'Break Away' mono mix

[DonnyL]

... Does such a thing exist?

There's this weird cassette-only comp (5-tape box set) from '87 called '25th Anniversary', which boasts 'digitally remastered from the original tapes'. This thing has all original mono mixes throughout, with complete (not early) fades.  The only stereo tracks on this set are  from '20/20'.  Strange thing is it includes a mono mix of 'Break Away'. It sounds basically the same as the stereo 45 version. Not sure if this was a fold-down or a unique mix. Never heard of a mono being released.

Aside from the limitations of the medium, this collection has some of the best sound quality I've heard on any Beach Boys release.

[Mikie]

There's a mono mix of Break Away on SOT Vol. 20.   Or you could always take the backing track on Dumb Angel Vol. 2 and the acapella vocal track and mix your own.

But why would you want to do that??  The stereo version(s) sound fantastic!

[DonnyL]

I mean ... I'm wondering if this mix that appears on the cassette comp was officially released elsewhere, and if so, if this was a fold-down from the stereo mix or an actual mono mix.  I was under the impression it was released stereo-only, so I was surprised to hear this one. I like the stereo mix !  This mono one sounds like the same mix, just ... mono.

[drbeachboy]

The 45 was released in mono in Europe. I have a digital copy of a ripped England 45. Most likely a fold down.

[Mikie]

That's weird. Wonder why Capitol/EMI would release it anywhere in mono when it was in stereo in the U.S. and elsewhere. There was a mono version (fold down) of the 20/20 album too in the UK, but not in the U.S.

I think the Break Away demo on "Endless Harmony" is also stereo, idinit?

[drbeachboy]

Friends and 20/20 were released in fold down mono in The good  ol' British Isles, as well.

[Micha]

There's a mono mix of Break Away on SOT Vol. 20.   Or you could always take the backing track on Dumb Angel Vol. 2 and the acapella vocal track and mix your own.

But why would you want to do that??  The stereo version(s) sound fantastic!

Because mono rules, man! Seriously, of the remastered series I only bought the pre-1965 albums, because I already had Today and Summer Nights in mono on CD!

On the other hand, I don't really care about the fold-down mono Friends LP I have.

[Ron]

I'm at this weird place right now where Break Away is almost unlistenable.  It has something to do with ALLLL the different mixes.  Since, in my mind, there's no 'Brian' mix, the whole song is just kind of 'blah'.  I've heard mix after mix on offical releases, I think Mark has done several different mixes, but it's really kind of just trashed the song for me.

Same with Cool Cool Water, since I know Brian didn't really mix it, it kind of turns it into this half-assed snip section (no offense to those involved!) that never was released as it was intended. 

I know both songs are great and just about every mix of both songs are great, but since there's no 'definitive' mix it kind of rubs me the wrong way. 

For similar reasons, I never bought the Beatles "LOVE" album.  What's the point?  I just don't get it. 

[OGoldin]

For similar reasons, I never bought the Beatles "LOVE" album.  What's the point?  I just don't get it. 

I see your point but if the only way I could have gotten access to that Beatles music is through the LOVE versions, I'd be very glad to listen to it!

[Ron]

I've heard it's great, and the concept of it is great and I don't blame them for doing it... but I'd rather listen to the originally intended presentation of the songs. 

So when I hear Break Away the first time, i thought "wow!".  Then I heard a different mix, with completely different vocals.  Wow, that's pretty cool too, which one is the one they decided to release?  Then I heard one Mark did with just allllll kinds of sh*t going on, complete backup vocals that were missing on the other ones dropped all over every chorus, etc. and I started getting the picture that there's no clean answer of how the song was supposed to sound. 

If I pop in "California Girls", it sounds great.  I can hear a different mix, and still enjoy it because it's just cleaned up, or the drums are louder, or whatever but it's still about how it was intended by the guy who came up with it. 

[sockittome]

That's weird. Wonder why Capitol/EMI would release it anywhere in mono when it was in stereo in the U.S. and elsewhere. There was a mono version (fold down) of the 20/20 album too in the UK, but not in the U.S.

I think the Break Away demo on "Endless Harmony" is also stereo, idinit?

It's mono on the Spirit of America comp cd.  I've been told it is a fold down, though.

[DonnyL]

I'm at this weird place right now where Break Away is almost unlistenable.  It has something to do with ALLLL the different mixes.  Since, in my mind, there's no 'Brian' mix, the whole song is just kind of 'blah'.  I've heard mix after mix on offical releases, I think Mark has done several different mixes, but it's really kind of just trashed the song for me.

Same with Cool Cool Water, since I know Brian didn't really mix it, it kind of turns it into this half-assed snip section (no offense to those involved!) that never was released as it was intended. 

I know both songs are great and just about every mix of both songs are great, but since there's no 'definitive' mix it kind of rubs me the wrong way. 

For similar reasons, I never bought the Beatles "LOVE" album.  What's the point?  I just don't get it. 

The orig. stereo 45 of 'Break Away' is the original, 'final' BW-Beach Boys-Desper mix ... it's also the best. The Sunflower mix of 'Cool Cool Water' is the original. All the others are either works-in-progress mixes or revisionist modern day stuff.