I was actually blown away at how BAD those bootlegs sounded. I was so used to the studio-quality sound and EQ on the Beatles' Unsurpassed Masters and Ultra Rare Trax CDs...these early Smile boots were an EQ nightmare. I think Heroes and Vibrations was the first really good-sounding Smile boot I ever heard.

(BTW, any BB attorneys/BRI staff lurking about...we KNOW you're there...but...mention of HEARING a bootleg should not be interpreted as necessarily POSSESSING such bootleg.)

Did you have this one? It was eons better than anything that came before it. the Vigotone stuff was pretty good, but not on this level. Heroes and Vibrations is pretty good, but someone tried to tame the hiss using noise reduction and as a result the decay trail of any given vocals/music/reverb is a little funny. I still love that title, but that is the reality of it.

Those Beatles titles you mentioned were something else weren't they? I remember buying those Ultra Rare Trax CDs and looking at them at every red light and stop sign on my way home. They were neon green and neon orange, and FLOORED me when I got them home. I still have those! I also collected ALL of those Unsurpassed Masters volumes too. Those were the days. 

I was 4 

I know how you feel, but look at the bright side. You're 29 now, and the rest of us are yelling at kids to get off our lawns! 

I acquired this CD on release too… remember being utterly blown away by the H&V sections.

That CWTL intro, if I'm recalling the right version (pre-revisit) is one of those exquisities that make Wilson's work so essential as well as, frankly, endearing.

Will dig it out tonight for a revisit, thanks for the prompt!

Me too. The H&V sections alone had me mesmerized. Of course, my mind (once I got over the shock) immediately started thinking about how I could now build the "Ultimate" H&V/SMiLE for myself. (I still have each and every one of the different versions of H&V that I've made over the years, including one from not so long ago that is basically H&V/Great Shape/Barnyard in a more fleshed out form)

That "Can't Wait Too Long" vocal intro is beautiful, isn't it?..I wonder when that was recorded? Craig, are you reading this? do you know? I would guess during "Wild Honey" but I really don't know.

I've never heard a "finished" version of CWTL anywhere. Does one exist that has gotten by me somehow?

I pulled this CD out tonight to give it a listen, and a flood of memories came back to me about the time it came out, how stunned I was at hearing SMiLE in this kind of fidelity after only having the 2 "Brother" records LPs and SMiLE - The Early Years CD (02-CD 3317). Anybody else have any memories of getting this? I'd love to hear them if you do.









Smile (T 2580-2)

01. Good Vibrations
02. Holiday (Look) (Song For Children)
03. Vegetables
04. Child is Father to the Man
05. Wonderful (no lead vocal, cold ending, no fade)
06. Been Way Too Long (intro not found on any other SMiLE boot unless it was copied from here) (my favorite version of this track)
07. Barnyard ("With Me Tonight" slow harpsichord version. Fades out before lead vocal starts)
08. Cabinessence (backing track for verses with doyne, doyne background vocals. Full vocals for 1st "Iron Horse". No Grand Coulee Dam section.)
09. Our Prayer (with 1968 overdubs and laughing at the end)
10. Tones ("Holiday")
11. Barnyard ("H&V Cantina Fade" with a tiny bit of tape explosion at the beginning)
12. Heroes and Villains (7 minutes of H&V sections)
13. Do You Like Worms?
14. Wind Chimes
15. Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow (with H&V intro at the beginning)
16. George Fell Into His French Horn
17. Surf’s Up (backing track followed by Brian's 1966 solo studio version)
18. The Old Master Painter
19. You Are My Sunshine
20. Cool, Cool Water

Total playing Time: 61.44

This was the 1st time any SMiLE material appeared with sound quality this high. (not counting tapes that were being traded in small collectors circles) I believe it was sourced from Mark Linett's 1988 rough mixes compilation:



I took an ad out in 1989 in Goldmine magazine offering $200.00 to the first person who could put this in my hands, and I was contacted by Les Chan who told me where I could find it for considerably less. Talking to him on the phone was a delight. What a sweet person he was. (thanks Les, we all miss you)

I can't help but think if it wasn't for this CD we wouldn't have gotten 30+ minutes of SMiLE on the 1993 box set.

I wonder why the bootleggers didn't give us ALL of the tracks from Mark's 1988 compilation?
I find it especially odd that they gave us the H&V Cantina fade, but not the whole song. I'm thinking track 10 on side two must have been "He Gives Speeches"? I LOVE that intro to "Been Way Too Long". It's fun to see how Mark didn't know some of the titles yet, considering how well versed he is now after the 2011 SMiLE Sessions release.

