The Smiley Smile Message Board

What's the story behind this track? I remember being fooled thinking it was the Beach Boys but we all know it isn't. Personally I think it's really groovy, cool to just sit back and listen to. Any idea how in the heck those guys (I seem to remember they were from Zappa's band) were able to nail the SMiLE sound so well. It is from the sixties right?

From Ant-Bee´s website:

  Ant-Bee is the brainchild of one Billy James. Formed thru a series of musical experimentations in the recording studio back in 1987 in Los Angeles, Ant-Bee was born.
 
    In 1988, Ant-Bee were signed to the notorious Los Angeles record company Voxx/Bomp Records. The first Ant-Bee album was Pure Electric Honey, and received rave reviews worldwide (now a collectors item it is soon to be reissued with extra material on CD on Divine Records UK). The Ant-Bee became an overnight legend in the European underground. The album also featured guest performances by Bob Harris (Frank Zappa) and Rick Snyder ( Captain Beefheart ). In 1990 the live Ant-Bee ensemble was assembled and gigged throughout Los Angeles to the astonishment of most audiences. Also at this time, while recording new material, the first Ant-Bee video was filmed "Here We Go Round The Lemon Tree" which viewed in L.A and Canada. Also during this period (1990-1992) a cover version of the Beach Boy's "Do You Like Worms?" was recorded. Oddly through a bizarre turn of events this Ant-Bee version of the song was mistakenly played on a Beach Boys radio show as a rare Beach Boys demo!! It has now surfaced on three european bootlegs as the Beach Boys!!!!

The album "Ant-Bee With My Favorite "Vegetables" & Other Bizarre Muzik" features Don Preston, Jimmy Carl Black, Roy Estrada, Bunk Gardner, James Sherwood etc. (these are not on DYLW) - that´s the Zappa connection.

I have it on the 3 record Smile set. It's actually very good and I was fooled at one time myself. I thought at the time that maybe it was a remake done after the Smile sessions but of course once I really listened I could tell that it wasn't the boys.

This is weird as only the other day (I'm ashamed to say) I fell hook, line & sinker for this. I was listening to the vigotone disc and, I don't know how I missed it before, but suddenly I heard this version of Worms that sounded unlike any I'd heard before! I thought 'my god, how did I miss this - what a groovy early take!!' I even stuck it straight into my new smile mix. I must admit, I had recalled something about an 80s band cover version of Worms, but the voice sounded so Mike Love, and the production so low-fi shitty boot-like that it had to be the real deal. Well, I feel as stupid as the guy that registers on the board to state that Here Come De Honey Man is their favourite Smile track.

I have to say though, they did a cracking job. It fits right in to the Vigotone boot. Any other info on this cover would be most interesting.

I first heard it on the three lp set. It blew me away when that came bursting out of the speakers. That song really summed up what I knew about SMiLE; that it was gonna be the best album of all time. Of course when I later found out it wasn't the BB's, I was pretty bummed.

Would anyone Please Mention to me where I can find this?

LOL!!!!111111111111111

It´s on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZajjIo_cCiE

What's amazing about this cover is the little details like the way he sings the little descending bass parts from the "rock, rock, roll, plymouth rock roll over" bit. This is the bass part that sounds like it's plucked behind the vocals in the original - it's pretty subtle and I didn't really notice it until I'd heard it harmonised in the cover version. It just sounds totally logical that Brian might've planned that as a vocal harmony, rather than an instrumental part at one point. Also the ascending vocal part that starts the song is so Smile. I really think this is a genius cover (well, I would say that after falling for it so dramatically!)

Has anyone listened to any more Ant Bee stuff and if so, is it any good?

Didn't Dom Priore say this was THE FINISHED version, as in the actual BB final mix ready to go version in LLVS? I tell ya. that guy...

Well sh*t, I searched earlier and found nothing. Thank you.

Don't know how anyone could have mistaken this for being real. Weird :\

I first heard this must be late 90s  and I'd believed for far too long it was the real thing!! So this track has a specal place in my heart for me being on the first Smile bootleg I'd heard.  For years I was telling people this was the "Fast" version of "Do You Like Worms". I personally love it low-fi and all anyone else like this?.

Please, let's not put any words in his mouth-he already has it full with his foot constantly going in it.

I haven't heard this for many years, but I'm still not sure how people thought this was the Beach Boys...the instrumental parts sound pretty authentic, but I don't hear anything vocally that would indicate that it's the BB.  Still a damn cool cover though.  They really captured the inherent weirdness and dark quality of Smile perfectly.

From the 90's? Wow, I was certain it was recorded in the 60's.

Learn something new everyday.

This is really interesting, as I was discussing Ant Bee with a BB insider the very day this thread began!  Billy James - aka Ant Bee - is a most interesting character, possibly better known as an author.  He wrote a good one on Zappa & the early Mothers, called "Necessity is...".  (Sadly, I think it's out of print).  He's also written 2 volumes on Todd Rundgren, called "A Dream Goes on Forever".
Billy had tracked me down years ago, owing to our shared connection between The BB's & Zappa.  He sent me a bunch of his cd's & books, and I tired in vain to get him to appear with Boyd, Desper & I at the first "Busy Doin' Nothin" convention in Connecticut;  (I seem to remember he resided not far away).  I've written to him in recent years, but haven't been able to connect with him...  If anyone here knows his whereabouts, please, put us in touch!