SMiLE Boots - How did they evolve, and how many are there?

[Freddie French-Pounce]

Simple question really, how did the SMiLE bootlegs get from thier earlier states to what they are now? Following on from that, what did the first SMiLE boot consist of, and, does anyone have a comprehensive list of all SMiLE boots available, mainly on Vinyl. Fan Mixes don't really count, but you can list them as well if you have a good list of them.

As far as I know, Vinyl wise, there is the good ol' Sea Of Tunes issue, which i have on Red Vinyl, and the 3LP version (on its way!), but bar that, very little else is known to me.
 

[soniclovenoize]

Other people would certainly know more than I, but to my understanding it started in the 1988 with the Vigotone bootlegs, which were copies of Mark Linett's rough mixes of his first attempts at making a SMiLE album.  Then in 1997 the Sea Of Tunes bootlegs were dubs of the multi-track masters from Brothers Records, made on-the-sly while filming for the documentary was done.  That is why there is such harsh hard-panning, because it was the straight division of the multi-tracks. 

I find it interesting how the construction of SMiLE evolved... 
1) Mark Linett throws some pieces together in the 80s
2) Priore writes his book about it, proposes sequencing
3) Vigotone reinterprets that sequence
4) Sea of Tunes reinterprets the Vigotone sequencing in the 90s
5) Darian reinterprets the Sea of Tunes sequencing for SMiLE 2004
6) Linett reinterprets Darian's sequencing for TSS

So in the end, what we think of as "the finished SMiLE" is really nothing more than perpetuated mythos, an idea that has been evolving in the minds of other people for 40 years, all having little to do with Brian himself.  Correct me if I'm wrong here...

[I. Spaceman]

The first Smile bootlegs precede the Linett material, and compile tracks from the Byron Preiss tape with officially released tracks. The first of these came out around 1983.

[Mikie]

The first Smile bootlegs circulated amongst collectors on cassette tape around 1979 or '80.

[?]

The vinyl boots are:

1983 single LP Brother
1985 single LP (Second Edition) Brother
2 LP Brother
3 LP Vigotone
Single LP SOT

[ahoutman1]

I've been trying to acquire smile vinyl boots for some time but with little success. 

[Mikie]

1978/’79 – The "Priess tape".
1983 – First SMiLE bootleg, vinyl.
1985 - Second SMiLE bootleg, vinyl.
1987 – First SMiLE bootleg, CD.
1988 – Mark Linett SMiLE mixes.
1990 – Smile - Japanese T-2580-2 CD.
1990 - Smiley Smile 2-fer (bonus tracks - Cantina!) Priore played the tape of Heroes a few years before at a Beach Boys fan convention in Oakland, California.
1993 – Good Vibrations box set (bonus tracks).
1993 - SMiLE - Vigotone 110/111 2-CD boot.
1993 - SMiLE - Vigotone 3 album set, multiple colored vinyl.
1995 – Dave Prokopy SMiLE 3 tape set.
1998 - Heroes and Vibrations - Vigotone CDR boot.
1999 - Sea Of Tunes Vol. 15 - Good Vibrations Sessions 3-CD boot. First heard alternate Good Vibrations (Asher lyrics) in 1976.
1999 – Sea Of Tunes Vol. 16, 17. Best quality SMiLE tracks to date.
2000 - SMiLE - Millenium edition.
2001 – Archeology.
2001 - Project SMiLE.
2004 - Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE (including instrumental tracks not included on original release).
2004 - Secret SMiLE.
2005 - SMiLE – Purple Chick Reconstruction.

[John Manning]

Many thanks for that Mikie - two I haven't got are the Prokopy Tapes and the Millennium edition; did the latter present anything new?

