Because none of the other members had as much of a hand in the band's classic works as Brian did. It's not that hard to understand.

OK, then Brian really didn't even need them, did he? I mean, really?

Couldn't he have sung the missing pieces all himself?

Yeah, sure, Brian could have sung the missing pieces all by himself.  But he knew it wouldn't sound as good.  And... probably more importantly, even if he did finish it himself, he was still going to have the face the Beach Boys in trying to put it out.  Mike may still have said, "Brian this is going to ruin our careers if you f*ck with the formula."  If it came down to it, Mike and others may have refused to let Brian put the album out under the Beach Boys name.  And without the Beach Boys name it wouldn't have sold as well, and, well... Brian was really hoping and wishing it was going to be the next great Beach Boys' album.  That's what he wanted.  He didn't want it to be a solo album, he wanted it to be a Beach Boys' album.  And if the Beach Boys didn't want it to be a Beach Boys' album, then what was he to do?

And, yes, Andrew, the obstinacy the Beach Boys showed over the album probably wasn't the only reason it didn't come out.  But I think it certainly exacerbated any of the other problems.  And I will never understand how some people can whitewash the fact the the lyricist felt he was pushed out of the project.  If you push the lyricist of the project, how can you hope to finish it as originally planned?

Love and merci,    Dan Lega

I'm pretty sure I read the Tom Nolan Rolling Stone article when it came out -- so I guess I've been waiting for SMiLE for 40 years, too.


Love and merci,   Dan Lega

You know, people (that is, the less obsessed and knowledgeable) will hear the sessions when this thing comes out, and they will hear just how many vocals were actually recorded for the unfinished/abandoned album that allegedly had a lot of dissent from within, and they might just start to see the story differently.

This way of thinking always gets to me.  Why couldn't they have recorded the lyrics AND heavily complained about them?  As far as I know it IS physically possible to SING a lyric, (with feeling, too!) even if you don't like it very much!  Throw in the fact that, hey, you're already in the studio AND you're already PAYING for the studio time and engineers.

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

... but what's the problem then if they did their job and sang the song?  Brian wasn't asking Mike to write on SMiLE.  Brian wasn't asking Dennis for help recording the album.  He was just asking them to sing.  Which they obviously did.  So whether or not they were happy campers is irrelevant.  We've got one legend of a story of Mike being crucified for 40 years for the mistake of asking what a phrase means.  It's also a fascinating thing that Mike always gets the blame for this, when he did all that was asked of him... and in the close years that followed Brian abandoned the band in a large way. 

I love Brian to death but all the hate the others (Mike especially) get over this album is getting old.  Not aimed at you Dan, I'm just talking about the common perception. 

And that's the other thing that gets to me, "Mike did all that was asked of him."  How do you know this?  And even if Mike did do all that was asked of him, that still doesn't preclude him from complaining about it so much that it scuttled the album.  In fact, that's what Van Dyke says happened, that there was a family dynamic that was being pushed to the limit because of the SMiLE sessions, because of his lyrics.  Therefore, Van Dyke thought he should leave the project, otherwise the scene might get really ugly and Brian might have to choose between Van Dyke and SMiLE, or the Beach Boys.  So Van Dyke left, sensing that Brian wasn't strong enough to bridge the gap and bring the Beach Boys into the new direction that he and Van Dyke were heading.

And, yes, we've got a lot of SMiLE vocals, but we've also got a lot of key parts missing.  Why are they missing?  Is it because Brian got so tired of hearing complaints about the lyrics that he no longer had the strength or will to get the Boys into studio for fear of repeat performances of harangues and complaints?

Mike says he didn't like the lyrics.  Mike doesn't think his complaints scuttled the album.  Van Dyke thinks they did.  Brian has said the band's complaints were a major, major bummer.  That's two against one, the way I see it.  Oh, and then there is Anderle's accounts of the Boys giving Brian a hard time.  I'm still not seeing the "story differently" from where I sit.


