Compression and Clipping on TLOS - is it that bad?

[Andrew G. Doe]

All the studio footage of Brian at recording sessions, from Imagination on, is staged.

I've seen stuff from the Imagination era that I am sure is staged....

There's outtake footage from those sessions that would make you weep.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

There's outtake footage from those sessions that would make you weep.

Ah f***...one can only wonder....how bad?

[Sheriff John Stone]

Here's a question, more of an opinion thing than anything...which of those in your opinion looked the most staged?

TLOS

[Jonathan Blum]

All the studio footage of Brian at recording sessions, from Imagination on, is staged.

...I think I'm gonna do the unimaginable and ask you for a source on this.  :-)

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[endofposts]

All the studio footage of Brian at recording sessions, from Imagination on, is staged.

I've seen stuff from the Imagination era that I am sure is staged....

There's outtake footage from those sessions that would make you weep.

I wish you'd be less cryptic.  What do they do,  not allow him to go to the bathroom or have dinner?  Whip him?  Take out a glass eye and make him look at it?  I always read these tantalizing hints about how all is not how it seems with Melinda Wilson, but how bad is it?  It still surprises me that she's been accused of not only picking out all the songs on "Getting In Over My Head" and forcing them on Brian and the band, but also of being the final mixdown producer(!) on that albm. 

[absinthe_boy]

I do not know....but I suspect AGD refers to stuff that didn't make it into any TV show or documentary. The Imagination studio footage that was published *looks* forced, looks as if it is staged. Presumably there's rejected footage where Brian is disinterested, doesn't want to perform for the camera etc.

As I said, there are vested interests in persuading the fans/public that a record was produced by Brian Wilson...even if he did very little.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Hell yeah it looks staged. Probably because it is . The BWPS footage is obviously staged too, what with all the jump edits and all.

It's a shame that this has to be put out like that. Why try to make Brian appear to be someone he's not anymore? Hell, Daniel Johnston's nuttier than a can of cashews (nice guy though, met him several times) but his fans love him anyway (and probably more so for that reason, but that's a whole 'nother subject). Same for Robyn Hitchcock. Brian's better off than both of those guys.

[Loaf]

Does anyone know if there is any (free) program that would let me check the waveform graphs of CDs i own?

I am curious to see what has been made 'hot'.

[Roger Ryan]

...Hell, Daniel Johnston's nuttier than a can of cashews (nice guy though, met him several times) but his fans love him anyway (and probably more so for that reason, but that's a whole 'nother subject). Same for Robyn Hitchcock...

Hitchcock does not suffer from a diagnosed mental illness as do Johnston and Wilson. I've spent some time with him on a couple of occasions and while he can be willfully eccentric (often for his own amusement - and for others who might get the joke), your suggestion that he is "worse off" than Brian is way off the mark.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

...Hell, Daniel Johnston's nuttier than a can of cashews (nice guy though, met him several times) but his fans love him anyway (and probably more so for that reason, but that's a whole 'nother subject). Same for Robyn Hitchcock...

Hitchcock does not suffer from a diagnosed mental illness as do Johnston and Wilson. I've spent some time with him on a couple of occasions and while he can be willfully eccentric (often for his own amusement - and for others who might get the joke), your suggestion that he is "worse off" than Brian is way off the mark.

Eh, didn't mean he was "worse off", more like he has been looked at in that way at time due to his eccentricities, perceived or otherwise.  Probably should've been clearer...my bad.

Does anyone know if there is any (free) program that would let me check the waveform graphs of CDs i own?

I am curious to see what has been made 'hot'.

Adobe Audition is one.

[chris.metcalfe]

Hell yeah it looks staged. Probably because it is . The BWPS footage is obviously staged too, what with all the jump edits and all.

It's a shame that this has to be put out like that. Why try to make Brian appear to be someone he's not anymore? Hell, Daniel Johnston's nuttier than a can of cashews (nice guy though, met him several times) but his fans love him anyway (and probably more so for that reason, but that's a whole 'nother subject). Same for Robyn Hitchcock. Brian's better off than both of those guys.

I can't let that one go either. On the one hand, it's good that after 30 years, Robyn is known of by people who aren't die-hard fans. But these remarks are very silly. Robyn Hitchcock is a very clever guy, who's written some brilliant stuff, and has a well-loved line in surreal monologues in concert - I've seen him numerous times and only one audience I can remember didn't 'get it'. He certainly hasn't got serious mental problems!

