1968 gigs & sessions

[c-man]

I wonder if by admitting they used tracks from earlier sessions, they would've had to give co-producer credits to Andy Paley and Joe Thomas?  Seems they were real keen on having this be a "Brian Wilson production".  On the same note, Carl's vocal on "Soul Searchin'" was from a Don Was co-produced session, but Don Was wasn't given any kind of credit that I recall.

[the captain]

There is no engineering credit or "recorded by" for the Carl Wilson vocal, either. So in that regard, a certain amount of disregard for credits is obviously present anyway. Thomas is credited as a player, too...so obvously at least that track is old, despite what I recall as Melinda posting on the Blueboard that it was 100% new recordings. What a strange affair.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I'm just skimming the booklet, and some of the, er, claims are just outstanding. This may be the most blatant:

""A Friend Like You" was written by Brian after he and Paul McCartney had spent time together at the Landmine Benefit, and backstage and on stage at the Queen's Jubilee... Brian wrote this song out of his feelings for his friend"

There's a man at the door called Steve Kalinich who might have something to say about that.

As for the musician credits, I can only think of one reason why the following are included:

Greg Leisz (guitar)
Michael Rhodes (bass)
Joe Thomas (keyboards)

And finally, there's only the most oblique of hints that "Desert Drive" is from the aborted Oceanway fall 2002 sessions.

[c-man]

Eddie Bayers (drummer on most of "Imagination") was also listed in the original online version of the "GIOMH" album credits.  It looks like his omission from the CD credits was a mistake...Melinda confirmed for me that he played drums on the title cut.

Todd Suchermann confirmed for me later that "Desert Drive" was cut in advance of all the others (by a year or so).

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I'm just skimming the booklet, and some of the, er, claims are just outstanding. This may be the most blatant:

""A Friend Like You" was written by Brian after he and Paul McCartney had spent time together at the Landmine Benefit, and backstage and on stage at the Queen's Jubilee... Brian wrote this song out of his feelings for his friend"

There's a man at the door called Steve Kalinich who might have something to say about that.

As for the musician credits, I can only think of one reason why the following are included:

Greg Leisz (guitar)
Michael Rhodes (bass)
Joe Thomas (keyboards)

And finally, there's only the most oblique of hints that "Desert Drive" is from the aborted Oceanway fall 2002 sessions.

What aborted Oceanway sessions? This is news to me. Never heard of them...

As for the musician credits, I can only think of one reason why the following are included:

Greg Leisz (guitar)
Michael Rhodes (bass)
Joe Thomas (keyboards)

  Along with the unmentioned Eddie Bayers, it's the Imagination crew!Now if *that* is not a dead give-away on old tracks being used, then I don't know *what* is. BTW...are you sure that the opening track also wasn't an older track, at least in parts? I ask because it was written during the Imagination sessions, and as far as I know it was one of the few outtakes from that album.

I wonder if by admitting they used tracks from earlier sessions, they would've had to give co-producer credits to Andy Paley and Joe Thomas?  Seems they were real keen on having this be a "Brian Wilson production".  On the same note, Carl's vocal on "Soul Searchin'" was from a Don Was co-produced session, but Don Was wasn't given any kind of credit that I recall.

Also, Gary Usher deserves some credit for "So Long" being turned into "You Touched Me". Or blame, I dunno.

[the captain]

BTW...are you sure that the opening track also wasn't an older track, at least in parts? I ask because it was written during the Imagination sessions, and as far as I know it was one of the few outtakes from that album.

Really? That was one of the few I thought was actually a new track--I hadn't heard any old versions or rumors of old versions of that song. Is there an earlier (booted?) recording of it, or is it just a title you know existed earlier? I wonder in part because I wish I'd heard a studio version with a BW vocal (Preferably not a GIOMH-era slurred or shouted lead vocal).

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

It was definitely written during the Imagination sessions, although I wouldn't be surprised  if parts dated from earlier than that. Listen to the middle part of the song (the reprise of the opening,only with instruments)...that production style (read:Muzak) sounds like pure Joe Thomas.

I don't think the "original" version has ever been booted, but I do recall reading the title somewhere after Imagination's release. Maybe it was written in the period after its release but before Thomas left the scene.

Andrew...?

[Andrew G. Doe]

In the fall of 2002, Brian, Paley & Foskett (with assistance from Darian & Scotty) held some sessions at Oceanway (Western), but no-one was that happy with the results so the sessions were canned after about a week. In March 2003, when he played a BBB event with Billy Hinsche, Jeff played us a version of "Desert Drive" that was indentical with what was released a year later.