Love and merci,    Dan Lega

You know, people (that is, the less obsessed and knowledgeable) will hear the sessions when this thing comes out, and they will hear just how many vocals were actually recorded for the unfinished/abandoned album that allegedly had a lot of dissent from within, and they might just start to see the story differently.

This way of thinking always gets to me.  Why couldn't they have recorded the lyrics AND heavily complained about them?  As far as I know it IS physically possible to SING a lyric, (with feeling, too!) even if you don't like it very much!  Throw in the fact that, hey, you're already in the studio AND you're already PAYING for the studio time and engineers.

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

The Boys did everything in their power to make SMiLE happen for Brian even with whatever "problems" they may have had with it or how mistreated they felt by Brian.

Ah, Cam and his "the Beach Boys did everything to make SMiLE happen"-ness.  So Mike's confronting of Van Dyke about the lyrics and making him feel so uncomfortable that the he left the project is doing everything they can to make SMiLE happen?  What about Anderle and Marilyn saying that the Boys were being the very opposite of helpful?  And Brian and Van Dyke have said the same thing.  I guess none of that matters.

Love and merci,  Dan Lega

But what does that even mean? He doesn't owe his greatness to his influences? Without his influences who knows what would have happened. What if Brian's dad never beat him? What if Brian never heard Rhapsody in Blue? What if he never turned on the radio and caught Be My Baby? What if he had never smoked that first joint or did that first hit of LSD?

I might grant you that Brian had some innate talent that existed independently of everything else (even that's questionable though depending on what side of the nurture v nature argument you side with), but ultimately Brian used his influences as tools to shape that talent into the form of Pet Sounds or SMiLE. Once you start subtracting influences you're subtracting experiences, you're taking away the things that made Brian Brian.

My observation, based on some 35 years or reading about, researching and talking to The Beach Boys and their milieu, is that even before having his first toke in 1964, Brian was already Brian as the likes of us understand it. The drugs merely amplified what was already there: as has been said many many people, some much closer to the centre than any of us, Brian was the last person in the world who should have taken or been offered LSD.

Alright, this is from approximately 10 pages ago, but I just want to chime in this one time.  I'm leaning more toward Fishmonk's side of the tale in this debate.  All three Wilson boys were troubled with addiction to drugs.  Therefore, since back in those days people didn't know what LSD could do, I don't see it worthwhile blaming anyone about Brian's taking of LSD.  With an addictive personality you're going to try a new drug.  No one is to blame.  Andrew, above you seem to hint that Brian was already teetering on the edge of a mental problems.  I believe that, too, and that is why when Laren Daro (or whatever his name is) laughs about giving Brian LSD it's because to him he didn't see much of a difference between pre-LSD Brian and post-LSD Brian.  And you know, we weren't there.  We didn't know Brian intimately then, and we don't know him intimately now.  Daro did know him then.  Therefore, I would say Daro has a better perspective than us.  Of course, he could be wrong, but you have to admit he has the better perspective.  Do I wish Brian had not taken drugs?  Yes, because it seems they did do him harm.  But, you know, I don't really know for sure.  But drugs did affect Brian, and whether they affected his music for bad or for good we'll never know, unless there's a parallel universe out there somewhere in which things happened differently.

So I don't know why people are getting on Fishmonk's case in this debate.  I haven't seen him (or anyone) say "I'm glad Brian took drugs."  He's just pointing out what he thinks Brian's drug-taking might have done to him.  I don't see the harm in that.

And for the record, I've never done hard drugs, and I don't have an addicitve personality and have never wanted to use them.  However, there are people who have these traits and do these things -- and sometimes you can't help them no matter what you do.

Love and merci,  Dan Lega

Yow!  What a list!  It gives me a headache to read it!  I'm one of those who is NOT listening to any SMiLE material until I get the box set, but I'll try to play along here.  I think we will definitely hear some mixes from acetates that we've never heard before, so I'll answer "yes" to most of those questions.


