The Smiley Smile Message Board

My apologies for taking so long, and for initiating such detailed speculation.   Here is my report.  Sorry I donʻt have more details on whatʻs on the box set.

1. The new Box set is called "50 Big Ones".  All my info on the box set came from Al (so take that for what itʻs worth).
   a. I got the distinct impression that there will only be 50 songs.  I may be wrong on this but thatʻs what I came away thinking I heard.
   b. They are recording new material for the box set.  I got the impression it will be kinda like ʻlive in the studioʻ.  Al said they were going to do a slowed down version of "Waves of Love"
   c. No more solo albums for Al.  He was pretty adamant about that.  He mentioned he and David Marks had played some and an acoustic thing with Dave might be fun.
   d. According to Al, "WIBNTLA" IS NOT GOING TO BE ON THE BOX SET.  In fact, his reaction was he didnʻt know the song.  He could have been pulling my leg but I donʻt think so. I told him it was
      a Dennis song pulled from "Surfʻs Up" and he truly  seemed  baffled. He said "maybe itʻs one owned by Guercio".  I told him the fans REALLY, REALLY want it released. He then repeated the  
      title back to me four times, so he would remember it he said,  and said he would check it out.  Shook my hand and then he boarded the tour bus.

2. Talked to David next.  He was really nice.  Looked great!  He wasnʻt happy with the instrument mix for the show.  We talked some guitar playing stuff.  Great guy!

3. Talked to Stan Love and how he used to kick my ass when we played in the Redondo High summer gym pick-up games.  Met his family.

4. Next, in search of my date; found Mr. Mike Love.  Yes, the next Mike/Bruce tour is booked.  Donʻt think Al is gonna be on it, nor Brian of course.  It was an experience, interacting with Mr. Love, Iʻll never forget; and leave it at that.

5. Next, talked to Bruce about England (I did an USN/RN exchange there for 2 1/2 years in the 80ʻs). Bruce loves England. Talked about his son at Oxford.  He is really proud of his kids. Talked surfing, beer/Pacifico (Bruce says he has two a year), his heart -1000%, talked surfing in Kona.

6. Brian - went straight from the stage to the tour bus - front seat by the driver.  When I saw him his eyes were always closed.  He seems tired to me.

(http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu268/surfriderhi/photo.jpg)

Sorry I donʻt have more details. Well, I do but they are not music related.

I would bet AGD knows much, much more than I.  But Al didnʻt swear me to secrecy so there ya go.








Original Post:
A little pressed for time right now but will follow up with full report (in transit back to Hawaii).

Somehow, I managed to get backstage and talk to the band members (and not because I played pick-up basketball back in the day against Stan Love - ironically, my seat was right behind him).

Anyway, talked to all the band members and got the lowdown on new recordings, the box set - the title is" ..........." teaser I know, future solo work by Al, WIBNTLA....... Even some juicy stuff/backstage hijinks I can't even post here (ever).

More to follow.

One tidbit - The Mike/Bruce show have their next tour booked and it sounds like they will be rolling early in the new year.

Ok, another.  Brian looks pooped. No onstage banter with Mike or anyone. Al tried to talk to him once but he just sang and played like a pro.  He looks 'over it'!

The Oregon bugs attacked his lighted teleprompter late in the show and that seemed to really deflate his energy. He didn't hang backstage - went right to the tour bus and sat in the front seat, next to the driver, and just closed his eyes.

 I think his (audible) banter with other people on stage occured in like about four out of the 50+ dates so far. Not that anything has changed, really.

Arrgh. If you can't ever post it, why mention it?  :wall

Well, there are friends on here who email me.................

Bottom line - it's still ..., ..... and rock and roll.  I don't wanna get sued.

Yawn..Who cares?

The courts are crammed with lawsuits based on message board postings, I tell you!

Wow, that was a lot of surprising news that you didn't even talk about. I swear to God, I have a love hate relationship with this board. You people and your stupid little secrets that you say you have but are never allowed to talk about or discuss because "rules are rules". Why even have an effing board if we can't share new information that comes up because of fears of "getting sued"? Why even bring it up? You people appall me sometimes.

Yeah! Tell us about the remasters before innocent people throw their money away on Japanese imports!

I'd at least like to know IF we are getting what we think we are from the remasters.

Well that was a posted filled with no and bad news

Surprising news and observations
none here... so this is one step form a troll post...
if you can't say what you heard you shouldn't have made this post.

do yourself a favour and delete this whole thing if you can... ??? :-\

It was sick, man! People were popping Aleve like candy and even PRESCRIPTION anti-inflammatories... I saw this one guy slamming down Geritol before kissing a woman FULL ON THE LIPS! There was even displays of ankle. I haven't seen this kind of debauchery since the old Joe Franklin tv show...

The roadies had things like this in FULL SIGHT of children:

(http://www.djshahar.com/ladj/party_packages/components/mic-stand.jpg)

I think it's some kind of fancy drugs pipe, as I overheard one guy say he "thought he smelled drugs" but it "probably wasn't as good as the stuff we used to get."

To be fair, he did basically announce that WIBNTLA will be released on the upcoming box set and the new album that'll be out soon. 

It was the sex,drugs and rock and roll bullshit.. Who gives a toss.

he said he's gonna follow up with a full report, cut him some slack !

Well this is about three minutes I'll never get back.... :P

I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt here...color me interested. Let's wait for the full report.

Only if, you know... He doesn't get sued.

I can see it now at the BB camp: "Someone call our best lawyers right away, someone by the alias of SurfRiderHawaii witnessed a night backstage and he's going to tell EVERYONE about it! NOBODY HAS ANY RIGHT TO SHARE STORIES ABOUT THEIR BACKSTAGE EXPERIENCES. STOP THE TOUR. WE MUST DO SOMETHING NOW."

(https://distilleryimage7.s3.amazonaws.com/b0c503eacedf11e1ad821231381b3c05_7.jpg)

No Decaf?  :o

SurfRider clearly said he'll get around to it when he's not in transit. I agree it's a bit of a tease but I'm very much anticipating the full story (or however much he feels comfortable to divulge).

Sheesh, the impatience of some people ::)

Ok...I'm out of the loop on a few things.  While we wait for the report, can someone fill me in on

1.  WIBNTLA???  What the funk is this?

2.  Box set???!!???   :o

3.  And did someone mention "new album?"  What?!

 ??? ???

I know about the Japanese remasters...

First i was excited when i read the post, but ended up thinking it was a bit useless.

1. "Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again."  An outtake from the Surf's Up album, written by Dennis. Never been booted. The few that have heard it say it's a masterpiece.

2. There's been talk of a new, 5oth Anniversary box set coming out this fall since the reunion started.

3. Brian, Mike and Al have all indicated at one point or another that they're interested in more new Beach Boys material seeing the light of day.

Oh wow!  Thanks for the info.

Whether it's all true and stuff...what a fugging time to be a Beach Boys fan, eh!!?!?  Wow.  Did you ever imagine such a day... :'(  <-- Tears of joyful disbelief



...So I wonder, does "more new material" mean new "old stuff" or new 2012 recordings??!!  I really hope it's new recordings!  I'm loving TWGMTR.  Keep it coming!!!!

hopefully the "full report" will give us new infos!

