Dang, I thought this was the one place I could go online and not be inundated by this ridiculous subject.

wahhhh why cant i keep my head in the sand!

So, if one tires from the overkill, one's head is in the sand?  Project much?

the civil rights of a maligned minority isnt something that one typically gets exhausted of or describes as a "ridiculous subject" without sounding like a gross bigot, just sayin.

Self-righteous social justice warriors are so adorable.

Dang, I thought this was the one place I could go online and not be inundated by this ridiculous subject.

wahhhh why cant i keep my head in the sand!

So, if one tires from the overkill, one's head is in the sand?  Project much?

Dang, I thought this was the one place I could go online and not be inundated by this ridiculous subject.

Listening to Do it Again (original 20/20 mix), it struck me how Mike's lead (at least on the first verse) is rather buried and low in the mix. It sounds kinda cool like that, but I wonder if that was an intentional creative choice, or more of just something that inadvertently happened during quick mixing.

I've always wondered this too.  That track sounds horrible to me-- like a recording of a recording of a recording.  If it was a creative choice, it's one that doesn't resonate with these ears.

Very well done, and it's obvious you've put much time and thought into these mixes.  I want more and more and more of this type of project!

I will say that one thing that (slightly) detracted me from the experience was recognizing the stock radio tuning clip (the part where you briefly hear a male voice say "house-wuh") in the ‘Brian’s Magic Transistor Radio’ track.  But that's only because I dabble in audio production.

Can't wait for the lossless download!

Is the track available for purchase?  

That’s still up in the air right now.  Any thoughts about whether there’s a preference for CD or vinyl for a release like this? EP or full album?  I would appreciate any comments that might help weigh a decision one way or another.  This was originally recorded with the intention of being used for European promotional purposes.  But, it did come out better than we hoped (Thank you, Adam!) so if the demand is there, we might pursue releasing it.

First things first... digital release of the track (iTunes, Amazon, whatever).  Then CD/Vinyl/etc.  I prefer an LP in the long-run.

EDIT: As far as $$ is concerned, there's a serious trend toward the digital download as opposed to CD.  I'd buy a CD, but I'd love a digital option.  Obviously that costs less to produce and, IMO, would bring in more sales.  I've got two turntables for vinyl, but aside from my PC (which I use to rip CDs to lossless digital), I have no way of actually playing a CD.  Not even a CD player in the car.  Writing's kinda on the wall.

What's interesting (though not surprising) about this song is that Mike incorporates so many tags/feels/melodies/vocal licks of several Beach Boys tracks.  Drum intro, vocal cliff/pause from Good Vibrations, even the falsetto melody from Crocodile Rock.  With a modern-era Brian sound-alike voice to boot! 

All that said, I dig the song.  I snipped the intro drums and replaced them with the vocal intro from Brian's "What I Really Want For Christmas."  Now it's even better!

Next task, tack Brian's "Christmasey" intro from "Let It Shine" onto some other Christmas track.  Can't decide which, though.

Is the track available for purchase? 

Where do you find California Feeling 2? I haven't had any luck finding it online, and it's apparently not on itunes

I could swear I saw it at foothillrecords.com, but I'm not finding it now.  A Google search returned only results for California Feeling.  I didn't dig too deep because I shouldn't have to.  Either the album completely sucks or the label has absolutely no idea how to market.  No offense to anybody here who might have been involved with that album on some level, but the fact that I can't readily locate the CD, hear samples, or buy without worrying that the product is a CD-R with liner notes copied at Kinkos... doesn't bode well with me. 

http://www.amazon.com/California-Feeling-2-Stephen-Kalnich/dp/B016P3QHWA

Sorry it doesn't meet your exacting standards, but this is it.

We've been thru this before, haven't we?  I'm sorry that my criticism of this label/website offends you so, but you're missing my point.  Yes, that is a link to the album, but in this case Amazon is just the broker.  All that means is that you can buy the CD from Foothill with your Amazon credentials and avoid going thru the label directly.  It still comes from Foothill, who didn't so much as bother to add a track listing to the page!  You didn't buy this CD from Amazon, Wirestone.  You bought it from Foothill through the Amazon pipes.  I'm not saying the product is suspect (although I seriously have purchased what turned out to be self-burned CD-Rs from sellers like this).  I'm simply laughing at the label's inability to market a product.

