New Beach Boys 2012 Remasters!

[Quzi]

What I don't get is how these haven't started drip dropping yet, don't the Japanese know of our suffering 

[PhilCohen]

What I don't get is how these haven't started drip dropping yet, don't the Japanese know of our suffering  

Keep in mind that the recent Japan-only "The Byrds-Original Singles A's & B's" 2-CD set didn't appear as an unofficial download until nearly a month after release, and the 5 Blu-Spec audiophile editions of the group's first 5 albums have yet to appear as unofficial downloads. But for that group's Japan-only CD's, I bought all of the CD's(had them sent from CD Japan), because for that group, the record company in question(Sony) priced the CD's within reason(at Japanese mid-price)

Update: the three of the five Byrds Blu-Spec audiophile CD's DID appear as unofficial downloads today(July 29th)

My guess is that the 12 Beach Boys Japanese CD's will appear as unofficial downloads.......3 to 6 weeks after release.

[Wirestone]

Agreed.  Re-releases of old albums are fairly popular.  We've been seeing quite a few high-profile re-releases of albums such as Paul Simon's Graceland or Paul McCartney's Band On The Run.  If Capitol doesn't plan on bringing those Japanese releases to the rest of the world, I can only assume that they have their own plans with the box set they're focusing on.  I'm not sure "lack of interest" is what is going on here.  After all, if that were the case, they probably wouldn't have bothered with re-releasing the two-fers last decade.

If you seriously think Smiley Smile or Beach Boys Party is on par with Graceland or Band on the Run, you're deluded.

I failed to mention that they are currently in the process of remastering and releasing expanded versions of all of McCartney's post-Beatles material.  I don't think anyone is really clamoring for a deluxe version of Wings Wild Life, but one is apparently coming.  If they can put out that, I'm sure Party! getting similar treatment isn't *that* far-fetched.

Paul owns all his own solo material these days (masters and songwriting rights) and is putting out those reissues as glorified vanity projects. Given his billions, it's simple enough for him to underwrite such things. Does anyone seriously think that deluxe edition of McCartney II sold any copies (or even one copy)? The BBs and their record label do not have those rights or that financial wherewithal.

Errr...I bought McCartney II deluxe. 

Yeah, me too, and it is excellent. Wirestone, you are fairly knowledgeable, but way too galoy. A lot of your comments seem nearly entirely based on your own likes or dislikes.

Um, isn't that what a message board is for?

As for this thread, I'm just arguing really forcefully to make a point. And as sometimes happens, in making these arguments I can go way over the top (please note the "A Bit Crap" thread I started a few months ago when I needed persuading that the reunion was worthwhile).

As I've said a buncha times, I would love to have deluxe BB reissues. For that matter, I actually bought the two-disc "McCartney II" release (and am a fan of that and some his other lesser-known stuff like "London Town." Hell, I even own "Off the Ground." And can sing you "Biker Like an Icon."). My point was simply that McCartney has the money, resources, and control of his catalog to steer his reissue series however he likes.

[PhilCohen]

Agreed.  Re-releases of old albums are fairly popular.  We've been seeing quite a few high-profile re-releases of albums such as Paul Simon's Graceland or Paul McCartney's Band On The Run.  If Capitol doesn't plan on bringing those Japanese releases to the rest of the world, I can only assume that they have their own plans with the box set they're focusing on.  I'm not sure "lack of interest" is what is going on here.  After all, if that were the case, they probably wouldn't have bothered with re-releasing the two-fers last decade.

If you seriously think Smiley Smile or Beach Boys Party is on par with Graceland or Band on the Run, you're deluded.

I failed to mention that they are currently in the process of remastering and releasing expanded versions of all of McCartney's post-Beatles material.  I don't think anyone is really clamoring for a deluxe version of Wings Wild Life, but one is apparently coming.  If they can put out that, I'm sure Party! getting similar treatment isn't *that* far-fetched.

Paul owns all his own solo material these days (masters and songwriting rights) and is putting out those reissues as glorified vanity projects. Given his billions, it's simple enough for him to underwrite such things. Does anyone seriously think that deluxe edition of McCartney II sold any copies (or even one copy)? The BBs and their record label do not have those rights or that financial wherewithal.

Errr...I bought McCartney II deluxe. 

Yeah, me too, and it is excellent. Wirestone, you are fairly knowledgeable, but way too galoy. A lot of your comments seem nearly entirely based on your own likes or dislikes.

Um, isn't that what a message board is for?

As for this thread, I'm just arguing really forcefully to make a point. And as sometimes happens, in making these arguments I can go way over the top (please note the "A Bit Crap" thread I started a few months ago when I needed persuading that the reunion was worthwhile).