---------------------------


Which of the following “new” material will be included on The Smile Sessions?

1.   Acetate/mix from May 11 session for Heroes and Villains  YES
2.   Previously unheard sections from Good Vibrations     NO
3.   Wind Chimes mix referred to by Michael Vosse          YES
4.   Vocals for Look/I Ran (Oct 13)         NO
5.   Wonderful with lead vocal and yodeling bvs     (OKAY, I'M CONFUSED, DON'T WE HAVE THIS ALREADY?)
6.   Cabin Essence previously unheard instrumental section        NO -- NOTHING UNHEARD, AT LEAST.  
7.   Cabin Essence “reconnected telephone” vocals        NO
8.   Child Is Father Of The Man previously unheard vocals (leads and/or bvs)      YES
9.   Child Is Father Of The Man previously unknown lyrics (could be audio, could be just documented lyrics)     YES
10.   I’m In Great Shape vocals        NO
11.   Significant clues/documentation into the overall structure of I’m In Great Shape      YES -- THOUGH PROBABLY AS A PART OF "H&V"
12.   Vintage lead vocal for Do You Like Worms        NO
13.   An altogether different recording under the title Do You Like Worms      NO -- I THINK AL WAS JUST MIS-REMEMBERING
14.   Any previously unheard spoken recordings/skits     NO
15.   Vintage lead vocal for Barnyard        YES
16.   Acetate/mix from fall 1966 version of Heroes and Villains      YES
17.   Previously unheard instrumental section from Surf’s Up        NO
18.   The Nov 29 recording “Jazz”         YES
19.   Previously unheard piece pertaining to the Elements       NO
20.   Significant new clues/documentation into what comprised the air element (for bonus point, speculate on specifics of what that element turns out to be)       NO
21.   Significant new clues/documentation into what comprised the earth element (for bonus point, speculate on specifics of what that element turns out to be)        NO, JUST A LOT MORE SPECULATION
22.   Significant new clues/documentation into what comprised the water element (for bonus point, speculate on specifics of what that element turns out to be)       YES -- THAT THE "WATER" (OR "WAH-DOO") CHANT IS THE WATER ELEMENT RECORDING
23.   Vocal parts for Old Master Painter and/or You Are My Sunshine       YES
24.   Excerpts from “Ball and Mitt” (Dec 15)        HUH?   I DON'T RECALL THIS, SO I'LL SAY "NO"
25.   Previously unheard section(s) from Heroes and Villains (for bonus points, speculate on specific sections)    NO
26.   Acetate/mix from 1967 version of Heroes and Villains       YES
27.   Dennis Wilson’s “I Don’t Know”       YES
28.   Jasper Dailey recording(s)     YES -- MAYBE THEY'LL PUT THEM AS BONUS HIDDEN TRACKS?
29.   Previously unheard material from Carl’s “Tones”    NO
 30.   Previously unheard material from the April Vega-Tables sessions    NO

Write-in item(s):  "VEGETABLES" WITH TOOTHBRUSH SOUND EFFECTS
                            A VERSION OF BARNYARD WITH ANIMAL SOUND EFFECTS -- MAY BE A LINETT/BOYD CONSTRUCTION, THOUGH



Love and merci,    Dan Lega

I highly doubt Brian was forced out crying by big bullies Mike and Al. The Wild Honey sessions were quite joyus.

I, for one, believe Brian was bullied and forced out crying.  Why would the member of 3 Dog Night make that story up?  He told it years after it happened, and he had no axe to grind, seeing as the group made it big on their own.  In fact, they probably had a much better career on their own than they would have had with Brian's help.

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

I don't think it's related to the BB's or BW's SMiLE. Looks like a happy accident to me!

