The Smiley Smile Message Board

We get an entire stereo version of Wild Honey. It seems odd to me that disc 2 doesn't go througj a stereo mix of the entire Smiley Smiley album. A few alternate versions, which is cool. And as far as I can tell, She's Goin Bald is the only song not touched from Smiley. Any reason why? I have even heard Mike mention the song in a past interview.

"Smiley Smile" was released in stereo in 2012 by Capitol:

https://www.amazon.com/Smiley-Smile-Mono-Stereo-Remasters/dp/B008LA7RI4

I guess the 2012 mono/stereo discs may not be in print any longer. But used copies are plentiful it would appear in most cases (I didn't look up every title).

The mono/stereo "Smiley Smile" CD was also released by Analogue Productions as a CD/SACD hybrid, which still appears to be available:

https://www.musicdirect.com/optical-disc/the-beach-boys-smiley-smile-hybrid-stereo-sacd

While I agree it would have been great to get more of the Smiley Smile tracking sessions, i don't understand your complaint.

Smiley Smile is already widely available as a stereo mix, (since 2012?). This was the first time a Wild Honey stereo mix became available.

https://www.discogs.com/Beach-Boys-Smiley-Smile/master/78344
https://www.discogs.com/The-Beach-Boys-Smiley-Smile/release/8747494
https://www.amazon.com/Smiley-Smile-Mono-Stereo-Mixes/dp/B00URMHPFO

Original mono mix produced by The Beach Boys
Stereo mixes produced by Mark Linett and Alan Boyd / Mixed by Mark Linett

Smiley Smile stereo mix created using the original 1967 session multi-tracks. The album, having been recorded to analog tape, was then transferred to high resolution digital and then mixed from high resolution digital assembled masters (88.2 kHz/24 bit) and printed to 1/4" analog tape at 15 ips CCIR.


Also, there are a plethora of Smiley Smile tracking sessions available on Sea of Tunes vol 18
https://www.discogs.com/Beach-Boys-Unsurpassed-Masters-Vol-18-1967-The-Alternate-Smiley-Smile-Album/release/3295739

I thought there was a stereo release of Wild Honey already as well. This is not so much a complaint. I really like this release. Just seemed odd that She’s Going Bald was the only song from Smiley not touched as far as I can tell.

stay tuned

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I was about to mention Getting Hungry, but realized there is at least a little Be version. I understand there was limited space. But I would have left off the Surfs Up Sessions given that it is already on the Smile Sessions. Perhaps I’m knit picking. Over all a great release. And I have been over all happy with the work that Alan Boyd and Mark Linett have been doing!

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It's cool, but isn't on the Smile sessions box? Just in terms of representing every Smiley Smile song to include She's Going Bald.

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:o What can it mean?!?!

1) Treat others as you expect to be treated yourself.

2) Keep Smiley Smile in mono.

As a basic life philosophy,  it's simple, but it's really all you need.

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Keep up the good work Mark! :)

And if you can ... get us a definitive Can't Wait Too Long!

I'm in, but ONLY if this paves the way for the release of the complete Jasper Daily sessions!  :p

Or lost 1967 BW humor album! :hat

Archival release with Smile sessions and mixes not on the box (Barnyard in stereo with backing vocals, the 3 minute mono mix of Child for example), Smiley sessions and alternate mixes and outtakes (there's a With Me Tonight still unreleased), complete Hawaii live concerts and rehearsals!  I'm ready for it Mark and Alan!

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Get ready for disappointment then ;)

Remember how with the Graduation Day 1966 release, there were a few bonus tracks made up of some radio spots and "Row Row Row Your Boat"? I'd expect a similar situation here. Like, for example, the main focus would be the two Hawaii shows, with a couple little bonuses that didn't make it onto Sunshine Tomorrow tacked on there at the end. I'd crap my pants if the Durrie Parks H&V acetate was one of them!

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I would think most non-fans would find the currently released five discs of sessions to be sufficient.

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And you would argue that commenters on YouTube videos are a likely market for archival releases of Beach Boys sessions?

I don't think that's an accurate assessment of the potential marketplace (both hardcore and casual fans). "Smile" is out there in a five-disc and two-disc configuration. Anybody that wants to discover it can do just that. Non-hardcore fans don't care about stereo remixes of (relatively) obscure archival material.

