So many MiC threads. I haven't seen this posted or I missed it. Probably somewhere on some thread.  Here it is anyway.

Just noticed a MP3 digital download for MiC on Amazon U.S. for $85.95. Includes Digital Booklet. Looks like samples are on the way, too.

Exciting times! 

http://www.amazon.com/Made-In-California-digital-booklet/dp/B00EONYSZW/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_title_0

Still no samples -- what the hell are they waiting for?

Is the Friends outtake a different version of a track already released, or a new track altogether?

It's something I didn't know existed until I heard it — it was a very pleasant surprise — and don't wanna ruin it for you guys.

You realize that everyone reading this thread WANTS you to ruin it for us, right?

I hope -- assuming they include all the unreleased material from the Good Vibes box -- they fix the speed of "It's Over Now."

As of mid-June, the latest "Wall of Secrecy" has lasted six months(by contrast, the "Wall of Secrecy" during the wait for the "Smile Sessions" box lasted five months). At what point do you guys think that there would be reason for concern about the fate of the box set and "commemorative releases" ? At what point does "Dreaming" turn to "Discouragement" or "Dismay"?

There is no "wall of secrecy" at all; they are not going to talk about a hits collection or a box set when they are trying to focus on the new album.  Your "Wall of Secrecy Doomsday Clock" needs to be re-set to "0:00" on the day the new album is released.

Of course, there was no "wall of secrecy" last year either; those five months of "silence" were punctuated by brief reminders that The Smile Sessions WAS real and WAS happening -- namely, the MOJO single and the Record Store Day single. Nobody here had any doubt that TSS was going to be released in 2011 -- except you, of course. We were all wide awake, and YOU were the one who was dreaming. A nightmare, apparently, that you've slipped into again.

If you're wondering why I've been absent, it is because I've been worn down and defeated by the Wall of Secrecy. There's nothing more to say. If you guys want to continue dreaming, I guess there's no harm in that.

That's pretty much exactly what you said a year ago, right down to calling anyone who wasn't exactly like you a "dreamer."

Bad news for Phil -- the new album is done and being mixed. On schedule for June 5th release.

http://www.billboard.com/news#/news/beach-boys-album-it-s-all-brand-new-1006844362.story

Sean, while you correct on every respect, I take exception with you calling out Andrew. Anyone here has a right to call out Phil every time he posts his malarky. Like you say, he is always off the mark with all his naysaying  posts regarding The Boys, and especially Capitol and it's marketing strategies. You would think that after all that has happened to him here, that he would rethink his own thoughts and strategies. He never has, and I suspect that he never will. Our reactions are the express reason why he posts here. For Phil, he reaps what he sows.

I think about 99% of the "calling out" in my post was aimed at Phil, but I'll stand by what I said in the other 1%. I do understand that AGD's seemingly bottomless well of enmity for Phil comes mostly from frustration at having to read his consistently wrong prognostications while knowing the specific details (even if he doesn't share them with us) of just how wrong he is. However, and this is only my own opinion, a lot of Andrew's "corrective" posts come across as mean-spirited and petty -- maybe it's just the cumulative tonnage of rebuttals he feels he needs to post, but I do think that in his zeal to convince Phil to "STFU" (AGD's usual refrain), he lowers himself in the process. Personally, I think that Phil's reputation for gloom-and-doom -- and his record of being dead wrong -- is established well enough that a silent eye roll and a scroll to the next post is more than enough response.

For better(or I would say worse), it is obvious that the "strategy"(if you could call it that) of Capitol Records & The Beach Boys is totally opposite of most record companies & classic rock back catalogue artists, with respect to promoting an upcoming archival release. Most other artists/labels reveal track listings & release dates months in advance and build consumer "buzz" through publicity(such as that for upcoming archival releases such as the expanded editions of Paul McCartney's "Ram" or the expanded multi disc reissues by Small Faces). As for The Beach Boys & Capitol, their strategy is make an initial vague announcement, then tell the public absolutely nothing until 6 months later, while keeping all individuals involved in these projects gagged with strict secrecy/confidentiality contracts.

