New Beach Boys 2012 Remasters!

[brother john]

The samples sound great...but I'll wait for an American release. I just don't have $450 to spare!

Correction - Capitol Japan has released them. It's their baby and nothing to do with the parent company in the USA. There are many Japanese only Capitol releases. Maybe Capitol USA will pick up the ball and run with it... maybe they have other plans like, say, a 50th anniversary GH collection and a rebooted career-spanning box set to concern them right now. We'll see.

No reason to expect a U.S. release of these limited-interest discs.

The fact that people here seem to seriously believe there is a profitable U.S. audience for mono/stereo releases of Beach Boys albums (without bonus tracks!) shows how incredibly unrealistic their worldview is.

So what is it about the Japs that makes them bigger (or more deserving?) fans than the Yanks or the Brits (or anyone else for that matter)?

Whoever it was who said that EMI Japan and Capitol USA are of not the exactly same company is right of course, but Capitol must know that US/UK fans will want copies of these releases so you'd think that they'd at least be able to strike some deal where they became available at a more fan-friendly price.

Mind you, I suppose there is only so much publicity that the Capitol machine can grind out in a 12 month period, and I guess Smile, the new album and 50 Big Ones must be approaching saturation point for most regular record buyers.

[PaulTMA]

I'm really scared these are going to leak in FLAC soon.  I'd hate that.   

[EgoHanger1966]

I think they are only remixing when there was no stereo to begin with. I agree with that (in the context of these reissues).

Why do you think that's the best option though? I can perhaps understand why someone may not want to hear anything but a Brian Wilson mono mix, but it's not like Chuck Britz was some mindblowingly awesome stereo mixer who slaved away for months to ensure each of his mixes could not be improved upon. There's wide room for improvement with some of these early stereo mixes, and since the multis are in the hands of those who can do something about it, why not just do it? If we ever want to hear the original stereo mix, we can just put on the original stereo record, there's just no need to pass up this opportunity to have superior sounding versions of some of our favourite songs imo.

Indeed, there are anecdotal reports that Chuck would do some stereo mixes without bothering to monitor in stereo.

While I understand the appeal of the stereo mixes, there is something to be said for the purity of leaving just the original mixes out there. The new mixes always sound great, fresh, exhilarating for a period ... but I always go back to the originals ultimately. There is something quite definitive about them ... emotional punch maybe. Perhaps it's those quirky 'flaws'.

Exactly, Donny. I'm not one of those purist guys, I like a good remix, but it's important to also have the original stereo mix out there too, despite the quality. Now, of course, you could say that the original stereo mix is on the twofer and this is a new way to get a remix. I don't disagree, but it just seems "right" to me that in the context of a mono/stereo issue of an album, they try to present the original mixes as faithfully as they can.

[PhilCohen]

One participant on the Steve Hoffman forums has received a response from CD Japan as to why CD Japan is not offering the 12 Beach Boys CD's: The "content owners" have instructed EMI Japan not to sell them to CD Japan, yet sites owned by multi-national corporations(HMV, Amazon) are permitted to buy these discs. The Beach Boys fans outside Japan are being screwed by the hostile marketing plans of two huge corporations(EMI & Capitol). They deserve to have the discs counterfeited and/or to have fans obtain the new remixes through illegal downloads. First, they release the discs only in Japan(and at an abnormally high price, even by Japanese standards), then they are actively trying to interfere with the ability of non-Japanese consumers to obtain the discs. CD Japan's owner thinks that the content owners don't want the discs exported.

I should explain why many Americans select CD Japan as their source for Japanese CD's: they accept PayPal, sparing us from paying by credit card, and causing our credit card banks to freak out with paranoia and freeze our credit cards when they see a charge in Japan.

Many younger consumers have no interest in buying music(either on CD or official download), but as for those(mostly adult) consumers who are still willing to buy music on CD, this is what we get for supporting the music industry: We get screwed by an arrogant record company.

I've always maintained that the "Wall of Secrecy" policy surrounding Beach Boys archival products is a policy which is very hostile towards fans. Maybe now some of you will belatedly agree. F#@k Capitol Records!!! They have no respect for the consumers who buy Beach Boys music. If Capitol & EMI soon bite the dust(after the takeover by Universal), they'll be getting what they so clearly deserve.

[PhilCohen]

I'm really scared these are going to leak in FLAC soon.  I'd hate that.    

Better to leak in FLAC than lossy MP3. Not everyone can afford the $450 price tag of the overpriced Japanese discs. Once even 100 copies of each of the Japanese discs had been sold, there is no way to put the genie back into the bottle. Many thousands of fans around the world are determined(by whatever means necessary) to obtain these recordings. Capitol's uncooperative(even hostile) stance will make fans even more determined to obtain these recordings.

