The Smiley Smile Message Board

I really, REALLY hope I'm wrong, but it appears all the major storefront retailers in Germany are not stocking the new POB release. In many cases I get blank looks and stares when inquiring about the reissue. If you want the CD you have to specially order it.

Now that reeks to me of a complete lethargic attitude by both retailer and label. Surely Sony has a bit more faith than that in a CD. At least one tokewn disc in the shop??? Of course I realise it is a reissue, but given the amount of rave reviews I have actually been reading in this country, it strikes me as odd that the few days after official "release" there is no CD to show for it. Heck some specialist shops suggested it  hasn't even been released here!!!

Does anyone in the know have a possible expolanation?

As it turns out some stores in Europe are getting the Album late, so you may have to wait a few days

WOM and Saturn in Wiesbaden/Germany didn't have a clue on Saturday, when I was inquiring about POB.

Here in the US, as of Friday, Barnes and Noble still had it on-line.  Check out www.bn.com.  It was also very reasonably priced at $20.99 or something like that.

Good luck, guys!

www.play.com will have it at a great price and postage is free within Europe.

I live in a relatively big Canadian city, and yet NO one is carrying POB! But apparently TONS of people are asking the stores about the release date. That made me really happy to hear. 

I also live in a big Canadian city and I went to 4 stores to find the CD on the 17th with no avail, I was bummed, but quite frankly not surprised. So thank goodness for the internet and digital files to tide me over until my 3LP arrives :D

Hey Dwight - back in your old home town I checked around in the month leading up to release if it was listed - nada - checked again a week before release and still nada. None of the majors have it listed and haven't bothered to check the brick and mortar as futility is not on my agenda. Just did another online check and still nothing except for good old Red Eye who have it on import and in stock and have it as their "Album of the Week".

Having read all the responses I will have to reinforce that the online stores such as Amazon, CDWow and a few others do have it. I'm was more shocked that Saturn, who prides itself on having the world's biggest selection of CDs would neglect to have this CD. Considering they had the GV reissue, the Pet Sounds repackage, and the 50 variations of Kenbworth, no POB is unsettling. You'd think a CD with preorders would motivate someone in the same store to think perhaps more people would be interested.

It's a reissue of a little-known album that never sold well to begin with.  Sony is not going to invest in a wide release of album no one has heard of.  I'm not knocking the album itself; it's just the nature of the business.  The fact that it got re-released at all is noteworthy.  You should be able to find it online.   

 :o

wow, we get something before the UK? noway, that never happens

Well - hopefully the fact that it has just hit Top 20 in the UK charts will make some folk sit up and take note !

That's what I'm hoping. While I've been a BB fan long enough to not expect the same attention as current acts, I have always maintained the delusion that a CD is made available to buy.

If Sony are so disinterested in plugging the CD, why go to all the trouble of video interviews, video clips and a leased vinyl? Someone has a slightly warped view of too much expenditure on a "dead-end product" so to speak.

Heck and the execs scratch their scalps trying to work out why pirating is so rife when the legit CD is no-where to be found.

Take it you've managed to avoid seeing the dozens of stories and reviews of the album in both the UK and US press ? Not to mention the official website and the wonderful EPK on amazon ? Here in the UK there have been major features in daily newspapers, and that investment has been rewarded by a Top 20 album. Sony/Legacy have invested time and money making this a benchmark reissue. I'd be very surprised if it wasn't nominated for a Grammy.

How widely reviewed has the album been in the US? I used to buy Rolling Stone from time to time but they don't stock it in t'Yorkshire Dales...

 :shrug I work at the local Wal-mart supercenter, and didn't see it in the electronics department... yet. So I am wondering if Denny's music is just a niche market in Wal-Mart's eyes?

I think sadly for a lot  here in the US, it's not a big deal. Kind of sad though  >:(

This is a weird thread...is this the one for the people who see the glass as half empty? Must be. A major label has gone to incredible lengths and taken great care in compiling and packaging this release. its one of the best ever. The label and the production team has also spent tons of money promoting it...radio sampler, radio show, promo films, EPK...giant trade ads...they've got it in the top 20 in the UK and the US chart on Wed. will reflect a surprise I predict. The press has been all over this thing for a month, reviews and features in Uncut, Mojo, Record Collector, Guardian, Observer, Q, Blender, Rolling Stone, Record Collector, Boston Globe, The Sun, American Way, Ascap magazine, and on and on and on...its everywhere. If anyone here thinks it hasn't gotten high profile attention then you have not been conscious for the last 30 days. This past Friday POB rose to #2 on Amazon...#2!! My f'n God dude!! That's in Music, not just Rock or Adult alternative...but music overall. It was #2 on HMV as well. #16 in the LP charts in the UK...RIGHT NOW. It didn't even chart there in '77. If some stores don;'t have it or sold out of it it doesn't really matter...people have been grabbing it up on Amazon and other on-line stores for a month now...the whole first pressing has been snapped up, and its pretty much gone...more are being pressed, orders are being filled...and Grammy buzz is in full swing. I can't get into this...gee if only the label had done this or that...not appropriate this time. They did, and will, and are doing a great job.

