The Smiley Smile Message Board

So I was reading that 15 Big Ones reappraisal thread, and I watched that video with Brian and Al, where Brian says 15 Big Ones and Love You were two of their best albums. Anyways, it seems like Al said something about a merger, and that more people will get to hear them soon, or something of that nature.

So that got me to thinking, after The Beatles reissue campaign of last year, the Lennon reissue campaign of this year, and the just started McCartney reissue campaign, what better a time than their 50th annivesary for The Beach Boys to reissue all their albums, most likely with bonus tracks. I mean, I'm pretty sure a few of the two-fers have went out of print. So I would't doubt that they do this. Plus Capitol needs something "big" to promote, and if done well, I think it might make them some money. The CD is on its way out, and there is little time left to do something like this, in my opinion.

Hopefully this is what they have up their sleeves, and hopefully another rarities set. And I'm somewhat unsure where a "California Feelin'" '74 version would go, or early 80s tracks like "Sweetie" would end up, as most of them don't really have a corresponding album-era, but hopefully we'd finally get them.

a problem is a lot of those unreleased really aren't too good. 

That hasn't stopped people from defending the not-too-good stuff that did get released, so I don't see how that should be any barrier to anything. (http://sae.tweek.us/static/images/emoticons/rolleyes.gif)

Who says so? 
I say release ALL the unreleased stuff, and let the buying public be the baromoter of whether they're good

I'd love to see a comprehensive reissue of all the albums, with stereo and mono versions where appropriate and essential bonus tracks where possible.

Chuck in a Live 72/74 box, live 2xCD sets from throughout their career, a SMiLE box, a box for rarities and I;ll be a happy man.

Thing is, I want that kind of thing all the time, not just for the 50th!  I want something special for the 50th!

Dang, I was thinkin' of posting about what Capitol should do for the 50th Anniversary release...but from the point of view of being realistic.
What do you think they might release (besides another greatest hits package!)?
I'm working on my tracklist, I think it'll be more along the lines of Hawthorne CA, but more interview tracks about each Beach Boy, from the other Beach Boys' perspectives.
Hawthorne CA had a lot of talking specifically about Brian, (nothing wrong with that). But it'd be cool to hear Brian talk about Bruce or Mike talk positively about Dennis or Al's work within the group or archival interviews with Carl/Denny about the other guys.

Considering the material we want for a release for the Anniversary, which is always a topic of discussion, why don't we discuss what we DON'T want. As far as I'm concerned, you can keep it in the vaults.

Songs We don't Want Released

*any stereo remixes*

Here Comes the Night (Disco Medley)
Problem Child (any version)
School Days (Single Mix) Explanation: This isn't isn't anything special, except for the bell 'ding' at the beginning. I could see Capitol release something like this and some other songs because they have been "released on CD"
Hey Good Lookin'
Skatetown U.S.A.
Let's Party
We Gotta Groove (unless it's a complete version, not the one floating around on other boots)
Santa's Got an Airplane (the Christmas song with H.E.L.P. Is on the Way track)
Tears in the Morning (original version/mix)
Hey There Mama
Love is a Woman (demo or live)
Mony Mony
Buzz, Buzz, Buzz (live)

What if, for the anniversary, they released "the Best of Anniversary Specials"
Think about it, starting at 15 years, release a dvd/cd of the concerts that devote a spotlight towards their anniversary.
Perhaps release the 25th special with the tribute from other artists. and the 30th anniversary concert, I don't know if cameras were rolling, but it'd be a great gem to add to the collection. 

Lately, however, they have been releasing the interviews as Podcasts. For the Warmth of the Sun comp as well as the 40th of Pet Sounds - I highly recommend them to anyone who hasn't listened to them. Anyways, I'd venture to guess they'd do the same thing for the anniversary.

I'd LOVE to hear a high quality a cappella of 'Don't Worry Baby'...they really need to release a lot more a cappella versions of songs. And a high quality official release of 'In The Back Of My Mind (instrumental)'.

Pardon my ignorance, but what could a merger mean? A merger between the two albums? More double albums? or what?

Technically, these WERE released. The first in three mixes, the second as a promo swiftly withdrawn, the third as the B-side to the Michael/Dean Torrence Jingle Bell Rock single, and the fourth as the backing track to (I Saw Santa) Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree.

"School Day" 45 mix was officially released on Ten Years Of Harmony.

I would love to see a double CD of rarities for the fans containing 50 tracks for the anniversary.

A lot of the 60s songs have obviously already been released but things like Back Home, Mona Kani, Gonna Hustle You and some of the Smile things still remain.