Did anybody here get a copy of Mark's compilation on cassette before this CD came out? If so, was it complete?
Answer me in a PM if you don't want that info known. 

I hope you get well soon Andrew. 

Royce

[Post of the year candidate!]

I'm curious..... has anyone ever reconstructed the track list for "Smile" in the Domenic Priore book? 

Many, many times. Ever since he first sprang his cassette tape of "Cantina" on us at the Beach Boys convention in Oakland in the 80's and held it tightly in his wormy hand over our heads as we begged him for copies of it like a bunch of homeless people who hadn't eaten in three weeks.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA 

BEAUTIFUL Mikie!

I've got to agree with John, Post of the year candidate!

P.S. I remember those days well. I would have traded my little sister in for 20 seconds of unheard SMiLE! 

He was also a member of the "Fab Faux", alongside fellow Beatle freak, late night house band musician, and incredible motherf*cker of a session player, bassist Will Lee. The Fab Faux is perhaps THE BEST Beatle tribute band in the business, bar none, and they go for authenticity and respect for the music versus wearing costumes and wigs to get the look.

If you want to hear top-notch musicians playing the Beatles tunes to a "T", check out the "Fab Faux".

You're so right about this Guitarfool. When I was working in New York in the late 90s, I had the opportunity to both hang out and jam with Will over a few days in the studio as he was working with my friend Delmar Brown. We all had such a blast. Will steered us into Beatles territory, and we played many songs from their catalog.

It's great to see Brian in a setting like this. I know it's been quite a while now, but I'm still stunned and thankful for how far Brian has come back. I thought for sure for a period of time that we would lose him. Amazing, really.

Sometimes I really think, "You know, some folks lived for this music. Never got to hear it. Wanted to. Never did. Passed away, lost hearing, whatever. Some folks who loved BW, loved the Beach Boys, loved music, saw the Leonard Bernstein special, wanted to get it. Never did. I have. I've gotten it. I've got BWPS. I've got the Smile Sessions box. I've got history. I've got stuff they never did."

Not to be heavy. I'm not that important. But it's a form of context. I'm just not one to quibble over what I've been lucky enough to receive. Some stuff is better than others, or at least I like some stuff better than others, but I tend to fancy myself as being pretty lucky for what I've been able to hear / see / hold. I mean, John Lennon didn't get to hear it / see it. George Harrison. A lot of Brian's entourage from the 66/67 period. Chuck Britz?

When I think that Smile ... "came back to life" ... in 2004. And that it was TOURED. And then released AS AN ALBUM. And that people really loved it. And it did well. And it really made it hard for people to ignore / bury the original recordings, that demand (if anything) grew? That it led to the 2011 box? I mean, wow, we've gotten some great, wonderful gifts.

First things first, Welcome to the forum! 

I can't tell you how many times this very train of thought has occurred to me regarding "SMiLE".

Like you, I feel tremendously lucky to have been present for this. My SMiLE obsession started in the late 70s, and I bought each and every bootleg available as they were released. I never DREAMED the original sessions would ever be officially released, much less that the project would be completed by Brian AND Van Dyke, and RELEASED and TOURED as a finished work. Mind officially blown.

At least as far as I go, I know I will never again in life have this type of experience. That's not to say I won't have other happy surprises occur, but as far as music is concerned, this was the big one for me, and nothing else will ever come close.

To add to what the others have said, I remember how excited we all were when they debuted the BWPS version of Heroes And Villains
on some radio show, and posts were flying fast and furious from all over the world saying things like "Their going to be playing it after the next break! Oh My God...I'm going to explode"  What a exciting moment that was. The night the show debuted in London, I was gigging, and COULDN'T WAIT to get home and get on the forums to find out what was going on.

Lucky dogs, the lot of us are, lucky dogs.

I really enjoyed your article, Well Done! 

P.S. I would like to encourage Matt B. if he's still lurking, to think about someday sharing those interviews he did with Mark, Alan and Craig. I know I would love to read them!

 

Brian Wilson LP (1988)

No synthesizers, using the Wrecking Crew, and done all analog from recording to lacquer cutting.

GOD I would love to hear it that way!  

