The Smiley Smile Message Board

Smiley Smile Stuff => General On Topic Discussions => Topic started by: GhostyTMRS on March 22, 2015, 03:42:13 PM



Title: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: GhostyTMRS on March 22, 2015, 03:42:13 PM
ESQ's David Beard joined me on today's "The Vintage Rock & Pop Shop" to discuss the group's 1979 "L.A. Light Album". Here is that interview/discussion..minus the songs, naturally:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fPyPZkorjw


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: adamghost on March 22, 2015, 06:09:20 PM
Really enjoyed that!  LIGHT ALBUM was actually the album that connected me to the Beach Boys and I'm a diehard defender.

Something I'm surprised that wasn't touched on with the puzzlement about Bruce's decision to do "Here Comes The Night"; he'd just had a massive UK hit with a disco remake of "Pipeline."  I'm sure he just thought he could duplicate the formula for his old band and give them a quick hit.  I love the track myself - I remember as a kid we'd use it as a backdrop for gaming! - but in retrospect I do agree the single edit (which smokes, I think, great Carl vocal) would have done better service to the album.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: CenturyDeprived on March 22, 2015, 08:05:02 PM
Really enjoyed that!  LIGHT ALBUM was actually the album that connected me to the Beach Boys and I'm a diehard defender.

Something I'm surprised that wasn't touched on with the puzzlement about Bruce's decision to do "Here Comes The Night"; he'd just had a massive UK hit with a disco remake of "Pipeline."  I'm sure he just thought he could duplicate the formula for his old band and give them a quick hit.  I love the track myself - I remember as a kid we'd use it as a backdrop for gaming! - but in retrospect I do agree the single edit (which smokes, I think, great Carl vocal) would have done better service to the album.

If HCTN (Disco version) had become a big hit, is it pretty safe to say we would have had a full-on BB disco album of original songs in late '79/early '80?


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Peter Reum on March 22, 2015, 08:19:19 PM
The program was quite enjoyable, and thanks for doing it.....


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Magic Transistor Radio on March 23, 2015, 05:44:59 AM
I personally don't hate, or love Here Comes the Night (disco version). Of course, if I grew up at that time, I might have hated it. Just like living through the boy bands and pop music today really drains me. I think it's interesting that 'California Feeling' and 'Do You Like Worms' were thought about possibly being put on it. If they left HCTN as just a single, and put these two tracks on the album, maybe it would have fit better. At least CF. DYLW might have stuck out in the way Good Time does on Love You.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: The Shift on March 23, 2015, 07:20:55 AM
I personally don't hate, or love Here Comes the Night (disco version). Of course, if I grew up at that time, I might have hated it. Just like living through the boy bands and pop music today really drains me. I think it's interesting that 'California Feeling' and 'Do You Like Worms' were thought about possibly being put on it. If they left HCTN as just a single, and put these two tracks on the album, maybe it would have fit better. At least CF. DYLW might have stuck out in the way Good Time does on Love You.

Reckon DYLW would have stuck out in the same way that HCtN did, but for different reasons! ;)


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: CenturyDeprived on March 23, 2015, 09:59:02 AM
I personally don't hate, or love Here Comes the Night (disco version). Of course, if I grew up at that time, I might have hated it. Just like living through the boy bands and pop music today really drains me. I think it's interesting that 'California Feeling' and 'Do You Like Worms' were thought about possibly being put on it. If they left HCTN as just a single, and put these two tracks on the album, maybe it would have fit better. At least CF. DYLW might have stuck out in the way Good Time does on Love You.

Reckon DYLW would have stuck out in the same way that HCtN did, but for different reasons! ;)

Imagine if the BBs had a disco hit, and they then redid DLYW as a disco track.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Steve Latshaw on March 23, 2015, 12:36:14 PM
This was an excellent interview, with great perspective on how this entire album changed shape once Bruce got on board.  And the revelation about Constant Companion was a stunner; I can't wait to hear it in the album mix.

Looking over AGD's site, I wonder if the revised KTSA version of Santa Ana Winds had actually been completed for LA Light.

