Was "15 Big Ones" poorly mixed? Would a better mix signficantly improve it?

[Smile4ever]

Could this album have been better if it was mixed differently? If you think it was done poorly, can you expound on why?

[Awesoman]

If the songs aren't strong enough, a good mix probably won't save it.  Love You wasn't a great mix, but the music was good. 

[Dudd]

Well, we already have the 'hot mix' of Rock & Roll Music as proof that a better mix of that song already existed - not sure if any of the other tracks could have been salvaged. The big problem with that album is the vocals. Had To Phone Ya works wonderfully as an instrumental but with vocals it comes off as oddly shoddy.

[Joel Goldenberg]

From what I've heard, Kiss's Unmasked album was not especially liked in the day as being too wimpy. But the new vinyl edition with much tougher sound and bass has seemed to improve its reputation quite a bit. And I can second that after hearing the song Shandi on the new Kiss 40 collection. So I think a great remix can definitely improve 15 BO.

[Smilin Ed H]

I don't dislike Love You (apart from Everyone's in Love...): I think it has its charms and, taking it for what it is, I think it stands head and shoulders above some of the later albums, but I do have to be in the right mood to appreciate it, so I'm not sure changing the mix would help - but I agree about RnR Music.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I like the sound of 15 Big Ones. It brings out a lot of the instruments Brian was using. I think it's one of his best productions.

The problems were the song selections and the lead vocals. The song selections could've been significantly improved with just two or three changes. The lead vocals are what they are, based on Brian and Dennis' physical condition at that time. There was nothing that could've been done, other than not featuring them at all!

[Andrew G. Doe]

Poorly mixed, poorly conceived, poorly executed. Three strikes, yer out !

[John Manning]

Poorly mixed, poorly conceived, poorly executed. Three strikes, yer out !

Harsh! I love it! But would welcome a remix… or the release of an existing unreleased mix, if one exists.

[Nicko1234]

A better mix would improve it (by definition, a better mix would improve any music)....

But 15 Big Ones is garbage. Unimaginative choices of covers, very poor productions, awful vocals, few and mostly mediocre originals...

[JK]

I have somewhere some truly gritty remixes of----off the top of my head----"Susie Cincinnati", "Just Once In My Life", "In The Still Of The Night" and half (!) of "A Casual Look". Anyone know what these might be? Fan mixes perhaps? (I've lost touch with the kind person who sent them to me.) The one of "JOIML" makes my hair stand on end and "Susie C" sounds positively nasty. Unfortunately, there's no way i can upload them here... 

[Foster's Freeze]

The hot mix of R&R Music is great and I personally love Susie Cincinnati and would love you see (hear) yet another attempt at a clear mix.

[phirnis]

In terms of backing tracks, 15 Big Ones rivals stuff like Summer Days.

[Don Malcolm]

Yes, there's a reason why many of us call it 15BO, and while some of it is palatable, it's never going to be much more than a curio in BB history. The only albums ranking lower than it in the consensus polls here (which are pretty reliable indicators, IMO) are KTSA, Still Cruisin', and SIP.

In terms of backing tracks, 15 Big Ones rivals stuff like Summer Days.

Reminiscent of (in certain cases), yes. But rivals? Not really (IMO).

[phirnis]

Maybe it's just me because I love Brian's use of synthesizers. He got recognized for his brilliant approach to the classic wall-of-sound technique but he never really got the praise he deserves, in my opinion, for his 1970s synthesizer work.

[Gabo]

Poorly mixed, poorly conceived, poorly executed. Three strikes, yer out !

 

[DonnyL]

Definitely not 'poorly mixed' from a technical standpoint in my opinion. Stylistically, sure you could say that a more '60s approach would have made the material sound more on par with the group's best-known material. But it was the '70s, and they wanted to sound current probably.

[Steve Latshaw]

I think if a mix could be created for the rest of the album on a par with the alternate mix of R&R Music on MIC, it would turn 15 Big Ones into a classic Beach Boys summer album.  Hearing the Boyd/Linnett version of R&RM on MIC convinced me thsat 15BO was, simply, poorly mixed. 

