I agree with all of this. Not only are the AI created Vocals are a welcome addition to the unfinished tracks, the edits and edit choices here are excellent and refreshing. This was a total pleasure to listen to as an album experience, and once again Smile songs have been looping through my head after listening to it. Many thanks for creating this.

Pardon me if these have been answered before—if so, I’m unaware.

Re the first studio demo, has anyone ever created a version that fixes the little tempo shifts that sound like bad edits?

Also: has anyone used any kind of AI or track splitter to remove the narration that covers parts of the Inside Pop version?

Lemme know!

Wow, that Carry Me Home is fantastic. And this has never turned up anywhere before?

Just this morning. Guy with long hair, mustache, beard.

Is he any of you?

This was NOT the organ Dennis used on "All I Want To Do".

My favorite story:

I taped a song off the AM radio on a car trip with my folks, when I was 10. Thought it was a Beatles track circa Rubber Soul, but it wasn't. Not Badfinger or The Raspberries either. The DJ on my tape didn't say the song title or the band name. And I couldn't tell the title from the lyrics--because they were the first two words, which I'd cut off.

Played my tape for everybody--"sounds familiar, but I don't know" was always the answer.

After 12 years, a local radio DJ told me it was a single by a local (Iowa) band called Westminist'r, somewhere near Fort Dodge. Went to the downtown library and looked in the Fort Dodge city directory, under "Recording"--there was Westminist'r Sound.

Called 'em up--asked if they had any copies of "Sister Jane" by Westminist'r: "Uh, yeah--who is this?"

I drove all the way out to Otho Iowa, to the chicken coop recording studio where Sister Jane was recorded--the place was still operational. (And still is!)

The owner--and band member--Kirk Kaufman was so kind, and gave me 2 vinyl copies of everything he ever did. My mind was blown. Told me all kinds of stories--like when Brian Wilson and the Rovell sisters recorded some tracks or demos for American Spring there. Brian ran lights for a Westminist'r gig! And someone associated with him arranged the nice string section on Sister Jane.

It's still one of my very favorite records. Hopefully it will become one of yours!

https://youtu.be/ceLqZ-IUbnY

I'm especially digging those BWPS sessions. Just wow.

Hey all-
Hope this isn't already a dead-horse topic, but...I've been listening to the Sail On podcast a lot lately (if you haven't heard it yet, do it--it's wonderful!), and wondered if anybody here has compiled a comprehensive list of all SMiLE material, noting the best sources, etc.

This would theoretically include:
- the Durrie Parks acetate bits from "Sail On"
- all legit releases, including BWPS and its offshoots
- all the boots, including both Get the Boots, Psycodelic Sounds, and Big Bag of Vegetables
- anything unbooted that is known to be in private hands at present
- anything in the vaults known to exist, but not released or booted

Might be interesting to have a second list of material known to have existed but has since been lost; rumored recordings

Mainly, I'm interested in knowing whether I have everything yet or not. For example, I recall reading there were things on "Big Bag of Vegetables" that weren't on anything else--I don't know what they were, and I never saw that boot pop up anywhere. And the Parks acetate bits made me wonder if there have been any other stray items turn up that I missed.

Sorry if this has been covered before, and thanks in advance if anyone has a list like this to share!

You also have to remember that some of the band members were wary of David Leaf going all the way back to the 80s when Leaf released his book. Leaf's approach to writing about the band was not exactly always extra sympathetic to the other band members. So when Leaf's liners on the PS set were unavoidable also very Brian-centric, it's not surprising it might have put some band members off. As I've mentioned before, note that while the PS set came out, Leaf never again wrote liner notes for a BRI-sanctioned Beach Boys release.

Hmmm, Has there ever been such a thing as “bootleg liner notes”?

As in, did Leaf’s Liner notes ever leak out to the underground? I would love to read them!

Somebody just posted this a few days ago:
https://youtu.be/1ITOSw-PzPA

My first wife and I were at that show--she got us the tickets! It was a beautiful day, a nice small crowd, and an eclectic roster of performers: Stan Ridgway, Rickie Lee Jones, Billy Swan, Van Dyke Parks...I feel like I've forgotten somebody (but not Billy Preston!) Chris Douridas of KCRW hosted this, as I recall.

Brian's in strong voice, and the performance is sloppily fun. He's in a great mood, and the crowd is diggin' him. Van Dyke performed a second set--I recall he did sing Orange Crate Art, and told an odd story about being in a gay bar with Ry Cooder back in the day.

Rickie Lee Jones led the crowd in a sweet a cappella version of "Don't Worry Baby".

Stan Ridgway sang a really weird song about a murder, and Brian got a realllllly spooked look on his face.