And I would love to hear Bruce's remake of Calendar Girl.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: GhostyTMRS on March 23, 2015, 01:17:00 PM
Thanks all! The rest of the Beach Boys reviews/discussions/interviews can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA132AA9FFCF9DE8B


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: bonnevillemariner on March 23, 2015, 01:26:41 PM
Thanks all! The rest of the Beach Boys reviews/discussions/interviews can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA132AA9FFCF9DE8B

Great stuff!  I personally can't stand most of L.A., but I really enjoyed this discussion, and I can't wait to check out the other BB-related stuff you've got out there.  Have you ever thought about putting this out as a podcast?  Being that these are audio presentations with the music stripped out, I can't help but wonder if you'd get better listenership in the podcast format.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: GhostyTMRS on March 23, 2015, 01:51:14 PM
Thanks. I've long thought about that....Hmmm...


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Micha on March 24, 2015, 12:16:48 AM
I personally don't hate, or love Here Comes the Night (disco version). Of course, if I grew up at that time, I might have hated it. Just like living through the boy bands and pop music today really drains me. I think it's interesting that 'California Feeling' and 'Do You Like Worms' were thought about possibly being put on it. If they left HCTN as just a single, and put these two tracks on the album, maybe it would have fit better. At least CF. DYLW might have stuck out in the way Good Time does on Love You.

Reckon DYLW would have stuck out in the same way that HCtN did, but for different reasons! ;)

Imagine if the BBs had a disco hit, and they then redid DLYW as a disco track.

I think it would make a really interesting techno track! :)


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: kookadams on March 24, 2015, 05:57:12 PM
Jus like 20/20, and MIU the Light album is a collection of odds&ends, outtakes etc.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: DonnyL on March 24, 2015, 09:46:33 PM
MIU, LA, and Keepin the Summer will soon be lauded as the fine Yacht Rock records that they are.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: petsite on March 25, 2015, 10:16:08 AM
I find it interesting that David, who is brilliant in what he does, did not know the history of why HCTN was done as a disco record. Here is why the idea came to Bruce.

Bruce was working with Curt and California Music (Curt had taken over running that trademark). Curt had cut HCTN FOR California and was going to record it as one of their records. When Bruce became involved with the group again, he talked about this re-involvement with Curt and Curt suggested how great it would be to cut HCTN with the BB. To quote Bruce from late 1978:

I told Curt Becher, who is a guy who when he was a baby produced records for The Association like “Cherish” and “Along Comes Mary”, and then he had his own album … I told him I was going to work on the Beach Boys project. Curt and I had talked about cutting “Here Comes The Night” (for our own album), but he said that the Beach Boys should really be the ones to do it. So I approached everybody and I thought – “a Beach Boys disco record. Before anybody hears it, they’re going to hate it if they love the Beach Boys”. But if I’m right, when they hear it, they’ll realise that disco – in terms of the Beach Boys – is a lot different than disco in terms of Cerrone or Giorgio Moroder. It has to be because it’s the Beach Boys. So I decided, “Okay, I’ll talk it over with them”. Curt and I are co-producing “Here Comes The Night”. None of the guys played on the track; we used our own people. When it came to putting the vocals on, because it’s so much more rhythmic than you’re used to with normal Beach Boys vocals, Curt was a little curious as to whether they could sing the parts. But I’m telling you, I wasn’t surprised. They sang the parts … I’ve got it all done now, and it’s incredible. It’s nice to know that you can be in the record business for seventeen years, and have all these things change, and you can go into this style you’ve never sung in and (snaps fingers) you’ve got it. The first day! And it was really hard to sing. It was hard for me to sing ‘cause it’s so syncopated.

That is how the recording came to be. I always thought that the single version should have been on the LP to allow more time for other tracks, like Companion, etc.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: job on March 25, 2015, 10:21:04 AM
MIU, LA, and Keepin the Summer will soon be lauded as the fine Yacht Rock records that they are.

It's about time...why should Michael MacDonald and Christopher Cross get all the glory??


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: ESQ Editor on March 25, 2015, 10:39:08 AM
Try this for L.A.  Burn a CD, and listen to it in the car (best place for me).

