Thread for various insignificant questions that don't deserve their own thread!

[hypehat]

Can I really hear Al drop an F-bomb inbetween the second verse and chorus of Honkin' Down The Highway?

[rab2591]

Has anyone here watched the documentary on the 'Lucky Old Sun' DVD (it's supposedly about Southern California and its influence on Brian's work)? Is it worth getting?

Don't recall seeing that.

I just ordered it from Amazon. I'll write up a review here after I see it. I looked it up on google and apparently it is a fairly good documentary - and supposedly it shows a lot of footage of Brian, during the TLOS sessions, really working with the musicians in the studio etc. I'm looking forward to seeing it!

[Jon Stebbins]

How did the title for the song "Slip On Through" come about? I've always been fascinated by song titles that seemingly have nothing to do with the lyrics.

The third and fourth lines of the song are...
You've got the ticket, come on slip inside
And let my song take you for a ride

I knew that it said something about "slip", but I couldn't make out the exact lyrics, so thanks for that quote.  I think Roger Ryan might be on to something. 

The other thing to consider is that Dennis was trying to write songs with a Doors vibe around that time(according to Stan Shapiro), and he liked the song Break On Through.

[shelter]

Has anyone here watched the documentary on the 'Lucky Old Sun' DVD (it's supposedly about Southern California and its influence on Brian's work)? Is it worth getting?

All of the 'Lucky Old Sun' DVD is excellent. I might like it even more than the 'Smile' DVD.

[punkinhead]

Has anyone here watched the documentary on the 'Lucky Old Sun' DVD (it's supposedly about Southern California and its influence on Brian's work)? Is it worth getting?

All of the 'Lucky Old Sun' DVD is excellent. I might like it even more than the 'Smile' DVD.

this isn't a new dvd we're talking about, is it?
i thought this came out a year or two ago.
if that's the one, yeah, it's worth getting.

[Mr. Cohen]

When Brian said he destroyed the Smile tapes, who else thinks that what he really meant is that he erased all of the test/final vocal takes, so that it would be impossible for other people to figure out how to finish it without him?

[Jay]

When Brian said he destroyed the Smile tapes, who else thinks that what he really meant is that he erased all of the test/final vocal takes, so that it would be impossible for other people to figure out how to finish it without him?

Small problm wth that theory. If Brian erased all the finished vocal takes, then he himself would not be able to finish it. Let's assume for a minute that Brian had never had any type of drug addiction or mental health problems whatsoever, and that his voice today is the same as it was in 1964. Even in the absolute best possible circumstances, I doubt that Brian would be able to remmber every minute detail of the original versions in order to recreate it today.

[BJL]

When Brian said he destroyed the Smile tapes, who else thinks that what he really meant is that he erased all of the test/final vocal takes, so that it would be impossible for other people to figure out how to finish it without him?

Small problm wth that theory. If Brian erased all the finished vocal takes, then he himself would not be able to finish it. Let's assume for a minute that Brian had never had any type of drug addiction or mental health problems whatsoever, and that his voice today is the same as it was in 1964. Even in the absolute best possible circumstances, I doubt that Brian would be able to remmber every minute detail of the original versions in order to recreate it today.

I think its a compelling theory, because so many songs were missing lead vocals: cabinessence, do you like worms, child is the father of the man, etc., but ultimately I think there is a much more obvious explanation.  Brian was waiting to record lead vocals until he had decided on the order of the sections and assembled them.  Cabinessence, for example, wasn't just missing a lead vocal, it also needed to be assembled from its constituent pieces (Carl did both for 20/20).  Child is the Father of the Man had a finished backing track mix, but wasn't it just a test mix?  Do you like worms doesnt totally fit this theory, because he could have easily recorded those verse vocals, but Surf's up certainly wasn't assembled (and in fact, it seems that Brian made an effort to ensure that the song was preserved in demo form, perhaps suspecting that it would never be finished in any other.)  I'm in Great Shape/Barnyard suite etc., was far from assembled, and lead vocals were probably waiting on an assembly and an order for the different sections.  Vegetables, Wonderful, and You were my Sunshine all had lead vocals, as did Windchimes and Heroes.  So I'd say the evidence for that theory is pretty thin, since so many lead vocals were not wiped, and since the songs without lead vocals were still in sections for the most part.  The most frustrating one for me is Child is the Father of the Man, because I just can't shake the sense that it would have had a melody and lead vocal along the lines of the songs from pet sounds: that it would have felt more song like.  But the chances of that melody being recovered, if it ever existed, seem pretty miniscule, and I doubt that's because Brian wiped them...far more likely that he never wrote them, even if he intended to.   

[Fall Breaks]

How's this for insignificant:

What was the model of Van Dyke's Volvo that Brian bought him? Was it the older 'Amazon' model (120/130) or was it the then brandnew 140 series?

[rab2591]

Has anyone here watched the documentary on the 'Lucky Old Sun' DVD (it's supposedly about Southern California and its influence on Brian's work)? Is it worth getting?

All of the 'Lucky Old Sun' DVD is excellent. I might like it even more than the 'Smile' DVD.

this isn't a new dvd we're talking about, is it?
i thought this came out a year or two ago.
if that's the one, yeah, it's worth getting.

