Brian Wilson 2016 Tour Thread (Pet Sounds 50th Anniversary Tour)

[guitarfool2002]

Brian has given multiple interviews where he talk about pitch correction and how great it is to go back fix a bad note here and there and make everything perfect. The idea that this upsets some "purists" is ridiculous to me. Why wouldn't he use it? If that's what Brian wants to do, then it's fine by me. I'll take Brian's opinion over the "purists" any day.

That's fine! It's also different from suggesting the over-use of that or any effect ruined the album, or was used overbearingly to the point where it colored every track. For those who have actually used the various technologies, whether it be Autotune or Melodyne or the old step/increment manual shifting on older versions of the recording programs...I will cop to personally using it on a pedal steel track I played which was a large gliss up the neck that landed *just flat* of the pitches I wanted, but literally no one would notice and that's how any pitch correction should be used unless you want the deliberate effect...this overuse of the effect to the point it ruins the album just isn't there.

I agree on the C50 live. However keep in mind the more off-key a vocal especially is, the more the effect will kick in and the harder it is to use transparently. Also keep in mind pitch correction is used (and has been used since the days of the Eventide and early samplers) to pitch everything from a bassline to a snare drum hit. Most times, to most listeners, they would have no idea what was corrected or what wasn't. Unless the desired result was deliberately overusing it for effect.

OK, back on topic! 

[guitarfool2002]

Hey guitar fool, are you a moderator over at the official Brian Wilson site board? There was some discussion of it in a sandbox thread, but I was confused as to whether it was you or someone else.

It's a stalker.

[IainLee]

The Smiley Smile Message Board
1996-2016
RIP

What?

Keep in mind who defended you when the majority of posters commenting to your own thread about hating Mike Love were accusing you of trolling, of deliberately stirring up the sh*t to cause problems, and demanding that the thread be locked/deleted. And I honestly don't remember, but there may have even been calls to ban the thread's author, one Iain Lee. I remember it well because knowing who you were and knowing your previous interviews and general fan enthusiasm for music like The Monkees (which I share), you were getting a raw deal and I was one who tried to show support. And you were not banned, the thread was not deleted despite calls to do so, and lo and behold the truth of who you really were did come out. Did anyone apologize for getting it wrong, or for suggesting things based on false or untrue information about you or your motives?

If not, join the club.    

I also hope my positive comments directed your way, as written to another board member who you know, reached you as well, because I basically said I hoped all was well with you especially with what you had been dealing with earlier this year, and hoped you would reconsider coming back to have a dialogue about your article, despite those accusing you of trolling and worse and the reactions it generated, some of which were very out of line.

So I'm hoping in light of the reality of my own support of what you went through being called a troll and worse and blamed for things you were not doing, you're not trying to pin the hypothetical death of this board on me personally, because that would be a real kick in the ass on many levels. And I was, honestly, 100% sincere in what I said and hoped would reach your eyes or ears as well.

Ok

No. It wasn't a dig at you. At all. But. This whole thread is an embarrassment to Beach Boys fandom. I came here to see what people thought of last nights Palladium show. Instead I have To wade through pages of off topic rants from various people. I could not care less about who is banned or why. I want to know if people dug Funky Pretty as much as me. That's it.

I never hid who I was on this message board. That's why I always use my real name on message boards. Always.

No. I never got your message. At least I don't think I did. Thank you though. It is appreciated.

And I'm fine. I can take a few people calling me a troll or whatever. I know I'm not. My question was a genuine one to try and unpick people's attitudes to Mike, a lyricist, performer and singer I happen to have a lot of respect for. I think Mike love is brilliant. I love Kokomo. Could not care less if that upsets people.

Seriously, you all need to chill. I agree with Enily, none of this should be in this thread. Or maybe it should. Really, I don't care. I just think a lot of people are looking silly. And it's stuff like this that scares ME away from contributing. I can't speak for others.  Only myself.

Anyway, now I've contributed more to this off topic theme. I apologise. So. Let's see if I can bring it back.

Last night was a joy. Loved seeing Brian at the Palladium. As I said, his voice was perhaps croakier than I've seen in the past, but he seemed to be into it. He made a few jokes and chatted to the audience. Al seemed to get a little upset that the autocue wasn't working for him on This Whole World but part of me dod think 'this song is over 40 years old, learn the words Al'

Still, his voice is incredible. He's lost a tiny bit of his higher register but he really has still got a great voice. Rhonda just rocked it. My son fell asleep during Pet Sounds (he's 6) so for the encore I was carrying a sleeping child while doing my best to dance.

