The Smiley Smile Message Board

Out of all the post Pet Sounds album covers (excluding compilations and the weird cloud faces on the Friends cover), there are 4 that feature some sort of band photo/painting . 20/20, Sunflower, 15 Big Ones, and Keepin' and The Summer Alive. So why is 20/20 the only one without Brian? Wasn't he even superimposed on the Holland photo on the back cover just so he could be in the picture? It seems like if they really wanted him in the picture they could have or just done a different cover, so it seems intentional.

I haven't heard much about this cover and how it was chosen. And is there any significance to Al praying?

Easy...the orig. vinyl LP of 20/20 featured a gatefold cover, you opened it and the entire inside gatefold was a giant photo of Brian holding an eye chart. I always thought that was a really cool concept.

Brian wouldn't have been on the Smile cover either, even though there would have been a band photo on the back.

A better question would be why isn't Brian on "I Can Hear Music," it's a Spector cover!

Well if Bruce Johnston remembers right, he didn't sing on that one.

I believe it's apparent that TdHabib knows this. I think he was just commenting how odd it is that the first song that did not include Brian at all was a Spector cover. You figure he would've been pretty hyped to sing even backing on that, considering his love for Spector's music...So what was Brian up to at the time that he couldn't contribute? Clearly his voice is all over the Sunflower tracks that were recorded in early 69, but for the last couple months of 68 he was pretty quiet.

I'm pretty sure Brian was institutionalized during the last few months of 68. But the "experts" probably know more than me on that. I'm not to clear on that era.

That's So Tough, you're thinking of. It was REAL obvious too

Thanks, I haven't seen the original album. Sounds like a good candidate for my vinyl collection!

http://www.pipeline-operaglass.moonfruit.com/#/2020/4517893879

Most people always say its Brian "holding" an eye chart. I'm pretty sure its just an eye-chart superimposed over his face. I'm pretty sure the original photo is in the Friends/20/20 CD booklet. It was a decent idea, but the execution was kinda goofy. And my opinion is even though the sleeve makes sense, showing that Brian is "always looming", how do you have a Beach Boys cover without Brian Wilson? I mean Al missing on Summer Days is one thing, but on an album with "Do It Again", "Cabinessence", "Our Prayer", and "I Want To Sleep" among others, he should be prominent on the the cover.

Why isn't Brian on the cover of 20/20?  It was already difficult enough getting Brian to contribute in the studio at this point, I imagine that heaven and earth would have had to been moved to get Brian in a professionally shot group photo.  Of course, the alternative answer is maybe the photo shoot took place while the group was on tour.  Either way, at this point, Brian not appearing on the cover of a Beach Boys album is not that surprising.

I don't know though he was all over the promo shots for Sunflower and even quite a few for Surf's Up. Maybe it was the new label deal that got him more involved. That is a good point though. Was there any group shots after the beach shots in 1967 that featured Brian until Sunflower? I guess there was the Stack O Tracks cover (actually really cool) but I guess that's it?

And even harder to get Brian out to Dean Martin's golf course for the cover shoot of Sunflower. Then harder yet to the Warner lot for the gatefold spread. Like Jon stated above, I think the 20/20 cover was shot that way on purpose. The five on the front were the face of The Beach Boys in 68-69. Brian was behind the scenes; the writer and studio guy. I always thought that it was very clever and most probably Brian's idea.

I thought that 'How She Boogalooed It' was the first song without any Brian involvement?

Why wasn't Brian on the back cover picture of SMiLE? That's a good question.

after the way Friends sold... i'd say yes.


didin't realize:
FACT: 20/20 ? Including the 1968 instrumental “Stack O’ Tracks” album, and Capitol’s official 3-volume ‘Best Of’ series, this was the group’s 20th album, in the 20th century, for Capitol Records …

1 - it's a touring shot...

2 - he's in the middle spread of the booklet.

