The Smiley Smile Message Board

Am I crazy in thinking that "end of the Century" is a great album? Wall of Sound plus the Ramones is awesome with Joey Ramone on "baby i love you" and "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" I almost wish the Ramones one or two albums with Phil and then went back to their old sound with "too tough to die"(as in real life)

Yes and no - Those two songs are great, but the material is sorta weak on that record. I'd rather Phil Spector came in earlier. Rocket To Russia produced by Phil Spector would have destroyed the universe.

I was thinking of them meeting Phil earlier as well when I was posting this topic. Phil was in a really bad place when they worked with him(Larry Levine had a heartattack/Phil's drinking), but the album is still great despite all the Spector/Ramones drama. Rocket to Russia is what a punk BB's album would sound like! :rock

Actually, I totally forgot End Of The Century has I Can't Make It On Time and DANNY SAYS on it. I must be crazy.

Phil Spector seemed to be 'going through a bad patch' ever since River Deep Mountain High, tbh. I mean, the amount of sheer genius he pointed guns at, let alone worked with.  Have you read a book about him? It's not easy going, but it's just crazy to think about how this man spiralled for far and for so long.

I read some books on Phil and agree he has been doing crazy stuff since the "river deep" flop. His wealth and fame somehow enabled people deal with his increasing insane behavior with booze and guns. Hope he is finally getting the care he needs in prison.

This album was Joey Ramone's fulfillment of a lifetime dream of making a 1960s style album with Phil Spector.

Sadly, the rest of group didn't quite share his enthusiasm.... I'm going to give this a spin later, thanks to this thread.

It's amazing how he was able to still get work in the 70's, honestly. Everything flopped, except Rock N Roll, I guess by virtue of it being Lennon, and then he keeps stealing masters, shooting up studios, everyone in the industry must have known he was crazy.... Nostalgic rock stars, i guess.

His "family life" was the stuff of nightmares as well. I guess people were just hoping Phil would snap of his music funk and go back to being the "tycoon of teen". Brian and Phil should have made an album in the late 1970s that would have made "Love You" look normal.

That would've been cool, but anytime anyone mentions working with Spector to Brian, he freaks out.

Killer album!

Joey's vocals sound F'in amazing and I love the layered drums (Marky and Keltner playing in tandem on a few songs, I understand: and it sounds killer) and all the songs are good to great.

Glad this album is getting praise these days, instead of the old days of "Joey's folly" album.

Me too!

I hope it extends to Pleasant Dreams and Subterranean Jungle.

I used to despise those albums (mainly because I was told to) but now they sound freaking great!

End Of The Century is great.

No you aren't I was listening to this album last week and i was scratching my head like wow I can't believe this was a flop :/...it's easily one of the most over-looked albums of all time...it was a great combination even though phil almost killed them lol

Kinda off-topic, but my brother just bought me the Philles Album Collection (bless him) and the remastering is bastard wonderful and makes the Back To Mono boxset sound flat and lifeless. Now all I need is the Essential Phil Spector to get the rest of the remasters.... or to get home and play the 45 of River Deep Mountain High I found  ;D

Wall of Sound Heaven! ;D

Mate, seriously. Da Doo Ron Ron sounds absolutely incredible.

I have the Essential Phil Spector and "this could be the night" is amazing! 8)

I got the Philles Album Collection for Christmas and was somewhat taken aback by just how good it all sounded when compared to Back to Mono, I mean I was expecting a different because of the generation gap but damn!

It mystified me at first why they released an album box since Philles was never really known for LP's aside from maybe the Christmas LP and the Fabulous Ronettes... But they all sound brilliant, I've even developed a liking for the Bob B. Soxx album which, which is definitely featherweight and high on filler.