The Smiley Smile Message Board

Just received it in the mail, and had to stop and email David about what a great issue this is - before I"ve been able to do any more than breeze through it front to back - and also thought I'd mention here that it's something to get your hands on!  Can't wait to read Andrew's article entitled, "SUNFLOWER - 40th Anniversary   The Process"; whole darn issue looks crammed with information & great rare photo's.  Watch for it if it's on it's way; can't wait to hear what people think...

Nice issue!  It came in the mail and I sat down to read it cover to cover.  Nice insights from Peter Reum, AGD and Fred Vail. Al Jardine's song by song breakdown was interesting too.  Like the Pics!! 

I'm with Ed on this!!! Fantastic issue all the way through. I too, had to email David and send kudos for one of the best issues yet!! (Except of course, the all Dennis issue! LOL). If you're not a subscriber, please do so asap, and request this issue. You will never "hear" the album the same again.

Just got the latest issue and while I obviously can't comment on pages 26-39, the rest of the issue is just cracking: always a pleasure to read Peter's thoughtful prose.

Great job, guys!  Especially fascinating for me are the previously unseen David Dalton photo of Al, Carl, Desper and Dennis testing the percussion rig on Brian's rooftop...they're clearly not in the middle of a take, since headphones are are not on (and Desper isn't behind the board).  We see a snare drum w/sleighbells resting on top, one hi-hat with headphones resting on top, another hi-hat w/tambourine attached, and Dennis trying out the timbales with a pair of soft mallets.  Later we see a shot of Carl playing the drum kit (indoors, in the actual studio), clearly on a take (based on the fact that he's actually wearing headphones).  I'm beginning to think Carl played drums in the studio on far more tracks than we actually know of. 

Loved the way the issue turned out...Andrew...terrific job! Fred`s article was quite illuminating as well. Hope we can do it again in another issue some time...

Soon as my raise goes through I need to subscribe (living paycheck to paycheck right now)...this sounds fascinating.

Great job to all involved! The photos alone are mind-blowing.

Excellent job, guys! ESQ arrived yesterday and I read it cover to cover. Love the insights on the BB's recording process during this time. The photos are great. Did anyone notice that there are pics of each Wilson brother playing drums? That shot of Dennis on the old motorcycle is very nice, too.  8)

My wife, bless her soul, just spent 30 bucks on Keith Badman's book for my birthday gift.  She tries. The book's nice but I'm aware of its accuracy issues. I would rather that 30 bucks had gone to a ESQ subscription.  I will be ordering this Sunflower issue within the next week. And looking at the back issue catalog, I could easily drop a couple hundred bucks before I knew what happened.

Having just gone through a period of playing nothing but the Sunflower/Surf's Up 2-fer, I'm particularly looking forward to this new issue.

Enjoy the photos in the Badman book...they're worth $30.  Just don't bother reading the text!  :)

Nah, that's not true, either.  There's some great stuff in Badman: 
He can't be trusted on the dates for concerts at all, and oft-times his venues are also wrong;. but the the first hand stories and quotes are outasite!!!!

He can't be trusted on session info or historical context either, lots of made up stuff in there to justify other wrong stuff. As Craig said, the photos are great, and the format is nice too, would have been awesome if it wasn't so half-assed.

Nah, that's not true, either.  There's some great stuff in Badman: 
He can't be trusted on the dates for concerts at all, and oft-times his venues are also wrong;. but the the first hand stories and quotes are outasite!!!!
[/quote]


So far, my favorite photo is the big one of Glen Campbell on stage with the Boys. I'd like to see more of Campbell as a Beach Boy. Anybody know offhand the exact number of shows he played? Any TV appearances?

And so far my favorite story is the one about Brian, on the advise of his astrologer,  leading a midnight limousine caravan to hand deliver the H&V single to the radio station, bypassing Capitol altogether.

I hope that story is true. It's awesome.

And, no, I'm not reading the book in order, I'm just skipping around.