..... & Rock'n'Roll ??

Well, Brian takes prescribtion drugs and I wouldn't be surprised if Bruce has to do so too because of his heart surgery a couple of years back. And his on stage behavior only can be explained with him being high  ;D

I'd be a little confused over the sex thing though. I mean Taylor isn't on tour with them so what else is there....?   :p

(http://distilleryimage4.instagram.com/c4912688b28311e1b2fe1231380205bf_7.jpg)

Taylor who?

Taylor Milf..erm...Mills..... 

Well, this just became creepy!  :lol

With respect to Mike's wife I imagine he's got a few numbers since the start of this tour..

My only interest in this thread is credible information about the artistic output and plans of the band.  Dave has said too--even published in the Zine pack--that he hopes for more albums.  Obviously, with this great success, the label and the band, with all sorts of songs ready, near ready, and perhaps in their hearts and heads, must be seriously contemplating another album.  That's a given, and Mike confirmed that.  I will not tune into any gossip about sex, scandal, medicines and all that. I find that inquiry embarrassing.  Art, detailed production information, and the critical and human responses we all have and encounter are all I will engage with.

Now an anxious community knows where I stand.

If WIBNTLA hasn't been booted, where did I hear it, then?  Or is there a song with a similar lyric line that I could be thinking of, sung by Dennis?  Whatever song it was, it was not that spectacular. 

As far as I know...only a very few people have ever heard this track.  I've considered it my Holy Grail of unreleased Beach Boys music for years.  It was done as a cover several years back and appeared on a Carl/Dennis tribute CD.

Other than that...all I can say is God bless Brian.  The man has been to hell and back...yet he's still out there.  He is a true example of the resilience of the human spirit.

Adam Marsland did a cover of it on his band's live tribute to Dennis and Carl CD...

Ah, perhaps I heard the cover version.  Thanks.

Believe it was also played at a convention years back… sadly I wasn't there.

You might be thinking of 'All Alone' where Denny sings, "If I could live my life again..."

Who ever said love could die?

Who ever said a man can't cry?

ho hum and la dee frickin' dah!

It seems that the amount of actual, real BB's news is in direct inverse proportion to the number of cr@p threads.

I love mathematics. ;)

Hi SurfRider. You put what you heard about the box set and the inclusion of WIBNTLA in a different category than the "backstage hijinks"-type of personal things that you don't feel free to post, so I hope you will follow through and tell us what you learned about the former, the most important topic now under discussion on this board (hopefully the hostility of some of the previous comments won't dissuade you). To prevaricate after dropping these tantalizing tidbits would constitute flakery of a high order, and thank you in advance as we await news with eager anticipation, upon your convenience.

He's a troll, he's a troll, he's a living troll...

I think we're all slightly missing the point here. Without this thread, how would we have ever known that he was able to go backstage???

ding ding ding!  Exactly what I thought as soon as he posted it. 

"hey guys, I have nothing important that I can or will actually share, but I wanted you to know I got to go backstage."

The real question is: From what we've heard of "I'll Go Anywhere" who wants THAT released (with the rest of the suite)!!

EDIT: before you all ask
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CJ5qxFKfJM
36:07

How do we know that's "I'll Go Anywhere"?

The vocals reprise "Think about the days" and the vocal goes with the line "I'll go anywhere"

Thought someday said it was Bruce recording the new version of She Believes In Love Again?

Yes that was me but I said that the video is, not the audio.

Much confusing.

that sounds absolutely nothing like She Believes in Love Again.

Ha, funny.  But this quite could...........

Workin on it.  Want to make sue I'm remembering what I was told and get it down in a better than my usual writing style.

Guess what I was trying to say is that boys will be boys.  It involved ME personally and I was not pleased.  My point is, for some people/band member, don't change..................

You're a teasier tease than the thread about Getcha Back being a tease.

..... ttttttt. (t's)

I'll tell ya', hijinks aside...I like hearing the news about the box set and the inclusion of Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again!  I've been waiting a long time to hear that track.  It's like my Holy Grail of lost Beach Boys songs.  I hope they do the box set right...but I know they're trying to appeal to two different groups: the casual fan looking for all of the hits in one place and the obsessives like us who are after the obscure and arcane.  Aren't there already enough greatest hits packages out there?  I don't need another copy "I Get Around" but bust open the vaults...hold nothing back....heck...I'm almost salivating at the prospect!!!

I remember reading in the recent Rolling Stone article that Bruce had, in fact, recorded a new version of this track...and my first thought was why?  Actually...I'm still wondering...

Id rather hear about music we're gettin.

Yes, like the "Professor", I don't care anything about backstage hijinks, just the facts, ma'am. I see that the original poster is perusing this thread right now, so hope that he is not merely "trolling" (seen his name here before, seemingly linked to solid content). We might be at a moment of revelation, akin to Al letting the TSS info slip out.

Yes, my report will be all about BB music.

Sorry everybody, I'm traveling the Oregon Coast, don't have internet most of the time....... It's coming.

Another for starters:

New box set is called, (yes, somebody already hit the nail here on the board) " 50 Big Ones "

Nice.  Here's hopin' the "50" just stands for the number of years the band has been together, and not the number of tracks that will be included...(we need more than 50).

Appreciate your sharing the title here (& hope you don't have to endure fallout for your honesty) but more concerned with the unreleased material to be included, which you mentioned in your initial post, thereby voluntarily incurring our scrutiny and curiosity.

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

OMG !!
Well, as long as it's just these small things that don't work so well in this whole reunion/anniversary thing, I'm fine... What a dumb title....  ;D  ;D


Thanks SurfRider for your report(s)!

all the time you're spending posting about how you don't have time to post, you could be posting information.

He said he's trying to get it all in the form he wants and make sure it's written well, which is hard to do on the fly. Hopefully it will eventually be worth the wait. Take your time, buddy.

Uh oh, sounds like Mike was sexting and Brian was doing bath salts!

Havn't heard the song in years and couldn't care less about it.

Look at you, cool guy.

Mmmh not really, no.

I was just saying. but obviously there's always a need here to get on your high horse.


Anyway i like what i'm hearin', hopefully it'll be for the next album.

Insinuating that there was drug should be enough to piss off those invested in the comeback brand.

SurfRiderHawaii, thank you for sharing with us, I appreciate it greatly and look forward to your full report.

I hope 50 Big Ones turns out to a Smile Sessions-esqe 5 disc set of 15 Big Ones material.

They're all on lipitor.

Yes!

SurfRider, Please tell us that the '74 California Feeling demo will be on it as well. I actually have even more interest in Dennis' "I've Got a Friend" studio instrumental track, but there isn't a chance in hell....

Why not? You never know. Hell, if they'll put Punchline on a boxset....

