Thanks. With 172 views, I figured someone did check it out. People often don't respond much on this forum--pathetically enough, myself included. Such is the way of the world.

Hot.

I might get nailed for this since it's off the top of my head, but I've had in my head for years that I've read it was an intentional BW "trick" or decision to pull the instrumental tracks out first, letting the vox continue. But I really don't recall at the moment where I read it, or who wrote it. And I'm not sure I care enough to dig. But I thought I'd offer the drunken recollection, anyway.

(In other words, it may have been a very conscious decision by Brian Wilson.)

No question, it was Pet Sounds. My parents had the Endless Summer album around when I was growing up, but it was just one of many records I'd listen to of theirs. Then in the mid 90s I got Pet Sounds and almost simultaneously saw one of the TV docs--I assume it was Biography or something--and heard a bit of Surf's Up. The combination of those things got me really interested.

Wow, I can honestly say that it has never occurred to me to even begin to consider what kind of footwear anyone wore. Celebrities, friends or family. It has never crossed my mind.

But now it has. And next, I hope we discuss their underwear.

I'd prefer that to 2/3 the real albums.

Awesome.

Yeah, in keeping with the thread, then, I guess I'd say a very smart marketing campaign to renew interest in his classic material is the way to resurrect his career, with selected tours or shows featuring his complete band doing increasing doubling or replacement vocals to ensure he doesn't embarrass himself. That's how to sell more Brian Wilson product and keep the name out there. And I don't really care one way or the other whether that happens.

I'd like a recording of some journalist asking Brian about a single song (or album) once a day, every day, for a month or two. Not Song A on Day One, Song B on Day Two, etc., but Song A on Day One, Song A on Day Two, Song A on Day Three, and so on. It would be funny to hear all the different, conflicting answers he'd probably give, and then every time I read anyone posting something like "Brian once said that [whatever quote]," I could just laugh.

Also, maybe a critical analysis of "Norbit," by Brian Wilson.

But, I think some are underestimating the importance of a producer...

Or underestimating the importance of having an artist with much to say anymore. 

I love TLOS. I'd buy it whether the production were (in order of decreasing quality) classic BW, a quality modern producer (whether of the "classic" type like T-Bone Burnett or Rick Rubin or a more hip, younger name), Jeff Lynne or Gene Landy back from the grave. But the days of major innovation and popularity combined from BW are long gone, and frankly, even (either) one out of two is pretty unlikely.

My dream--even more than an Anthology-style series--is a Beach Boys "Classic Albums" ... of every album. I'd love it. Let them get out the masters and put Brian and the guys  behind the boards, like happened a little in Endless Harmony. Talk to everyone possible. Pay Desper whatever it takes. Dig up footage of Britz. It would be my dream. The isolated tracks you get on boots are cool, but snippets of them with contextual conversation? Hell yeah!

I might make a few enemies by saying this, but I thought Taylor Mills' album was ...not as good as it should have been.

I think it sucked. I respect Scott and Taylor for their abilities, but they didn't come through on that one. I hated the songs, disliked a lot of the sound. Cheese. Mediocre cheese, which is almost even worse than being awful cheese, which at least can draw some emotion (hatred).

(How's THAT for making a few enemies?)

I love that series: I've got the DVDs of Lou Reed's Transformer, Paul Simon's Graceland, Hendrix's Electric Ladyland, the Band's s/t and several others. I'm not really much of a Doors fan the past decade or so, but I'll likely end up buying this anyway because I'm a sucker for talking about making albums. Isolated tracks, alternate takes, interviews with engineers, etc., you can't go wrong.

I wasn't aware of this project. Thanks for the info.

There are worse things to be than a prick.

Anyway, I assume you understood that I didn't mean everyone who likes the early stuff sucks, but that certain type who (as I said) "sneer" at the other music--because that type of fan, I believe, is more interested in being "in the know" about some underground band than actually listening to music.

You're exactly right that it would almost definitely have to be done on a boutique label, online, etc. I don't think any of us believe that it could be done in a single drop of a hard-copy, big budget sort of project in every store worldwide with the corresponding marketing campaign that surrounded Anthology. I mean, remember how omnipresent Anthology was!?

But by combining existing footage and interviews, plus doing extensive new ones with those people still surviving, the results could be amazing, even if it were released in segments in an online-only format or with minimal marketing. The hardcore fans would probably all buy it. I don't think it would set the world on fire, but it's hard to imagine it not turning a profit.

Sign-off by everyone would appear to be the hardest thing. I wonder if the best way to go about it would be by having someone unattached to any of the principals do the piece. Bring in a big-name producer or director to handle it, pitching it as creating a true historical document of an important American cultural phenomenon. Make sure everyone knows going in that this director is trying for objectivity, and so everyone will probably look like the jackass he was at some point, and like the hero he was at some point. (Note, I avoided villain and hero, because that would be lame even for me to say.) But make sure that everyone knows he'll be treated respectfully and fairly as a person--not reduced to the easy caricatures that even many of us consider these people to be.

I can dream...

