Brian Wilson's Secret Bedroom Tapes - LA Weekly 1-30-14

[Jim V.]

My understanding is that a track-by-track follow-up article for the next LA Weekly is being prepared even as I type.

That's "type" as in this post, not the article: I know what some of you are like for jumping to unwarranted conclusions, you little tinkers... 

Oooo exciting! Ok, now this is stupid, but I'm not familiar with LA Weekly. But, as you say this is gonna be in the next one, does that mean like this week??? I sure hope so!

[alf wiedersehen]

My understanding is that a track-by-track follow-up article for the next LA Weekly is being prepared even as I type.

That's "type" as in this post, not the article: I know what some of you are like for jumping to unwarranted conclusions, you little tinkers... 

Oooo exciting! Ok, now this is stupid, but I'm not familiar with LA Weekly. But, as you say this is gonna be in the next one, does that mean like this week??? I sure hope so!

I'm assuming that it'll be put out on Thursday of this week. I say this because this one was released on the 30th, which was a Thursday.

[stack-o-tracks]

I'd like to hear the stuff. I can't imagine there being a point to this article other than a heads up that a release of it will happen in the future.

It's like discovering there's a bunch of new parts of the holy bibble written by Jesus himself but never letting anybody ever read it. Just sitting in a room near the Bob Hope Airport growing old like the rest of us. 

[Bean Bag]

One way to approach a release like this is to package it with another, well known album.  I'm thinking of something like Clapton's Give Me Strength:  The '74/'75 Recordings.  Take note Capitol Records, that this was also 6 discs. 5 CDs/1 Blu-Ray and $65.  Not $140!!!.  Understand?  I digress...

But I don't know what Beach Boy album you could/would want to pair this with -- just a thought.  (I know, don't give them any ideas!)  So with that, a straight up The Beach Boys:  Brian Wilson's Bedroom Sessions box would be ideal.  One that cleverly plays upon and exploits the reclusive indulgence therein, beautifully packaged around that theme.  Go to town.  Win a fcking grammy, while you're at it.



Here's a pic of Clapton's excellent 74/75 sessions box...

[The Shift]

But I don't know what Beach Boy album you could/would want to pair this with…

Hmm…  I guess it would have to be 15BOs and/or Love You. Love You would fit better, especially if the Love You demos could be tidied into the package neatly. Many many discs then!

[Bean Bag]

Yeah... but I'd love a Love You box set release that focuses on:  Love You, 15 big'uns, Adult Child, MIU -- and anything else that might have happened during the "Brian is Back" era.  That seems like a more sensible way of getting Adult Child out.  A 76-79 box.

To me... this bedroom period (68-74) is kind of a total mess of stuff. It's post-SMiLE, Wild Honey, Smiley, Friends, 20/20, Old man river, Brother Records, Danny Hutton, Spring, Charles fcking Manson, Warner Bro., Sunflower, Carl & the Passions, Holland, Surf's Down... It's just a big blob of everything and nothing.  So maybe my idea sux.  



EDIT:  Actually, maybe it's spread out on several "expanded album" box sets, that are all the rage these days.  An expanded box for Smiley Smile, which includes Wild Honey and all sorts of bedroom stuff.  And then an expanded Friends or 20/20 that includes both of those albums and related bedroom material.  Then one for Sunflower or Surf's Up... which includes both of those albums and Holland, with all the related bedroom material.

So that's 3 box sets I just created for Capitol!  

EDIT EDIT:  4 boxes, including the Love You box.

[Sheriff John Stone]

You have approximately 60 titles. Some of them are probably short snippets, and even if they are full length BW songs, they are probably only 2:00 or 2:30 long, maybe 3:00. Some of them might not be releasable.

I would think you could make a nice package out of two 80 minute CD's. Go with 2 CD's, a regular sized jewel case that holds 2 CD's, a chronological approach, and a nice booklet with infornmative liner notes (dates, musicians, etc.). It could be titled The Beach Boys - Brian's Bedroom Tapes.

[Bean Bag]

I agree Sheriff, but I just created 3, $70 boxsets for Capitol records out of this material -- against your one $20 "fans only" 2-disc set.  

Strangely enough, I might actually prefer the box sets?  

I really liked the Clapton 74/75 set, even though I have the two albums it "expands."  It anchors it, perhaps?  In the case of Made In California box, I think the first disc of 60's hits has been done to death -- so I stand by my criticism of that box.  But these 70s albums could use the exposure.

