Question for Mark or anyone who knows: what happened to the background vocals in the accapella Time to Get Alone verses? I thought they existed in the multitracks, as they were present in the 2009's Summer Love Songs remix

this is the best brian i've ever listened to
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0mbo5sbUZM

God Only Knows has "Girl Don't Tell Me/All Dressed Up For School" Carl in the early take and "Good Vibrations/Windchimes" Carl in the master. If you think it's Brian, compare the tag lead vocal from the version we're talking about with the MONO released real Brian tag... they don't sound alike. Now compare with the STEREO released tag(Carl) and you'll find your singer.

ps1.: Here you can hear didactically both Carls in the tag. Isolated and single-tracked. Sweet Carl in the first line and rough Carl from the second line beyond
ps2.: it can be Carl and Brian together, but definitely not Brian alone

Two very intersting things on the release:

1- Finally we have a answer to why Brian didn't sing Wouldn't It Be Nice in Hawaii. At the rehearsal he tries and his voice breaks. He says "I can't sing it". I'm of the opinion that his voice deteriorated progressively from 65 to 76.
2- They try to sing The Lord's Prayer but the only one who remember his part is Brian. He then goes to the organ and amazingly plays the whole thing he arranged 4 years before

That Lucky Old Sun

Can't Wait Too Long to me isn't a song. It has two intros, a bridge and a fade

I think the OP's "fear" that Scott Bennett wrote the intro to TLOS has more to do with recent events with Scott Bennett than any kind of hero worship of Brian Wilson.  At least, that was my interpretation.

nothing to do with the crime. I fear because that section is to me the main proof in recent years that Brian "still has it". Without that my case turns pretty bad though.
"Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl" is revolting.

I don't have the time to research (husband in hospital) where Ray Lawlor posted what was essentially written by Brian and what was written by Scott - song by song, but it was pretty clear.  Brian was in an amazing creative spurt, much of it while on the road with Jerry Weiss as his PA (with Ray Lawlor joining when available).  Jerry wrote sketch lyrics (pretty good from what I understand) to keep Brian inspired.  Brian called it his "rock 'n roll" album at the time.  He had a contract with RFH and the lyrics were adapted to "That Lucky Ol' Sun" theme - so revised lyrics by Scott.  Ray was at those sessions in Scott's home.  Scott wrote the intro and outro to "Midnight..." and may have some other contributions, but the music was Brian's.  I wish these crappy illusions would disappear.  For those who don't know, Jerry and Ray are Brian's closest friends.  They know.

Here's Ray Lawlor's post:

Pure nonsense. In 2006/2007 , I spent a good portion of my time , and American Airlines points , commuting between JFK and LAX. Literally every morning, at 0800 EST, my phone would ring.  At the other end of the line, was Brian Wilson, already up , working on songs, asking for input ; what I thought.  The next question was invariably " when can you come out ? " It was the summer of the Scott Bennett sessions. I would fly out and immediately go to the house......every week. The ritual was simple: get to the house, Brian always waiting in the driveway, go up to the music room where he would play the new song on his synthesizer, never on the grand piano. Then , go to the deli and eat , then go to the park and walk.  Then drive to Scott's place early so we could listen to "Pet Sounds" ....then stop at the same 7-11 and get a 6 pack of Corona Light for the session. Brian would lay down several piano tracks , Scott would add bass, drums and guitar; Brian would then lay down the lead vocal. The songs were written , lyrics and music , by Brian. Later on they were shortened ( most were over four minutes long) and lyrics were rewritten by Scott , tailoring it for "That Lucky Old Sun". The songs were: "Walking Down the Path of Life" , about 4:30 long, "Morning Beat", "Angel's in Love", "Good Kind of Love", about a minute longer than the released version, "Live Let Live" ,  about 45 seconds longer than the released version, "Mexican Girl" , "oh , Mi Amour", "Message Man" , "Wonderin What You're Up to Now" , which ultimately became "California Role", "Oxygen to the Brain", "Going Home" , about 4:30 minutes long, 'Isn't That Just Like Me and You", "Night Came Gently ", "Isn't That Just Like Me and You", "Forever She'll be My Surfer Girl", "I Wanna Be With You", "Do You Have a Story to Tell"..."Midnight's Another Day " was co written with Scott; "What Love Can Do " was co-written with Burt Bacharach . I have every generation of each one of these songs on CD here at home ; from Brian's piano demo's, to the Scott Bennett engineered sessions, to what came out. Any theory that Brian does not write his own stuff anymore is just pure unadulterated nonsense.

