Durrie Parks Smile acetates up for sale for $10,000

[STE]

Ok,
100 of us chip in with 100$ each, we buy the thing, share the digital copy, resell it, share the money.  Who is in?
I'm not even joking.

We can transfer the 100$ to AGD's bank account and he can then buy the acetates.
If we don't make it in time, we can anyway use the money to pay AGD for listening to SIP again.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Something to keep in mind: The temporary nature of acetates in general, where they were made at this time specifically for the client to take home and listen to the day's work in the studio (not made for repeat plays), creates a situation where the average Joe with 10,000 who may want to buy these runs the risk of destroying them, or at least degrading the sound quality to the point of them being unlistenable over time. They are museum pieces.....

Totally agree.

[John Manning]

More assumptioning… the digital version that comes-with might well have been provided to Durrie by the SMiLE box set compilers as part of the agreement by which they got to audition the discs. In which case the transfer should be top-notch and is maybe a copy of her copy.  And the copyright will be up in 2016/17 in Europe at least which ,makes this a neat little goldmine to one of those small-bit reiissue labels that thrives on out-of-copyright stuff.  As I say all assumptions… awaiting AGD's tuppenny worth!! 

[andy]

Question...It's been speculated for years what exactly is on those discs, so after looking over the descriptions is there anything there which either does not appear on the Smile box set or has not appeared elsewhere up to this point?

There is stuff on these that I've never heard and is definitely not on the Smile Box. Maybe 3 or 4 fragments were completely new to me.

[Catbirdman]

Hmm, "Andy..." Wait a second, you aren't Andy Kaufman are you? I *knew* you were still alive!

[SMiLE Brian]

The could be one of the best BBs exquisities ( ⓒ Wee Helper) I have ever seen.

[send me a picture and i'll tell you]

What are the chances that this is a hoax?  What is the reputation of this seller?

[John Manning]

What are the chances that this is a hoax?  What is the reputation of this seller?

Good question , this looks creditable but why would the vendor chose to sell through (or to) this seller? Could some of our big league collectors maybe have a look at the other BBs product being sold on the site (there's only one) and offer their opinions on that? It's either a boot or something completely unknown.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

I would certainly be interested in investing towards these if we could verify what is on them could very well be new...

[AndrewHickey]

More assumptioning… the digital version that comes-with might well have been provided to Durrie by the SMiLE box set compilers as part of the agreement by which they got to audition the discs. In which case the transfer should be top-notch and is maybe a copy of her copy.  And the copyright will be up in 2016/17 in Europe at least which ,makes this a neat little goldmine to one of those small-bit reiissue labels that thrives on out-of-copyright stuff.  As I say all assumptions… awaiting AGD's tuppenny worth!! 

You're wrong about the copyright. Anything released from 01/01/63 on is subject to the new extended copyright provisions they brought in to protect EMI's cash cow by keeping the Beatles in copyright encourage creative artists. Surfin' Safari is likely to remain the only Beach Boys album ever to go out of copyright as long as there is someone in the world willing to pay for Beatles records.

[Mikie]

Two things. I think Guitarfool alluded to one.

1. Each time you play an acetate, it degrades it. I read somewhere awhile back how many times you can get away with it before the sound quality becomes almost unbearable to listen to, or the surface noise inevitably renders the audio unlistenable. They snap, crackle, and pop like Rice Crispies. Plus, the plastic deteriorates and becomes real brittle. I'd be scared to touch one of them. I wonder how these were stored all these years.

2. I'm sure the Smile box compilers listened to these. Don't you think if there was something valuable (or different) out there than what's on demos and bootlegs already, they would have use it? So it seems to me, those with a halfway decent collection of Smile boots has already heard the contents of these acetates.

[andy]

What are the chances that this is a hoax?  What is the reputation of this seller?

100% not a hoax. I've listened to them, even took better pictures of the acetates than the ones listed on this guy's site.

[Tricycle Rider]

Andy,
If you're not joking about hearing these, would you PLEASE tell us about ONE thing you heard that was new to you to hold us over until you finish the longer piece your intending to write?

THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME! 

[andy]

Two things. I think Guitarfool alluded to one.

