I just cant help thinking that some of the M.I.U. strings are done on synth.

Were synthesizers already that good in the 70s?

Well I wouldnt know, Im only young so I wouldnt really have a clue about the history of the synth. To be honest, if they were good at that time It wouldnt surprise me if Brian & The Boys were using them, they always seem to do a lot of 'firsts' in the pop industry.

but now that I think of it maby its just the equipment and arrangement, production etc.. maby anyway?

My thoughts exactly. I was thinking they had to be fake, too...until I listened again. Now I really think that on MIU and LA, it was more likely differences in production. After all, the decade before when the BBs were recording strings, it would've been completely different techniques. It is quite possible that the PS strings were done with just a few room mics. By the latter albums, there were more tracks to allow for better individual control and much more in the way of processing to sound "slicker" in the way much late 70s music does.

I think that another reason maby that the strings sound different from those two eras is Brian in the role of producer (PS) and him not the producer (MIU etc..). Brians records always seem to have something special about them in the way of production. To be honest, I actually like the strings on Pet Sounds better, I think they just have a warmer sound to them.

Brian played a string-sounding synth on 15 Big Ones ("Just Once in My Life"). That is the earliest one I can think of.

On MIU and LA, there are string arrangers listed, and several of those songs sound like they might be real string parts as opposed to synths. (If they are synth, some of them sound really authentic for the time.) In fact, I was thinking Lady Lynda had to be synth when going from memory, but at least through my laptop speakers, it sounds like it might've been real.

Thanks Luther. I just cant help thinking that some of the M.I.U. strings are done on synth. I mean I listen to Pet Sounds strings and then M.I.U. and the difference to my ears says that their not authentic strings on M.I.U. etc.. but now that I think of it maby its just the equipment and arrangement, production etc.. maby anyway?

I'm not sure if Im correct in saying this, but Im sure theres plenty of Beach Boys freaks (most people on this board are freaks ) who can tell me. But did the Beach Boys ever use fake strings (ie: during M.I.U. era and even previous/afterwards of that?) Im pretty sure they did.. but when did it start? thats if it did at all

I know I shouldn't got torn up over these lists and everyone has an opinion I guess but this thing is such a joke!  It angers me!

I know this probably wont mean much to non-Australian readers but the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) had a list of the 100 greatest albums. Here's the link:

http://www.abc.net.au/myfavouritealbum/top100.htm

It WAS voted by the public, so I suppose you can't get too worked up about the list... but still some of the albums selected are a joke, how can the public be so tasteless? It saddens me sometimes that most people I know just have very little diversity or taste in what they listen to. There is too many poor albums on the list to mention but the one that stood out to me the MOST was #32 - Anthony Callea — Anthony Callea... he was the Australian Idol 2004 runner-up and his self-titled debut album was released in 2005. The list obviously means nothing but still pretty poor if you ask me

I also found this list: http://www.abc.net.au/news/arts/articulate/200606/s1654308.htm
Oasis at #1 and #5??   

I believe the user was contacted by Alan Boyd and the footage will be preserved in the official Beach Boys archive.

Oh ok, thats good to know. Thanks for the info

Does anyone know what happened to that user who uploaded the live clip of God Only Knows in Paris, 1969? They said that they had the full concert in really good video and audio quality.

or should that be deaf....

The '60s is the most musically rich decade, if you ask me.

Couldn't agree more, why was I just over 30 years too late to experience it all
I always tell people that the 60's were the best, but everyone just thinks im crazy. Thats why I enjoy these message boards - people arent blind!

There was a Dennis Wilson myspace blog that talked a little about the Cocaine/Hamburger sessions. Isn't that where Dennis would bribe Brian by giving him a burger or cocaine for every song he'd write? I thought these were more like 1980-1982 era.

Yeh ive always read that Dennis would give him hamburgers/cocaine or whatever (though I dont necessarily believe it) but I dont find that to be essential information, I am just curious of which sessions featured both Dennis and Brian and which only featured Brian and any other people during these 'cocaine sessions'?

Is there a place where I can hear this song?

Yeah ditto. Is this supposed to be one of the better Brian Wilson post BB tunes? What year's it from?

Ive read that it was from 1983 and yes Ive also heard that it is one of the better BW post-BB tunes.

Is there a place where I can hear this song?

No, I don't have this on tape.  Atlantic City, I believe, was the venue.

I haven't read "The Real Beach Boy" yet...hope to get a copy when it comes out...

I'm not 100% sure if its that concert (August 27) but I can send you a track from that concert if you want (ive only got the one track from the concert - "God Only Knows")

Without looking at the archive, just off the top of my head, I think it was on or around August 27, 1997.  It was definitely 20-something.

