Beach Boys album sessions... 1978-1980

[Steve Latshaw]

I'm trying to put together a list of currently and formerly unreleased tracks considered for L.A. LIGHT and KTSA...
Through the generosity of a member on this board I was able to see the Bruce Johnston interview from PET SOUNDS, in 1978, which I had not read in over 30 years.  That was helpful, as was Andrew G. Doe's sessions log.
LA LIGHT ALBUM
Obvious tracks include Brian's Back (which Bruce apparently thought was awful), Santa Ana Winds, Lookin Down The Coast, Calendar Girl, California Feelin,
--Was Dennis' WILD SITUATION in the running?  It's obvious Carl and Bruce sing on this track.
--Did the Beach Boys ever record a studio version of COUNTRY PIE?  I know Celebration tracked it in, I assume, fall 1978.  On a concert recording from Michigan (8/25/78) Mike references that a live version was recorded by the band on their previous tour.  Many of us in 1978 thought LADY LYNDA and COUNTRY PIE would be the lead off singles from the new CBS LP.
--Were any tracks from ADULT/CHILD considered for LA LIGHT - like STILL I DREAM OF IT or IT'S OVER NOW?
--James Guercio reportedly wanted to incolude ROCK PLYMOUTH ROLL and CAN'T WAIT TOO LONG on the album at the head and tail. Fragments or complete versions ala the Linett reconstructions?

KEEPIN THE SUMMER ALIVE
--Again, obvious out-takes are GOIN TO THE BEACH, DA DOO RON RON, the still unreleased SURFER SUZIE. 
--CAN'T WAIT TOO LONG/BEEN WAY TOO LONG - are any of the released versions (1993 box set/Wild Honey-Smiley Smile Twofer/MIC/Hawthorne) close to what might have been on KTSA?
--Dennis is obviously absent... is it true SAN MIGUEL was prepped for release on this album?  Perhaps the mix which later ended up on TEN YEARS OF HARMONY
--WILD SITUATION... again... could this have been in the running?

Thanks... love to hear from the experts.  Trying to reconstruct these two albums into what "might have been."

[Smilin Ed H]

Well, Bruce was right.

I think Don't Fight the Sea was started then. Wasn't Dennis' Time For Bed (aka Down in Mexico) recorded for (or offered up for) LA?

[Jason]

Apparently there was a basic track for Don't Fight the Sea recorded sometime in '76, and then it was worked on again in '78. Dennis also offered Time for Bed for LA. If that's the same version as the instrumental track circulating that sounds like Time For Bed (it circulates sometimes as a San Miguel "remake"), no one knows.

[Matt H]

According to AGD's site, Johnny B. Goode was recorded for KTSA, and featured Dennis on drums.  Then there are the other tracks that Brian and Mike recorded, but they may not have been for any of these projects per se like Bucks, I'm A Man, etc.

[Mr. Wilson]

What about the other songs CW wrote with Randy Bachman..?

[c-man]

Dennis also offered Time for Bed for LA. If that's the same version as the instrumental track circulating that sounds like Time For Bed (it circulates sometimes as a San Miguel "remake"), no one knows.

Actually, I do know...yes, it is.  Cut at Cherokee, produced by Guercio and Bruce, with Carl playing bass & guitar (not the slide though), and Russ Kunkel on drums. 

[Steve Latshaw]

The song MEXICO, from the Pacific Ocean Blue sessions, is a cinematic instrumental which seems to echo part of the melody line of San Miguel.  TIME FOR BED, from BAMBU, is a bluesy rocker.  I'd be surprised to hear it on a late 70s Beach Boys record because of the drug references; are either of these the songs noted as having been submitted for LA LIGHT?
--The San Miguel I was referring to was issued on the 1981 Ten Years of Harmony collection; it sounds like a remix, which led me to believe it might have been considered for KTSA.  I had the opportunity to ask Bruce Johnston about vault tracks for that album in 1982.  He said he'd insisted When Girls Get Together be included on the album because he heard it when prepping the album and fell in love with it; particularly the tympani sound.  Perhaps it bumped San Miguel?
I think the problem with both of these albums is simply that some of the best stuff remained in the vault.  As I recall, between 30 and 40 tracks were considered for KTSA.  Wasn't there a 1981 interview with Bruce in Goldmine, where he went through everything currently in the vaults?

