Considering this is Silodweller's avatar, I wouldn't say it's rare

Thank you for noticing me, Little Bird...   

Oh, I think I'd be just fine with a Sunflower box set...  I don't know, that's all I'd like for Christmas.  Simple as that...


"I'm a simple man.  I like pretty, dark-haired women, and breakfast food."  ~ Ron Swanson

Mister Boyd,
I wish you a very happy birthday.  May the year ahead be one filled with joy and success.

haha, "helmut"...  oh gosh, my bad...

I recently found that footage that has been floating about at globalimageworks.com of Brian in the studio, wearing his fireman helmut with Carl and Al and even Van Dyke...  anyway, I remember seeing that very same footage used in the "American Band" documentary but wasn't there a bit with Mike Love (wearing a helmet too) rolling his eyes?  It does come from the same footage, doesn't it?  I believe Dennis filmed it? 

Found it! Click on this link and you'll see photos and stillframes from the film which I brightened to show more details, the exact piano clip in question here being one of them.

Notice too the shot of Brian walking on a car: Mark Bloome Tires is in the background, this was directly across from Columbia Studios and note the similar clothing from the film clip.

Link: http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,10016.msg194029.html#msg194029

What he said. 

Great bit of info.  Thanks again everyone.

Found it! Click on this link and you'll see photos and stillframes from the film which I brightened to show more details, the exact piano clip in question here being one of them.

Notice too the shot of Brian walking on a car: Mark Bloome Tires is in the background, this was directly across from Columbia Studios and note the similar clothing from the film clip.

Link: http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,10016.msg194029.html#msg194029

Great!  Thanks a lot! 

Here's Carol Kaye discussing her BB's bass sound  (as interviewed for Good Vibrations - A History Of Record Production by Mark Cunningham) :

"Brian had such definite bass ideas. He liked me to have more of a treble sound on my Fender Precision than I personally liked and used on other people's sessions, and I used a Fender Concert amp with an open back 4 x 10" Utah speaker cabinet, the same set-up I used from "Help Me Rhonda" through to "Heroes And Villains", and all the other stuff in between like Simon & Garfunkel's "Homeward Bound". The speakers were usually miked with a Shure 545 which worked best when centred on the cabinet and placed back about one and a half feet, although some engineers liked to stick the mic right up on the grill, up high on one speaker. I also used a Gibson Maestro fuzz box for a fuzz bass line which never made it on to the released single [Good Vibrations]. It was just another experiment that Brian wanted to try."

Thanks D409.  Good bit of info here.

Thanks Guitarfool2002.  That's a lot of useful info.  I'm thinking I'll have to go the plugin route 'cause living in South Africa and paying the prices that are being asked for some of these vintage amps, etc. is just too much for my pocket!  Anyway, this has given me a lot to think about and work on.  Thanks again!

Ah yes.  Perhaps he could provide some info there.  Thanks for your help though!

Oh yes, the "Surf's Up" footage.  That's wonderful but there is another clip that they used of him playing piano.  It almost looks a little too fast, like the camera was recording too quickly or something.  Do you know of that at all?

Very cool info.  Thanks.  I was thinking about it, and yes I'm pretty sure Carol Kaye used a Fender bass mostly, didn't she?  I've always practiced the palm mute when I play bass but I haven't used the flat strings.  I'll definitely give that a go. 

Haha, true about the "intense" bit.  I have the Leonard Bernstein special and it isn't included there. 

I apologize if this has been covered a million times before.  I was just wondering if the footage of Brian playing the piano in what I believe would've been 1966 or is it 1967 is actually available for viewing?  I believe it was someone's girlfriend who filmed him and it seems to be in a very dark room.  Brian doesn't actually look too happy while he's playing. He kind of stares directly at the camera for a moment.  I think they used a little bit of the footage in "American Band"?  I might be mistaken there too. 

Cool, thanks very much for the info and the links.  Greatly appreciated. 

Hi, yes I've heard of that.  I'd love to get my hands on one of them. 
I've always played my bass parts with a hard pick and have come "close" to getting a similar sound but never quite there.  I guess I should resign myself to the fact that the equipment being used has a lot to do with it, equipment I just wouldn't be able to get hold of but anything to get me closer.  I am trying to get that sound, yes.  At least for some of my tracks. 

Does anyone have an inkling of an idea of how Carol Kaye and Ray Pohlman achieved their bass sound?  I know Carol speaks about giving it a lot of "highs" but still keeping the "lows" and that a pick was generally used to get that "clicking" effect each time a note was played but how did they achieve that slightly overdriven tone?  I can't really explain it, but it just sounds a little overdriven to me.  You can hear it a lot on songs like "Do You Like Worms" and "Please Let Me Wonder".  It's just an incredible sound. 

So sorry to hear this news.  Condolences to Michael's family and friends. 
On a personal note:  I always enjoyed his roles in Brian's Smile-era spoofs.

Hm, I'm not really wholly convinced Brian was continuing work on "Smile" after May.  His "Wild Honey" recording of Surf's Up doesn't really prove anything other than he probably felt like playing it again, and even though he altered chords etc. doesn't prove much either.  I know if I'm in the studio I will often play a composition or two that I wrote a few years earlier "just because" and I often alter chords and melodies just for the heck of it!  I'm guessing that is what Brian was doing when he recorded this later version, and not because he considered "Smile" to still be a work in progress.  Just my two cents on the topic!

Cool, thanks!

Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone could give me any info regarding the release of this particular compilation, date, etc.  Was it an official release?  I'm clueless about this one.  It is good though. 

Hey,
I did hear that the first time I listened to it.  I was surprised not only for the reason you mentioned but just because it sounds like "old in control of production" Brian, even the tone of his voice. 

I think "Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)" was on a 1968 compilation which had a very "odd" selection of tracks on it but it is a song that I thought was sorely missed on both the GV boxset and MIC.  Correct me if it has shown up elsewhere in more recent years!  It is truly a beautiful piece of music. 

Hello all,

I've just made available an EP called "Londontown" on soundcloud.  It is very electronic so I realize it may not be to everyone's taste but some may enjoy it too!  You can find it here:

https://soundcloud.com/antarctic-media/sets/londontown-full-ep-1

I am not only an electronic musician, so to speak, I tend to experiment in all areas of music (this collection of tracks just turned out that way) but I would appreciate any support!

Kind regards,
David   

Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone could help me out?  I am looking for a reasonably high resolution copy of the photo of Brian which was included on the 45rpm cover for "Sail On Sailor" (I believe it was the single that included "Only With You").  He is looking particularly unhappy in this shot.  Anyone out there have a copy who wouldn't mind emailing it to me?  I would be most grateful!