As I've said a buncha times, I would love to have deluxe BB reissues. For that matter, I actually bought the two-disc "McCartney II" release (and am a fan of that and some his other lesser-known stuff like "London Town." Hell, I even own "Off the Ground." And can sing you "Biker Like an Icon."). My point was simply that McCartney has the money, resources, and control of his catalog to steer his reissue series however he likes.

Though The Beach Boys don't own their 1960's song publishing(thanks to Murry Wilson), the group does own its recordings from "Pet Sounds" onwards.

[PS]

re: The Blu Spec Byrds unofficial download non-availability, that is no longer true (as of tonight at least)

re: Smiley in stereo: When Charles Ives finally heard one of his symphonies on the radio, he apparently exclaimed "I knew it would sound like that!" or something to that effect...

We knew it would sound like this because of the SOT Smiley sessions disc and a few hints here and there from previous releases, but even the little taste we're given on Amazon Japan amounts to a major revelation. It's a real Beach Boys album space to dive in and listen to now, not just a weirdly flattened, lo-res quirky anomaly.

I'm more excited by this release than the Smile sessions box main disc...

and the Party album sounds fantastic on my speakers. One of the great joys about the SOT sessions is listening to the vocals and tracks before the mastering compression evens out the dynamic range (The Beatles used to call this "making it stick"), and these mixes and masters seem to bring back some of that SOT vitality.

[PhilCohen]

re: The Blu Spec Byrds unofficial download non-availability, that is no longer true (as of tonight at least)

Note the update to my post. Someone  uploaded 3 of the 5 Byrds Blu-Spec titles a few hours ago. Those 5 discs are affordable and worth buying.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

IF THESE DISCS AREN'T RELEASED DOMESTICALLY I'M GONNA JUMP OFF A BRIDGE! MARK, ALAN...PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS NOTHING FOR US TO FEAR! I DON'T NEED DETAILS. REPLY TO THIS THREAD WITH AN ASTERISK, THAT WAY YOU MAINTAIN PLAUSABLE DENIABILITY. GIVE ME SOME GLIMMER OF HOPE!

[PhilCohen]

Basically, I liked the "Sea of Tunes" stereo remix of "Party". It has the music in a slightly longer, unedited form(versus the released mono mix). The only fault in that "Sea of Tunes" mix: a small toddler(possibly a child of one of The Beach Boys or party attendees) got near an open microphone during "Devoted to You", and started babbling incoherently into the microphone. The released mono mix mixes out this "voice-over", but the people who made the one-pass-of-the-tape stereo mix  for "Sea of Tunes" weren't aware of this "voice-over" and failed to mix it out.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Basically, I liked the "Sea of Tunes" stereo remix of "Party". It has the music in a slightly longer, unedited form(versus the released mono mix). The only fault in that "Sea of Tunes" mix: a small toddler(possibly a child of one of The Beach Boys or party attendees) got near an open microphone during "Devoted to You", and started babbling incoherently into the microphone. The released mono mix mixes out this "voice-over", but the people who made the one-pass-of-the-tape stereo mix  for "Sea of Tunes" weren't aware of this "voice-over" and failed to mix it out.

I... agree with you!!!! OMG I AGREE WITH PHIL!!

[Jim V.]

Agreed.  Re-releases of old albums are fairly popular.  We've been seeing quite a few high-profile re-releases of albums such as Paul Simon's Graceland or Paul McCartney's Band On The Run.  If Capitol doesn't plan on bringing those Japanese releases to the rest of the world, I can only assume that they have their own plans with the box set they're focusing on.  I'm not sure "lack of interest" is what is going on here.  After all, if that were the case, they probably wouldn't have bothered with re-releasing the two-fers last decade.

If you seriously think Smiley Smile or Beach Boys Party is on par with Graceland or Band on the Run, you're deluded.

I failed to mention that they are currently in the process of remastering and releasing expanded versions of all of McCartney's post-Beatles material.  I don't think anyone is really clamoring for a deluxe version of Wings Wild Life, but one is apparently coming.  If they can put out that, I'm sure Party! getting similar treatment isn't *that* far-fetched.

Paul owns all his own solo material these days (masters and songwriting rights) and is putting out those reissues as glorified vanity projects. Given his billions, it's simple enough for him to underwrite such things. Does anyone seriously think that deluxe edition of McCartney II sold any copies (or even one copy)? The BBs and their record label do not have those rights or that financial wherewithal.

Errr...I bought McCartney II deluxe. 

Yeah, me too, and it is excellent. Wirestone, you are fairly knowledgeable, but way too galoy. A lot of your comments seem nearly entirely based on your own likes or dislikes.

It really is. It was great sound wise, especially compared my Capitol Records '80s version or whatever it is. And the bonus tracks were all pretty great, and at the least, pretty interesting.