Well, it's clearly not just a happy accident.  The "SMiLE" lettering is deliberately stolen.  But I think you're right that it does not relate to the Brian or the Beach Boys.  I've seen a few versions of this shirt -- one in person on a New York subway rider.  They're all pretty much the same, and they all relate to some group's "Keep America Beautiful" campaign.

Love and merci,  Dan Lega

You know, that's something I've often wondered. Stephen Desper described the situation as it happened in 1971: "About thirty minutes into the mix, Brian ... came bursting into the studio ... excitedly proclaiming that we should stop the mix and add just 'one more part' to the ending." The famous tag vocals were then "added postscript, and doubled at the last minute, as if always in his mind from conception, but heretofore forgotten, or perhaps suppressed." (emphasis mine)

While it's all conjecture on Stephen Desper's part, it does seem like an obvious question: was this a spur of the moment Brian idea or was it something he had tucked away since 1966? I wish someone would ask him, if they haven't already. Then again, his answer would probably just add more confusion to the matter.

Maybe they were actually part of the lyrics to Child is the Father of the Man?  Hence them not being sung or mentioned during the Surf's up demo, and then, when Brian realizes that Carl Wilson has adapted a second smile song for the outro of surf's up, he thinks to himself: well, might as well use the proper lyrics! 

The lyrics "A children's song, and we listen as they play, their song is love, and the children know the way," were written by Jack Rieley -- at that time.  However, I'm one to believe Brian always had that melody line in his head from the time of the SMiLE sessions.

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

I thought I remembered Van Dyke saying that he DID go through some of his old lyrics?  There was a story, Brian called Van Dyke and said "Hey, do you remember that song "Do You Like Worms?  What's this lyric?"

Because Brian had some old papers with lyrics on them.  Van Dyke said he almost had a heart attack because Brian had been ignoring the album for 40 years, then calls him out of the blue and asks him about a lyric from it.  So Van Dyke pulled out some stuff, and told him over the phone what it was supposed to be.

I could be totally wrong. 

I could be wrong, too...  I think it was Darian pulling out the lyric sheet and telling Brian that he can't make out one of the words.  So Brian walks over to the phone and dials Van Dyke (without having to look up the number!) and asks him if he remembers what this one word is in this line.  Van Dyke says the word is Indian -- just like that.  No need for him to look it up.  And that, of course, was the start of what led Brian to inviting Van Dyke to join him in finishing SMiLE.

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

Sorry, somehow I posted something in the wrong thread -- so I deleted it.

I almost think the vinyl is simply in there to 1.) make the package physically larger and 2.) to jack up the price.

But hey -- it would have been a record in the 1960s. Maybe that's the way to think about it.

I haven't read the whole thread, so I don't know if anyone else mentioned this... but I think your "3rd" way to think about it is more correct.  To me, the two main reasons they're including an LP in the box set is to 1) make sure that the Beach Boys version of SMiLE finally gets placed on vinyl, just as it should have been so many years ago, and 2) to also make sure that Frank Holmes legendary artwork is finally placed in all its full size glory on a real honest-to-goodness LP cover!

This large size also let's them include a large LP sized book that publishes Frank's other drawings in full size, too.

But, yeh, they still could have left the LP to be sold separately, but if you're going to pay for a SMiLE box set, then you should get a chance to experience the excitement of holding a real SMiLE LP!  At least that's my thought.

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

So why (a) would VDP let his work (and a significant bit of his legacy) go as part of a divorce settlement and/or (b) why would his divorcée demand or win it?  Surely, only - ONLY - because their (her?) lawyers had reasoned it had some sort of serious monetary value.

    Yes, Van Dyke believes they are worth some money.  If I remember correctly, I asked Van Dyke about the acetates when I met him backstage in London at the premiere of SMiLE in 2004.  I should probably go back and dig up what I wrote about it then, because maybe I'm remembering it wrong, but I think I asked Mr. Parks if he had listened to his old acetates and he essentially said, "No, his ex-wife has them, and I've told her to hold onto them -- I've got daughters in college, and that's an expensive propostion."  Meaning, yes, he thinks they're worth some money, and that he was probably expecting Capitol to put out a box set soon, and he therefore wanted Durrie to hold onto them until Capitol is willing to pay for them. 

