The Smiley Smile Message Board

I can't believe my old login still works here after all these years!

So for my first post in forever, just wanted to link to the first live performance of SMiLE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz8WLJlwGik

Thinking back to this night in 2004 when so many of us at what was then known as The SMiLE Shop were refreshing our browsers to find out how Brian & his band were going to construct SMiLE that night. I was at a friends PC and trying to get any info possible, and there was news coming in of new lyrics and transitions and it was just an insane night of everyone on the edge of their seats while this was happening in London. Days later an old school dude of the SMiLE Shop community hit me up on AOL IM with a download of this exact audio which I immediately burned onto a CDR and still have. If the fellow once known as Chalk & Numbers is lurking out there somewhere still all these years later, thank you again.

I've just been nostalgic recently, and I wanted to see if I still had access to this board after all these years.

If you remember me: Hey! How are ya?

If not: What's up? Started on the SMiLE Shop at 19 years old in 2001 and here I am now 37 years old.

Time flies, but our love for this band remains true as ever.

Welcome back!

I remember when it was first announced. Blew my mind. Actually getting to see a SMiLE show later that year was a spiritual event

Such exciting times. I posted on Brian's Board and the original Smile Shop.

I saw the third show on Sunday at the RFH in London. I was lucky enough to get a backstage pass and meet Brian who signed my SMiLE program.

I remember being blown away reading about it happening in real time (or close to real time, it might have been people posting the songs played just after the show). It was shocking that it actually happened, and it was something I certainly never thought would *ever* happen.

Those who became fans later won't really ever quite understand what that was like at the time. Having collected SMiLE boots for years and thinking that this great music was something that would forever be relegated to hissy bootlegs and lesser-known (yet legendary underground) status, to finally hear this music be presented properly with some dignity was an emotional moment indeed.

Soon after the 1st SMiLE shows were played, I had a CD-R set of one of an audience recording of the 1st live shows of BWPS. I don't recall if I traded someone snail mail for them, or if maybe someone on the interwebs posted a download link and I burned the CD-Rs myself. But it was unreal hearing this stuff played live for the 1st time as well.

And of course, in 2011, when The SMiLE Sessions box finally came out, that was another utterly mindblowing moment that involved some tears upon my 1st listen.

Hey PapaNez,

Still kicking around, although I’m more lurker than poster nowadays.

Thanks so much for the kind words; it’s awfully nice to be remembered. I often think about those good old days, and I realize, now, just how good they were. Looking back, I understand that the sustained high level of conversation was even more remarkable than it seemed at the time.

I have vivid memories of hitting “refresh” to read the updates coming from the London premiere. Like live bulletins from some world-changing event: “ribbon of concrete heard at 7 minutes,” and so on. That’s the one and only time I ever felt truly connected, in real time, to a global online community. What an amazing experience!

Anyway, it’s wonderful to renew an old friendship. We really did share something special. Hope all’s well with you and yours!

T'was a huge surprise to learn that it was going to happen...period  Then...when it did.!!!!!!  In real time both over 'ome and then in N. American.  Shared similar BLISS aboard the Blue Board tidal wave.  THOSE were 'the days'.  Nice to have beaten the 'critics' to every single one of the realization-enjoyment pinnacles.  They can't take THAT away from me/us.  :hat