Why don't they come out with a dvd set like Beatles Anthology, with unseen footage and songs in a documentary...I would be more interested in that, the families and friends could dig deep into their film footages and drag out the studio footages etc.
Carly

That's my--and probably several other people's--dream Beach Boys project, sort of like a super, souped-up Endless Harmony (which I did love, but just wasn't long enough to have the depth I'd prefer). Sadly, with each passing year, someone who could contribute to it dies, and the memories of the people still alive fade further. Honestly, I suppose it wouldn't happen anyway, because I can't imagine the Beach Boys side to want to participate if Leaf is involved or in charge, and I can't imagine the B. Wilson team participating if he weren't. (Obviously, that's speculation on my part.)

If you're strapped for cash, sure, don't buy it, but when it goes out of print you'll all be kicking yourselves.  A collection like this is giving Brian and the Beach Boys the respect they deserve for creating one of the finest bodies of work in the singles medium in the 60's - finer than the Stones certainly, the Beatles - well, arguably comparable. 

I won't be kicking myself. I'll buy it used for $25--maybe. Why maybe? Because I don't care about cute little singles packaged separately. And I only find new stereo mixed moderately interesting. Sometimes, yes. At any given moment, I may marvel at some. But for general listening, it's just not that important to me. I know some people love it. Good for them. I'm not angry about the singles comp, I just don't care. Those who do, great. They'll buy it. Enjoy. I just don't want something that's more a marketing device than a musical release.

For those who want a collection of "new" material - meaning unreleased - I may be in the minority here, but besides the Smile sessions there's not much unreleased material that's that great.  Most of it was unreleased for a reason.  And don't we have most of that unreleased stuff on "unofficial" releases anyway?

I half agree with you. A lot of the unreleased stuff isn't great. But plenty of it is good--as good as a lot of what was released. (No, not all secret gems that are better than the best. I'm not one of those who goes on like that.) And if something is pretty good, well-done, mostly complete, I'd like to have it. And that which we have unofficially, I'd rather pay for through official channels and receive in clean-sounding, well-mixed, well-mastered versions.

When the well runs dry, fine. I'm done. I still won't need the repackagings of hits. I've got what there is, and that's enough. It's just that there are more interesting (to me) things that still could be done. And it's frustrating that those aren't the things that are often getting done. Here I am excited about POB/Bambu, and I only like about half of POB. But at least it's got something new; it's a new project. I guess there are just different types of fans who want different things, and I'm not the type off whom the labels believe they make the most profit. I understand that. I will buy everything, but prefer only to buy it once.

There are real drums on it, but there are also synth drums played by some guy named Roland or Yamaha. It's those shitty sounds that have often made me say that it would be nice if they took the better songs and tried to knock them out in the studio with the new band. Hell, I wouldn't even care if Brian did anything (knowing that such motivation obviously isn't a daily thing for him) other than sing a few parts. Let the others arrange them for real instruments, play them and sing backups and appropriate leads. Bring in Brian to work on the things he'd need to do. I think there's a very good album in there, but when you try to get close, it's so damn slippery to fly right off, careening into space.

People use the excuse that it sounds no worse than other synth-heavy albums of the time. And they're right, but that doesn't make it better. Comparing it to 85 is no fucking compliment. The production is trash, and it's an embarrassment that shows a master of the craft clearly working as part of a team that's chasing trends. Bo-ring. Thank goodness we got Love & Mercy redone in different versions, and Melt Away.

Even the drums sound fake.

That's because there is no lack of synth-drum sound. Fucking gag.

I ought to be clear: if I buy the collection later or second-hand, it's not for lack of funds. It's my choice not to give my money for something of minimal value to me. I love the BBs, but that doesn't mean I will pay full retail price for packages of mostly old material. If I were a millionaire, I still wouldn't rush out for these repackagings with a handful of new mixes. If others will, cool. But not me.

Don't get me wrong - i WILL be picking up that singles collection, if for no other reason than to help send the message to EMI that the BBs are still relevant to the "record-buying" public.  I am convinced that support of projects like this and other GH releases is what paves the way for the Hawthorne Californias to come out.

I suppose to a point that is true. But honestly, I don't know if I will buy it. I might wait until I find it used somewhere. Because frankly, I am sick of buying packages of which I already own 75-90%. I'd like to send the label that message. I'll be honest, I prefer the music on the singles comp. to the POB/Bambu music. And yet I'm more likely to go out of my way for the latter. Sell us more new stuff!

This is something for which I did most of the tracks today, and so it's really likely to be revised (a bazillion times), hence the sendspace link rather than myspace posting. But here is "Songs About Girls," for those who want to hear it.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/q7vrk1

The vocals'd be nicer if it was two or three different people and not just a wall-of-Luther, but I can't fault you for that.

Lately I've been trying to herd my jackass friends (can't you tell I love them?) to help with just that--that or single-track more, to avoid the problem. This one, in fact, is just a double-tracked lead and a single-tracked harmony. But I do get your point. And yeah, it is definitely not anything groundbreaking, just a little thing I thought up one day that I thought was kind of pretty in just the way you mentioned, an old-time kind of thing.

Thanks for your comments. I really appreciate it.

I like the piano block chords and the progression from about :30 - :58.