New Beach Boys release will make you 'SMiLE'

[buddhahat]

Getting way ahead of myself here, but a lot of the tracks are in pretty bad shape aren't they? Do good versions of Barnyard or CIFOTM even exist, and if not, how much can these recordings be cleaned up?

I don't see why they couldn't include more lo fi recordings though. When I think of releases like the Velvet Underground box that has all sorts of scratchy demos, there's no reason why a potential smile release wouldn't include more muddy recordings. Let's hope anyway - I'd hate to see good stuff like Child thrown away due to sound quality.

[The Heartical Don]

Perhaps we've been put on the wrong foot. Perhaps it'll be 1 CD, titled: Mike Love Presents The Real Smile. With mr. Love's personal selection and favourite sequence.

And let's not forgot to mention new/additional lyrics done in "Summer Of Love" style. 

The horror! The horror!

[Cam Mott]

And let's not forgot to mention new/additional lyrics done in "Summer Of Love" style. 

Been done but not by Mike. Yeah, I said it.

[Mahalo]

One thing about this band is that they always seem to have something or another turn up that we have never heard before and that kicks ass...I would be glad if they give an honest treatment of the music, have something brilliant and unheard turn up, don't leave out anything crucial, give us better quality versions of the songs; and basically a COMPLETE package. The end-all to all things SMiLE!...which includes the ultimate Heroe's mix, proper mixes of all the other tunes with all parts assembled that we know belong (like the yodels in Wonderful), CITFOTM is a must, and finally a contest where the winner gets to have steak with Brian who after dinner plays the entire Love You album in your living on your brand new baldwin Organ which the lucky person would also win.

If this pans out I feel really happy for all those who waited 44 years for this...I only waited about 15....

[punkinhead]

Perhaps we've been put on the wrong foot. Perhaps it'll be 1 CD, titled: Mike Love Presents The Real Smile. With mr. Love's personal selection and favourite sequence.

And let's not forgot to mention new/additional lyrics done in "Summer Of Love" style. 

What about the work that was done on 'Worms' by Bruce during the Light Album era?   

[shelter]

Perhaps we've been put on the wrong foot. Perhaps it'll be 1 CD, titled: Mike Love Presents The Real Smile. With mr. Love's personal selection and favourite sequence.

And let's not forgot to mention new/additional lyrics done in "Summer Of Love" style. 

Or a bonus disc with remixes by The Black Eyed Peas, Kanye West and Timbaland.

[Roger Ryan]

Getting way ahead of myself here, but a lot of the tracks are in pretty bad shape aren't they? Do good versions of Barnyard or CIFOTM even exist, and if not, how much can these recordings be cleaned up?

I don't want to be a downer, but this is a salient point. According to Alan Boyd himself, there are many empty tape boxes when it comes to the SMiLE sessions. In fact, Mr. Boyd has stated that at least one session found on the SOT releases (the overdub to the "Vegetables" coda, I believe) no longer exists in the official vaults. With many of the sessions unaccounted for, and given the album was never completed to begin with, I don't think we will see anything more definite than the single disc SOT issued a decade back in terms of a "finished" presentation. An attempt to do this kind of approximation can only be seen by the general public as disappointing coming seven years after Brian completed a much more polished approximation of the same thing.

Therefore, unless the band/Capitol are sitting on material we've not heard before, I don't think the idea of presenting the Beach Boys' SMiLE as an album is a good idea. Better to do a comprehensive session collection. The problem of the missing session tapes also affects the ability to do certain stereo mixes or vocal-only tracks. We know the "Good Vibrations" vocals are gone and Mr. Boyd has also said that Carl's lead on "Cabin Essence" is missing as well. In many cases, we have no vocals at all.

Interestingly, Mr. Boyd has stated that he feels confident that previously unheard material exists in the hands of collectors and/or on the various acetates that were handed out, but is there any hope of obtaining these items? I hope so. Even if the sound quality is appalling, this material should find its way into the set.

Finally, on an up note, I think that Brian's edited backing track to "The Child Is The Father Of The Man" is in good shape!

[Mike's Beard]

The optimist in me weeps tears of joy whilst the pessimist side predicts the release will be stalled several times due to liner notes content disagreements before finally being scrapped in favour of a 4 disk box of the "Summer In Paradise" sessions.

