The Smiley Smile Message Board

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-beach-boys-look-back-with-wendy-20130820

BBC Live in the studio 1964.

Enjoy :)

Good find!

Wonder why, with the exception of Where Is She played on the radio earlier, they're previewing this release with live tracks?

If Carl was still with us I'd doubt we'd ever hear that one... horrible guitar break in the middle!  :)

Hehe, I noticed that too. Sound quality isn't the best. I wonder why?

Yeah, not the best performance by Carl but an interesting inclusion I guess.

Do they really think a live version of Wendy is going to get the average fan excited for this release

These won't be taken from master tapes, liekly dub discs pressed for playing elsewhere. Similar releases, such as the Kinks at the BBC, have a similar quality.

Ah, man, I really don't like 'Wendy'. Never have. Whiny Brian, a stop-start track (but not in a good way, like H&V or '...I Once Knew', or indeed like Where Is She...!)... this will never do it for me.

Love Wendy. Love it for all the same reasons that you don't. Different strokes, baby! :)

And now I know why The Beatles At The BBC sounds so bad and more than likely, why it's out of print.   :)

If it is out of print, it's because it's being reissued soon.
But it's still "in stock" everywhere.

Totally, I agree. Wouldn't it be dull if we all felt the same? But having now listened to this BBC Wendy recording, this is the sort of track I wish wasn't cluttering up MiC. I mean, I admit that I reach that point of view in no small measure because I basically don't like the song, but it's not just that...

Basically, this is a reasonably competent live performance of almost exactly the same arrangement you've got on All Summer Long, only not as polished because it's live (particularly as regards the middle eight guitar solo...!). And seeing as I'm not a particular fan of the song, that reduces further in my mind to 'like the album version (which I'm not wild about anyway)... only not played as well'.

I *guarantee* I'll never rip this track to my iPod. Why would I bother? And even if you like the song, would you take this version over the album cut? If you would, I'd be genuinely interested to hear why.

This stands in stark contrast to something like 'Help You, Rhonda', or the version of California Girls from the same Lei'd In Hawaii studio session; although they're versions of tracks we all know backwards and inside out, they do something very different with their arrangements. That, I'm always willing to hear as an interesting variant, so it will go on my iPod.

Oh, I agree with you on this particular BBC track. I thought you were talking of the song in general. I think they did this on Ed Sullivan and was performed much,  much better. Yep, I agree, a wasteful track on the box set.

Taped off the radio when rebroadcast (most likely from a transcription disc) in 1966. Then subjected to all kinds of digital clean uppery.

I think it sounds pretty good, considering! The vocals sound oddly similar to the studio version in places

I'm disappointed to see some of the comments about sound quality regarding various radio broadcasts, specifically releases like the Beatles BBC set and similar items.

I'd chalk it up to a misunderstanding of what these tapes are, how they were sourced, and basically the nature of radio broadcast airchecks in general.

First, the reason why things like the Beatles BBC sound as they do is because in some cases historical value far outweighs the quality of the recording itself. For some of these broadcasts, there may be only *ONE* (count 'em) existing recording of that particular broadcast, and in some cases that one recording was someone who placed a microphone next to a radio speaker at home and recorded it on a home reel-to-reel machine of varying quality. So you'd get broadcast noise along with issues with tape and machinery before the performance is even a factor.

If it's the only known copy of that performance, wouldn't that outweigh the lack of sound quality in 2013 terms?

Next, we get spoiled sometimes by clear quality radio airchecks: These are rare, and were often taken directly from the board signal before it got transmitted, which would be like a soundboard recording of a live concert. They don't suffer from the same broadcast and other noise issues, but are still mixed differently than a normal recording for the AM broadcast, in most cases. Also, the BBC or other US stations may have also run a copy like this as the band pre-recorded an appearance, and in rare cases these tapes were kept rather than wiped and reused.

Plus, the overwhelming majority of these broadcasts sourced before 1967 and even some beyond that were AM radio, which is a more narrow frequency range and the music was mixed as such. In no way was it 2013 standards for quality or clarity, remember they were mixing these for the average kid who had an average transistor radio with an average speaker of 2-3 inches. Or car radios with one speaker perhaps 3-6 inches wide. That's it.

I'd gently recommend keeping those kinds of issues in mind before criticizing anything sourced from a radio broadcast for its sound quality.

And if that broadcast was or is the only known recording that exists, consider the historical value of having a recording of a tiny moment in time that would otherwise have been lost to time had a listener at home not decided to record off their radio that day.

The Beatles at the BBC will be re-released in September.  And it doesn't sound that bad, considering the Beeb didn't keep any of the masters (apart from one or two, IIRC)... 8)

The Beach Boys BBC session was considered a long lost artifact until now, the quality shouldn't really matter.  Sounds fine to me anyhow.

Strange that they would release this of all things. Wendy is a mystery song for me. It never really was a hit, and it is often forgotten yet I feel it is continually pushed to the public to appear more than what it actually was. Hell, I'd take Barbara Ann over this song anyday regardless if it's the studio version or an unheard BBC live cut from 1964...

Love the little bit I heard. The quality makes it sound like garage rock.