 8o Jon, I understand your excitement. However, Wal-Mart must be seeing this as a one time thing. A niche market if you will. I am keeping my eyes PEELED for a display for POB though. :3d Us being huge BB fans see this bigger than stores like Wal-mart do. I imagine it has gotten HUGE reviews in every major music magazine.  I have it on the original LP, CD and now the remaster. I have suggested it to the Electronics department manager, and they say "Who?"  ??? :angry

If you are using the manager at your local Wal-Mart as the guage to whether this release is getting a fair shake or not...ummmm...I can't help you. Dennis Wilson won't register with Wal-Mart or most Wal-Mart shoppers until AFTER the Grammy, AFTER the feature on Access Hollywood, and AFTER River Song is a Shampoo commercial, AFTER Beyonce covers Dreamer ...AFTER American Idol has Dennis Wilson night...then Wal-Mart will get a few in stock.

I seriously don't get people posting here complaining that they can't buy it in [insert your local record emporium here]. You post here, ergo you have a PC and internet capability. So...

Why the foda didn't you order it from Amazon ?? Huh, huh ??

I hear Beyonce has got Jay-Z to rap a verse on her remix of Dreamer, its going to be on the Wal-Mart edition of POB....you know, with that version of Holy Man with the Foo Fighters and Queen

I'm not moaning and groaning but it still does not change the fact that POB has not been released by Sony in major western markets such as Germany, Canada and Australia. Is somebody going to rattle the cage at Sony HQ? At least for Dennis's sake.

And yes I have ordered it through Amazon and I am still patiently waiting.

My thoughts exactly. I'm (im)patiently waiting as well.

Alright folks.  Deep Breath.  I want to be clear. 
I am a huge Dennis Wilson fan (and all of the bb's really).  I bought POB on cd the day it came out back in the early 1990's.  In fact I buy just about every Beach Boys related cd the day it comes out because I am that big a fan (or geek which ever term you prefer).

I do feel that Sony has done a great job with this release in terms of putting together a great product.  Impressive track listing, great liner notes and general packaging.  I am also very excited that the trouble has been taken to do radio specials, promo posters, bookmarks, cd singles 5 track promo cds, websites, podcasts and EPKs.  Very cool.  Heck, I am thrilled because we were not sure all the legal hurdles could be handled to make a release like this happen.  And the fact that it has and that there are a bundle of beautiful bonus tracks and a ton of Bambu material all in glorious sound quality is a dream come true.  As an avid collector it is nice to have a bunch of neat promo stuff to hunt down that the record company cared enough to come up with.  It is clear that this release was put together with love by people who care about the quality of the finished product.

I enjoy your writing very much Jon (I have two copies of both the DW book and the DM book and will be buying the expanded DW book the day it is released).

But that brings me to my one and only gripe about this release (anyone who knows me will confirm that I am a glass half full - bright side of life kind of guy). 

I STILL don't have the new POB / Bambu release yet. 

Is it my fault?  No.  I did everything a reasonable person should do to get it on the day it was released.  I pre-ordered it from amazon OVER A MONTH AGO (two copies actually).  I'll happily forward you my amazon pre-order for those desiring proof.  I also pre-ordered it from my local HMV, and local PLAY too as well as a copy on ebay.  But like most geeks who are excited, on the 17th I wanted it in my hands immediately and realized that ordering on line via mail delivery can lead to delays.  So I checked the following stores on the day of release (and I live in a fairly large city of well over a million people in Canada):
HMV (several locations)
Play
Megatunes
Wal-mart
Best Buy
Future Shop
A & B Sound

No store in my city had it.  I was told a bunch of promising things though.  Most of these stores have it on order and that people have been asking about it.  That is great (I mean that sincerely) but I still don't have the cd and none of the stores could give me a definitive date that the cd would be in.

I am not freaking out or super mad about it, but I am frustrated (and rightfully so).  I suspect that the stores may get it in tomorrow (Tuesday June 24) as I have experience a one week delay in the past for certain releases.  I will continue to wait (as patiently as I can) and  I am certain that fairly soon my ebay copy, or my pre-ordered amazon copy (which I received an e-mail alerting me of the delay) will arrive.  Or that the the majority of the stores will have it in stock soon enough.  But it was unpleasant to have a bunch of people basking in the glory of the new release and feel left out - even though I made every effort to get it right away.