Stranger things have happened, it's true, esp. If Alan Boyd is guiding the selection of bonus cuts, but he may well justifiably feel he has gone above and beyond the call of duty with TSS and all his previous herculean efforts, and, given his recent illness, be taking a well-deserved hiatus from the archival fray. Knowing him, though, this would be a capper to all that came before and a difficult project to turn down, if he's up to it health-wise. Heartening to see that he will be participating in the Adam Marsland Chaos Band concert on Aug 3. So glad that you're on the mend, Alan!

Well, not to be a stick in the mud, but he didn't *exactly* say WIBNTLA in the *same* frame as the box set itself. My only fear is that the band gets some nutty ass idea to somehow desecrate the original track and "finish" it up as a new track. Didn't Joe Thomas make reference to an "unreleased Dennis song" as potential, future band fodder? I'm not against finishing up tracks, in principal, when they're just shells to begin with, but everything we've been told is that this is already a glorious, dense, full-blown production -- missing only a guitar solo that's really not all that missed. Vintage perfection.

Then again, if the OP *is*implying that they're finally going to release it on the box set, well, that would indeed be fab! :)

OMG just put the Adam version in the original key MIND BLOWN

I'd like that.  A lot, actually.

Now I'm sweaty.  And that's not just the bath salts talking.

After all this hype, "50 Big Ones" better be a boxset of 50 cds of unreleased material!!

I'd love to see that too!

We Gotta Groove, complete Love You/15BO backing tracks, Runnin' Bear, Calendar Girl (I think this was recorded a couple years later, but still), Sea Cruise, lots of pictures of BW wearing his messianic robe, alternative mix of 15BO, That Special Feelin', Love You demos, Shortenin' Bread x3, Adult/Child... What's not to like?

What's interesting is that some of the best stuff wasn't used for 15 Big Ones. Shake, rattle & roll, the original Rock'n'Roll music and more...

Absolutely agree.

Personally, I don't mind the overall concept of 15BO at all but the actual album definitely suffers from poor song selection and some equally poor production/mixing choices... (I love the Moog, mind you!) Could've been a lot better...

"Michael Row the Boat Ashore" is another nice outtake that comes to mind.

So in the first post of this thread, the poster is "in transit back to Hawaii" from Oregon, and then two days later, the poster is "traveling the Oregon coast"?  Hmmm.

An international man of mystery!

50 Big Ones is kind of an obvious, but lame, name...though to be honest...the content is all that matters and to complain about the title is just my attempt to be funny!  I just hope they can come up with a better cover than "15 Big Ones" had...which looks like something that a highschool kid did in art class (sorry, Dean)....though it is an Olympic year...so maybe they could tie in the interlocked rings?

oh god

50 Big Ones is the name of the 50th reunion's (tour/album/etc...) production company, and has been for at least six months if not a year. Surprised nobody here knows that.

Right. Howie mentioned that a while ago.

BTW, this is the worst thread ever.

Odd.
Doesn't he wanna go straight to hawaii (hawaii) hawaii (hawaii), straight to hawaii (hawaii, hawaii)?

Perhaps he's Chuck Williams, the World's Most Interesting Man.

waiting and waiting

(http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/23639867.jpg)

What's interesting about some old alcoholic duffer with a scruffy face, trying to look tough by making a fist and squinting one eye?

I'm calling this post "Japan is Crazy about the Beach Boys Part 2a."

Is this guy Kenny Rogers' dad?

 >:D

well well well

This title - if it is the title of the upcoming release -  naturally brings to mind the 2 CD Stones compilation of 2002, Forty Licks. The release of FL was timed for the start of a year-long Stones tour and thanks partly to that - and thanks to the fact it was full of mostly classic Stones tracks (first time their pre-1971 hits were on an album with their post-1971 ones) instead of boring new stuff, it was a huge success, going to #2 on the US and UK charts and #1 on some of the European charts. The Capitol brass may have it in mind.

The problem here is that the Beach Boys equivalent, if it is 50 tracks, could essentially consist of the ones on Sounds Of Summer, 15 or so tracks that were featured on this tour, and maybe something like WIBNTLA, or some '60s song in its first true stereo mix, thrown in. Which would not be all that thrilling. 

True, it wouldn't be all that thrilling to us diehards.

But, as a compilation for casual or new fans, I think a 2 CD "best of" has a lot of potential. If it is done right - meaning the right songs are selected - a 50 song, 2 CD comp in a single jewel case with a budget price would be a great buy.

Can anyone think of any other major group like The Beach Boys who could fit 50 songs on 2 CD's and have them all be quality. There's only a couple. I know I'm biased but that could be the greatest 2 CD comp ever issued. I'd love a shot at compiling it. Hey, Capitol Records, I'll even work for free! :-D

I hear ya.  When you do the math...what are we really talking about here.  50 tracks is really about two CDs.  90% hits.  Maybe a few "obscure" tracks.  Then one bone for the fans, like WIBNTLA.  Probably a few new stereo mixes (which are always welcome).  But nothing earth shattering.  No entirely new concerts, or great swaths of previously unreleased stuff.  No adult child.  And certainly nothing we haven't heard of.

Can you imagine though?  Oh, the pressure.  "Dude...how can you leave off Fairy Tale music!?!?! Such a missed opportunity!!!"

That would be my complaint.   ;D

Two CDs wouldn't be a box set, though, would it? A new best-of *and* a new box set was what was announced, I think -- I could easily see a 50-song double-CD best of being the latest compilation, but I don't see the new box set being only 50 tracks.

Who said that "50 Big Ones" would be only 50 tracks?  Wouldn't the '50' indicate the number of years?  Sure, the '15' in "15 Big Ones" was both for years and individual tracks, but that was a new album and not an overall career retrospective. 

My guess is that we'll see a release along the lines of what we saw with TSS: a comprehensive box set and a smaller 2-CD set.  Except this time, the special offer with the surfboard would actually make more sense...

As for the cause of this thread...in the past, there were times I was privy to juicy news in another fan community.  I either posted it right away or kept my yap shut.  I've known of people who were offline who called another fan and relayed the info for that person to post.  It's not nice to tease, ever, even if you genuinely do not have the time to means to post.  Just sayin'. 

stop chasing this smoke screen; this thread has provided zero information--someone wake me if real information appears here, please.

That's why no one knows if it's gonna be a best of or all the albums or something else :( title doesn't say much this time.

Break open the vaults, man!  Not many bands make it to 50 years.  Let's get all the rarities out there.  A two-disc best-of for the "Endless Summer" folks who just want to rock out to "I Get Around" and "Kokomo" and then a decently sized boxed set of outtakes, unreleased tracks new stereo mixes and all sorts of odds and sods.  It'll never happen...but one can hope, right!

remember, the original box was called '30 years ...'

it had more than 50 songs, remember?

do we all believe that '50 Big Ones' is the title ?

The original set wasn't half bad at the time for the amount of rare and unreleased music that it included.  If the same folks are in charge of compiling the new releases (and I hope they are) I have faith we'll have some good stuff to talk about and listen to!  I thought the Holy Grail would be WIBNTLA...but on another thread Desper claims that the band had a version of Sail On, Sailor recorded BEFORE the band left for Holland with Carl on lead vox.  He doesn't know what happened to the band's copy (his is in storage) but I would be BLOWN AWAY to hear that.  If you haven't followed that thread find it.  Fascinating discussion on that song and its genesis.

not half bad !??!

it was like a dream come true at the time. SMiLE for the first time, all those outtakes ...

