The Smiley Smile Message Board

I always like to look at the yahoo japan page cause they always seem to have interesting items for auction. This item really caught my eye. It is a promo cassette sent out by Brains and Genuis of the second mix of SWEET INSANITY. Someone is going to get a great deal.

http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r50403664 (http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r50403664)

A few of these have been surfacing lately. A couple were up for auction at this year's UK Fanclub convention (no takers), and there's one up for sale on Rockaway's website right now
http://www.rockaway.com/online/online/title.php?ItemID=14284
Which looks like a total bargain to me.

The only way someone gets a great deal is if the "seller" sends it free, and pays the listener besides. As far as I'm concerned, it's pretty much as bad as the Beach Boys material of the time.

"As far as I'm concerned"

Yeah, we know, Luther, we know...

Sorry, how about this: Wow, what a great deal for whoever is lucky enough to get that one! While I may have said negative things about it in the past, I was clearly wrong not to agree with those of you who consider this album full of 80s goodness. Rainbow Eyes is on par with the best the man ever did. My previous opinions are very, very wrong, and that I held to them showed stubbornness, not consistent honesty.

Luther, you're on fire today! Did ya have a good New Year's Eve? Keep posting, I'm enjoying the reading.... :police:

No, people will think I'm being contrary and nasty and all that. I don't want that. Besides, it's a busy recording day for me today (and lately--3 new songs finished and posted in the past week ... 2 of them today!).

Did I leave my keys in here?

Apparently an entire box of these were found by the Landy family as they were going through his belongings after his death.  Rockaway has multiple copies for sale for $30.00 U.S.  There is also a version with a beige j-card with a slightly different lineup, and (EDIT) cassette singles of "Smart Girls" and "In My Car," all of which were made to be given out by Landy as gifts and for promotional use.  The quality is pristine; better than any of the bootleg CD's that surfaced in the '90s.

Lee

I'm confused. For promotional use? Did Brian have a recording contract? Did Landy think this was the finished product, the version that was ultimately going to be released?   

Well they certainly thought it was finished: it was turned in (although rejected). And so any remix of it would have presumably also have thought to have been finished. It's not like Sweet Insanity was Smile or anything, sitting around in fragments. It was a complete album.

But, my point is, why hand out copies of an album that hasn't even been contracted/released? Again, for promotional reasons? What was he promoting? An unreleased album?  ???

I don't know what the label situation was, but whomever they were turning it in to (Sire?) must have been fronting the cash, so I assume there was a deal in place, but that the album was simply rejected. As for promo, yeah. They weren't thinking "Hey, let's hand out promotions of this album even though it will be rejected and remain unreleased." I'm sure Landy figured it would be well received. Unless I'm mistaken, they didn't just have promo materials available, but they actually had been giving them out. Just building a buzz (or hoping to), I suppose. I don't see it as too unusual. Funny that Landy would be the one doing it instead of the label, but that's Landy...

I don't rate most of the album either but maybe not everyone feels that way does and it's really handy of you to imply somoene's an idiot because they think they're getting a great deal

I didn't. And I recognize not everyone feels the way I do: in fact, I encourage that. All I did was make a joke about my feeling of the album's quality. You're the one who made it personal. Anyway, the thread has moved on past that point. Please don't revisit it.

It was a joke!?  Okay, pucker up and we'll agree to differ.

Now on a more serious note, was the first version merely a working version?  I'm guessing Landy had the final say on whether to Bob or not - or was the first rejected and he decided to fiddle around before submitting the second.  Or is the second purely the result of the bootleg market?

Yep, joke. My humor doesn't translate well into SmileySmileness, as I've often learned...but I'm not giving up. To your question, my understanding is that the first version was intended as finished product, turned in as such to Sire, where it was rejected. The second was the reworking, and so the second stab at finished product. But I'm sure someone more into that kind of research could be much more definitive.