The only one I didn't get so far was Band on the Run, since none of the newly released bonus tracks really appealed to me, and the 3rd disc was just a repeat of the 25th anniversary edition. I understand why they started the series off with that album, but I think it may have been better if they started off with something that had better bonus content like Ram, just to get the fans more excited for the series. 'Cause I'm not gonna lie, after Band on the Run, I didn't have much hope for the series. But after the last three, I'm super excited for the rest of what they put out.

[Mikie]

Basically, I liked the "Sea of Tunes" stereo remix of "Party". It has the music in a slightly longer, unedited form(versus the released mono mix). The only fault in that "Sea of Tunes" mix: a small toddler(possibly a child of one of The Beach Boys or party attendees) got near an open microphone during "Devoted to You", and started babbling incoherently into the microphone. The released mono mix mixes out this "voice-over", but the people who made the one-pass-of-the-tape stereo mix  for "Sea of Tunes" weren't aware of this "voice-over" and failed to mix it out.

I always thought that happened long after the album was in the can.  Possibly by the SOT bootlegger.

[DonnyL]

the group does own its recordings from "Pet Sounds" onwards.

Hmm, I don't believe that is true. They only leased 'Pet Sounds' through '20/20' in the early '70s with their Reprise deal, then Capitol regained the rights sometime after the group went to CBS (hence the early '80s Capitol reissues). BRI owns the rights to the sound recordings from 'Sunflower' on. I've always wondered about the grey area of some of the '69 recordings however. I think some of those Reprise tracks were actually cut on Capitol's dime.

(someone correct me if I'm wrong ...)

[PhilCohen]

the group does own its recordings from "Pet Sounds" onwards.

Hmm, I don't believe that is true. They only leased 'Pet Sounds' through '20/20' in the early '70s with their Reprise deal, then Capitol regained the rights sometime after the group went to CBS (hence the early '80s Capitol reissues). BRI owns the rights to the sound recordings from 'Sunflower' on. I've always wondered about the grey area of some of the '69 recordings however. I think some of those Reprise tracks were actually cut on Capitol's dime.

(someone correct me if I'm wrong ...)

But, it has been stated numerous times that the settlement of the group's 1967 lawsuit against Capitol gave the group ownership of the 1966-69 recordings, and that was what enabled the group to license them to Reprise.

[SMiLE Brian]

IF THESE DISCS AREN'T RELEASED DOMESTICALLY I'M GONNA JUMP OFF A BRIDGE! MARK, ALAN...PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS NOTHING FOR US TO FEAR! I DON'T NEED DETAILS. REPLY TO THIS THREAD WITH AN ASTERISK, THAT WAY YOU MAINTAIN PLAUSABLE DENIABILITY. GIVE ME SOME GLIMMER OF HOPE!

This sounds like Phil Cohen's last stand.

[picassosson]

What i don't get is that it costs like 30 dollars a year tops to host an album on itunes. I don't need tne physical copy, but i can't see how if there's at least four people who'll download smiley smile why they won't just make it available for download internationally.

Yeah - seriously. If they can't make enough back to release domestic physical product, just release them as FLAC/MP3 on beachboyscentral.com (ha!) for the hardcores, make some quick money, and everyone can be happy. Don't the Stones and McCartney both do that now?

[Justin]

Don't the Stones and McCartney both do that now?

The Stones are currently releasing archive live recordings via download only. 

[I. Spaceman]

Don't the Stones and McCartney both do that now?

The Stones are currently releasing archive live recordings via download only. 

That Some Girls tour show was a physical release.

[PhilCohen]

IF THESE DISCS AREN'T RELEASED DOMESTICALLY I'M GONNA JUMP OFF A BRIDGE! MARK, ALAN...PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS NOTHING FOR US TO FEAR! I DON'T NEED DETAILS. REPLY TO THIS THREAD WITH AN ASTERISK, THAT WAY YOU MAINTAIN PLAUSABLE DENIABILITY. GIVE ME SOME GLIMMER OF HOPE!

Mark & Alan aren't going to reveal anything, for fear of losing their jobs. It's "The Wall of Secrecy", ya dig?

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Lol "it's only their jobs!"

You guys... Wow Haha

[Custom Machine]

the group does own its recordings from "Pet Sounds" onwards.

Hmm, I don't believe that is true. They only leased 'Pet Sounds' through '20/20' in the early '70s with their Reprise deal, then Capitol regained the rights sometime after the group went to CBS (hence the early '80s Capitol reissues). BRI owns the rights to the sound recordings from 'Sunflower' on. I've always wondered about the grey area of some of the '69 recordings however. I think some of those Reprise tracks were actually cut on Capitol's dime.

(someone correct me if I'm wrong ...)

But, it has been stated numerous times that the settlement of the group's 1967 lawsuit against Capitol gave the group ownership of the 1966-69 recordings, and that was what enabled the group to license them to Reprise.