1. Each time you play an acetate, it degrades it. I read somewhere awhile back how many times you can get away with it before the sound quality becomes almost unbearable to listen to, or the surface noise inevitably renders the audio unlistenable. They snap, crackle, and pop like Rice Crispies. Plus, the plastic deteriorates and becomes real brittle. I'd be scared to touch one of them. I wonder how these were stored all these years.

2. I'm sure the Smile box compilers listened to these. Don't you think if there was something valuable (or different) out there than what's on demos and bootlegs already, they would have use it? So it seems to me, those with a halfway decent collection of Smile boots has already heard the contents of these acetates.

1. In a storage unit, like Public Storage. They're pretty crackly, one of them has a nasty warp but it's at the edge of the acetate and not over any of the "music".

2. They didn't. These popped up in September. I tried to reference it in the Alan Boyd lectures thread. Most of the contents on the acetates have been heard but there are three to four pieces that were completely new to my ears. And one of the acetate descriptions is mislabeled..I'll explain later.

*edit*-There is a different version of IIGS, different instrumentation, different tempo than the others that have been bootlegged. And a really cool chorus of Worms (that may be out there, but I hadn't heard it).

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Okay thank you so much for that! Two questions though...

What kind of chorus? A completely new thing? Or is it a different version of what we've heard?

And for Great Shape, is it 100% different or jut a different take?

[bgas]

Two things. I think Guitarfool alluded to one.

1. Each time you play an acetate, it degrades it. I read somewhere awhile back how many times you can get away with it before the sound quality becomes almost unbearable to listen to, or the surface noise inevitably renders the audio unlistenable. They snap, crackle, and pop like Rice Crispies. Plus, the plastic deteriorates and becomes real brittle. I'd be scared to touch one of them. I wonder how these were stored all these years.

One important point about acetates:  they're not Plastic thru and thru, as are LP's/45's, but have plastic/vinyl/styrene( whatever it is they use) on a metal disc. This is most likely the reason for the degradation with many plays, if it wears away the coating. Of course, storage conditions will affect the life also. 
I have quite a few acetates(as do a few others I'm certain) some in better shape than others, of course. I've played some of them/tried to play others. Some came in horrible condition, some almost new. I like to play them once top record, and then put them away.( but of course, that doesn't always happen) 
Don't have any Smile ones, tho.  Now, if my lotto numbers come in.... 

MEant to add: 

http://recordmecca.com/rmsite/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Durrie-Parks-2.jpeg

 Also weird is that you can put them in your cart for $10000. One would think these are auction quality.

Yeah why aren't these on ebay?? 

Why would a business take their stuff to someone else that charges them  commission to sell it, when they can sell on their own site? 
EBay is at 9% ( plus Paypal cost if they use that, almost 3% more) Auction houses generally take a huge cut, with no guarantee of a wider audience... 

[John Manning]

More assumptioning… the digital version that comes-with might well have been provided to Durrie by the SMiLE box set compilers as part of the agreement by which they got to audition the discs. In which case the transfer should be top-notch and is maybe a copy of her copy.  And the copyright will be up in 2016/17 in Europe at least which ,makes this a neat little goldmine to one of those small-bit reiissue labels that thrives on out-of-copyright stuff.  As I say all assumptions… awaiting AGD's tuppenny worth!! 

You're wrong about the copyright. Anything released from 01/01/63 on is subject to the new extended copyright provisions they brought in to protect EMI's cash cow by keeping the Beatles in copyright encourage creative artists. Surfin' Safari is likely to remain the only Beach Boys album ever to go out of copyright as long as there is someone in the world willing to pay for Beatles records.

Many thanks for the clarification - I'm supremely relieved to hear that's the case. There's a proliferation of Surfin Safari reissues out there already and my wallet couldn't have stood an entire catalogue plunder! Must raise the prospects of the First Wave set appearing though…

The other thought that struck was that if there was anything else on the Durrie Parks acetates that was worthy of release, it might have been held back for MIC.

More assumptioning!

[bgas]

More assumptioning… the digital version that comes-with might well have been provided to Durrie by the SMiLE box set compilers as part of the agreement by which they got to audition the discs. In which case the transfer should be top-notch and is maybe a copy of her copy.  And the copyright will be up in 2016/17 in Europe at least which ,makes this a neat little goldmine to one of those small-bit reiissue labels that thrives on out-of-copyright stuff.  As I say all assumptions… awaiting AGD's tuppenny worth!! 