From the early 70s you have Loop de Loop, I'm Going Your Way, Wouldn't it be nice to Live Again, We Got Love, Big Sur, Walkin', It's a new Day etc.

From the mid-70s the Caribou stuff, some 15BO outtakes, and the Love You demos and I'm Beggin' You Please.

And from the later years the two songs done in the mid-90s, At the Hop, Oh Lord and And I Always Will from 85 and earlier stuff like California Beach, Daybreak etc.

As for live stuff, the unplugged shows from 93 deserve to be released.

Or another 50 track double CD of rare live songs over the band's whole career. This could include 'rare' versions of hits like Carl singing Wouldn't it be Nice and Dennis or Carl singing Help me Rhonda.

Call me anal but I wanna hear it ALL....  I'm a fan though, it's why I hang out here.

According to AGD's site, there are almost 200 Beach Boys songs that are still officially unreleased. I'm sure a lot of that stuff isn't all that great, but I would be disappointed if we wouldn't get AT LEAST two CDs worth of unreleased tracks in the not too distant future.

I think Al meant  a merger between two record companies or something, but I don't think theres been any merger relating to the 15 Big Ones/Love You era.  I re-watched that video again, and he talks about merging "the 2 catalogues" (probably referring to Capitol and Warners). And he says something like "that stuff is gonna come out eventually" maybe he means people will notice it more soon, but I think they have some plan up their sleeves. I honestly think they are gonna reissue their albums. I am not an insider (wish i was), but it would sure make sense (and would finally get some more Beach Boys product on the shelves again besides just Pet Sounds and Sounds of Summer.

Stereo remixes are one of the main things I'd like to see for the 50th.

Ditto for unreleased live performances, especially from the late sixties thru early 70s.

The last thing we need is another Greatest Hits package.

I think that's best left for Don_Zabu-- he seems to have a hankering for it

Another idea could be to get the remaining BB together to record/finish unreleased tunes started years ago by the guys. In as much a way the Beatles' did with Free As a Bird/Real Love; If there's any Carl/Denny tunes to finish.

First of all, finish You're Still a Mystery (keeping Carl's vocals) and re-recording other vocal parts.
Even add tunes that are already "finished" but to be put on a Beach Boys record like Don't Fight the Sea.
Maybe re-record Soul Searchin' (keeping Carl's lead vocals), have Mike re-record or overdub vocal parts for Daybreak and 10,000 Years, and perhaps a re-recording of the original mix of Santa Ana Winds (no spoken intro).

Perhaps finish or re-record:
Rollin' Up to Heaven
Lucy Jones
You're Riding a Music High
I'm Broke
Wouldn't it Be Nice to Live Again (keep Denny's lead vocals)
Goin' to the Beach
Slightly American Music
Grateful Are We For Little Children
Do you Have any Regrets?
Hot Summer Lovers
I've Got a Friend (Dennis lead vocals)
Sweetie/Love Ya
Marketplace (each BB trading lead vocals, like Funky Pretty)
That Special Feeling
Proud Mary
Water Builds Up

You've obviously never heard the original, otherwise you'd not be advocating trashing a classic early 70s DW-produced track and stellar backing vocals from his brothers.

Gimme some felt-tip pens, I'll improve the Mona Lisa for you while you're doing that.

Would another way of conveying that be to say that WIBNTLA is in fact already a finished recording?

Pretty much - I recall Jon saying it lacked a guitar overdub, but what I heard was just awesome. Easily the best unreleased BB/related track still in the vaults.

I think he, or maybe Adam, said there was a two-or-three-note repeating guitar solo, that sounded as though it was a "place holder" for something that was supposed to come later.  From the descriptions, the track sounds pretty much release-ready.  Maybe if we all hold our breathe at the exact same time?

do i need to apologize for not listening something i can't listen to?

just throwin out suggestions

HELL YES YOU DO!!!!!! You're talkin' to A  GEE DEE here! How DARE you think  outloud! And incorrectly to boot!! :angry

WOW...normally the Dude and I butt heads, but WOW. I LOL'd.

No sweat. I just threw it straight back.  :)

A conservative estimate of three discs as far as a set of all unreleased tracks is concerned is pretty accurate, I'd say. I made a dummy playlist with all Beach Boys tunes that are still unreleased (that are booted), meaning no "alternate take" bullshit. And especially no backing track/a cappella stuff. Three CDs is a pretty good estimate. But again, we're dealing with the fact that a lot of the unreleased songs haven't been heard outside of the band's circle. There could be a few gems out there that we don't know about yet...

I'd be interested in seeing what tracks you have for your playlist.