But skimming through the book has brought up a question that perhaps should be a new topic, but did Bruce have anything at all to do with Smiley Smile? I know he was absent for most of it, but did he skip out on all of it?  And who exactly was his disagreement with and what was the nature of the disagreement? 

I guess I just want more details on the things that upset seemingly easygoing Bruce. He quit in the 70s and he basically quit during the Smiley Smile sessions.

 

Don't know exactly how many shows, but this is a great place to start http://www.esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs65.html (http://www.esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs65.html)

I don't think he made any TV appearances with the group, although he did promote Guess I'm Dumb on various TV shows.

Not merely the concerts. I particularly like two parts - the opening paragraph where he gets Hawthorne CA confused with Hawthorne FL... and the bit in the Smile era where he quotes David Oppenheim on Brian's mental state, not realising he's got his Davids in a twist. Anderle, not Oppenheim.

Glen never appeared with the band on TV. As for which shows he played,,,

shows & sessions 1964 (http://www.esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs64.html)
shows & sessions 1965 (http://www.esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs65.html)

I'm guessing he passed on most - if not all - of the Smiley Smile sessions for the same reason he didn't do the Hawaii trip (!) in August 1967.  :)

What's the infamous quote about Bruce during the SS era, 'It had all gotten too weird for him by this time'?

To return to the original topic... the latest issue of ESQ is a good one - we got in touch with David Dalton, hence the new b/w pix.

Curious, did he happen to tell you the exact dates (or at least the month) the Bellagio studio photos were taken?  That may help determine which particular songs were being worked on.

Found this not too long ago on the web. Was new to me.

(http://www.jim-satcher.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/DiamondJimShow/Beachboys.jpg)


On TV-shows Brian had to play. Probably a contractual thing or something, therefor you don't see Bruce on "California girls" and "Barbara Ann" . After that, there were not too many TV-appearances, which begs the question "WHY?". Why didn't they do promo for Pet sounds, GV, H&V, Wild honey on TV?

Add my two cent........

The latest issue arrived on the emerald isle today and I just want to say congrats to David, Andrew, Peter & Fred on one of the best, if not the best issue of ESQ I've had the good fortune to read.

Now off to renew my sub........

Thomas

Really my favorite era of the group. They all looked so cool and were doing wonderful work. They sang their best too.

I'll be in City Lights Books (SF) this weekend.  Seems I bought a copy of ESQ there once before.  I wonder if I'll find one there this coming week.

If not, Im sure I'll find something to read.

Did I hear that Borders is going under?

Yes it is, although for the time being the stores will remain open.

Got my copy as well. Quickly flipped through the pages already ,and it looks great. And for tomorrrow I'm sure it will be a great read as well.  :)

Everyone's positive comments are always nice to read…most appreciated.

My 2¢…

David Dalton came through in spades!! It was very cool to see the pictures of each Wilson brother on drums…I really dug it. 

Having Andrew and Peter involved was like having the best of both worlds.  When working on ESQ, it's always a pleasure to put together a quality product, especially about an album of Sunflower's stature.

As far as listening to Sunflower: I highly recommend picking up the Sunflower LP released by Capitol last year; it has a beautiful and crisp sound, and it easily surpasses the CD twofer in quality.   

David,

I signed up for a one year subscription through your website and paypal on Jan.22. I haven't received the Sunflower issue yet. Do new subcriptions take longer to get mailed out? Should I be concerned that it has not yet arrived?

I agree with the consensus: nice job with this issue.

Maybe the subscription service he uses hasn't notified him yet?

Well done to everybody involved with this special issue - a wonderful reading experience!

Well, that is the kind of answer that I'm looking for from ESQ. Paypal already charged my credit card and I've paid the credit card company. So, everybody has been taken care of except me. I just want to make sure I receive this issue, as it is the sole reason that prompted me to subscribe.

Mine hasn't landed either but I'm not worried (yet) -  takes a while longer to get to Yorkshire than the Emerald Isle I guess!

I'm just outside of Philadelphia, and only a few hundred miles up the coast.

Does make one wonder why he's not at least posting a response; Dave is usually right on top of these things.  I hope he's OK. 