Definitely more evidence for my theory that Carl was never a great lead guitarist.
(Very impressed by his rhythm guitar and his ability to play complex chords and sing awesome vocals at the same time)

I really like this for what it is. The striped shirts era, especially the years with Brian, are the most interesting live years to me. Just the boys pure, no other musicians and the guys knocking out thos harmonies (and rocking the halls for the most part too!). They were a very interesting live act to me. That's also why I'd love to have the Chicago '65 show in it's entirety.

3 samples already released...and haven't heard one of them!  Gotta hold on till next week.......

It's real, that's what I like. Carl messes up the guitar break a little? No problem for me, the singing is still nice. Warts and all, still sounds good.

d00d was only 18 at the time of this recording. Give 'im a break, Grow-Hee. :'(

eh his studio solos ain't much betta thanx

this is a mystery quote for me.

Wendy is a Brian Wilson classic... an early example of more sophisticated songwriting, harmonies, and "deceptively sunny melancholy" as the article states.

and Carl's solo is fine.

This isn't a straight live recording though surely? Mike's voice is sounds doubletracked. Not just Mike, Brian too.

OK, I've read the other thread now. Perhaps they could be merged?

Really enjoying this though. From the buzz of that bass in the intro through  Carl's solo (which sounds straight off a Joe Meek record) and to that last twang. Fantastic!

I think they're just singing in unison along w/ Mike.

Really sounds overdubbed to me. There's another thread lower down with this info.....

Makes a lot of sense… didn't the BBs sometimes take advantage of the facilities of sessions such as this to record instrumental tracks then overdub/double track the vox/backing vox?

Haven't been able to listen yet… wonder what tomorrow's track will be?

I've been listening to so much post-1976 BB/BW solo stuff lately that I was knocked out by Brian and Mike's vocals on this track. They are so smooth, young, and emotional. Those two vocal performances by Brian and Mike epitomize why they were the greatest vocal group ever. Incomparable. They get you every time. This version and the studio version are different enough to enjoy/value both!

At the very end (1:54ish) Denny plays a great little pick-up that has his crazy smash-cymbal-then-silence-cymbal thing that he does, like in Surfin USA...Love it!

It all comes down to its inclusion on Endless Summer.  A LOT of people bought that album when it came out so a good number of people are as familiar with it as a good chunk of the early hits.  The band also played it on many TV appearances around the time of it's release (and later).

Your last phrase is definitely evidence for my theory that you're pretty biased.  From your spelling I take it you're related to Awldsyrfahdood?

If your spelling is a reaction to runner's "Grow-Hee", I take my previous phrase back.

Carl was only 17 when he played that BBC thing. And I'd like to see a 16 year old who can crank out something like "Surf Jam".

Being the pedant that I am I think the BBC tracks would have fit perfectly well on disc 1 in this set. This would have freed up room for some more unreleased gems on disc 6.

Agreed though I wonder how late in the compilation process they surfaced? Must be about a year ago that Hushabye was heard on the radio in the UK but the box was already in the works at that time. Would different discs be signed off at different times?

Wendy has always been a favourite Beach Boys track of mine, and I really enjoy this live version, warts and all. I just love the melody and the singing, and this tune has always been in my top 20 Beach Boys songs.

:) Mark

Last year "Hushabye" from these sessions was played on BBC Radio. They said it had just surfaced. But I don't know if BRI or Capitol or whoever does these things already had it then

Just looked it up -  July last year was when it was broadcast.

I make that seven "leaks" now:

Wendy (BBC)
Hushabye (BBC)
Wild Honey (live)
Help Me Rhonda (live)
Where is She (studio)
Goin' To The Beach (two versions)
California Feelin'

That it so far?

That's just how Runners and I talk sometimes. I would never call Bruce Brooth or Mike Myke.

Never been a big fan of Carl's solos, that's all. Not trashing him. I even gave him credit for his rhythm work. Not saying he's a bad guitarist or something. I know he was very young in this performance but I've not seen a solo of his I liked in the decades after this performance. Oh well he was great at tons of other stuff.

I've uploaded the MP3 to here:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/2z6lly (http://www.sendspace.com/file/2z6lly)

I really like the solo but for me the vocals are outstanding

I wonder what will appear next? ;D

Thanks again, Cliff! BBC Wendy's a good gift for my Winamp. First off, I like the studio cut - it's not near my favorite by The BBs, but it's still a nice little song. Now, upon hearing this newly found "old" version, I can tell you with big certainty that I prefer it to the former. Never heard the more detuned & offbeat guitar (solo) & I dig it. Let's say, it's cool in a weird way. The intro is very garage-rockish. As to the vocals, they're as usual are A-1! Somehow, the full tone (from C --> B) lower key works well. Conclusion: of all the leaked MaICal tracks, Wendy is the best imo.

No worries!
I think of all the leaked tracks, Wild Honey is still my favourite. I played it last night to some friends who absolutely loved it and asked who it was. The response was  :o :o :o

Carl's solo is okay, but it's Al who plays a wrong chord in the middle of the solo, which makes it sound bad.

I don't mind this error. It makes them human ;)

This reminds me of the Lost Concert when Al also makes a mistake during In My Room. The look on Carl and Brian's faces is priceless ;D

Thanks for clarification. :)