[Andrew G. Doe]

For them as is interested (yes, all three of you), the shows/sessions page for 1971 is up over at 10452. Apologies in advance for the vagueness of the session info, but it seems that they had better things to do at the home studio than keep accurate records. I'm working on it...

Comments, etc., more than welcomed.

[shelter]

For them as is interested (yes, all three of you)

Andrew, I'm sure a lot of people here really appreciate you doing this. I check your site almost daily for updates.

[shelter]

3 - Surf's Up session: Don't Go Near The Water/Long Promised Road/Old Movie (= 4th Of July)

Wasn't Old Movie the working title for Cuddle Up?

*edit* Never mind. 

[Andrew G. Doe]

Yeah, seems like Dennis used the title for anything he was working on at the time ! There's a version of "Old Movie/4th of July" in the vaults with Jack Rieley singing (?) some totally different lyrics.

PS - just had some additional session info arrive for 1970 & 1971.

[Jon Stebbins]

Yeah, seems like Dennis used the title for anything he was working on at the time ! There's a version of "Old Movie/4th of July" in the vaults with Jack Rieley singing (?) some totally different lyrics.

PS - just had some additional session info arrive for 1970 & 1971.

Guess what the working title was for What's Wrong? "Moonshine" is what I've been told by one who knows. Of course "School Girl" contains the Baby Blue lyric "late at night when the whole world's sleeping I think of you". Dennis was a lot like Brian in the way he kept recycling bits and ideas that morphed from one usage to another. Sometimes he even recyled Brian's bits into his stuff...but then Brian has used a few Dennis bits as well...like in "Rio Grande".

[Steve Mayo]

Yeah, seems like Dennis used the title for anything he was working on at the time ! There's a version of "Old Movie/4th of July" in the vaults with Jack Rieley singing (?) some totally different lyrics.

PS - just had some additional session info arrive for 1970 & 1971.

i remember reading about this song in that great 1971 rs 2 part article on the group. jack was talking to brian about subject matter for the lyrics. these, i don't think, were the ones used on the released version of that song. could it be that those "jack rieley singing (?) some totally diffrent lyrics" were those?

[c-man]

Yeah, seems like Dennis used the title for anything he was working on at the time ! There's a version of "Old Movie/4th of July" in the vaults with Jack Rieley singing (?) some totally different lyrics.

PS - just had some additional session info arrive for 1970 & 1971.

i remember reading about this song in that great 1971 rs 2 part article on the group. jack was talking to brian about subject matter for the lyrics. these, i don't think, were the ones used on the released version of that song. could it be that those "jack rieley singing (?) some totally diffrent lyrics" were those?

I don't think Tom Nolan quoted any exact lyrics for "Fourth Of July"...he was working from memory, so he paraphrased. 

[Steve Mayo]

that is what i meant..he just mentioned possible subject matter..ideas for the song. that is what i was trying to say.

[Rocker]

Yeah, seems like Dennis used the title for anything he was working on at the time ! There's a version of "Old Movie/4th of July" in the vaults with Jack Rieley singing (?) some totally different lyrics.

PS - just had some additional session info arrive for 1970 & 1971.

Guess what the working title was for What's Wrong? "Moonshine" is what I've been told by one who knows. Of course "School Girl" contains the Baby Blue lyric "late at night when the whole world's sleeping I think of you". Dennis was a lot like Brian in the way he kept recycling bits and ideas that morphed from one usage to another. Sometimes he even recyled Brian's bits into his stuff...but then Brian has used a few Dennis bits as well...like in "Rio Grande".

Hell, I guess that would make a great thread on it's own.

[XY]

May 1, 1971
May Day Rally, Washington DC
This show was filmed: footage appears in the American Band DVD.

Is this the footage during "Student Demonstration Time"?


15 - Dennis Wilson session - Old Movie (= 4th Of July)/Barnyard Blues [demos]

Any more infos on "Barnyard Blues"? Since Dennis had a tendency to recycle SMiLE ideas and they were working on SU around that time, the question raises if it has anything to do with "Barnyard"?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Nothing to do with Brian's "Barnyard"

[Ian]

A correction is needed- I was earlier quizzed about a Feb 17 1968 Providence app and I defended Keith Badman's research. As it turns out-the concert did not happen. In fact the only concert at that venue was on Feb 17 1965. The review of the show that Badman lists for Feb 17 1968- actually comes from the Feb 18 1965 Providence Journal- so its a big error.