The Smiley Smile Message Board

Seriously, they sucked. MIU and Keepin' The Summer Alive are in a large part ruined by the limp production. The songs have no power, the instruments have no space, and a lot of the instrumental parts are buried in the mix! There's no sense of dynamics or anything. Al & Bruce couldn't grasp the larger sonic soundscape the way good producers do. Were the BBs just being cheap? Were they so weird to work with that outside producers couldn't gel with them? I honestly think that better production could've really improved some of the songs on those two albums. I mean, after all, Brian was involved in those  albums, even if it was often against his will.

I'll also say that whoever played bass on MIU really sucked, too. It reminds me of the auto-accompaniment feature on a Yamaha keyboard. There's a lot of root note playing on this album.

Well, Bruce did also produce LA: Light Album, that I personally find fantastic on all counts!

I think MIU might have sounded even worse with less production. The material is just weak in a lot of cases, a few exceptions granted.

They could have done so well on those albums. I read an old post saying that Brian's early work went pretty well, but that he lost interest when Bruce rejoined the band.
It's sad considering how well Dennis was doing as producer during that era, I guess he just didn't have any interest in producing the band.

Oh sure, I can just see Mike agreeing to have Dennis as Producer for a BBs Album.

Did Mike really care who Produced what? Isn't he quoted as saying his thing is singing and playing live, not working in the studio?

He certainly didn't somehow manage to avoid Dennis being credited for whatever Production he did do in the past on Beach Boys albums.

I can't remember those productions right now; what were they? 

Well, his own songs, of course. Most of which Mike sang on. "All I Wanna Do": he sang lead, in fact. Or "Only With You" which he wrote the lyrics for.

I'm just saying let's not rush to blame Mike.

 I'm no expert.  I gotta go with my gut though; the Beach Boys had rock star egos, and rightfully so... they were one of the biggest rock bands of all time.  So basically they produced themselves because they could.  

Plus, you've got to remember that's how they always did it.  Brian started producing them early on, and they eventually evolved to a really seat of the pants way of recording, where they did albums in Brian's house, recorded their own sound effects and crap for SMiLE songs, blah blah blah, Dennis probably had his own Studio, they jumped around from location to location to record, went to Holland and did a record, etc.

So they weren't like a traditional band that has a producer and books time somewhere, they just always did it themselves and would probably consider it an insult if somebody pushed a producer on them.  It just so happens that apparently Al and Bruce sucked as producers.

I guess you could rephrase though and say "Why didn't Dennis or Carl produce it?".  I can't answer that one.  

I agree with you, Erik, I doubt Mike gave a rats ass who produced what.  If he was in the studio though, he's probably not going to be interested in having Dennis tell him what to do.  Could be wrong. 

I don't think Mike was too into what the albums were like, though.  He probably felt that the Beach Boys were a stage band (he DEFINATELY feels that way now) so would just see the albums as a vehicle to get back and out front that tour. 

I respect Mike for that, actually.  He's a pretty limited musician... and his only real strong suit is that he's a good frontman (sorry; he is!).  So he sticks to what he's good at.  He's only concerned with what he's good at.  I can get behind that.  I don't mean that as an afront to his songwriting ability which was at times great, or his vocal ability which was at times great. 

Yeah, I guess the better question is: would Dennis really sit there for endless hours in the studio Producing things like Pitter Patter, Winds Of Change, Kona Cost,  ETC?

First it must be said that Beach Boys stoped being musically compatable after Holland. Sure they had always been diverse but they seemed to have a unified sound or goal in mind. After 1972 nobody's music sounded remotely like the others. They grew apart and began to want different things for the band.

One must remember that Dennis  produced the band with no problem before Manson got accused. After that they probably didn't want him in charge as much. Ed has said several times that Dennis had a lot more respect before Manson was arrested. Also you have take in account that the basically healthy Dennis of say 1968-72 was a long gone memory by the time of MIU let alone KTSA. By 1978 even people working with Dennis on his solo albums were beginning to back off. Carli etc.