[joshferrell]

after hearing the amazing stack o track version of "had to phone ya" it would be  nice to hear the other songs in either remix form or stack o track form...

[TimeToGetAlone]

I personally think mix can make quite a difference, and production even more so.  The MIC version of Rock and Roll Music as well as the single version are far better than what ended up on the album IMO.  

Then again I consider 15 Big Ones more of a middling album than a terrible one (for music in general).  Though it loses points for some of the half-crazed covers, I think the overall production is more interesting than those on any album they did after Love You.  You play around with some of the elements there, and maybe it goes up another notch.

[Dancing Bear]

A remixed 15 Big Ones would sell squat. with a reluctant AGD as one of the 150 buyers.

Since we can dream, I think a double CD package collecting all the Brian's back era (remixed 15 Big One + outtakes, remixed Love You + outtakes & the contemporary tracks recorded for 'new album' and 'adult/child') could raise some interest. Of course it will never happen. Even if Universal decided to market the Beach Boys catalogue this way there would be Sunflower and Surf's Up to be mined first.

[Smilin Ed H]

Yes, there's a reason why many of us call it 15BO, and while some of it is palatable, it's never going to be much more than a curio in BB history. The only albums ranking lower than it in the consensus polls here (which are pretty reliable indicators, IMO) are KTSA, Still Cruisin', and SIP.

In terms of backing tracks, 15 Big Ones rivals stuff like Summer Days.

Reminiscent of (in certain cases), yes. But rivals? Not really (IMO).

I'd add MIU to that list.

[Ed Roach]

I think if a mix could be created for the rest of the album on a par with the alternate mix of R&R Music on MIC, it would turn 15 Big Ones into a classic Beach Boys summer album.  Hearing the Boyd/Linnett version of R&RM on MIC convinced me thsat 15BO was, simply, poorly mixed. 

you know, I probably came close to logging as many hours at Brother during 15BO than anybody then than Mankey or Moffitt; sometimes more than either of them, if I'd last through Brian in daylight than Dennis' sessions til dawn.  But let me tell you, between Brian's newfound enthusiasm, (having a studio of his own, just far enough from his bedroom), and the feeling amongst the rest of the band that this was a new beginning, it was an amazing time.

Poorly mixed, poorly conceived, poorly executed. Three strikes, yer out !

Mr. Doe certainly nailed the 2nd two points - poorly conceived, poorly executed.  You don't have to dig very hard for quotes by Dennis regarding the 'oldies' being a way of getting Brian back up to speed.  And while there was never any doubt some of these covers would make it to the album, where was the logic in choosing Blueberry Hill over The River Song?  It was right around there that enthusiasm waned, and a certain engineer who had grown contemptuous of them was left to mix AND master the album, which was grudgingly released. 

However, search out whatever original/re-mixes that you can find.  I STILL think my rough cassette mix of R&R Music rocks better than any I've heard...  My favorite memories are times like Roy Wood & Wizard coming by for Ding Dang, my ex-wife convincing Brian he could still call the Wrecking Crew, (& the until then immortal Steve Douglas), back to work for him, & bringing in The Double Rock Baptist Choir for Same Song.  Tis a shame, because they had an album or two in them then that could have garnered some attention

[Andrew G. Doe]

Definitely not 'poorly mixed' from a technical standpoint in my opinion.

I'll slightly revise that statement: technically the mix is adequate. Artistically, it isn't... and remember, Brian wanted all the vocals to be dry. The story goes (and I have no reason to doubt it) that the rest of the band, notably Carl, snuck into Brother Studio behind his back and added echo. Aren't you glad they did ?

[Jay]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. 15 Big Ones was a mistake that the group never fully recovered from.

[Alan Smith]

So, the Cliff's notes are:

• Brian was initially revitalised
• The band thought this revitalisation heralded a new era
• However, the "old" covers for Brian approach clashed with the "contemporary" offerings
• Thus, the bubble burst and both Brian and the band philosophically disagreed on the vox "sound" (Brian dry, band echo), while a disengaged Stephen Moffitt mixed and mastered an disunited album

That it in a nutshell? (a Million thanks to Ed Roach; cheers LAGD)