Do you own this tape Eric? Also Eric, do you know what concert Jon Stebbins (assuming youve read "The Real Beach Boy") was describing when he was talking about a concert where Brian tried to imitate Mike due to Mike's absence (some TM-related thing). Cheer Eric, and thanks for all the work on your site.

It's actually a good tape. Brian never sounded so passonate again except for some of the Paley tapes.

What songs from the Paley tapes do you reckon he matches this passion in (or atleast shows a lot of passion)??

Oh, OK.

The Cocaine session was probably recorded in late 1980 or early '81 in the living room of a guy called Garby Leon.

01. Yeahhh (Child, Adult, And Parent)
02. Oh Lord
03. City Blues
04. Piano (I Said A Prayer/This Isn't Love)
05. You've Been (Pt. 1)
06. You've Been (Pt. 2)
07. I Feel So Fine
08. Heroes And Villains

"Stevie" was the only song out of those Dennis/Brian-sessions that was actually recorded in the studio at the time (rec. 12/80 & 01/81).

Thanks Jasper, appreciate it. Do you reckon that they could make these tapes sound any better (they are listenable) but it'd be nice to hear some of the songs in improved quality (I highly doubt they could but wouldnt it be nice). By the way what do you mean by "Child, Adult, Parent" is that an alternate title or something? Is there a longer version of the song "Yeahhh", mine only goes for 32 seconds

I want to  thank Eric myself because he does a terrific job.

Couldn't agree more. The whole Beach Boys society (or whatever you want to call it) is fantastic, always helping each other out and especially all the people who go to that extra effort to help fellow fans out, ie: Eric's site, AGD's site and all the other sites (the album covers one etc... etc..)

Hamburger?

Do you mean this one?

1. (Talking)
2. California Girls
3. "Let's Start Our Own Band"
4. My Solution
5. (Sounds of sexual intercourse)
6. Mike, Mike, Mike
7. Bonanza Theme
8. It's Just A Matter Of Time
9. I Don't Want To Die
10. Take My Breath Away
11. You Take My Breath Away
12. (Talking)

That's still a bit of a mystery... I once saw it on ebay coupled with "Remember The Zoo".

Hi Jasper, no Ive never even heard of that one before. The one Im talking about (its actually usually called the Cocaine eSessions though ive seen it listed as the Hamburger sssions) has songs such as "Oh Lord", "Yeahhh", "City Blues" etc.. atleast I think those songs are part of these 'sessions' that I am talking about

I was wondering can anyone give me a definative list of what is from these sessions, or is it a name given to a bunch of sessions or what? Anyone got any info to help me understand what exactly these 'sessions' are?

Go to Eric's setlist archive page that will tell you. I have heard a little from the last year but not sure if it is from his very last show. He sounded good considering his health. Like a Brother was recorded  about 1994 or so.

Thanks for the answer, I cant believe Like A Brother was recorded that long ago, that really amazes me. Yeah I was just wondering about Carl's last live performance, because Ive got tapes of him from '97 and just wasnt sure if it was his last performance (I checked Eric's page) and according to him the song Ive got is from Carl's last performance (or atleast one of the last performances) Thanks again

What was Carl Wilson's last ever performance? And is there tapes of this concert somewhere and if so is it any good? Also does anyone know when the Like A Brother album was recorded? Thanks

I like the new addition Mr. Doe & Mr. Rusten, very nice indeed 

I was just wondering, besides official releases (ie: Brian's interview with that Jack guy from the Christmas album and countless releases from documentaries and the like as well as the interviews from the Brian Wilson site... how many interview audio is there available. Just curious because I found an interview with Brian with that same Jack guy, though it is an interview from 1967 about the 'new' Smiley Smile album.

Thanks Andrew , I think I will have to buy that album down the track (when i have time and money). That means that Adam Marsland etc. must have heard it.. i wonder what the original song is like, I cant believe some of the stuff that hasnt been released hasnt been released, if that makes sense.

Is there anywhere that you can hear the Dennis Wilson song "Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again"? Like is it circulating out there? Thanks

Hi Mr. Desper. I posted this elswhere on the message board but someone recommend I ask you. I was wondering if you could answer my question. A friend of mine argued that Mike Love's bass vocals at the Child Is Father of The Man section at the tag of "Surf's Up" were heavily processed. When it comes to recording music etc... I'm not very musically inclined but my ear tells me that Mike Love is singing twice in this section (though I'm probably wrong). Anyway, my question is, are Mike Love's backing vocals on this section processed at all?