[Andrew G. Doe]

1978/’79 – The "Priess tape".
1983 – First SMiLE bootleg, vinyl.
1985 - Second SMiLE bootleg, vinyl.
1987 – First SMiLE bootleg, CD.
1988 – Mark Linett SMiLE mixes.
1990 – Smile - Japanese T-2580-2 CD.
1990 - Smiley Smile 2-fer (bonus tracks - Cantina!) Priore played the tape of Heroes a few years before at a Beach Boys fan convention in Oakland, California.
1993 – Good Vibrations box set (bonus tracks).
1993 - SMiLE - Vigotone 110/111 2-CD boot.
1993 - SMiLE - Vigotone 3 album set, multiple colored vinyl.
1995 – Dave Prokopy SMiLE 3 tape set.
1999 - Sea Of Tunes Vol. 15 - Good Vibrations Sessions 3-CD boot. First heard alternate Good Vibrations (Asher lyrics) in 1976.
1999 – Sea Of Tunes Vol. 16, 17. Best quality SMiLE tracks to date.
2000 - SMiLE - Millenium edition.
2001 – Archeology.
2001 - Project SMiLE.
2004 - Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE (including instrumental tracks not included on original release).
2004 - Secret SMiLE.
2005 - SMiLE – Purple Chick Reconstruction.

Coupla slight corrections: the first CD boot was out in 1989, and the 2nd one was, essentially, the Linett tape (although he had nothing to do with the leaking of it).

Addition:

1998 - Vigotone VT-163 - Heroes & Vibrations (taster for their box set that never happened)

[Jay]

What was Dennis Wilson's involvment? Andrew, I think you once mentioned that he accidently leaked a few tapes in a round about way.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

ha ha that's funny, hope that's true (good old dennis). Re people guessing the tracklisting of the Smile tracks, didn't Brian ever produce any written notes etc back in the day to help subsequent compliers?

[Andrew G. Doe]

What was Dennis Wilson's involvment? Andrew, I think you once mentioned that he accidently leaked a few tapes in a round about way.

Not exactly - someone assumed that Dennis leaked the Preiss tape, but he didn't. Allegedly, Diane gave Preiss a copy, and it leaked thereafter.

[The Heartical Don]

Bootlegs are illegal.

I am not interested at all.

Which bootlegs are still indispensable, now that TSS is out there?

I hate bootlegs and am not interested at all.

[hypehat]

What was Dennis Wilson's involvment? Andrew, I think you once mentioned that he accidently leaked a few tapes in a round about way.

Not exactly - someone assumed that Dennis leaked the Preiss tape, but he didn't. Allegedly, Diane gave Preiss a copy, and it leaked thereafter.

Because Preiss was working on a book, right?

What about the tapes that comprise the boots Heroes & Villains sessions, parts 1 & 2? Or is that covered in your list? It's got a lot of unique stuff, but from what I gather is a digital era boot?

[Mikie]

1978/’79 – The "Priess tape".
1983 – First SMiLE bootleg, vinyl.
1985 - Second SMiLE bootleg, vinyl.
1989 – First SMiLE bootleg, CD.
1989 – Mark Linett SMiLE mixes, CD
1990 – Smile - Japanese T-2580-2, CD.
1990 - Smiley Smile 2-fer (bonus tracks - Cantina!) Priore played the tape of Heroes a few years before at a Beach Boys fan convention in Oakland, California.
1993 – Good Vibrations box set (bonus tracks).
1993 - SMiLE - Vigotone 110/111 2-CD boot.
1993 - SMiLE - Vigotone 3 album set, multiple colored vinyl.
1995 – Dave Prokopy SMiLE 3 tape set.
1998 - SMiLE - Heroes and Vibrations.
1999 - Sea Of Tunes Vol. 15 - Good Vibrations Sessions 3-CD boot. First heard alternate Good Vibrations (Asher lyrics) in 1976.
1999 – Sea Of Tunes Vol. 16, 17. Best quality SMiLE tracks to date.
2000 - SMiLE - Millenium edition.
2001 – Archeology.
2001 - Project SMiLE.
2004 - Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE (including instrumental tracks not included on original release).
2004 - Secret SMiLE.
2004 - Heroes and Villains Sessions Part 1 & 2.
2005 - SMiLE – Purple Chick Reconstruction.