AGD, your comment bothered me because I did order several copies on line (Amazon and others).  And I have heard you complain before about product availability before. 

Are there other countries or areas that do not have this release yet?  I suspect there are.  And in the interests of keeping Dennis' music as high in the charts as possible (or just even to keep the fans happy) it would be best if stores had the cd in stock.  I believe Mr. Stebbins and Mr. Doe would agree with that sentiment.  I feel pretty confident that anyone in my situation would feel similarly.

Oh well, like I said I don't think I will have to wait much longer and I am excited that when I do get it I know it will be worth the wait.  To tide me over I have been listening to the great new podcasts and my old POB cd and for good measure I bought the Criterion 2 dvd version of Two-Lane Blacktop.   

Jon, I'm sure it's early for this, but has it been looked into in terms of what grammy awards the POB reissue would be eligible for? I think there is a category for something along the lines of "Best Archival Historical Release"; I think the "Pet Sounds Sessions" boxed set may have been nominated in that category back in 1998 or whenever. So I think the POB reissue would probably qualify for that sort of category. But are there any other categories? I suppose the previously unreleased material is "new", and therefore could qualify for song of the year, best rock vocal and other awards for individual songs, but probably not in any of the main original album categories as POB was already issued in 1977, and thus the entire package is not new material. I suppose it might also qualify in some of the more technical categories like best engineering and whatnot, although again I don't know which if any of those type of awards pertain to releases with all "new" music.

My friend Howie Edelson tells me that besides the obvious "Reissue of the Year" it could also be eligible in many of the following categories...
BEST ROCK INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMANCE
BEST SOLO ROCK VOCAL PERFORMANCE
BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE BY A DUO OR GROUP WITH VOCAL
BEST INSTRUMENTAL COMPOSITION
BEST INSTRUMENTAL ARRANGEMENT
BEST RECORDING PACKAGE
BEST BOXED OR SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION PACKAGE
BEST ALBUM NOTES
BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM, NON-CLASSICAL
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR, NON-CLASSICAL
BEST REMIXED RECORDING, NON-CLASSICAL

WOW, that was such a disturbing image!  :ahh

Sure, the album has received much critical attention since it was originally released and deservingly so.  I'm certainly aware of all the recent press over this reissue.  But commercially speaking?  Pacific Ocean Blue originally peaked at the bottom of the Billboard chart and only lasted 8 weeks.  Which is why it doesn't surprise me that the average employee at a music store may never have heard of it.  I know Sony has done a fine job with the reissue and I *hope* it fairs better this time around.  I was just commenting on the original poster's impressions that most people are as aware of a reissue of a cult album from the 70's as they would be such tripe as Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl" or U2-wannabes Coldplay. 

It's nice (although not that surprising) that POB is fairing well in the UK.  Not sure it will get quite the same attention in the States but here's hopin'. 

Which is exactly the point I was trying to make.  It's best to keep your expectations of the album's success modest instead of over the moon.  Sure, I certainly *hope* the average music consumer will take note of this album and maybe the album will rocket to the top of the charts, win tons of Grammys and even turn out to be the cure for all forms of cancer.  But let's be a little more realistic.  :-)

I *did* order it from Amazon, along with Chicago's Stone Of Sisyphus release.  Both albums came out last week; I finally received them in the mail today.  That SUCKS.  Some people want their albums the day of release.  Even overnight shipping can't guarantee you'll get them.  Same thing happened to me last year when I ordered Paul McCartney's Memory Almost Full from Amazon and didn't get it in the mail until over a week later.  And that was with overnight shipping!

I'm sure no-one is intentionally denying themselves the CD. Some Amazon orders get delayed, some people may not have/use credit cards, some regions (the Netherlands for one) don't have their own Amazon store and importing from the U.S. store more often that not results in weeks of waiting and then paying import tax...

Its not a catch-all solution to everything.

I'm tempted to list a few real problems going on around the planet to put this 'Why am I waiting?' thread in to perspective!

Interesting. I'm thinking it has a better chance at some of the latter categories on this list. I'm thinking there's probably too much "modern" competition for things like Solo Rock Vocal or Duo/Group Vocal (how would a Dennis release quality for that category? I suppose the track with him and Carl?). I could definitely see it competing in those latter categories, especially "Recording Package", "Boxed/Limited Edition", "Album Notes" , and whatever other sort of archival reissue-type awards are out there.

