The final aborted Beach Boy's album

[Howie Edelson]

Thanks Peter.  I'm wondering how far after the sessions broke down did the deal become known. If you recall that era, there was a lot of activity (IJWMFTT, OCA, S&S) but not much mention of the sessions, Was being brought in, that breaking down -- all of a sudden they're on 'Baywatch' and that's sort of IT. Did the details follow along with the first dupes of the Paley tapes leaking? As far as that, we've all got "opinions" as to who the source of initial leak was -- what year was the first appearance of the Paley sessions on the collector -- not bootleg -- circuit?

[c-man]

Thanks Peter.  I'm wondering how far after the sessions broke down did the deal become known. If you recall that era, there was a lot of activity (IJWMFTT, OCA, S&S) but not much mention of the sessions, Was being brought in, that breaking down -- all of a sudden they're on 'Baywatch' and that's sort of IT. Did the details follow along with the first dupes of the Paley tapes leaking? As far as that, we've all got "opinions" as to who the source of initial leak was -- what year was the first appearance of the Paley sessions on the collector -- not bootleg -- circuit?

To put the timeline somewhat in perspective...the "Baywatch" thing was EARLY '95...according to ESQ, the recording of the proposed "Baywatch Nights" theme song occurred the week of February 28th 1995 at Mark Linett's studio:  "Brian and Andy coproduced the track...the two of them, along with Carl, Jonathon Paley, and Michael Andreas, played on the track...Brian, Carl, Mike, and Andy sang vocals around a single mic".   And get this..."A video crew recorded the vocal session for posterity"...but, the song remained unfinished.  There was extensive coverage in Newsweek and ET!.   Alan Jardine was reportedly unaware of this session, expressing complete surprise when informed of it by a fan some months later. 

Even though that endeavor didn't bear fruit, the Boys filmed a guest appearance for the parent "Baywatch" show on April 25th, 1995 (it was broadcast that fall, I believe).

Brian joined the Beach Boys onstage for the first time in 5 years in early May at Caesars' Palace in Vegas.

The Boys gathered with Was & Paley at Ocean Way (formery United Western) in September to record the vocals for "Still A Mystery" and "Soul Searchin'".   Cindy Lee Berryhill stumbled upon the session by chance and gave a GREAT account of it in the pages of ESQ in early '96.

By October 5th & 6th, the Boys had started the "Stars 'n' Stripes" project with Joe Thomas, visiting Willie Nelson's ranch in Texas to record with Willie (Brian also played a gig or two with the Boys in Texas that month...Carl was strangely absent from the gig).   

By '96, they were going full steam with "Stars" and had apparently abandonded any notion of finishing the Wilson-Paley tracks, at least for now.  The Richard Branson V2 offer likely occurred in '95...

[Rocker]

The Boys gathered with Was & Paley at Ocean Way (formery United Western) in September to record the vocals for "Still A Mystery" and "Soul Searchin'".   Cindy Lee Berryhill stumbled upon the session by chance and gave a GREAT account of it in the pages of ESQ in early '96.

If there was any chance someone could post this article....

[southbay]

Have been reading this thread for days with a lot of interest.  I remember this time period well as I had VERY high hopes for the album and follwed the happenings closely.  I did indeed ask Al Jardine in August 1995 re the Baywatch Nights recording session, which had been covered by that time by Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Tonight and the E Channel. To my surprise, he expressed no knowledge of the events. I believe he was being genuine. That same night I asked Mike Love the same question. His response was that he was indeed writing and working with Brian and they were "hopeful" it would work out.

[southbay]

One more thing...There are indeed two seperate and distinct photos from this era.  One with Carl, Brian and Al during the filming of the History of R&R as descibed above.  However, there is also the other WITH ALL FIVE in the recording studio and has been described as being from those Was sessions.  I have found it previously by doing either a google/yahoo search.  Don't recall the exact site.

[Wilsonista]

The Boys gathered with Was & Paley at Ocean Way (formery United Western) in September to record the vocals for "Still A Mystery" and "Soul Searchin'".   Cindy Lee Berryhill stumbled upon the session by chance and gave a GREAT account of it in the pages of ESQ in early '96.

If there was any chance someone could post this article....