I believe that Donny L is correct in stating that Capitol owns the rights to the BB recordings thru 20/20, while BRI owns the rights to the recordings from Sunflower forward.

[Justin]

Don't the Stones and McCartney both do that now?

The Stones are currently releasing archive live recordings via download only. 

That Some Girls tour show was a physical release.

The Ft. Worth '78 show is not considered part of the Archive series.  Last fall, the Stones announced that they would release 6 Archive Releases through Google Music via download and so far, the four they've released have been Brussels '73, LA '75, Hampton '81 and Tokyo '90. 

The CD they added to the Ft. Worth '78 DVD was a bonus disc of the performance only available on special editions of the DVD.  They just released another live DVD a couple weeks ago  ("Muddy Waters and The Rolling Stones") which also contained a bonus CD of the same performance---both these were produced by Eagle Rock Entertainment and are not connected to the Archive series they've set up.

[Yorick]

Bought all the McCartney deluxe boxsets as well, and will buy all future ones released. Wild Life, Pipes Of Peace, Off The Ground, can't wait!

[runnersdialzero]

We knew it would sound like this because of the SOT Smiley sessions disc and a few hints here and there from previous releases, but even the little taste we're given on Amazon Japan amounts to a major revelation. It's a real Beach Boys album space to dive in and listen to now, not just a weirdly flattened, lo-res quirky anomaly.

Smiley Smile never was "just a weirdly flattened, lo-res quirky anomaly". I guess I heard what some of you folks are only now hearing all along. The stereo mix certainly sounds nice, but it sounds like the mono mix, but mixed into stereo, if you know what I mean. Don't get me wrong - THAT is the sign of a good stereo remix (as opposed to a few of the newer ones that are doused in compression and sound way too "bright"), but my point is it's still Smiley Smile, a high point of Brian's creativity and skill as a songwriter, to me either way.

[runnersdialzero]

You're just getting caught up in the whole America's band nonsense.

I'm really not, though. I'm merely using it as a means to say "Why would they release something sought after by a small group and a good handful of casual fans in Japan only when it would surely sell better in the states where the band is from and is more well known? Or even Europe?"

Today! and Summer Days contain some of their biggest hits and, again, contain them in stereo format for the first time ever. Today! just made one of those shitty Rolling Stones "BEST ALBUMZ EVER YOU GUYS" lists, showing that yes, people know and care about it. It's not a huge deal to the general public, but it's certainly worth mentioning. You underestimate how well something like this would sell in comparison to a lot of the stuff that's pressed to plastic each year by other artists who have an extremely small fraction of the fans the Beach Boys ahve. Even Capitol is notorious for putting out redundant item after redundant item.  Remember Christmas With The Beach Boys?

Yes, the Beach Boys will never sell like the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, but they're the frigging Beach Boys - as long as they anticipate about the amount these would sell, there won't be a problem.

If the albums don't sell to expectations in America, they won't release them here. As you say, they probably have internal projections for how much the albums would sell. Since they aren't releasing them here, that surely suggests such projections aren't positive.

It's a matter of "not yet", though. As I believe Andrew stated above, all this took place exclusively through Capitol Japan and outside of the influence of Capitol in the states. We've known they've been sitting on stereo remixes of all albums for some time now, they surely didn't do this with the intent of only releasing them in Japan.

If you seriously think Smiley Smile or Beach Boys Party is on par with Graceland or Band on the Run, you're deluded.

Don't h8 me i luv u sincerely, but lawl @ Band On The Run being better than much of anything, especially something like Smiley Smile. I'm sure if the world were polled on such a thing, they'd pick the former solely because zomg I love the title track and that other album didn't conform to traditional song structures, but Band On The Run is Paul at his absolute cheesiest and worst. I can't say I agree. imo.

[tansen]

We knew it would sound like this because of the SOT Smiley sessions disc and a few hints here and there from previous releases, but even the little taste we're given on Amazon Japan amounts to a major revelation. It's a real Beach Boys album space to dive in and listen to now, not just a weirdly flattened, lo-res quirky anomaly.

Smiley Smile never was "just a weirdly flattened, lo-res quirky anomaly". I guess I heard what some of you folks are only now hearing all along. The stereo mix certainly sounds nice, but it sounds like the mono mix, but mixed into stereo, if you know what I mean. Don't get me wrong - THAT is the sign of a good stereo remix (as opposed to a few of the newer ones that are doused in compression and sound way too "bright").

I agree with you there. Smiley Smile in mono is awesome. In fact, when mixing, the best thing a sound engineer can do is to first mix down to mono. If you can get the mono mix to sound great (by primarily relying on EQ and reverb) - then the stereo mix certainly has potential of sounding even better.