Interestingly, I'm pretty sure he doesn't care for Brian and the BBs (and I expect the feeling would be mutual). Robyn's musical heroes are Syd Barrett, Lennon and Dylan, with a large side-helping of mid-period Byrds - one of the reasons he is such close friends with Peter Buck. I'm also sure he's pretty comfortable with the little niche he's made in the business. I'm not so sure Brian has been comfortable with his - for a very long time. Anyway, this is a pointless comparison which you should withdraw or there will be pistols at Dawn.  (Point it at Gran)

[absinthe_boy]

Sounds like I must seriously check out Robyn Hitchcock....

[Roger Ryan]

Sorry about  derailing this thread further, but I'll only add that Hitchcock is no more insane than John Lennon or Graham Chapman,  two performers he greatly admires. Hitchcock was performing in San Francisco the day Chapman died and commented to the audience that as a young man he wanted to join either the Beatles or Monty Python. Combine those two and you get Hitchcock!

I don't know whether Hitchock is a fan of Brian or not, but he has certainly included "Beach Boys"- like harmonies on some of the recordings and his frequent drummer Morris Windsor has been seen wearing a "SMiLE album cover" t-shirt on a number of occasions!

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Again, I didn't mean to imply that I thought he was insane, just people who didn't know him may think so, which is true.

[Tord]

In an earlier thread Mark Linett wrote this about the studio footage of Brian producing WIRWFC:

"Saw this thread and felt I should respond as I think calling the video clips "staged" is a bit harsh and unfair.....

Having a camera in your face while recording is extremely distracting for everyone and counterproductive , and even if it were not you would need a lot of cameras and a ton of tape to document a session properly.  Brian , myself and the band were there to make a record 1st and foremost not to perform for the camera.

The single camera video crew was only present at the sessions for a very short time, so some  (but not all) of the video filmed during the making of the Xmas album was done to playbacks. However they do show what the sessions were actually like,  with Brian in total control and very creative during the recording of  the album.

Mark Linett"

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,4415.msg72134.html#msg72134

[Andrew G. Doe]

Just got me a US copy of TLOS - the Best Buy version w/bonus tracks - and it's definitely better as regards the pverall sonics compared with my all-but-unlistenable European pressing.

[Alex]

Does anyone know if there is any (free) program that would let me check the waveform graphs of CDs i own?

I am curious to see what has been made 'hot'.

Audacity is free. Adobe Audition is also a good one, but it costs a buttload of money, unless you download a demo version or pirate a copy.

[TdHabib]

Just got me a US copy of TLOS - the Best Buy version w/bonus tracks - and it's definitely better as regards the pverall sonics compared with my all-but-unlistenable European pressing.

Isn't "Just Like Me and You," a great song? Could've been on TLOS...

[the captain]

Isn't "Just Like Me and You," a great song? Could've been on TLOS...

No and yes, respectively.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Just got me a US copy of TLOS - the Best Buy version w/bonus tracks - and it's definitely better as regards the pverall sonics compared with my all-but-unlistenable European pressing.

That's what I thought. I have the US version, and it sounds fine to me.

Maybe someone should show the waveforms for the two versions so we can do an A/B comparison.

[brother john]

Just got me a US copy of TLOS - the Best Buy version w/bonus tracks - and it's definitely better as regards the pverall sonics compared with my all-but-unlistenable European pressing.

That's what I thought. I have the US version, and it sounds fine to me.

Maybe someone should show the waveforms for the two versions so we can do an A/B comparison.

Now THAT's a good idea! Anyone...?

[brother john]

Hate to re-open old wounds, but did anyone finally decide whether the UK/Europe version of TLOS was any different from the US version? I've just been listening to my UK version and I have to say that, over and above the dodgy mixing decisions by you-know-who, if the US version sounded any better I'd be surprised/love to hear it!!

[urbanite]

Just Like Me and You is a great track, was it part of the TLOS sessions?l

[Wirestone]

From the sound of it, JLM&Y is from the earlier demo sessions with Scott (06?) that produced most of the songs that were later used on TLOS. The album itself was recorded in early 08, I think.