Hey Guys,
Obviously death (especially suicide) brings on strong emotions (my little sister killed herself in 2009) and being human we are prone to doing and saying stupid things sometimes. I think the spirit of forgiveness is VERY important in this situation, and the last thing we need in this world is more pain. Please let's forgive each other for our transgressions, and rise to the occasion of creating more love instead of more pain, and PLEASE everyone forgive everyone else, for the pain we have inadvertently caused others. I love you, and I know you love me too, and THAT"S more important that anything else in the world. PLEASE nobody leave the board, and PLEASE nobody hold any permanent grudges. Let's just let time and love do it's thing, and the rest will take care of itself. If ever there was a group on the internet who could pull this off, it's this one. Please lets give it a shot.

 

My favorite part of the interview is when someone offscreen coughs and Carl smiles and raises his eyebrows  

Another thing I noted is he closes his eyes at times during questions and pauses, not unlike Brian. I suspect for Brian its medication but seeing Carl do similar I now wonder.

Hey man! I noticed that too!  I thought it was something I just noticed and thought of it 'thoughtless' to mention....

but I know exactly what you mean........ what is with that?.....  

tiredness?..... meds?..... a 'Wilson'ism'?

RickB

As a musician, I've seen this many times over the years, and i do it myself. It's a method of focusing or "listening closer" by shutting off one of the senses (sight)

After a while, you get so used to doing it you don't realize your doing it in "regular" conversation. For years my parents would say "What's wrong with you? What are you doing?" they're used to it now though.  

Now that you mention it, I have never heard a quote from John or Paul about "Good Vibrations". We know they listened to Pet Sounds in Bruce's hotel room (supposedly twice) and then went on to record "Here There & Everywhere" the next day. What do you suppose they thought of "Good Vibrations"? I suppose the logical answer would be "Strawberry Fields Forever".

The only time I can recall Paul mentioning it, was in 1990 when David Leaf interviewed him for the Pet Sounds CD debut.

David: FROM THAT SAME PERIOD, HOW ABOUT "GOOD VIBRATIONS”?

PAUL: "I thought it was a great record. It didn't quite have the emotional thing that Pet Sounds had for me. I’ve often played Pet Sounds and cried. It's that kind of an album for me.

And even in 2012, though...those Smile "webisodes" on YouTube where band members are on camera describing Smile as they remembered it. Did people believe that? It was great PR to help sell the box set and sell that communal band spirit in the moment, but how true was it?  

Well, how untrue is it? Mike's been telling his side very consistently for decades. So neither he nor Brian chose to talk about confrontations in 2011. It doesn't make what they did say in the webisodes untrue.
 

I'd hope that nobody would be naive enough to think that the answers Brian and Mike gave weren't planned out (with certain responses made expressly off-limits) well ahead of time. There were probably contracts, stipulations, and rules. It was all in the name of PR, and I'm sure it was also an attempt at hatchet burying. But it was ultimately a whitewash, and I'm sure everyone deep in their hearts on some level knew it.

It should be noted that denial can also make many peoples' interpretations of their "side" remain consistent for decades as well.  Regardless if you think that applies to this situation or not - I think it's safe to say that a given person's consistent responses about a subject over decades' time, doesn't necessarily, by definition, mean squat.

See my last post, Reply #50.

I'd never say anyone involved with Smile has the absolute truth on his side. But the Smile Box webisodes shouldn't insult anyone, unless someone thinks Mike, Van Dyke, Brian, Banana or Louie should apologize for something that heppened 48 years ago.

I'm still upset with banana for chewing up the original lyric sheet for "Child Is The Father Of The Man" 

I think fan opinions of what happened to Smile have changed back and forth over the years - Leaf's book influenced people to see it as a Mike Love/group vs. Brian conflict, despite much evidence to the contrary or at least ignoring multiple other factors.  The conflicts between Van and Brian went to the background, although the evidence was always there.  Now there seems to be a fan swing towards the conflicts of Van Dyke and Brian being a primary factor, which is equally lopsided.  I think that's what the poster was trying to say, not that we should form our opinions based on fan opinions without direct information from the participants - although I might add a fan opinion based on the published interviews and video clips from the participants can be just as informed as anyone else's opinion.

Thanks Bicyclerider  

David Leaf's book WAS my introduction to the "inner" world of The Beach Boys, and you're right, it definitely gave you the idea that it was a "Mike Love/group vs. Brian conflict". I vaguely recall a story after the book was published about David Leaf being in the same room with Mike Love (at a fan convention or something?) and Mike was glaring at him. I can't remember now where I heard/read that. Anyway, thanks for mentioning that book.

