I don't particularily care about the Disney album (though it's nice and all), and I'm bored with the Smile thing (though "when" it's finally released it'll be cool) - but this reunion album, which could probably be their last album is the one I'm really crossing my fingers about.  My hope is that they do something classy, age appropriate and excellent.   My fear is that it will be stupid, shlocky and crap. 
They have an opportunity here (and as mentioned, it could be their last opportunity) and I'm rooting for them not to blow it.

What's this "troll" bs?  Does Phil live under a bridge?   Someone speaks their opinion, whether a popular one or not, and they're a "troll"?   I say shaddup and leave 'im alone.  He wants to say the Beach Bags and Crapitol are messin' with people, then so what's it to you?  Does it really freakin' matter?    He wants to say there's a delay and it probably isn't going to happen?  Who cares, reallY?   Get over yourselves already, relax, toke a fatty and stop acting like a gang of puffed up pudwacks with nothing better to do than masturbate over Smile.   As far as I'm concerned, at this point, Phil COULD be right - time will tell.   All I know is that maybe there hasn't tecnically been a delay - but this is their 50th anniversary year, is it not?   The years more than half over already, and I first heard about this release way back in February or March - I don't check this board weekly, let alone hourly, but I can tell you I'm feeling a delay.  You don't?  Great, but if I ior anyone else wants to spout it, then don't respond and move on.   They missed Summer, which would have been a perfect time to release Smile, or anything else they might have in store.  Fall would be okay too, sure, let the wind blow (me).   Christmas time, why not try and cash in on that, right?  
They've been riding on the legend of Smile for too many years, and they've dicked people around with it endlessly.  You disagree with that?  Fine, I don't care.  That is your perogative.    It's also other peoples perogatives to voice their frustrations should they so feel them.    Just because you may not agree or like it, doesn't make it any less so.
And ganging up on someone and trying to get them kicked off the board as trolls is just stupid, sad and snotty.  
If Phil were spamming the board with ads, porno crap or whatever, that'd been one thing (depends on the porno though ), but he's not as far as i have seen.  So he thinks his fan-mix is the greatest thing since beach blanket bunghole, and he crows (over and over) about it?  So what?  He's proud of it, and good for him.  I've never heard it, but whatever - let the man have his say, and leave him alone.  
Ya bunch of punks.

I've found music forums in many ways match the bands they are in honor of.   For instance there's a Kinks site I visit once in a while that's just really cool, nice, supportive, very down to earth.    This Smiley Smile board is unfortunately full of egotistical jerks who are often quite nasty, rude and trigger happy when it comes to attacking someone.  I find this to be in line with the Beach Boys in the sense that though I love the music, I think the band members were/are not all that likeable.    They're kind of assholes, just like a lot of the people on here.
This is an open forum, and anyone should be allowed to post or begin a thread about any goshdarn thing they like.  The Bully Brigade out here are the ones who need to f*** off and shut the hell up.  
I rarely ever share here anymore because of these types.    Personally, I like the dissenters,  conspirators and those who start "weird" threads and post funny smack - they keep things lively.  

[apparently the compilers of this box feel the Smile Sessions didn't end in 67, but went on til about 71/72]

 

Oh, so now I see how they get around the issue of including things recorded post 67.  According to Dom (link to interview below), apparently the compilers of this box feel the Smile Sessions didn't end in 67, but went on til about 71/72 - hence they can include the tag to Surff's Up, The lead vocals on Cabin Essence, etc. 
"Pretty sneaky, sis."   

http://www.examiner.com/vintage-rock-n-roll-in-national/author-beach-boys-smile-release-will-tell-story-bootleg-releases-couldn-t

... and folk wonder why sometimes I get a mite tetchy. NOWHERE in that article is the word "compilers" so much as mentioned. The part about the 'sessions' extending to 1971-2 is purely Dom's opinion. He wrote the essay, he did photo/memorabilia research (like it says in the piece), but he's had nothing to do with the compilation or sequencing of the project beyond the not-inconsiderable influence of what he did with DAG #2. The only person who's said "apparently the compilers of this box feel the Smile Sessions didn't end in 67, but went on til about 71/72" is you - not Dom. And you're wrong.

Re-read the article.