And again, I feel blessed to have seen Blondie singing Sail On Sailor and a few more. The Flame period of BBhistorh is I think my favourite, not necessarily in terms of musical output but just because it seems like such a nuts time.

Darian was missed. I thought the band lacked a little oomph. But. That may just be me.

As always at a BB or BW gig, a great atmosphere before and during and I ended up chatting to a lot of people from around the world.

I was sat next to a French guy who was surprised at how little security there was.  He's used to seeing shows in Paris after those awful attacks where apparently everyone going into a venue now is patted down

A great night and my son made me spend a fortune on merch. Ooh. They were selling the "Help Me Rhond" t shirt that Brian wore in the 70's. Very cool piece of niche merch

Anyone else there? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Peace to everyone. I'm gonna keep quiet on everything else. Don't want to get trolled or booted off.

[Cam Mott]

So I'm responding to a statement that was similar to hearing a comment about "Chevrolet tires", it wasn't lining up to me because Pro Tools is not pitch correction, it's recording/mixing/editing software and pitch correction plug-ins are separate items to install. What was he talking about exactly, editing? Comping vocal tracks? Pitching up a trailing vocal note at the end of a phrase? If it were more definite I'd have a more definite answer, but Cam's wording of "Pro Tools pitch correction" is like "Chevrolet tires" to me, and I don't know what he's referring to, or whether Cam can clarify more on what Brian was referring to in that podcast interview.

With that out of the way...

You could have listened to the entire interview and heard Brian's own words in the time it took you to post whatever that was.  Did you listen to Brian's own words and did I misstate it?

[guitarfool2002]

So I'm responding to a statement that was similar to hearing a comment about "Chevrolet tires", it wasn't lining up to me because Pro Tools is not pitch correction, it's recording/mixing/editing software and pitch correction plug-ins are separate items to install. What was he talking about exactly, editing? Comping vocal tracks? Pitching up a trailing vocal note at the end of a phrase? If it were more definite I'd have a more definite answer, but Cam's wording of "Pro Tools pitch correction" is like "Chevrolet tires" to me, and I don't know what he's referring to, or whether Cam can clarify more on what Brian was referring to in that podcast interview.

With that out of the way...

You could have listened to the entire interview and heard Brian's own words in the time it took you to post whatever that was.  Did you listen to Brian's own words and did I misstate it?

I did listen to it - before posting anything about it! That's why I didn't reply immediately and apparently was challenged on why i didn't reply - i had to actually listen first. That's also why I asked if maybe you had more of a clarification on not just what Brian said but your term "Pro Tools pitch correction" which is a misnomer, unless it's referring to a function in Pro Tools that I'm pretty confident most working engineers of the level who would be working a Brian Wilson session would not use, and would instead use one of the plug-ins from other manufacturers that I'd estimate are used in 99 out of 100 working, pro-studio situations. or maybe I'm wrong, maybe the latest updates to Pro Tools as of 2014-15 have something built in, I'm not sure.

I guess it's coming from having actually done work in this area and with some of this software that has me confused about the terminology being used. It's hard to comment either way when I'm not sure exactly what is being described, or what was used and how it was used. I tried to give examples but I guess they didn't suffice.

[mikeddonn]

The Smiley Smile Message Board
1996-2016
RIP

What?

Keep in mind who defended you when the majority of posters commenting to your own thread about hating Mike Love were accusing you of trolling, of deliberately stirring up the sh*t to cause problems, and demanding that the thread be locked/deleted. And I honestly don't remember, but there may have even been calls to ban the thread's author, one Iain Lee. I remember it well because knowing who you were and knowing your previous interviews and general fan enthusiasm for music like The Monkees (which I share), you were getting a raw deal and I was one who tried to show support. And you were not banned, the thread was not deleted despite calls to do so, and lo and behold the truth of who you really were did come out. Did anyone apologize for getting it wrong, or for suggesting things based on false or untrue information about you or your motives?

If not, join the club.    