Carl himself was in no shape to produce the band by 1977 and I think he too lost some respect after his drug period. Maybe had Dennis and Brian gotten healthy with him in 1979 he could have been back in charge but I don't think he would have been a great choice  either. Let's face it after Angel Come Home he lost his edge with the exception of Heaven.

Al did get the vocals to sound pretty good but his style was faux (later seasons of Happy Days) retro. I don't hate MIU myself. I don't love it but it's the only Beach boy album after Holland that I can play without too much cringing.  Well not counting Belles Of Paris. Oh that track is horrid but hey at least it wasn't a ten minute waste of space like HCTN.

Getting Bruce back was the worst decision they could have made at least musically. He led them into a really sappy soft arena. First he tried to graft them onto bad and fading trends, then he went along blindly without a fuss as the Beach Boys totally went to waste.  He was fine from 1965-72 but like Carl I think he developed creatively in a real lightweight direction. Of course even Disney Girls and Deirdre would not hold up like they do without the class the Beach Boys vocal blend brought them, but there he managed to adapt to the Bach Boys instead of making them adapt to him. Funny thing is that Bruce and even worse Beach Boys producer Terry Melcher made some fantastic records in the sixties. Listen to something like My World Fell Down and tell me if Bruce was the sap meister then. Hint he sure as hell wasn't.

So why did Al and Bruce take over in the late seventies? Well the real producers of the band couldn't get it together anymore and somewhat understandably had lost the respect and control of the rest of the band. I'm not saying the Wilson's are bad people, or that I don't feel sincerely sad they went the way they did but would you have liked to work with them circa1978? It was a desperate move in some ways having Al and Bruce take charge but I suppose the idea was to keep it in the family.

Very well put, though I must respectfully disagree about Disney Girls: a fantastic song, Beach Boys or not, as any of the various cover versions/Bruce solo versions can ably demonstrate.

I dont think Dennis was ever responsible enough to produce a BB record without heavy involvement from the rest of the band. Its true no one in the group would take him serious because he always goofed off and they did use his songs. And he always got alot of help from Brian or outside collabarators to help write the music for them. Im not sure he was ever fully capable of producing a record in the 60's by himself, im not sure anyone else in the band would have wanted that anyway. Brian included. Carl had his producing moments but i think Mike and Al and Bruce probably did not want a Wilson producing every record unless it was Brian. Carl and Dennis always wanted to take the group forward (Holland being a good example) while every one else wanted to stay an oldies band.

I like Disney Girls for what it is, and have heard a few very good versions other then the record by Bruce live and by other artists. My point wasn't to knock the song as such, but to mention why I felt Bruce fit in the early seventies as opposed to the late seventies. In short it's because the group came together and made Bruce's 69-71 stuff into Beach Boys records with real Beach Boys harmony including Brian. By the time Bruce came back I feel he had gone too far with his mor tendenices. Also because Brian, Carl and Dennis had declined so much from 1972-78 you weren't getting the group sounding the same or getting along well enough to make a real Beach Boys sound on something like Oh Darlin. Despite it getting some later day praise, even Endless Harmony sounds contrived despite some moments of beauty.

Mike and Al aren't blameless of course themselves. For example in 1978 Mike was saving his better songs for his First Love and Celebration projects. Regressing as a songwriter, his overall quality declined because he tried too hard to be a "BEACH BOY".

Al may have been trying to make his songs mature, but he too had the band doing bad covers and in doing so embraced the past as their future. I don't want to make like they never did good music after 1972-73, but once the Brian is Back stuff hit it was rare that the group could agree on anything or even support each others efforts. I feel very strongly that despite occasinal misfires the Beach Boys of 1961-73 or so had a terrific track record artistically. They were consistantly a top quality band making top quality records. After 1973 only Dennis continued to grow and keep the quality high in the studio. Sadly the last six or seven years his live performances got gradually worse and worse. As late as the Knebworth show he had a degree of real charm, but it was obvious something was wrong. No doubt his sprial did hurt him as a live performer. Still to get back to the point the only thing I can say of the MIU to KTSA period is that at least they were making records and trying to issue new music regularly. After 1980 we didn't even have that.