I generally try to stay out of the Neverending Phil And Andrew Battle Royale And Periodic Dick-Waving Contest -- both sides inevitably end up looking less than classy -- but Phil, you chose the wrong example in this instance when you cited McCartney's RAM reissue. If you look at the details of that one, it was arguably WORSE than how the BBs handled the SMiLE box set. First off, Paul started off a YEAR-AND-A-HALF of speculation by simply IMPLYING that Ram would be an upcoming reissue, with a little slip of paper inserted into the BOTR reissue. It was only confirmed in March 2012 that Ram would indeed be the next album reissued, and it the full contents and configurations were only finally announced on Macca's website last week, a mere month before the release date. In contrast, the BBs announced that SMiLE would be released "later this year" in February 2011, followed that up with a Record Store Day release in April, followed THAT up with a special 45 in MOJO in June, and then announced all the configurations and track lists on September 1st, a full 2+ months before the release date. You were wrong about SMiLE last year, and I pretty much expect that you're wrong about everything this year too. In fact, if you wouldn't mind giving us all a heads-up on what the next Mega Millions numbers WON'T be, we can all go in on the tickets, and we'll be able to afford all this stuff you think won't be released this year.

Cheers, and please stop.
Your pal and occasional defender,

Amazon.com has stated the complete track listing for the deluxe box edition for Paul McCartney's "Ram" for more than a month.

Actually, the track list was leaked and posted on a number of websites starting on March 21st, but Amazon was NOT among them at first. It was a few more weeks before Amazon posted track listings. Either way, your response is a classic example of a sad "gotcha!" rebuttal while missing the entire larger point of my response.

For better(or I would say worse), it is obvious that the "strategy"(if you could call it that) of Capitol Records & The Beach Boys is totally opposite of most record companies & classic rock back catalogue artists, with respect to promoting an upcoming archival release. Most other artists/labels reveal track listings & release dates months in advance and build consumer "buzz" through publicity(such as that for upcoming archival releases such as the expanded editions of Paul McCartney's "Ram" or the expanded multi disc reissues by Small Faces). As for The Beach Boys & Capitol, their strategy is make an initial vague announcement, then tell the public absolutely nothing until 6 months later, while keeping all individuals involved in these projects gagged with strict secrecy/confidentiality contracts.

I generally try to stay out of the Neverending Phil And Andrew Battle Royale And Periodic Dick-Waving Contest -- both sides inevitably end up looking less than classy -- but Phil, you chose the wrong example in this instance when you cited McCartney's RAM reissue. If you look at the details of that one, it was arguably WORSE than how the BBs handled the SMiLE box set. First off, Paul started off a YEAR-AND-A-HALF of speculation by simply IMPLYING that Ram would be an upcoming reissue, with a little slip of paper inserted into the BOTR reissue. It was only confirmed in March 2012 that Ram would indeed be the next album reissued, and it the full contents and configurations were only finally announced on Macca's website last week, a mere month before the release date. In contrast, the BBs announced that SMiLE would be released "later this year" in February 2011, followed that up with a Record Store Day release in April, followed THAT up with a special 45 in MOJO in June, and then announced all the configurations and track lists on September 1st, a full 2+ months before the release date. You were wrong about SMiLE last year, and I pretty much expect that you're wrong about everything this year too. In fact, if you wouldn't mind giving us all a heads-up on what the next Mega Millions numbers WON'T be, we can all go in on the tickets, and we'll be able to afford all this stuff you think won't be released this year.

Cheers, and please stop.
Your pal and occasional defender,

and now amazon has jacked the price of the box set back to $139.99

and it was selling again at the lower price.

They didn't "jack" the price, they returned it to their normal price. You didn't think it was going to stay at $97.99 forever, did you?

I have no idea what their plan of attack for the box is this time around, but I think it would be interesting if they expanded it from a 4 to a 5-disc set as a *base*, and then added a 6th bonus ,"sessions" disc, similar to what they did last time (and yes, I'm aware that the Euro version of the '93 box set had the extra "mini" disc's worth of material added).