Gee, so sorry, but gosh I was sort of under the impression that ol' Dom was sort of speaking as someone who, having written the notes for this upcoming release, had some idea as to the inner track of the, uh, "compilers" - yes, MY word, not Dom's or the articles, but mine.  Maybe "magicians" would have been better, or "them guys", or...whatever.
But hey, the following:

"Keep in mind that The Beach Boys were tinkering with and finishing 'SMiLE' material from 1967 until about 1971 when the song "Surf's Up" was finally released," he said. "There were sessions to finish 'Cabinessence' in 1968. 'Cool, Cool Water' was a SMiLE-era composition that was recorded in 1967, then expanded on nicely for release on 'Sunflower' in 1970. The music was never totally put away, as legend would have it, until 1972. With a lot of years of study behind us all, and access to the original '60s inside information, it's detective work made easy."

Well, that just gave dumb ol' me the impression that this was part of the idea with the release, that the sessions didn't end in 67 (because that rascally "tinkerin'" was goin' on in the ensuin' few years), and again, Dom being the chosen, OFFICIAL writer of the notes to the goshdarn thing - kinda leads an idjit like meself to that cunclooshun.   But I bow to your righteous indignation on the matter, oh mighty curmudgeon, 'cos my intent was not to mislead the faithful (was Dom's?  Maybe ya ought to take it up with him), and I'll just keep quiet from here on out and we'll see what we see (and hear) come release day. 

Oh, so now I see how they get around the issue of including things recorded post 67.  According to Dom (link to interview below), apparently the compilers of this box feel the Smile Sessions didn't end in 67, but went on til about 71/72 - hence they can include the tag to Surff's Up, The lead vocals on Cabin Essence, etc. 
"Pretty sneaky, sis."   

http://www.examiner.com/vintage-rock-n-roll-in-national/author-beach-boys-smile-release-will-tell-story-bootleg-releases-couldn-t

Yes, quite right, never mind.  I guess I am guilty of wishing for something that never was and cannot be.  Whatever way they do it/sequence it, etc.  will be great.   I just wish the thing was out already. 

I wish Brian were going to be involved beyond simply "yes" or "no" to the final thing.  Though he maybe can't recall what he wanted in 66/67 and maybe never knew, I'd still rather have him saying "okay, let's do this sequence"  now, as opposed to simply using BWS as a template.  BWPS was a "reimagining" (if you will) of the project for a live performance, which they then decided they'd record in the studio, no?   So using it as a template isn't what was intended in 66/67, if there ever was a final intention which had been decided upon at any point back in 66/67, yes? 
And, uh....crap, now I'm just confused! 

It's an interesting idea though.   Not to say that is how they originally intended anything, but still an interesting idea.
I once heard a mix someone had done where, because of the "the whole album is an american gothic trip" thing, they (that being the individual who had made the Smile mix) sandwiched all the different bits in the middle of Worms.  It opened with the first part of Worms and ended with the last part.   In between were all the different pieces (Iron Horse, Cabin E., Sunshine, etc.) in various configurations.
Some of this mix worked better than other parts of it, but it was very cool and really highlighted the modular nature of it all and how interchangable much of it was/is.   

It would be like sex in a box.  A box set of the most amazing Aural sex ever.   

So, Columbia, at some point, doing a bit of Spring cleaning, just CHUCKED OUT these tapes of BB's vocal sessions?  How can that happen?  I mean, isn't that...just....WRONG?   Did they even have the courtesy perhaps to contact the band to say, "Hey, just a heads up, but we have a bunch of stuff you recorded here and it's really been cluttering up the place, soooo we're gonna throw 'em all in the dumpster out back - unless of course you would like to have them."   

[L]

Love to Say Dada      

[Frame by frame, picture movesfigures in a landscapedialogue meaninglessstory that repeats, and actors who shoutsomething is happeningin the last fade outSeats are full, lights are downa kind of hush is all aroundthere's no way to stop this movie nowtill fade outA comedy of errors, like so many beforeand all the jokes are stale and full of holesa melodrama of moral droughtsense will surely dry upin the last fade outThe shadowplay, a heated screen(the crew's undaunted, but not the ring)there's something too familiarin these half-remembered scenesSeats are full, lights are downa kind of hush is all aroundthere's no way to stop this movie nowtill fade outFind yourself gazing at a celluloid moonbetter find your place now, your scene is coming soonno one gave you lines, or told you what this film's aboutperhaps you'll understand by the last fade outSense will surely dry up...]

