As a new member I figure I just pick the most recent Smile thread and jump in. I don't know if we'll ever figure out what Brian wanted Smile to be, or how he wanted it to sound exactly, but I think we have Smile. I mean, sure, Brian might have chopped things up, maybe a different running order, or added a string, horn, and brass section, who knows. I think however, we have (most of) the songs, and if you have the songs you have Smile, right? It's like when you get a demo of a great song, it may not be as good as the finished song but you still get the vibe and the general idea.
I echo pretty much everyone other Beach Boy fan when I say we need a Beach Boys Smile Boxset. I was suprised when Brian did Smile a few years ago that nothing really happened with Smile on the Beach Boys front. I thought for sure he'd get the Beach Boys tapes out if he was doing Smile stuff.
Brian's story is sad one, but it's ironic to me that the album were it went south for him was Smile. It sounds like it was supposed to be something so happy, but nothing happy really came out it for him. I think it was really great that Brian came to terms with Smile though, or at least, it seems like he did. Who knows.
Ah... if I had the chance to tour with Taylor Mills, I would be able to come to terms with singing the Greater L.A. Phone Directory.
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