Thread for various insignificant questions that don't deserve their own thread!

[Andrew G. Doe]

Brian specifically said Jan taught him how to cut 'clean' tracks.

As for Curt... love the Millennium stuff, but other than that and the tracks he did with The Association, it's all very lightweight to these ears. "Brand New Old Friends" excepted, of course.

[Myk Luhv]

Y'all know how Holland for sure and possibly also Sunflower and Surf's Up were engineered and pressed on vinyl for play on a quad setup? Has anyone actually done that? If so, how does it sound? Does it blow the paltry stereo option out of the water?

[hypehat]

The '72 CATP i have with my PS says so, too. I don't have the facility to play it on more than two speakers, though.....

[Shady]

Part question, part observation

I was watching The Royal Tenenbaums just now and was amazed at what a great soundtrack it had, was shocked to find out the Wes Anderson couldn't secure the right to "sloop john b" to CLOSE THE FILM

Anyone have an idea why? I assume it was a money thing, what a shame

[Andrew G. Doe]

Y'all know how Holland for sure and possibly also Sunflower and Surf's Up were engineered and pressed on vinyl for play on a quad setup? Has anyone actually done that? If so, how does it sound? Does it blow the paltry stereo option out of the water?

Spring too. Don't think Holland was, though. CATP doesn't sound that great, the DW tracks excepted ('cause they were engineered by Steve Desper), but Surf's Up and Sunflower just open up. That said, it's like listening to CD for the first time after decades of hearing vinyl - takes a bit of getting used to.

Should add that this is something I did back in the early 80's using the original US vinyl pressings - not tried it with CD.

[Alex]

What, exactly, is a "Fig Plucker"?

[Jay]

I'm not the fig plucker, nor the fig pluckers son. But I'll pluck figs 'till the fig plucker comes. 

[JK]

I'm not the fig plucker, nor the fig pluckers son. But I'll pluck figs 'till the fig plucker comes. 

In that case, what's a "plig"? :*P

[Jay]

??

[Paulos]

Thanks Andrew, that explains why it sounds so good! Strange that it was recorded in 1982 but i've seen it billed as live 1981? I can't find a  good enough picture of the back cover of 25 Years of Good Vibrations to confirm.

Not billed as 1981 on the back of the Sunkist album.

I just realised where I got that 1981 date from, a certain book written by a certain Beach Boys historian....

[JK]

??

As in "plig f*cker's son" but it's not important so forget I mentioned it.

[egon spengler]

What on earth is the story behind that bizarre "smog" PSA?

[Micha]

Y'all know how Holland for sure and possibly also Sunflower and Surf's Up were engineered and pressed on vinyl for play on a quad setup? Has anyone actually done that? If so, how does it sound? Does it blow the paltry stereo option out of the water?

Spring too. Don't think Holland was, though. CATP doesn't sound that great, the DW tracks excepted ('cause they were engineered by Steve Desper), but Surf's Up and Sunflower just open up. That said, it's like listening to CD for the first time after decades of hearing vinyl - takes a bit of getting used to.

Should add that this is something I did back in the early 80's using the original US vinyl pressings - not tried it with CD.

A friend of mine has an expensive audio setup and claimed if there was a matrix coded quad mix on there, his setup would decode it. And indeed, there was some stuff that was directed to the back speakers, which (my friend said) doesn't happen with pure stereo mixes. But it wasn't a very interesting listening experience, I must say. Probably not the real thing, then.

[GuyOnTheBeach]

I brought the original Brian Wilson album on C.D in a second hand shop today (bargain at £1.99) and I know that Melt Away has a slightly different mix, but regarding the mastering of the album, is it me (or my stereo) or is the album deeper (less treble-y) than the re-issue?

[Roger Ryan]

I brought the original Brian Wilson album on C.D in a second hand shop today (bargain at £1.99) and I know that Melt Away has a slightly different mix, but regarding the mastering of the album, is it me (or my stereo) or is the album deeper (less treble-y) than the re-issue?

It's "muddier" or less defined, so that could make it sound less treble-y. For the record, Rhino did correct the mixes on the reissue but, apparently, very few of the revised discs made it into the marketplace.

[doinnothin]

With the 20/20 "Time to Get Alone" being recorded over the Redwood track, is there a chance that "Never Learn Not to Love" was recorded over the never released Brothers-version of the Manson track?

[GuyOnTheBeach]

I brought the original Brian Wilson album on C.D in a second hand shop today (bargain at £1.99) and I know that Melt Away has a slightly different mix, but regarding the mastering of the album, is it me (or my stereo) or is the album deeper (less treble-y) than the re-issue?

It's "muddier" or less defined, so that could make it sound less treble-y. For the record, Rhino did correct the mixes on the reissue but, apparently, very few of the revised discs made it into the marketplace.

That sounds right, yeah. Now that I have the original I don't mind having the incorrect mixes personally, it's something different I can listen to (however subtle those differences may be) that I wouldn't have otherwise heard.

[Chris Brown]

What on earth is the story behind that bizarre "smog" PSA?

I'm not sure there's much of a story to be had - as far as I know it was just one of Brian's "humor" record experiments, probably just done for kicks, although perhaps a humor record was still in his mind even after Smile?  I'd be curious to hear any other info that may be out there, but I'm not sure there's anything more to tell than that really.

[punkinhead]

I was at the local head shop/record store today and found The Association album that features Mike Love singing Stagger Lee, and I believe it was still in the wrap...worth buying? I didn't have any cash on me at the time...but I'm sure it'll be there when I go back...any opinions about grabbing it or letting it go?

[punkinhead]

I was wondering about the All Star Tribute to BW.
Were any of you poster's there?

I wanna know about the performances that weren't televised/on dvd, which are mainly the Pet Sounds album performances. I really wanna hear those artists perform these, dern shame that part wasn't released in any way.

[punkinhead]

Is there a clean mix of Sound of Free out there? Besides the one on the "Landlocked" package?
I think there's a lot in that backing track we're not hearing. Perhaps just the original 45 would make it more audible? We know how easy it is to find that Dennis Wilson single with Rumbo. 

[Paulos]

I recently heard a song called Happy Birthday America that has Mike on lead but can't find any information on it, can someone help please?

[MBE]

I was at the local head shop/record store today and found The Association album that features Mike Love singing Stagger Lee, and I believe it was still in the wrap...worth buying? I didn't have any cash on me at the time...but I'm sure it'll be there when I go back...any opinions about grabbing it or letting it go?

Get it because it's rare. Musically it's a mediocre oldies remake.

[rab2591]

Is the notion that 'Look!'s only purpose was to aid Brian in creating 'Good Vibrations' merely speculation? or is there documented proof in an interview or elsewhere that backs this claim?

[punkinhead]

I was thinkin about how the Pet Sounds liner notes describe who played what instrument for each song, yet not too many other albums give us this kind of information. I think 15 Big Ones has it on the back of the album, I'm sure there's a couple of other albums with the players/instruments.

Anyways, I was wondering if we could get a "Definitive Instrument/Player Thread" going. Even if we can't get who played what on some of the later albums or so, we could at least get what instruments were on each song by listening. Just thought I'd throw that idea out there.