Any ideas on when a SMiLE box set will come out?

[runnersdialzero]

And buying bootlegs is lame.

Without bootlegs Smile wouldn't have gained as much notoriety amongst the hardcore fans. If you've heard the SOT boxes you would know that not all bootlegs "sound like crap". They are hardly inferior quality. If the option was to not hear the music at all or listen to a boot, which one would it be?

We might hear a new track, but then again we might not. Do Durrie Parks "mythical" acetates exist? Does David Anderle have anything? How about Michael Vosse? These are avenues that need to be pursued by Captiol if they haven't done so already.

The boxset will happen one day but I'd say Capitol missed their ideal opportunity when BWPS  came out (whether there was a legal issue stopping anything like that happening I do not know). Or maybe the executives wanted to see the response and tracklisting first? Whatever the reason, it's gotta happen.

All I'm saying is yes, an official release would be nice but there is enough material around for the time being to whet the appetites of those who want to dig deeper into Smile. My preference is that I'd rather see a reformation or a new album (whether it be new material or another EH / Harthorne rarities disc) first. I'd rather hear the Sail On, Sailor demo with VDP and Brian before the Smile boxset!

I said that wrong - I mean buying bootlegs in this day and age is lame when they can be downloaded, usually in lossless at that. I don't like that they don't support the artist or the people involved in the recordings, but without them we wouldn't have gotten a lot of the stuff we have. A double edged sword, really.

[Bean Bag]

The release of a SMiLE boxset is apparently one of the harbingers of the apocolypse so be careful what you wish for.....

   Yep!  That and the Beatles remasters!  Throw in the release of BWPS -- and we're teetering on total universal calamity!!!

As for the singles box set I've been toying with the idea of buying it but they really should have given people more incentive to buy it, I mean are some stereo mixes and a live version of 409 really worth it?

Me too.  As much as I loathe what it is, I've looked at it every time I see it in the store.  Which is sitting on the Best Buy shelf with my dusty finger prints from last summer when I looked at it!!

But no.  It is not worth it.  I know it.  We all know it.  That's why I will never actually buy it.  That thing is a $130 paper weight/dust collector.  The book is so lame.  That's the thing that gets me the most!  I actually want the music...which is a disc and half worth...but I'm just not a fan of getting raped and/or those who do the raping! 

[Sciencefriction]

Will this actually happen though?  I mean, really?  Brian seems content in what he's doing and doesn't seem too interested in revisiting his Beach Boys past.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Will this actually happen though?  I mean, really?  Brian seems content in what he's doing and doesn't seem too interested in revisiting his Beach Boys past.

It will happen - there's little else left to exploit release.

[runnersdialzero]

Will this actually happen though?  I mean, really?  Brian seems content in what he's doing and doesn't seem too interested in revisiting his Beach Boys past.

It will happen - there's little else left to exploit release.

Aww, does this mean no new theme compilations with two or three new stereo mixes?

[Sciencefriction]

Will this actually happen though?  I mean, really?  Brian seems content in what he's doing and doesn't seem too interested in revisiting his Beach Boys past.

It will happen - there's little else left to exploit release.

What about Dennis' material?  I'm sure they can still make some $$ off that.  I hope they don't actually exploit the material and Wilson's though (and remaining BB members of course).  I mean, is releasing it exploitation, or what?  I like to think that by being faithful to the material and Brian's wishes would not be exploitation.  I suppose Brian wants nothing to do with it so it is exploitation.  I'm confusing myself now.  Anyway, I suppose it's good that it will be released, but will it really be what people want/expect?  I fear the backlash.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Will this actually happen though?  I mean, really?  Brian seems content in what he's doing and doesn't seem too interested in revisiting his Beach Boys past.

Yeah, it'll happen. And, it doesn't require much input from Brian; the stuff's already there, kind of like....

[Aegir]

Why not release "Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again"? I don't understand why that's never come out.

[Zander]

Why not release "Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again"? I don't understand why that's never come out.

I don't think there is any vocals on it, it's just a backing track. Surely there must be home demos or unreleased stuff still left. Stan Shapiro told me had loads of tunes that he and Dennis had written together that had never seen the light of day.

[Roger Ryan]

Why not release "Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again"? I don't understand why that's never come out.