[Rocky]

Interestingly, Mr. Boyd has stated that he feels confident that previously unheard material exists in the hands of collectors and/or on the various acetates that were handed out, but is there any hope of obtaining these items? I hope so.

the Don't Worry Baby stereo mix a few years back proves that ya never know

[The Shift]

Interestingly, Mr. Boyd has stated that he feels confident that previously unheard material exists in the hands of collectors ...

Wonder whether that includes anyone posting here? C'mon chaps, time to do the decent thing! 

[The Heartical Don]

The optimist in me weeps tears of joy whilst the pessimist side predicts the release will be stalled several times due to liner notes content disagreements before finally being scrapped in favour of a 4 disk box of the "Summer In Paradise" sessions.

  um, make that: 

[punkinhead]

Interestingly, Mr. Boyd has stated that he feels confident that previously unheard material exists in the hands of collectors ...

Wonder whether that includes anyone posting here? C'mon chaps, time to do the decent thing!  

I don't have anything, I just hope those in charge of putting the "new material" out are looking at our posts of what we expect/want/deserve.  

[buddhahat]

My other major question surrounding Smile is always how much of what we have are genuine Brian 66/67 edits, and how much has been pieced together subsequently by Mark Linnett for the GV box? Worms for example was in fragments in 67 I believe. I haven't listened to the sessions recently so I don't how much artistic license Mr Linnett would've taken with the structure of Worms, or how much the structure was already mapped out from the sessions. The same is true for the GV Box edit of Vegetables. He had to piece these songs together somehow.

Of course since BWPS there's another perspective on how fragments such as Gee, western theme etc. could be put together, not that I'm suggesting they re-structure songs according to the BWPS template, but I think inevitably a bit of artistic license is going to be involved somewhere and it'll be interesting to see how that's handled (if, of course, this release ever happens).

I don't personally think a pure sessions release is feasible, although it would probably be the purist's solution.

[The Heartical Don]

Interestingly, Mr. Boyd has stated that he feels confident that previously unheard material exists in the hands of collectors ...

Wonder whether that includes anyone posting here? C'mon chaps, time to do the decent thing! 

I don't have anything, I just hope those in charge of putting the "new material" out are looking at our post of what we expect/want/deserve.   

Don't worry bro', messrs. Linett and Boyd have had a chip implanted in their brain, and are continuously brought up to date about the demands of the SS.net community, exclusively so. Just post 'I Want The Durrie Parks Acetates On There' three times in a row, and your request will be honoured. Don't forget the secret code though.

[filledeplage]

Getting way ahead of myself here, but a lot of the tracks are in pretty bad shape aren't they? Do good versions of Barnyard or CIFOTM even exist, and if not, how much can these recordings be cleaned up?

I don't want to be a downer, but this is a salient point. According to Alan Boyd himself, there are many empty tape boxes when it comes to the SMiLE sessions. In fact, Mr. Boyd has stated that at least one session found on the SOT releases (the overdub to the "Vegetables" coda, I believe) no longer exists in the official vaults. With many of the sessions unaccounted for, and given the album was never completed to begin with, I don't think we will see anything more definite than the single disc SOT issued a decade back in terms of a "finished" presentation. An attempt to do this kind of approximation can only be seen by the general public as disappointing coming seven years after Brian completed a much more polished approximation of the same thing.

Therefore, unless the band/Capitol are sitting on material we've not heard before, I don't think the idea of presenting the Beach Boys' SMiLE as an album is a good idea. Better to do a comprehensive session collection. The problem of the missing session tapes also affects the ability to do certain stereo mixes or vocal-only tracks. We know the "Good Vibrations" vocals are gone and Mr. Boyd has also said that Carl's lead on "Cabin Essence" is missing as well. In many cases, we have no vocals at all.

Interestingly, Mr. Boyd has stated that he feels confident that previously unheard material exists in the hands of collectors and/or on the various acetates that were handed out, but is there any hope of obtaining these items? I hope so. Even if the sound quality is appalling, this material should find its way into the set.

Finally, on an up note, I think that Brian's edited backing track to "The Child Is The Father Of The Man" is in good shape!

Roger - I am not sure you are a "downer" but, any sessions tracks for inclusion in an issue of SMiLE seem analogous to the Pet Sounds Sessions, for similar and for different reasons.  Pet Sounds was not released "under a cloud" as Smiley was although the "top down value judgment" has been turned around as it has withstood the artistic test of time .