I also hope my positive comments directed your way, as written to another board member who you know, reached you as well, because I basically said I hoped all was well with you especially with what you had been dealing with earlier this year, and hoped you would reconsider coming back to have a dialogue about your article, despite those accusing you of trolling and worse and the reactions it generated, some of which were very out of line.

So I'm hoping in light of the reality of my own support of what you went through being called a troll and worse and blamed for things you were not doing, you're not trying to pin the hypothetical death of this board on me personally, because that would be a real kick in the ass on many levels. And I was, honestly, 100% sincere in what I said and hoped would reach your eyes or ears as well.

Ok

No. It wasn't a dig at you. At all. But. This whole thread is an embarrassment to Beach Boys fandom. I came here to see what people thought of last nights Palladium show. Instead I have To wade through pages of off topic rants from various people. I could not care less about who is banned or why. I want to know if people dug Funky Pretty as much as me. That's it.

I never hid who I was on this message board. That's why I always use my real name on message boards. Always.

No. I never got your message. At least I don't think I did. Thank you though. It is appreciated.

And I'm fine. I can take a few people calling me a troll or whatever. I know I'm not. My question was a genuine one to try and unpick people's attitudes to Mike, a lyricist, performer and singer I happen to have a lot of respect for. I think Mike love is brilliant. I love Kokomo. Could not care less if that upsets people.

Seriously, you all need to chill. I agree with Enily, none of this should be in this thread. Or maybe it should. Really, I don't care. I just think a lot of people are looking silly. And it's stuff like this that scares ME away from contributing. I can't speak for others.  Only myself.

Anyway, now I've contributed more to this off topic theme. I apologise. So. Let's see if I can bring it back.

Last night was a joy. Loved seeing Brian at the Palladium. As I said, his voice was perhaps croakier than I've seen in the past, but he seemed to be into it. He made a few jokes and chatted to the audience. Al seemed to get a little upset that the autocue wasn't working for him on This Whole World but part of me dod think 'this song is over 40 years old, learn the words Al'

Still, his voice is incredible. He's lost a tiny bit of his higher register but he really has still got a great voice. Rhonda just rocked it. My son fell asleep during Pet Sounds (he's 6) so for the encore I was carrying a sleeping child while doing my best to dance.

And again, I feel blessed to have seen Blondie singing Sail On Sailor and a few more. The Flame period of BBhistorh is I think my favourite, not necessarily in terms of musical output but just because it seems like such a nuts time.

Darian was missed. I thought the band lacked a little oomph. But. That may just be me.

As always at a BB or BW gig, a great atmosphere before and during and I ended up chatting to a lot of people from around the world.

I was sat next to a French guy who was surprised at how little security there was.  He's used to seeing shows in Paris after those awful attacks where apparently everyone going into a venue now is patted down

A great night and my son made me spend a fortune on merch. Ooh. They were selling the "Help Me Rhond" t shirt that Brian wore in the 70's. Very cool piece of niche merch

Anyone else there? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Peace to everyone. I'm gonna keep quiet on everything else. Don't want to get trolled or booted off.

Here here!  good review Ian.  A few of us here picked up the "Rhonda" t-shirts last year from a site called 'Red Bubble'.  They have quite a few cool Beach Boys/Brian/Al related merch.

I'm going to see the shows on Thursday and Friday when Brian comes to Scotland.  Really looking forward to it and will post my thoughts then.  Hopefully my seven year old will stay awake.  If she falls asleep During Pet Sounds like your wee one I'll need to wake her for the encore! 

[guitarfool2002]

Is anyone offering the "Smiley Smile" sweatshirts (the ones with the smiling face like Al is seen wearing in some old band pics) ? I remember about a decade ago or so, someone on one of the boards made either one for himself or a very small run of them but I think that was it, and that would be a great thing to wear to the shows. Especially in the fall when a sweatshirt may be needed.

[Cam Mott]

So I'm responding to a statement that was similar to hearing a comment about "Chevrolet tires", it wasn't lining up to me because Pro Tools is not pitch correction, it's recording/mixing/editing software and pitch correction plug-ins are separate items to install. What was he talking about exactly, editing? Comping vocal tracks? Pitching up a trailing vocal note at the end of a phrase? If it were more definite I'd have a more definite answer, but Cam's wording of "Pro Tools pitch correction" is like "Chevrolet tires" to me, and I don't know what he's referring to, or whether Cam can clarify more on what Brian was referring to in that podcast interview.