I don't think there is any vocals on it, it's just a backing track. Surely there must be home demos or unreleased stuff still left. Stan Shapiro told me had loads of tunes that he and Dennis had written together that had never seen the light of day.

There's definitely full vocals on WIBNTLA; Adam Marsland replicated them almost exactly for the live Carl/Dennis CD his Chaos Band issued a couple of years back.

[GLarson432]

"There's definitely full vocals on WIBNTLA; Adam Marsland replicated them almost exactly for the live Carl/Dennis CD his Chaos Band issued a couple of years back."

And Dennis's version was played at HobieLang's (Susan from the Shut Down board) first convention in 1993 through the courtesy of BRI and with Alan Boyd (with Stephen Desper) running the setup for the listening afforded those in attendance.  It's definitely a completed song!

[Andrew G. Doe]

Why not release "Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again"? I don't understand why that's never come out.

I don't think there is any vocals on it, it's just a backing track.

You're thinking of "I've Got A Friend" - killer track, not a single vocal. "(WIBNT)LA" is just majestic - Dennis' best-ever lead and sterling bvs from his brothers. Easily among the top three unreleased BB tracks I've ever heard up to now.

[runnersdialzero]

Wonder why such a track remains unreleased :\

[Andrew G. Doe]

Wonder why such a track remains unreleased :\

Politics. It was removed from Surf's Up when Dennis & Carl fell out over the sequencing. Since then... politics.

[Boiled Egg]

can you elaborate on this, agd?

[Andrew G. Doe]

can you elaborate on this, agd?

Ummm... well... whenever a new archival project is mooted, the voting members of BRI have the ultimate yea or nay as to what is included. or not. In the case of "(WIBNT)LA" to date, the decision is... not.

[Jason]

It's very complicated.

Take for example, the immense reissue and release campaign since the late 1970s with Elvis Presley's music. Due to a contract he signed in 1973, Elvis effectively gave control over all recorded work to RCA, and it's been that way since. RCA runs with it as well - releases virtually every year with large portions of previously unreleased stuff. The hardcore fanbase is much more dedicated than most Beach Boys diehards could ever be - hence the dozens of posthumous archival releases that sell respectably.

As far as the Beach Boys are concerned, we'll probably have more luck with the band getting archival releases out, than, say, Capitol, who sees more benefit in releasing hits packages with two or three new stereo mixes and an occasional unreleased/rare track. If Capitol was in charge of all of the band's recorded work as RCA is with Elvis', I don't think they'd see much benefit in lavish box sets of unreleased material that we pray for on a daily basis. Of course, they would easily put out a Smile box set provided they DID own the rights (never going to happen since Brian is sole owner of those rights). Otherwise, we're talking new hits compliation every year with a different theme, two or three new stereo mixes, and an unreleased/rare track to grab the diehards like us. We just have to admit that we're a niche fanbase. Beach Boys Central is supposed to put that right for us as far as removing the middleman (Capitol) is concerned, but that's not working either, so we're sh*t out of luck either way. Enjoy the footwear.

[GLarson432]

The Real Beach Boy writes:  Otherwise, we're talking new hits compliation every year with a different theme.

Yeah, one is June, then to mix things up they jump to August before going back to July.

That was too easy; I couldn't resist.

[rogerlancelot]

I've been reading this thread without adding anything to it. But here are a few opinions of my own (take them or leave them of course):

1) I would prefer a sessions box set then trying to recreate the damn thing as an album. Part of the fun is juggling these short bits and pieces in the order of your own desire.

2) I think it would sell better than the Pet Sounds box because of the history of the project.

3) I believe there are collectors out there with more SMiLE stuff and other things like "Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again?" but they are currently being hoarded. Maybe that's why there was so much sh*t flinging when Get The Boot and Secret SMiLE came out? Some individuals were probably sitting on that stuff for whatever reason and yet it leaked out. Can anybody confirm this for me?

4) I would trade a testicle to hear "I Ran" with vocals. Maybe not one of my organs but you get what I'm saying. The tape for that is missing in the BB library but who knows what can turn up.

5) I would still buy it even if I had everything on bootleg. I have never bought a BB bootleg but I sure have downloaded freely enough of them to last me a lifetime. Unless I can find any more concerts 1970 - 1977 of course...