The Smiley Smile Message Board

Something I came across recently...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollard_Syndrum

According to Love You personnel, Brian Wilson plays "electronic drums". How likely would it have been for it to have been Pollard's? Probably very high. According to Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_drum#Electronic_drums_history), the only other elec drums in existence were built by Graeme Edge, and they weren't that much available to the public.

So what does a Pollard Syndrum actually sound like? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsfXNOmo7Pg

On Love You? I think I can pick it out on the right channel for Roller Skating Child... there's a synthesized "baow, baow" percussion that sounds like a Syndrum. Otherwise I can't tell off the top of my head how many other times elec drums were used on the album.

I love this kinda stuff, thanks for the link!

Jim Mothersbaugh's crazy homemade "electronic drums" for the nascent DEVO were earlier and super fun. But I think those were just guitar pickups on pads running through all manner of effects pedals. Still, you knew the lad was destined to work for Roland!

Kinda similar to what Kraftwerk was doing around that point, Tomorrow's World had a fun fetishy closeup of their drum rig: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s5pZCrOxeQ

As far as I'm aware, the drums on Love You are real.

Graeme Edge's electronic drums were customized by him. He once remarked that "the electronics inside looked like spaghetti".

There are no syndrums on Love You: what there is, on the newly recorded tracks, is Brian laying down a lot of spare snare and/or kick-drum patterns (except "Mona" - Dennis - and "Honkin' (no idea)).

When did the topic of "electronic drums on Love You" even enter the fanbase's discussions? A 1976-era drum machine did not have that type of full sound. Those are clearly acoustic drums.

heh, good point. If it were true, we'd be hearing the phrase "Brian Wilson, electronic music pioneer." It'd be a macro for Pitchfork people.

This is where someone pedantically points out the use of the theremin on Good Vibrations.

Then someone else pedantically points out it wasn't actually a theremin.

"It was essentially a theremin!"

"It was a Tannerin! I'm going to set your dogs on fire!"

This is where someone pedantically points out the use of the theremin on IJWMFTT.

Oo really? I read that was the tannerin as well. Ace! Because admit it, once deep down ya just want an actual theremin involved!

You know, this reminds me that I need to watch that old Theremin doc again, Brian's interview bits are hysterical.

While you're here, did they dig up any more footage or interviews about Jim's early drum experiments for that upcoming documentary? I'd love to hear more about that era... the recordings are endlessly fascinating. Hell, I'd buy a three cd set of their "punishment cone" improvs.  Or whatever that was that alarmed the neighbors of that apartment building. My woman subhumaaaan!

In the 90s I tried wiring up a kit the way he did it and it was a lot of fun recording it on a 4 track -- the wah pedal, ring modulator, and some awful octave pedal thingie made for the most pleasing distorted thumps and clicks.

well, this is why you can't trust wikipedia. and now it doesn't say that anymore.

There is a big difference between "electronic drums" like a Syndrum and a "drum machine" like a TR-808... The Syndrum is essentially an analog synthesizer with drumheads instead of keys. There was a lot of similar-sounding electronic percussion on the Spring album too, but it could have only been done with keys (likely played on an ARP Odyssey). Of course there are no automated drums on Love You. But there are a lot of sounds that are very easy to make on a Syndrum. They could have also just been played on a keyboard synth as well.

This is not what a Syndrum does:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmjLHLuYUWU

This is what a Syndrum does:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW099nmUAKk

I can't find who or what is playing on Love You, but I can use my ears to find out what sounds like is being played. Some things are for sure -- an ARP Soloist/Pro Soloist/DGX and a Moog Taurus. Are there any session photos?

Wikipedia says this:


It then cites this as a source:

 http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=J_n0ITu2qJU&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJ_n0ITu2qJU

Is it possible that some drum sounds were processed through a Moog?

It's possible but I don't hear it. I just hear acoustic drum sounds layered under electronic percussive sounds. A good example of him using electronic percussion occurs in Sweet Mountain at about 0:38: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqUPW21yH8c#t=36s Then it comes back in the tack piano chorus on every 2nd and 4th beat. On Love You, sounds like that are layered on top of a regular drum kit.

I only assume the Pollard Syndrum was used because of its link with TBB and Brian. It's hard to imagine why he wouldn't have used it as soon as it was available, instead of getting those sounds through the more difficult approach of messing with all those knobs and sliders on an ARP Odyssey(?).

Yes, it was also a Tannerin.

Not a lot of detail about Jim's drums in the doc.