     If you recall, he said in interviews about finishing SMiLE in 2004 that everything new that he wrote for that project was really new.  He didn't listen to the acetates, and he didn't ask Frank Holmes to provide him with any old lyric sheets that may have had unused vintage lyrics on them.  (I think he also wanted Frank to hold onto them for a possible payday, too, figuring he got screwed out of a nice payday back in the day when they didn't use his drawings.)  So he figured he could write some good lyrics for SMiLE 2004 that would reflect the growth and travels of he and Brian that got them there, and hold out for a nice payday for Frank and Durrie, too.  (Now, I'm not entirely sure that Frank has any more lyrics than what he has already told us about, but I seem to remember it being mentioned.)

     But what about the vintage lyrics for Plymouth Rock, you say?  Probably the only reason we got the vintage lyrics to Plymouth Rock was that Frank Holmes had provided those lyrics to an interviewer at one point and they were printed in an article.  (Though I also seem to remember that this might be the one SMiLE song sheet with missing lyrics that Brian had in his possession.  Though it could be that Darian had a copy of Van Dyke's lyrics for this song because he got a copy of them when, or from when, Frank gave a copy to the interviewer?)

    But back to the main point... It's been 7 years since 2004, so maybe the Parks' girls college bills have been paid, and Durrie and Van Dyke are living quite comfortably and don't need a huge paycheck.  And then again, the girls may still be paying off loans, or they may be going for PhD's!  Either way, I imagine at some point soon Durrie Parks will be approached about what she has, and let's all hope that the negotiations will be fruitful!   

     Now, as to any legal wranglings over the acetates, as far as I understand it, seeing as the acetates were freely given to Van Dyke, and that he freely left them with Durrie, Capitol and the Beach Boys cannot force her to give them up.  (However, I'm sure most you also realize that she cannot legally make copies of them and sell them, because the material on them is copyrighted.  She would probably have to wait until the copyright ran out until she could sell copies of them.  And copyright runs out when, 25, 50, 75 years after Brians death?!) 

     However, I just had a thought -- she could probably legally sell them to someone else, or auction them off.  So... if there is an extremely rich Beach Boy fan out there, maybe you could buy them for an astronomical amount and then give them freely (or for a very nominal price) to Capitol for inclusion in the box set!  Now who's going to step up?  Cam?  AGD?  I know you two are loaded!  ;-)

     Or an even weirder notion -- how many Beach Boy fans could we get to "donate" $1, $5, $10 or more to a Durrie Parks fund in order for us to finally hear what is on them?  Who's in touch with Van Dyke?  Maybe we could set up a paypal fund that we contribute to, and once the acetates are turned over to Capitol, Durrie Parks could collect her money from us!  {Or better yet, we could give the money to Brad Elliott to hold for us while negotiations take place.  It would be safe in his hands, right?  --Sorry, had to do the joke before someone else did.}

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

So: adding new material would be an insult to the memory of these guys, and perhaps border on what's known as art fraud.

Wow...    

Hey, I stated my opinion, expected to get flamed for it, and I don't plan on getting into a big discussion about it.  However, I totally fail to see how adding vintage lyrics to an old recording, as long as the original melody is found/remembered, is insulting to Dennis and Carl.  I also don't see how it could be considered art fraud if it's clearly stated when, why, and how the recording is done.  But to each his own.

Love and merci,   Dan Lega


PS -- AGD, old buddie, I know you've been arguing for the exact opposite opinion, so I thank you for your restraint and your succinct reply!  

(I posted this in another thread first, not realizing there was a specific thread for this topic.)