Using your lyric transcription as a guide, I believe I've got all the lyrics accurate with the exception of one line - maybe that's the line to ask Mr. Attaway about! Here's what I'm hearing...

Frame by frame, picture moves
figures in a landscape
dialogue meaningless
story that repeats, and actors who shout
something is happening
in the last fade out

Seats are full, lights are down
a kind of hush is all around
there's no way to stop this movie now
till fade out

A comedy of errors, like so many before
and all the jokes are stale and full of holes
a melodrama of moral drought
sense will surely dry up
in the last fade out

The shadowplay, a heated screen
(the crew's undaunted, but not the ring)
there's something too familiar
in these half-remembered scenes

Seats are full, lights are down
a kind of hush is all around
there's no way to stop this movie now
till fade out

Find yourself gazing at a celluloid moon
better find your place now, your scene is coming soon
no one gave you lines, or told you what this film's about
perhaps you'll understand by the last fade out

Sense will surely dry up...

Note that there are a couple of subtle changes to your transcription ("in the last fade out" as opposed to "by the last fade out" in the second verse). Also, Attaway tends to drop "the" and "a" from his sentences making the lyrics a little more cryptic/psychedelic-sounding. I'm almost certain the phrase is "moral drought" in the second verse given that he follows this with the poetic simile "sense will surely dry up" and it rhymes with "out".

Hope this helps.

Nice!  Thanks - yes, "drought" has got to be it, which makes the next line (which I was fairly certain about) make sense.   And I had completely forgotten the bit that goes "shadowplay, heated screen..."  I think you have all that correct, but the 2nd line is a tough one -  "the crew's undaunted" could be it,  and the following line sounds a bit like, "the scripts a dream/scream" 
I tried emailing the band, but not sure it worked because when I hit send the page went suddenly to what seemed an error page, but maybe not - I'll see if I get a reply.
And hey, thanks for the help, you've cleared up some of the lines for me. 

[tales]

I've checked the website before, but haven't actually tried emailing them directly (I think I may though) - good to know they will finally be updating it, and I would love to see them live - never saw them back in the day. 
As far the words, I guess your ears are better tuned than mine - but here's what i have been able to figure out, maybe you can fill in the missing bits and/or correct my errors? (I've made bold the bits I'm unsure about)

Frame by frame, picture moves
tales in a landscape
dialogue's meaningless
the story that repeats, the actors to shout
but something is happening
in the last fade out
Seats are full, lights are down
a kind of hush is all around
there's no way to stop this movie now
till fade out
a comedy of errors, like so many before
and all the jokes are stale and full of holes
a melodrama of moral drowned
sense will surely dry up
by the last fade out
find yourself gazing at a celluloid moon
better find your place now, your scene is coming soon
no one gave you lines, or told you what this films about
perhaps you'll understand by the last fade out

Nobody knows?  Seriously?  Crud. 

Does anyone know the exact lyrics to the Guadalcanal Diary song Fade Out?   In 20 + years of loving this tune I still haven't been able to decipher/find any source for these lyrics.  Some of the words are clear and obvious, other's I just can't get.   Please help to end my suffering.   

I love Carl's tune, "Tones", and it feels like a Smile recording.  I wish he/they had gone back and done something with it. 

I have this (irrationale?) fear i am going to be hit by a bus, or some such thing before this freakin' thing comes out!   

I think they could have pulled Monterey off just fine.  No, they weren't going to blow the crowd away like Hendrix and the Who, but that's not their style of performance.  The question is could they have done as well as similar bands like the Mamas and Papas and the Association, and I'd say yeah, they certainly could have. 
They wouldn't have had to have played the whole album (when did they ever back then?) but a selection of Pet Sounds songs along with Heroes and Villains, Wonderful, Vegetables, Good Vibrations and a few older tunes, and they'd of been alright.    I don't think it would have hurt them, I don't see them getting the treatment poor Laura Nyro did, I believe it would have only helped them if anything.   But, ah well...