That way, within the base 5-disc set, they could keep *everything* that was on the 4-disc '93 set, add any glaring omissions (e.g. Let Him Run Wild), add more deep cuts to give a better sense of balance or expand things (e.g. Dennis, 70's stuff, etc.), add a few tracks beyond Kokomo if they wish, and then 12-15 bona fide rarities/unreleased tracks (i.e. the *good* stuff!). Basically, add another 25-28 tracks, or so, to the base of the '93 set. Of course, all of this would be chronological, with the fill-ins occurring where they should, and spread out over the 5 discs. Also, any of those already released, '93 tracks (e.g. SMILE) could be tweaked, upgraded, presented slightly differently, or remixed as needed. They could also rework the SMILE section, entirely, if need be.


They could then use that bonus 6th disc, like the previous one, to add the more fanatic-oriented stuff -- backing tracks, even *more* rarities/unreleased stuff, more SMILE, live tracks, alternate mixes, vocals-only, air checks, etc. -- only this time, make that 6th disc entirely *unique* in relation to the previous box. That is, as to not make the '93 completely obsolete in its content.

Seems like a win-win scenario. Something that would appeal to every type of buyer, covers all the bases, makes it fresh, and still probably doesn't completely deplete the archives if they're looking at doing deluxe editions, mono/stereo, or separate, individual discs with a theme down the road, live, etc.

I mean, six discs total for 50 years (i.e. 5 + 1) doesn't seem out of the ordinary to me, at all.


Just thinking out loud.  

Yes, this. Exactly! 

You do bring up an interesting point though. Who was in charge when they decided to put "H.E.L.P. is on the Way" and "Games Two Can Play" on the box set instead of the 1974 "California Feelin" or "(Wouldn't It Be Nice To) Live Again"??

I love both of those songs -- "H.E.L.P." and "Games Two Can Play" -- what's wrong with them?

I'm very curious to see how this new box set plays out. Will there be a lot of overlap with the 1993 box? If the new box is going to have (for example) 80% of the same tracks that the 1993 box had, I'd almost rather they just remaster the original box and throw in an extra (sixth) disc of new outtakes. Will it be a second "hits and rarities" box, or will the new one be entirely unreleased stuff? I got the impression after the Endless Harmony and Hawthorne sets that the Powers That Be didn't think there was much else worth releasing in the vaults (except for the SMiLE stuff, of course, which is now mostly all released).

[SC]

Here's the thing...how different will this box set be from the 1993 collection?

Well, hopefully "LHRW" will be included this time... odd non-album singles, maybe some solo material, and SC/SIP tracks... archive material, natch (if the sole unreleased item is "(WIBNT)LA", I'm good to go) and probably "DIA '11".

And a rewritten booklet with better track info as well.

I hope they fix the speed on "It's Over Now," if that track is included.

[I will personally mobilize all my contacts, exert my considerable influence and see to it that no-one tells you a thing about the reunion reissues.]

Yes, AGD may have been a little too mean, but lets face the facts, Phil is either an attention whore, or he is a total fake.

Or both.

Phil. You're a moron. A complete f*cking idiot. A waste of sperm. I will personally mobilize all my contacts, exert my considerable influence and see to it that no-one tells you a thing about the reunion reissues. Because you don't deserve it - you not a fan at all, you're border line psychopath. You worry about things that haven't happened yet. When you go to bed (assuming you do sleep) do you worry you might not wake up in the morning, or that one of your legs might vanish in the night ? Seriously man, you need help, and urgently. That or putting down, like a mad dog.  Grin

Am I the only one who took Andrew's post to be somewhat tongue in cheek?

Nothing about it seemed tongue-in-cheek to me -- it had exactly the same tone as all of AGD's other recent responses to Phil's relatively innocuous (compared with his summertime rants) posts. You're a moderator, for crying out loud -- shouldn't you be at least URGING a higher standard of discourse, rather than excusing abusive posts?

You guys are all attacking the Phil of six months ago, and not the Phil who has made several fairly bland and uncontroversial (for him) remarks. Enough already!

I don't think I'd ever want to blend BWPS vocals with "real" Beach Boys vocals, but to me, the instrumental tracks are OK -- just like '66, it's music written and arranged by Brian Wilson, played by pros. So for "Child," I took the "tag" from the BWPS version (starting with the piano reprise/cello note) and just pasted right over the ending cello note of the BB "Child."