I'm thinking, doesn't the record label usually push/lobby/campaign for grammies on behalf of their releases? I'm thinking they may even have to be the ones to submit it for consideration? I'm not sure how that works, but since this release has done so well, I imagine Sony/Legacy would be more inclined to do those things if needed and helpful.

Precisely.

If your sole source of CD purchases is Wal-Mart, then you're not trying very hard. This is where the Mom and Pop stores trump the Big Box stores.

Well, some people simply don't live anywhere near a brick & mortar record store at all. For some, its either the big-box retailers or go to the internet. For most stuff unless it's super popular and mainstream (in which cases I rarely am interested in anyway), the big-gox retailers like Best Buy, Target, etc. aren't going to stock it at all, or will stock it in small numbers, perhaps only at certain locations. In the case of some of these stores, you can check in-store availability on the web, by the way. So sometimes you can check ahead without having to drive there if they don't have it.

In any event, I can understand someone's frustration with not being able to find a particular CD stocked at a particular store. However, if that person is frustrated, they should be frustrated with those retailers, not the record label in this case. I'm sure there are cases where labels do a bad job with promotion or distribution, but I would doubt this is the case with Sony/Legacy in the case of the POB set. I would imagine Sony/Legacy would be happy to ship as many copies to as many stores that are willing to order as many copies as possible. If the big-box retailers were putting in orders for thousands of copies of a title, Sony/Legacy would be happy to be able to ship out as much product as possible. The problem is that these non-record store big-box retailers just have a small selection of music, usually not much beyond the new popular releases and, if you're lucky, a small selection of back catalog for major artists. The big-box retailers used to be somewhat better with movies than music, but even the movie selection at those stores is getting to where it's harder and harder to find older back catalog stuff. They see it as only having a certain amount of shelf space, and they just stock the biggest sellers in big numbers.

Perhaps not Amazon, but other online shops. In the Netherlands, it reached #67.
Here in Switzerland, it's available in all CD online shops I know and was available for preorder since months with audio samples, which is not always the case. And today, you order online if you want something the week it comes out. They can't stock all the CD stores around the world with POB.

But to ignore entire western nations is that right? Just in this thread alone we know that Sony has not released POB in Germany, Canada and Australia. There are approximately 85 million potential customers in Germany, 35 million in Canada and 21 million in Australia - that's around 141 million people  - given that the population in the USA is just over 300 million people if we were to draw a line through the USA using the Mississippi River and told all the people to the right that they could go into there local record store and buy the album on the day of release but all the people to the left of the line you have to order through an online retailer and wait for a week to a month as the people in Germany, Canada and Australia have to, then would all you folk who live west of the Mississippi be happy? Would that be good business sense on behalf of the Sony distributors? Would Sony's head office be happy? Would YOU be happy?

And let's not forget that Germany, Canada and Australia have strong retail cultures that thrive on impulse purchases - the Joe Average consumer in those countries can't walk into a record store see the album on the shelf and say "Wow, I've heard its cool, I'll buy it" - cash (and plastic) burns deep holes in pockets - lost exposure and lost sales in key western retail markets. Product on the shelf sells more product at retail than reviews in magazines.

I'm sure Sony/BMG will respond immediately if the demand is really that big. The people I know from Germany received their POBs. Let's not forget, this is a rerelease of an album that wasn't a big seller the first time around.
Perhaps the 500 interested heads in the US that didn't have their copies yet should import it from Switzerland, then it would be a #1 record here! ;D

Actually Jasper, that's not a bad idea. It would be great to have an obscure CD #1 in Switzerland!

As for my OP, I was puzzled by the fact that the major retailers who pride themselves on obtaining every weird and wonderful CD release you can imagine (I can't tell you how many variants of Knebworth I have seen in one shop alone!) don't carry POB. Doesn't anyone else find it odd that a place that stocks BWPS German/US/Japan issues neglects to carry POB?

I don't expect the Red Sea to part and have POB on the other side lit up like a beacon, I just would like to see the thing physically available in shop which claims on its entrance poster "The largets selections of CDs in the World". Call me weird, but I thought that's the whole point of CD shops.

For what is worth, POB cannot yet be found in local record stores (small or chains) in Finland and Italy where I live. 
Obviously I haven't checked in every single shop of the countries, but it really seems POB didn't get to large parts of Europe yet.

