The Smiley Smile Message Board

What is the chance that all the Beach Boys' 4th of july concert's will get released on DVD (in complete form)? Especially considering the many guest stars??

that'd be a cool idea. I could see them doing a short doc. about it & having clips shown. maybe some special features with certain performances.......oh wait, am I day dreaming again? danget   ;)

If the July 4, 1981 concert comes out on DVD, color me shocked. Up to that point in their career, that was easily the worst show they ever played. A mere day later, they'd sink even lower. Honestly, I don't know if it's just me, but every concert I've heard of the group on the Fourth of July with a bare few exceptions has been incredibly poor. Even the 1980 one was damn close to them being a self-parody, and the rather tasteless version of Merry Minuet played that day was the biggest offender. The 1983 one was pretty good, although I'd chalk that up to the band feeding off the fans still reeling from them being banned from the Monument that year. The show they played in Philadelphia in 1985 was good as well.

I was rather surprised to see a short close up of Brian(singing God Only Knows) from the Long Beach show on the Endless Harmony documentary. It has different audio dubbed on though. You don't actually hear anything from the Long Beach show. But considering how bad Brian looked, it's surprising that it would be included. There is also a short clip of Brian at another 1981 show(I forget where) on Endless Harmony, and he looks just as bad.

Better release a rockin' show from the 70's. There's a 1975 tour docu on YouTube with songs from a Madison Square Garden show, that would make a great release. Or the complete 1970 Paris show. Or even the 1976 Anaheim show, remixed in surround sound. Was there a complete show caught on film between 1970 and 75?

I think Merry Minuet was one of those where you had to be there moments, be in the moment of what was going on in the world. It hasn't aged well, but based on recordings I have heard, the audience seemed to appreciate it. In a live release, it might be a track you eliminated. Almost like I Write The Songs which was more contemporary, at that point I'm not even sure if Bruce considered himself a full fledged member again or not.  After 20 something years, it really didn't fit at  a BB show.  Based on that:
I'm not sure the Beach Boys will ever released a complete show, look at Knebworth. One of them will always want one thing or another eliminated. Since you already have a 1980 show, in Knebworth, pretty similar setlist seems like doing the 4th that year would be redundant. I'm not sure what they sounded like in 82 (although I think Carl had just returned). 1983 might be the best bet, I enjoy 83 shows. All 6 there, there are some clips of one at the Kingdome. In my opinion, the last time they kind of rocked live at any point.  85 HAS NOT aged well either with the guest stars included!

What about the Central Park concert?  That was filmed and shown on HBO many years ago.

Oh yes, totally forgot this one.
Central Park 1971 (with Bruce) & London 1972 (with Ricky & Blondie & Elton on "Rhonda") complete, restored & remixed on a 2 DVD-Set.

Any 1993 gig would be great, but more so if it included the unplugged section.  8)

Didn't they do Lady Lynda at a few of those shows? That's something that I'd like to see.

Not sure whether or not it was played at any of those shows but by the nineties the song was being performed under the title "Little Lady" following Al's divorce.

"Lady Lynda" was done live at the 1980 & '81 Fourth of July shows.
In regards to an '83 show...I really doubt they'd do an official DVD release, considering how bad Denny looked at that point.  :(

They did it at Wembley Arena in 1993 (as "Little Lady") - big surprise for all hard-core fans present.

Would love to hear that concert:
http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/6-29-93.html (http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/6-29-93.html)

I may be wrong--but didn't you say it was near laugh inducing? Sorry if I'm wrong...

That might be Lady Liberty (another remake in 86) that is....not good

Recently came across an excellent soundboard recording of the Paramount performance; wonder why they never bothered to release this in some fashion.  The unplugged section is terrific.

Thanks Andrew. Can I assume that you were one of those hard-core fans? If so, can you recall if the band, or Al specifically, introduced the song or did they just launch straight into it?

No intro, just launched straight into. My companion was somewhat perturbed when I started laughing uncontrollably.  ;D

I'd rather have a show from their golden years on stage too, bu I thought the july-shows were so big and important to their history (and legacy) that a release probably would be more likely.
I'd love to have this one, which was just "found" a few years ago iirc:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBMCKAinb6A (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBMCKAinb6A)

My dream (and I have stated this before but it doesn't seem to get much enthusiasm) would be a 3 or 4 dvd set like the McCartney years.  On the McCartney years dvd, each time you go to a different menu, you get rare footage, sound bites etc..most (but not all) of his clips/videos/promos etc.. are on this set.  Now, imagine a similar Beach Boys dvd set:  load it with all kinds of promo clips (for example Mess Of Help), videos (Getcha Back, etc...) TV performances ( Wendy from Ed Sullivan for example) live stuff (central park) and on and on...all cleaned up...get WHOEVER to contribute rare film for the different menus.  Do this right.  Package it right.  I bet it would sell fantastic.  Just STUFF the dvd set full.  Have an amazing representative retrospective of ALL eras.  Once again, if I was a multi multi millionare, this would be another of my pet projects.  (Imagined board meeting > "Mr. Roach, how much do you want for that footage so we can use it in one of our main menus...no problem..here you go... lol)  It would be a labor of love. 

So yeah, I would want that, instead of just one whole shoddy fourth of July concert.

i agree, i was thinkin the same thing when I got the Paul dvd set

I remember really enjoying the HBO release....the 1980 DC show?   The one with the whole band...had randy newman and some others on the stage milling around before and during.....Brian singing along on Good Timin....Carl doing KTSA, the title thing at the end announcing that the beach boys continue to perform, do charity work etc.......

I'd love to have that!  I must have watched every original HBO replay of that...even recorded it on VHS.....but it is gone......or lost.....

anyhow, I'd buy the thing if I could.

It was out on an official VHS in Japan about ten years ago...with Japanese song-title captions.  Maybe you can pick one up on ebay.

Yeah.  But I really want a nice clean DVD.  If you please. ::)

Right, thanks. May I ask the reason for your laughter?

Well, short of a complete performance of Smile, pretty much the last song I expected them to do.  ;D

Sure. Perhaps they performed their Top 10 hit of 1979 to promote the '93 box set, specifically the bonus disc which, IIRC, was only issued in Europe and Australia.

Thinking about possible DVD-releases, was the concert partly used for the It's OK-special filmed completely or just parts of it? Would make a cool one I guess, especially with Dennis still on top, although Carl seemed to slure a bit on GOK.
http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/7-3-76.html (http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/7-3-76.html)

Excellent point, and one which hadn't ever occurred to me. Thanks for that catch.