Paley Sessions, your opinions...

[The Heartical Don]

Hello y'all -

I like the Paley sessions a lot. In 1995, they got a lot of attention in the UK press and quickly acquired a high status; it was suggested that Sean O'Hagan of the High Llamas would collaborate eventually on the finishing work to be done still. That was not to be.
Why do I like them? Not because every song is a classic. But at the time they carried a lot of hope with them. For instance, Brian's voice on some of the tracks sounded truly like his '60s best, without the raspy, coarse side-effects of cigarettes and cocaine in it; and neither does it sound 'thin' like it does on 'Brian Wilson' and 'Sweet Insanity'.
Plus: I think 'This Song Wants To Sleep...' is outstanding, just as 'GIOMH' and a couple of others.
Why did he and Paley separate eventually? I was at the London RFH 'Pet Sounds' live show in 2002, was Paley present there in his touring ensemble?

[XY]

5 stars for Prod Mary - I'm most definitely with you on that one, Jasper.

I wish Desert Drive (in this early incarnation) had a Mike Love lead vocal. Just imagine this being the last Beach Boys single...

5 stars! That arrangement just rocks and the choir is a welcome addition. I think BW should use choirs more often anyway, L&M from the 2001 Tribute Show for example gives me chicken skin every time.
Even that nasal Mike Love-interpretation fits extremely well. Of course, it sounds quite unfinished. I wonder what was supposed to go over that solo keyboard part. A multi-layered vocal kaleidoscope I imagine.
Agree, "Desert Drive" would have been great for Mike as well.

[Aegir]

I really wish the Paley sessions and Imagination had been the last two Beach Boys albums, instead of frickin' Summer in Paradise and Stars and Stripes.

I like Brian's voice from this period (especially the falsetto - it just sounds so... disturbed, and I mean that in the best way possible). But at the same time, these songs would be GREAT with the other Beach Boys singing, especially Carl and Mike.

And was In My Moondreams supposed to have words? It sounds great just as a surf instrumental.

[Wirestone]

Why did he and Paley separate eventually? I was at the London RFH 'Pet Sounds' live show in 2002, was Paley present there in his touring ensemble?

Paley was at some shows in 01 and 02, filling in for an absent Mickey D'Amico. He also recorded with Brian during that time (he's on the re-done version of Desert Drive, for example).

He and Brian have not exactly had a falling out since -- Brian has appeared with Andy on a couple of recordings ("Doin' the Krabby Patty" -- from a SpongeBob Squarepants concept album, of all things -- came out in '06). But they haven't been full-on collaborators either, and word on the street is that Paley was peeved at his treatment by the BW camp. I don't recall hearing anything more definite than that.

[Aegir]

I heard that it had something to do with Andy being gay.

[Bean Bag]

Well, the GIOMH version is the Paley version, you know. The credits don't state it, but it's the same backing track and backing vocals...It just has a newly recorded lead.

Are you sure about that?  What about the break after "...'cept for the kid with the paper route?"  On GIOMH there's that dorky, little predictable splash cymbal or drum hit (I forget which) that is right on the beat (which annoys the beans out of me).  "...with the paper route....'doink'"   

But on the Paley version...the drums start to rebuild on the "paper route" part.."boom boom boom boom."  At least on my version.     Way cooler.   

especially the falsetto - it just sounds so... disturbed, and I mean that in the best way possible

Yes!  I know what you mean.  It suggests a slightly madcap sense of abandonment.  Delicious, ain't it?!

I think BW should use choirs more often anyway

Totally.  Just like Denny on PoB.  It's pimpin'   

[Wirestone]

I heard that it had something to do with Andy being gay.

That's not often discussed, and I've never heard it confirmed one way or the other. The only mention I've ever seen of it is in on the website of an engineer who worked on the BW88 album. He has since removed it.

Given Brian's enthusiasm for Elton John and excitement of meeting him and his partner, David Furnish, it seems unlikely there's any bigotry on BW's part. It's also hard to imagine that Andy and Brian collaborated for nine years and that Brian didn't know.