I believe a completed Smile at the end of 66, beginning of 67 would have had a big impact.   Some old fans may have been lost, but new ones would have been gained.   Not everyone would have liked it, but I don't believe it would have gone ignored in the states as Pet Sounds had been.  And it seems evident that the UK (where Pet Sounds wasn't ignored at all) was primed and ready for this.   As far as what music would have come after, who knows?  But the collaboration between Brian and Van Dyke might have continued.

Aren't there a bunch of quotes from Brian at the time talking about "Psychedelic music"?  (I'm paraphrasing as I don't have the exact quotes handy) "Psychedelic music will grow, expand, cover the music world..."    It was HIS version of it though, not in line with the SF bands, and all that jamming endlessly stuff, but HIS own unique take on what psychedelic music was/is.   To him, it seems to me (based on things he said at the time), psychedelic music was spiritual/religious. 

Funny thing is, that whether or not Brian and Van Dyke were intending the album to be a Koan - that's exactly what it is and has been and will continue to be.  A puzzle, mystery, which has no answer, but which through the process of attempting to figure it out will either lead you to madness or enlightenment.  How long have we all been debating, arguing and trying to "figure it out"?  Ha ha ha - jokes on us all!  
The fact that the album went unreleased and was left in pieces only made it more of a koan than it would have been had it been completed and released.  I find this all very amusing.  

Hey, maybe it's actually "who ran the iron hoarse/whores"   

Seriously though, I love your ideas Bill, and I would love to believe that the three of them were in cahoots to sneak this spiritual trojan horse (that word again!) called Smile past the nay-sayers.   
So, WHAT DID Frank say to you back whenever it was?   
and what is the joyous cosmology? 

Honestly though, I still question how "mentally ill" he was at that time.  Obviously he exhibited emotional issues of all kinds, defects of character and the like, but none of that means he was destined to be #@*% for life.   
Here you have a kid - a kid mind you - he's come from this family situation that was full of pressure, expectation and severe emotional and physical abuse, he's at the top of the food chain as far as young American music goes, a position he's had since virtually right out of high school, and he's all alone there, he's responsible for every aspect of this family business, if he doesn't supply there is no family business, he's responsible for the livelihoods of all these people, he's got this schism of musical prowess and infantilism.   
I mean, who (even someone from a very nice family background) wouldn't be a wreck under that kind of set up? 
Pot can make a person VERY paranoid.  It can literally tweak some people out to an extent where you'd think they were on something "stronger" (like acid, or something).  If he was smoking a lot of it, which by all accounts he was, then no wonder he was talking about "mind gangsters".   (great name for a band by the way, but sorry, I digress...)
I don't necessarily see any of that as someone who's severely mentally ill.   It's normal if you actually consider all the factors surrounding him (and not normal behavior perhaps, but normal that he might be acting in such ways.)  Not to mention the fact that he's surrounded by a bunch of ingrates (albeit talented ingrates) who have no freaking vision.    Even after he dictched Smile in favor of the Smiley version of his muse, and went on with Wild Honey, Friends, Break Away, and Sunflower - there's still a guy there functioning at a high level (though maybe it be in a very rolled back manner), he's still making this incredible music that at one time probably would have been recieved very well, but now it's being ignored, and why?  because the band lost favor.  And why is that? "because you f***d up Brian." 
Now, I'm not saying that, but I imagine that must have been similar to things in his mind as album after album of really good stuff got virtually pissed on.    And over time all those understandable, "normal" problems become worse as his depressions and drug use increases, he see's the ones, whose livelihoods he was responsible for, struggling, the family business is in jeopardy, his own stature has been stamped "crap", etc. 
I can only imagine the the committee in his head.
"If you'd finished Smile it would have been alright."
"It would have been alright, but you weren't capable of finishing it."
"It wasn't worth finishing, it sucked."
"It was crazy and inappropriate, and so are YOU."

good lord, blah blah blah.....uh, sorry for the ramble.   

What a load of horse pucky.  IMO not completing Smile only made things worse for him. 
"Saved from what?", indeed. 

Would you rather the quote had read  " By killing himself, He Saved SMiLE" ?  ( of course not)
Still, the sense is he  HAD to walk away to keep his senses intact.  See?

If it works for you, then by all means.   
I just don't really buy the idea that ditching it saved him from anything negative. 
In fact, I'm of the opinion that it only helped make the negatives worse.

What a load of horse pucky.  IMO not completing Smile only made things worse for him. 
"Saved from what?", indeed.