The Smiley Smile Message Board

I have to say I found this unexpectedly enjoyable. It starts off looking a bit staged with lots of corny cliches about Brian having come full circle, but after a while there is footage of Brian in the studio and he looks engaged and in control of things, and although I suspect some will disagree, it doesn't look at all staged. It's a much better indication of how capable Brian is in a studio environment than the BWPS footage was imo. Anyway don't want to get hopes up as opinions will inevitably differ, but personally the overall sense I got from the short movie was that Brian was much more confident and positive in creating this new album.

I wish there was more of that "Scott-cam", what a treat would be to see Brian creating!

Yeah they always scrimp on the 'cam' footage! I'd give anything to see more from the Darian Cam in Beautiful Dreamer.

Probyn's "speech" in the group circle was embarrassing, and i had an "uh-oh, here we go..." feeling about the rest of the DVD, but it got much better.

It was such a joy to see Brian engaging with the production. He's a shy man, and having a camera on him while he's working isn't the best way to catch him unguarded, but there were moments, especially at Scott's place. I got the feeling that there were plenty more moments were he was involved in the work, but these were not shown on the DVD, and the film producer preferred to show Brian's fake smiles.

i hate it when he forces a smile (no pun intended), like on the "live" performances on the disc.

i don't want my musical heroes to smile if they don't want to. I am perfectly happy to have them sit there with whatever expression they feel like having.

Overall, what's value of the DVD?  

I just pulled the trigger on the single disk.  Amazon had it for 8.99!  The DVD version was 18!

I also figured the DVD was "watch once and file"...did I do right?  HELP -- I can still change the order within the hour!!!! :ahh

It looks like if you live in the USA and get VH1, the DVD bonuses are being shown as a half-hour show, so you can watch it for free.

I paid £11.99 for the CD/DVD, versus £8.99 for the CD, so an extra £3...was it worth it? Maybe.

put it this way...i'd rather have paid the extra £3 and gotten all 4 bonus audio tracks, but that's not going to happen...

If you're a Brian fan, what's $18? The guy only releases an album once every few years.

Per the discussion we were having earlier regarding the "live" in-studio footage, my take is that the "Good Kind Of Love" footage is primarily live whereas the "Forever You'll Be My Surfer Girl" performance is lip (and band) synched to the album version. Did a less than stellar performance from Brian cause the producers to edit the footage around the pre-existing track? Although the two performances are joined together seamlessly, Brian sounds like he's live on GKOL, but, visually, he's hardly ever in synch with the FYBMSG vocal track. There are several moments during the latter song where other members of the band appear to be out of synch with the audio track as well (percussion is off and so are the guitars). It's not a big deal to me, but given how well Brian performed "Southern California" and other songs live on the Abbey Road show, could they not have simply chosen a different track to perform live for the DVD?

The behind-the-scenes stuff is fun and appears to be a fairly accurate depiction of Brian and the band recording the album. I wouldn't say it was worth another nine dollars and I'm ticked that this "Deluxe" version does not include the three bonus tracks found on Best Buy single disc version.

I know we al love Brian, but that film is almost unwatchable. Its really pleasing to see Brian looking and sounding so well, and Probyn and Jeff come across well, but the whole thing is just an embarrassing exercise in choreographed sycophancy, and to anyone but us loyal fans, who are used to this 'Look, everyone, Brian's really in control, watch him call the shots in the studio' kind of nonsense it would be the cringe of the century. Why do I always feel that someone is trying to manipulate me whenever I see any publicity from Camp Melinda & Co. Who are they kidding? What's the point? I just wish they'd be honest for once, and paint a realistic picture rather than present this never-ending chocolate-box whimsy, which we all know is just for show.

I haven't seen the DVD, but is it possible that Brian really was in control? That they filmed whatever they could get and figured if Brian didn't do anything, they wouldn't release the DVD but since he did, they used the best footage? Brian seems really into this album. According to people who know Brian, he does have his good days where he is engaged. I don't understand why any sign of him being engaged is dismissed as "staged."

I wonder if Brian was told to talk about Arthur Koestler in the IJWMFTT doc.

It is pretty obvious in the SMiLe DVD, WIRWFC Press Kit, etc. which scenes are staged for the camera. This doesn't mean that Brian didn't work on the album. I don't think people are fully fair to him for the work he has done over the past 10 years. He does have a great group behind him that works very hard, but just because there are staged clips on the videos, it doesn't mean that he is not doing the work on the records. A lot of the DVDs are probably staged;iIt is probably not easy for him to "act" as easily as Probyn, Jeff, Darian, et cetera.