As I've heard almost everything else that has ever leaked, I want to hear 74 California Feeling and Lucy Jones before I die. As those are the last two recordings made before Brian's voice changed for good, I would hope that they would one day get exposure, even if just for historical purposes.

I'd love for there  to be another box set full of nothing but rareties. Something like the Tom Waits collection.

We have to make a promise that if any of us get a terminal disease, that person will privately and publicly (if need be) leverage their disease to get copies of desirable unreleased recordings from the BBs, and that we will then offer them to others as bootlegs.

Is it also allowed to expertly simulate a terminal disease?

Yeah me too.

apart from my Anniversary Special idea (celebrating by releasing the 20th/25th/30th anniversary shows on CD/DVD)...I think it'd be cool if they released concerts of the Beach Boys performing with other artists: the Grateful Dead, Chicago, Elton John...of course there's encores from those concerts where they're all together. Perhaps some footage could be slapped together? I think it'd be pretty awesome. Something new that still has something to do with the commercial success, performing of some greatest hits.

How about a 2 disc Capitol comp called: "The Smells Of Summer"?

It will contain all the expected hits PLUS a brand new 2010!!!!! stereo re-mix of Don't Worry Baby!!!

That would different to the new stereo remix of "DW,B" that was on Summer Love Songs in 2009 ?  ::)

Clearly :p

Just checkin'.  :listening

The Smells Of Summer will arrive with 5 sealed bags containing farts by the original 5 members. For your delectation.

As a slick marketing gimmick the bags will each be given a number 1-5. It is then down to the fan to detect which fart belongs to which band member. Whoever rings in and guesses correctly will win a bonus gift of 'sixth Beach Boy' Bruce Johnstone's fart baggy.

 :lol

...and perhaps will die a painful death as a result of his/her 'detecting'...

The 2009 SOS 'Don't Worry Baby' is probably the best sounding Beach Boys song I own. If they have a brand new stereo mix of it for '10 I'd gladly buy it!

What would they improve upon with a new 2010 mix, considering it is already the best sounding Beach Boys song that you license?

Doing that would totally cheapen the Beach Boys brand!

Too late to worry about that!  Mike handled that aspect years ago...

At the very least, release it online...just press the cds as people order them. Cost effective, and people get the music they want. Warners is doing that for many of their movies that have been out of print for decades.

I'd have no idea. Just like in 2008 I'd have no idea how they could make the 2001 mix better.

Well, most of us knew the original tapes went missing, so we've had the same stereo mix for 44 years. The new mix with the found tapes was sure to be improvement when released in 2009.

I reckon the guys who're putting together any 50th anniversary releases will be taking their time and thinking long and hard about it.

After all, they've already released the entire Capitol back catalogue as two-fers twice in the past, so doing the equivalent of a Beatles Mono/Stereo box just won't do anything sales-wise except for we diehards.

Which leaves previously unreleased material and live material.

I'd love an Archives-type release (Neil Young) but can't see that clearing every corporate hurdle and the approval of all surviving band members and their estates/families.

Who now owns the rights to the First Wave material that Brad Elliot was planning to release?  That'd be an obvious one to mark the 50th anniversary, were it to be done right.

Finding the original multitracks had a lot to do with it.  ;D

Excellent question. BRI claims they did... Bruce Morgan says he did. Never heard of any outcome regarding that (aside from the fact that First Wave never saw the light of day, of course), but frankly, in this instance, BRI sucked: those tapes had been reissued since 1969 on gazillions of two-bit compilations, not to mention the excellent DCC Lost And Found and Varese Sarabande's Surfin' packages, and no-one said word one. Then suddenly, BRI decide the tapes belong to them and file suit. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

I'd like to see a release that's like the Monkees' Headquarters Sessions release of an album.

What's on the First Wave material?

Essentially, all the surviving tapes from the Hit Morgan sessions. Thus:

Disc One
Recorded September 15, 1961

1. Surfin' (demo) 2:24
2. Luau (demo, take 1) 1:37
3. Luau (demo, take 2) 1:39 *
4. Luau (demo, take 3) 1:37 *
5. Lavender (demo, take 1) 2:17 *
6. Lavender (demo, take 2) 1:07 *
7. Lavender (demo, take 3) 2:18 *
8. Lavender (demo, take 4) 2:22 *