With that out of the way...

You could have listened to the entire interview and heard Brian's own words in the time it took you to post whatever that was.  Did you listen to Brian's own words and did I misstate it?

I did listen to it - before posting anything about it! That's why I didn't reply immediately and apparently was challenged on why i didn't reply - i had to actually listen first. That's also why I asked if maybe you had more of a clarification on not just what Brian said but your term "Pro Tools pitch correction" which is a misnomer, unless it's referring to a function in Pro Tools that I'm pretty confident most working engineers of the level who would be working a Brian Wilson session would not use, and would instead use one of the plug-ins from other manufacturers that I'd estimate are used in 99 out of 100 working, pro-studio situations. or maybe I'm wrong, maybe the latest updates to Pro Tools as of 2014-15 have something built in, I'm not sure.

I guess it's coming from having actually done work in this area and with some of this software that has me confused about the terminology being used. It's hard to comment either way when I'm not sure exactly what is being described, or what was used and how it was used. I tried to give examples but I guess they didn't suffice.

Then your diversion from Brian's words are even harder to understand.  Your argument isn't with me or my characterization. You have Brian's words, you may direct your arguments to him.

[STE]

Al singing Help Me Rhonda...Damn! The guy hasn't aged a bit in 51 years vocally.

More videos please!!!

Just coming back from two London shows.
I intend to post interesting videos as soon as I get a decent connection.

Please Let Me Wonder added tonight.

[mikeddonn]

Is anyone offering the "Smiley Smile" sweatshirts (the ones with the smiling face like Al is seen wearing in some old band pics) ? I remember about a decade ago or so, someone on one of the boards made either one for himself or a very small run of them but I think that was it, and that would be a great thing to wear to the shows. Especially in the fall when a sweatshirt may be needed.

Good idea for a new t-shirt.  Hopefully someone here can make one up for us!  

I can't decide if I should wear a Radiant Radish or Keeping It Clean... t-shirt to the meet and greet this week.  Maybe I'll just wear a new Pet Sounds one I'll pick up the night before.

[STE]

I was at the show last night with my 6 year old boy. His second ever concert

Great seats, second row of the first balcony.

I really enjoyed it. Brian seemed into it. His voice was a little croakier than it has been. Al and Blondie sounded great and a real thrill to hear Blondie sing Funky Pretty.

The band were good. Not the best I've seen. Personally I felt without Jeff or Darian they lacked a little something.

A great night though. My son loved it although he slept through some of the second half.

Just my thoughts.

Oh. And I have no idea what's happened on this board but some of you are coming across as a bit silly and may be scaring casual fans away. Let's just talk about the Beach Boys, huh?

Hey Ian, I noticed a man holding his tired boy in the first balcony. I didn't realized it was you or I would have said hello.  I loved the Lost Initiative!

[guitarfool2002]

Al singing Help Me Rhonda...Damn! The guy hasn't aged a bit in 51 years vocally.

More videos please!!!

Just coming back from two London shows.
I intend to post interesting videos as soon as I get a decent connection.

Please Let Me Wonder added tonight.

You just made my night. I cannot wait to hear PLMW, one of my all time favorites. YES!!!!

[guitarfool2002]

Is anyone offering the "Smiley Smile" sweatshirts (the ones with the smiling face like Al is seen wearing in some old band pics) ? I remember about a decade ago or so, someone on one of the boards made either one for himself or a very small run of them but I think that was it, and that would be a great thing to wear to the shows. Especially in the fall when a sweatshirt may be needed.

Good idea for a new t-shirt.  Hopefully someone here can make one up for us!  

I can't decide if I should wear a Radiant Radish or Keeping It Clean... t-shirt to the meet and greet this week.  Maybe I'll just wear a new Pet Sounds one I'll pick up the night before.

I'll be first in line to buy one, I wish I could remember who it was that originally made them up. I do remember it was almost a spot-on replica of the one Al is wearing in the old pics.

Not having a T-shirt, I instead yell "KEEP IT CLEAN" when Al is introduced or his name is mentioned. Like a lot of fans, I guess. 

[CenturyDeprived]

Al singing Help Me Rhonda...Damn! The guy hasn't aged a bit in 51 years vocally.

More videos please!!!

Just coming back from two London shows.
I intend to post interesting videos as soon as I get a decent connection.

