No doubt Al played some classic bass tracks on some all-time classic records. So the million-dollar question comes in 3...2...1...

Why didn't Al play bass on the road after Brian stopped touring regularly? The fact Al played bass on that many of the hits makes the decision to bring Glen Campbell, one of the best guitarists in LA, onto the stage and have him play bass while the guy who played a lot of the parts was there.

And overall, why didn't Al play more bass live through the years?

I'm guessing from my own experience, is that it's quite a bit more difficult to sing well and play bass well at the same time and in rhythm.

None of the following would surprise me...Early 70's Harry Nilsson, Todd Rundgren/Something Anything, Carole King/Tapestry, Later Turtles/Flo & Eddie, first few Three Dog Night albums...

This thought just occurred to me: what if the rock and roll album is 15 Big Ones, Volume 2?

From a recent interview.. http://www.jambands.com/features/2017/09/15/brian-wilson-s-enduring-pet-sounds/


Would you consider that a peak?
In 1976 we recorded the 15 Big Ones album. That was the highlight. That was my favorite album and the highlight of my trip. I like the lyrics and the vocals.

From the show I saw last year and clips I've seen, I really get the feeling that this his "quiet" form of protesting this tour.

http://montrealgazette.com/storyline/jazz-fest-brian-wilson-revisits-the-endless-harmony-of-beach-boys-pet-sounds

Lots of great quotes. "Let It Be" apparently inspired "15 Big Ones" haha.

I can see where that sounds ridiculous at first, but I guess I can see them as both "getting back to your roots" albums. Truth be told, I'd rather listen to 15 Big Ones over Let It Be.

Anyone see this and who contributed to it?

http://www.plumfund.com/fundraising/appeal

Someone could correct me on this, but I distinctly remember about '92 or '93 there was a big deal made about the EMU Vintage Pro module (which I actually bought later and still own) which was the first bit of new technology that actually went out to recreate the old sounds.  The whole neo-vintage thing that is now pretty much standard with every keyboard (especially Nord) took quite a while to seep into the marketplace.  Jellyfish would definitely be the kind of band that would be ahead of the curve on this (in fact I believe I first heard about the Vintage Pro through somebody in Roger Manning's rough LA social circle).

So I think it's fair to say that in 1993 there would not have been mass-marketed vintage sounds, and the keyboardists in the BBs band probably made do with the prevailing D-50s and what not.  A few years later that began to change.

Makes sense.

Had he lived, I can picture Carl attending a Brian solo concert and almost cringing at their live arrangements.

This is an interesting point. If you transported 90s Carl into later Brian shows, you could well be right.

While Carl on occasion seemed to work "original arrangement" bits back into the show (the main example being the sort of staccato bit on "God Only Knows" that was added back during the mid 90s or so), he did have a "live arrangement" mindset and probably wouldn't have wanted a lot of the sometimes slower, plodding "play it like the record" arrangements for things like "California Girls."

But the whole deal of playing original arrangements, and doing heavy "deep cuts" setlists, was a progression that happened largely after Carl's death. Would he have eventually embraced (or, more cynically, capitalized on) the hardcore nerdie/indie type fans when the opportunity arose in the 2000s, as even Mike did by the mid-late 2000s?

Carl's musical tastes in his later years are often overlooked, and there isn't a ton of info on the subject, especially considering how little he wrote himself and released. But hearing the AC sound of "Beckley/Lamm/Wilson", and then factoring in his apparent mixed if not negative feelings about the Andy Paley material, it makes one wonder how much he would have embraced the idea of doing a full "Smile" show, and playing "California Girls" about half the speed that the touring band was in the 90s, etc.

    I disagree about the lack of technology of the time period. Bands like Jellyfish had very good live keyboard sounds in 1993.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymPQ_LtRpTY

[almost all set right]

Re: Beach Boys management.

Things recently came so very, very, very, very close to being set right -- to be spectacular. To be major.
And it was blown.

I hate to be so vague, because I hate when others do the same -- but it was almost all set right.

So close.
I did my best.

I have to say after catching a Mike & Bruce show a few weeks ago doing almost half of Pet Sounds, and performing the songs well, and seeing Brian and Al a few times last year, I would say a major opportunity was lost in properly celebrating the 50th anniversay of PS.

I just noticed one of Mike's daughters posted the article on Facebook along with some of her own "interesting" commentary.

This is how the ML that I saw/heard in concert a few weeks ago...and enjoyed. Nothing like the Memorial Day thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32RpEwwxT1I

COMMENT to Terry:  A few (?) weeks ago, more like a month-plus, Mike was fighting with a cold. It was one of those that comes and goes -- like you think it's gone and then bam, it takes you down again. Don't know it this performance was during a "cold" time or not, but -- the show must go on.

Do try the comparison of the 1969 and 2016 California Girls I wrote about at post #48, page two. Very revealing and worth the trouble.  ~swd

I actually thought Mike and the entire band sounded great when I saw them a couple weeks ago and didn't see any sign of Mike being sick or anything. I do agree that his phrasing, etc has not changed much throughout the years, and he actually sounds better now than he did in the 90's.

The entire show was digital. I was listening to a damn computer mimic the vocals I had grown to know. Talk about processing … the engineer never looked toward the stage, instead keeping his head buried in one computer program and graph after another. Switching from one channel to the next, making on-screen graphic changes and missing one musical cue after another. Now I don’t know if in one of those algorithms was Autotune or not

I'll bet dollars to donuts it was Melodyne.

