Anyone who comes up with phrases like "nimble conga tattoos" is OK by me, bud !

OK, there's one way to settle this for good. Trouble is, it'll take a while.

Not sure I want to know whether I'm wrong.

If there's one thing I hate, it's being proven wrong over something I'm so sure I'm right about!

But, I guess if you can settle this, Andrew, you should.  Take all the time you need--we're not going anywhere! 

Just so I'm clear: this is the end of "A Day in the Life of a Tree" you're going to settle, right? In terms of whether it's Brian or Al singing with Van Dyke?

Ab-so-lute-ly. Not any other song of the same name by any other band of the same name. 

And I've got used to being 100% sure about something then having to 'fess up. As long as the accurate truth comes out, no problem (well, beyond a mildly dented ego...).

anyone who thinks that's not Alan has major, major hearing problems.

Steve Desper, for instance...

I happen to think it's Al, but either way, the tape is sped up, which makes it much harder to discern.

OK, there's one way to settle this for good. Trouble is, it'll take a while.

Dammit, why is there never a fully functioning TARDIS around when you really need one ?

[is]

According to you Andrew, on that Holland tape. Hawhaw!

Nope... because my tenet is that the voice on that tape is Alan, not Brian.

A-Haaaaaaaa !

Don't forget the mp3 I made of that section slowed down, with the vocal isolated as much as possible.

http://www.someoneliving.com/alorbrian.mp3

I'm being totally serious here, and putting the 'Holland' tape aside - anyone who thinks that's not Alan has major, major hearing problems.

When I can find my copy of the boot, I'll surely tell you.

Steve does indeed say it's Brian, bit it just doesn't sound like him to these ears. If it is him he's never sung like that before or since.

You have to remember that his entire contention is that it's Brian physically sped up on tape, by playing the tape slowly while recording the vocal, so the vocal appears to be higher when played back at regular speed.

So indeed, Brian would never have sung like that before or since.

Nothing about being sped up in his book... plus since when has Brian's voice sped up sounded exactly like Alan's ?

Steve does indeed say it's Brian, bit it just doesn't sound like him to these ears. If it is him he's never sung like that before or since.

Normally I'd back Steve on anything, but he's not infallible (i.e. Brian's part on "At My Window" is French, not Portugese). But then, who is ?

[Beginning Set]

Charles Lloyd didn't come on until the 15 Big Ones period.

The Beach Boys played a four show run at the Whisky-A-Go-Go in Los Angeles in August 1970, I believe it was. Carl had just discovered The Flame and produced their first album for Brother Records. He asked The Flame to open and close for the band and these were the shows for which The Flame opened.

The Flame songs on this tape are as follows -

Beginning Set
I'm So Happy
See The Light
Gimme Shelter

Ending Set
Johnny B. Goode (with the BBs)
I've Got A Feeling
John Barleycorn Must Die

The Whiskey gigs, as is well known, were November 4-7th.

This album completely blew it away.  I LOVE IT and I can't wait until next winter to start diggin' it again.  The title track "What I Really Want For Christmas" is gorgeous.  Wonderful lyrics and melody.  The best original Christmas song I've heard in years and years.  "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" has a killer arrangement, as do the beautiful "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "The First Noel."  Blew me away!  It's #1 in my book.  Say goodbye, Phil Spector.

Sorry bud - Blue Board's that way.

If Mike came up with an album as good as GIOMH (a stretch to imagine it, I know, but bear with me) - I don't think there'd be enough praise in the world for some people to lavish on it.

But... he did. 

Allow me to rationalise.

Carl announces a solo album. Anticipation is high for more in the line of "Trader", "Angel Come Home" and "Feel Flows". The album is released... and it's boring beyond belief. All the songs on the first side sound the same. The only highspot is "Heaven".

Mike announces a solo album. Anticipation is high for two sides of TM related dreck in the mould of "Everyone's In Love With You", or maybe [shudder] more country stuff. The album is released... and it's an inoffensive slice of fluffy pop - not high art, or even low art, but acceptable within its own limitations. The high point is the three-song sweep that closes the album out*. If Alan had released it, I think the reaction would have been a lot different.

[* that noise you can hear is Suze tearing her hair out by the roots]

Well, I've got a book right here in my hot little hand that says, and I quote, "a largely enjoyable clutch of songs", and I agree entirely with the sentiments of that author, who is obviously a jolly good egg and perceptive to boot. Bought it the first day it was released (in Sacremento, but that's another story) and liked it ever since. This is one CD reissue who's day is long overdue.

It's your own book! Of course you're going to agree with yourself!!!!!

sh*t. Rumbled. 

[BWPS]

The fact that it was pawned off on Rhino who gave it zero promotion had nothing to do with it?

Warner's got it as part of the BWPS package - you want Smile, you gotta take this as well. The original release date for GIOMH was December 2003/January 2004 so Brian could tour it in tandem with Smile. Why was it pushed back ? Simple - at least two companies it was offered to passed, possibly because they were asked to bid on it sight unseen (or sound unheard... whatever). I'm very reliably told that there's more than one LA record company who, on hearing it for the first time, said something to the effect of "thank f*** we passed on that".

As for promotion, well, does the phrase "why throw good money after bad" mean anything ?    Truly, there isn't enough money in the business to service that puppy.

No, no, no, it goes like this:

Van Dyke: Treeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees like me weren't meant to liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive

 

And man you should hear that tag through the matrix !

Charles Lloyd didn't come on until the 15 Big Ones period.