[The Shift]

To me... this bedroom period (68-74) is kind of a total mess of stuff. It's post-SMiLE, Wild Honey, Smiley, Friends, 20/20, Old man river, Brother Records, Danny Hutton, Spring, Charles fcking Manson, Warner Bro., Sunflower, Carl & the Passions, Holland, Surf's Down... It's just a big blob of everything and nothing

This is the problem.  The coining of the phrase Bedroom Tapes is convenient purely from a future marketing point of view but the fact is that what looks likely to be gathered together under that terms spans a whole mess of different years and projects.  It's pretty wide-ranging and probably inaccurate to lump it all togetehr in that way.

My understanding is that a track-by-track follow-up article for the next LA Weekly is being prepared even as I type.

It's a shame that this wasn't alluded to in the text, or even plugged at the foot of Part One of the feature… surely someone missed a trick in the marketing department there?

Looking forward to it though…

[Andrew G. Doe]

My understanding is that a track-by-track follow-up article for the next LA Weekly is being prepared even as I type.

It's a shame that this wasn't alluded to in the text, or even plugged at the foot of Part One of the feature… surely someone missed a trick in the marketing department there?

Looking forward to it though…

Tricky to allude to or plug something that didn't exist at the time. When published, 'Part One' was, in fact, 'The Only Part'.

[The Shift]

Curiouser and curiouser said Alex … or something…

It's almost as if someone on this LA Weekly reads this board … as if that were possible…

[bgas]

One way to approach a release like this is to package it with another, well known album.  I'm thinking of something like Clapton's Give Me Strength:  The '74/'75 Recordings. 

HUh!!  You had me there. at first I thought yu meant Capitol should pair it with  a  Clapton recording....   

Curiouser and curiouser said Alex … or something…

It's almost as if someone on this LA Weekly reads this board … as if that were possible…

As if ANYONE in LA can read....   Please use some sense before posting, John!

[mikeddonn]

The packaging for the CDs could be in the shape of a bed.  The 'covers' would lift up to reveal some lovely CDs inside.  A tray could slide out the other end, containing the hardback book.  Remember where you read it first BRI!

[The Shift]

The packaging for the CDs could be in the shape of a bed.  The 'covers' would lift up to reveal some lovely CDs inside.  A tray could slide out the other end, containing the hardback book.  Remember where you read it first BRI!

Nah. I'd think more along the lines of Metal Box, only as a circular metal ashtray instead of a tape canister.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

[SurfRiderHawaii]

The original artwork by Koren Shadmi

[bossaroo]

The packaging for the CDs could be in the shape of a bed.  The 'covers' would lift up to reveal some lovely CDs inside.  A tray could slide out the other end, containing the hardback book.  Remember where you read it first BRI!

YES.

[Alan Smith]

The packaging for the CDs could be in the shape of a bed.  The 'covers' would lift up to reveal some lovely CDs inside.  A tray could slide out the other end, containing the hardback book.  Remember where you read it first BRI!

I was thinking a digi-pack in the shape of Brian in his bathrobe, ala the RR shot from the Tom Nolan article - the CD label could be a shot of his hairy gut, which fits snuggly into the robe

[Ron]

I haven't read the article, did they call up Brian and ask him about it?  That would take the article from 'cool' to 'legendary' and I'll bet Brian would do it.  LA Weekly, he lives in LA, he loves sh*t like that.  Call him up!

[Menace Wilson]

My understanding is that a track-by-track follow-up article for the next LA Weekly is being prepared even as I type.

Nothing to see here...I just peed a little, that's all.

[Bean Bag]

 

[KittyKat]

Would Brian even like the idea of calling it "The Bedroom Tapes"? I'd have to think he's had it up to here with the crazy Brian Wilson thing. If Brian doesn't mind, I think Melinda Wilson would. Besides which, he didn't work in his bedroom, but the living room. That's where his studio and piano were located. Maybe they could call it "10452 Bellagio. "

[The Shift]

Would Brian even like the idea of calling it "The Bedroom Tapes"? I'd have to think he's had it up to here with the crazy Brian Wilson thing. If Brian doesn't mind, I think Melinda Wilson would. Besides which, he didn't work in his bedroom, but the living room. That's where his studio and piano were located. Maybe they could call it "10452 Bellagio. "

Some guy's already patented that title for one of those "no comment allowed" info websites…

[Yorick]

I can't believe everybody seems to believe this material is probably going to be released. I would love to see it released, but we gotta be very realistic. A boxset full of demos in the vein of Still I Dream Of It and California Feeling '74 is just not going to happen. The material is so rough. It's just interesting for the diehard fans like us. But I don't think it's ever going to get a full blown major label release...

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I...wouldn't be surprised if some of those songs are heard in some shape or form when the movie comes out...