[Mikie]

Corrections noted. Thanks. Yes, forgot about Heroes & Vibrations and the Heroes & Villains Sessions 2 CD set - as far as I know H & V Sessions came out on CD only. Comprised some of the SOT and Archeology material, but other stuff too that eventually came out in better quality.

Andrew, I always assumed that the Vigotone 110/111 2 CD set was the teaser to the proposed box set. But the '98 Vigotone release was the precurser to the unreleased Box, eh?

John - No biggee on the Millenium disc. I remember asking John Hunt about it when I first heard about it and he said not to bother. Inconsistent quality all over it. The Prokopy tapes were great at the time, compiling pretty much everything up to that point, but all subsequently released in better quality down the road.

[Andrew G. Doe]

1989 – First SMiLE bootleg, CD, comprising previously released Smile material.

Umm... care to reconsider that statement ?  On my copy, all the tracks are original Smile session material. No album versions.

This CD, btw, is about the crappiest sounding Smile boot I've ever heard, cassettes included.  

Andrew, I always assumed that the Vigotone 110/111 2 CD set was the teaser to the proposed box set. But the '98 Vigotone release was the precurser to the unreleased Box, eh?

From the back insert: ""Heroes And Villains" and "Good Vibrations", the two greatest works of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys' career, are examined on Heroes And Vibrations, the taster for Vigotone's forthcoming multi-disc Smile box set".

Would I lie to you, Mikie ? 

[Mikie]

I'm at work and not even in front of my collection, Andrew. Been so long I can't remember. I thought that first CD was comprised of the vinyl issued material previously, but no, eh?  I edited the statement out.  Please, please forgive me, OK?

[37!ws]

FTR, the Prokopy tapes were compilations of basically the best-of-the-boots and filling in some gaps from the GV box set. He had a 2-tape set of Smile going around in 1993, and I think that wasn't even the first version...(and he created his own stereo mix of "CIFOTM" by synching two different mixes)

Basically, it was a way for people to hear the best out there without having to fork over $25-$30 per CD to hear it...

[guitarfool2002]

FTR, the Prokopy tapes were compilations of basically the best-of-the-boots and filling in some gaps from the GV box set. He had a 2-tape set of Smile going around in 1993, and I think that wasn't even the first version...(and he created his own stereo mix of "CIFOTM" by synching two different mixes)

Basically, it was a way for people to hear the best out there without having to fork over $25-$30 per CD to hear it...

And the liner notes were much better!

[guitarfool2002]

Can't we piece together where the tracks come from on those early releases by reading the Preiss book? Every Smile era track or recording that is described in detail would eventually be found on one of the early "Preiss Tape" based Smile albums, with filler and non-Smile joke tracks like Miles Davis.

"I found the Fire tapes!"

[Mikie]

And I'm sure you guys know the story of the Miles Davis "Here Come De Honey Man" track on the first Smile bootlegs, don't ya?    It was on one of the first cassettes I had of Smile and made it onto the first vinyl release and maybe the second one; can't remember for sure. At least the first cassette and vinyl release under the title "Holidays".

[SMiLE Brian]

And I'm sure you guys know the story of the Miles Davis "Here Come De Honey Man" track on the first Smile bootlegs, don't ya? 

A very funny tale

[?]

1989 – First SMiLE bootleg, CD, comprising previously released Smile material.

Umm... care to reconsider that statement ?  On my copy, all the tracks are original Smile session material. No album versions.

This CD, btw, is about the crappiest sounding Smile boot I've ever heard, cassettes included.  

Are you guys talking about the Sphinx version with the live tracks at the beginning?  If so, I had no idea it was the first cd boot.  It does sound terrible.

It would be nearly impossible to list all the cd versions.  There's just so many and they're still being made.  I've seen some in record stores that I've never found any reference to online and I've read about a few online that I've never seen anywhere.

[Andrew G. Doe]

No - we're talking about The Smile Era Outtakes on Quality (!) Compact Productions 67001 (from Korea, allegedly - I know where this disc originated and it wasn't there).