Two questions: Is the middle eight the "Caught like a sewer rat..." part or the "Seldom stumble..." part? And can someone post the lyrics to Ray Kennedy's version?

I really want this to be a (at least partial) BW composition. A thing that could speak against that would be how much it differs from any other BW song, with the unique (for a BW song) rhythm in the "seldom stumble" parts for example.

make that 20 seconds... only one verse, and not even one "rah rah pom pom play girl" ...

Darn it. I'm disappointed. It's still interesting that they played it, though.

So is this show "around", then?

http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/10-1-71.html

How did the train of thought go here? "Hm, we need a song to squeeze in between 'Long Promised Road' and 'God Only Knows'. What can we play that won't break the flow? I know, we'll do an obscure album track from 1964 that's one-and-a-half minute long! That'll fit perfect, especially lyric-wise!"

  Beach Party:

  http://www.pite-havsbad.se/beachparty/

It was fun! Read my experience of it in the Concert Review section!

The northernmost Beach Boys concert ever (just barely beating Fairbanks, Alaska and Reykjavik, Iceland) took place in a chilly Piteå on the beach some mere thirty meters from the sea. TBB headlined the annual Beach Party, which earlier years has seen John Fogerty and Gary Moore, among others, perform.

I was there three hours early to be sure I would get a nice spot, and that was how I came to meet Bruce and talk to him for several minutes. He was very nice and really took the time to talk with me. We discussed onstage sound, audience sound, why they wouldn’t play ”Here Today” (Mike doesn’t want to play it without an orchestra and/or outdoors) and why they had two microphones pointed at the audiene (according to Bruce, so he can hear people in the audience saying how cute he is). He also told me the story about Terry Melcher playing tambourine on ”That’s Not Me”.

Prior to the audience being let in they performed a 45 minutes soundcheck that featured both Mike and Bruce. They ran through the entire "Do You Wanna Dance" and rehearsed several parts of "Sloop". (Also notable: "Billie Jean"!)

This was the first time since 2001 that I saw Mike and Bruce, and to these ears they sound tighter and tougher now than then. Bruce also had a more prominent role, singing more leads and handling more between songs chatter (of which there, however, was very little). The sound was not perfect where I stood (front center) but better in the middle. Mike’s microphone was a bit low.

”Surfin’” opened the show which I doubt is such a good idea. Okay, it’s interesting to hear their first recording segue into the Beach Boys’ vocals of today, but how many casual fans regonize it and/or know its place in BB history? Maybe that’s why they go into ”Surfin’ Safari” halfway through.

Highlights of the show included ”Shut Down” which really rocked, the acapella parts of ”Why Do Fools” and Bruce nailing ”GOK”. Perhaps the only letdown was ”Getcha Back” which sounded tired and dull. Christian Love, who sang it, may have a nice voice but he hasn’t too much stage presence and looked bored and tired. John Cowsill, on the other hand, weighs up Christian’s performance nicely with great vocals (e.g. ”Darlin’”) and enthusiastic drumming. ”DWB”, sung by Randell Kirsch, was also a spot on performance. Bruce sounded good the entire concert. Mike didn’t talk as much between songs as he did in 2001, leading to a more energetic and coherent performance. His voice sounded good as well. However, two ideas that I’m positive must be his were the embarrasing parts of the show: him asking his daughter (?) onstage to dance with him during ”Surfer Girl”, and her and two other girls coming onstage to dance during ”Barbara Ann”. Pointless.

The crowd, consisting of beer-driven casual fans and myself, sang happily along to the few songs they knew (”Surfin’ USA”, ”Kokomo”, ”Barbara Ann”, ”Good Vibrations” and ”Help Me, Rhonda”). Considering the crowd it was no wonder they didn’t do any rarities. When I talked to Bruce prior to the show he told me not to expect ”a great show” but just ”the show”, which was what we got. Still, ”the show” was a good one.