I guess time has blunted my excitement slightly!  Yes, it deserved more than just a "not half bad".  I stand corrected.

Well.  So far the best thing I've learned from this thread, is that Mike Love was hanging out with Jessica Simpson on the set of her "Boots" video back in the day apparently. 

Original post updated

#1 really has me down now. I guess I'll never know what WIBNTLA and California Feelin' 1974 sound like. That...sucks.

Thank you SurfRiderHawaii !

Doesn't sound liek a very interesting box set for sure... Wel, let's wait

Thanks for the update. Maybe Al doesn't have all the info on the new box set? Maybe things are still being put together? Hey, we never thought there would be a SMILE box. Look at the love and care that was put into that!

Let's keep our hopes up that we'll get a real surprise with the new box set. It's time for me to meditate... :tm

Just because Al doesn't know the song, It doesn't mean WIBNTLA won't be on the box set. Remember, the guys who are compiling it know the song and how badly we want it. Fingers crossed.

Al also said that Do You Like Worms wasn't the song people were telling him it was

Let's wait and see  :lol

Iʻm just sayin ʻAl said it isnʻt on thereʻ.  Obviously, I REALLY hope it is!!!!!!!  Hope Al is wrong too.

Yeah, Brian obviously doesnʻt like "Waves of Love".  Dump it for "WIBNTLA"?

And Al also said it was HIM he sang Daddy Dear!!!

Because he did. Of course, there are two voices on there...

uh ... 50 songs isn't a box set, so I'd say that cannot be correct. i'm sure there's some kind of confusion there.

interesting stuff, but i'm taking it all as rumor really.

I think listening to Al for definitive details on this sort of thing is probably silly.

We were promised a comprehensive, career-spanning box. And a new hits collection. 50 Big Ones, a 2-CD set (at most) would clearly not be the former. It could well be the latter.

I am interested if, in this swirl of report (yes, I admit i am interested) we have any sense of a new studio album; that's the one question  I would ask anyone if I had an audience; I want a comprehensive catalogue, yes, but I want another "BB album." Don't you?

Al doesn't know what WIBNTLA is! How is he supposed to confirm a song he doesn't know about is on a boxset he isn't compiling.... I guess the band aren't so involved in the work for the boxset at this time because they're touring, but the people who are actually working on it are considering WIBNTLA (See Ponghits 'meeting Alan Boyd' thread).

Plus, Al is a ditz, god love him.

50 Big Ones is such a lame-ass title for a box set...  :-\ and I don't have high hopes for it, either. 95% of it we will already have. Maybe 1-2 unreleased tracks, a few new stereo mixes, and the rest of the box set will be comprised of the usual singles and album cuts. Anything else would be a huge suprise.

Meanwhile, my hopes for cool archival releases are fading quickly...  :-\

"I think listening to Al for definitive details on this sort of thing is probably silly."

Yup.  Like Bruce saying Little Girl... was on Summer Days...

I must applaud fans that dare talking to band members about our very own fanboy stuff. I wouldn't dare to ask any of them about what's included in a box set after a 3 hour long Reunion Concert. Different strokes, it seems.

In the end, no news good or bad.





And I'll take a NEW STUDIO BEACH BOYS ALBUM over some hyped-up outtake, no matter how good it actually is, that will eventually see the light of day anyways.

Oh my, you must be channeling Phil. ;) Be patient. Worry when there's a reason to worry. Plus, who knows, maybe Al got the compilation and box set confused.

Thing is: 50 Big Ones won't be the title for an actual box of (hitherto unreased) archive material. Right? So.. where's the news on stuff from the archives?  ???

It's most likely that 50 Big Ones will turn out to be a 'little brother' to the GV box set (1993). A couple of new mixes, maybe a few unreleased songs but the majority of it will be the Sounds of Summer tracklist (with a few more 80s and 90 tracks thrown in).

I'll wait and see what finally gets released before I'm up in arms...but the Beach Boys do have a history of shooting themselves in the foot...just sayin'...

A year from now, when we're all buzzing about track possibilities on The Next Album (TM) -- Al Jardine will give an interview insisting that "Waves of Love" will be on it as well.

Me too.  At some point, we can always get the unreleased stuff.  But we're not going to get new stuff for much longer.  If there's a window open right now for NEW RECORDINGS  :o -- by golly....git'er done!!!!!!

Hey SurfRider, thanks for the update!  VERY interesting!

So, that was the backstage hijink that went previously undisclosed?

She's either not the right girl for you or that's a lot to forgive.

Well, as noted, Al hadn't even heard of the song, so I wouldn't put too much stock into his statement  being the sole determinant of whether or not it's going to be released on the upcoming box....or in the future. Hey...he'll "check it out."  :)

Thus, if a final track line-up for this box even exists (which I seriously doubt, considering the "recording new material" comment), I'd reckon Al doesn't even fully know what that is yet in terms of specifics. Rather, it just sounds like he was making a vague and general acknowledgment of the box set's release, with only some details (e.g. its title).

I mean, when the Smile box was first announced, Al mentioned that it was his impression that "more recording" was necessary to bring it to full fruition. So....grain of salt.

I'm certain the box set will be the definitive collection of Beach Boys tracks. No reason why it shouldn't be now. Probably won't be cheap either, but I'm sure most of us will be buying it.

What would be "the definitive collection" for you? How would it be more (...) definitive than the GV box set? What constitutes "definitive", anyway?  ;)

No one has EVER said the boxed set would be all unreleased archival material.

No, of course not. And I didn't imply that, either.  ??? The new career-spanning box set and the archival release(s) are supposed to be two different things.
What I wanted to point out is the fact that another box set (next to the '93 GV set and Sounds of Summer) naturally won't contain anything really 'new' to us, while there's still no word on releases of archive material, i.e. actually unreleased stuff (which was originally announced).

Well, I would expect a large -- five-plus disc -- "career-spanning" set. Given that it won't duplicate GV exactly, we could see a few rarities on that.

As for archival releases, you seem to be wrong. There is nothing in the original press release talking about unreleased material. This is the quote:

"The Beach Boys and Capitol/EMI have also teamed up for a 50th Anniversary campaign spotlighting the band's entire catalog, with several new commemorative releases planned for 2012, including a new hits collection and a career-spanning box set."

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-beach-boys-announce-50th-anniversary-reunion-new-album-and-tour-135732438.html

Rarities, yes - but those will (in most cases) not be hitherto unreleased. I'd be surprised if there would be more than 2 or 3 genuinely 'new' tracks on that big new box set.