[bgas]

The song MEXICO, from the Pacific Ocean Blue sessions, is a cinematic instrumental which seems to echo part of the melody line of San Miguel.  TIME FOR BED, from BAMBU, is a bluesy rocker.  I'd be surprised to hear it on a late 70s Beach Boys record because of the drug references; are either of these the songs noted as having been submitted for LA LIGHT?
--The San Miguel I was referring to was issued on the 1981 Ten Years of Harmony collection; it sounds like a remix, which led me to believe it might have been considered for KTSA.  I had the opportunity to ask Bruce Johnston about vault tracks for that album in 1982.  He said he'd insisted When Girls Get Together be included on the album because he heard it when prepping the album and fell in love with it; particularly the tympani sound.  Perhaps it bumped San Miguel?
I think the problem with both of these albums is simply that some of the best stuff remained in the vault.  As I recall, between 30 and 40 tracks were considered for KTSA.  Wasn't there a 1981 interview with Bruce in Goldmine, where he went through everything currently in the vaults?

NOT everything, but interesting nonetheless.  

[Smilin Ed H]

That was great. Thanks, bgas. I've never seen Bruce come across so well (and so interesting - and so interested...)

[Smilin Ed H]

That section at the start, where someone is complaining about the lack of rehearsals and location of some of the shows... Is that Carl?

[phirnis]

Thanks for sharing, of all the BB Bruce used to give the best interviews.

[Smilin Ed H]

He seems to be implying that he played a considerable part in the assembly of Ten Years of Harmony, yet, ironically, someone (Carl?) didn't allow him to be included in the group photo! I know he'd been 'officially' absent for several albums during this period, but as he points out, he's on all the studio albums but MIU and a lot of the stuff on TYOH isn't from MIU...

[c-man]

The song MEXICO, from the Pacific Ocean Blue sessions, is a cinematic instrumental which seems to echo part of the melody line of San Miguel.  TIME FOR BED, from BAMBU, is a bluesy rocker.  I'd be surprised to hear it on a late 70s Beach Boys record because of the drug references; are either of these the songs noted as having been submitted for LA LIGHT?
--The San Miguel I was referring to was issued on the 1981 Ten Years of Harmony collection; it sounds like a remix, which led me to believe it might have been considered for KTSA.  I had the opportunity to ask Bruce Johnston about vault tracks for that album in 1982.  He said he'd insisted When Girls Get Together be included on the album because he heard it when prepping the album and fell in love with it; particularly the tympani sound.  Perhaps it bumped San Miguel?
I think the problem with both of these albums is simply that some of the best stuff remained in the vault.  As I recall, between 30 and 40 tracks were considered for KTSA.  Wasn't there a 1981 interview with Bruce in Goldmine, where he went through everything currently in the vaults?

The "Time For Bed" version released on "Bambu" was recorded in late '77 at Brother, during rehearsals for Dennis's scrubbed solo tour, and the vocal (as it exists on "Bambu") was clearly just a "work" vocal not intended for keepers.  The track was re-recorded during sessions for "L.A. (Light)", as I mentioned above, in late '78.  That version is vocal-less, and contains musical parts borrowed from the then-still unreleased "San Miguel" (the between-verse modulations); the AFM contract states quite clearly this was a "Beach Boys" (as opposed to "Dennis Wilson") session at Cherokee, produced by James Guercio and Bruce Johnston and engineered by Chuck Britz, so yes, this re-recorded version was intended for "L.A. (Light)".  I agree that musically it would not have fit in, but then neither does "Shortenin' Bread', yet there it is.  It would have needed to have a final set of lyrics composed, but there's no indication that was actually done.  Incidentally, there are TWO other versions yet of "Time For Bed" in the can...these were recorded in May of '78, at the same session as "Mexico"...one is mid-tempo, one is a slow blues, and both incorporate those "San Miguel" modulations...indications are these two were meant to "book-end" the track now known as "Mexico" in some sort of grand trilogy.

Regarding the "San Miguel" remix...it was remixed at MIU in late '77...whether that's the mix considered for "KTSA" two years later and/or ultimately used for "Ten Years Harmony" four years later, or whether it was remixed again during the "KTSA" sessions, I do not know as of yet...if I find out, I can post the info here.

[Smilin Ed H]

Speaking of Country Pie, do I hear Carl on bvs?

[Steve Latshaw]

First of all, many thanks to everyone for posting.  Some great information.  Particularly that 1981 Goldmine interview.  Regarding the group photo in Ten Years of Harmony... that was a file photo they used, dating from December of 1976, thus the exclusion of Bruce.  I can't imagine Carl would have forbid his image in a group shot.  In those days, Bruce was suggesting that he was back helping out but refused to be considered another member of the band.  I don't think this was a negative on his part... just holding out his own individuality as he was a fairly well-placed bigwig at CBS in those days.  I don't think there was an "official" group album photo with Bruce until the session used for the 1985 CBS lp, though I could be wrong.
COUNTRY PI - I think the voice you hear in BG vocals (if this is the Celebration track) is Dave Robinson.