I had this back issue of ESQ at one point (and may still be in storage). Hopefully Craig has a copy handier to him but until then, I will give a synopsis (as much as I can recall). Cindy Lee Berryhill is a singer/songwriter (http://www.myspace.com/mscindyleeberryhill  ). She was making a CD called GARAGE ORCHESTRA at the time at a studio next door to United/Western which is where Soul Searchin' and Still a Mystery vox sessions were cut.  She wanders over to Western, drops David Leaf's name with the receptionist  and manages to get in. She finds the studio where Brian, Carl, Al, Bruce and Matt were working.  According to her recollections, the guys were getting aloong quite well and work was progressing quite nicely with Brian firmly in control of the proceedings (she had high praise for both tracks).  Mike arrives at the session late , half-assedly apologizes and makes a disgustingly lascivious comment towards CLB before adding his vocals to the tracks. In between takes, he keeps shooting his mouth off ( a la the Heroes and Vilains sessions "give me a vibrator and dildo" comments ) when the subject turns to money. Mike then comments about "not being paid for a certain lawsuit" - a comment directed toawrd Brian. Brian gave no response during all of this, but all of a sudden Brian blurts out, "hey Mike, do you need a Maharishi robe to sing the damn song?"

To the best of my recollection, that's the gist of the piece. CLB  tells a truncated version of the tale in HOW DEEP IS THE OCEAN (she was dating Paul Williams at the time).

[Dancing Bear]

Idea to pitch with Box Car Records: "Having Fun with Mike in the Studio"   

[c-man]

The Boys gathered with Was & Paley at Ocean Way (formery United Western) in September to record the vocals for "Still A Mystery" and "Soul Searchin'".   Cindy Lee Berryhill stumbled upon the session by chance and gave a GREAT account of it in the pages of ESQ in early '96.

If there was any chance someone could post this article....

I had this back issue of ESQ at one point (and may still be in storage). Hopefully Craig has a copy handier to him but until then, I will give a synopsis (as much as I can recall). Cindy Lee Berryhill is a singer/songwriter (http://www.myspace.com/mscindyleeberryhill  ). She was making a CD called GARAGE ORCHESTRA at the time at a studio next door to United/Western which is where Soul Searchin' and Still a Mystery vox sessions were cut.  She wanders over to Western, drops David Leaf's name with the receptionist  and manages to get in. She finds the studio where Brian, Carl, Al, Bruce and Matt were working.  According to her recollections, the guys were getting aloong quite well and work was progressing quite nicely with Brian firmly in control of the proceedings (she had high praise for both tracks).  Mike arrives at the session late , half-assedly apologizes and makes a disgustingly lascivious comment towards CLB before adding his vocals to the tracks. In between takes, he keeps shooting his mouth off ( a la the Heroes and Vilains sessions "give me a vibrator and dildo" comments ) when the subject turns to money. Mike then comments about "not being paid for a certain lawsuit" - a comment directed toawrd Brian. Brian gave no response during all of this, but all of a sudden Brian blurts out, "hey Mike, do you need a Maharishi robe to sing the damn song?"

To the best of my recollection, that's the gist of the piece. CLB  tells a truncated version of the tale in HOW DEEP IS THE OCEAN (she was dating Paul Williams at the time).

Yep, that's basically it.  I do have my copy (of COURSE!  I keep EVERYTHING!), and if I get time this weekend I could possibly post most of it.

[DJ M]

Mike then comments about "not being paid for a certain lawsuit" - a comment directed toawrd Brian. Brian gave no response during all of this, but all of a sudden Brian blurts out, "hey Mike, do you need a Maharishi robe to sing the damn song?"
[/quote]

Very sharp.

[Wilsonista]

That was my favorite part. 

[Mr. Wilson]

It seems BW will take a load of@@@@@ before speaking up..!! My thoughts have been confirmed,,!!

[Pretty Funky]

One more thing...There are indeed two seperate and distinct photos from this era.  One with Carl, Brian and Al during the filming of the History of R&R as descibed above.  However, there is also the other WITH ALL FIVE in the recording studio and has been described as being from those Was sessions.  I have found it previously by doing either a google/yahoo search.  Don't recall the exact site.

Is that the shot behind the console with Carl's eyes closed? Damned if I can find it anywhere now.

