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Albums that never were: California Slide (1974) and Good Timin' (1975)

In the tradition of soniclovenoize's blog, this is my first entry in my revamp of the mid-70s Beach Boys albums "that never were". Imagine if you will that, after Holland, Dennis took over the production role from Carl and became the forefront songwriter with Brian through the end of the 70s. And while we're at it, let's just say that Blondie and Ricky stayed with the band just a bit more before quitting in late 1974. I used all the best possible sources available and bossaro's mix of We're Together Again (alternate version). Enjoy! (and sorry about my bad english)

(http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/ab/e5/abe5ec850fa565e11232d6c8392c0a48.jpg?itok=Spx2e2N4)

The Beach Boys - California Slide (1974)
http://www98.zippyshare.com/v/EGXtwFFA/file.html

1. California Slide
2. Hard Times
3. Out In The Country
4. Big Sur
5. Carry Me Home

6. It's A New Day
7. We're Together Again
8. We Got Love
9. Awake
10. Holy Man

After the mass success of the compilation Endless Summer, the world is eager to hear new material from the Boys. Using outtakes from the band's past material, Dennis quickly assemble in late summer 1974 California Slide, named after his unreleased song from 1969. Most songs are outtakes heralding from the Surf's Up/Carl & The Passions/Holland era. Mike's beautiful alternate version of the Holland song Big Sur is finally heard (in a tactic that reminds the back to back albums versions of Help Me Ronda/Rhonda) A brand new Brian song, Awake, a 1972 demo for Spring, is one of the last bit of showcase of his beautiful falsetto voice. The only other Brian song on the record is a country reworking of the 1969 outtake We're Together Again. The record ends up with the beautiful Dennis composition, Holy Man, featuring an exceptional lead by Carl (yeah, you'll have to use your imagination on that one, sorry).

Released in late summer 1974, California Slide is a critical success but sales are low and on par with the previous records. Newer fans who were reintroduced to the band with Endless Summer are disappointed when expected to hear ''fun in the sun''-style songs that were on the double LP compilation. By the end of the year, after exhausting and exhaustive touring, both Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar quit the band and Jack Rieley is sacked as the band manager. The boys are starting to leave their more progressive sound and are headed back into oldies territory that the industry and record-buying public demands...

The Beach Boys - Good Timin' (1975)
http://www98.zippyshare.com/v/EMGPmfea/file.html

1. Good Timin'
2. Susie Cincinnati
3. Had To Phone Ya
4. San Miguel
5. Rainbows
6. Rollin' Up To Heaven

7. It's Ok
8. Barnyard Blues
9. H.E.L.P Is On The Way
10. Back Home
11. Pacific Ocean Blues
12. River Song
13. California Feelin'

Move forward to 1975, both brother Carl and Dennis try to coax Brian into writing new songs for their next LP. His new compositions (Good Timin', It's OK, Had To Phone Ya, Rollin' Up To Heaven, California Feelin') are really back in line with the fun-in-the-sun image that the band deserted the past few years. On the other side of the Wilson clan, Dennis' songs grows more progressive and rock-oriented (Rainbows, Barnyard Blues, Pacific Ocean Blues, River Song). Rounding up the record are 4 outtakes from the Sunflower-Landlocked era (Susie Cincinatti, San Miguel, H.E.L.P Is On The Way, Back Home)  that fits the overall happy country-sounding mood of the record. The album is released summer 1975 and is both an instant smash hit and a critical success! Yah!

Next up, in the tradition of The Band's Moondog Matinee and John Lennon's Rock 'N' Roll, the band tackles their favorite 50s and 60s rock n roll songs in the 1976 cover album 15 BIG ONES...

Nice! I will give this a listen when I have a chance.

For the life of me I don't get why fans create these "what if" situations. Then again ,I don't understand fantasy football either.

Fantasy football is otherwise known as Soccer, right?

Given that "Holy Man" first saw tape June 24th 1974, it'd have to be a very late summer release... and I think DW would have included "(WIBNT)LA" over pretty much every track you've listed.  ;D

The release of these two theoretical albums may have theoretically ended their career!

  GOOD TIMIN' plus "Holy Man" would be a viable LP. Leave CALIFORNIA SLIDE on the shelf.

You are correct bgas and for you that is....GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

Agreed.

California Slide's pretty good, but yeah, if you're going to add tracks that were lying around, WIBNTLA needs to be on there, though We're Together Again is completely the wrong period and Awake isn't good enough - replace it with Barnyard Blues or San Miguel.  Good Timin' doesn't work for me because there are too many songs that were released shortly afterwards.

WIBNTLA would have been on Landlocked/Surf's Up that's why it isn't here. You know what, let's see you guys try something interesting and creative around what most people consider the worst of the Beach Boys albums so I can just leave a negative feedback later. That's the internet for ya!

An unrealistic 14 song set

I haven't worked out the order, but...

It's a New Day
We Got Love
Barnyard Blues
Out in the Country
Big Sur
Fourth of July
Carry Me Home

San Miguel
Hard Times
California Slide
Mt Vernon and Fairway track
Barbara
Wishing You Were Here (and why not?)
WIBNTLA

And yes, WIBNTLA, Born on the 4th and Big Sur are all on my extended Surf's Up, but what the hell. Now I need some cover art...

(http://i59.tinypic.com/21n02ef.jpg)

I thought if I was recycling songs, I might as well recycle some other stuff...