[PhilCohen]

In January 1968(one and a half years into what has, by now, been a 46 year hobby of collecting recorded music) when I purchased my first Beach Boys L.P.("Wild Honey") for $4 at a local department store, I could never have envisioned what a downer this hobby would turn in to: A situation where there is a $450 price to obtain a dozen music albums, and the record company is turning the consumer's pursuit of the product into a stressful thing. The industry then wonders where it has gone wrong, and why increasing amounts of consumers are turning away. And it leaves me wondering if maybe I should have(back in my childhood days) selected something else as a lifetime hobby.

[runnersdialzero]

I think they are only remixing when there was no stereo to begin with. I agree with that (in the context of these reissues).

Why do you think that's the best option though? I can perhaps understand why someone may not want to hear anything but a Brian Wilson mono mix, but it's not like Chuck Britz was some mindblowingly awesome stereo mixer who slaved away for months to ensure each of his mixes could not be improved upon. There's wide room for improvement with some of these early stereo mixes, and since the multis are in the hands of those who can do something about it, why not just do it? If we ever want to hear the original stereo mix, we can just put on the original stereo record, there's just no need to pass up this opportunity to have superior sounding versions of some of our favourite songs imo.

Indeed, there are anecdotal reports that Chuck would do some stereo mixes without bothering to monitor in stereo.

While I understand the appeal of the stereo mixes, there is something to be said for the purity of leaving just the original mixes out there.

Yes. Original 60s mono and stereo mixes need to be preserved and available. It's great that finally, the early albums are being release in mono on CD. The original stereo mix of "Don't Worry Baby" isn't my preferred listening experience, but it's official, it's all that existed for years, and it should be preserved. Hopefully, if these are released in the states with bonus tracks, we'll see the 2008 (2009?) stereo mix. Same goes for other newer stereo mixes.

The alternate option would be a two disc set - original mono mix, original stereo mix, with disc two being a brand new stereo mix with bonus tracks. Sounds good to me. Won't happen, though

[sea of tunes]

I think they are only remixing when there was no stereo to begin with. I agree with that (in the context of these reissues).

Why do you think that's the best option though? I can perhaps understand why someone may not want to hear anything but a Brian Wilson mono mix, but it's not like Chuck Britz was some mindblowingly awesome stereo mixer who slaved away for months to ensure each of his mixes could not be improved upon. There's wide room for improvement with some of these early stereo mixes, and since the multis are in the hands of those who can do something about it, why not just do it? If we ever want to hear the original stereo mix, we can just put on the original stereo record, there's just no need to pass up this opportunity to have superior sounding versions of some of our favourite songs imo.

Quzi, do you have a hi-res (or close) image of that picture of Brian in your avatar?  That is flat out an awesome picture.

[37!ws]

Totally agree with using the original stereo mixes as opposed to re-mixes, even if it means having to use rechanneled high/lo fake stereo or the echo-delay "Duophonic" in some cases (i.e. "I Get Around") in which while most of the album was stereo, a track or two was stuck in mono...quite simply to not tamper with history.

Same logic that went into the Beatles' The Capitol Albums boxes...yes, there are better mixes of "She's A Woman" and "I Feel Fine" in stereo, but for the stereo version of the album, they still included the original hi/lo fake stereo that was drenched in reverb and sounded like it was being performed in a coffee can...that's the Dave Dexter trademark that fans would miss; it wouldn't sound like they remembered it.

I'd love to see the mono/stereo single-disc CDs perhaps with stereo remixes thrown in -- such as the 2008 Shut Down Volume 2 remixes that came out before...

[EgoHanger1966]

Totally agree with using the original stereo mixes as opposed to re-mixes, even if it means having to use rechanneled high/lo fake stereo or the echo-delay "Duophonic" in some cases (i.e. "I Get Around") in which while most of the album was stereo, a track or two was stuck in mono...quite simply to not tamper with history.

Same logic that went into the Beatles' The Capitol Albums boxes...yes, there are better mixes of "She's A Woman" and "I Feel Fine" in stereo, but for the stereo version of the album, they still included the original hi/lo fake stereo that was drenched in reverb and sounded like it was being performed in a coffee can...that's the Dave Dexter trademark that fans would miss; it wouldn't sound like they remembered it.

I'd love to see the mono/stereo single-disc CDs perhaps with stereo remixes thrown in -- such as the 2008 Shut Down Volume 2 remixes that came out before...

Well, I don't think I'd go that far. In the CD age, rechanneled/duophonic/fake stereo is redundant. I know there are a few people that dig it, but in the scheme of things, it's grating to listen to and provides no improvement over mono. I know the Capitol Beatles boxes did that, and personally I didn't mind it because those aren't the definitive issues of those albums anyway.