I don't mean to be a downer, but again the only answer I can give is that Al and Bruce filled in because the others couldn't handlle producing at that point or weren't wanted.

Yes, he did - but Dennis didn't write or produce it.

Let's call it "All I Want To Do" then.

(or am I mixing up songs again, mr. Doe?  ::)  )

Not this time.  Easily done, to be fair - even EMI in the UK managed to do it big time. Guess what they pressed up as the B side to "I Can Hear Music" for the 1979 26-disc singles boxed set ? Correct, not "All I Want To Do". ;D

It is a bit baffling why they chose to give two completely different songs virtually identical titles, but then this is The Beach Boys we are talking about! Brian and Mike could have easily called theirs "My Love Burns Brightly" or something along those lines.

You'd think that it would be more appropriate not to abbreviate 'want to' to 'wanna' in the slow song, but no...

I agree on the production values of MIU and KTSA. They are really far below average. Both albums sound heavily compressed, and there's absolutely no bright, transparend top end. It all is so muffled, so energy-free... a simple early ditty like '409' rips both albums to shreds, soundwise.

As for Light Album, that one is really better. 'Good Timin'', 'Going South', 'Baby Blue', all excellent. They sound like Denny and Carl were there at the desk, but I gather from the earlier messages in this thread they were not credited? Could it be that Curt Becher (née Boettcher) had a hand in the bright sound? Anyway, I wonder to this day how experienced pros, like the BBs were at that time, could let something like MIU pass quality control.

Curt was only involved in the disco track.

OK, thanks to our one and only font of knowledge. Andrew, BTW: Brad Eliott's 'Surf's Up' book is available in my town for a measly 10 Euros or so. It is the Helter Skelter paperback from 2003. Is it worth the money, considering it does not cover everything up until now? What would you do?

It might not cover until 2011, but until 1981 it's a very complete overview. It might miss a few releases and some info might be a bit dated by now, but you won't find a book that 'll cover it better.

So for 10 Euro, I recommend buying it.

OK -

that is the info I had hoped for. Tks for it!

Using Al, I have no idea why they would; I guess desperate needs call for desperate measures.

I could see them using Bruce as he had his own "solo" career and a lot more experience producing than Al ever did.



I'm honestly surprised they didn't have someone come in (as a Billy Preston-like measure, and yes, I know BP didn't produce) to produce them earlier than the BB 85 album.

I still use my first edition on a regular basis - for €10, that's a steal.

I really like L.A., you know, but it also sounds lifeless. I'd like to know how much Jim Guercio was involved since he has a credit too.

I guess they asked Bruce to produce, because he knew the guys and everyone, the drug-camp and the T.M.-camp liked and respected him. And he probably knew enough about the craziness in the band but has been away far enough for a few years not to take side with any of them.

Regarding Al, I think like someone said, it was to keep it in the family. And also we have to remember that it was Al who worked mostly with Carl (and for a while Desper) in the early 70s producing the albums. He knew what to do. Unfortunately that's not to say that M.I.U. was any good. But his production on "Cottonfields" is fantastic. Had he had better material, we might think differently about his production.

As far as I can say, Dennis would'nt have been a good producer for the band. First I don't believe that Mike and Al had enough respect for his musical talent (Al even regretted not taking Dennis serious enough in an interview from a few years ago). But look what happened when Bros. Studio was sold and Dennis couldn't just walk in and record whenever he wanted. When it needed planning and being on time at the studio and be sure to get a recording done in a certain time, I don't think Dennis was able to handle that at that point in his life. That's why Bambu didn't get finished. And I also can't imagine Dennis producing "Kona cost"

Carl also had personal problems in '78, but I'd really think KTSA could have been better if Carl was the sole producer. I still can't get over how Bruce destroyed "Oh darlin'".