That said, the DVD was kind of a circle-jerk.  I am sick of hearing about all Brian's been through in context with his latest work, as it sounds mitigatory to me and I don't believe he is in need of explanations for his new work. It stands up with the rest of his catalogue and is the latest in a line of albums that includes "Today!" "Summer Days..." "Pet Sounds" "Love You" "Brian Wilson 1988" "SMiLe" and now this... and I believe that it's his best solo record. So the condescending, apologetic tone of his EPK pisses me off, just as I can't stand how every fucking interview with him begins with Q: How are you feeling today? A: A lot better, it has been rough this past [Year/Month/5 years] but I am coming out of it now. Ask him some questions relating to the music! A lot of us care about it, you know...

My theory on any of these "in the studio" videos is that while a lot of things on there are staged, they are meant to try and re-create how Brian works when cameras aren't around.  He can't act natural and do his thing with cameras on him, but I really think that when he's in the studio without that pressure, he really is in control to a large degree. 

Maybe he's not the General Patton of the studio anymore, but like the band says (repeatedly), he knows what he wants, and knows what needs to be done to get it.  I thought one of the coolest parts of the DVD (I actually caught it on VH1 Classic the other night) was where Taylor was talking about him teaching them their vocal parts, and how a lot of times they don't sound like they will work.  But the voices come together, and its magical.  Sounds just like what everybody who worked with Brian during the mid 60's said about him.  The part where Scott was talking about how the cool chord change in the chorus of "Midnight's Another Day" happened...Brian walks by and casually throws him the chord, and its brilliantly off the wall.  Stuff like that is always fun to hear about, especially now when in so many other ways he isn't the same guy he was 45 years ago.  But put him in a studio or at a piano, and he's still the great Brian Wilson.

Personally, i would rather not have the recreations of the in-studio experience, if all they are are recreations. And if that meant there wasn't enough footage for a bonus DVD (for which I paid extra), then that is fine with me.

I would prefer 20 minutes of unedited Scott-cam footage. That's the stuff real BW fans want to see and would be willing to pay for.

I couldn't agree more, but of course journalists will always want to hone in on the car-crash aspects of his life, same as they do with everyone else's.

Yeah, I hear ya brother!  This goes back to some of those threads (are we getting the real Brian).  I say you're right...we're still fed a line.  Which is ..... ::).  It doesn't bother me...cuz at least we're getting product...but its a huge compromise.  We all know it.

This really hit me as I watched all those old 1970s TV appearance by Brian...where he talks openly about using coke and dope and acid.  It's not that I require such naked honesty...but c'mon...the dude's been places.  And I get it that he's fine now.  The Don Was film for me was more realistic...so I figured I didn't need this DVD version too.

How exactly does the DVD compare to the VH-1 special?  I initially read that they are totally different, but the descriptions here of the DVD sound like they are nearly the same.

They have some of the same content, but the DVD has lots of exclusive stuff...

Well put. What really flips my sh*t is that it comes across as "You know how we said Brian's Back? Well he wasn't, not really. But he's back now! Honest!"

I bought 2 cd's from Best Buy yesterday, 1 regular cd/dvd and 1 with the bonus tracks. I just watched the dvd and to say the least, I'm a bit disappointed. I taped the VH1 show the other night, and basically it is the same thing. I paid extra to get this and I paid extra for 3 bonus tracks and I paid extra to iTunes for 2 bonus tracks. All in all, I personally don't think the album is all that great. Sorry folks. Maybe I've listened to Pet Sounds and Smile one to many times, but TLOS just doesn't cut it in my book. I do love Southern California for it's nostalgia tho, it reminds be of the ending of the Wilson brothers as a whole and the end of the BB as we knew them. I'm putting this one to bed.

My single disc version arrived today from Amazon.  :rock  (Glad I got the $8.99 single disc -- and TIVO'd the VH1 DVD content!)

I've only been able to listen to the first few tracks so far -- and so far I love it! 

It's a lot better than I had hoped.  I guess I didn't have super high expectations...but I agree the music sounds great -- well performed, interesting arrangements that go places that aren't cliche and aren't expected.

The vocals sound fine....I think this sounds way more together than GIOMH.   :woot


nothing to complain about from me!!

Maybe I was expecting another Pet Sounds or something, but I have had more time to listen to it and I AM starting to like it!!!!!! I really do like So. Cal, Oh Mi Amor, Midnight's AD, and a bit more. I think the AOL Sessions are great especially when I can go back and see Wonderful and Smile as well as TLOS cuts.