Please Let Me Wonder added tonight.

You just made my night. I cannot wait to hear PLMW, one of my all time favorites. YES!!!!

PLMW is basically the most perfect song Brian (and Mike) ever wrote. Absolutely perfect in every way, and a pop gem. Stoked.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

The Smiley Smile Message Board
1996-2016
RIP

Well then, as they say, don't let the door smack you on the way out. And by the way, that is 110% bull****.

[CenturyDeprived]

Brian has given multiple interviews where he talk about pitch correction and how great it is to go back fix a bad note here and there and make everything perfect. The idea that this upsets some "purists" is ridiculous to me. Why wouldn't he use it? If that's what Brian wants to do, then it's fine by me. I'll take Brian's opinion over the "purists" any day.

Again, it's not that people should necessarily inherently get upset just because some pitch correction was utilized. But doesn't it make sense if, in the eyes and ears of the listener, in their opinion, it seems as though SOME instances of pitch correction on SOME projects are noticeably applied with far greater obviousness, to the point of distraction and annoyance, and that people would be understandably grumbling about that? My opinion on the matter is nuanced, and with pitch correction, the very act of applying it is all about nuance.

I am not in any way annoyed by the pitch correction on Gershwin (I've heard people point it out that it's apparent here and there), and even if one listens real closely to hear it on that album, it's barely perceptible, and IMHO not in any way worthy of grumbling annoyance.

It just so happens that the Joe Thomas-produced albums all have pitch correction applied in a (much) more clunky way. It *should* be mostly invisible (that's the whole point!)... but it's not. To me, the fact that it's mainly just on Joe co-productions means that's a sign of either Joe, or someone who is a studio assistant... whoever would have actually been the person to apply the pitch correction (which is absolutely an art)... doing their job in a manner that I think is not quite up to par. Again, IMHO. Very similar to how CG is used in movies. Sometimes it's done SO well, it's completely not apparent in the slightest, and other times, it's clearly not done by someone with the same skill level, or by someone with different taste than the viewer. It's silly to say all CG or all pitch correction is inherently "evil", but it can very often be used sloppily, in which case it's off-putting.

Brian's not the one at the computer adding splines to waveforms and doing the pitch correction himself.  Granted, Brian approves the albums, and I'm sure he could step in and say that the pitch correction is wrong and needs fixing, if he thought that pitch correction was done poorly by the engineer. I'm sure some pitch correction revisions on Brian productions have happened at some point in the studio. But I think Brian has given so, so, so much of himself to records in the past, that these days, it likely easier for him emotionally to just let stuff like that go. I'll cut him some slack on that. Thus, I place most of the "blame" on whoever did the actual pitch correction. It's possible to do it well (Gershwin, possibly TLOS?). There is a precedent. It just takes work.

Also, I should add that lots of modern pop albums are very blatant in their use of pitch correction (in a manner that I absolutely despise), and so I could easily see that people like Joe get caught up in that mindset of commercial music needing to sound a certain way, and that his albums intentionally lay the pitch correction on thick out of the misguided notion that this is the way things are actually SUPPOSED to be.

[CenturyDeprived]

Brian has given multiple interviews where he talk about pitch correction and how great it is to go back fix a bad note here and there and make everything perfect. The idea that this upsets some "purists" is ridiculous to me. Why wouldn't he use it? If that's what Brian wants to do, then it's fine by me. I'll take Brian's opinion over the "purists" any day.

Autotune, pitch correction has never bothered me on any of the studio product, but I think that the C50 Live album used it to terrible effect.

I really have to think that this is partially (if not largely) the result of the very bitter implosion of the reunion and tour. I could very easily imagine that all band members gave not many f*cks about the quality control of this particular release.

[guitarfool2002]

Brian has given multiple interviews where he talk about pitch correction and how great it is to go back fix a bad note here and there and make everything perfect. The idea that this upsets some "purists" is ridiculous to me. Why wouldn't he use it? If that's what Brian wants to do, then it's fine by me. I'll take Brian's opinion over the "purists" any day.

Autotune, pitch correction has never bothered me on any of the studio product, but I think that the C50 Live album used it to terrible effect.

I really have to think that this is partially (if not largely) the result of the very bitter implosion of the reunion and tour. I could very easily imagine that all band members gave not many f*cks about the quality control of this particular release.