Really ? Then who's playing flute on "Feel Flows", then ? 

runalot, did it never occur to you that i was doing the best I could within the constraints of the format ? You know how many pages were cut ? Eight. Sure, you said nice things (and thanks for that), then proceded to tell me it wasn't good enough -

"But it fails to REALLY justify who is singing what."

Well, gee, thanks a bunch for that. I only spent three months writing the thing in my spare time (and some 30 years researching it). You write the next one.

Am I being over-sensetive ? Maybe, but I'm proud of that book and don't take unfounded criticism kindly. The leads are noted for the overwhelming majority of the songs - granted some slipped past - and to be told it's not good enough is, frankly, insulting to me on a personal and professional level. Omnibus thought it was good enough (twice) as did my collaborator.

Mr. Doe, I'd like to compliment you on the book, I look into it at least once pretty much every day. Great job.

(I did find a mistake you might want to do something about in possible reprints (even though somebody probably pointed it out already): The Little Girl I Once Knew isn't in the book)

Page 42. 

Thanks for the kind words. Most people I know have it permanently installed in the toilet. 

[GIOMH]

As near as I can tell, the only thing Brian has said he was out of the loop of on the album was the final sequencing. That's seldom the artist's perogative anyway.

Brian has stated in interviews that he didn't choose the songs for the album.

Third, a group on internet tastemakers (and I include AGD in this) took it upon themselves to loudly trash this album at every opportunity. It became difficult for people who genuinely dug the album to say anything in its defense without being trashed as deaf, fanboys, or what have you. I don't know why they turned on Brian...

I don't consider myself a tastemaker, just a hard-worki- sorry, just a commentator, and what I said were my honest thoughts on the album, to wit, it sucks. And in this I'm not alone: some people intimately involved in the making of the album (no names, no pack drill) were bitterly disappointed with the finished product. As for people having trouble liking it, you try saying it's terrible and see what happens. Especially the Bloo, where any nay-sayers were told in withering tones that they just didn't "get" it - this may require a substantial readjustment of some people's outlook, but Brian Wilson is capeable of releasing rubbish. And he did. In my opinion, GIOMH is the worst BB solo album bar none... and the record-buying public agreed. One week at #100.

I thought it would be two words:
Mostly Harmful.
(apologies to Douglas Adams)

With your permission, it will be.

Now. 

It's the beards... they confuse a lot of people.

[Abbey Roads]

These Wondertwins... they any good ?

And Abbey Roads... that's the gatefold double set, right ?

Brian does both end parts of the end of Airplane.

Surely not mate, Brian does the 'lead'... though I'd bet on my mothers grave that Carl is doing the 'fill ins'... the "can't wait"... "her face"...

It is absolutely him

Absolutely. Something I neglected to mention in the ComGuide (mea culpa - I'll fix it in the 2011 update).

Apologies to all for the previous intemperate post, but honestly, stuff like that really makes me wonder why I bother some times. Guy's got the book, the info's in there, and it's still not enough. I'll ask Omnibus if, for the next one, we can included a multi-layered double-sided DVD of the vocal tracks isolated out*.

[* denotes heavy sarcasm]

[And guys/gals, I LOVE this website. It's not just a bunch of Full House fans who own a BB greatest hits album.]

I have AGD's book. Great book. One of the best. But it fails to REALLY justify who is singing what.

Okay, great. I'll go by 2-fer-album. (if you guys don't mind, cut n paste the entire lists - then put the same by 'em. if it's debatable, please note that). And also... I know there are different singers for different parts of the songs; if you guys/gals don't mind, could you please note where the different person takes over a verse?

Hate to be a pain in the ass BUT I really wanna get this crap down, ya know? Again, thanks in advance!

And guys/gals, I LOVE this website. It's not just a bunch of Full House fans who own a BB greatest hits album.

15 Sad Ones:

Rock And Roll Music
It's OK   
Had To Phone Ya      
Chapel Of Love      
Everyone's In Love With You      
Talk To Me      
That Same Song      
TM Song      
Palisades Park      
Susie Cincinnati      
A Casual Look      
Blueberry Hill      
Back Home      
In The Still Of The Night      
Just Once In My Life
      
Wuv You:

Let Us Go On This Way      
Roller Skating Child      
Mona      
Johnny Carson      
Good Time      
Honkin' Down The Highway      
Ding Dang      
Solar System      
The Night Was So Young      
I'll Bet He's Nice      
Let's Put Our Hearts Together      
I Wanna Pick You Up      
Airplane      
Love Is A Woman   

'Scuse me, but if you care to check out pages 89 to 96, you get told who sings lead on what. Example - "R&R Music"..."Love's lead vocal is competant". "Had to Phone Ya"... All the band take a line or two of the main vocal - in order, Mike-Alan-Carl-Dennis..." For the changeovers, try using your ears a little - maybe it's just me, but I think there's a slight, but discernable difference between Carl & Dennis on "HTPY". Sorry if I seem a little irked, but essentially you're telling me I've not done the job I was commissioned to do properly. I actually listened to all those tracks, three times minimum. May I suggest you try doing the same ?

Edit:

Sorry to labor a point and maybe I'm being over-sensetive, but if this isn't good enough for you -

"I'LL BET HE'S NICE
(B.Wilson)
There's a tape in circulation of Brian demoing Love You material for the rest of the band, and you can almost hear the jaws dropping when he plays this. A painfully honest letter to a lost love, Brian and Dennis trade gruff verses to great emotional effect, but Carl's middle eight is seamlessly superlative, and the group tag is just icing on the cake. Wonderful stuff."

- then maybe I shouldn't f*cking well bother anymore as I'm obviously just not up to the required standards.