SIDE ONE
Brian’s Back (Endless Harmony version)
Good Timin’
Constant Companion (Bambu version… start track at 0:02)
Santa Ana Winds ("From my porch, thikin' 'bout the torch…" version) <— use KTSA version if you don't have this.
California Feelin’ (MIC box)
Full Sail

SIDE TWO
Angel Come Home
Love Surrounds Me
Sumahama
Lady Lynda
Baby Blue
Goin’ South


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: kwebb on March 26, 2015, 03:38:55 PM
Nice to see that someone else noticed the similarities between Surfer Girl and Good Timin'


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: ESQ Editor on March 26, 2015, 07:36:21 PM
I find it interesting that David, who is brilliant in what he does, did not know the history of why HCTN was done as a disco record. Here is why the idea came to Bruce.

Bruce was working with Curt and California Music (Curt had taken over running that trademark). Curt had cut HCTN FOR California and was going to record it as one of their records. When Bruce became involved with the group again, he talked about this re-involvement with Curt and Curt suggested how great it would be to cut HCTN with the BB. To quote Bruce from late 1978:

I told Curt Becher, who is a guy who when he was a baby produced records for The Association like “Cherish” and “Along Comes Mary”, and then he had his own album … I told him I was going to work on the Beach Boys project. Curt and I had talked about cutting “Here Comes The Night” (for our own album), but he said that the Beach Boys should really be the ones to do it. So I approached everybody and I thought – “a Beach Boys disco record. Before anybody hears it, they’re going to hate it if they love the Beach Boys”. But if I’m right, when they hear it, they’ll realise that disco – in terms of the Beach Boys – is a lot different than disco in terms of Cerrone or Giorgio Moroder. It has to be because it’s the Beach Boys. So I decided, “Okay, I’ll talk it over with them”. Curt and I are co-producing “Here Comes The Night”. None of the guys played on the track; we used our own people. When it came to putting the vocals on, because it’s so much more rhythmic than you’re used to with normal Beach Boys vocals, Curt was a little curious as to whether they could sing the parts. But I’m telling you, I wasn’t surprised. They sang the parts … I’ve got it all done now, and it’s incredible. It’s nice to know that you can be in the record business for seventeen years, and have all these things change, and you can go into this style you’ve never sung in and (snaps fingers) you’ve got it. The first day! And it was really hard to sing. It was hard for me to sing ‘cause it’s so syncopated.

That is how the recording came to be. I always thought that the single version should have been on the LP to allow more time for other tracks, like Companion, etc.

Thanks for sharing this.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: petsite on March 27, 2015, 04:58:04 PM
I find it interesting that David, who is brilliant in what he does, did not know the history of why HCTN was done as a disco record. Here is why the idea came to Bruce.

Bruce was working with Curt and California Music (Curt had taken over running that trademark). Curt had cut HCTN FOR California and was going to record it as one of their records. When Bruce became involved with the group again, he talked about this re-involvement with Curt and Curt suggested how great it would be to cut HCTN with the BB. To quote Bruce from late 1978:

I told Curt Becher, who is a guy who when he was a baby produced records for The Association like “Cherish” and “Along Comes Mary”, and then he had his own album … I told him I was going to work on the Beach Boys project. Curt and I had talked about cutting “Here Comes The Night” (for our own album), but he said that the Beach Boys should really be the ones to do it. So I approached everybody and I thought – “a Beach Boys disco record. Before anybody hears it, they’re going to hate it if they love the Beach Boys”. But if I’m right, when they hear it, they’ll realise that disco – in terms of the Beach Boys – is a lot different than disco in terms of Cerrone or Giorgio Moroder. It has to be because it’s the Beach Boys. So I decided, “Okay, I’ll talk it over with them”. Curt and I are co-producing “Here Comes The Night”. None of the guys played on the track; we used our own people. When it came to putting the vocals on, because it’s so much more rhythmic than you’re used to with normal Beach Boys vocals, Curt was a little curious as to whether they could sing the parts. But I’m telling you, I wasn’t surprised. They sang the parts … I’ve got it all done now, and it’s incredible. It’s nice to know that you can be in the record business for seventeen years, and have all these things change, and you can go into this style you’ve never sung in and (snaps fingers) you’ve got it. The first day! And it was really hard to sing. It was hard for me to sing ‘cause it’s so syncopated.

That is how the recording came to be. I always thought that the single version should have been on the LP to allow more time for other tracks, like Companion, etc.

Thanks for sharing this.

