The Smiley Smile Message Board

Pardon me if this is already a thread, but what is the situation with Mike "re-recording classics" as he put it in his recent billboard interview. I remember in his book trailer there were re-recordings of Fun Fun Fun, Big Sur, and Good Vibrations if I recall correctly. Plus we know Getcha Back is being reworked, and now the Do It Again single. Will this be an album? I would have mixed feelings about this. The Big Sur re-recording from the book trailer sounded really good in my opinion.

If he did some lesser known songs such as Big Sur and some of his other released/unreleased solo stuff, even Getcha Back, fine. But I don't need Mike Love re singing the same Greatest Hits package ( especially considering how horrific that Do it Again piece is)

The situation is that he is pushing the chutzpah envelope big-time.  With the exception of Big Sur, which does sound very good, mainly because it's just a new vocal laid down over the original backing track, and Mike also had a major hand in composing, if  Brian Wilson wants to re-record classic BB songs that's one thing but for Mike to do it, esp. under his own name, is the epitome of classlessness, even though he sang on them. No matter how many new fans a new release of a great old song brings in, again IMO.

I don't think this opinion is just grumpy purism run amok but is pretty d--n objective.

I think it would be okay if he did an album of re-recordings as long as they weren't the obvious choices (Getcha Back and Big Sur certainly aren't Beach Boys classics) and as obnoxiously done as that version of Do It Again.  But if he's going to be doing inferior note-for-note versions of California Girls, Good Vibrations, and Kokomo for the tenth time, I really don't see the point.

How did the re-records fare when Mike did them 20 years ago?

Catch a Wave. (https://sep.yimg.com/ay/yhst-73969762682587/mike-love-cd-catch-a-wave-20.gif)
Here's Do It Again from that set: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt4qz66CTog (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt4qz66CTog)

NASCAR. (https://img.discogs.com/K0XhlvaXiTDHZiJQ7eivHVhatHI=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-1477527-1222630612.jpeg.jpg)

Summertime Cruisin' (https://img.discogs.com/94QPvTL8Bz_hllStSWjtoJFROkE=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-8573359-1464309802-7863.jpeg.jpg)

2 of those 3 have Do It Again on the tracklist. 3 of the 3 are loaded with sequences and drum machines and the unmistakable digitized sonic aura of Summer In Paradise, only lesser sound quality.

Any questions?

Oh, there's more. Mike and Bruce with The King's Singers doing a cover of "Please Let Me Wonder" from '97. Again, fully digitized sound, drum machines and sequences...

...and whether it was Mike or Bruce or the two of them writing it as a team, a new set of lyrics and melody written over the original's bridge section, which on the original recording is one of the finest instrumental breaks Brian ever wrote and produced, perhaps one of the better middle 8 sections in 60's pop music. On this cover/remake version it's been removed and rewritten...

I guess it needed new lyrics to make it 25% better?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JReRSTzYrXw&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JReRSTzYrXw&feature=youtu.be)

That made Imagination sound like death metal

Big Sur sounds like landlocked, beautiful.

One would hope that BRI would never in the modern era allow an album cover like this to be released by Mike:

(https://img.discogs.com/K0XhlvaXiTDHZiJQ7eivHVhatHI=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-1477527-1222630612.jpeg.jpg)

When Brian was sued over that freebie giveaway CD in the 2000s, and every time Brian and Al have been harangued for too prominently featuring their "original Beach Boy" status in concert promotional materials, they should have just send Mike a copy of that Union 76 album cover and "dropped the mic" as it were.

Regarding cover versions of old BB songs, perhaps this is one way to look at it: We've had for a number of years now a glut of movie sequels, movie franchise, movie "cinematic universes", reboots, remakes, etc. In other words, the "average moviegoer" doesn't crave *new* stories and characters. They crave more of the same. They want the same thing over and over and over. Something comfortable and familiar.

So with Mike, he treats *his own song catalog and career* the way movie ticket buyers treat movies. He gravitates towards the safe, crowd-pleasing stuff. It not only pleases the "fans"; the masses, it also please *Mike* more. He has his own internal narrative for what those old "classic" BB songs mean and what they are, and it's comforting to him to just go back to that over and over.

The 90s remakes with Adrian Baker were no doubt about all of that, and probably also just quick easy cash grabs. Probably a case of little labels (or gas stations or car dealerships) offering to cut a quick, easy check in exchange for K-Tel style re-recordings helmed by Baker that actually feature Mike.

Ive seen lemonade stand signs that look more professional than this.

Who's ready for McGrath and Stamos on a remade All I Wanna Do? Let's DO THIS!!!

That          would          make          my          head         explode.

Imagine if Ringo did an album remaking the Beatles' biggest hits. Who wants that?

And Ringo actually has a viable solo career.

Brian remaking a few BB songs is more acceptable because he has also had a good solo career with original material. Mike is just scraping the bottom of the barrel and has been for years. Mike and Bruce are a lyricist and a songwriter. You'd think they could come up with something new together.

An awful album....humiliating on many levels....generic karaoke tracks sound better than the production on here. The spoken intro from Mike and Bruce will make you cringe.

"Beach Boy lovers...NASCAR lovers...and summer days on old Cape Cod"

Adrian Baker did a poor job producing/engineering this album. Just listen to Little GTO and listen to how the sound quality changes at 1:28 during the song. Terrible.

I think all of Mike's re-recordings aren't AWFUL. They aren't good, but they're not abysmal. I'd take any of Mike's re-recordings over Summer Of Love. There are a few of the re-recordings I actually like, even though I may be hated on this site for saying so. For example, on the Summer Cruisin' album, I like the re-recording of Surfin' USA, even though I'd take the original over the redo anyday.