Maybe some of the live performances were not up to par pitch wise, and instead of calling in whatever vocalist(s) may have been off key to fix the parts in the studio after the fact, the pitch correction was applied. The more off key the notes, especially in a long phrase, the harder the program will work to correct it. Or maybe some just signed off on it without giving it much thought or care as you said, in order to be done with it and move on, who knows.

[Pretty Funky]

Brian has given multiple interviews where he talk about pitch correction and how great it is to go back fix a bad note here and there and make everything perfect. The idea that this upsets some "purists" is ridiculous to me. Why wouldn't he use it? If that's what Brian wants to do, then it's fine by me. I'll take Brian's opinion over the "purists" any day.

Autotune, pitch correction has never bothered me on any of the studio product, but I think that the C50 Live album used it to terrible effect.

I really have to think that this is partially (if not largely) the result of the very bitter implosion of the reunion and tour. I could very easily imagine that all band members gave not many f*cks about the quality control of this particular release.

That album still gets me. 40 plus songs, 5 BeachBoys singing leads etc, and it's unlistenable. WTF were those listed as being involved plus Capitol thinking? And they wonder why people go pirate!

[guitarfool2002]

I wish there would be a release of the last C50 shows from the UK, Royal Albert Hall, unaltered and undoctored like all those Pearl Jam concert releases they put out. I watch that one specific video clip of Brian singing Please Let Me Wonder and hitting that falsetto note at the end as part of my regular "make me smile" inspiration all the time.

What I said in an earlier thread is still valid but for a lot of fans here seems difficult to rectify, the live album remains highly rated on Amazon and most people commenting seem to really enjoy it.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

If there was a live album in the works, I'd love to mix it. The officially released live C50 was just a complete mess, and I personally felt they deserved better. 

[Pretty Funky]

In hindsight it should have been given a few years as the Led Zep Celebration Day projects (5 years). Clearer heads and time could have cherry picked the best cuts and put together a great project.

[CenturyDeprived]

If there was a live album in the works, I'd love to mix it. The officially released live C50 was just a complete mess, and I personally felt they deserved better.  

They certainly, absolutely deserved way better. But I would tend to think that perhaps Mike would in hindsight wish that C50 had never even happened, because of the tidal wave of animosity he received, justified or not, for the way it ended. I don't think remotely he got out of the reunion what he went in seeking. And probably at the time of the live album's release was at the peak of the bad vibes from the post-C50 fallout, which was almost exclusively centered on him.

Maybe this is reaching a bit, but it occurs to me like this album is perhaps like Mike's version of a SMiLE project - a project he apparently initiated (the reunion) wound up ending abruptly, and this album may have been something he just avoided dealing with and didn't even want to touch with a 10-foot pole, especially just months after. The fact that a contractual obligation to release a live album was probably the only reason this got released.

I just can't see any of the guys, including Brian, but perhaps especially Mike, having been actually *motivated* to make sure a really killer, exceptional document of the tour would get produced. I'm not sure I can even imagine them having been motivated to listen to it at all, even once! Compare to the 2014 release of "Keep An Eye On Summer", where clearly painstaking work was done, and many f*cks were given by the brilliant producers/compilers involved. The C50 CD/DVD stands in complete contrast, and I really can't imagine that the C50 fallout wasn't a factor in that.

That said, I will also say that the pitch correction on the Knebworth 1980 official release (especially Mike on California Girls) is excruciating to my ears. And that doesn't seem to have anything to do with bad vibes over a project. So maybe my C50 theory isn't entirely true, and that it's just something where both Mike and Brian sign off on stuff like this because they get talked into it, and leave the work (and the subjective opinion on quality control of pitch correction) to the engineers. But even aside from the pitch correction stuff on the C50 album, it also just suffers from seeming not up to par in other ways. I've actually not purchased either the CD or DVD because I don't want to listen to/watch a subpar product, and that's saying something because I buy basically every BB release. Even NASCAR.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

If there was a live album in the works, I'd love to mix it. The officially released live C50 was just a complete mess, and I personally felt they deserved better.  

They certainly, absolutely deserved way better. But I would tend to think that perhaps Mike would in hindsight wish that C50 had never even happened, because of the tidal wave of animosity he received, justified or not, for the way it ended. I don't think remotely he got out of the reunion what he went in seeking. And probably at the time of the live album's release was at the peak of the bad vibes from the post-C50 fallout, which was almost exclusively centered on him.