In regards to "Now there seems to be a fan swing towards the conflicts of Van Dyke and Brian being a primary factor, which is equally lopsided.  I think that's what the poster was trying to say, not that we should form our opinions based on fan opinions without direct information from the participants". That IS what I was trying to say, but it just didn't come out right.  

EDIT: I see I've posted right between Cam and guitarfool2002 having a discussion. Just my luck! I didn't mean to interrupt fellas, I started this post about an hour ago, but got pulled away from the computer before I could finish, and hit Post. Just ignore me, I'm the guy in the corner with the lampshade over his head. (i'm not here!)  
 

To Tricycle Rider: I have the same problems posting, a lot of times what I'm thinking comes out looking/feeling different as it appears on the page! Many times the mood and spirit of what I'm thinking comes off more harsh or "finger pointing" than what I'm thinking at the time. I get caught up in the emotion.

Thanks guitarfool, for not leaving me out there alone!

I tell you, you'd never know that (the problems posting thing) by reading your posts. I've gotten so much from your posts that I actually started archiving them a while back. (I hope that's alright with you) I especially like the technical conversations about studio techniques, microphones, reverb chambers etc...

About getting caught up in the emotion thing, that's almost impossible NOT to do with music as magical and brilliant as this.

God bless those Beach Boys 

YIKES! Guitarfool, I didn't mean to cause such a response! Especially from one of my favorite posters on this board. (really)

For what it's worth, after I read my post (immediately after posting it) I realized that it didn't come out quite the way I intended it to, and tried to change it, but some weird glitch happened with either my internet, or this site, where it wouldn't connect. I left the tab open, and went on to other things, and didn't see your post until just now when I opened a new tab to see if I was able to connect with the site.

I still have that original tab open, and i took a screen shot of it, but I can't seem to attach it to this post. The board will let me browse for what i want to attach, and load it, but where is the button that actually says "attach"? When I preview my post, the attachment isn't there. I'm sure it's user error.

Some people are better than others at this posting thing. You, Guitarfool are EXCELLENT at it. I'm terrible at it. I can't seem to express myself properly, and i never learned to type properly, so it takes me FOREVER to get things out. It's a real "ocean through a straw" thing for me.

All I meant to do is ponder some of the things that Van Dyke was saying, and to remember the old days (late 70s-80s) when not much was known about SMiLE amongst the general population. (not that a lot is known now)

Unless you were around in the 60s and read contemporary articles (Seigal/Williams/Vosse/Nolan) you were out of luck. They didn't reprint things then, Dom's book wasn't out yet, no internet, no SMiLE Shoppe.

I just remember that from what I "heard" back then, (a lot of it from those hipsters you would run into at your local record shops) The Beach Boys (especially Mike) didn't like the LP, and that's why it didn't happen. We know now that it was not that simple, and that there were multiple reasons combined that brought about what happened.

That being said, obviously we will never know EXACTLY what happened for a variety of reasons.

All I meant by the "Van Dykes fault" thing was, to beware of trying to make the SMiLE thing black and white when it's really shades of grey. In fact, it was that part of the post that I was trying to go back in and change.

I hope i made more sense this time!  

I'd also add: never apologize for your opinions! Especially not on a public messageboard.... This place is no particular poster's classroom and we are not doing term papers here..... You're a great poster too! Let it rip!!!!

Thanks Pinder, I appreciate that vote of confidence. (really) 

YIKES! Guitarfool, I didn't mean to cause such a response! Especially from one of my favorite posters on this board. (really)

For what it's worth, after I read my post (immediately after posting it) I realized that it didn't come out quite the way I intended it to, and tried to change it, but some weird glitch happened with either my internet, or this site, where it wouldn't connect. I left the tab open, and went on to other things, and didn't see your post until just now when I opened a new tab to see if I was able to connect with the site.

I still have that original tab open, and i took a screen shot of it, but I can't seem to attach it to this post. The board will let me browse for what i want to attach, and load it, but where is the button that actually says "attach"? When I preview my post, the attachment isn't there. I'm sure it's user error.

Some people are better than others at this posting thing. You, Guitarfool are EXCELLENT at it. I'm terrible at it. I can't seem to express myself properly, and i never learned to type properly, so it takes me FOREVER to get things out. It's a real "ocean through a straw" thing for me.

