I saw the film Saturday night and loved it. I'm afraid I may have read too many reviews and watched the trailer too many times because I was expecting a much more emotional and devastating film than I got. I did tear up seeing Brian sing "Love & Mercy" at the end. Because you really feel the victory from leaving Landy. None of what we got from "Imagination" onward would have happened under Landy.

I'm always concerned about things being changed for dramatic effect in movies because people will then believe that version. I have to keep telling my parents that certain things in "Walk the Line" didn't happen that way, but they don't believe me since it was in some movie with backing from the families. I don't love the appearance that Brian went to bed for a couple years after SMiLE and did nothing else until the late 80s. He continued to make great music for a few more years. And they make it sound like the guys did Smiley Smile without Brian's involvement even though he's all over those session tapes and the album itself.

A few things weren't explained at all.. like WHY did Brian have a panic attack on the plane. WHY did they fire Murray. (I know these things, but my wife didn't.) WHY "Pet Sounds" was considered such a bad career move by Mike just because it was sad songs when the guys did plenty of sad songs before, from "In My Room" to key tracks on the "Today" and "Summer Days" albums. Mike didn't come off as good as I thought he would based on some of the opinions here. I figured his reactions to SMiLE sessions would be what's understandable, but there's nothing unacceptable about the "Pet Sounds" sessions in the movie and they didn't show any band blowout from the weirdness of the "Fire" sessions, and we know from clips that the other guys were there.

Also, a couple unnecessary digs at the Beach Boys itself.. like "we're too shallow for the deep end" and that guy telling Brian that HE's the Beach Boys.. Dennis and Carl are very supportive throughout the movie. John Cusack I just couldn't picture as Brian.. He altered his style of speaking, but not his look or voice.  Because Dano looked so much more like Brian, it seemed like a movie that is half Brian and half Cusack.

Unfortunately for us, in our theater was a woman who laughed at all the inappropriate parts.. thinking Brian's weird behavior was funny instead of sad.  

But yes, I think a failing might be that they didn't explain (aside from "sad music") why the Pet Sounds material was so objectionable to the other guys.  The Beach Boys had plenty of sad songs before.

Well you guys have made me want to see this movie.  Badly.

I didn't want to at first because like a lot of the fans here, Brian Wilson is too personal.  He probably means more to me than anyone not currently living in my house.  And I figured it would be a disaster because there is so much to explain in such a short period of time.. and John Cusack looks NOTHING like Brian..

But now I can't wait.. 

And I'm trying to get a babysitter asap.

yeah somehow gay marriage showed up in paragraph 1.

Why did he dedicate the album to his 5 D-named kids, but not Carnie and Wendy?

And why say he's been with Capitol for 50 years and can't imagine being anywhere else,
when this and "That Lucky Old Sun" are his ONLY solo albums to be on Capitol?

Here are my thoughts on "No Pier Pressure" after only one spin. I'm always a glass is half-full guy when it comes to Brian. Maybe loyal to a fault because of how much he's meant to me in my life. So I couldn't wait to hear this "Runaway Dancer" track everyone is talking about. I admit to not really looking forward to the album all that much due to all the duets, but it wasn't the duets that bothered me about it... it was the music, which just doesn't SOUND like a Brian Wilson production. I'm not going to believe at the age of 72 he just decided to change things up. The album doesn't "feel" like him through a majority of it's duration. I guess that's the best way I can put it.

 While "Runaway Dancer" is a shock at first, it's no "Smart Girls," and instead I give the award for Worst Thing Ever to "Our Special Love." That track doesn't seem to have ANYthing to do with Brian. I'm not feeling him in the song, the production, anything. "Don't Worry" is also a WTF moment. Sounds like the Bee Gees or something.. I imagine roller skates, a disco ball, and maybe the cast of the Wonder Years by a vending machine. "Half Moon Bay" sounds like Uncle Jesse is walking with some chick on the beach.. three times longer than it needs to be. So early in the album, and after the very short and not-very-Brian "On the Island," it adds to "Runaway Dancer" and gives off the feeling that this will be an odd album.

 Positives include "Whatever Happened" and "The Right Time." I could only sit through the video for the later once, but here it was very welcome and works better in this environment. Sounds like Al is on "Somewhere Quiet" a lot even though he's not credited. "I'm Feeling Sad" was a big highlight for me. Really liked the ending. About as close to quirky-Brian that we'll get here. "Sail Away" was also really good, despite some unfortunate flutiness at the end. I also really liked Nate Ruess' voice on "Saturday Night." I didn't know who this guy was, but it sounded a lot like a guy I used to listen to long ago whose name I can't put a finger on.

 So after one spin, I'll say it's better and more entertaining than the Disney album. I don't know if I'll be ranking it ahead of anything else at the moment. No doubt because it's Brian I'll dig into it a lot more. My issue is the production. The music doesn't sound like Brian Wilson music a majority of the time. I can handle these guest stars better than I expected (except that dreadful Peter Hollens track.) But it seems he gave way too into their styles in a bid to be modern/current, and didn't leave enough room for himself.

If it was only recently found, that would explain its absence from MiC. If MiC's collators included stuff like 'Where Is She?' and 'Why?', I can't see why they would have left this off if they'd known about it...? Unless Brian vetoed its inclusion. But then why would he do that and then include it here...?

They new about it at the time of MiC.  They also knew of a few dozen other tracks they decided for whatever reason not to give us.