I'd be perfectly fine with leaving something mono in the context of a stereo album, and I'm also really happy with a stereo remix inserted in.  Like I said before, I think stereo remixes are fab and gear, and the whole catalog remixed would be cool, but when you're presenting archive releases, at least have the original stereo mix available at the same time as the remix.

[runnersdialzero]

Yeaaahhh, duophonic/fake stereo is another thing entirely, to me, too. While it's interesting that a few have made it to CD, I can't say I see the need to go beyond that, as the best purpose of preserving those "mixes" is to serve as a reminder never to do something like that again and that hay, mono really isn't so bad.

[drbeachboy]

Plus, with these mono/stereo reissues, they cannot put I Get Around or All Summer Long on there twice in mono. So, I can see using this new Stereo Extraction method or the newer remixes being used in those cases.

[I. Spaceman]

Same logic that went into the Beatles' The Capitol Albums boxes...yes, there are better mixes of "She's A Woman" and "I Feel Fine" in stereo, but for the stereo version of the album, they still included the original hi/lo fake stereo that was drenched in reverb and sounded like it was being performed in a coffee can...that's the Dave Dexter trademark that fans would miss; it wouldn't sound like they remembered it.
 

George Martin added the echo to those songs in the UK especially for US release, despite popular belief to the contrary.

[37!ws]

If that's true, then why is there no echo on the mono versions of the US albums? And why did Dave Dexter himself say that he had the echo put in because he felt it would be more sellable to the American public?

[Wirestone]

So what is it about the Japs that makes them bigger (or more deserving?) fans than the Yanks or the Brits (or anyone else for that matter)?

They buy more copies of the discs.

Whoever it was who said that EMI Japan and Capitol USA are of not the exactly same company is right of course, but Capitol must know that US/UK fans will want copies of these releases so you'd think that they'd at least be able to strike some deal where they became available at a more fan-friendly price.

There are not enough fans in the U.S. or Europe to make releasing them profitable. That is, enough fans who will spend real money on albums that have been reissued on CD multiple times before (and more economically, too -- as twofers). Ask yourself this: If U.S. fans can't be bothered to spend money on remastered twofers (as they roundly ignored the 2001 releases), why should Capitol make the investment of releasing more expensive single-disc versions?

[Zach95]

Again, I'll ask, does anyone know what to search to find these on amazon.com?

[Zach95]

They are $43.99 a pop at Amazon US.

Now they're 50. What a joke. Here I was hoping they would go down.

[Jason]

I saw a bunch of them on eBay for $36, I believe.

[drbeachboy]

Wow, just read the response from CDJapan as to why they are not selling the CDs. Since when do record companies choose what stores to sell their merchandise? No wonder the import price is on the rise.

Letter at the Hoff: http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=7928423&postcount=227

[sea of tunes]

I saw a bunch of them on eBay for $36, I believe.

That is what I purchased mine for.

[PhilCohen]

They are $43.99 a pop at Amazon US.

Now they're 50. What a joke. Here I was hoping they would go down.

Amazon's 3rd party suppliers will charge (at least) slightly less, but Amazon doesn't permit the 3rd party sellers to offer a product until AFTER Amazon offers it. 3rd party sellers on Amazon aren't permitted to offer anything for preorder.

[EgoHanger1966]

At this point, I'm over it, I don't care that they weren't released here, I just want to HEAR them!!!!

It's like you're really hungry and you know there's food somewhere....but you just can't find it.

[I. Spaceman]

If that's true, then why is there no echo on the mono versions of the US albums? And why did Dave Dexter himself say that he had the echo put in because he felt it would be more sellable to the American public?

There sure is echo on the mono version of Beatles '65. Have a listen. Dexter did put echo on earlier Beatles releases, such as the stereo version of The Beatles' Second Album. The reason Martin himself did the echo'd versions of I Feel Fine/She's A Woman was to forestall Capitol/Dexter doing it. Amusingly, he did a much, much worse job than Capitol would have.

[Heysaboda]

Again, I'll ask, does anyone know what to search to find these on amazon.com?

Zach, just search on Beach Boys, by release date.  They are all there, now OVER $50.

Boy, when I bought 2 of these yesterday I didn't realize I was getting a DEAL for $43.99.  YIKES!

Probably do better on EBay.

[Justin]

All the good remarks about "Smiley Smile" made me pick it up on Ebay for $38, including shipping.  No real rush for the rest of them (right now) so that should tide me over.  But if EMI Japan does eventually release "20/20", "Friends" and "Love You"---then I'm royally screwed!