The tag on Child wasn't exactly written by Brian. Sure it quotes the "Surf's Up" melody but didn't Paul Mertens come up with the BWPS interludes?

HERE'S how I crossfade Child with Surf's Up... it works for me!

Interesting ... I think you made that edit one note too early, personally, and it's a little too abrupt a transition for me.

try THIS ONE

I like it!

While there isn't any reason to worry that the reunion album & tour won't happen, if we get 5 to 6 months of total silence from Capitol & The Beach Boys concerning the CD box set and other archival projects, then there might be reason for fans to be concerned.

Five to six months of total silence on the SMiLE project didn't mean there was cause for concern. Since the tour is launching in the first half of the year, and they probably want the album to coincide with it, I'd say those two things are a lock for the next six months. But the other projects -- the new box set and unspecified "archival projects" -- sound like they will take some time to prepare, and probably won't be released until the third quarter (earliest) and/or fourth quarter of 2012. So I disagree with you -- I think 5-6 months of total silence on these large vault projects CAN be expected, and that would NOT be reason for concern. They're going to want to highlight the tour and the album for the next few months, so I would be surprised if we heard ANYTHING else about the archival stuff until June or July (or even later).

Unlike most people here playing "dog pile on the rabbit" (Bugs Bunny reference), I think you've softened your tone in this recent spate of posts . You're not nearly as condescending and insulting as you were last summer, sneering at the "SMiLE dreamers" who wouldn't listen to your Chicken Little act -- and who all ended up being thoroughly vindicated. You're stubbornly sticking with your "accentuate the negative" outlook, and hey -- that's your right. I don't think anything you've posted in the last few days was worthy of the venom that came back at you. What I don't get is what YOU'RE getting out of this -- the sky didn't fall, as you insisted it would, and the wolf you cried about never showed up to terrorize the village. You've been discredited, and no one (proportionally speaking) wants to hear any more of it from you. Even if you're willing to sow your negative seed more politely (as you have, imo) ... why do it at all?

You prefaced several of your posts by promising not to be upset if things don't get released -- a good start, I thought -- so why go that extra step and remind us of the alleged "information blackout" that was a conspiracy only in your own imagination? I'm actually posting this NOT to continue the barrage of attacks on you -- I'm actually sick of the attacks too, and I'd love it if they STOPPED -- I just don't understand why you continue to deliberately (seemingly) invite the abuse upon yourself. Is it that important to get your concerns "on the record" so you can say "I told you so" if it all falls apart?

I don't think I'd ever want to blend BWPS vocals with "real" Beach Boys vocals, but to me, the instrumental tracks are OK -- just like '66, it's music written and arranged by Brian Wilson, played by pros. So for "Child," I took the "tag" from the BWPS version (starting with the piano reprise/cello note) and just pasted right over the ending cello note of the BB "Child."

The tag on Child wasn't exactly written by Brian. Sure it quotes the "Surf's Up" melody but didn't Paul Mertens come up with the BWPS interludes?

HERE'S how I crossfade Child with Surf's Up... it works for me!

Interesting ... I think you made that edit one note too early, personally, and it's a little too abrupt a transition for me. I thought about trying to simulate the BWPS tag to "Child" using the TSS pieces for "Child" and "Surf's Up" 1st movement, but it would have been tricky, and the truth is, I was perfectly happy to use the BWPS recording of that tag. It fits very nicely to me, and I like the way it swells and fades (kinda like a wave) before "Surf's Up."

Also, as to the "authorship" of that tag -- it was music derived from Brian's compositions, so regardless of who actually put the notes on paper (I thought it was Darian, working with Brian), it's close enough for me! 

I cannot believe how much people grouse about the 'whispering winds' fly-ins.  They've been lowered like one step.  The intensity of some of the complaints about those vox, which are easily one of the more subtly and transparently deployed fly-ins/alterations on the box, kind of make these arguments seem less credible overall.

Da-Da on the other hand...yeah, those sound like chipmunk noises.  At least they're down in the mix.