All I meant to do is ponder some of the things that Van Dyke was saying, and to remember the old days (late 70s-80s) when not much was known about SMiLE amongst the general population. (not that a lot is known now)

Unless you were around in the 60s and read contemporary articles (Seigal/Williams/Vosse/Nolan) you were out of luck. They didn't reprint things then, Dom's book wasn't out yet, no internet, no SMiLE Shoppe.

I just remember that from what I "heard" back then, (a lot of it from those hipsters you would run into at your local record shops) The Beach Boys (especially Mike) didn't like the LP, and that's why it didn't happen. We know now that it was not that simple, and that there were multiple reasons combined that brought about what happened.

That being said, obviously we will never know EXACTLY what happened for a variety of reasons.

All I meant by the "Van Dykes fault" thing was, to beware of trying to make the SMiLE thing black and white when it's really shades of grey. In fact, it was that part of the post that I was trying to go back in and change.

I hope i made more sense this time!  

Thanks astroray, for posting that link.

In light of the recent SMiLE threads, I find Van Dyke's comments interesting.

GOLDMINE: The Beach Boys’ “Smile” is widely revered, but where do you rank your contributions to it among your own body of work?

VAN DYKE PARKS: Well, as I look back on it, I feel vindicated in the work. I always did, because I contributed as I felt I should; to do the right thing is all that matters to me, regardless of how it might be interpreted. And I feel I did the right thing.

When Brian Wilson sought to migrate into the counter-revolution, he needed to break the habit of excess that was in the feel-good sleepwalk of the Eisenhower era. He found a solution in my lyrics — which were, as a matter of fact, only a reaction to the imaginative musical work that he was doing.

I’ve never felt it had the epic importance in my own experience that the public eventually accorded it. I think that the public went nuts over it because the backstory was probably more of a sympathetic nature than the front story. Perhaps the work itself could not be understood, and yet Wilson’s psychological afflictions were something that deserved a lot of sympathy. He got a lot of sympathy, and I got a lot of heartache from that project.

I did everything I could to run from [“Smile”], and when it became convenient to Brian and [his wife] to revisit that [in 2004] because of the clamor of the interactive audience that “Smile” created, I went right back into the fold and just picked up where I’d left off and filled in a few gaps that had been left in the work. It was like getting on a bicycle after years of commuting in an automobile. It was so easy for me; it was like second nature. And the reason for that is because “Smile” hit on something that I could understand, and that was the American dream gone awry.[end of quote]

There are some interesting comments in there. Here are a few I'm pondering about.

1. Perhaps the work itself could not be understood, and yet Wilson’s psychological afflictions were something that deserved a lot of sympathy. He got a lot of sympathy, and I got a lot of heartache from that project.

Is he talking about The Beach Boys here?...since the work wasn't released at the time, only those who heard it could misunderstand it.
Then again, maybe he just means the public "in hindsight"

2. I did everything I could to run from [“Smile”], and when it became convenient to Brian and [his wife] to revisit that [in 2004] because of the clamor of the interactive audience that “Smile” created, I went right back into the fold and just picked up where I’d left off and filled in a few gaps that had been left in the work.

Not walk away from SMiLE, but "run" from it. Is he talking about the legacy of it hanging over his head, or literally "running" to get away from the project at the time?

"Convenient" for Brian "and his wife". I couldn't help but think of the 2004 Dutch interview (http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,17837.0.html) and Sheriff John Stone's EXCELLENT comments in that thread.

The line "and just picked up where I’d left off and filled in a few gaps that had been left in the work." is interesting too.

Is he alluding to leaving the project before it was actually finished?

This whole "problem between Brian and Van Dyke" thing and it's importance in the demise of SMiLE, certainly has been coming into better focus over the years. I remember (in the old days of SMiLE mythology) when it was Brian and Van Dyke on one side, and some of the Beach Boys (particularly that "evil" Mike Love) on the other. It seems funny to me now.

One other thing: Before the new 'mythology" becomes "It was Van Dyke's fault", let's remember that IF he left before the project was finished, he likely did so to save a family, NOT to abandon a job.

Oh well, those are my thought's for today 

SMiLE is too beautiful to NOT be a She 

66/67 = separate tracks
2004 = suites

This.

I don't know man, SMiLE is one of those ever changing things isn't it?...Like a lot of us, I've been through SO MANY head trips over this dang album. Kind of like Paul McCartney's lyric in "The World Tonight" (I go back so far, I'm in front of me)

The evolution of SMiLE perceptions is as interchangeable as the album itself.

I can remember discovering it, and thinking about how brilliant it would have been if only "those assholes" would have gotten out of Brian's way and let him lead the way as he had always done. (remember those days?)