Set list:

01 Surfin’ (part original recording, part live)
02 Surfin’ Safari
03 Catch A Wave
04 Don’t Back Down
05 Little Honda
06 Do It Again
07 Surf City
08 Summer Means Fun (Bruce)
09 Surfin’ USA

These first nine songs were performed without pause between them.

10 Surfer Girl (Bruce on middle-8)
11 Getcha Back (Christian)
12 Darlin’ (John)
13 Don’t Worry Baby (Randell)
14 Little Deuce Coupe
15 409
16 Little Old Lady From Pasadena
17 Shut Down
18 I Get Around
19 In My Room (Bruce on Brian’s verse part)
20 God Only Knows (Bruce)
21 California Dreamin’ (Christian? Can’t remember, during this song a girl had to be lifted over the fence by the guards at the same spot where I stood)
22 Sloop John B (Mike, of course, sang his parts, but who sang the other?)
23 When I Grow Up
24 Why Do Fools Fall In Love (Randell?)
25 Dance Dance Dance
26 Do You Wanna Dance (Bruce)
27 Then I Kissed Her (Christian)
28 Wouldn’t It Be Nice (?)
29 California Girls
30 Be True To Your School (Mike comes into the first chorus one beat early and doesn’t notice this until a couple of bars later. Lots of smiles onstage, including Mike)
31 Cottonfields (John – terrific lead)
32 Kokomo
33 Good Vibrations (Christian on Carl’s part)
34 Help Me Rhonda (John?)
35 Rock And Roll Music
36 Barbara Ann

37 Summertime Blues (Beach Boy’ed version with different hook and more BG vox)
38 Fun Fun Fun

Thanks, Jeff, I'll do that!

Exactly. Let's put it this way if the Beach Boys and Brian's records sold in 67-70 what they did in 63-66 people would look at Brian a lot differently. Funny the only place they got Brian right from 68-73 or so was a Carnie Wilson documentary. It showed his decline but rightly dated the big downturn when Carnie was about five. 

Btw, how's it going with your book, MBE?

that vocal of Let The Wind Blow by a lady named Amy.

What vocal of Let The Wind Blow by what lady named Amy?

Actually around that time they - they probaby being Desper and whoever from the group was helping to mix a given song - started mixing some vocals out of phase.  The lead vocal on "Break Away" is a great example, and it does sound tinny and processed compared to the backing vocals.  Bruce became the worst offender of doing this; both of his tracks on SUNFLOWER use it as well as "Disney Girls."  But other group members did it too (IIRC "Long Promised Road," for one).  By contrast "Lookin' At Tomorrow" has phasing applied to the vocal, which is a related though very different animal than simply mixing vocals out of phase.  In fact, they seemed to stop mixing stuff out of phase to any significant extent after Desper stopped working with the group.

When Bruce came back in 1978/79 there was a temporary resurgence of it (some of "Good Timin'"s vocals and some of the KTSA stuff).  And it still sounded shitty, tinny, and processed.

Pardon my ignorance, but how does out of phase-mixing work and what characterizes it?

[It's doubtful anything exisits of this track. It only gets mentioned because I came across a billing sheet for this from the studio that had housed the old Brother Studios. In it's final days it was owned by SST Records, and bore no resemblance to Brother in its hey-day, no to what it was when Tom Scott owned it.I actually have only a vague memory of being there that day... My memories of the day are much more vivid regarding the hospital, and Gage's birth! However, Dennis was on quite a run for a couple of days there; (he even disappeared for awhile, and showed up at Karen Lamm's. Fortunately, she threw him out, and made him return to the hospital). If he did manage to really lay anything down that day, I'm sure the bill was never paid, and the tape went with the studio...]