If the band gave Andy trouble about it -- well, I would have a lot less respect for them.

Re: SMITC

Are you sure about that?

Yes. There may be a few percussion overdubs and a different mix, but the track is the same.

[Wirestone]

Here's a thread about the subject from a couple of years back.

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,853.0.html

[37!ws]

Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if he was ousted from Brian's band due to ego problems. My wife and I met Andy Paley backstage after one of the 2001 shows, and the guy...well...had a pretty inflated head. I spoke with an insider a year or two later who told me, and I quote: "Andy Paley cares about one thing: Andy Paley."

[brianc]

That was a great post, Clay.

The truth about Andy is that he worked well with Brian Wilson while it lasted... at the same time, he's a human, prone to all the trappings that we all can fall into anytime. So I'm sure Andy made his mistakes like anyone else. That said, no one ever has an easy time working in the Beach Boys world. It's a double-edged sword, and we're all lucky that so much good work was completed.

[mrski]

Getting back to the actual music...

I have one Paley Sessions bootleg, this has the majority of associated tracks of which Proud Mary and Soul Searchin' are additionally presented also as alternate takes (ie. the CD has 2 versions of each.) There is also a demo for Saturday Morning In The City alongside the regular Paley Sessions version but however, apart from these 3 tracks the CD only has one version of each of the other songs.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered a download containing all/most of the Paley tracks in 'multiple' alternate versions! (Desert Drive, In My Moondreams, Chain Reaction Of Love - or Chain Reaction Of Mystery as the title is actually given)- are all there...

But having briefly sampled some (not all) of the audio delights, (My Mary Ann, Slightly American Music amongst them), to my ears at least these so described alternate versions sound exactly the same...!

So my question is, do multiple alternate takes exist, doing the rounds on the collector's circuit? Or is not being a musician personally in such cases a major disadvantage given as any variation seems to be extremely minor...?

[MBE]

I think the quality and speeds are all that are really different.

[mrski]

That's what I suspected having read this thread...  That or maybe there could be so described 'fan mixes'...!


I'll still give all the 'alternate versions' a listen though at least once, just in case something is obviously different.

Thanks MBE. 

[carl r]

What are the chances of an official version ever being released? Maybe linked/backed with a BW greatest hits album? A crying shame if not. Sacks of fruit and all.

[Wirestone]

I expect we'll hear more of it at some point. Too many good songs remain unreleased. Whether or not we'll hear in them in the Paley sessions form -- I worry that depends largely on whether Brian is alive, sad to say. That being said, given the success of the POB/Bambu reissue, one could imagine a two-disk version of Imagination or the IJWMFTT soundtrack with Paley tracks as a second disk.

The point being, though, as long as Brian has a solo career, songs like:

Some Sweet Day
Chain Reaction of Love
Marketplace
You're Still a Mystery
Mary Anne
It's Not Easy Being Me

Are a valuable backup for any future solo album, easily plugging any songwriting holes.

[MBE]

That's what I suspected having read this thread...  That or maybe there could be so described 'fan mixes'...!


I'll still give all the 'alternate versions' a listen though at least once, just in case something is obviously different.

Thanks MBE. 

It's all worth playing once as you have to listen close to find the one that sounds best in some cases.

[Amy B.]

If Brian retires/dies without having released a whole bunch of music, then I hope that
(a) They will be released in whatever form
(b) A group of great derivative bands will do a tribute album called Unreleased Brian Wilson or something.

With a lot of big artists, this might happen because the label would milk them for everything, but maybe not for solo Brian Wilson. I hope someone does it as a labor of love, just for all the nutty fans out there.

[brianc]

I'd bet that Drag City Records would put it out right now, and do a bang-up job with the packaging and promotion. That label has done more to expand the notion of the singer/songwriter, in the modern era, than anyone else.