The Smiley thing took on "a life of its own" leaving people puzzled and perhaps leaving the artists/musicians questioning their assuredly fine work.  After having seen Brian do the "re-sorted" and "reconfigured" BB tracks live, my sense it was more of a realization of Brian's ability to "take his music to the street" once again, in the sense of personal triumph, rather than trying to outdo anyone.  Brian triumphed, in a sense over his demons and his profound losses.  It was as "against all odds" and many  His fans were jubilant for that personal triumph.  It was his vision for the work.  

This does not remove any synergy or credit for the original work.  The vocal synergy as among the BB's can be "imitated" but not "replicated."  One of the tracks that I really love from the Pet Sounds box sessions set is "Trombone Dixie" and like a puzzle to be put together, the sessions tracks, will enable and empower the listener, and (posterity for musical/vocal analysis) to see how these many sections "fit together" even if some of the tracks might not be available.  Even informally, as in the "after-party" Youtube on this page, you can see the "synergy" and how they band members and "support musicians" had "fun" with the music.  The tracks show them not "arriving" but the "voyage" getting to the finished product.  

And, I can't speak to even what an "acetate" is because I am clueless about that, but feel that whatever is held out for the listener/fan/student will be as Pet Sounds sessions has been, clearly demonstrating the journey of the project, and the vocals/instrumentation in a way we have not enjoyed up to this point with SMiLE.  

I bet people would even love to have a Beatles "Rubber Soul" sessions set.  It shows the "learning curve" of the band, and the process to "build an album." It is going from the architectural rendering and blueprint, to putting the key in the door of the mansion.  

No one who "covers" this music will or has compared to those original vocals, including Dennis and Carl, recorded at a more or less vocal zenith.  The "performers" are/were not the "creators."  They did not build the mansion.  Brian built it, vocally, with the Beach Boys.  

JMHO  
 

[hypehat]

My other major question surrounding Smile is always how much of what we have are genuine Brian 66/67 edits, and how much has been pieced together subsequently by Mark Linnett for the GV box? Worms for example was in fragments in 67 I believe. I haven't listened to the sessions recently so I don't how much artistic license Mr Linnett would've taken with the structure of Worms, or how much the structure was already mapped out from the sessions. The same is true for the GV Box edit of Vegetables. He had to piece these songs together somehow.

Of course since BWPS there's another perspective on how fragments such as Gee, western theme etc. could be put together, not that I'm suggesting they re-structure songs according to the BWPS template, but I think inevitably a bit of artistic license is going to be involved somewhere and it'll be interesting to see how that's handled (if, of course, this release ever happens).

I don't personally think a pure sessions release is feasible, although it would probably be the purist's solution.

I thought Worms came from an acetate - you can hear it wobble!

[punkinhead]

Interestingly, Mr. Boyd has stated that he feels confident that previously unheard material exists in the hands of collectors ...

Wonder whether that includes anyone posting here? C'mon chaps, time to do the decent thing! 

I don't have anything, I just hope those in charge of putting the "new material" out are looking at our post of what we expect/want/deserve.   

Don't worry bro', messrs. Linett and Boyd have had a chip implanted in their brain, and are continuously brought up to date about the demands of the SS.net community, exclusively so. Just post 'I Want The Durrie Parks Acetates On There' three times in a row, and your request will be honoured. Don't forget the secret code though.

From my Little Orphan Annie Decorder I got in the mail?

Or is it: New England Clam Chowder
is that the red or the white?

I can never remember that, white?

[XY]

This feels a bit like back in 2003 when the announcement made the rounds that Brian would perform SMiLE live.

[buddhahat]

My other major question surrounding Smile is always how much of what we have are genuine Brian 66/67 edits, and how much has been pieced together subsequently by Mark Linnett for the GV box? Worms for example was in fragments in 67 I believe. I haven't listened to the sessions recently so I don't how much artistic license Mr Linnett would've taken with the structure of Worms, or how much the structure was already mapped out from the sessions. The same is true for the GV Box edit of Vegetables. He had to piece these songs together somehow.

Of course since BWPS there's another perspective on how fragments such as Gee, western theme etc. could be put together, not that I'm suggesting they re-structure songs according to the BWPS template, but I think inevitably a bit of artistic license is going to be involved somewhere and it'll be interesting to see how that's handled (if, of course, this release ever happens).

I don't personally think a pure sessions release is feasible, although it would probably be the purist's solution.

I thought Worms came from an acetate - you can hear it wobble!