Yes, that was the official press release. But, as far as I recall, there was talk from various BBs camp representatives indicating 2012 releases of stuff that has been in the archives for decades, for example entire concerts.
I admit that I do not have the respective sources at hand right now. But I can't be the only one here that was under the impression that aforementioned archival releases were hinted at by sources from/near the BBs camp? Weird.. but well, okay, if such stuff was never planned for 2012 in the first place, than I'll still be content with the new LP, new DVD and tour.  :) Because I'm certainly not buying another box set (especially in times of individually available tracks online, should there be interesting 'new' stuff on 50 Big Ones). Bummer.

There was a lot of discussion here about such things ... but I don't know if anyone connected with the 50th anniversary releases was even posting on this board at the time the press release came out. There were threads and threads on the topic, and it was confirmed that tapes of full concerts exist, but I don't know that anyone ever said they were being actively auditioned for release this year. (Could someone prove me wrong on this?)

I'd love it if the vaults were emptied ... but the release explicitly promises a grand total of three things. 1.) New studio album. 2.) New hits package. 3.) New boxed set. As for commemorative releases, things like the Wal-Mart zine-pack and the Readers' Digest edition of TWGMTR surely qualify. We've also gotten fairly firm word of some sort of new live special coming our way in the fall.

Given that Capitol probably doesn't want to overload the market with Beach Boys product, and given that the year is halfway over, I would bet that what the press release promises is what happens. Hits set, boxed set, live special. And that seems like it.

I didn't mean to say that somebody on this board posted something along the lines of "there will be archival releases this year...", but that there were reports by people here about having heard about... stuff. Oh well.

Yes, you're probably right about that...

ha, well the 'definitive collection' for me would be nothing short of EVERYTHING IN THE VAULTS !

But in all seriousness, there is no reason that this box should not improve upon the 1993 box. I would certainly expect it to be better in sound quality. And I would expect it to include all of the hits, album highlights, an equal number of rarities (hopefully as many new-to-us tracks) as the first box was in 1993. I think the SMiLE box set a new standard. Book, vinyl, etc. Why not ? It should be a deluxe box.

I would expect that -- that is to say, the new boxed set will be as big and lavish (if not more so) than the Smile box. That seems like a safe bet.

With the Good Vibrations box out of print, the band deserves a good, true career-spanning box set. The Good Vibrations box got it right to a point. I think it tried too hard to satisfy too many people at once. Honestly, as great as the sessions/live/promos disc is, it would have been much better as a separate release. That fifth disc could have been used to fit more lesser-known tunes and more rarities. I hope the new box set can find this happy medium.

You know the reason why they did it that way, right?

I shouldn't be a dick ...  ;D

They only had the money (or could only charge so high a price) to cover publishing rights for four disc's worth of songs. But they wanted to add a bit more, so they assembled a disc that could only feature alternate versions of tracks already on other discs in the set.

In other words, if they hadn't done it that way, they couldn't have afforded to do a five-disc set at all.

Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, I hoped there would be a lot of vault releases over the past two years to celebrate the 50th anniversary. And to be honest, we got SMiLE, so we can't really complain.  However, I'm not gonna lie, there are some things I soooo want to hear, like "California Feelin'" from 1974, "(Wouldn't It Be Nice To) Live Again", "Where Is She" and maybe even "In The Back Of My Mind" from 1975.

So anyways, I hoped that maybe we'd get an entirely reissued catalogue in the US, and possibly deluxe reissues of albums like Sunflower and Surf's Up. But that's not looking likely, and that's ok. My main thing is getting to hear most of the aforementioned tracks and I think the box set will probably include a lot of cool stuff. I'm of the opinion that it will be even better than the 1993 box set. I think a lot of you are freaking out that we might not get any cool previously unreleased stuff, but I think the box will be a treasure trove. I don't know why people thought we were gonna get like a bunch of different archival sets. I saw what Capitol said in the press release and I expect to get what they said we would (i.e. the new studio album, a new box set, and a new hits collection).

And I'm pretty excited about the hits collection too. I'm intrigued to see how they do it. I honestly hope they don't just do hits, but actually do a "best-of". Like I think "Surfin' USA" and "California Girls" should share space on the same album as "Surf's Up" and "This Whole World". Maybe I'm expecting a bit much, but I think the band should take a risk with this. Once your everyday person sees "Fun, Fun, Fun", "Surfin' Safari", et al on the back cover, they'll probably get it anyways, so why not include some more artistic, but just as valid tracks, rather than say "Shut Down" or "409", although I love those songs too.

Anyone considered the possibility that either the original poster or Al got their wires crossed, and "50 Big Ones" is the title of the "new hits collection" mentioned in the original quote, rather than the "career-spanning box set"?

Cause that would make much more sense than a box set with only 50 tracks.  You could easily fit 50 Beach Boys songs onto a two-disc hits package.  And no wonder WIBNTLA wouldn't be included in it...

Cheers,
Jon Blum

That was my speculation ...

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,13842.msg303772.html#msg303772

Not only that, but that's why the fifth disc focuses pretty much only on early stuff and nothing past 1967 -- if you use more than five minutes of a song you start paying by the minute on that song. Two performances of a two minute song come under the five minute mark and so you still only pay one fee. Two performances of a *three*-minute song come to $10.50 per copy rather than $9.

If there are no older songs "from the vault" I'm not buying the box set.  So if anyone from Capitol is reading this, I own all the Beach Boys classics, don't need to buy them again.  If WIBNTLA is in the box along with some other decent unreleased songs, I'll make the investment. 

You know that Capitol has no say on what, if any, unreleased tracks are included, correct?

Okay, I amend my comments to say if anyone affiliated with the Beach Boys is reading this thread, I'm not buying the box set unless there unreleased tracks on it.

GASP! You monster!

Insert rampant, uninformed speculation here.

I'm probably not going to buy the boxset even if there's like 12 rarities... i'll just download the tracks i don't have from itunes or something. No way i'm buying another disc with surfin' usa and california girls on it.

Yep. I think we have a winner here. At least, one that gets my vote. 50 songs does not a box set make.

Wasn't the Beatles' anthology two times 2 Cds? That could also be the case for the Beach Boys if there's gonna be a documentary (orsomething similar) with it

King Crimson disagrees with you.

Three times two CD's  ;D

Yeah. I mean, I had to live off essentially nothing for a few months because of the Smile box. Curse my poverty.

Yup!  It's the new "Proud Mary". 

...yeah but for King Crimson, 50 songs means a total running time of about two days!

Cheers,
Jon Blum

Just read the update, not sure what to think..

We've gotten so much already but the real icing on the cape would've been remastered albums and rarities..

