The Smiley Smile Message Board

Anyone know the background to this?

When it was recorded? With whom? Why it was never released?

It's actually a pretty good album. I'm looking at the possibility of releasing it (I have previous, not just a fruitcake, I just released an LP of Micky Dolenz rarities http://www.amazon.co.uk/Singles-Collection-Limited-Vinyl-Booklet/dp/B00YJADBJO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438110854&sr=8-1&keywords=dolenz+mgm ) and wondered why it hadn't come out before.

Any info would be gratefully appreciated. If it's too sensitive to share here, then do email iain@iainlee.com and class check out www.facebook.com/7aRecords

Thanks for your time

I saw that on facebook. It's nice to see you on here. :) I don't know why it's unreleased, but good luck.

Nice work...the album sounds great and the packaging really had some TLC put into it.

Good luck with getting any unreleased/rare Beach Boy related stuff out!

I know that Mike's son Christian sang on it.  He sounds particularly good on "Brian's Back."  I know nothing else about the album except the origin of the boots in circulation of it.

Welcome to the board Iain - and thank you for all your work on Monkee rarities! I'm a big fan of your monkeebootlegs Facebook page.

Regarding 'Unleash' - dunno why the hold-up. I recall it being available for download on assorted Beach Boy blogs out there (which meant it was circulating), but it obviously never saw the light of day on a major. Perhaps the business side of things didn't jell. It would probably make sense to release it concurrent with the book release.

I don't think it was ever completed. Audio of the Beatles, for instance, would almost certainly not have been part of any final release.

Given that Mike took tracks from it for the Hallmark album and then TWGMTR suggests he didn't think the album was worth saving.

Someone ought to put out that "First Love" album from '78.

I'm a bit of a Mike defender but I'm pretty sure there just is no audience whatsoever for a Mike Love solo album. Who would buy this? Bruce Johnston? 300-400 hardcore fans?

Probably, but as a download, with no real packaging or distribution costs to speak of, that might be enough.

Sell it at the merch stands at Mike and Bruce shows and it would sell thousands.  Sincerely, I think it would easily sell thousands.  If they do just one song from it in the live show it would get enough people curious that it would move many copies.  Just my thoughts.  I would welcome it.  Scott Totten has told me that there are songs recorded at those sessions that haven't made it to the underground market yet.

I sense that a lack of a willing distributor is not necessarily what has kept a release of that mid-2000s Mike stuff from seeing a release. That’s not to say that if a major label had begged Mike for an album in 2004, he wouldn’t have obliged.

But seeing as how Mike is much more “into” the internet these days (regularly posts on Facebook) and released the “Pisces Brothers” track online, I’m guessing he wouldn’t be opposed to releasing a “solo” album online. I sense it’s just not a huge priority for him, and he’s probably never hunkered down and finished it. As Wirestone mentioned, the circa 2004 “album” that floated around was not what a finished album would have looked like. The McCartney home recording from India would almost surely never get cleared, and while it’s not impossible to have guest singers on an album, I’m not 100% convinced that Mike would have included all of those Christian Love lead vocals.

Also, while I’m sure he wouldn’t be opposed to releasing songs that have already come out, he has “released” four of those circa 2004 album tracks in some form or another. “Cool Head, Warm Heart” was on the Hallmark CD. “Love Like in Fairytales” (or whatever he re-named it) was put out on the ESQ CD. “Daybreak….” was put on the TWGMTR album (with only minimal BB overdubs), and he most recently released “Pisces Brothers” (not sure if anyone actually dug into that version to see if it was the identical mix to the 2004 version). If you take those out of running and the Christian Love tracks (and again, I acknowledge all of those *could* still be included on a theoretical album), there’s not much “album” left. He no doubt has recorded at least some other odds and ends in the last decade I would imagine.

Why does he record so much but release so little? Aren't there like 3 or so unreleased solo albums?

As an added bonus, have Mike sign a few and make those available at the merch stands. 

What would you do if you spent the day at the studio, got home, played the tape and realised you'd made 'Wrinkles'?