You can't blame Al because he couldn't polish a turd.

I don't know. I agree that material on MIU wasn't great. There were no potential for classics on it. But I think a song like "Wontcha Come Out Tonight?"  could've been good fun if it was produced right. As it is, it just makes me shrug my shoulders.

I meant the 20/20 All I Wanna Do

or "All I Wanna Do" featuring the bed-squeaking!

Dennis certainly Produced THAT!

Yep, but as I already mentioned earlier, that song is called All I Want (and not "wanna") To Do.


And Dennis definitely did something productive during that fade-out                        (did I just say that  :o )

No such song on 20/20.  And people wonder why I get a bit testy sometimes... :deadhorse

Wait: now I'm confused!

So, Dennis produced the bed squeaking but didn't write or produce the song? So, were Dennis and Mike creating the bed squeaking together? Wouldn't that be co-production???   >:D

The song on 20/20 is "All I Want To Do". The Song on Sunflower is called "All I Wanna Do". Dennis and I think Carl produced the track on 20/20.

So, wait! it was Dennis and CARL making the bed squeak????

This is really stupid. I honestly thought you had the two songs confused. AGD, I with you there!

Oops! Such humorlessness!!!!

To bring this board back to it's proper dead-seriousness: I was referring to the very dramatic track # 4 on the 20/20 album that was written/produced by Dennis: lead vocal by Mike, with some very scholarly bed-squeaking at the end.

There.

Yeah I hafta agree with this thread. MIU, LA Light and Keepin' the Summer Alive were very weak albums. There were a few good tracks on 'em but overall and in comparison to every previous record they were pretty shitty. A lot of people talk sh*t on 15 Big Ones and Love You big I dig a lot of the songs, but I can understand why those albums aren't praised.

I think there's two X factors with MIU and KTSA that are worth taking into account.

MIU was done at a studio that, if I remember correctly, they basically built from scratch a la HOLLAND (which had its own technical problems, but it kinda works, giving it that lo-fi sterile vibe that indie bands have tried to emulate).  A lot of MIU just sounds like it wasn't recorded real well.

KTSA I believe there was a big deal made that it was recorded with the then-new Aphex Aural Exciter, am I not right about that?  And to me there's a mile of difference between the way L.A. sounds and KTSA sounds (although it may be L.A. had the Aphex as well).  But I know KTSA has the sound of something that's been screwed with, globally, with some new technical gizmo that didn't seem like such a good idea later.

Er... actually it was L.A. that used the Aphex - KTSA had Steve Desper engineering, so it was kinda quad-ish.

I generally think, that with LA having better material, the band might've been in more of a rare moment of collective inspiration, therefore a whole different sort of attention was paid to the recording/mixing/mastering.

Though I could of course be very well wrong.

It was also their first album for Caribou, and well overdue. Can't say I go with any notion of collective inspiration: a 10-minute reworking of a 12-year-old track... a five-year-old session recycled... three tracks donated from solo projects... and another reworking, this time of a six-year-old track. I'd say inspiration was at a definite premium.

I'm afraid you're probably dead right, but at least the material was good!!!!!

The drums and the bass playing on MIU reminds me of crappy karaoke backing tracks. If Dennis had been present, at least the drums could have had some life hammered into them.

I just don't like these albums. I think even something like Angel Come Home is only a pale shadow of The Trader or Long Promised Road.

There's a minor glimmer every once in a while of something decent, but the songs are mostly weak and the mixing is awful. I'll just never really understand why people jump to defend these albums, I'd be hard pressed to even select one track that measures up to the 1970-73 era material. I guess maybe they aren't the total train wrecks that they appear to be on the surface, maybe a few passengers walked away away unscathed, but still at the end of the day things had definitely gone off the tracks.