Maybe this is reaching a bit, but it occurs to me like this album is perhaps like Mike's version of a SMiLE project - a project he apparently initiated (the reunion) wound up ending abruptly, and this album may have been something he just avoided dealing with and didn't even want to touch with a 10-foot pole, especially just months after. The fact that a contractual obligation to release a live album was probably the only reason this got released.

I just can't see any of the guys, including Brian, but perhaps especially Mike, having been actually *motivated* to make sure a really killer, exceptional document of the tour would get produced. I'm not sure I can even imagine them having been motivated to listen to it at all, even once! Compare to the 2014 release of "Keep An Eye On Summer", where clearly painstaking work was done, and many f*cks were given by the brilliant producers/compilers involved. The C50 CD/DVD stands in complete contrast, and I really can't imagine that the C50 fallout wasn't a factor in that.

That said, I will also say that the pitch correction on the Knebworth 1980 official release (especially Mike on California Girls) is excruciating to my ears. And that doesn't seem to have anything to do with bad vibes over a project. So maybe my C50 theory isn't entirely true, and that it's just something where both Mike and Brian sign off on stuff like this because they get talked into it, and leave the work (and the subjective opinion on quality control of pitch correction) to the engineers. But even aside from the pitch correction stuff on the C50 album, it also just suffers from seeming not up to par in other ways. I've actually not purchased either the CD or DVD because I don't want to listen to/watch a subpar product, and that's saying something because I buy basically every BB release. Even NASCAR.

You are probably right about them giving zero f*cks about the live album.  However, the studio album tells me that the live album may have turned out the way it did even if the reunion didn't end.  More than a fair amount of obvious pitch correction on it, imo.

[CenturyDeprived]

If there was a live album in the works, I'd love to mix it. The officially released live C50 was just a complete mess, and I personally felt they deserved better.  

They certainly, absolutely deserved way better. But I would tend to think that perhaps Mike would in hindsight wish that C50 had never even happened, because of the tidal wave of animosity he received, justified or not, for the way it ended. I don't think remotely he got out of the reunion what he went in seeking. And probably at the time of the live album's release was at the peak of the bad vibes from the post-C50 fallout, which was almost exclusively centered on him.

Maybe this is reaching a bit, but it occurs to me like this album is perhaps like Mike's version of a SMiLE project - a project he apparently initiated (the reunion) wound up ending abruptly, and this album may have been something he just avoided dealing with and didn't even want to touch with a 10-foot pole, especially just months after. The fact that a contractual obligation to release a live album was probably the only reason this got released.

I just can't see any of the guys, including Brian, but perhaps especially Mike, having been actually *motivated* to make sure a really killer, exceptional document of the tour would get produced. I'm not sure I can even imagine them having been motivated to listen to it at all, even once! Compare to the 2014 release of "Keep An Eye On Summer", where clearly painstaking work was done, and many f*cks were given by the brilliant producers/compilers involved. The C50 CD/DVD stands in complete contrast, and I really can't imagine that the C50 fallout wasn't a factor in that.

That said, I will also say that the pitch correction on the Knebworth 1980 official release (especially Mike on California Girls) is excruciating to my ears. And that doesn't seem to have anything to do with bad vibes over a project. So maybe my C50 theory isn't entirely true, and that it's just something where both Mike and Brian sign off on stuff like this because they get talked into it, and leave the work (and the subjective opinion on quality control of pitch correction) to the engineers. But even aside from the pitch correction stuff on the C50 album, it also just suffers from seeming not up to par in other ways. I've actually not purchased either the CD or DVD because I don't want to listen to/watch a subpar product, and that's saying something because I buy basically every BB release. Even NASCAR.

You are probably right about them giving zero f*cks about the live album.  However, the studio album tells me that the live album may have turned out the way it did even if the reunion didn't end.  More than a fair amount of obvious pitch correction on it, imo.

Entirely possible. Yet I think that if there would've been a chance that some of the band members would have come back into the studio to re-record certain vocal parts, kind of how they did back in 1964  for the live Concert album... that scenario would only have had a chance of happening if the reunion had continued. Regardless, there could've always been someone saying "nah, don't worry about coming in to re-record it... A little Autotune'll fix that"