Not too much of a problem for me as I pre-ordered it on-line, although I'm still waiting...   >:(

STE

Despite all of this neglect and bad strategy...Sony managed to virtually sell out of the first pressing of POB on the second day of its release. You might say, well they underestimated it, and they didn't pre-press enough copies...but for this day and age the number they pressed was pretty big, especially in that deluxe package. I'm the biggest DW optimist anywhere and I was thinking they might sell half that number if they were lucky...as it turns out sales projections are now double the first pressing and more...the album is #16 in the UK and looks like a hit here in the U.S.(we'll know tomorrow what the charts say). Seems to me Sony knew what they were doing and made this thing a success by promoting the hell out of it. I do feel for those fans who have had trouble landing a copy thus far...hopefully you'll have it soon.

Yeah Jon,
I hear what you are saying.  I am sad that I still don't have it yet, but I know that one of the many copies that I have ordered will arrive soon.  I just wanted to make sure that I got a deluxe package before they run out, and perhaps go to a version with less bells and whistles.

More importantly, it is a joy that Dennis is receiving a great amount of attention and that the POB / Bambu set was assembled with the same kind of love and care that Dennis himself put into making the music.  My thanks go out to all who helped make this happen.

I will be checking my mailbox and all of my local cd shops anxiously awaiting it's arrival.

Go Dennis!

Just to reiterate - #16 in the UK.

Let's have some context: what was the last BB album to chart that high in the UK that wasn't a compilation ?  Surf's Up, over 36 years ago.  Has any other BB solo album done better ?  Only one. BWPS at #7 in 2004.

I'm from Brazil, and Sony/BMG didn't released POB here, so I bought it from Amazon and I'm still waiting the 2 copies that I ordered: one for me, and one for my girlfriend (she's a fan of Dennis because I played POB to her, and she loved it, especially You and I). I ordered the triple lp today from Sundazed's site, and will be delivered in July.
And now, because of POB Legacy Edition, I'm showing the record to my friends, and my family.
Last Saturday I played it to my dad and he liked POB, so...maybe I'll buy one more copy for him.

It entered the Norway charts at 5,

How random!!

Amazing!


In Ireland it's #71

It'll be interesting, since this is selling pretty-well, if it sells in good numbers in the US, POB sold near 300,000 in the 70s, if it sells 200,000 more in the US, we'll have a gold album. Sorry, just wishful thinking.

Well I hope beyond hope that I am forced to sheepishly acknowledge mass chart activity in Germany.  :)

Are you from Calgary too? I tried to buy a copy here on the 17th with no luck...I just downloaded it instead  ;D (while patiently awaiting my LP copy, of course)

Bingo Sony: Take note. Anyone who'd like to read my bannable tirade PM me and I'll send it toi you.

Yes, loveandmercy I am from Calgary too.  Nice to hear from a fellow Calgarian BB fan on the board!  Still no luck anywhere in this city with POB, if you see it in your travels let me know!  I thought about downloading from itunes but I have already ordered several POB cds and I want the high quality audio.  I am not down with highly compressed mp3s, although I very seriously considered it as I was (am) desperate to hear it.  I might have to pick up the vinyl too!
Cheers,
Rich

I ordered my copy from play.com.

Then got an Email back saying there sold out of the digipack edition, and the regular. So I'm pretty gutted.

My copy arrived in Australia yesterday - only one week after postage and after Amazon advised me it would take 3 to 4 weeks - YIPPEEE!! Ironically I ordered Poco's The Last Round Up at the same time and it was shipped a week earlier and I am yet to receive it. Have been listening and what a wonderful experience, I'm especially loving Common and the Taylor Hawkin's Holy Man (he sounds soooooo much like Dennis). So much to listen to!! Wonderful packaging. ............ now if only the rest of Australia had the same chance to listen to it - unfortunately Sony Australia is dennying them that opportunity via retail.

Yes, what is Australia's problem? I'm in the same boat..... got my disc set from CD Pacific (just waiting the vinyl now!), but how could SonyBMG Australia miss this one? Australia is per capita one of the BB's biggest territories. Apart from laziness from the marketing department in wanting to be bothered, I can't understand why they haven't jumped all over this one! I guess now its pointless them jumping on it..... most of the sales they could have made from old fans have already disappeared offshore, making their marketing task even harder.

Red Eye Records in Sydney have POB on import and it's their NUMBER BLOODY ONE selling album - #1 !!!!!!

Link: http://www.redeye.com.au/iAsk.asp?reion=USA

And, did your patience pay out or still in the waiting section?

Kinda surprises me that the amazon.de sales rank is very high since weeks (#1 in country - haha), but no chart activity.

Ha, it's beating coldplay

I ordered it(along with MIU/LA twofer and Endless Harmony) on July 2nd here in the Czech Republic; it's not set to arrive until the the 27th of August.
Bit disappointed at the wait.