Where do you find California Feeling 2? I haven't had any luck finding it online, and it's apparently not on itunes

I could swear I saw it at foothillrecords.com, but I'm not finding it now.  A Google search returned only results for California Feeling.  I didn't dig too deep because I shouldn't have to.  Either the album completely sucks or the label has absolutely no idea how to market.  No offense to anybody here who might have been involved with that album on some level, but the fact that I can't readily locate the CD, hear samples, or buy without worrying that the product is a CD-R with liner notes copied at Kinkos... doesn't bode well with me. 

That's funny, adamghost, I looked up the album on iTunes yesterday and ended up purchasing only the two Chaos Band tracks. Thought everything else was pretty meh. Kudos on your tracks, though!

Might I suggest that the general lack of response may have something to do with the fact that this is a live (not studio) album from an obscure label (to most) that is apparently only available on a website that looks like it hasn't had a design update since about 1998.  Oh, and no track samples.

Got mine from "obscure" amazon com

Um... I said the label was obscure.

I saw the Amazon listing too, with no digital version.  Or even a track listing.  Just the 'only available from third-party sellers' clause. 

If I didn't trust the Professor's judgment and didn't really like David, I wouldn't give this CD even a first thought.  It's almost like they just don't want to sell the CD.

Might I suggest that the general lack of response may have something to do with the fact that this is a live (not studio) album from an obscure label (to most) that is apparently only available on a website that looks like it hasn't had a design update since about 1998.  Oh, and no track samples.

I'll never understand the appeal of live albums.  I think they have their place, but give me a proper studio album over a live album any day.

EDIT: I'll make it clear that I prefer a live album over no album at all.  I just think they're kind of a cop-out.  They should be cheaper on iTunes than a studio album, and it annoys me to when I see a live album touted like a real album.  Some are excellent (In Concert, anybody?).  Some are downright horrible (C50).  Most aren't worth writing home about.  Maybe this Dave album is awesome.  I'll never know because the mid-90's era website it's sold on doesn't even include samples. 

Man, I must be having a bad day.  Sorry, Dave.

Stupid.

[Do you listen to the radio and listen for new music?“Well, yeah. I listen to the ‘80s music, yeah.”Do you have a good sense of newer artists? Up-and-coming artists on the radio?“Well, yeah, but I don’t get the names very much, you know?”Yeah. Hey, you played our Sands casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a couple of times, and you and I talked a couple of years ago when you did those shows. And when we talked, you said that you had enough material that it was difficult for you to just make one album out of it. And I was wondering whether other album of that material are going to come out?“No. Well, we’re going to try a tribute album. ‘Brian Wilson Sings the Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Artists.’ Like Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Little Richard, Chuck Berry. And, you know, Bill Haley.”Is that in the works already?“No, no. We’re going to do that next year.” But as far as other music that you did at the same time as “No Pier Pressure,” it’s not going to be released in any way.“No, no.”Is there any new music? I mean, in addition to those tribute songs , is there any new music that you’re working on, or do you constantly work on new music?“Well, I play the piano a lot. I don’t really listen to the radio that much anymore, but I play the piano a lot.”]

http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/lehigh-valley-music/mc-interviewing-brian-wilson-beach-boys-founder-coming-to-eastons-state-theatre-still-finds-inspiration-20151016-column.html

Recent interview.

Do you listen to the radio and listen for new music?

“Well, yeah. I listen to the ‘80s music, yeah.”

Do you have a good sense of newer artists? Up-and-coming artists on the radio?

“Well, yeah, but I don’t get the names very much, you know?”

Yeah. Hey, you played our Sands casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a couple of times, and you and I talked a couple of years ago when you did those shows. And when we talked, you said that you had enough material that it was difficult for you to just make one album out of it. And I was wondering whether other album of that material are going to come out?

“No. Well, we’re going to try a tribute album. ‘Brian Wilson Sings the Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Artists.’ Like Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Little Richard, Chuck Berry. And, you know, Bill Haley.”

Is that in the works already?

“No, no. We’re going to do that next year.”

 But as far as other music that you did at the same time as “No Pier Pressure,” it’s  not going to be released in any way.

“No, no.”

Is there any new music? I mean, in addition to those tribute songs , is there any new music that you’re working on, or do you constantly work on new music?

“Well, I play the piano a lot. I don’t really listen to the radio that much anymore, but I play the piano a lot.”

It must be incredibly frustrating to interview Brian.  Chance of a lifetime? Yes.  Thrilling, definitely.  But informative?  You'd get more information from a pile of rocks.

One other rule: they tour to promote it.

So, no tour - no album?