I recall the anticipation being considerable.  Landy saying the next one was going to be a huge leap, musically (as opposed to off a cliff, which it nearly was); there were also stories about Brian being on a roll, completing loads of new songs.  Was it this time that he began to put on weight again or was it after SI was rejected?

What has always surprised me was that SI has its fans.  I remember reading a piece in Mojo (I think by Bill Holdhsip, but I may be well off the mark here) claiming it was better than BW88, but, even taking the production feel of the time into account, it just seems overblown - with, in some cases, flimsy songs with inflated arrangements and production.  At times, he seemed desperately short of a good melody - something he suffers from to some extent today. That said, I wish he'd recorded a good version of Don't Let Her Know...

I was always a fan of Sweet Insanity (hate the title, though). I thought the arrangements and melodies were strong. And, I believed that with the right producer and the all crucial final track selection, it could've been better than BW88. Just an opinion...

My biggest problem by far is the vocals...not the backing vocals, the leads. I think that is his worst period as a singer, I think he sounds better now than he did in 1990. Normally it wouldn't matter, but BW songs, more than most writers call for nice sounding lead vocals IMHO.

While I've always liked BW88 a good deal (it gets about a B+ from me), Sweet Insanity is a bit more of a stretch, mainly because, while the melodies are still strong, some of the lyrics are getting weaker. That being said, "Don't Let Her Know She's an Angel," the SECOND version, is an absolute classic. Great Brian vocal (sounds like 70s Brian in spots, including the falsetto backups) and a terrific tune including much improved lyrics. "Someone to Love" is a real good rocker, "Water Builds Up" is another classic and I must say I kinda like "Make a Wish" as a bit of fun. The rest, while not horrible, doesn't quite meet the BW standard for me. "Smart Girls," though, is an absolute hoot!

I ordered mine. No matter what you think of the merits of the album, it is still a piece of history. And I like alot of it. Spirit Of Rock And Roll is so much stronger than the released version from 2001 (I ignore the Dylan vocals).

What "released version from 2001" ?  Until the Hallmark CD, the only 'released' version was the one on the 1986 25th Anniversary TV special.

I still think SI is a bomb. I don't like any of it really. Some songs are better then others, but I think this is Brian at his very worst. Vocally, production wise, lyrics, even melody.

Spirit Of Rock And Roll was recorded arond the same time as California Feeling in 2001. That is what I have been told. Didn't come out until 2006.

I believe the new Spirit of Rock & Roll was recorded the same time as Walking Down The Path Of Life/Love And Mercy.

You believe correctly.

Would love to have one of these cassettes...
Darian Sahanaja's version of I Do/Do You Have Any Regrets pretty much shows the true potential of some of these tunes, though I even like the original take on this particular song. Dross like Brian/Thank You and Smart Girls never should have happened and in terms of being a duet The Spirit of Rock'n'Roll is just as much a letdown as A Friend Like You, but other than that this could've been an album only slightly inferior to BW88. Lots of bland lyrics of course - better listen to these before you even consider criticising Mike Love.

Other than the lyrics, I actually like "Brian (Thank You)"; catchy melody and somewhat tender Brian vocal. It's just my opinion/speculation, but I think the lyrics to that song, and a few others, were starting to maybe alarm/piss off the Beach Boys' family, with the phrases about "beatings from my father" and mentioning his "cousin", and stuff like that. Brian was developing this almost cockiness about himself that was very off-putting.

Also, my favorite version of "The Spirit Of Rock & Roll" is from the 25th Anniversary TV Special. At the end of the song, Brian took it - I'm not a musician, what's the term - to another key? Everybody was getting into it at the end. A classic example of a Brian solo song that should've been a Beach Boys' song, and never reached its full potential. Maybe they'll resurrect it for the reunion album! :-D

I agree, The Spirit of Rock'n'Roll could've been gold in the hands of the group. It's very eighties/early nineties however, almost like something Huey Lewis And The News could've come up with. Always found it amazing how so many bands from that particular time frame would be singing about rock'n'roll in a very retro fashion to the sound of keyboards and drum machines.