I don't think Brian sounds drunk or high or anything.. he's just doing a casual revisiting of a song he probably hadn't played in awhile,
and tape just happened to be rolling for whatever reason. 

Target donates huge sums of $ to exclusively right-wing political campaigns

I wish..  but they give to anti-american liberals too.

Was Brian 's 1975 recording unearthed during the compiling of MIC? You would think that would have been the perfect place for it. It makes me wonder if this is a very recent re-discovery.

A lot of great stuff was left off MIC.

Thanks for coming by and letting us know Brian!  I have preordered all three formats of No Pier Pressure (I'm weird like that).  Excited to hear it in all of it's glory!

From where?
Why would anyone pre-order mp3s? 
Why would anyone BUY mp3s when you have the CD you can make them from effortlessly?

Hope so. I'm keeping my original set as is, faulty disc 3 and all. Two second gap or no two second gap - not bothered.

You don't have to surrender your original disc to get a new one.

Thanks for that - I'll try. But our point is, we shouldn't have to resort to such subterfuge.

The 7digital store has 320 bitrate mp3s while iTunes has 256 AAC and Amazon does VR.

http://us.7digital.com/artist/various-artists/release/the-big-beat-1963

There are more rarities on this thing than the MADE IN CALIFORNIA box.

It is there.

Thanks for the link.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H4R77YY/ref=sr_1_1_rd?ie=UTF8&child=B00H4R7JQA&qid=1386780959&sr=1-1[/url]

Don, John and to those of us that do care,   I worked on it some this past week.  Amazon US came up with a new twist.  Then insisted to move through, I had to accept replacement.  So I did; got it Friday.  Had the bad disc - so Don, hold on a bit longer.  Amazon has offered to remove/freeze orders, once they hear back from me. -Seems extreme, but Capitol/EMI/Universal will jump quick if they do.

Not that extreme.  Something happened with the new Bob Dylan Complete Album Collection Vol. 1 set.  Amazon wasn't offering it for a week and now it's back with a Product Alert:  http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Album-Collection-V-1/dp/B00F6Y3FKW/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1385522728&sr=1-1&keywords=bob+dylan+complete+albums

I will say this:

1) I have NOT altered any speeds at all.  I know people on the previous page were saying Big Sur was slow, but I A/Bd my mix with three others, and they all were at the same pitch and the speed differed by a mere +/- 0.4 seconds.  That is not indicative of a slow tape speed.  So it's the same case with this:  Do we have a pitch-corrected speed for these to compare the tapes to?  Remember that in creating these I synched my working mix up with a few others to compare EQ settings and to tinker.  In doing that I did not see a pitch problem.  So either they're all slow, or they're all fine. 

"Good Time" is very very slow. 

Well if its a damn bootleg I don't wanna cheat the BB PURCHASING  their illegal product.
Show me the torrent instead.

Whether you are buying a bootleg or downloading it for free, you're still not cheating the Beach Boys.

OK here it is, my reconstruction of Adult/Child.

I have to say, your "Songs from the Black Hole" is incredible.  I never had the patience to research that thing and your version is so listenable and actually makes sense.

Major kudos to you.  Glad to have this!

You don't have the multitracks so you didn't remix anything. You adjusted eq.

Hmm....I was under the impression Brian was singing SOS when Blondie wasn't present. Brian sang it at my show, anyway...

Yeah Scott sang it tonight..  REALLY hoping to hear Brian do it again, but it is what it is.
I've seen him live 4-5 times now and I still can't believe I was in the same room as The Man!

Just got back from the Detroit show.  It was great.  I've not been following the thread so I was surprised and disappointed that Scott sang "Sail On Sailor" instead of Brian and that Jeff sang "Wouldn't It Be Nice" instead of Al.. but the rest of the show was excellent.  Brian was relaxed and sounded SO good..  It's a shame he didn't have more lead vocals.   Also, you call it Brian Wilson and don't play any solo songs?  Ah.. anyways..

Their Hearts Were Full of Spring - Group
California Girls - Brian
Do It Again - Brian
Don't Worry Baby - Jeff
Then I Kissed Her - Al
Little Bird - Dave
Old Man River - Group
Cotton Fields - Al
Sail On Sailor - Scott
Darlin' - Darian
Marcella - Brian
Heroes and Villains - Brian
Pet Sounds
God Only Knows - Brian  (standing ovation)
Sloop John B - Al and Brian
Wouldn't It Be Nice - Jeff (Brian on bridge)
Help Me Rhonda - Al
I Get Around - Brian
Good Vibrations - Brian
Fun Fun Fun - Brian

With Jeff Beck..
Our Prayer
Child Is Father (outro)
Surf's Up

Encore..
Barbara Ann - Group
Surfin' USA - Brian
Danny Boy

Yep.  Every song starts 0:02 into the track, so the last two seconds of the Surfs Up fade are missing.

... and this, gentlemen, is why this set is pretty much above criticism. 

lmao

According to Wikipedia, "There are four different types of handedness that include: left-handedness, right-handedness, mixed-handedness, and ambidexterity."  It seems some of the folks in this thread are "mixed-handedness," meaning there is a "change of hand preference between different tasks."  When I grew up, we were always told you are whatever hand you write with but that's apparently not the case.  Paul McCartney writes with his left hand, but Kurt Cobain wrote with his right, yet like Paul, he played guitar lefty.  What makes Kurt a lefty?

"When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)" here is listed as "2012 stereo mix" but it's not at all the same as the one on last year's mono/stereo 2-fer.