I'll know I’ll most likely be pilloried here, but I just want to put it out there that I, like a few others apparently, think they should use the post '67 Cabinessence and Surf's Up vocals for the Side One "near-to-finished” version of the album.  I want all the first time listeners to hear the magnificence of the finished tracks.  I don't want them to sit there and go, "Hmmm, I wonder what that would have sounded like with lyrics?"  Then the '66-'67 unfinished vocal version or instrumental track can be used on one of the other discs.  As for those who say, "But hey, it's called SMiLE Sessions, therefore you can't use anything past those dates," all I can say is, that is what *asterisks* are for!  Just place a little asterisk next to the song title to indicate that parts of the recording are post SMiLE Sessions era. 

My take is that anything which was WRITTEN or PLANNED, not just anything that was recorded, is historically accurate and indispensible.  Me?  I personally would love to have “reconnected telephone line” recorded anew – if it’s not found on a tape or acetate.  And even if this vocal is found – but only in bad sound quality – then I’d still love to hear it newly recorded on the existing backing track.  Seriously, I would.  Now I don’t expect to change any of your well positioned thoughts on the subject, but I have to be honest and say what I would want.  Now granted, if they record any new vocals my hope is that they let Al Jardine sing the lead, and that Mike, Bruce, and Brian are relegated to backing vocals, and that they do their absolute best to make it fit sonically with the rest of the vintage recordings.  Any new recordings should feature only the original members, meaning I would rather not have Darian, Jeff, Christian, or Al’s kids singing on it.  Also, I would rather not have a modern Brian lead vocal.  Only Al’s voice is still in top shape.  That being said, though, I would rather hear “reconnected telephone line” sung by ANYBODY than not to hear it at all.  (Though if it’s just sung by anybody, then it should be relegated to disc 2, or 3 or 4.)  Similarly, I would love to hear a modern Al Jardine lead vocal on “Do You Like Worms” if a vintage vocal can’t be found.  Heck, I wouldn’t mind hearing that on Disc 1 if it was done with enough integrity to the original recordings.  And if more lyrics from that period appear (either from Frank Holmes lyric sheets or elsewhere) I would love to hear them newly recorded, too.  I mean, if they’re not recorded for this project, when will they be?

The one thing I would not advocate for are newly recorded vocals of Van Dyke’s 2004 lyrics.  They are excellent for that project, but I don’t see any need for them on this set.  (Though, once again, if they were done tastefully, with an Al lead etc., etc., I don’t think you’d hear me complain too much -- though I would hope that the tracks would appear as extras, rather than on Disc 1.)

Again, I realize some of you will be dying to roast me over the pits of hell because of these sentiments, but I love what Brian and Van Dyke accomplished with their ’66-’67 SMiLE project, and I want to hear as much of it as I can.  If that means doing some modern recording for things that have been lost, or are in really bad sound condition, then so be it.  Give it all to me!  Don’t leave me wondering!

(And please be assured that I realize there is very little chance of the surviving Beach Boys doing any new recordings for this project.  So those of you wholly against my opinion most likely have nothing to worry about!  Please set your torches accordingly.  I, also, realize that any attempt at new recordings risks pushing the release date further and further away – so far away that it may never come out, especially with Al’s slow pace of recording!  That alone is reason enough for me to be on your side!) 

Love and merci,    Dan Lega

As for the person who wanted to hear an all instrumental version of "The Elements", try this...

Earth -- "Fall Breaks and Back to Winter"
Air -- "Our Prayer"
Fire -- "Mrs. O'Learys Cow"  (use that composition only -- no "Bag of Tricks", "I'll be around", etc.)
Water -- Water Chant   (again, no "Cool, Cool Water"," Da-Da", etc.)

Each piece is about a minute long -- and while it's not all instrumental (i.e., "Our Prayer", Water Chant"), there are no real lyrics, per se, and in my opinion it's a killer of a suite!.  Okay, yes, it spoils the idea of using "Our Prayer" as the opener of SMiLE, but I think it's worth it!  