Dave, always. I have lots of items like this. Way WAY too many! :)

Here is my little LA collage from facebook:

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xat1/t31.0-8/10750310_849292355093261_3111671865789367131_o.jpg)


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: phirnis on March 27, 2015, 06:01:35 PM
Great pictures! Brian and Al seemed to be into horse t-shirts at the time. Discuss!


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: joshferrell on March 27, 2015, 08:31:28 PM
I agree they should have left HCTN for a single release and placed a couple more Dennis and Brian songs on it...maybe they'll do a new version of the album one day similar to what the "Beatles" did with LIB-Naked..


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: petsite on March 27, 2015, 08:34:21 PM
And I am sorry, but I really want to hear the fully mixed version of Calender Girl. Brian himself was very happy with it!


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: ESQ Editor on March 29, 2015, 05:43:04 PM
And I am sorry, but I really want to hear the fully mixed version of Calender Girl. Brian himself was very happy with it!

Sorry…not sure who this is.  Contact me through FB.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: runnersdialzero on March 29, 2015, 05:58:24 PM
I like one song on L.A. (Light Album). It also has the most weirdly redundant album title of all time. The title is bad no matter how you slice it, and that terrifying woman on the inside cover keeps me up all night and part of every day.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Steve Latshaw on March 30, 2015, 10:28:04 AM
<<And I am sorry, but I really want to hear the fully mixed version of Calender Girl. Brian himself was very happy with it!>>

You and me both, pal...


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: bonnevillemariner on March 30, 2015, 11:54:19 AM
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xat1/t31.0-8/10750310_849292355093261_3111671865789367131_o.jpg)

Dang, I want me one of those horse t-shirts.  Dellydel?


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: the captain on March 30, 2015, 12:04:51 PM
ESQ's David Beard joined me on today's "The Vintage Rock & Pop Shop" to discuss the group's 1979 "L.A. Light Album". Here is that interview/discussion..minus the songs, naturally:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fPyPZkorjw

Just listened to this and wanted to say I enjoyed it tremendously. Nice work to you and David.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Nicko1234 on March 30, 2015, 12:25:48 PM
I`d like to join in the congratulations for this interesting piece. Nice to see one of the rarely discussed albums being given its due.

I have to say though that while I agree with many of the opinions offered, I still can`t see the love for Constant Companion. To me, this is one of the most dated sounding recordings that any of the band ever did. There were numerous Beach Boys originals that would have been a better fit for LA imo.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Steve Latshaw on March 30, 2015, 01:49:00 PM
<<I have to say though that while I agree with many of the opinions offered, I still can`t see the love for Constant Companion. To me, this is one of the most dated sounding recordings that any of the band ever did. There were numerous Beach Boys originals that would have been a better fit for LA imo.>>

Dated in what way?  Dated now?  Certainly; it was recorded 37 years ago.  Would have been very fresh in early 1979.  Same Caribbean vibe as Goodnight Tonight from Wings.  Great stuff.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Smile4ever on March 31, 2015, 11:08:29 AM


None of the guys played on the track; we used our own people.


So Bruce thought that it was SO important that this be a Beach Boys record, but didn't allow them to play on it? Just a weird story.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Custom Machine on March 31, 2015, 01:36:23 PM
I find it interesting that David, who is brilliant in what he does, did not know the history of why HCTN was done as a disco record. Here is why the idea came to Bruce.

Bruce was working with Curt and California Music (Curt had taken over running that trademark). Curt had cut HCTN FOR California and was going to record it as one of their records. When Bruce became involved with the group again, he talked about this re-involvement with Curt and Curt suggested how great it would be to cut HCTN with the BB. To quote Bruce from late 1978:

I told Curt Becher, who is a guy who when he was a baby produced records for The Association like “Cherish” and “Along Comes Mary”, and then he had his own album … I told him I was going to work on the Beach Boys project. Curt and I had talked about cutting “Here Comes The Night” (for our own album), but he said that the Beach Boys should really be the ones to do it. So I approached everybody and I thought – “a Beach Boys disco record. Before anybody hears it, they’re going to hate it if they love the Beach Boys”. But if I’m right, when they hear it, they’ll realise that disco – in terms of the Beach Boys – is a lot different than disco in terms of Cerrone or Giorgio Moroder. It has to be because it’s the Beach Boys. So I decided, “Okay, I’ll talk it over with them”. Curt and I are co-producing “Here Comes The Night”. None of the guys played on the track; we used our own people. When it came to putting the vocals on, because it’s so much more rhythmic than you’re used to with normal Beach Boys vocals, Curt was a little curious as to whether they could sing the parts. But I’m telling you, I wasn’t surprised. They sang the parts … I’ve got it all done now, and it’s incredible. It’s nice to know that you can be in the record business for seventeen years, and have all these things change, and you can go into this style you’ve never sung in and (snaps fingers) you’ve got it. The first day! And it was really hard to sing. It was hard for me to sing ‘cause it’s so syncopated.

That is how the recording came to be. I always thought that the single version should have been on the LP to allow more time for other tracks, like Companion, etc.

Thanks so much for sharing this info.  I'd always thought the HCTN disco version was completely Bruce's idea, but it's possible that back in the day I had read what you posted and then later totally forgot about it, especially since his comments were made, and presumably printed, a number of months before the album was released.  What is your source for Bruce's late '78 comments?

I've never been a fan of disco, but I, for one, have always really liked the BBs disco version of Here Comes the Night, including the long version, and loved to blast it out on my car stereo back in 1979.  When doing so the song typically got a very positive reception, but people would usually give a funny look when I said it was by the Beach Boys.

BTW, today is the release date for Capitol's round two of BB vinyl album reissues, which includes LA Light Album.



Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on March 31, 2015, 02:02:21 PM
There's a CM track - on the Passion Fruit CD, I believe - on which the basic format for the disco "HCTN" is very obvious.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Andrew G. Doe on March 31, 2015, 02:09:26 PM


None of the guys played on the track; we used our own people.


So Bruce thought that it was SO important that this be a Beach Boys record, but didn't allow them to play on it? Just a weird story.

Not only did the band not play on it, the first layer or two of bvs were laid down by Curt's people. Brian's not on it (in hospital at the time) and I seem to recall Dennis isn't either. He... wasn't too enamoured of the whole notion.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Smilin Ed H on March 31, 2015, 02:41:24 PM
Wasn't the phrase, 'too macho-city,' used to describe Dennis in terms of why he wasn't on the track?


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Nicko1234 on April 01, 2015, 08:39:55 AM

Dated in what way?  Dated now?  Certainly; it was recorded 37 years ago.  Would have been very fresh in early 1979.  Same Caribbean vibe as Goodnight Tonight from Wings.  Great stuff.

Dated as in it hasn`t stood the test of time half as well as many other songs from that era.

Dennis wrote far better songs for Bambu and the other Beach Boys all also had superior originals. Constant Companion didn`t deserve to be included imho.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: adamghost on April 02, 2015, 12:29:08 AM
But "It Won't Be Long" would've been incredible on L.A.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: phirnis on April 02, 2015, 07:18:03 AM
Brian looks remarkably alert and healthy in those photographs, especially compared with the KTSA footage from only 1-2 years later.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Smilin Ed H on April 02, 2015, 10:36:44 AM
(http://i58.tinypic.com/j621wx.jpg)

Guess that's She's Just Out To Get You dropped from this one in favour of Constant Companion!


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: Rocker on January 01, 2023, 03:33:31 AM
I didn't want to start a new thread for this, so sorry to bring this up. In the media section I posted the following link that I found on youtube but since not everyone's looking into that part of the board I thought to put it here as well as it is of some interest.


KHJ Los Angeles / Beach Boys Playback Special 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1_ppIoGsrk




This is a radio presentation of the "L. A. (Light Album)" with Carl talking shortly about each track. Enjoy.


Title: Re: L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion
Post by: MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm on January 01, 2023, 07:33:20 PM
I didn't want to start a new thread for this, so sorry to bring this up. In the media section I posted the following link that I found on youtube but since not everyone's looking into that part of the board I thought to put it here as well as it is of some interest.


KHJ Los Angeles / Beach Boys Playback Special 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1_ppIoGsrk


This is a radio presentation of the "L. A. (Light Album)" with Carl talking shortly about each track. Enjoy.

This is lovely. Thanks!