I'm not a technical minded person, but what you are saying reminds me of my experiences recording with digital vs analog. My analog recording was on a portable 4 track cassette deck. And yet, I listen to the sound of the vocals on some of those old tapes and find myself preferring that sound to what I get recording digitally.

Not for nothing, but I *miss* recording in analog...been since my college days, so about 16 years since I've been able to record in that medium. With my own music, everything is digital for budget and availability reasons, but there've been times where I've been SO desperate for that nice warm sound, or something approximating that, that I've actually hiss to recordings, or even sampled the ambient sound of something I previously recorded on tape. Not any of the instruments, just the ambiance before the actual song began.

   

I agree it sounds like all of the vocals are running through Melodyne.

This is how the ML that I saw/heard in concert a few weeks ago...and enjoyed. Nothing like the Memorial Day thing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32RpEwwxT1I

  Count me in for them playing it at the Rockford show on Thursday!

I don't hear vibes on the overdubbed 4th track...or vocals for that matter. If I were to guess, it would be a mix of viola and maybe a flute playing in unison.

I'm working on a project and need a consensus.  Please rank the following songs in order, using your favorite version of each song.  Which version you choose for each song doesn't really matter (as long as it's one by the Beach Boys) but feel free to say which version you used, if you want. The important thing is the order of each song.

Thanks!

Come Go With Me
Getcha Back
Goin' On
Good Timin'
Isn't It Time
It's OK
Rock And Roll Music
Summer In Paradise

Good Luck with that! 

It's OK
Good Timin'
Goin' On
Isn't It Time
Getcha Back
Rock And Roll Music
Come Go With Me
Summer In Paradise

Was this the 13, 16, or 18 track version?

16 Track version

Is there a recommended multi-disc anthology of the Kinks?

It might be more than what you're looking for, but you can't really go wrong with this.

http://www.amazon.com/Anthology-1964-1971-Box-Set/dp/B00NJADEJ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1448150067&sr=8-1&keywords=kinks+box+set

If a had to pick a moment...it was when he hit the road in '99. Milwaukee was the second night of that 1st solo tour and I was there. NEVER thought I would see that.

I was at that show too...something I never, ever thought I would see. Brian has come a long way performance-wise since then.

Here's one of the new songs: http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2015/11/12/emitt-rhodes-returns-after-four-decades-with-dog-on-a-chain-exclusive-song/

Emitt's early 70s stuff is great but I'm not particularly taken with ‘Dog on a Chain’. Will check the album out anyway, in any case it's amazing to see him back.

Judd,  Thanks for the link.  I do like the song.  When he sang the line with the word "sacrifice," it reminded me of "Warm Self Sacrifice."  His vocal is very good to hear again in such quality.  He's had a lot of health issues over the years.  Okay, so he's not going to try to do it alone.  That's just fine with me.  I used to have his SoundCloud on my favorites list.  I'll have to look through and see if I can find it to see if it is still functional.  I've been mostly following his progress on the few fan sites he has, and he has a facebook page.

Terry,  Omnivore is a perfect choice for this project.  They did a great job with Alex Chilton's 1970's Sessions.  Tho I thought they, like Ace, were only dealing with re-issues.  In fact looking at the disc, Ace had something to do with that one.  With Omnivore involved we can be confident it will sound good.

Hey Jude,  Do you have a link to the SHF thread?  There was some live stuff awhile back that was on youtube, but his singing is much better on this new track.  I don't think his voice sounds totally different.  It's a bit deeper, reminding me a bit like Jackson Browne in places.  I can't wait to get my hands on this.

As far as his earlier music.  I have been a fan since the 60's.  I actually have both the original and re-issue of the Merry-Go-Round vinyl.  The four albums on vinyl, including promo copies of the last two.  Almost every Cd comp, including the Everything he did one.  Even the Japanese releases could be bettered.  Emitt wants the opportunity to have a go at re-mastering them himself.  Wish they would let him.

I've never heard anything by him I didn't like.  He was, and now is again, a major talent.  btw, I don't consider the 1970 his first.  Emitt might, but many of the tracks are not just Merry-Go outtakes.

Omnivore has been dipping their toes in non-reissues this year...the new Pugwash record they put it is great!

Very Good News.  He's been working on this, what?  About five years, only releasing a few tracks on I-tunes (I won't go there).  I hope I don't have to join some club to get it.  This should be made available everywhere.

He still sounds really in good voice.

Omnivore is putting it out early 2016.

Y'all should watch the guy's Life is for the Living video. Brilliant!

Ha...nice. The spare time that people have to do this sort of s#@t always amazes me.

This popped up on Facebook today.  Any ideas what it's for? Strange that their are clips from C50 cut in with the current band.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js3chYvh30M

I'd rather hear him do some BW88 material. Melt Away is just dying to be played live!

Very sensitive interview.

Probably not the best BW show I've seen, but definitely the best setlist I've seen him do, which included "Melt Away".

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/brian-wilson/2002/house-of-blues-chicago-il-3db8dcf.html

Yeah, I'd like to hear "The Night Was So Young", too. I hope Brian's band leader thinks it's a good idea.

Brian's range these days is perfectly suited to sing the Love You and MIU era stuff...he did a great version of TNWSY  when I saw him in Chicago in 2002.