The Compleat SMiLE ?

[progrockfan]

Greetings all!

I am new to this board, but have been collecting the BBs for many years.

Has anyone ever compiled a list that details every circulating outtake recording from the SMiLE sessions, together with the source that provides the most complete and/or best sounding version?

[progrockfan]

(bump)

[TdHabib]

Hi, welcome to the board!

I'll go ahead and speak up...

You're best bet is to go to Andrew's website, which lists most or nearly all of the recording sessions for SMiLE, that'll give you the info as to what was recorded. But this isn't everything, as there are many living SMiLE myths that have yet to be unraveled.  As for the best souding versions of things...I'm not really the best person to ask about that...

Anyway, I'm sure you'll find AGD's website interesting...if you haven't seen it already...

The SMiLE starts at: www.btinternet.com/~bellagio/gigs66.html

[the captain]

By the way, welcome to the board. But perhaps the silence following your post was because while it's acceptable under board rules to talk about unreleased material you have heard or own, discussion regarding trading, buying, selling, bartering, stealing, pilfering and the like is frowned upon. Maybe people thought you were looking for a link to somewhere where you could buy such things, and didn't want to get into it. Maybe you were. (And if so, FOR SHAME!  )  If I may sarcastically answer your question from your original post: almost certainly; there are plenty of obsessives among this bunch. And again (seriously), welcome to the board.

[Jason]

First post? Wanna know about boots?

*sniff*

Curious.

We do not deal in Japanese imported materials here. Go over on the Dutch board.

[progrockfan]

Hi, welcome to the board!

By the way, welcome to the board.

Thanks — glad to be here!

...While it's acceptable under board rules to talk about unreleased material you have heard or own, discussion regarding trading, buying, selling, bartering, stealing, pilfering and the like is frowned upon.

Yes — I read the rules when I first found this board — but thanks for the heads-up.

Wanna know about boots?

Um, yes, I do:

2) Talking about bootlegs is fine. Posting messages asking for bootlegs or offering bootlegs is not fine. That's what private messages and emails are for.

With these guidelines in mind:

There are many sites that list the SMiLE sessions in considerable detail — but none, insofar that I am aware, that compare sonic source to sonic source.  That's what I'm after.

I have been collecting the Boys for many years, and possess plenty of, er, "Japanese imported materials" relating to SMiLE.  These sources tend to repeat each other.  While it would, in theory, be possible for me to listen to every single second, weed out duplicates and sub-par source material, and construct a chronological audio history of SMiLE, I was hoping that someone among the obviously well-informed crew here had already done the research.

Thanks again for your responses — keep 'em comin'!

Cheers — Phil (progrockfan)

[Alex]

Welcome to the board!

[Jay]

Comparing specific bootleg cd's is going into a sensitive area. In all fairness to progrockfan though, asking for the NAME of a cd is not the same as asking where to buy said cd. 

[progrockfan]

Thanks for the replies!

You might say that I’m a bit obsessed by SMiLE (a condition I suspect may be familiar to a few of you…) Over the years, in addition to reading everything I can lay my hands on about the sessions, I have gathered quite a few discs containing SMiLE audio content.  Here’s a list of the titles I own that pertain, in one way or another, to SMiLE.

(Let’s be clear!  I am not asking for anything – except information.)

Official releases
Smiley Smile ~ Wild Honey (Mark Linett 24-bit HDCD remaster)
Friends ~ 20/20 (Mark Linett 24-bit HDCD remaster)
Sunflower ~ Surf’s Up (Mark Linett 24-bit HDCD remaster)
Endless Harmony soundtrack
Endless Summer (Steve Hoffman DCC Gold remaster)
Good Vibrations box set
Hawthorne CA.
Rarities (expanded Japanese re-issue)
Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE

“Japanese imported materials”
A Pocket Symphony
Archaeology 1 – Lost SMiLE Sessions (3CD)
Deep Sea Treasures 1
Dumb Angel Rarities 1
Heroes & Vibrations
Heroes & Villains Sessions Parts 1 & 2
Heroes & Villains Sessions Volume 2
Project SMiLE (CD-ROM)
Psychedelic Sounds (1CD version)
Psychedelic Sounds (2CD version)
Secret SMiLE (2CD)
SMiLE (Vigotone – 2CD)
SMiLE Sessions – The Sea Of Tunes Source Tape
Stereo Smiley Smile & Wild Honey
Unsurpassed Masters 15 - Good Vibrations (3CD)
Unsurpassed Masters 16 - SMiLE
Unsurpassed Masters 17 - SMiLE Sessions (3CD)
Unsurpassed Masters 18 - The Alternate Smiley Smile

As a starting point for this discussion:

Can you good folks tell me if I’m missing anything obvious – i.e., titles that I need to track down in order to hear the whole picture?

Please bear in mind:

2) Talking about bootlegs is fine. Posting messages asking for bootlegs or offering bootlegs is not fine. That's what private messages and emails are for.

I don’t mean to offend anyone’s sensibilities – but I’ve been searching for answers to these questions for over a decade.  This seems to be by far the best Beach Boys site on the Net – and therefore the best place to ask.