(Maybe you can try using "You're Welcome" as the opener instead?)

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

Ah, just got through the whole thread.  Info on "Cabinessence" = cannabis is from Frank Holmes?  That's great!  Doesn't really fit with the rest of the song lyrics, but that's okay.

I agree with the idea of "Vega-tables" being drugs.  I hadn't thought of the "tripped" and "stripped the stalk green" lines being puns, but I'll agree with the interpretation.  Especially since the "and I ate the wrapper" line has always struck me as something someone would only do when on drugs -- and as something that you would only find funny when on drugs!  (Because if you eat the wrapper when straight, then something is definitely wrong with you -- which is sad, not comical.)

Here's my vote to use the "Cornucopia" version on side 1 of the Beach Boys SMiLE.  (Though I guess the other version is mostly a Smiley Smile version, and so I shouldn't even have to put in a vote for it.)  However, I just remembered how disappointed I was when they didn't use the Cornucopia version in Brian's 2004 version!  (I hope that doesn't happen again.)

Love and merci,   Dan Lega


PS to Mark Linnett -- try pitch correcting "He Gives Speeches" to the same key as "Wonderful" and using it as a insert -- it should work like a charm and sound great compositionally!   

That's interesting... "Cabinessence" as a mixed up pun on "cannabis".  I don't think I've ever heard that before.  And I don't know what to think about it, either.  It seems a bit of a stretch but, still, I'd have to say it's plausible.

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

From the press release....  "Parks also introduced Beat-Pop artist Frank Holmes to create album sleeve art and a booklet interpreting the album’s James Joyce-mode lyrics."   Ah!  This seems very telling to me!  I don't think they would have mentioned Frank Holmes in the press release if they weren't planning on using his pictures for the album and box set.  Hooray, hooray, hooray!!!


Now, on to other things...   I'll know I’ll most likely be pilloried here, but I just want to put it out there that I, like a few others apparently, think they should use the post '67 Cabinessence and Surf's Up vocals for the Side One "near-to-finished” version of the album.  I want all the first time listeners to hear the magnificence of the finished tracks.  I don't want them to sit there and go, "Hmmm, I wonder what that would have sounded like with lyrics?"  Then the '66-'67 unfinished vocal version or instrumental track can be used on one of the other discs.  As for those who say, "But hey, it's called SMiLE Sessions, therefore you can't use anything past those dates," all I can say is, that is what *asterisks* are for!  Just place a little asterisk next to the song title to indicate that parts of the recording are post SMiLE Sessions era.  

My take is that anything which was WRITTEN or PLANNED, not just anything that was recorded, is historically accurate and indispensible.  Me?  I personally would love to have “reconnected telephone line” recorded anew – if it’s not found on a tape or acetate.  And even if this vocal is found – but only in bad sound quality – then I’d still love to hear it newly recorded on the existing backing track.  Seriously, I would.  Now I don’t expect to change any of your well positioned thoughts on the subject, but I have to be honest and say what I would want.  Now granted, if they record any new vocals my hope is that they let Al Jardine sing the lead, and that Mike, Bruce, and Brian are relegated to backing vocals, and that they do their absolute best to make it fit sonically with the rest of the vintage recordings.  Any new recordings should feature only the original members, meaning I would rather not have Darian, Jeff, Christian, or Al’s kids singing on it.  Also, I would rather not have a modern Brian lead vocal.  Only Al’s voice is still in top shape.  That being said, though, I would rather hear “reconnected telephone line” sung by ANYBODY than not to hear it at all.  (Though if it’s just sung by anybody, then it should be relegated to disc 2, or 3 or 4.)  Similarly, I would love to hear a modern Al Jardine lead vocal on “Do You Like Worms” if a vintage vocal can’t be found.  Heck, I wouldn’t mind hearing that on Disc 1 if it was done with enough integrity to the original recordings.  And if more lyrics from that period appear (either from Frank Holmes lyric sheets or elsewhere) I would love to hear them newly recorded, too.  I mean, if they’re not recorded for this project, when will they be?