Billy Swan did "I Can Help", of course.

I believe the show was a benefit for upkeep of the Will Geer Amphitheatre.

It sure is nice to have a record of this!

Flaming Lips visiting Brian in the 70s?

Did they even exist yet?

So I've got this volume of stuff I collected and bound...and I don't really need it any more. It's nothing fancy, but does contain interesting stuff centered mostly around SMiLE and Pet Sounds--Dave Prokopy notes, the thick booklet for the SMiLE sessions boot, the sheet insert for the vinyl SMiLE #2 from the 80s, a bunch of magazine articles, session sheets, Pyrian Press copies...it's almost like having a big sloppy supplement to LLVS!

It's somewhere between 50-100 pages.

Would anyone be interested? Have anything you might want to trade? (BBs, Beatles, XTC, Squeeze, Crowded House?) PM me! I'll send you a jpeg of the cover, if you like.

Mods: if this is the wrong place in the forum for this...or if this violates the rules...please let me know. Thanks!

Plus: some Banana and Louie!

Speaking of unreleased surround-related material, Van Dyke Parks has revelaed on Twitter that a surround mix of his Song Cycle LP was created, but no one wants to release it.

Oh my GOD. I’d kill for that. Where did he say that? Any way we can help? A go fund me?

Hell, I’d settled for a reverb-free or semi-dry remix in stereo. There’s a great album in there buried under a wall of sonic muck.

A live-in-studio with just a small dedicated audience might be best--akin to Macca Unplugged or even Eagles Hell Freezes Over (a bigger crowd, but not like a stadium or big concert hall).

Something where they could play a really interesting set list, be clear and be heard, and still have some audience reaction. (And a hell of a special experience for that crowd.)

And thus avoiding a stressful tour, to boot. (No pun intended.)

I'd almost pay to hear Frank sing, "A little while ago, my mother told me Jesus loved the world..."

Almost.

Second Edition was my gateway drug into the Beach Boys! I think it was summer of '85. Made my whole year.

I also used to have the wonderful 3-LP vinyl set that came with the poster. Sadly, someone that used to be on the board here swindled it out of me--if you're still on here, punk, you still owe me $25!


Perhaps an interesting addendum to the list might be a list of all the live boots from Brian's SMiLE tour. I recall only about 4 or 5--hoping there are more (especially Disney Concert Hall and Hollywood Bowl, both of which I saw...)

What I thought was funny at the time was that it was after 2 in the afternoon--and they thought Carl was still asleep? Though the manager says he wasn't--maybe he was just avoiding trying to read a "mouthful" of copy!

I was just out of college and was working at a cable TV station--I was 22 then, and had just "discovered" the BBs thanks to taking a chance on a $10 copy of the SMiLE #2 boot. One day, I lucked onto a great assignment--to go on a quick promo shoot downtown with 3 of the 4 touring Beach Boys! They needed to do promos for their next concert in Spokane, Washington; it was all very short notice.

Everything took place at an old but very nice hotel, The Savery, which used to host live radio broadcasts, and where many movie stars passing through had stayed. (Apparently not all of the room there were that great, though!)

It was a quick hour, and I scribbled down EVERY detail in my journal--every boring little detail.

It may not be the most exciting BB tale ever, but to a 22-year-old Midwestern guy, it was something at the time! Here you go:

   Location: Suite 1100, Savery Hotel, downtown Des Moines. Assignment: tape promo footage of three Beach Boys—Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston. Date & time: 1:15pm, August 16, 1985.

   A guy from our studio said to be sure and make it on time, because he'd “dealt with the Beach Boys before, and their management, and they're real bastards.” That, and the fact that our shooting schedule was tight, made me decide to leave my brand new copy of their new album behind—I didn't want 'em to be annoyed or anything.

   No sign of anyone. We got all set up by 1:30. Beach Boys manager calls—though it was s'posed to be 2 o'clock. Apologizes profusely—I explain we were late too, so don't worry (baby).

   5 of 2: a knock on the door. I go to answer it, and there's Bruce Johnston, in a Nike cap, shorts, tennies, and a polo shirt!

   Me: “Hiya, Bruce! Come on in, we're all set up!”

   Bruce: “Where's Al?”

   Me: “I don't know. You're the first person to show up.”

   We get him set up. He does the audio-only spots first.

   Video takes: “HI [meter pegs] I'm Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys, and I'm looking forward to seeing you September 2 at Cox Cable's Summerfest '85.”

   Knock at door: Al Jardine, tanned and looking like a middle-aged shopkeeper, enters the suite.

   Al: “Now *this* is a room.”

   Bruce: “Why? What did they give you?”