I am not a musical neophyte or newbie clown.  Head on over to zappateers.com and check out some examples of my original musical research (found in the Collectors section under the title Completist’s Helper), and you’ll see that I live and die for progressive music.  For me, Frank Zappa, the Beatles and the Beach Boys are the greatest artists in the history of recorded music – and for the Beach Boys, the SMiLE sessions are the Grail.

Thanks very much for your consideration! – cheers, Phil (progrockfan)

[The Shift]

Nice list... and welcome to the board!

I think the following is correct:

Long Lost Surf Songs Vol 2 has an otherwise unavailable version of Barnyard (what's now known as "False Barnyard", similar to the end of the Cantina version of H&V or the box set medley of H&V sessions), with an almost indiscernible lyric that goes something like "Blue skies are gone..."

I've got the disc in my hand as I type but can't listen to it right now -  can anyone confirm this please?

For what it's worth I agree, this is the best BBs board by a long way.

[Wrightfan]

Nice list there. Never heard of the "A Pocket Symphony" release. Secret Smile is probably my favorite that you have there as it has some good tracks not available anywhere (Stereo version of Da-Da and the instrumental backing track to Wonderful.) Too bad the quality is awful.

[MBE]

I don't think it has any material not found elsewhere, but the vinyl 3 LP Smile is very good soundwise.

[Amanda Hart]

the vinyl 3 LP Smile is very good soundwise.

I would be almost certain that the three LP set you speak of is the same as the 2 disc Vigotone set he mentioned.  I also think that one is great, it was my first Beach Boys boot, I found it at my local indy record shop so it holds a special place in my heart.  For quality though the Archeology set is outstanding.

[MBE]

I think it added a session party on the sixth side but was close to the vigatone. I can't remember which came first now.

[buddhahat]

Nice list... and welcome to the board!

I think the following is correct:

Long Lost Surf Songs Vol 2 has an otherwise unavailable version of Barnyard (what's now known as "False Barnyard", similar to the end of the Cantina version of H&V or the box set medley of H&V sessions), with an almost indiscernible lyric that goes something like "Blue skies are gone..."

I've got the disc in my hand as I type but can't listen to it right now -  can anyone confirm this please?

For what it's worth I agree, this is the best BBs board by a long way.

Are you referring to the version of False Barnyard that has barely audible lyrics to You Are My Sunshine? I'm pretty sure this exists on one of the boots progrockfan lists, probably Project Smile, as I have that version of False Barnyard and I don't have any boots that aren't on his list.

[The Shift]

Just listened to it and my ears ain't what they used to be -  I can't make out a word. In my favour the sound quality of that track is as muddy as waters...  it has the "aaah-aaah-hum-dum-be-dooby-do"... for sure but the words between those are inaudible.

[buddhahat]

Just listened to it and my ears ain't what they used to be -  I can't make out a word. In my favour the sound quality of that track is as muddy as waters...  it has the "aaah-aaah-hum-dum-be-dooby-do"... for sure but the words between those are inaudible.

Here's what I found in the Smile Shop archives, with a bit about the lyrics:

Recorded as My Only Sunshine this track originally was in three sections: a short instrumental rendition of the standard Old Master Painter (recorded by Frank Sinatra, Richard Hayes and others), the You are my Sunshine chorus, and a Brian Wilson fade (slated as "Part Two") with "when skies are gray" and "how much I love" background vocals by Mike. When Brian recast Heroes and Villains in January he replaced the Barnyard ending with the Old Master Painter tag, wiping the "skies are gray" vocals. The Byron Preiss tape included Old Master Painter/My Only Sunshine followed by the original fade (but without the "skies are gray" backing vocal) which was mistakenly labeled "Barnyard," the Boys confusing it with the earlier true Barnyard Heroes and Villains fade. Linett propagated the mistake by labeling this piece Barnyard on his 1988 comp tape, and it has been labeled as such on countless bootlegs since, until an acetate of the true Barnyard surfaced, complete with animal sounds. The Sunshine fade appropriated for Heroes and Villains is now often referred to as "false Barnyard" because of its´ history, and the version with the skies are gray backing vocals "Barnshine."
When "false Barnyard" was moved into the cantina mix as the fade, it left this song incomplete. -- Lou Shenk, A SMiLE Primer

[The Shift]

Superb, many thanks.

When Capitol, Mark, Alan and of course Brian get around to releasing a proper, comprehensive box set of SMiLE material,  a sonically clear version of the IWBA/YAMS/Barnshine 'medley' is a must!

I think I have this triptych on a very early SMiLE boot but hadn't noticed the vocals on the last segment. Must listen again...

[buddhahat]

The Byron Preiss tape included Old Master Painter/My Only Sunshine followed by the original fade (but without the "skies are gray" backing vocal) which was mistakenly labeled "Barnyard," the Boys confusing it with the earlier true Barnyard Heroes and Villains fade.  -- Lou Shenk, A SMiLE Primer

Who/what is the Byron Preiss tape, and the version of Oldmaster Painter/YAMS followed by the Fale Barnyard fade mentioned above - was that an authentic Brian Wilson mix? I assume it was just a fan edit. Presumably Wee Helper, this may be the same edit as you describe from your boot?

[The Shift]

Yep, that sounds lie what I remember on a very early CD boot which I might now have to unearth, unless AGD or ANOther comes to the rescue with an annotation or something!