This albums were just not produced and mixed well enough honestly and they sound terrible on headphones. Maybe on car speakers some of this stuff comes out ahead, but on headphones, jeeze, songs like Sunshine sound truly awful. These are the first albums where I really feel like there are songs that simply don't have any merit. The boys had released a few questionable cuts during their peak years, but even those aren't as bad as some of the songs on these three albums.

KTSA's sound is mystifyingly bad, but I think LA and MIU sound pretty good. MIU's problem is some really bad songwriting. I like LA and about half the songs on MIU.

As far as letting Al and Bruce do it, well, I've always thought that Brian was supposed to produce all of those, then just quit. Al and Bruce stepped up to the plate, and I commend them, even if the final effort didn't always make the grade. Bruce's sixties, pre-BB stuff is great, I think.

The problem with the sound of KTSA is the recording set up.  The notes say it was recorded with two synched 24 track machines and everything stereo miked.  That's 47 (with a synch track) or 48 tracks with all the tape hiss that is generated.  I'm sure they used some sort of noise reduction, resulting in the sludgy mess that disappointed me when I first heard it.

Along with some very animalistic vocals that accompany the noisy springs. :-D

Ding ding ding!  We have a winner.  I think you may be right; some kind of overall noise reduction or some such is exactly what it sounds like.

Would this not apply to any album recorded in this way though?

The interesting thing imo is, that Bruce said in the TV-special that he wante to underproduce the album, yet heavy noise-reduction would be very heavy produced. I don't know too much about it, but that's what it seems like to me. "Underproducing" to me would be something like "Wild honey"

This is a great, well thought out, well spoken post.  I agree completely.  My thoughts on this are that I'm a pretty go with the flow guy, so I actually appreciate SOME of the sappy stuff too, but it strikes me that the band became neutered. 

They're not the only band or artist that did this, as a matter of fact almost ALL of them do it.  They just lose their edge, they lose their teeth, they lose their balls.  In a way, the stuff they did through the 60's was pretty damn ballsy, the stuff was EXCITING.  They lost the excitement somewhere along the way.  The problem with those later albums is there's nothing crazy on there.  I would rather listen to "Wipeout" with the Fat Boys than most of that drivel they did in the later years, because at least it was fucking INSANE.  It had Balls, and it had Brian Wilson. 

Most of the bands do this though, they just start to suck after they get 1. Rich, 2. Famous, 3. Married, 4. Educated   . I mean a lot of the reason Brian's early production was so cool was because he didn't KNOW what he could and couldn't do.  That's how he invented greatness.  That's Rock & Roll!  Fake it 'till you Make it.  God Given talent, just raw as hell, their voices were like listening to God, and God was singing about everything from Love to Big Block Engines and girls on the beach.  F'in Amazing. 

Once they got content and like you said, Carl had his issues and Brian had his issues and Dennis had his issues, the band sounded neutered.  "Faux Retro" is the absolute perfect way to describe Al's style.  It's not even real retro like the White Stripes or Paul McCartney would do, it's this half-assed retro.  Horrible.  The only thing missing is the nuts.

:) I'm serious.  Great post.  I don't blame them, I know the next level for Al was to produce and hell he's even producing still... but I don't know if we'll ever get to the point as fans where we want him to do anymore than stand there and sing "Help Me Rhonda" the perfect way that he does.  He's just not going to be a good producer.

Bruce had Disney Girls and it's a great song, I love it.  You can only do that about 3 times, though.  He did that, he did 'I Write the Songs' or whatever, and he probably had another great one somewhere, and then it's worn out.  He doesn't have the go go juice to produce anything that's going to be great... the testosterone came from the Wilsons; Brian was burnt out, Dennis was burnt out, Carl was burnt out, and Mike was smart enough to know he can't produce sh*t. 