No, it's not a new one....it's the one that came out a year or two ago. There are no in-depth reviews for the documentary on amazon so I was a little hesitant on getting it. Thanks for responding!

[The Shift]

Cabinessence, for example, wasn't just missing a lead vocal, it also needed to be assembled from its constituent pieces (Carl did both for 20/20). 

Pretty sure CE was assembled SMiLE-era and only lacked vox. Seem to recall one of the earlier SMiLE boots demonstrated this.

[Mike's Beard]

I know they frequently worked together on and off for decades but what was Bruce and Terry Melcher's relationship like outside of the studio? Were they close? In many respects they were polar opposites, Melcher seemed to embrace the whole sex, drugs and rock n' roll lifestyle, while Bruce was 'Mr. Squeaky Clean'.  Did this ever cause conflict between the two? It's hard to imagine Terry dragging Bruce off to a drug fueled orgy!! Was it merely creative interests that kept them in close contact or was there a more common ground?

[bgas]

Who plays the Marxophone on "when girls get together" ?

[Jay]

Can I really hear Al drop an F-bomb inbetween the second verse and chorus of Honkin' Down The Highway?

I don't think I've ever heard anything about that before. Now I'm curios, too.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Who plays the Marxophone on "when girls get together" ?

Chico.

[punkinhead]

Who plays the Marxophone on "when girls get together" ?

Chico.

and The Man?

[Cam Mott]

How's this for insignificant:

What was the model of Van Dyke's Volvo that Brian bought him? Was it the older 'Amazon' model (120/130) or was it the then brandnew 140 series?

Frank Holmes remembered it 10 years ago as gun metal gray, four door, new [as opposed to used I presume], he thought a '65.  Does that help?

When did the '66 models become available, I remember it being generally in the Fall of '65 for American models. Anybody?

Later: Someone should e-mail Van Dyke, he's a guy, he'd probably enjoy an e-mail about an old car.

[Fall Breaks]

If it was a '65 it was definitely an Amazon. The 140 series came along in 1966, with the four door version being presented first, on August 17, 1966. Asking Van Dyke himself is of course a good idea. I'll put together an email.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Who plays the Marxophone on "when girls get together" ?

Chico.

and The Man?

Nah, Harpo's brother.

[SloopJohnB]

If it was a '65 it was definitely an Amazon. The 140 series came along in 1966, with the four door version being presented first, on August 17, 1966. Asking Van Dyke himself is of course a good idea. I'll put together an email.

Please post his answer if you get one - I'm interested too! 

[bgas]

Who plays the Marxophone on "when girls get together" ?

Chico.

and The Man?

Nah, Harpo's brother.

yeah yeah. All I know is this Ebay listing, for a Marxophone, says it was used on that song: 
http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Marxophone-Vintage-String-Instrument-/230579076866

[Andrew G. Doe]

Who plays the Marxophone on "when girls get together" ?

Chico.

and The Man?

Nah, Harpo's brother.

yeah yeah. All I know is this Ebay listing, for a Marxophone, says it was used on that song:  
http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Marxophone-Vintage-String-Instrument-/230579076866

Craig may be able to shine more light, but on the AFM I've seen for "WGGT", there's no Marxophone listed. That said, there are two credits for 'mandolin' - Al Vescovo and Ray Pohlman - and it's possible someone thought they were playing such as opposed to a Marxophone.

[Andrew G. Doe]

yeah yeah. All I know is this Ebay listing, for a Marxophone, says it was used on that song: 
http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Marxophone-Vintage-String-Instrument-/230579076866

Um... actually, it only mentions "WGGT" as an example of a song using a Marxophone... unless Portishead, The Beach Boys, The All-American Rejects, Queens of the Stone Age, Failure and Incubus all managed to track down the exact same instrument to use on their songs.

[bgas]

yeah yeah. All I know is this Ebay listing, for a Marxophone, says it was used on that song: 
http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Marxophone-Vintage-String-Instrument-/230579076866

Um... actually, it only mentions "WGGT" as an example of a song using a Marxophone... unless Portishead, The Beach Boys, The All-American Rejects, Queens of the Stone Age, Failure and Incubus all managed to track down the exact same instrument to use on their songs.

It seems a bit curious, but since I don't have the sessions info, I figured to leave it to them that does.

[Roger Ryan]

yeah yeah. All I know is this Ebay listing, for a Marxophone, says it was used on that song: 
http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Marxophone-Vintage-String-Instrument-/230579076866

Um... actually, it only mentions "WGGT" as an example of a song using a Marxophone... unless Portishead, The Beach Boys, The All-American Rejects, Queens of the Stone Age, Failure and Incubus all managed to track down the exact same instrument to use on their songs.

This is what I'm reading...


It can be heard on these modern recordings:

"Sour Times" by Portishead
"When Girls Get Together" by The Beach Boys
"Another Heart Calls" by The All-American Rejects
"Someone's in the Wolf" by Queens of the Stone Age
"Blank" by Failure
"Anna Molly" and "Leech" by Incubus

I get the impression that there are quite a few surviving Marxophones out there and don't think the listing is trying to imply that the specific instrument being auctioned is the one that appears on any of the recordings mentioned; it's just the same model.