You're wrong about the copyright. Anything released from 01/01/63 on is subject to the new extended copyright provisions they brought in to protect EMI's cash cow by keeping the Beatles in copyright encourage creative artists. Surfin' Safari is likely to remain the only Beach Boys album ever to go out of copyright as long as there is someone in the world willing to pay for Beatles records.

Many thanks for the clarification - I'm supremely relieved to hear that's the case. There's a proliferation of Surfin Safari reissues out there already and my wallet couldn't have stood an entire catalogue plunder! Must raise the prospects of the First Wave set appearing though…

 Is there anyone brave enough to send $$ for First Wave, if Brad appears to sell  it again?

[leggo of my ego]

I would certainly be interested in investing towards these if we could verify what is on them could very well be new...

They are also selling a notebook of Morrison's and Grace Slicks Monterrey Pop outfit ($22,000) so i think its legit.

[leggo of my ego]

One important point about acetates:  they're not Plastic thru and thru, as are LP's/45's, but have plastic/vinyl/styrene( whatever it is they use) on a metal disc.

Acetate is what the coating is made from - basically the same stuff safety film is made of, the discs are aluminum.

Why would a business take their stuff to someone else that charges them  commission to sell it, when they can sell on their own site? 
EBay is at 9% ( plus Paypal cost if they use that, almost 3% more) Auction houses generally take a huge cut, with no guarantee of a wider audience... 

What I should have said is Durrie should have sold them on ebay - in 8 separate auctions - if one collector was determined to get them all she could have made a lot more cash maybe $2000 per disc or more. Apparently she got what she wanted when she sold them to this company.

[leggo of my ego]

I must 'come out' here ... I am the one the started the 'rumor' back in the '90s.

It was not a rumor; I knew Durrie personally during this time, and she told me casually about the acetates on a few occasions. A year or two later, I innocently mentioned it on a forum. I lost touch with her for awhile, and I think some people probably contacted her about it ... so I felt kind of weird.

In any case, this may be a happy ending -- I hope she got some decent $$$ for these things, and hopefully someone will buy them & archive them for all to hear!

Personally, I think these are very important because they represent some of the only original BW mixes of the era. I lost my chance to hear 'em many years ago!

Okay what I would like know is are these acetates cut from live takes off the board or off the master tapes?

Obviously acetate discs are not an archival storage medium. Seems unwise to commit anything unique or vitality important to them.
I figured the discs were cut from the tapes so the artists can have a "carry-out" to listen at home / share with friends.

If the later then tapes should exist with the exact same material. But people don't always do the wise thing...so...

[bgas]

One important point about acetates:  they're not Plastic thru and thru, as are LP's/45's, but have plastic/vinyl/styrene( whatever it is they use) on a metal disc.

Acetate is what the coating is made from - basically the same stuff safety film is made of, the discs are aluminum.

Why would a business take their stuff to someone else that charges them  commission to sell it, when they can sell on their own site?  
EBay is at 9% ( plus Paypal cost if they use that, almost 3% more) Auction houses generally take a huge cut, with no guarantee of a wider audience...  

What I should have said is Durrie should have sold them on ebay - in 8 separate auctions - if one collector was determined to get them all she could have made a lot more cash maybe $2000 per disc or more. Apparently she got what she wanted when she sold them to this company.

Yes, of course it's possible she would have made more $$, but ( moot point, I know) perhaps she doesn't like Ebay/doesn't have an account there/ just plain didn't want to deal with listing, taking pictures, waiting, then trying to package them for shipment.  

[Chris Brown]

Mind = Blown 

Andy's posts are tantalizing to say the least - if Alan and co. didn't have the chance to hear these in the course of working on the Smile box, I wonder if one or more of the new bits may pop up on MIC? 

[KittyKat]

I recall lurking on a couple of Beach Boys' boards a few years ago and there were people arguing over whether Durrie "owed" the fans her acetates. Some even said they were trying to call her or e-mail to pester her to release them. It's pretty clear why those fans weren't successful, because she owed them nothing. Good for her for trying to get some cash out of her treasures.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Good for her for trying to get some cash out of her treasures.

I find it ironic. I mean, I wonder what Van Dyke is thinking. Still cashing in on SMiLE. Don't misunderstand, I don't blame her.