I guess it's getting the better of me at last!!!!

D

       WOW!  Is anyone else as shocked as I am that the DVD of "That Lucky Old Sun" does NOT include a full video performance of the work?!  Seriously, all this time I thought the DVD was going to have a full live performance of "That Lucky Old Sun".  I'm flabbergasted that it only has, what, one (or is it two) songs on video.  I mean, I'm so shocked and disappointed that I really don't want to even listen to it right now.  I don't remember seeing anything that said the DVD was only going to be a documentary and a video clip of one or two songs.  Am I the only one who was this hornswaggled?


             Love and merci (and not so lucky),     Dan Lega

a serious misstep as far as I'm concerned, especially when the band ran thru the whole of TLOS at least FIVE times for the cameras!!!

Then again, releasing the whole thing would make sense, which is precisely why it wasn't released.   

I was somewhat let down by the DVD. I was expecting more of a BWPS dvd approach, have a good amount of studio footage separate from interviews and the like, and then the full Capitol performance. More bang for your buck. oh well, nevertheless it's a great album, I think.

The cynic in me says that is just a teaser! Wait until after the album has been toured and I would put money on a complete album DVD.

It does say on the back of the CD/DVD package what's in the DVD and how long it is.

Although, yes, it does seem odd the entire thing isn't there. My assumption, like others here, is that we will have an ultra deluxe edition by the holidays.

Riddle me this: Brian's been touring since 1999 - how many full concert DVDs have we had in those nine years ?

Precisely.  >:(

Most bonus DVDs these days are basically video presskits for the album, I don' t see this one as being much different from the usual.

Absolutely correct jeffcdo. I am happy with what I got, although I would have preferred all 5 of the bonus tracks instead. Nevertheless (and four TLOS purchases later), I now have them all. It was a small price to pay and I ain't complaining.

To which I respond, Riddle me this, AGD:  The Beach Boys have been touring since 1962 - how many (legit) full concert DVDs do we have?   

Answer would be zero or one (not sure if "Lost Concert" is complete or not)

And yes, I totally share your sentiment about not having a complete BW Live DVD or 5.   Hell, at this point I'd be satisfied with complete concert CDs (culled from multiple performances if need be) from each of his tours.

As always, managers aren't managing and promoters aren't promoting     >:(

I think the time has passed for a complete concert to have any interest. ROXY would have had the novelty factor, small venue, celebs and great set-list.

PS Live, BWPS, On Tour, Tribute have maybe saturated the market.

Riddle me this AGD:  as much as you've been hard on Brian's capabilities as a performer, would you WANT a complete DVD of a show as inconsistent as he is?

I think you may be right.  As Jeff said, they did film the entire performance multiple times.  Remember when BW's website was enquiring about how many people might be interested in some sort of nationwide theater showing of the piece?  I'm certain that they don't quite know what to do.  Theater?  DVD?  Tour?  I sure would like to see the visuals that were shown at the live performances.       

Nope, Lost Concert isn't complete as Monster Mash is missing from the set list cause it was too steep to pay for the rights for that particular song.

This just in from David Beard on the PSML

=====
Here's the scoop from EMI:

A full length stand-alone DVD of the entire album is planned for
release in January.
=====

Thanks, Jeff.  It's as I figured.  But what the hell?  Why not release it in time for Christmas?  :-\

PLEASE tell me this will be a 5.1 DVD of the album! If not, I will, of course, settle for a live performance.

A question for you Jeff, as you obviously have good contacts - how "live" were the Capitol performances? - they sound too perfect to be completely live to me.  Also- do you think the forthcoming DVD mentioned above will be based on these same performances, or something new?

Yes - I'm a fan.

And besides, it'd give me something new to bitch about for a few weeks.  ;D

All I was told was that they spent the day running thru it five times (I could look back in my archives to find the exact date if not one beats me to it) for the cameras in Studio A.

There may have been post production sweetening done, I don't know.  I'm willing to chalk up the slight out-of-syncness to using video from one of the four performances we aren't hearing.

As for what the January DVD will contain, your guess is as good as mine.  On one hand it would be nice to get the complete Studio A performance, on the other I'm kinda hoping for a specially filmed show a la SMiLE that mimics more closely the concert experience.

Pardon me for being skeptical, but how many DVD versions will we have to buy to get the whole concert?

Best Buy will sell the musical tracks, iTunes will sell only the VDP-narratives, and the sound will be in 1.0 Mono split across left and right channels, unless you buy 2 versions to play simultaneously to create your own 5.1 stereo mix.