   Al: “A real crummy one.”

   Al sits on the couch for his readings. “My God, this is a mouthful: 'Cox Cable's Summerfest '85...do you have cue cards or...”

   Me: “I'm afraid you'll have to memorize it...”

   Al: “Hmm...(notices script misspellings)...that's Johnston, not Johnson, and Jardine, not Jarden. Okay...'Hi, I'm Mike Jardine of the Beach Boys'...did I get that right?” [laughs]

   Me: “Sorry about that...we didn't type that script!”

   Several takes later, Mike Love and the group's manager show up. Love walks through lights during a take; he then glances at the script.

   Mike: “No wonder Carl didn't want to do this, that's a mouthful!”

   Al: “He's still sleeping, isn't he?”

   Manager: “No...”

   Al: “Hi, I'm Al Jardine and I'm looking forward to seeing...you...at a McDonald's Burger Stand...nope, sorry. Hi, I'm Al Jardine of the Beach Boys and I'm a look...ha ha...”

   Al, Bruce, and manager thank us and leave. Mike Love zooms through his takes with hardly a hitch. Thanks us, disappears. We pack, see Bruce again in the lobby.

   Bruce: “Did you get Mike?”

   Me: “Yup!”

   Back at the studio, I dub off the footage to keep a copy for myself before I send the master to Spokane via FedEx. Phone rings—it's the guy from Spokane.

   Him: “How were the boys? Were they friendly?”

   Me: “Yeah, sure were!”

   Him: Great, thank you so much. I'll be sure to send you something.”

   I never got anything from Spokane, but I did get a nice little memory, and a cool little tape as a souvenir. And the Beach Boys were just fine, thank you.

Thanks so much for saying so, Billy C!

If you liked the regular Manifest Destiny, check out my Box-o-Vox backing vocals remix:
https://thethingofitis.bandcamp.com/track/manifest-destiny-box-o-vox-remix

The Wilsonics on this one are, shall we say, even less subtle...

Hope you enjoy the rest of POPTOP!

-onkster / mark / the thing of it is

The best thing about lockdown has meant--lots of time to record! I've got a new album and EP out today--preview it here on Bandcamp, if you would: https://thethingofitis.bandcamp.com/
I'd be interested to hear if any favorites stick out--my intention was simply to do some catchy, hook-filled pop. (And one track in particular has some BB influence...and a Box-O-Vox remix on the EP...)

Thanks for listening!

I still haven't been able to unlock the magic of "Love You"; I like the "drawn with crayons" analogy, but it hasn't clicked yet--it just sounds floundering and depressing, much like "15 Big Ones".

However, that said: I DO like "I Bet He's Nice", "The Night Was So Young", and especially (gasp) "I Wanna Pick You Up".

(I would toss "Adult/Child" into that same bucket, with a similar exception: I ALSO like "Still I Dream Of It", weird lyrics and all.)

There, I did it: unpopular opinions!)

Was reading CNN on my phone today and saw one of those sponsored-content ads--this one: "What did historical figures really look like?" And instead of Lincoln (the usual), it was Dennis! Specifically, it was the cover photo from POB, but aged about 10-15 years. (And no, it's not from the "See how dead rock stars might have aged if they'd lived"--THAT Dennis pic is the one where he looks like Scott Bakula.)

So, stupid me, I took the bait and went through the whole slide show to see if Dennis was really included--maybe as Jesus or something. (The aged POB picture did look kinda like the Shroud of Turin, I guess.) But nope--no Dennis! Then, when I went back to CNN so I could snap a grab of the ad with the POB photo, it was gone. So, sorry, but no photographic evidence for right now. (I wasted another 10 minutes searching for it--no luck.)

Anybody else see this?

As far as Jon Brion OST's go, I'm still in love with "Eternal Sunshine"--that album really plays like an album, with only a couple minor exceptions (that strummy acoustic song in the middle I could do without--not a Jon tune, BTW). Most of the non-Jon stuff is great too--whether he picked those for inclusion, I don't know, but some of them sure feel like it...

People diss the 80s with pat generalizations like "bad hair, fake drums, and synths" the same way people deride the 60s as "hey man / peace sign / stoned out". There's always so much beyond the obvious (I mean, I hated the late 70s but have to admit that below the surface, there was great stuff I didn't/couldn't know about in my midwestern isolation...)

Though I'm a 60s die-hard, my punky friends really got me into some great 80s stuff that wasn't necessarily heard:
Let's Active
Game Theory
Zeitgeist (The Reivers)
Green on Red
The Housemartins

'81 thru ''85 was such a rich period, and still so much I continue to find from then; I consider the 80s to be the biggest breath of fresh air since the 60s.