Very True. In fact, there are 2 Brians in that picture. Psychedelic, man  :3d

Still, for a band that wanted everybody to think that they were all equal members, doesn't it seem sort of odd that Brian was separated from the others? Is this the first instance of that happening?

Don't know if you're just talking artwork, but there was the Caroline, No single...

On the same track, I can't believe "Caroline, No" got to #32 on the charts. I love it, it's probably my favorite ballad Brian's ever written. It's just I can't imagine it getting that much radio play. Did ANYONE ever hear it on the radio?

First song written without his involvement, although I believe he at least participated in the performance and production. "I Can Hear Music", he had absolutely nothing to do with.

Also, anyone have a scan of the Brian "eye chart" photo?

check out www.pipeline-operaglass.moonfruit.com/#/2020/4517893879

(http://i42.tinypic.com/2hhgego.jpg)

Yeah, I was talking artwork.

Does anyone else find this picture creepy-looking? I feel like Brian's hiding some kind of vampire teeth under that chart! :)

Always thought Brian not being present on the sleeve really added to the overall mystery of the genius recluse, literally hiding behind the other band members and occasionally contributing glimpses of utter fucking brilliance. 20/20 might be the group's most uncanny creation anyway, given the Manson tune's presence, the salvaged Smile material, and just the overall vibe of the album per se. It might also be the BB's one and only record to showcase Brian's (then still intact) ability to hastily churn out one of his classic fun-in-the-sun rockers alongside some of the most daring and experimental music ever produced by a major pop group (I'm thinking of "Cabinessence", of course). His trademark genius still all over the place, the man himself is nowhere to be seen. I just love this kind of stuff.

Thanks for the clarification Runners. Must add thats it is slightly disheatening to realise that Brian's voice wasnt part of the brilliant a capella part in ICHM.

Being younger, I didnt hear Caroline No on the radio, but i did request it a few years ago on my oldies radio station and they replied with: "man, I haven't heard that in years."    :p

Yes, in March and April of 1966 it received a decent amount of airplay on the San Diego and Los Angeles radio stations i listened to.  It made it to number 23 on one San Diego radio station, and to number 28 on the other.  Of course, Sloop John B was a much bigger hit and was released just a couple of weeks later.  When I first heard Caroline, No on the radio I presumed that Brian Wilson had left the band, but a friend of mine who was a huge BB fan told me he hadn't and said that releasing one song by BW and another by the BBs at virtually the same time allowed the BBs and Capitol Records to have two BB related songs on the radio at the same time.

Here's another part of the mystery in regards to 20/20 especially "I can hear music" - . Fact! It has been mentioned on many occasion that this song was the first ever BB's song not to be either written, arranged or produced by Brian and the first where he isn't singing or playing either. In short he had zero to do with it. So why in the linear notes for the twofer CD reissue does Brian write "I wanted the instrumental track of ICHM to be smooth and subliminal. I used acoustic guitars." EH?  Did he shout down instructions to Carl from his bedroom or something?!!! 

Does anyone know if Brian even really wrote the notes for all the Capital twofers?
Any info would be much appreciated and hurry as I never know when I'll next be able to gain access to this site!!! LOL!

I think it would be fairer to say Brian dictated the notes to the Capitol 2fers, in response to relevant questions. Said responses were then 'polished'.

Thanks AGD, I suppose they could tack BW's sprawling squiggle underneath any old tat if they so wished couldn't they?

   I was living in Boston in 66 and never heard anything about it on the radio or print and they played alot of BB on the AM stations at that time

So does this mean he had anything to do with ICHM? Did he really have some hand in the production/arrangement?

According to Bruce, who was there - no.

Yes, "Caroline, No" definitely got airplay in Memphis.

It's so funny, I believe you, but "Caroline, No" is so out of step with what was popular in 1966. As I said before, it's one of my very favorite BW songs; but if I ever hear it on the radio I'll probably crash the car in shock.