[Jay]

[/quote]
Mike then comments about "not being paid for a certain lawsuit" - a comment directed toawrd Brian. Brian gave no response during all of this, but all of a sudden Brian blurts out, "hey Mike, do you need a Maharishi robe to sing the damn song?"

[/quote] This is, quite possibly, the funniest thing I have ever read in my whole life. 

[Jay]

Ok, after reading this entire topic carefully, am I to understand that the versions of Soul Searchin' and Still a Mystery that exist in the collectors network are not the same versions that The Beach Boys originally overdubed their vocals to? I think it was Mr. Doe that mentioned that Mark Linett "created" these versions. If so, do the original backing tracks(as The Beach Boys originally heard them) circulate in the collectors network?

[the captain]

Ok, after reading this entire topic carefully, am I to understand that the versions of Soul Searchin' and Still a Mystery that exist in the collectors network are not the same versions that The Beach Boys originally overdubed their vocals to? I think it was Mr. Doe that mentioned that Mark Linett "created" these versions.

To answer that question, yes. I can't answer your second question. I've never heard what Andrew described as the Don Was tracks, and didn't even realize there were two sets until the other day.

[Jay]

To make things even more confusing, there is a blog out there that claims to have a version of Soul Searchin' for download with a lead vocal from Andy Paley. I believe there are also a few alternate mixes(3-4?) of that same song.

[Andrew G. Doe]

To make things even more confusing, there is a blog out there that claims to have a version of Soul Searchin' for download with a lead vocal from Andy Paley. I believe there are also a few alternate mixes(3-4?) of that same song.

Correct - there are some boots out there that claim to have Brian singing "SS" when in fact it's Andy's demo vocal (which is very odd as it sound nothing like Brian ever did in his entire career). Allegedly he wrote the song specifically for Carl's voice. However I only know of three versions:

w/Paley vocal
w/BB vocals
GIOMH version

[Rocker]

@RobMac & C-Man: Thank you !

[southbay]

The studoio photo can be found @ http://yottamusic.com/artists/The-Beach-Boys/    or google paul natkin beach boys.  Sorry, couldn't get the link to work.  Don't know why thw Copyright date is '97.  Maybe Natkin just waited until then?  The shot is clearly not from from '97...

[c-man]

The studoio photo can be found @ http://yottamusic.com/artists/The-Beach-Boys/    or google paul natkin beach boys.  Sorry, couldn't get the link to work.  Don't know why thw Copyright date is '97.  Maybe Natkin just waited until then?  The shot is clearly not from from '97...

Wow, thanks for sharing that.  Hadn't seen it before.  I guess if someone knows how to get ahold of Cindy Lee Berryhill, they could ask her if that's what they were wearing at the session she attended...

[Aegir]

The picture of Brian from Live Aid is also copyright 1997, so clearly the copyright is not the same as the year taken.

[c-man]

OK, this is from the March-April 1996 ESQ, by singer/songwriter Cindy Lee Berryhill, who I had the pleasure of meeting with her boyfriend (or is it husband now?) Paul Williams (the founder of Crawdaddy! magazine), at the Pala, California Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE show in late 2004.  Nice people.  Anyway, in September of '95, Cindy and her engineer Mike Harris were at Bernie Grundman Mastering on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, mastering her latest album.  Bernie mentioned how the studio next door (Ocean Way) used to be United/Western, so on a whim, Cindy and Mike H. wandered next door, dropped David Leaf's name with the receptionist, and were given the clearance to proceed back to the studio area.  Cindy picks it up from here:


The first person I recognized was Andy Paley...then Don Was.  I looked back at Mike H.  He was standing there halfway in, halfway out, stiff as a board, a completely stunned look on his face.  I followed his gaze, and there, though the glass, in the studio I saw it too:  Brian and Carl Wilson singing simultaneously in the same room!  Wow!  What a weird, cool thing to stumble into!

Now my eyes were starting to focus.  A foot to my right was Audree Wilson...and to my left was Brian's pretty, blonde wife Melinda.  Andy Paley saw me and came over to say hello.  He introduced Mike H. and me to everybody, there was a good feeling in the control room and I knew we would be able to hang out for a bit, so long as we stayed outta the way. 

