The Smiley Smile Message Board

This might be a thread more for the Steve Desper one. Somewhere I remember reading a quote from Desper saying that Brian would sneak down into the home studio and record whole tracks (music and vocals) with Steves help and then after he finished he would instruct Steve to completely wipe the tape. Steve then said something like he had "heard more unreleased songs from Brian than anyone" or something like that, but had obviously wiped the tape.
Can anyone verify this?
Do you reckon he really wiped the tapes?

Why would Steve make up a story like that?  I of course assume it's true.  If Brian was working just with Steve, there wouldn't be anyone else to witness it, other than Brian of course.  Someone could ask him that question on his website maybe?

That's an OLD, OLD quote from Desper. That's been regurgitated I don't know how many times. More of those living room #1s.

Such a tragedy that those songs are lost forever...I remember Bruce saying in a doc that he would be "fractured the songs were so brilliant" but after they went "number one in his living room" Brian just discarded them.  The Desper quote I believe was that he had "erased more Brian Wilson songs than anyone will ever hear" or something to that effect.  Obviously at the time there was no real reason to keep these songs stockpiled on tape, but I'd bet there was some brilliant stuff there that sadly, nobody will ever hear.

Tragedy indeed...but I'd like to hope that there was a secret second tape recorder rolling...

I bet Brian still has a bunch of the erased songs in his head, though.. and we all know how much he likes to recycle songs.

I thought the quote was that Desper "erased more Brian Wilson songs than anyone will ever hear"... meaning that he erased blown takes on vocal sessions, to lay over a new take.... not that he was erasing entire songs.

I think the quote may have originated in one of the Leaf books, but I know for sure that's what Steve told me in LA back in 1985.

Maybe he has recorded some of them already and we don't know it? For all we know, the melody for , say, Love & Mercy, could've had its origins in the early 70s. Doubt it, but...

I don'd doubt that idea at all. Brian could very well have begun some of those melodies and ideas in those years, then finally finished them much later. We know he's done it time after time, so why not a few more? As for those "lost songs" as all being brilliant, well...that's a Beach Boys msg board for you. Anything unavailable is OBVIOUSLY better than what is available...

Yep, you're probably right.

Sometimes the best stuff is the stuff you never hear  ;D

I think he's saving them to put up on his myspace.

As far as what went out and what was recorded yes the stuff that never came out is far better sometimes.

Paley or Stars and Stripes? Da Do Run Run or School Days. When Girls Get Together or Games Two Can Play, original Santa Ana or the released one. I can go on the outakes from 15 Big Ones are often far better then the oldies on there. The "hot" Rock and Roll Music. Adult Child to me is far better then Love You. Hard Times or Hold On Dear Brother ? Ding Dang or (Brian's) Hard Times? Back Home 70 or 75. Smile is better then Smiley, Dennis' huge catalog of unused items. I mean do we want "Take A Load Off Your Feet" or "I've Got A Friend". Even in the early days. "I Do" "All Dressed Up For School" "Walk On By" Can't Wait Too Long" All beter then Mama Said, Diamond Head, Our Favorite Recording Sessions, Bull Daddy, Nearest Faraway. Don't Go Near The Water or Loop De Loop

Sorry if this is a rant. I think overall The Beach Boys put out some great music, but like Dylan, The Stones, Elvis, you name it sometimes an artist is not the best judge of their own work.

And Battle Hymn of the Republic, there's a song that should've seen the light of day, would've made a smash number 1 hit!

I think one of the reasons so much Brian music went unwritten,  unrecordrd, or was erased is that whenever he'd record, it would get used for BB projects, After Smile, Brian did not as readily share his music with them due to deep resentment.