By the way welcome along Iain! I knew you were a prominent Monkees fan but didn't realise you were behind the recent Dolenz release. Kudos!

No one buys CDs anymore. Some inside info - even a band that can sell 30,000 tickets might only  sell aroun 5 CDs

People do but CD's. They also buy vinyl. The Dolenz LP has sold close to 1,000 copies.

Some of us, given the choice of a download vs. a physical CD or LP, will choose the physical media over a download every time.

I wonder if a deal would be possible for Mike to sell the album (or which recordings he wants to be released from the album) as part of the book. You know, a bonus gift. There would also be almost no extra packaging costs etc.

I should have specified that it's at live shows where CDs do not sell

What is wrinkles?

This is it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq7KespoHzM

Pretty sure there are a couple more if you include all the re-recordings with Adrian Baker.

If a label like Light in the Attic put out "First Love", and marketed it as a hip unreleased yacht rock album (complete with late '70s era Mike on a sailboat on the cover), it'd probably do pretty well. Doubt it in the case of a modern solo album, unless Mike hooked up with some seriously hip weirdos for it.

Thats pretty awful. But if there is anything else along the lines of Daybreak over the ocean I'd be willing to pick it up.

After years of reading "Wrinkles" jokes here on the board, I finally gave in and listened to it just now.  Wow, that is worse than I expected.  And sadly, now I can not get it out of my head. 

Wrinkles  reminds me of a lot of early to mid 70's bubble gum songs.  It isn't the worse thing I have heard.  Heck it is better than 90 percent of the dreck that is considered music today.  That said I wouldn't  buy the single:)

I think you'll find that it's only better than 7% of the dreck that is considered music today. 9 out 10 dentists agree with me.

Would that be MORE or LESS true,  if 9 out of 10 dentists were named Jardine?

Yes.

After M.I.U. and Summer in Paradise have become fan favorites, Wrinkles is next. Mark my words.

Over my cold and lifeless body...

So, just proved yourself wrong. Five is five more than "no-one".

I buy CDs. Guess I'm no-one...

You're like a child in the way you point the most stupidly basic things out. For a band that can sell 30,000 tickets, 5CDs might as well be no sales at all - and as I said this is at live shows. Obviously people buy CDs but NOT at concerts.

I've bought plenty of CDs at various concerts. What are you talking about?

Considering you're a member of a music message board would you really consider yourself a part of the majority of people who attend concerts?

My information comes directly from musicians and business people involved in the music industry as their life's work. I do work on the side of my full time job with a fairly famous and very successful music producer, songwriter, sound engineer and DJ. She has said definitively that along with dwindling music sales in general, especially over the last 10 years with the popularization of torrenting music and file sharing, that CDs do not sell well at concerts. It's direct information.

Maybe I'm wrong though and mike loves awful music will sell extremely well at beach boys concerts. Its a wonderful business idea, so good I'm shocked he isn't doing it already! Did you enjoy such songs as "409", " I get around" or "Wendy"?  Then you just HAVE to hear Mike Loves remake of the beach boys classic,  Brian's Back. Now with 35% more cheese.

I am considering this as a genuine release. I've already approached BB management and Mike is being sent a copy of the Dolenz LP I released to see what we can do.

If anyone can furnish any info - dates, musicians, producers, other tracks recorded - please do let me know.

Thanks

I know that the years have been somewhat kind to MIU, but when did SIP become a fan favorite? 

Was it yesterday?  Was there a vote? 

A cd for sale at a concert that is generally not available anywhere else?
Keep the price to something reasonable ($15), I'd buy that before a hat or a overpriced t-shirt

what doesn't normally sell is a popular bands latest CD at a concert, because the fans already have it before the concert.

For a band who's on the nostalgia circuit, you would think this would be a no-brainer providing they don't overcharge for it!

 :)

I doubt they'd bother dedicating any space to it at all if they truly don't sell. You'd put merch out that does sell.

Also, I saw the C50 tour and ML did an awesome job pushing the new CD. I'm sure they sold a ton.

You can believe whatever you want. All I have is a few facts that I thought were relevant, and you have what you think should be true.