What can I say? People hear things differently. To me, the "Holidays" fly-ins sound really bad, and the "Da Da" fly-ins sound really good. Different ears, different responses.

That's interesting, because I thought the fly-ins on "Da Da" were the best of them all -- seamless, sounded great, and filled out the song a little more. The only ones my ears really reject are the "whispering winds" vocals at the end of "Holidays" -- too fast, too unnatural, and too bad -- because I love how it worked on the BWPS version. All the other ones I either love or have accepted -- even the ones in "Look." When I first heard them I thought they were totally pointless -- they made an incomplete song somehow MORE incomplete by adding them -- but after a few listens my brain was already inserting them when I listened to the sessions track, so I just got over it. The "Great Shape" fly-in is in a different category, because it JUST DIDN'T WORK; the "Barnyard" one, though, didn't bother me, and it's even better now after Bruiteur's excellent work. When the box first came out, I (and others) wondered by Mark Linett didn't use spectral imaging software (or something else) to remove the piano from the Humble Harv fly-ins, and a certain Beach Boys scholar and Phil Cohen nemesis scolded all of us for presuming that it could have been done any better. And then, like, two days later ... it was done better. 

Interesting.  To me, the Dada fly-in, while it may make sense on paper, sounded totally artificial and didn't really add much to the song, but somehow I was O.K. with the 'whispering winds' on Holidays, even though the pitch seemed off.  I think the Fall Breaks fly-in on Mrs. O'Leary's Cow was easily the most seamless and successful of these experiments.

I agree that Bruiteur's work on Barnyard was brilliant, but somehow I've really gotten used to that piano line on IIGS and it sounds a little bit naked without it.

Just so I know we're talking about the same thing ... the "Da Da" fly-ins I'm talking about are the "da-da-da-da-da-da"s from "Cool Cool Water." Is that what you thought sounded artificial?

I'm still trying to figure out how an "official release" of the Beach Boys contains altered vocals that hardly even resemble the Beach Boys. I really think that in 5-7 years a lot of people, including the compilers, are going to have regrets about many of the decisions that went into this project--the sort of things that i think might have seemed like a good idea in the short term, with disregard to the long term effects. I think time will prove that a straightforward raw sessions (the very thing that Linett and Boyd said would have been the undesirable alternative if there was no BWPS) would have been the best approach. I think, packaging aside (and that's a HUGE aside because the packaging is of the highest quality), history is going to look at this set as a bit of a blunder and a great missed opportunity. In a few years, Joe Public, and the need to meet the demands/expectations of that market, won't matter in the least. The public has a way of "catching up" with things that went over people's heads initially. People would have eventually come around and caught on to a raw sessions sort of box set (or abridged version) without the aid of the disc 1 estimation. And integrity and accuracy would have still been intact. Mark my words.

I'd like to know what it is that you find so objectionable.

'an "official release" of the Beach Boys contains altered vocals that hardly even resemble the Beach Boys'

?

I just don't get it.

I agree that Mark Linnet or his assistants were guilty was some pretty sloppy editing (I do hear the things on your list on the other thread, but so far I'm not that bothered by them, though I agree its a shame) but I don't understand how you can love the box but hate its contents.

Please explain.  

I imagine he's talking about the Alvin and the Chipmunks treatment applied to the flown in vocals in Da Da. I think they were right to experiment and try such things but the results were so poor I don't know why they didn't discard them immediately. Flown in and manipulated to hell just for the sake of it.

That's interesting, because I thought the fly-ins on "Da Da" were the best of them all -- seamless, sounded great, and filled out the song a little more. The only ones my ears really reject are the "whispering winds" vocals at the end of "Holidays" -- too fast, too unnatural, and too bad -- because I love how it worked on the BWPS version. All the other ones I either love or have accepted -- even the ones in "Look." When I first heard them I thought they were totally pointless -- they made an incomplete song somehow MORE incomplete by adding them -- but after a few listens my brain was already inserting them when I listened to the sessions track, so I just got over it. The "Great Shape" fly-in is in a different category, because it JUST DIDN'T WORK; the "Barnyard" one, though, didn't bother me, and it's even better now after Bruiteur's excellent work. When the box first came out, I (and others) wondered by Mark Linett didn't use spectral imaging software (or something else) to remove the piano from the Humble Harv fly-ins, and a certain Beach Boys scholar and Phil Cohen nemesis scolded all of us for presuming that it could have been done any better. And then, like, two days later ... it was done better. 