I won't give up hope 

For the two disc compilation it should be something that appeals to the public but also has enough variety on it to appeal to the more hardcore fans. Here’s a playlist I made a while ago to fit on two discs, which I have copy and pasted from iTunes. :)

(Beach Boys: The Best Of (Disc One) Time: 1:18:47, 31 songs)

California Girls   
I Get Around   
Surfin' Safari   
Surfin' USA   
Be True To Your School
All Summer Long   
Little Deuce Coupe   
Shut Down   
409   
Catch A Wave
Surfer Girl   
In My Room   
Sloop John B [Stereo Mix]   
The Warmth Of The Sun   
Add Some Music To Your Day   
Dance, Dance, Dance   
Fun, Fun, Fun (Single Version)   
Barbara Ann (Single Version)   
Darlin'   
Do It Again   
Don't Worry Baby
Please Let Me Wonder
Wendy   
Girls On The Beach   
That's Why God Made The Radio   
I Can Hear Music   
Cotton Fields (The Cotton Song)   
California Saga/California   
It's OK   
California Dreamin'   
Kokomo   

(Beach Boys: The Best Of (Disc Two) Time: 1:19:45, 26 songs)

Wouldn't It Be Nice [Stereo Mix]
Break Away
Help Me Rhonda (Single Version)
This Whole World
Good Vibrations
Heroes And Villains (Stereo Mix)
Time To Get Alone
God Only Knows [Stereo Mix]
Kiss Me, Baby (Stereo Remix)
The Little Girl I Once Knew (Single Version)
Good Timin'
Marcella
Sail On, Sailor
All This Is That
Feel Flows
Forever
She Knows Me Too Well
When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)
Friends
Aren't You Glad
Let The Wind Blow
Wonderful
I Just Wasn't Made For These Times [Stereo Mix]
Surf’s Up
Caroline No [Stereo Mix]
Summer's Gone

They also could just use the setlist(s) the Beach Boys are playing on this tour. Strange Town's tracklist looks a lot like that

I hope the hit package's track order is chronological this time around.

Nice tracklist.
Not sure if they'd include a track (or more) from TWGMTR, though. Maybe the title track, maybe "Spring Vacation" (then being the 2nd single release from TWGMTR).  But it won't be "Summer's Gone".

Yeah, I agree. The lack of chronological order and poor sequencing hurts the flow of Sounds Of Summer. However, I played around with a possible "50 Big Ones" compilation and, if you use chronological order, it is very difficult to get a proper flow and make some sense of it. Soooooooooo, I came up with what I think would be a great comp for any Beach Boys' fan, especially the casual fan who would buy such a comp. I made my own sequence and made sure that each album was represented:

THE BEACH BOYS - 50 Years - A Celebration

Disc 1

01. Surfin' Safari
02. Surfin' U.S.A.
03. Surfer Girl
04. Fun, Fun, Fun
05. Please Let Me Wonder
06. You're So Good To Me
07. Little Honda
08. All Summer Long
09. In My Room
10. When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)
11. Little Deuce Coupe
12. 409
13. Shut Down
14. Don't Worry Baby
15. I Get Around
16. Be True To Your School
17. Dance, Dance, Dance
18. Do You Wanna Dance
19. Wendy
20. The Warmth Of The Sun
21. Help Me, Rhonda
22. Barbara Ann
23. Kiss Me, Baby
24. Let Him Run Wild
25. California Girls

Disc 2

01. Good Vibrations
02. Wouldn't It Be Nice
03. God Only Knows
04. Sloop John B
05. Heroes And Villains
06. Friends
07. Do It Again
08. I Can Hear Music
09. Marcella
10. Darlin'
11. This Whole World
12. Forever
13. Til I Die
14. Surf's Up
15. Sail On Sailor
16. Rock And Roll Music
17. It's OK
18. The Night Was So Young
19. Come Go With Me
20. Good Timin'
21. Goin' On
22. Getcha Back
23. Kokomo
24. Lahaina Aloha
25. That's Why God Made The Radio

What'd think? Additions or subtractions? Sequence?

Great list, but you will never see Lahaina Aloha on a comp. I don't think Capitol has the Rights. Though, I guess they could buy the rights to one song. Nice addition, nonetheless.

It's a testament to the amazing quality of the Beach Boys songs particularly in between 1964-1970 that even 2 crammed discs of 50 or more songs doesn't feature all of their best tunes. 8) I think The Beatles are the only other group that could come close to that many top notch songs in a 2-cd set. Anyway Sheriff's playlist looks great and if you replace  Lahaina Aloha with Surf's Up it's almost unbeatable! ;D

Great list. I'm not sure there is anything I'd change. Nothing big at least. Maybe switch "Lahaina Ahola" for "Still Cruisin'". And lose one of the early tracks to include "Baby Blue" or "Love Surrounds Me", to get more Dennis on there.

I'd bet 50 Big Ones will include the new version of "Isn't It Time"...

Cheers,
Jon Blum

This is disappointing.
50 big ones? Really? If you're gonna do that why not just call it
Still Endless Summer or Still Keeping the summer alive?
Or STILL STILL CRUSIN?

Idk no WIBNTLA = bummer
I'm still buying this for the new tracks.

We were quite specific.  I asked him about the upcoming box set.  Al went right into talking about new tracks, "50 Big Ones".........  But I'm not a good source about what deal the BB signed up for with Capitol Records.  There are many 'honored guests' on this board, like AGD, who have a much better idea of what's up.

Then, I suppose if this is indeed the correct title for the box, the "50 songs" part is the incorrect, misheard or wrongly communicated detail, with the "50 Big Ones" moniker simply referring to the years and not the number of tracks. There's really only so many ways this can currently go based on Al's words.  

That said, there's no way on earth something more than a two-disc Beach Boys set is going to contain *only* 50 songs, total. No way. No how. Not in this lifetime. The four proper discs of the "30 Years" box set had 119 tracks (including the hidden one)!  :)


BTW, all this aside, thanks for the info from your encounter. Any news of an archival release is news that I'll always welcome.  :thumbsup

No, Al said 50 songs, not 50 years. They are rerecording some of the songs from TWGMTR plus Waves of Love, according to Al.  Obviously, I didnʻt get much detail except my specific question about WIBNTLA.

I think what we are getting here are some rehashed new tracks, maybe some that didnʻt make the final cut for TWGMTR.  Think 3 CDs, 16+ songs each, all the hits plus the new stuff.  My impression is that this is more of a moneymaker deal than a vault release that the hardcore fans want (us).

Course, the whole thing is in flux as they are recording, like now, before heading off overseas.

Re-recording songs from TWGMTR ? WTF ?!?!




Well, they already are overseas....



We don't know what we'll get but from these things Al said it sounds like something I would definitely not get. Can't believe it's really like that. Just some crazy Jardine stuff

Yup, Re-recording songs from TWGMTR.  As Jon speculates, Iʻd also expect this new version of "Isnʻt it Time" on the box.  Itʻs already official that they have recorded parts for a new version so, no, Al isnʻt crazy.

Of course Al Jardine is crazy. This just isn't evidence for it.

(http://mcweekly.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2011/11/02/music_1_t440x600.jpg?84e7dc0a3f37971c3f690a233b3cc6836c00a706)

Of the guys I met backstage, would not say Al was anything but nice and sane.  Which I canʻt say for all...........

But you said songs. Isn't it time would be okay if it's for a single release, but the rest ?

From what little I have heard... "some" were not happy with how the songs sound on the album. The belief was they should of played them live first then recorded them.. Similar to BWPS..
So re-recording some songs would not seem as crazy as it sounds

Al wasnʻt specific on which songs or how many from the album.  Got the impression it would be more like what they did live for Rolling Stone.