Now of course, I realize that NO ONE except Brian Wilson could have stopped that album. Did he encounter resistance? OF COURSE he did. EVERY ARTIST who's ever tried to do something different has encountered that. BUT he could have said F**k you, I'll do it without you if i have to. (and in those days, he COULD HAVE)  

The damn thing was ALMOST complete enough to assemble, save for some GLARING OMISSIONS. (how could "Worms" NOT have had a lead vocal put on it? Oh, that's right, Brian was busy recording Jasper Daily!?)

As far as what SMiLE would have been, that's IMPOSSIBLE to say because the goal post was moved every time the whims of the creator changed, which was the only thing about the project that was CONSTANT.

Look at the tunes. as a cohesive set of songs, they barely even fit together. Oh, they work all right, but that's because they all (most) have the Beach Boys wonderful vocals to make everything gel.

There's the Americana trip. (H&V, Cabinessence, My Only Sunshine, Barnyard)

The Health trip (I'm in great shape, Do a Lot, Vega-tables)

The Spiritual trip (Prayer, Child is the Father, Wind Chimes, Wonderful, Surf's Up)

It seems he was recording songs in line with his current obsessions, which is very creative and "in the moment" but a bit of an obstacle when it comes time to assemble a cohesive whole.

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE SMiLE no matter WHAT order it's in, but you guys know what I mean about this stuff.

A couple of other things I want to mention.

The Elements: BRILLIANT idea, but it wasn't finished. All we REALLY have is "Fire", so, for me, I don't even try to incorporate "The Elements" into any of my versions of SMiLE. Sometimes, I don't even USE "Fire" at all.

H&V: Ahh..The Bigger, Better, followup to Good Vibrations. NOT. This tune REALLY had Brian working his tail off. I seem to recall him saying something at one point about it putting him on a "Three Month Bummer"

Count me as one of the people who think "Vega-Tables" would have been a better followup to "Good Vibrations"

Speaking of H&V, I don't know if this is the right thread to do it in, but I would like to see a "Evolution of H&V " thread happen where we try to combine contemporary comments/musings, along with trying to construct edits as we go (using what we have) to get an idea of what state the song may have been in at the time.

Example:
What was that May 1966 version of H&V supposed to have been? Did anybody ever say how much of it there was, and is this the version AL Kooper was talking about when he said it incorporated "You Are My Sunshine?

When was Al Kooper on the scene anyway, and was he at the studio, or up at Brian's House?

Just for kicks, I did assemble a version of H&V that mimicked the demo played for "Humble Harv" and was pretty happy with the way it turned out. (though I never finished it up proper)

Has anybody here ever made a H&V edit incorporating "You Are My Sunshine"? I would like to hear how that would work. I will do it myself eventually if no one else has.

As near as I can figure, It always started cold with "I've Been In This Town So Long" and went up to the part where the second section would go (Sunshine, Great Shape, Cantina, H&V Chorus) any body else have any thoughts on that?

 

Oh Yeah, I almost FORGOT! I prefer my SMiLE as songs instead of suites!









 

I'm surprised no one's grabbed that one yet!

If only Unicycle Rider had beat us both to the punch, we'd have a winning hand! 

No, Child is the father 

(sorry Lou, I couldn't resist...I tried!)

I have to chime in here too, since Paul2010 brought this up.

Where IS that "Barnyard" track with those backing vocals?
Surely, SOMEONE in the "community" managed to get hold of it?

I would GLADLY pay for that if it were offered as a lossless download. The CIFOTM acetate is another one I'd like to hear, though I suppose you can make your own version of it with what they gave us on the SMiLE sessions release.

And whatever happened to the Durrie Parks acetates?

 

All of the following is my humble opinion.

The problem with being hip, is cynicism is unavoidable. Add to that, the fame that was "beneath" Van Dyke as a young man, is bothering him now that he's in his golden years and is pondering his place in it all. Much to his dismay, (I'm sure) he's finding he's not very different from the rest of us. This combination has left him quite grumpy it seems.

The aforementioned hipness/cynicism is also one of the reasons SMiLE crashed and burned.

As much as Brian wanted to be "Hip", it went against his tender, innocent and vulnerable nature.

As brilliant as the resulting work they did was, it was never going to gel for long.

Is that you Van Dyke? Great summarization!

Thanks, Leggo!

I almost refrained from posting it because, (for some reason) I've always been uncomfortable sharing my opinions about things.