Thank you for giving me permission to express my opinions on the internet.

A little off topic, but I notice that some artists (Neil Young is one I believe) are including copies of cd's with purchase of concert tickets. Just wondering if Mike could do the same, and maybe then divert a portion of the touring revenue under the classification of product sales (CD) away from BRI. then he could also claim that his album sold "hundreds of thousands" :P

I attend a lot of oldies concerts, and the cd's those bands sell - Herman's Hermits starring Peter Noone, Paul Revere and the Raiders - sure seem to sell well to the fans lining up for autographs.

The Dolenz LP is so great (a companion LP of the unreleased Dolenz stuff from then would be nice ;D).  My other favorite band besides The Beach Boys IS The Monkees (you should hear Dolenz sing "Wild Honey"!)
Problem is, Unleash The Love wasn't done, and we've heard the best stuff...yet still, if Dolenz sells a thousand, certainy Mike's stuff would (and technically, all the Dolenz stuff was already released). GOOD LUCK 7A! Awesome work so far!

Chalk me down for a copy… while you're at it, chalk me down for copies of First Love and Cintry Love too, as well as Looking Back With Love, which still isn't out on CD. Sweet Insanity would be an ideal companion release…

More than happy for you to Unleash the Love for the time being!

This needs a re-release for shore ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZjz39Df1Vs




And I deliberately said shore instead of sure.

Id buy it. Not sure Mike or any of the Beach Boys for that matter (how long was Al waiting for a "deal" before releasing his record?) have a great understanding of how the industry works these days so he will probably ask you for a 6 figure advance and a new car  :lol

That's great news. Hope this music gets a proper release soon!

Whaaa?

Just bought two Brian CD's last month.  I believe in paying for the labor and production of musicians. At C50, Al sold his Postcard from California, autographed. The BB's sold ten-packs of TWGMTR with a bonus CD fully autographed by the five of them.  At $100, it was a bargain, as stocking stuffers.

They are always available at BW/ BB / AJ concerts.

I'd like to see you get is first album released - and that has the originals of some of the styff on Unleashed...

Hi, a very good place to start would be to either ask Scott Totten via this board or indeed PM him about it - I recall talking to Scott in (Liverpool) 2003 about the recordings.

A certain friend (a Brit i add) gave me a um um (copy) of 'Unleash' in November 2004, so it has been circulating rather a long time .

One of the best surprises I ever had with music sold at a concert venue only was at a Jan & Dean show in Orlando, FL (Church Street Station) in 1988.

After the show, Jan was selling a cassette album called PORT TO PARADISE.  When I got it home, it turned out to be a brand new Jan & Dean album actually produced by Jan Berry, with vocals from Dean.  While it contained 4 remixes of older Jan Berry solo tracks, 6 of the tracks were excellent Jan Berry productions cut between 1982 and 1987, including Ocean Park Angel, Hot Lookin' Lady, Best Love Ever and the spectacular Hawaiian Mirage, which had a wrecking/crew/1964 classic sound to it.  Stories in the Sunshine Music rag had floated around in 1981/82 about new Jan & Dean recordings produced by Jan (Ocean Park/Blue Moon was an expected single), etc. but it all sort of disappeared after their 1982 split.  So that was a great souvenir.

Just stumbled on this thread. Would definitely be interesting to see this have an official release.
Anyway, I looked around the board and the internet at large to see if the session dates for the Unleash the Love material were available anywhere and couldn't find them. Some of the studio info is out there but I'm mostly interested in the chronology of when these things were recorded. Knowing how lots of Beach Boys projects work I wouldn't be surprised if some of the sessions dated back many years. There is a bit of an air of mystery around the Mike Love solo recordings (why has he recorded so much and released so little? Personal pleasure? Perfectionism?) and I'm curious to learn more.

IMO - It is most definitely perfectionism. His unreleased solo work is the closest thing to musical perfection you will ever hear. It is a unique form of sonic art expression that, when Mike is finally satisfied, he will unleash the love upon the world and WE WILL PAY HOMAGE  :thud .