It's doubtful anything exisits of this track.  It only gets mentioned because I came across a billing sheet for this from the studio that had housed the old Brother Studios.  In it's final days it was owned by SST Records, and bore no resemblance to Brother in its hey-day, no to what it was when Tom Scott owned it.
I actually have only a vague memory of being there that day...  My memories of the day are much more vivid regarding the hospital, and Gage's birth!  However, Dennis was on quite a run for a couple of days there; (he even disappeared for awhile, and showed up at Karen Lamm's.  Fortunately, she threw him out, and made him return to the hospital). 
If he did manage to really lay anything down that day, I'm sure the bill was never paid, and the tape went with the studio...

Hey, then I can still dream! Imagine the tape showing up, containing a three minute piano driven ballad with rudimentary instrumentation (vibes, drums, moog bass and guitar) and Dennis singing a short-ranged melody, maybe just spanning a couple of notes (if even that much was possible). Last chapter in the musical saga of Dennis Wilson. As I said, I can dream, can't I?

Is that Brian on Sail Plane Song also, I remember reading here it was..

Man would be interesting to hear a recording from one of those shows with Brian filling in on drums.

You have, if you have the Concert LP ("The Wanderer").

I've heard at least two separate people who should know tell me there's Dennis stuff up through '82. 

Including the September 3, 1982 session for "Labor Day", then. Boy, would I love to hear this (not a pm request, I know it isn't around ).

I haven't heard it either... * innocent-looking whistling emoticon *

Also the binaural (vocal one side, instruments the other) tracks on disc 5 of the GV box:

All Summer Long
Wendy
Hushabye
when I Grow Up to be a Man

There was a strange BB CD called something like "Essential Beach Boys" with a die cut cover that had a remix (a "vocals up") version of one or two songs.  I'll check on that when I get home.

Also the binaural (vocal one side, instruments the other) tracks on disc 5 of the GV box:

All Summer Long
Wendy
Hushabye
when I Grow Up to be a Man

There was a strange BB CD called something like "Essential Beach Boys" with a die cut cover that had a remix (a "vocals up") version of one or two songs.  I'll check on that when I get home.

You mean Perfect Harmony, released in 1997 for some Capitol anniversary, I think. Features:

Hushabye (Vocals Up Version)
When I Grow Up (Vocals Up Version)

I bought some new Lapsang Souchong recently.

Taylors of Harrogate brand. I like it. Different emphasis on the flavor - less smoky, more of the rich taste. Twinings is more smoky, less of the rich taste. It's like the difference between cigarettes with all the additives in them and additive free cigarettes (Twinings would be the cigs with the chemical additives - Taylors would be the straight tobacco).

Ah, good old Lapsang. I went in to a tea store once before Christmas '07 to get some interesting tea for my brother. I asked with a straight face the girl behind the counter for a tea that "would leave deep traces in the soul". She smiled and at once got the can (jar? container?) of Lapsang. Unfortunately, I was already very familiar with that and was disappointed that there wasn't anything stronger...

My understanding is that the Lady recording on the Aussie Rarities is what we would now call a "needle drop" - IE: they had a copy of the UK single and took a tape recording of the single being played. Do'ncha just love 70's technology??

70s technology still used in the late 00s for the Murry Wilson reissue, except I guess they didn't use analog tape for that.

Hi Donald-

I enjoyed meeting you at Starbuck's that night.  Have you spoken to Steve?  Please let him know everyone is praying for him.

As for your questions:

I do consider it a position of honor and great responsibility.  Not that I am in Brian's or Carl's shoes; I am just trying to make sure we do justice to what they created.

I'll give you an idea of the process for when we learn a "new" song or when we do one that we haven't performed in  a year or so.  A perfect example is Heroes, which we recently added for some symphonic shows and have continued to perform since then.