I concur.  And am I the only one who prefers "Sweet And Bitter" to several of these songs?

"Most songs are outtakes heralding from the Surf's Up/Carl & The Passions/Holland era. "

You were saying ?

For me, it's a bit of fun. It's not the final thing. California Slide won't make my final cut. Too early and, to be honest, I don't like it that much.

I've just re-read the Sweet and Bitter thread? Anyone ever find out more about this?

I dig it man. Don't let the haters bother ya. Did you mix these or just compile them? Just curious.

ShangaijoeBB, I love threads like these. I love the "what if's" - just for the fun of it. You did some nice work in compiling those albums "that never were". This is my take...

I don't think it was absolutely necessary to release a Beach Boys album in early 1974. Endless Summer was only released in late June 1974 and went to No. 1 in October of that year. So, maybe at the earliest a Christmas 1974 release would've been good, but maybe an early spring 1975 release would've been better. I'm not sure why you included some songs that were already released including "Big Sur" and "We Got Love", and the sound of "We're Together Again" would've sounded out of place; maybe they could've re-recorded it.

Frankly, of all the songs you listed, I can only come up with a side full of songs that I would've liked recorded/released, but what a side it would've been!

01  Back Home
02  Had To Phone Ya
03  It's OK
04  Susie Cincinnati
05  Good Timin'
06  River Song
07  California Feelin'


 

Smilin Ed H: Actually, before I had ''Sweet and Bitter'' on my playlist instead of ''We're Together Again''. I might just revert to that.

yonderhillside and Sheriff: thanks for your positive feedback. Much appreciated around here it's not something you find often! ::)

I though about switching ''River Song'' instead of ''California Slide'' but I just love that Neil Young-esque bad-ass guitar finale. So yes, screw the haters! ;)

Just wish we had some kind of confirmation about Sweet and Bitter... Did Stephen Desper really record it?

Did you have any other different songs in the "rough draft" of your "California Slide" tracklist before you settled on your final version? I'm going to listen to it with "Sweet & Bitter" replacing "We're Together Again" when I get home tonight.

Interesting----will give a listen now.  :hat

The whole thing's a cheat, I know, but at the moment, I've settled on this:

(http://i61.tinypic.com/29ljpxh.jpg)

(http://i57.tinypic.com/21cs3nq.jpg)

Sorry to rebump this but I wanted to share my newest compilations here with other fans:

This is what I roll by these days:
1-If the band would have let go of their urge to record oldies and continued into the same musical direction after Holland and
2-Treated Dennis Wilson as its main songwriter after Brian.
3-Blondie and Ricky stayed on board for one more album.

(There is still an "oldies" record but they're all on one record instead of severals)

Golden State (1974) produced by The Beach Boys

01 River Song
02 Hard Times
03 Out In The Country
04 Iv'e Got A Friend
05 Carry Me Home

06 It's A New Day
07 Sweet And Bitter
08 We Got Love
09 Sweet Mountain
10 Holy Man

Good Timin' (1975) produced by The Beach Boys

01 Good Timin'
02 Susie Cincinnati
03 Had To Phone Ya
04 Rainbows
05 H.E.L.P Is On The Way
06 Rollin' Up To Heaven

07 It's Ok
08 San Miguel
09 Barnyard Blues
10 Back Home
11 Pacific Ocean Blues
12 California Feelin' (demo)

Rock N' Roll Music (1976) produced by Brian Wilson

01 Rock N' Roll Music
02 Come Go With Me
03 Chapel Of Love
04 Running Bear
05 Talk To Me
06 Sea Cruise
07 Mony, Mony

08 Palisades Park
09 Peggy Sue
10 A Casual Look
11 Blueberry Hill
12 Shake, Rattle And Roll
13 In The Still Of The Night
14 Just Once In My Life

Brian Wilson - Brian Loves You & Adult/Child (1977)

(Couldn't tackle M.I.U into a coherent, more "progressive" sounding record. They are a few great songs here and there, but not enough to compile into a full LP)

L.A. (1979) produced by The Beach Boys

01 California Feeling (L.A. version)
02 Lady Lynda
03 Full Sail
04 Angel Come Home
05 Love Surrounds Me
06 Sumahama

07 Constant Companion
08 Baby Blue
09 Looking Down The Coast
10 Santa Ana Winds (1978 version)
11 Goin' South
12 Mexico

Endless Harmony (1982) produced by The Beach Boys

01 Goin' On
02 Oh Darlin' (alternate)
03 School Girl
04 Livin' With A Heartache
05 It's Not Too Late
06 It's Like Heaven

07 Stevie
08 Love Remembers Me
09 Heaven
10 Cocktails
11 Oh Lord
12 Endless Harmony

I did a 15 Big Rock and Roll Ones; can't remember the exact tracklist, but all your choices were there plus On Broadway. Don't think I have the cover for this, or I would post it.

My LA - again, playing fast and loose with the truth, is currently this:

(http://i68.tinypic.com/ofytf.jpg)

(http://i68.tinypic.com/a57xoi.jpg)

Wow really like that cover Ed! Nice work! Actually, my version of L.A. is really similar to the track list you've made.

I re-uploaded my first imaginary album on vimeo (now with brand spanking new cover art!), for those interested :hat

https://vimeo.com/146143110

California Feeling (1975) is up next!

https://vimeo.com/146354218

It's a beautiful day in L.A.!

https://vimeo.com/146428968