I can always send you my copy to read, until yours arrives; then you can send mine back.

Borders is in reorganization bankruptcy, closing "only" 200 stores, the others will stay open.
Clearance sales at the closing stores could begin as early as this weekend.

Thank you for the offer, but for now I'll wait a little longer, especially since there are some people who haven't received theirs yet in the mail.

Wish All I Wanna Do was written about more...would've been great to have Desper contribute. Those are my only two complaints- otherwise this issue is awesome. I have learned a lot about the mind-set of the band at the time, and that has made me appreciate the music more. Especially Cool Cool Water.

I feel quite sad that my copy of this will be sat 9000 miles away in a house that no longer has anything to do with me, will have to cancel my subscription.

why aren't you havung your copies sent wherever you're going to be?

I just sent in a PayPal payment for my very first issue.

I'm excited about it, I hope there's no trouble getting it.

Folks,

I retired as the co-editor of ESQ several years ago, but I still own the business side of ESQ -- the accounting, posting new subscriptions, etc. -- while Dave owns the creative side.  I do it in my spare time, at night and on weekends (my day job is director of an IT consulting company).  I've been real busy with real work responsibilities and family stuff for the past few weeks, and I'm running about 3 to 4 weeks behind on posting new subscriptions and getting them out the door.  I apologize if anyone is waiting on their subscription, but please realize that ESQ is basically a hobby for me, and sometimes real-life responsibilties get in the way.  Thanks for your patience, and I hope to get caught up on the January renewals/new subscriptions this week.

Lee

I'm travelling around Australia so have no permanent address.

You can send it to me and I'll gladly hold it for you.  :) I'm being totally serious. I could hold if for however long you need. Just send me a permanent address when you have one.

Plus, I don't have an ESQ susscription, so it would be a nice oppertunity to borrow one.  ;D

Paulos, that's not a problem at all;  send us an e-mail at esqeditor@aol.com explaining the situation, and where we can post you a spare copy, and we'll put another copy in the mail to you.

Lee

You could always ask Will Brison to lend you a hand.

Thank you Lee, I have sent an email and will get my parents to send it to me when I have an address in Oz.

No problem, I totally understand. 

Ya know, what I don't understand, is how in the world you can get your priorities SO out of tune with the rest of us; I think it should be obvious to you( and Dave) that THE #1 responsibility you have is to ensure the top-speed delivery of ESQ to each and every person that buys it. Family/work be hanged!!   :lol

Is it too late to order this issue?

Also, if I send in a check for the issue, would I need to include a note indicating which issue I want to receive? I noticed on the Web site that there are back issues available as well, and I wouldn't want to receive the wrong issue.

Thanks!

I'm with bgas on this.
My daughter (she's almost two now guys!) hasn't been fed for a week as I'm too excited waiting for ESQ to arrive. And she won't eat until it does.  She keeps fainting and sometimes my resolve weakens but I hang in there.
I've little doubt that this scenario is being repeated in BBs' fans' households the world over (well, the dedicated fans' households).
You want all this on your conscience, Lee?  Do ya?

 ;D

Wow, the burden of the world is on my shoulders...    :'(

Seriously, issues would have gone in the mail today, but it was a postal holiday.

And Andrew, Will Brison is more involved in ESQ than you think!  Every mistake you've ever found in ESQ -- all Will's fault!!!   ;)

Has there yet been an issue of ESQ with an emphasis on VDP or have I long since missed the boat?  :smokin

As long as we are asking questions about ESQ - Has there been (or will there be) an issue that deals with Brian's exotica influence on Pet Sounds?

AGD said that The Dumb Angel Gazette #4 had this topic covered - but since there is a lack of Dumb Angel Gazette #4 issues circulating the planet would it be possible for someone to write about this topic in ESQ?

Also, if I order a subscription of ESQ now will I get the Sunflower issue? Or will I have to pay the $10 for the individual issue + the $30 for subscribing?

Can't remember a VDP issue right away, but one of the Endless Sky DVD series (volume 3) is totally devoted to VDP and his work: http://endlessskyvideo.blogspot.com/