No thanks.  To me, what really counts is the recorded album. I've never understood how so many of my fellow BB fans here consider touring so sacred and essential.  I've love to see a tour come from such an album, but if it's too logistically problematic, or unpopular amongst the participants, or would preclude recording the album-- I say screw the tour.  Reunion doesn't necessarily need to include touring.  I can't be the only one here who sees it this way.

Glad you guys were able to check out the article --- I had fun talking with Brian --- I think we will post the audio from the interview soon. 

Can't wait!  (Can't wait for the new album, either!)

I haven't listened to NPP or any song on it since about June, and that's possibly due to fatigue.  So many months spent in anticipation, reading every snippet of news I could find about the album, listening and re-listening to every crappy 30 second iTunes sample sample, scrubbing through hours of BBC radio archives to listen to Sail Away.  Then it's finally released and I play it non-stop for a month.  Yeah, it might be fatigue.

Here's what's funny, though.  I'm watching TV news with my 10 year old son just yesterday, and somebody says the word "unconditional."  The boy immediately starts crooning, "There's only one kind of love, the kind that I've been dreaming of..."

That's staying power.

So no digital release?  If no, why?

The Explorers Club apes Brian and the Pet Sounds sound better than anybody out there.  Technique, instrumentation, production, harmonies-- it's all there.  In fact, I often mix their Freedom Wind album into my Pet Sounds era playlists.  I can't wait for their new album.

EDIT: Now that I've read the interview, I'm stoked that Darian and Probyn contributed to the new album in some capacity!  Too bad Brewer couldn't get the man himself to at least add background vox. 

Ok, I just listened to the live version, and y'all are right-- it is excellent.  Still absolutely detest the studio cut, though.  I can't think (off the top of my head) of any other song whose live/studio versions are so polarizing for me.

Seriously, I guess I'm busting the chops of the authors and subjects of these articles too much. They're being published, I'm not, so what do I know?

Meh, I'm published a few times a month (non Beach Boys related pieces) and I completely agree with your criticism.  Lazy writers.

They say first impressions are lasting.  I heard this track for the first time in Siberia in the mid-90's.  I had purchased a "Best Of" CD from an open air market.  The CD was consumer-burned and the liner a color copy.  It contained the classics-- most of which I was familiar with and loved.  Hearing them again brought me much joy in that dark, cold land.  Then, abruptly it transitioned from Wouldn't It Be Nice to Lady Lynda.  Not being familiar with their later material (and thus not appreciating their musical evolution), the transition was jarring.  I hated Lady Lynda.  And try as I may to let it grow on me, it never has.

Bonnie, I've been a casual fan all my life, but only a fanatic since about 2012.  Let me take a crack at some of these.

1)  Why does Don't Worry Baby sound so freaking good with earphones on?

--I find that this particular song sounds great over lo-fi loud speakers at stores (Wal-Mart, the Ikea parking lot, etc.).  In fact, oddly, that's probably my favorite way to hear it.  

2)  Surf's Up can provoke some pretty dark stuff sometimes, and I say that from a relatively happy head.  Anyone else have that trouble?

--I thought that way about most of their early 70's catalog, even before I knew Brian's history.  I still don't care for much of their material post Wild Honey, but Surf's Up is one of my favorite BB songs (probably in some part because it is anachronistic on that album)

3)  Does every true BB fan hate Barbara Ann, and three quarters hate Help Me Rhonda?

--I'm partial to both.  I will say that my impressions, having followed this forum religiously since 2012, is that most posters here prefer the later, darker material.  The surf/car tracks garner a lot of scorn.  Only on this forum can you find multitudes of posters that prefer stuff like "Love You" and Carl's solo albums over Pet Sounds and its progenitors.  

4) How come I could remember long verses of lyrics from Pet Sounds, after hearing some songs only one time?

--Could have something to do with the lack of filler material and flawless production.  I personally think Pet Sounds/Good Vibrations -- not Smile-- was Brian's musical destination.  It was the culmination of a lifetime of music in his head.  It was his masterpiece.  Some would strongly argue that Pet Sounds was only a lead-in to Brian's true apex, Smile.  I'm as obsessed with Smile as the next fan, in the grand scheme of Brian's musical evolution, Smile is the fried egg added to an already perfect burger.  Pet Sounds is THE album.

5)  Why (oh why) did TBB release the Christmas Album?

--The Christmas Album is my 3rd favorite BB album.  I especially love the pairing of traditional Christmas songs with BB vocals and harmonies in their absolute prime.

6)  Does anyone else get all danged-up and emotional hearing Brian sing?

--Always.  So much that I want every person in the world to hear it.