The one thing I would not advocate for are newly recorded vocals of Van Dyke’s 2004 lyrics.  They are excellent for that project, but I don’t see any need for them on this set.  (Though, once again, if they were done tastefully, with an Al lead etc., etc., I don’t think you’d hear me complain too much -- though I would hope that the tracks would appear as extras, rather than on Disc 1.)

Again, I realize some of you will be dying to roast me over the pits of hell because of these sentiments, but I love what Brian and Van Dyke accomplished with their ’66-’67 SMiLE project, and I want to hear as much of it as I can.  If that means doing some modern recording for things that have been lost, or are in really bad sound condition, then so be it.  Give it all to me!  Don’t leave me wondering!

(And please be assured that I realize there is very little chance of the surviving Beach Boys doing any new recordings for this project.  So those of you wholly against my opinion most likely have nothing to worry about!  Please set your torches accordingly.  I, also, realize that any attempt at new recordings risks pushing the release date further and further away – so far away that it may never come out, especially with Al’s slow pace of recording!  That alone is reason enough for me to be on your side!)  

Love and merci,    Dan Lega

PS – I haven’t read the whole thread, only through page 4.  I hope I’m not repeating something that’s been argued ad infinitum already!

       I agree with Andrew, it sounds like someone told Al to retract the statement, much like Mike was told to retract the statement that there was going to be a 50th year reunion tour, only to be followed up soon by a statement from all parties that there probably would be a 50th year reunion tour.  My guess is Al was correct with his first statement, and that plans are afoot to produce The Beach Boys' SMiLE this summer.  However, the powers that be don't want it known until they're good and ready to make an official statement.


            Love and merci,   Dan Lega

I think it's a Brian tune.  Just because we hear Carl on the playback doesn't mean that Brian isn't around during the session or that Brian didn't write it, does it?

ALSO... have none of you heard the fan version that sings "Little Pad" to the tune perfectly!  I hope I have his name correct, Sean McCreavy, a fairly famous fan musician in England, who does/did a lot of stuff for Beach Boy Britain get-togethers, recorded a version of Tones that he then sang the words and melody of "Little Pad" over, and it sounded FANTASTIC!  So if "Littel Pad" is Brian composition, then it makes sense that "Tones" is a Brian compostion.

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

At one point during the early or mid 90's, the Tower record store at 4th Street in Manhattan had tab/slot marker for "Smile" in their Beach Boy CD section!  Now I don't know if it was because they had seen or heard something official, but I always thought it more likely just a joke or wishful thinking on the part of some enterprising employee there.

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

I was at a "Night with Brian Wilson" type thing, where Brian was interviewed in New York by some DJ probably about six months after the premiere of SMiLE in London.  David Leaf was there and he said he expected a box set of the original SMiLE sessions would be out within the next year.  This interview was taped and broadcast at a later point, and may have been put on the web for everyone to hear, too.

Someone mentioned 1995 as a date that Capitol was thinking about a SMiLE disc (or discs), and this may be true, but I thought they were also thinking about a SMiLE disc around 1991 when they were first putting all the Capitol albums on CD for the first time.  (This would have been the stuff Mark Linnet found, too.)


Love and merci,   Dan Lega

        Apparently BriMel has finally put together a tour of "That Lucky Old Sun" in the US.  Check Brian's board for sites, and check Ticketmaster, or whoever does that sort of thing in your area.  A friend of mine got this notice from Ticketmaster for a New York Concert on sale Friday morning -- but it's not even listed at Brian's site yet.  Perhaps I'll see some of you there!

            Love and merci,   Dan Lega




Fri, 11/21/08
07:30 PM
Hammerstein Ballroom
New York, NY Brian Wilson
 

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Internet Onsale Info
Onsale to General Public:
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