First I listen to the original version(s).  Like many of you, I have a collection of "shoes" that I refer to.  In picking out the parts, I listen to the left side only, the right side only, any outtakes, live versions, etc.  In the case of Heroes, they had abbreviated some of the parts for the live shows.  However the live version really kicks and rocks so we wanted to keep that feel but add in some of the records vocal parts and instrumental parts.  The symphony arrangements didn't have the horn line and so I wrote it in.  The high part in the slow a capella was missing in the live version so I added that back in.  Now Mike pretty much remembers his part on everything, and we know Randell is usually going to sing the high parts (or me if it's really high) then I ask Bruce which part he wants.  Cowsill has a strong punchy voice like Al's so I asked him to sing the verse lead.  Christian has a voice that sometimes sounds like Carl's so I gave him the chorus lead.

While at home, I make a recording of myself singing all the parts.  Then I mix one version with Bruce's part up loud and send him an mp3.  Same with Randell, Christian and Cowsill and yes even Mike.  They get them at least a week ahead of time and listen to their part.   I also send out a chord chart.

Then we put it all together at the next show during soundcheck.

Scott

Hi Scott,

That's a very interesting and appreciated post - I love reading about this "behind the scenes" work! I'm going to see you in Sweden this summer and your post has made my already high expectations grow even more (feel no pressure )

Here are Mike&Bruce '08 doing a.o. "Catch a wave". Sounds pretty good to me:

Yep, sounds good to me too. Thanks for the link.

... they've sounded flat, sharp, you name it. Even when I saw Brian's band a couple of years ago they flatted it ...

Dude, you sound like Murry.

Ouch!


Thanks for everyone's input. It will be great to see Mike & Bruce do CAW this summer. Judging from the comments on the recent BB lineup, it looks like they're going to nail it!

Fall Breaks...
Are you going to Piteå or Töreboda?
(better keep it in English)

//Henrik i Karlstad

Piteå. Way after I'd got the tickets, and planned a accompanying vacation trip up North, the Töreboda show was announced. That would've been somewhat nearer... How about you?

/ Martin, Uppsala

Like Andrew, I have heard Mike and Bruce's band do the intro to CAW darn near perfectly.  I have also heard Brian's band do it brilliantly too.  One reason you may have heard a pitchy version of Catch A Wave from Brian's crew is that it isn't a song that features in their set lists very often.  Relative to I get around, Fun, Fun, Fun etc it is not a song that they play that much where as with Mike and Bruce's band it has been a relative regular for years and years.

I have heard a bunch of pitchy live intros to this track over the years too though (going back to when Brian, Carl, Al and Dennis were still in the band).  One reason may be that starting a song cold with no instrumental reference for pitch is tough for the vocalists.  Not to mention the drums that come before the a Capella intro may be enough time or a distraction to throw to vocalists from remembering their starting notes.  As much as the Beach Boys and their related touring groups are talented singers, reproducing those complex parts are tough live.  A Capella sections are easier to carry out when they occur in the middle or end of a song as pitch reference points are firmly established by that point.

Another great song for sure (that Brian Wilson sure could write a good tune...) but as much as I like it, when I see Brian live I'd rather he do a more obscure song than CAW.  Give me The Night Was So Young, Good Timin', I'd love Just Once To See You, or any other rarity over that one.   If fits Mike and Bruce's bands party crowd vibe perfectly.

The drums as a distractor is a good point. Never thought of that.

So nowadays it seems like the different bands pull it off better. Does this come down to more practising or do they get pitch cues in their ears right before/during the drum intro do you think?

Mike & Bruce's band nailed it last time I saw them, spring 2008 - as they did pretty much every one of the 50-odd songs they played that night.

Good to know. Hopefully they'll do the same when I see them this summer (i.e. play 50 songs AND nail 'em ).

Are the harmonies to this more advanced and difficult to sing than other a capella BB parts? Every time I've heard a live version of the song they've sounded flat, sharp, you name it. Even when I saw Brian's band a couple of years ago they flatted it, big time. Can/has anyone picked out all of the parts?

Other than that, I think it's a song that works nice live with its traded lead vocals and good energy. What do you think?

Lady, that picture of Mike in blue pants and blue hat wins the prize for worst stage outfit ever. All categories.