There are *numerous* presentations of unreleased BB music that could garner plenty of attention from "non-hardcore" fans. Archival BB stuff is never going to go to #1, but it can be presented well and build some good PR and buzz. A set of Brian-centric demos/outtakes (a "Bedroom Tapes" release even if the moniker is something of a misnomer) would do that. A "Sunflower" boxed set. A live career-spanning boxed set. An online download hub for the archives.

I'd actually argue BRI and Capitol are straining even the *hardcore* fan base by retreading stuff like "Pet Sounds" over and over. So I think a "Smile" retread (and let's be clear, nobody here doesn't want more stereo mixes of "Smile" material; the issue is that it's all about priorities) would disappoint and frustrate hardcore fans and not be of much interest to non-hardcore fans.

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These digital only archive releases are tailor made for collecting odds and ends like SMile mixes and sessions not on the box set - these things usually only appeal to the hard core fans and what hard core fan worthy of the name wouldn't want unreleased Smile stuff?  It's a no brainer.

Commentors on YouTube videos = average fans = people who won't buy new Beach Boys product unless there's something of substance = enjoy stereo remix of The Smile Sessions, Paley sessions, expanded editions of various albums, and more that will ultimately attract new fans (Alan Boyd can attest for that re: Sunshine Tomorrow)

People who buy new Beach Boys product no matter what = obsessed fans = the majority of the ~150 active users on this forum / a chunk of the audience at a Brian Wilson concert = enjoy another reissue of Pet Sounds

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I would disagree on YouTube, and I would also say your analysis of who buys what is debatably partially flipped.

Most Commenters on YouTube videos = Trolls and other assorted people who listen to and download stuff from YouTube instead of ever buying product, non-fans who wouldn't know the difference between a "Smile" stereo mix and a Foghat outtake. And that's the kind/polite, benefit-of-the-doubt characterization. That's not getting into the myriad of people who have little to no interest in what they're commenting on, and are just posting vile, negative, ignorant comments because that's apparently what the YouTube comments section is for.

As for "casual fans", they're the fans that buy hits compilations and, if we're all lucky, a properly presented and marketed set like "Sunshine Tomorrow." What "casual fans" don't care about is a selection of the same stuff already released on "The Smile Sessions", only in stereo remix form. Casual fans don't buy "odds and ends" outtake sets.

The hardcore fans on *this* board don't buy product "no matter what." Sets that don't offer something *new* are usually ignored. The "Pet Sounds" boxed set last year went largely ignored here precisely because people on this board knew it was mostly a retread of the '96/'97 boxed set.

Additional "Smile" addendums will mean nothing other than to dedicated, hardcore fans. For new fans who get into PS and then "Smile", the *FIVE DISC* "Smile Sessions" boxed set is probably more than enough. Most fans that fall under that description are probably fine with the 2-disc "Smile."

Among those casual-but-deeply-interested type of fans, nobody cares that a bunch of the "Smile Sessions" tracks are in mono. The set won a Grammy, and I don't recall many if any critics/reviewers deeply criticizing the lack of more stereo mixes on the set.

"Do You Like Worms" sounds like sludge in mono or stereo.

A copyright extension set for 1967 would be a fine place for more "Smile" mixes, and obviously *I* would buy a "Smile Sessions Addendum" set. But I wouldn't really advocate for a wide, huge release to the masses of that stuff. Or rather, I wouldn't prioritize that. The "milking it to death" model for releasing "Pet Sounds" retrospectives every ten minutes isn't something I'd want them to follow for anything else in the catalog.

The "wide release" projects they should be targeting is stuff like a "Brother Years" set highlighting the *albums and albums* worth of totally-unheard material, a 70s Brian-centric set with demos, etc., deluxe sets for things like "Sunflower" and "Surf's Up", a great "Live" boxed set, and so on.

I think people who listen to music attentively enough to care about mono vs stereo mixes represent a small set of listeners.

Edit: Oh, and looking forward to this...

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I still would like a digital only set for 1965 like we had for 1964.  We still have half of the Today sessions to go and SDSN sessions + Chicago 1965 that could be included.