Brian or Scott Bennet? I think it's the best thing on the album, but I fear it was written by Scott, because on the demo he sings all the voices...

- The alternate Good Vibrations fuzz bass ending was better
- The alternate Help Me Rhonda with the counterpoint falsetto on the chorus was better
- Wouldn't It Be Nice with Brian on the bridge was better
- Carl's earlier God Only Knows takes on the verses were better. I would also use his late vocal on the tag instead of Brian's. The released bridge nonetheless is perfect
- Hang On To Your Ego or even I Know There's An Answer with more vocals on the chorus was better
- Sped up Caroline No sucks
- Mike and Brian's Heroes and Villains duet should't have been erased
- Earlier Please Let Me Wonder backing vocals with "aaahs" were better than the released with "uuuhs"

After changing Our Prayer's key and recording a different "intro to HV" track, I don't think Brian still had any intention of opening SMiLE with Heroes and Villains

Does he talk anything about what happened to his voice in the 70s?

Each day it becomes clearer that Brian is the one to blame about the auto-tune thing

My brain cells may not be what they used to be, but didn't Lorren Daro state that Brian did exactly that?  I tried to read through some of that Daro thread, but I couldn't find the post where he said that.  It may have been removed, or it may be in that thread somewhere, or I may be mis-remembering altogether.  FWIW.  Which may not be much.  

Here's the quote, from a supposedly Daro comment on this blog http://www.collapseboard.com/music-blogs-3/wallace-wylie/brian-wilson-tired-of-music-critics-putting-him-in-a-box/

Within months, Brian retired from the road with the Beach Boys to stay at home to write and produce their records. It was something he had wanted to do for years. Brian’s jealous and patently insane father, the Boys, and especially the ironically-named Mike Love, were appalled by Brain’s decision. He was always bullied and intimidated by these people, and found that the only way he could get away from them was to feign mental illness – hiding in his bedroom with a pillow over his head, acting erratic and unstable, etc. He admitted to me many times that this was a theatrical performance and a purposeful sham to get off the road.

For years I've been thinking the best thing Brian did after BWPS is the Lucky Old Sun vocal intro, but in the demo it's all Scott voices, what makes me question if wasn't him the guy who wrote and arranged it. Anybody knows for sure?

Of specific interest to me was the I Believe In Miracles vocal snippet. A version had been circulating with this part edited on to sections from Can't Wait Too Long. As I understand it this edit was made by you in the 80s - is that correct? If so, could you please shed some light on Miracles' relationship with CWTL? It certainly fits musically on the booted edit. Did you put the pieces together because Miracles is an early snippet of what would grow into CWTL, perhaps you based it on a vintage Brian edit, or just for no other reason than the sections go well together?

Mark??

"All You Need Is Love" sounds inspired by "I'm Waiting For The Day". "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" sounds inspired by "All You Need Is Love". "The Winner Takes It All" sounds inspired by "Happy Xmas"

Here's the promo you were all bothering Capitol for not producing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2QM_H3akLk&t=5m55s

Is there anything else on that boot Odeon boot that's not on UM or TSS?

The "I Believe In Miracles + Can't Wait Too Long" snippet

I don't know this set, but a session I'm sure isn't on either UM or TSS is the track 29 from SMiLE Odeon bootleg

Last great: Heroes And Villains
Last decent: Match Point Of Our Love

How can anyone believe SMiLE was finished when Brian himself said in Beautiful Dreamer he didn't release it because he would need a whole year to do it and nobody would have given him that time

delete

thanks

Hi Stephen. Some consider the Old Man River sessions desmise the moment Brian lost interest in the band and never recovered from. Like a SMiLE part 2. What are your recolections from it? Was Brian healthy and doing real progress at the sessions or Mike was right and it wasn't going anywhere? thank you for everything you've been doing