Recorded October 3, 1961

9. Surfin' (take 1) 0:16
10. Surfin' (take 2) 2:22
11. Surfin' (take 3) 0:31 *
12. Surfin' (take 4) 2:26 *
13. Surfin' (take 5) 2:25 *
14. Surfin' (take 6) 1:02 *
15. Surfin' (take 7) 2:28 *
16. Surfin' (take 8) 2:21
17. Luau (take 1) 0:20
18. Luau (take 2) 1:51
19. Luau (take 3) 0:29 *
20. Luau (take 5) 0:08 *
21. Luau (take 6) 1:50 *
22. Luau (take 7) 1:51 *
23. Luau (take 8) 0:13 *
24. Luau (take 9) 0:07 *
25. Luau (take 10) 0:22 *
26. Luau (take 11) 1:53 *
27. Luau (take 12) 1:50
28. Lavender (take 1) 0:47 *
29. Lavender (take 2) 1:22 *
30. Lavender (take 4) 2:35 *

Recorded February 8, 1962

31. Surfin' Safari (take 3) 0:30 *
32. Surfin' Safari (take 4) 2:18 *
33. Surfin' Safari (take 5) 0:27 *
34. Surfin' Safari (take 6) 2:18 *
35. Surfin' Safari (take 10) 2:07 *
36. Surfin' Safari (overdub take 1 on take 6) 2:24
37. Surfin' Safari (overdub take 2 on take 10) 2:17
38. Surfin' Safari (stereo overdub on take 6) 2:06
39. Surfin' Safari (mono single mix) 2:01


Disc Two
Recorded February 8, 1962

1. Surfer Girl (take 1) 2:02 *
2. Surfer Girl (take 2) 2:48 *
3. Surfer Girl (take 3) 1:33 *
4. Surfer Girl (take 4) 2:24 *
5. Surfer Girl (take 5) 1:54 *
6. Surfer Girl (take 6) 2:18 *
7. Surfer Girl (overdub take 1 on take 4) 2:33
8. Judy (take 1) 2:18 *
9. Judy (take 2) 2:35 *
10. Judy (overdub take 1 on take 2) 2:29
11. Judy (overdub take 2 on take 2) 2:41
12. Beach Boy Stomp (take 1) 1:34 *
13. Beach Boy Stomp (rehearsal fragment) 0:25 *
14. Beach Boy Stomp (take 2) 1:01 *
15. Beach Boy Stomp (overdub take 1 on take 1) 1:32 *
16. Beach Boy Stomp (overdub take 2 on take 1) 1:38

Recorded March 8, 1962

17. Barbie (overdub take 1) 2:36 *
18. Barbie (overdub take 2) 0:16 *
19. Barbie (overdub take 3) 0:23 *
20. Barbie (overdub take 4) 1:08 *
21. Barbie (overdub take 5) 1:53 *
22. Barbie (overdub take 6) 2:41
23. Barbie (overdub take 7) 2:45
24. What Is A Young Girl Made Of? (overdub take 1) 2:55 *
25. What Is A Young Girl Made Of? (overdub take 2) 1:58 *
26. What Is A Young Girl Made Of? (overdub take 3) 0:18 *
27. What Is A Young Girl Made Of? (overdub take 4) 2:23 *
28. What Is A Young Girl Made Of? (overdub take 5) 2:24
29. What Is A Young Girl Made Of? (overdub take 6) 2:23
30. Barbie (mono single mix) 2:22
31. What Is A Young Girl Made Of? (mono single mix) 2:11

* Previously unreleased

One thing they could certainly do is reissue all the brother albums as individual albums (not two-fers) with relevant live cuts, outtakes, etc. "Carry Me Home" appended to Holland, of course. And they could do a double In Concert disc!!!!!!

A re-issue series similar to the excellent Monkees Deluxe edititions would be nice but I doubt such a thing will happen.

I'd rather see a box set of all the gigs recorded to make that original album. I don't know how many gigs that was, but I believe there were many, and that's around the time when the touring band was at its peak.

Was this what drove Brad to the dark side?

(and if they ever do get released, will those of us who've paid up-front get our copies at last!?!?!?!)

aka http://www.surfsuprecords.com/tracklisting.html (http://www.surfsuprecords.com/tracklisting.html)

and who's this Hit Morgan? Murray Wilson's pal?   :)

Seriously though, were these tapes really mastered by Steve Hoffman as Brad claims on that site?

Edit: Answered my own question:

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/discography/MISC/4336

Yes they were.

I think it was partial possession of the Reum collection, and the $$ derived from it, that put him over the edge. 
Seems to me there are some people that put up anywhere from $1-10,000 each, so I would expect them to want their $$ back with interest before any CDs hit those who rightly deserve them? 
Brad, if you're reading this, pay it back NOW.


So anyone desiring the First Wave CD's should contact Steve; I can't see any way he would have done all that work and not made copies for himself.