Seems like a combination of "crazy Jardine stuff" -- which is an actual phenomenon -- and some accurate info. Wouldn't be surprised to hear the redone "Isn't It Time," and possibly a somewhat stripped down version of another track on one of the new collections.

All that being said, a 50-track collection just cannot be the career-spanning boxed set.  Not with the money to be made by releasing something truly mammoth (a la the Smile box). But we'll see. Things in BB land are always in some sort of flux ...

Remember, Al was the guy who let slip the reunion tour and we all dissed it as wishful thinking.  Same with the Smile box - Al let it slip.
Certainly we here on the board wan vault material but 50 Big Ones, as Al described it, is career spanning.

Iʻm certainly not happy about it. Just hearing Desper has a Sail on Sailor mix with a Carl lead squirreled away makes me nuts. WIBNTLA............. UGH!

I just can't believe that they would do some kind of 50 song retrospective that would be spread out over three discs (when it could comfortably fit on two) and passed off as a 'box." What's the early years, first CD going to be...38 minutes in length? And...will this be it? Will we still get a career-spanning, maxed-out, real box set that includes rarities at some point? Will we still get a standard hits package for the masses? One or the other? This seems to serve no purpose if the other things are still being considered, and if they're not, it makes little sense in value and execution -- particularly as a moneymaker. About the only way I could see a 50-song, three CD "box set" is if it were some kind of promo tie-in...ala Hallmark, QVC or the Wal-Mart Zine (i.e. 10 oldies + a remake for 17 bucks!), or if it were some kind of limited edition or collector's vanity piece like the Capitol Singles box. And, if that were the case, I'd still expect the above to materialize at some point.

Thus, I'm just going to take this all with a grain of salt. I guess we'll see in time. I don't doubt Al said what he said. I'm just having a hard time making sense out of it, and wondering if he got his wires crossed slightly? The notion that he got the gist of it right. Just not the exact details. As I noted earlier, when he first dropped the word of TSS, he also mentioned that it was his understanding that "more recording needed to be done." We all know how that turned out. Again, grain of salt. :)

Al also claimed the band would be reuniting about 15 times before they actually did. And he suggested they would be doing new recording on the Smile sessions ...

Edit: And Dave beat me too it, there. I think he's right on the money.

I'm thinking "50 Big Ones" will be 2 CDs and the third disk a "bonus" with the new recordings and whatever else.

As I recall, AGD said Alan Boyd wasn't involved so my expectations fell like a rock.

Now...that I can grasp, but only if they were essentially marketing and pricing it as a 2-CD overview set and *not* a comprehensive box set. Say, 20 tracks per disc + 10 tracks of bonus rarities/TWGMTR outtakes/re-recordings. Or perhaps, 22, 22 and 6...23, 23, and 4. IIRC, Summer Love Songs was 20 tracks, so that crunches a little better for me. :)

Then again, I'd still hope for a real box set in light of that.
 

50 Big Ones sounds like a fine title for a 2CD 50th anniversary GH collection, but not a"career-spanning" box set. Just saying...

Alan Boyd has been seriously ill for who knows how long, so I like to think his lack of involvement is down to that and that Mark Linett and Dennis Wolfe (Who seems to know his sh*t) can easily pick up the ball.

Same here. Fodaing fed up of being taken for a ride by the big labels. I'll get the tracks I want, either legally or illegally. I'll happily give them my money for unreleased stuff.

I'm going to go ahead and believe this here bit of information.

A good commom sense approach, if you ask me. ;)

I'd really REALLY like a new untouched al vocal on FTTBA

A mass produced 50 track 2 cd "best of" for the casual fan, a more limited edition rarities collection for the more hardcore fan. Come on, it ain't rocket science.

All this configuration talk aside, one thing I've thought about over the last few days...

If they ever *do* decide to do another comprehensive, career-spanning, multi-disc box set, my perfect ending to the whole shebang would be "Summer's Gone" as the final track, and after that long trail out, leading into (either hidden or otherwise) that superb, Rolling Stone acoustic version of "Surfer Girl"  -- which I would hope they could license specifically for this. The perfect, full-circle ending IMHO. Just the core group (+Jeff) in perfect harmony. The way it started...and the way it should end. Sublime.

Great idea. Those recent RS performances are top-notch indeed. (Don' forget Totten, though.  ;))

Yes. I stand corrected. Jeff and Scott. :)

I wish they'd release those Rolling Stone acoustic sessions. I'd love to have those on my iTunes.

Again, Al was VERY specific in referring to it, "50 Big Ones", with new material, as a "BOX SET". Just sayin he was sayin.
Talked a lot about recording "Waves of Love" for it, in a slower tempo arrangement.

I listened to the album 5 times in traveling along the 60 freeway here in LA to help a friend move, 3-4 trips.  Every time a song came up, I wanted to turn up the cd player (pretty good sound on Lexus 350, with treble turned up so I can hear the snaps on PLOBAS!).  But when I got to Jeff's part on IIT, I had to turn down the volume; it just sounds bad, and I am not surprised that it is this awkward bridge that has drawn the attention of the BB (and whatever other force is in control the the single production). So I hope that for the single and for any other new version of the songs from TWGMTR that any of those moments when a non-BB voice sings alone (it's only Jeff) ought to be re-recorded or re-mixed so that the voices blend.  I think they were too generous in thinking something like "let's give Jeff a couple of moments," which sounded like a good idea before they proved themselves.  But now that so much critical and artistic success is upon them, the BB must think that that cameo--or act of pinch-hitting--sticks out like a sore thumb.

So that's what I want from any new release of the versions of the songs--and from any new album.

I have pre-ordered the Do it again CD (it's been a while since we talked about how great that is (Jeff is good on the high parts there) and how excellent Dave's 2 guitar tracks are.

Yes it does.  Hopefully, Al has intertwined both projects in his mind.

Alan is the BB archivist.  I believe when AGD said Alan wasnʻt involved it was before Alan was taken ill.
In any event, AGD will know whatʻs coming, the why and how when it is..........

Great guy but I don't think he sang on the Rolling stone performances

At least not in the released video clips. But he played guitar. So he is to credit.  :)

It's best to assume that there is going to be a 2-CD hits compilation, basically probably a variation of  "Sounds of Summer" and "Warmth of the Sun" combined, maybe with a few "new" things to get hardcore fans to buy it.

I feel it's better to hope that the outlet for "outtakes" will be either a newer actual "boxed set", sort of a newer version of the '93 GV set, and/or some outtakes on expanded reissues of the album back catalog.

It can't all happen at once, because the ideal situation would be, in no particular order:

New 2-CD "Hits" Compilation
Newer career-spanning "boxed set"
Expanded album reissues (some or all albums) with mono mixes and bonus tracks
Live DVD/Blu-ray from the tour
Live CD set from the tour
Another new album?

It it happened like that we would be the most spoilt fans on the planet..

