age" fans can still get some great box sets of their favorite artists:  Add Johnny Cash to the list of artists who will have their entire catalog available in a mega-huge box set.  Out in October 2012:

59 albums
63 CDs
Plus two new compilations: The Singles, Plus a 2-CD, 55-song collection of single sides that did not originally appear on albums

Even though it's 63 CDs, it's not his "entire catalog" as you say.  It's his entire Columbia Records catalog, but he also recorded for Sun Records, Mercury Records, American Recordings, and some various projects on smaller labels.  This set includes about 28 Sun songs, which is a little less than half the number available.  It's still gonna be awesome.  I pre-ordered it. 

[runnersdialzero]

Yeah seriously.  We're getting a pretty good deal here.  The only thing missing is the kitchen sink!

I wouldn't be surprised if Capitol released a "phase 2" of the Beach Boys remastered catalog which would include albums such as Friends, Holland, Wild Honey, Love You and 20/20.  They've released all these albums before...

I don't recognize some of those albums. They did nothing worthwhile after Mike told Brian he couldn't do the Smile album, finished Surf's Up (shitty album except "Til I Die" and "Surf's Up"), did "Kokomo" in the 80s, and then Brian finally got out of bed to make That Why God Made The Radio. Capitol won't release that sh*t.

[John Manning]

We're getting a pretty good deal here.  The only thing missing is the kitchen sink!

They should release that too!

If they did, Capitol would probably fail to plug it to tap the band's popularity. Any press release would likely be a load of old flannel. The Kitchen Sink Box Set wouldn't even wash its face.

[Mikie]

Regarding the kitchen sink - I just remembered what Bruce Johnston said a few years ago (I think on the B B Britain board) that releasing rarities, outtakes, and alternate versions of Beach Boys songs was "scraping the barrel".   

The fans disagreed. 'Endless Harmony' & 'Hawthorne' were released and did fairly well and I'm sure Bruce received some nice residuals from them.

[runnersdialzero]

Regarding the kitchen sink - I just remembered what Bruce Johnston said a few years ago (I think on the B B Britain board) that releasing rarities, outtakes, and alternate versions of Beach Boys songs was "scraping the barrel" and that we should all save our pennies for the next Beach Boys hits compilation instead.

[Awesoman]

Regarding the kitchen sink - I just remembered what Bruce Johnston said a few years ago (I think on the B B Britain board) that releasing rarities, outtakes, and alternate versions of Beach Boys songs was "scraping the barrel".   

The fans disagreed. 'Endless Harmony' & 'Hawthorne' were released and did fairly well and I'm sure Bruce received some nice residuals from them.

I'd say that both the fans and Bruce are correct.  I imagine there are some great lost gems that have yet to be unearthed.  But also probably more than twice the amount of truly awful material to go with it.  There was some anonymous guy who made several YouTube accounts and proceeded to upload an assload of unreleased BB material.  Some of it was pretty interesting.  However having listened to a lot of it, I came to the conclusion that there was a very good reason most of that material never saw a proper release. 

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

For anyone interested, I'm only buying "Today!" because the mix I have is sh*t compared to the vinyl.
There's going to be a complete works box. Eventually. 20/20 can't stay out of print. It features the freaking "song of the reunion"!!!

[hypehat]

Scott Bennett told me on facebook last night to "Look for Shiny album in a month." Any one have a clue what he may have been alluding to?

When I met him backstage, he said "LET'S PLAY MONEY MAKING GAME." I thought *I* was gonna be the one making money given what he said, but as I approached him, he took fourty dollars from my wallet in a matter of seconds and without even moving. I was angry and tried to stab him in the face, but it went right through him as if he was invisible or something. I had no choice but to leave, but that's okay, as there were two large fires in the room (in perfectly symmetrical positions in the room on both sides of him, strangely enough) and I have to assume they only grew in size to the point of trapping and killing him.

Just saw this post and I love you, man.