Really though they've got to be commended for doing what they did as long as they did.  Who the hell can consistantly put out good albums for 30 years?  I don't lose any respect for them that some of the later albums sucked, it's amazing that they were great as long as they were.  God bless all of 'em, including Bruce and Al.  Hell at least they TRIED to produce something. 

I'm glad you liked my post. You make a lot of sense with what you say too. Yes most bands lose it along the way but it's sad that the Beach Boys ruined their reputation going the way they went. It's been restored more or less njow, but the Full House era was hard to live through.

I think it can be argued that Al Jardine has been a successful producer, at least in the sense that his "batting average" is relatively good. His version of "Cotton Fields" achieved international success. "Peggy Sue" got considerable airplay on at least one station in my hometown, and "Come Go with Me" charted reasonably well nationally. (Of course Ron Altbach  co-produced both with Al.) These covers may represent rather modest successes, but they came at a time when Beach Boy singles rarely charted.  Also, several Beach Boy albums credit the group as the producer(s), and I wouldn't be surprised if Al had a hand in the production of  recordings  on Sunflower, Surf's Up, and Holland, all albums which seem to meet with some approval on this board.

If I recall correctly, Bruce Johnston had done some production work for Art Garfunkel on his Breakaway album and had done production work with Elton John. Both Art Garfunkel and Elton John were successful recording artists in the 1970's, and both thought Bruce worthy. So why would it be the least bit surprising that the Beach Boys, of which Bruce had been a member, would call him in as a producer? (By the way,  the Beach Boys brought in Johnston to produce LA after Brian lost interest as opposed to Brian's losing interest in the project when Bruce rejoined the group. How could someone screw this one up?)

And finally, I hope that when folks here disparage some of the Beach Boys' work in strident terms that they do possess enough perspective to realize that they are pissing upward, not downward.  But piss away, if you must.

Everyone seems to have overlooked the very obvious reason why Al - and Ron Altbach - produced M. I. U.: he was Johnny-on-the-spot.  Carl was in Fairfield for maybe four, five sessions, Dennis less than that. Mike doesn't do producing and at the time, Brian was beginning his slide back down into the pit again. In other words, no other viable candidates.

Thats what I meant when I said Al and Bruce stepped up to the plate and I commend them for it.

I always felt that Al got a bad reputation for this album. He obviously wasn't "ready" to be a producer, but he did a great job with the hand he was dealt.

Ideally, it would have behooved the group to wait until they were through the L.A. sessions to release a stronger album. This song list/breakdown is strictly for fun.

SIDE 1:
It's A Beautiful Day
She's Got Rhythm
Come Go With Me
Sweet Sunday Kind Of Love
Belles Of Paris
My Diane
Match Point Of Our Love
Winds Of Change


SIDE 2:
Good Timin'
Lady Lynda
Full Sail
Angel Come Home
Love Surrounds Me
Sumahama
Baby Blue
Goin' South

I actually don't mind the overall sound of the Light Album, in fact I think that Bruce Johnston managed to capture a deeply melancholy (if occasionally sappy) side of the group not heard on too many of their post-Endless Summer records. Now personally I'll always prefer the sometimes sloppy but heartfelt Brian-isms of 15BO and Love You, but I still think of L.A. as one of their most underrated albums, whereas KTSA doesn't work for me at all.

Yeah, it took awhile for me, but I think so too. What I think Bruce did well on that album is manage to make very different songwriter-producers almost sound like they made an album together. Shortenin Bread sticks out like sore thumb, but otherwise, its a bunch of pleasant ballads, plus Here Comes the Night.

I love the Light Album.  It always has been one of my favorite Beach Boys albums.

Agreed! It's a kick ass Dennis-Carl album with some of Carl's best vocals ever! Sumahama is a lovely Mike showcase, and the whole record just feels good!