*fingers crossed*

I will take this as word that 50 Big Ones is the hits album. Which sounds fine to me. I wonder how many of the 50 will be new songs. I assume the new version of "Isn't It Time" will be one, but who knows about the rest. I would like to hear The Beach Boys version of "Waves of Love", but I'm still not sure it'll make it this time, if Brian didn't care much for it last time. I am intrigued to see if the rest of the "new" songs will be re-records from the last album, or if they are new songs we don't know about. Another thing I wonder is if the new songs will be included on the box too, or if they will just be for the hits album. Even if they end up only being on the hits album, I wouldn't be mad, since that would probably clear out more room on the box set for previously unreleased stuff from the '60s and '70s.

And since AGD isn't freaking out, then I won't either. I'm assuming both are still on track to come out this year. However, I do wonder if they still need to record the new material, cuz as Al makes it sound, they do. Which would mean they'd probably have to wait until September to record. I wonder if they'd still get this stuff out by, say....November? I suppose it's possible. But anyways, I'm still hopeful we'll get both sets before the year is it.


If we got all that, I would be quite happy. I would like to see all their albums reissued as stand alone CDs in the US, but if they don't do that, I think it would still be cool if they did deluxe editions of Sunflower and Surf's Up, highlighting those two albums, as they are generally thought of as worthy successors to Pet Sounds.

He never said that. At least that's not how I understtod it in the thread about it.

New 2-CD "Hits" Compilation

Yes.

Newer career-spanning "boxed set"

Yes.

Expanded album reissues (some or all albums) with mono mixes and bonus tracks

Doubt it very, very strongly.

Live DVD/Blu-ray from the tour

Hopefully. But does the Doin' It Again release mean this won't happen?

Live CD set from the tour

I'm personally doubtful, but maybe.

Another new album

We shall see!

I hope they strike while the iron is hot, so to speak. The Beach Boys are more current than ever, but with the USA tour already done, it would make sense to not wait too long to make the next move - in this case, the box. Hopefully it comes out soon and proves to be a nice seller.

WHy the doubt about the Live CD? That seems like one of the easiest things to do, even easier than a DVD.

What Do It Again CD, please?

How many new live CDs have you seen on sale recently?

How many have you bought?

The market has largely (with a handful of exceptions) moved to visual media.

"Iʻm certainly not happy about it. Just hearing Desper has a Sail on Sailor mix with a Carl lead squirreled away makes me nuts. WIBNTLA............. UGH!"

Desper said that he had a copy in storage...but was not sure what happened to the original.  Alan Boyd came and made copies of everything that seemed important in Desper's collection...so the 1971 version of Sail On, Sailor with Carl on lead is out there.  To not make it available would be a serious missed chance...as well as WIBNTLA.  I don't need a massive raid on the vaults...but a decent smattering of unreleased tracks (like what we saw on the GV set) would be welcome...especially if it's music that has not already been booted.

Well, they exist somewhere in the world. A part of this reunion I was looking forward to was a re-evaluation of the catalogue outside of a boxset.

Emphasis mine. The fact that Boyd hasn't said word one about any such Carl lead at any time over the last few years speaks volumes to me.

The discussion about this track elsewhere on the forum was very interesting, yet, filled with conflicting information.  "Sail On, Sailor" appears to be the most mysterious officially released track they've ever put out...at least as far as origins go.  Desper has made the claim that Brian worked off and on the track throughout late 1971 and that the track was essentially "finished" before they left for Holland.  He backs up his story with a lot of info...so I don't know what to believe.  I always thought the "cut the crap, Brian" cassette was from early 1972??  If you go with the Desper story...this was just one of many tracks that Brian was working on from about 1969 through 1972...some of which were never finished.  I was also always under the impression that Brian's involvement in the recording of that track was minimal...but Desper has stated that it's Brian playing the piano and that he can also be heard in the vocal mix.  I'd love to know the true story of this tracks genesis.

The 'cut the crap' cassette seemingly dates from late 1972, after the Reprise suits listened to the original Holland master and didn't hear a single. SWD told me back in 1985 that he'd worked on "SO,S" with Brian in late 1971, and that what he heard on the album sounded awfully familiar. Of course, this somewhat contradicts the preceding statement... unless someone heard the cassette, recalled the song and pulled the Desper/Wilson tape from the archive. These are The Beach Boys, after all. Stranger things have happened.

That's kind of what I'm thinking.  SD made it sound like Sail On, Sailor was just one of any tracks that Brian would work on here and there.  Perhaps the cassette was VDP trying to get Brian to finish the track??  I've actually just confused myself more by typing this out...

I don't think it's that confusing at all. It is likely that Brian worked on "Sail On, Sailor" in 1971 and for some reason never finished it to the point where it was considered for Carl and the Passions. However, it is odd that the band didn't work on it in Holland. I mean, not only is it a Brian composition, of which there were very few known during this era, but it also probably the most commercial thing they had at the time, maybe besides "California Saga: California".

And to throw more confusion into the mix, I'm pretty sure that Blondie said that for the recording of "Sail On, Sailor", it was him on bass, Ricky on drums, and Carl on piano. So who's right? Blondie or Desper? Hard to say. It is possible that they just re-recorded it, but I don't see the point in doing that, unless either they forgot they had it tracked or that they just plain thought they could do it better.

Now that would've been great. SOS would fit very nicely with the R'n'B influences on So Tough. Although I love Dennis' songs they just don't fit on there. Imagine So Tough without "Cuddle up" and "Make it good" (maybe even without "All this is that") but instead with SOS and a finished "I'm going your way" or something like that. That could've been one cool Rock'n'Roll album

Not a bad idea...but I still say "Cuddle Up" needs to be the last song.  A little bit of peace after rockin' your butt off!  Look at some of Aerosmith's classic 70s LPs...they rocked as hard as everyone...but the last track was always something mellow...and I simply cannot consider an alternate universe where "Cuddle Up" doesn't see legit release!

I could be wrong, but I think there's more than one piano part on SOS....maybe a real piano (Brian?) and a Rhodes/Electric type piano (Carl?)  So maybe they're both right.

I didn't say "Cuddle up" should'nt have been released. Just not on "So tough" imo

Do you think it would have worked on "Holland"? 

No. I don't think that i would fit on any released BBs album. But thanks to "Make it good" and "All this is that" it doesn't sound that out of place on the second side of So Tough

First, thank you, SRH, for sharing your experience with the group, and thank you, AGD, for clearing up any 50 Big Ones confusion.

The talk of 'new recordings' has me thinking, yes, about the work we know was done to "Isn't It Time," but I also wonder, does anybody else think some work might be taking place on finishing up some of the new suite?

I'm looking forward to archive material just the same as everyone else, but, boy, I sure would like to hear more from that suite.  Maybe a few cuts here for this this release, with the reamaining pieces seeing the light of day on any potential follow-up to TWGMTR?

My ideal BBs GH would be at least 10 discs and would include at minimum 5 tracks from each album, including live, solo, and unreleased albums (ie, Concert, In Concert, Live in London, POB, BW88, GIOMH, LBWL, Country Love, Celebration, SMiLE, Adult Child, Bambu, Lost and Found).

Jesus Christ, this was great, especially the mic stand part. +53029503295 forever and ever