Van Dyke in the Valley

[Ed Roach]

Van is doing a little Q&A about his post-Smile work and signing his series of 45's at Freakbeat Records in Sherman Oaks this coming Sunday afternoon:   

"We're thrilled to announce that on Sunday, January 29th at 2:00pm, Van Dyke Parks
will be at Freakbeat having a little Q&A, as well as signing copies of his new 45s!"

13616 Ventura Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

freakbeat@freakbeatrecords.com

[onkster]

Did anybody else here get to go? Ed, were you there?

I went in, and there was already a good little crowd. VDP was there at a table by the 99c section, with a good selection of recent releases before him.

A couple people came up an photographed him as if he were an animal on display in a zoo; it was asked that people refrain from this--he later commented, when someone photographed him during his talk, that Twain (or was it Falkner or another southern writer?) that “looking in the mirror was like a slow leak”, and that having one’s photograph taken was more of the same. He seemed irritated--and I could imagine why: to me, he seems like an old Indian, and his soul was being chipped away at for souvenirs.

But then he went on to describe his activities of late--Calypso music, and the singles. He went on about the artwork--meeting up with Art Spiegelman after 9/11; contacting Klaus Voorman right after Klaus had come out of a 6-day coma. He took out his smartphone and read Klaus’ reply, which began like an angry faux-apology for being German, then led into a long and dreamy piece that felt like a poem, which then segued back into ending like an email.  (Van Dyke suggested this was posted on his website, but so far, I can’t find it...) As always, there was much loving speech about great music--I always find myself wanting to look up what he’s been talking about after hearing or reading him--but with a whiff of anxiety to it: you get the impression the times are as hard on VDP as they are for many of the rest of us. He described his appearance today as being part of his “end game”, which just feels sad. I presume he’s going to work until he can’t any more--I can identify, I can’t presume I’ll ever be able to retire--and though I would wish him a happy retirement if he could get one, I’m also glad he’ll still be making music.

He went on to ask questions--mine was the first: have you ever considered writing a book about music? He opined that he had considered it, but then somehow he began to worry aloud about falling into the trap of biography, and not wanting to go there in book form. This led to jokes, reminiscences, and more about music--the very kind of thing I’d love to shell out on a book for. Somehow it ended with him saying no, he probably wouldn’t write a biography. Which wasn’t really what I’d asked. But he’d given me a 10 minute answer of sorts, looking me in the eye for much of it, so I didn’t want to dominate more of his time with a full room present. (I’ll send him a followup email later!)

Second question: what is your opinion of the Smile Sessions box? A little cloud went across his face, and he said it was redundant merchandise. I had been hoping this question might have been avoided, since VDP seems not to have been much involved with the box or its promotion--still not sure why. My guess is: he went and did the work of getting the material finished in 2004, and he considers that the final word. (Of course, somebody leaned in at one point and said he liked the new box better than the 2004, which seemed a little tacky to me. And irrelevant.) VDP went on to suggest that it was only done for the money--which it may have been, though I still treasure my copy and will listen to it, money or no.

And that was the last of the questions. Then, on to the signing.

I was second in line. I introduced myself, and made a point of thanking him for kindly answering all my email questions about his Smile lyrics back in 1999 or so. And he remembered, or seemed to--we had discussed the meaning of Cabinessence, and whether or not he had written the lyrics of He Gives Speeches. By this point, he was completely genial and accomodating: he signed both the records I was buying today, and took my Smile concert program from my hands and drew his trademark profile sketch on the front. (I bought the Arrangements LP, and the single with the Frank Holmes art on it--new vinyl to hear!)

What a cool thing to go and meet this guy mere blocks from my apartment! I hope the rest of the afternoon went well for him; he’s paid his dues, and deserves a good turn for his work.

[The Shift]

Second question: what is your opinion of the Smile Sessions box? A little cloud went across his face, and he said it was redundant merchandise. I had been hoping this question might have been avoided, since VDP seems not to have been much involved with the box or its promotion--still not sure why. My guess is: he went and did the work of getting the material finished in 2004, and he considers that the final word. (Of course, somebody leaned in at one point and said he liked the new box better than the 2004, which seemed a little tacky to me. And irrelevant.) VDP went on to suggest that it was only done for the money--which it may have been, though I still treasure my copy and will listen to it, money or no.

VDP last year: "And now The Beach Boys are bringing ‘Smile’ out themselves, the originals. It's a big deal! I held a prototype of the packaging: it's amazing, like a Fabergé egg. Now that nobody can sell a record, you notice how high end it's gotten?"

And reportedly at The Boxer/Stylus Counsel: "Van Dyke Parks rightfully told RC earlier in the year has had as much thought into its production 'as there is in the creation of a Fabergé egg'"

Guess that egg now smells rotten for some reason…

[Ed Roach]

Did anybody else here get to go? Ed, were you there?

Sorry to say I wasn't there; didn't really expect to make it, as I was still 'recovering' from a surprise birthday party for Alan Boyd the night before...  Posted this in hopes that some locals might make it, and also hoping someone would write their memories of the day.  Thanks for doing so!

[Bicyclerider]

Second question: what is your opinion of the Smile Sessions box? A little cloud went across his face, and he said it was redundant merchandise. I had been hoping this question might have been avoided, since VDP seems not to have been much involved with the box or its promotion--still not sure why. My guess is: he went and did the work of getting the material finished in 2004, and he considers that the final word. (Of course, somebody leaned in at one point and said he liked the new box better than the 2004, which seemed a little tacky to me. And irrelevant.) VDP went on to suggest that it was only done for the money--which it may have been, though I still treasure my copy and will listen to it, money or no.

VDP last year: "And now The Beach Boys are bringing ‘Smile’ out themselves, the originals. It's a big deal! I held a prototype of the packaging: it's amazing, like a Fabergé egg. Now that nobody can sell a record, you notice how high end it's gotten?"

And reportedly at The Boxer/Stylus Counsel: "Van Dyke Parks rightfully told RC earlier in the year has had as much thought into its production 'as there is in the creation of a Fabergé egg'"

Guess that egg now smells rotten for some reason…

I wonder if the all the "flyins" and tampering with the mono CD1 cuts annoyed him - maybe he just wanted the original tracks, as they were, released rather than trying to make it into a cohesive album that it never was?  Some liberties were definitely taken with the tracks, and I'm sure no one asked him if it was OK - flying in vocals from later sessions, making the Frankenstein Surfs Up mono mix with Carl/Bruce flyins from three years later, etc.  Of course Brian approved it but that may not mean much (by that I mean he probably didn't listen so closely as to criticize specific editing/overdubbing in each track - and as long as it was close to BWPS he probably didn't care how they did the CD1 mix).

[Roger Ryan]

Given Mr. Park's repeated public denouncements of Mike over the past decade, I suspect that Mike requested that Parks not contribute his personal memories to the booklet (or took issue with whatever Parks had already submitted). Tom Nolan ended up writing Parks' role into the history and his piece really said everything that Parks probably wanted to say and more. All the same, I can imagine the experience might have soured Parks on the whole release.

Mind you, this is purely conjecture but it might explain why Parks was enthusiastic about the packaging (which he was allowed to see ahead of time) but is now more dismissive of TSS. Either way, I doubt he would take issue with the editing of the set since he would consider that Brian's concern; his lyrics were left intact.

[mammy blue]

The Parks flap did have to do with the development of the booklet (the packaging in general actually) but not Mike Love.