[Smilin Ed H]

First of all, many thanks to everyone for posting.  Some great information.  Particularly that 1981 Goldmine interview.  Regarding the group photo in Ten Years of Harmony... that was a file photo they used, dating from December of 1976, thus the exclusion of Bruce.  I can't imagine Carl would have forbid his image in a group shot.  In those days, Bruce was suggesting that he was back helping out but refused to be considered another member of the band.  I don't think this was a negative on his part... just holding out his own individuality as he was a fairly well-placed bigwig at CBS in those days.  I don't think there was an "official" group album photo with Bruce until the session used for the 1985 CBS lp, though I could be wrong.
COUNTRY PI - I think the voice you hear in BG vocals (if this is the Celebration track) is Dave Robinson.

Trouble is, I'm sure I've read that Carl was behind the decision. On here. A couple of years back. Something to do with the fact that for the bulk of the years covered, Bruce wasn't officially a member. Though he produced LA and is all over it, I'm not sure he was officially recognised as back until KTSA. No doubt AGD will tell me I'm wrong or conform the latter point. As for the file photo - it wouldn't have been impossible to have a new photo taken.

[metal flake paint]

Elliott (1982) states that Carl disagreed with a suggestion to incorporate an image of Bruce into the selected gatefold photo as he didn't regard Bruce's membership equal to that of the other members of the group (p. 17).   



References

Elliott, B. (1982). Sifting sands: Ten years of harmony. Add Some Music, 5(1), 1-50

[Steve Latshaw]

I had no idea that photo was a bone of contention.   Interesting the things you learn on this message board.  At the time, I remember it odd thinking there was such an old picture of the group featured with the disc.  I had assumed it was simply an attempt to find a shot midway through the "ten years of harmony."
I'm hoping someday that the Brother LPs get similar treatment as the 90s Capitol Twofers.

[Sheriff John Stone]

At the time, I remember it odd thinking there was such an old picture of the group featured with the disc. 

At the time, I remember thinking what an odd title for the album, especially for a group celebrating their then 20th anniversary. Reprise was probably the only entity who felt ten years was worth noting or titling an album after. Strange comp, but the single mixes were magnificent.

[Smilin Ed H]

Elliott (1982) states that Carl disagreed with a suggestion to incorporate an image of Bruce into the selected gatefold photo as he didn't regard Bruce's membership equal to that of the other members of the group (p. 17).   



References

Elliott, B. (1982). Sifting sands: Ten years of harmony. Add Some Music, 5(1), 1-50

And the  further irony: the title derived from Bruce's song!

Maybe Carl had issues with Bruce. Wasn't it him that wanted to replace Bruce with Billy Hinsche?

[Smilin Ed H]

At the time, I remember it odd thinking there was such an old picture of the group featured with the disc. 

At the time, I remember thinking what an odd title for the album, especially for a group celebrating their then 20th anniversary. Reprise was probably the only entity who felt ten years was worth noting or titling an album after. Strange comp, but the single mixes were magnificent.

It remains one of their best compilations.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Elliott (1982) states that Carl disagreed with a suggestion to incorporate an image of Bruce into the selected gatefold photo as he didn't regard Bruce's membership equal to that of the other members of the group (p. 17).   



References

Elliott, B. (1982). Sifting sands: Ten years of harmony. Add Some Music, 5(1), 1-50

I believe there was a compromise offered, that of including a smaller, separate image of Bruce, but he declined.

[bgas]

At the time, I remember it odd thinking there was such an old picture of the group featured with the disc. 

At the time, I remember thinking what an odd title for the album, especially for a group celebrating their then 20th anniversary. Reprise was probably the only entity who felt ten years was worth noting or titling an album after. Strange comp, but the single mixes were magnificent.

Especially odd when you consider the LP was on Caribou, NOT Reprise

[Phoenix]

That article seems to solve the "mystery" surrounding the Boys' recording of "With A Little Help From My Friends".  I seem to recall hearing all we definitely knew about their version was the title and while it probably was the Beatles' song, we didn't know for sure.  If that was the case, we certainly know now.

[c-man]

That article seems to solve the "mystery" surrounding the Boys' recording of "With A Little Help From My Friends".  I seem to recall hearing all we definitely knew about their version was the title and while it probably was the Beatles' song, we didn't know for sure.  If that was the case, we certainly know now.

We've actually known since 1983 that their version is, in fact, the Beatles song, and not only that, we've also known since then what it sounds like...at least those of us lucky enough to have bought Capitol's "Beach Boys Rarities" LP (later reissued on CD in Japan).  It's the lead track on that album.