Interesting! I've decided not to change the "structure" of disc one and have only "flown in" a few different elements. Your approach sounds intriguing though. It sounds like you're a big fan of the orchestral interludes that were a feature of BWPS. I personally think they fit best in the live context, but I'd like to hear your edits just to see how you can get it to flow together. As it stands, the only element I took directly from the BWPS sessions (as I posted) was the clarinet line from the "Look" chorus.

Yeah -- as I mentioned, I got used to the BWPS sequence, and for the most part that was my "go-to" SMiLE since it came out, rather than my own homemade SMiLE. So when I heard the TSS version, in virtually the same sequence, but without some of those connecting interludes, it felt lacking to me (which was one of my arguments AGAINST them using the BWPS template, but whatever). I don't think I'd ever want to blend BWPS vocals with "real" Beach Boys vocals, but to me, the instrumental tracks are OK -- just like '66, it's music written and arranged by Brian Wilson, played by pros. So for "Child," I took the "tag" from the BWPS version (starting with the piano reprise/cello note) and just pasted right over the ending cello note of the BB "Child." I brightened the EQ just a tad to make the piano notes match the intro to the BB track better, level matched it and folded it into mono, and I have to say -- I love how it sounds. Now a track that always felt like it just kind of fell off the cliff had a "proper" ending -- and maybe more importantly, the majestic "Surf's Up" has a "proper" introduction. (Also, I removed that bit of the "Child" piano demo from the beginning and saved it as a separate "bonus track" -- it just didn't work there for me.)

Once I do the rest of these tweaks I'll collect them all and post them so anyone who's curious can have a listen.

I took a different (in some cases an entirely opposite) approach in my new mixes compared to many of you. Rather than "remaking" Smile (again) in my own image, I've just made some further "enhancements" to some of the disk one tracks to render it even more "complete" to my ears.

This is the approach I've taken too. After seven years, I've gotten used to the BWPS sequence, and I now find it hard to argue that (for example) "Wonderful," "Look," "Child" and "Surf's Up" belong together. I'll probably get around to re-doing my decade-old "personal" SMiLE, but for now I'm just tweaking the TSS disc one "album" to make it more to my liking. There are little changes (like restoring the original ending to "Worms" and cleaning up the fade to "Look") and there are the "heretical" changes, like adding the BWPS tag from "Child" to the BB version of "Child." What can I say? I really like how that bit of music "completes" the song and leads right into "Surf's Up" -- and now that it leads into the true BB version it's even sweeter. Don't knock it till you've tried it! I'll also be taking the BWPS musical intro to "Great Shape" and combining it with the "IIGS" demo and the finished BB instrumental track for that bit to make something resembling a complete song -- but that will take a bit of work. Once that's done, I'll jettison "I Wanna Be Around" (never saw the point of it, except when I used it in my own "Elements" suite) and pair "Great Shape" with "Vega-Tables" (I prefer the 45 version to the "album" version).

I may also graft the BWPS tag from "In Blue Hawaii" to "Da-Da" -- it's another example of how some BWPS versions sound more polished and "finished" to me. I'll probably also replace the "album" version of "Holidays" with an instrumental version from the sessions -- "Holidays" was (for me) the worst-sounding of the fly-in vocals, aside from "Great Shape" which just didn't work at all. But basically, I really enjoy the disc one "album" and I'll continue to listen to it as the official (albeit slightly tweaked) version. I'll probably go back and re-work my personal SMiLE at some point, but I'm enjoying the box so much it won't be a priority.

I just find it funny how, within days of the box being released, this thread basically came to a standstill!

That's because everyone's listening to the box! 

It's a needledrop of the 2 LP set.

If so, it's been de-clicked. There is no audible vinyl noise.

The vinyl is fantastically quiet and pop-and-click free, so removing the tiny bit of noise wouldn't be a challenge. There is no legal digital download of the vinyl side four tracks.