I told Andy I was mastering my new record next door and we talked about that stuff.  Then the room got serious about listening to the vocals just recorded. 

Carl and Brian came into the little control room and we all hunched in closer to the speakers and heard a song called "Still A Mystery".  It had that sweet sound - so melodic, vulnerable power within its sweetness.  Then the song was over and they were on to something else (We only heard it once).  Brian suggested they do the vocals for a song called "Soul Searchin'" and they chatted about that.  Before Carl left the room to go about his lead vocals for "Soul Searchin'", he came over and gave me a hello hug and met my compadre Mike H....

There were a lot of people coming and going from that control room.  Don Was was in and out, conferring with Andy and Brian, greeting us and other visitors, hanging out on the hall phone.  Audree Wilson was there with a woman friend.  Brian and Melinda's toy poodle was prancing about, tiny little head held high, queen of its dominion.  And Bruce Johnston, Al and Matt Jardine were in for a listen every so often. 

While Carl was singing his lead to "Soul Searchin'", Brian, still with us in the control room, would interject opinions and comments about where he wanted Carl to come from emotionally or sonically.  It was definitely Brian that was in control here, and Carl was more than willing to give the producer what the producer wanted.  Brian was constantly on the "talk box" with ideas for the vocal.  "Carl, you could sing that stronger" or "I think if that line went up, it would have more feeling" or "Now I don't like it, change it back".  Stuff like that.

Don Was wasn't even in the room, Brian was in the driver's seat and Andy was a sort of liaison between Brian and the engineer or he would define something Brian would have difficulty articulating. 

Mike Harris and I felt like we'd stumbled upon the king's ransom.  Every now and then I'd look over at Mike H. and he'd have this incredible look on his face.  I mean, I'm talking about a recording engineer who's in the studio every day of his adult life and he was just standing there stiffly, oddly, like it's the first time he's ever seen a microphone, and then Bruce Johnston walks up to him.  Bruce pats him on the shoulder, introduces himself, and looks straight at my friend Mike. 

"Ya know, you've got that stunned Brian-Wilson-is-a-god-look on your face!  Why don't you just relax and have a nice time."  Then he winked at us and went off down the corridor.  After that Mike H. started breathing a little more and his body language wasn't so angular. 

more to come later, including the arrival of Mike Love...

[Wilsonista]

Thank you, Craig! This is great stuff and I'm glad I was able to remember most of it.

[Rocker]

Thank you so much !

[c-man]

Part Two of Cindy Lee Berryhill's account from ESQ:

"Soul Searchin'" was going well, everyone seemed happy with it, Brian too. (It's a kind of R&B song that you could imagine from the "Wild Honey" period.  Perhaps a slower, more deliberate, strolling kinda gate than "Wild Honey", but good Carl vocals.  Personally this song didn't have the magic the previous song ["Mystery"] had.  But I'm partial to the heavenly sweet stuff). 

Throughout the session, there were inquires into Mike Love's ETA.  Apparently his plane from San Francisco was held up due to fog and no one knew just when he was gonna arrive.  Finally Brian piped up in his brusque but casual manner:  "Oh, he's here.  I saw him walk down the hall."  A half hour later the question of Mike Love came up again (he certainly was not in the control or session room) and Brian waved it off saying:  "He's here.  He's wearing a bright blue coat, I saw him."  And everyone in the control room looks at each other like "did Brian really see Mike or did he just think he saw Mike or does he know something intuitively?..."

Another half hour goes by.  I've talked some with Audree...and visited with Melinda.  Bruce, Al, Matt and Carl have nailed their background harmonies together on a single microphone (looked like a Neumann U-47).  Now the question of Mike Love arises again as they need the bass doo-wop part next.  No one has seen Mike Love except Brian and the room wonders if Brian really has seen him.  Just when all have given up hope (except Brian) in walks Mike Love.  Well, he doesn't enter the control room right away; he stands in the doorway.  Brian doesn't even seem to notice him.  (Brian's playing with the little poodle he calls "little Molly Ledbetter").  But Mike Love has shown up and it seems the room heaves a discernible sigh of relief and then holds its breath at once.  "Here it is", the moment seems to say.  "Here they are.  What is to become of this moment?"


to be continued...