I'm sure they thought they were bringing a classic sound into the modern era. And I guess they were--just not in a way that necessarily held up over time.

Are we sure that Brian wrote those lyrics though? I always assumed that it was the work of Landy. But yes I agree with you otherwise Sheriff, I don't mind the song so much... obviously the lyrics are bad but the song itself ain't all that bad.

Oh, I'm sure Landy (or his girlfriend) had a large hand in the lyrics. I just added that part about Brian's attitude because, during those Landy years, Brian was transforming from the shy, humble, almost insecure sounding person, into this bragging, fake, almost LOUD personality. For example, everytime I listen (which isn't often) to the lyrics in "Smart Girls" - My name is Brian and I'm the man, I write hit songs with the wave of my hand. C'mon, give me a break. And, in interviews, the way Brian used to almost brag about how much weight he lost, how his album was gonna go right up the charts, how he was so much different from the old Brian. I LIKED the old Brian!

Oh I see what you mean now. I just hate that whole era so much.. I especially hated when you'd see interviews with Brian where he was just incoherent.. like that interview with Diane Sawyer and perhaps one of the worst I have seen, the interview on that Theremin documentary... man that's sad to watch.

Obviously the damage Landy did to Brian with his drug regime was far worse, but the mental programming/brainwashing from that period was just as sickening... and lingers still in some ways. Remember the "a good dog waits for his master" quote ? I nearly puked. Plus, it made Brian more susceptible to such 'programming' in the future, sadly.

But... in some ways it was ever thus: as someone very close to him observed to me once, "keep Brian fed and he'll do whatever you want".

Almost incredible how much the tone of his voice changed during these years, isn't it? I don't mean his voice being damaged but something way underneath the surface. Worst thing about it is his "loud personality" never seemed in any way authentic. Maybe this overall sense of change provided an almost escapist promise of finally getting rid of his "demons", yet I believe it probably could've been much more healthful for BW to learn feeling comfortable about being himself, which includes accepting one's shyness and other so-called weaknesses (that don't necessarily qualify for being signs of mental illness as such).

Luther's real name is Kim Jong-Bong and he's in North-Korea, being questioned in a court case over his erroneous ways.

I claim my $ 1,000.

They're waterboarding me. Send help.

 ;D  you really need a new surfboard in these dire circumstances? You poor soul...

I ordered one of these and it sounds great.  I already transferred it to CD and I am willing to share with anyone interested in a copy.

Just let me know. 

ps- I am always looking for a better version of the Paley Sessions if anyone wants to trade.

Sauzy Jack, welcome on the board....
... but check the rules please. All good intentions aside, you're trying to cross some lines here. Do not openly ask or offer these please.

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,122.0.html

Sorry for breaking the rules.  I wasn't trying to sell anything, just share it, but I completely understand your point.

Thanks for welcoming me to the board, although I joined this version about two years ago. I was "Bud Shaver" before it was moved.

Does anyone happen to have a copy of this that they'd be willing to part with? The cassette, not a bootleg haha Not trying to buy this off anyone :p

I have the 'millennium edition" of SI, and while it's nowhere near as good as BW88, it has it's moments. "Do You Have Any Regrets" or "I Do" is a nice tune with probably the best lyrics on the set. "Thank You" aka "Brian" has a lovely melody/chords, but awful lyrics. Best version of "Spirit of Rock 'n' Roll" is the best version I've heard. This has gotta be the most uptempo album Brian's ever done away from the BB's. In fact, I remember some reviews of the 1988 album stating disappointment that it leaned so heavily on slower material, saying his voice was not particularly good on ballads anymore. Maybe those were the same reviewers that loved SI. I sure like it better than the MOR stuff he is putting out these days.

It was a horrible era but Landy was out of the picture by the time of the Theramin documentary, although I'm sure the damage still lingered.  I also hated the fact that the words were coming out of Brian's mouth but you could tell they had, most likely, come from Landy during a 'pep' talk. See AGD's quote.