So is that GV box version from an acetate, i.e. a vintage edit? I really thought mark had constructed it.

[guitarfool2002]

So is that GV box version from an acetate, i.e. a vintage edit? I really thought mark had constructed it.

The version of Worms on the GV box set is 100% unique to that box set, where you can hear the pitch get shaky during the "la la" vocals heard during the intro. Those vocals in the intro appear nowhere else, at least from most of what we've been able to hear. For what it's worth I cannot remember the reasons why that is how it is, but it was researched.

We dubbed it the "Laa Laa version" of Worms, nothing to do with the Teletubbies of course.

[JaredLekites]

Perhaps we've been put on the wrong foot. Perhaps it'll be 1 CD, titled: Mike Love Presents The Real Smile. With mr. Love's personal selection and favourite sequence.

I'd love to hear his lyrics to the instrumentals. 

[rab2591]

Perhaps we've been put on the wrong foot. Perhaps it'll be 1 CD, titled: Mike Love Presents The Real Smile. With mr. Love's personal selection and favourite sequence.

I'd love to hear his lyrics to the instrumentals. 

She belongs there left in her little coupe
never known as a drag-strip racer
she laughs and thanks God she won, won, won, won the race

 

[Les P]

I guess I fall into the cautiously optimistic crowd here - I certainly hope that these things actually come to fruition, but won't be holding my breath.  As others have said, even if there's nothing "new" for us die-hards, just having good quality mixes would be more than worth the price of admission.  If we get a few things that we've never heard before, all the better, but at this point it's really hard to believe that everything that's there to find hasn't been found already.  Hopefully I'lll be proven wrong on that front!

Pretty much how I feel.  If Brian has given his blessing, that is a huge roadblock lifted.  But since Al doesn't have many details on it, that implies there is a ways to go to get to a finished package, and there is plenty that could get hung up with liner notes, egos, credits, rights, lawsuits, etc.

Something I’ve never seen addressed…we’ve heard about the Durrie Parks, Al’s acetates, Bruce’s H&V at the bottom of the sea, etc…but I’ve never seen reference to acetates, early mixes, reference tapes, etc owned by Carl’s estate (or Dennis’).  Seems to me that after BW and VDP, Carl would have been the most likely to have copies.  Anyone heard anything about that?

I think that a reunion, if it happens, would be much more special as a one shot deal, a massive concert event with a killer setlist.  A worldwide tour seems a bit much to me.

Unless the worldwide tour is a "farewell" tour (or, inspired by Cher, their first farewell tour).   I don't really expect these guys to give up the steady income, but they are Medicare age and it would be a way to get a lot of publicity.  But personally I’d rather not see Brian get involved in any big way.  He has worked to make an independent career for himself that he/wife/managers can call the shots on.  Ongoing reinjection into the drama, egos, lawsuits of the Beach Boys machine doesn’t sound like a positive direction.

P.S.  While a regular lurker, I haven’t posted in years, but this (potential) news is too big not to comment on.

[Roger Ryan]

So is that GV box version from an acetate, i.e. a vintage edit? I really thought mark had constructed it.

The version of Worms on the GV box set is 100% unique to that box set, where you can hear the pitch get shaky during the "la la" vocals heard during the intro. Those vocals in the intro appear nowhere else, at least from most of what we've been able to hear. For what it's worth I cannot remember the reasons why that is how it is, but it was researched.

We dubbed it the "Laa Laa version" of Worms, nothing to do with the Teletubbies of course.

I recall that the wobble was due to a mastering error that was not corrected before the box set was released. Whether the unfinished track was edited together by Linett or not, we know the song originally followed that structure (for the most part) since Parks lyrics indicate verse/chorus/verse/chorus. I'm sure the bridge and ending could be determined by listening to the existing session tapes.

At one point I remember reading that "Wonderful" was the only track presented on the GV box set that existed that way on an actual reel (apart from the previously released alternate edit of "Heroes & Villains"). Also, I heard that some of the tracks had their parts compiled on reels in a specific order and Linett simply edited them together in that order; I recall this relates to "Heroes & Villains" (Sections) and "Wind Chimes".

We know for certain that Linett grafted the "Tag To Vegetables" portion onto "Vegetables"; the crossfade covered with reverb is not a vintage '67 effect.

[Andrew G. Doe]

If Brian has given his blessing, that is a huge roadblock lifted.  

Consider said roadblock lifted.