[Meade]

What I like about the Paley sessions is that they're devoid of all that synthy claptrap that bogged down his first two albums (save for a small bit in "Proud Mary"). It really proves to me that Brian's sound is and always was best when it was organic, whether it's with big-band type pieces like "Desert Drive" or more minimalist songs like "You're Still a Mystery."

Personally, I think the paley sessions represent Brian's best solo-work other than SMiLE of course, even Lucky Old Sun has some cringe-worthy moments for me. The only song I don't like is "Market Place" ...mainly because it's dull and pointless. But I like the majority of the other tracks and think that had the more polished songs been released, it would have been his most approachable solo album.

Carl's vocal on Soul Searchin' is amazing, as always.

[Meade]

By first two I mean Brian Wilson and Imagination, as well as Sweet Insanity.

[ESQ Editor]

Great songs here… I am of the agreeable thought that "Still A Mystery" and "Chain Reaction of Love" are stellar recordings… Brian's quirkiness is all over those songs; same type of thing he brought to the table in 1966-67 during the SMiLE sessions.

[Domino]

Desert Drive ***** (released, but release it again with Paley track!)
What Rock'n'Roll Can Do ****
Chain Reaction of Love ****
In My Moondreams **** (released)
It's Not Easy Being Me ****
Getting In Over My Head **** (released, briawpt!)
You're Still A Mystery ****
Soul Searchin' *** (released)
God Did It ****
Some Sweet Day ****
I'm Broke ****
Must Be A Miracle ****
Elbow '63 ***
Goin' Home *** (no, not on TLOS)
Proud Mary *****
Slightly American Music *** (surprised so many fans don't like that one)
Dancing The Night Away **** (hello Carl)
This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight *** (released)
Market Place **
My Mary Anne ***
This Could Be The Night *** (nice cover, released, also performed live during 1st solo tour)
Boogie's Back in Town *** (Ok, not Paley, performed live in '83, but fits in here)

Which songs are Paleys and which songs are covers?

[Alex]

Desert Drive ***** (released, but release it again with Paley track!)
What Rock'n'Roll Can Do ****
Chain Reaction of Love ****
In My Moondreams **** (released)
It's Not Easy Being Me ****
Getting In Over My Head **** (released, briawpt!)
You're Still A Mystery ****
Soul Searchin' *** (released)
God Did It ****
Some Sweet Day ****
I'm Broke ****
Must Be A Miracle ****
Elbow '63 ***
Goin' Home *** (no, not on TLOS)
Proud Mary *****
Slightly American Music *** (surprised so many fans don't like that one)
Dancing The Night Away **** (hello Carl)
This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight *** (released)
Market Place **
My Mary Anne ***
This Could Be The Night *** (nice cover, released, also performed live during 1st solo tour)
Boogie's Back in Town *** (Ok, not Paley, performed live in '83, but fits in here)

Which songs are Paleys and which songs are covers?

Proud Mary is the only cover.

[Wirestone]

This Could Be the Night is a cover too. As is Sweets for My Sweet, which was cut around the same time. Both of those were released on tribute albums (to Harry Nilsson and Doc Pomus, respectively). And In My Moondreams was written by Andy alone (it was released on a compilation and credited solely to A. Paley).

[Reverend Rock]

I've never had the chance to hear the Paley sessions.  Would enjoy doing so.

But I have heard Sweet Insanity and I agree that it should have been released.  He does sound like he's having fun.  And a duet between Brian Wilson and Bob Dylan ("The Spirit of Rock and Roll") is simply something that should see the light of day for sheer historical purposes alone!  I especially prefer the SI version of "Rainbow Eyes" greatly over the released version on GIOMH.  Brian's vocal is much prettier, at times approaching his mid 60s vocal quality.  The synth-pop production is a little less than satisfying, but such was the spirit of the times.  The wild flute lines are evocative of the psychedelic era, and lend a humanity to the proceedings.  But Brian's vocals are just stellar on this particular track.