I already paid extra for a TLOS DVD. i don't know if i can be bothered to get the concert unless we get something special beyond the show.

I watched the Pet Sounds live in London DVD recently and was appalled. I didn't remember it being so bad. After track 1, we cut to a clip of Brian running across the front row, slapping hands with fans, then he's back in his seat again for track 2. I was at one of the shows (Tuesday 29th Jan) and you didn't need to be there to know that this CLEARLY didn't happen. Who were they trying to fool? Seriously, who? Who did BriMel think would believe this?

...and Brian and band spent the whole concert changing clothes too! ;D


Seriously, I don't think it is uncommon. Paul McCartney wasn't at the first show in London of SMiLE. Not that you would know it from the DVD.

Although I was happy to get it, I thought it was rather skimpy. Now, a GREAT DEAL for Brian/BB fans would have been to include all five of the bonus tracks. That would have sold like hotcakes! :afro

Exactly.  A disappointing and quick way for labels to get twice as much for their product.  Just outsource some video presentation company to come in film some stuff -- slap some transitions between scenes - Bam!  Instant profit.

Hey -- the labels got to get creative, I guess...they're taking it in the pants on CD sales I hear.  It seems every major release comes out like this now...and I've caught on.  It used to not be the case.  I remember Beck always did this too, but his deluxe version were TRULY deluxe.  Nice packaging, and a DVD-Audio hi-res, 5.1 audio mix of the album.  That's what I'm talking about.


Amen.

Also on the SMiLE video I believe Van Dyke is dressed differently when seated at the end of the performance from when he is called up on stage.

Aformentioned (hilarious) hand-slapping edit aside, at least the four mentioned DVDs keep the focus on the band and the performance(s).  Compare to the recent few Paul McCartney live DVDs for example and the endless cutaways to singing-along audience members.  I want to see Brian and the band performing the music and all four of the DVDs do a good job of it, really it's not a big deal that they chose the best performance of each song.

The 'full length stand alone dvd' scheduled for january - would that include any or all of the work by director/animator Rick Farmiloe? As I understand from his interview in the Beach Boys Britain Newsletter, he was ready and eager to expand and improve his video work for TLOS to cover the whole album - and was almost promised that he would be given the chance!?
And wouldn't that be a cool anternate video track on a dvd besides a filmed live performance?

just wanted to give a "for what it's worth" thought. i honestly never watched the concert all the way through until tonight, i was much more interested by the documentary and bonus features. I was in the camp of people who felt the in studio performance idea was kind of a letdown. however upon a second glance i have to say i notice that Brian seems to be the most happy and at ease i've seen him on a performance DVD. I saw TLOS live and Bri seemed very uncomfortable and tense. I expected that and it didn't really bother me, you just come to expect it, the man just isn't a comfortable performer, but on this DVD he seems 100% at ease and the smiles seem very real. He's just very at home in the studio. its actually a really clever idea, put Brian in the studio and he'll be comfortable and have fun, and it's still "live" so it's cool by me. Def worth a second look to anyone who just skimmed through it like i did.

There's a WIRWFC video on Youtube that shows Brian in the studio, I don't know what it's from, but it looks real to me, although I guess it can be staged. He seemed most involved in the harmonies. I believe he had a lot to do with those, anyway, for what it's worth. I wonder how involved he was with the instrumentals? We do know for sure that he is excellent at manipulating the soundboard to allow us to hear more Probyn ("More Probyn!," he shouts), but what else? Did he pick out the instruments? How much, if any, of the arrangements are based off his ideas (I'm speaking for the WIRWFC project)? He's there for guidance, at least, but does he do anything else, besides make a few minor suggestions (like suggesting to use a pick, or to player softer, or whatever)? I doubt we'll ever know.

That WIRWFC video was part of an EPK, wasn't it? I remember someone getting really excited because there's a shot of the sheet Nick is playing from, showing the chords, and it's apparently in Brian's handwriting. I'm not sure it would be realistic to show Brian (or whoever) actually writing the song or doing the arrangement.

Slightly off-topic, but FWIW: if you want to hear a nice sound recording of TLOS live, the NPR website still has the fall 2008 full-length performance of it in D.C., live-mixed by Mark Linett.  It's avaialble to stream and, if you're a subscriber, I think you can download it too, otherwise if you like it you know what to do.  Mark himself pronounced that this was a particularly good performance (see his thread above). 

Its not a big deal and the very same technique was used with live  albums for many years....taking songs from different concerts to end up with the best possible combination of performances. Its just that on an LP you're less likely to notice unless the liner notes mention it...whereas on a DVD/video you could tell quite easily.