ESQ - Recently, as a result of loading what had been LP's originally then double CD's, and now ipod, I have started to listen to MIU/Light Album and think you are correct.  It was a favorite of one of my late brothers, who was into meditation, and conjures a gentle, soothing and perhaps a "calm in the storm" (of life) and I find that Winds of Change reminds me of Al's And I Always Will on his new album with that great mellow piano, and Lady Lynda, I just have always loved, with its Bach underpinnings (Jésu, Joy of Man's Desiring.) Love that authenticity of the harpsichord opening and closing the song.  

Goin' South has new meaning, almost visionary, yearning for a warm, green place to winter...(Carl does sound as if he had a cold at the time of recording.) The makeup of the album was about 35% rock, but it was done thoughtfully...Mike's vocals are tremendous on Winds of Change and despite the lack of critical acclaim, it is far from anything to cast aside.  Good Timin' and Come Go With Me, sort of emerged as those that hit the AM/FM radio stations.  

It is an old gem to be rediscovered... ;)

Does anybody have a list of alternate versions and mixes of these songs that circulate? I have heard a few, most notable the awesome version of Santa Ana Winds.

Here's another relevant section of a new interview with Mark Lindsay, lead singer of Paul Revere & The Raiders.  It was conducted by Pop Culture Classics, whoever they may be.  Great interview, but doesn't really discuss their music in-depth.  Anyway, Lindsay recalled how he met Bruce Johnston, as well as the story that Bruce produced "Steppin' Out."  

Lindsay also discussed Manson, so I added that bit in the Manson/Dennis old thread.

The full interview is here:  http://www.popcultureclassics.com/mark_lindsay.html





PCC:
And was Bruce Johnston involved in producing The Raiders at one point?

LINDSAY:
Yeah. I met Terry Melcher and Bruce Johnston at the same time. I walked into the studio. One of the suits took me into Studio And said, ‘Here’s your new producer, Terry Melcher.’ And we met and he said, Hey, listen to this, man. We’re doing a great song.’ And it was ‘Hey Little Cobra.’ And Bruce Johnston was out in the studio, with his head in a wastebasket, with an RCA 44 mic in there with him, to get the resonance, singing, ‘Shut ‘em down... ‘

So I met those two guys and... Ah, coming back to what I was going to say earlier. You asked how Terry found out about what we did. Well, basically, other than ‘Louie Louie,’ our repertoire was all of these black tunes and New Orleans and stuff. So we went in and just played what we would normally play at a dance and recorded it. And Bruce took over those sessions, because Terry wasn’t really into that kind of music at the time. And Bruce was a little more adventuresome, I guess.

So Bruce actually produced our first single for CBS, or the first chart single, which was ‘Steppin’ Out.’ And sang background on it. So after the success of that, Terry came back and said, Well, you know what, Bruce? I’m going to take over here.’ [Laughs] And we’d liked this song that I’d written, so he then said, ‘Look, I just leased this house. Got a piano. You like to write. We can write some tunes together.’ So that’s when I moved up with Terry and I started cranking out album tunes and we started doing some singles. And that’s how that all came to fruition with Bruce doing the first thing that was commercial and Terry coming back and realizing the commercial potential of the band, which he hadn’t really heard in [Sings] Somethin’s got a hold on me, whoooo!’

PCC:

Sounded something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4feSrawr2rA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4feSrawr2rA)

What a great clip!  I like everything about it.

yes it was! I have to think it was an example of Mark singing while the rest of them did the "synch" thing. 

The posted interview was a great read also. 

This thread has made me look back and really re-appreciate how well the LA Album was produced.

Lead vocal definitely live.  The backups sounded like they may have been too, though I didn't listen closely.

They really didn't have much to work with, in any case. Poor bastards were working with risible Mike Love originals, of which there was an abundance, Bruce didn't bother, Carl was no doubt saving or had spent his songwriting muscle on solo projects and Brian was running on fumes. The production is hardly the worst thing about these records.

Well...  the guitars had no cords attached to them, and I don't think they had wireless ones yet, so, I say not. Hard to say about the electric piano

Backup VOCALS.  Of course the music was taped.

Oh, sorry, I'm such a dolt.