January 23, 1967 Surf's Up session

[Chris Moise]

Do we know for certain this session actually occured or might be one of the sessions Brian cancelled because of bad vibes or something similar? If something was recorded it seems odd that it wasn't found a few years later when the Surf's Up was worked on again for the LP with the same name.

In any event it doesn't appear to be the tape alleged to exist with the "strange string parts" as the studio musicians assembled were drums, double bass, several sax players and guitarists. Carl was one of the guitarists so if something of note was recorded I'd think he would have remembered it only 3 years later. Of course I could be completely wrong

[Andrew G. Doe]

If either of the two sessions that day were canceled, it would be noted thus on the AFM sheet.

[Chris Moise]

If either of the two sessions that day were canceled, it would be noted thus on the AFM sheet.

Ah, thanks for that. Damn, I really want to hear what was recorded

[Sam_BFC]

If something was recorded it seems odd that it wasn't found a few years later when the Surf's Up was worked on again for the LP with the same name.

It does seem strange, I guess the explanation might be that they needed to create an impression of Brian's presence which led to the inclusion of his solo piano demo for the second part, and they would not have had a way of combining this with what was recorded in Jan, so to use the latter would have meant new vocals not by Brian.

??

[Chris Moise]

If something was recorded it seems odd that it wasn't found a few years later when the Surf's Up was worked on again for the LP with the same name.

It does seem strange, I guess the explanation might be that they needed to create an impression of Brian's presence which led to the inclusion of his solo piano demo for the second part, and they would not have had a way of combining this with what was recorded in Jan, so to use the latter would have meant new vocals not by Brian.

??

Not sure but I thought Stephen Desper has said that all they found was part 1 and the double tracked 'demo'.

[Bicyclerider]

Yes, nothing from the Jan 23rd session was in the tape vault when Desper was working on Surf's Up, and it's been missing ever since - unless you believe some urban legends being promulgated about.

Since Brian had done the piano track in December with double tracked vocals, could he have intended this version to replace the previously recorded Part 1?  And the Jan 23rd session was for overdubs/inserts onto the December piano track?

[Chris Brown]

Yes, nothing from the Jan 23rd session was in the tape vault when Desper was working on Surf's Up, and it's been missing ever since - unless you believe some urban legends being promulgated about.

Since Brian had done the piano track in December with double tracked vocals, could he have intended this version to replace the previously recorded Part 1?  And the Jan 23rd session was for overdubs/inserts onto the December piano track?

My guess has always been either that Brian didn't show, or he recorded something for Part 2 (or something else completely) but the tape was subsequently lost. 

Overdubbing onto the piano track is an interesting idea...I suppose its possible, although probably unlikely.  The piano version I think was just for kicks, or posterity, not for any type of release. 

He already had a great Part 1 track that just needed lead vocals, and still needed to work on Part 2, but as the first poster said. the musicians listed on the session log don't support this based on the rumors out there about Part 2.  Maybe it was a re-try for Part 1 (wouldn't surprise me), or some other random idea he had.

[runnersdialzero]

I can't believe the amount of stuff that was lost over the years. And it's endlessly frustrating that the second section of "Surf's Up" as it was originally intended is possibly sitting around in someone's basement somewhere, just waiting to be heard. But it never will be.

ASIFJASIFJAS(FJAS)IFJ_A(SJF_*ASJF

[Winston Wrong]

If either of the two sessions that day were canceled, it would be noted thus on the AFM sheet.

Ah, thanks for that. Damn, I really want to hear what was recorded

Ha! You and the rest of the world!

 

[The Song Of The Grange]

According to Keith Badman (whose book I have found pretty helpful in my research) The Jan 23rd 67' session work was "overdubbing additional strings and horns onto the tape from Dec 15th 1966.  Wonderful was also worked on.  Badman also said that work was done one last time on Surf's Up on Feb 8th 67' with Van Dyke present.  He claims that the session "will feature in the June 1971 re-working of the song."  But he gives no more details than that, which is frustrating.  I have no idea how he knows what he knows.  It appears he had access to lots of the AFM sheets.  I wish the BBs had a book on their recording as complete and detailed as the one on the Beatles (The Beatles: Recording Sessions: the Official Abbey Road Studio Session Notes, 1962-1970) (a great book for any hard core Beatles fans out there.  The Badman book (The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary) is just not quite at the same level.

This January and February 1967 period is real murky.  It is hard to tell what is going on.  Was Smile dead by now?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Have to point out that several times, Badman's reading of what happened from the AFM sheet info is so way off as to be both laughable and scary.

Further, I have no documentation regarding a 2/8/67 session for anything, much less "Surf's Up", and neither does anyone else I know - pretty much all of what he says regarding Smile comes from Lou Shenk's primer - uncredited - except for what he assumes. In this case, wrongly.

[c-man]

From January 27nd through March 2nd, all the documentation on 1967 SMiLE sessions (AFM sheets for instrumental tracking dates & Captiol Records session worksheets for both instrumental & vocal dates) bears just one song title:  HEROES AND VILLAINS (two if you count H&V Part II as a separate title).  So I have no idea where Keith got the notion of a Feb. 8th SURF''S UP session.

 

[The Song Of The Grange]

Thanks to C-man and Andrew for putting some perspective on the Keith Badman book for me.  I think I am going to use Lou Shenk as the most solid source, unless anyone would advise otherwise.  The Keith Badman book seems to jump to conclusions and misunderstand the evidence.  He even says that the Water chant was recorded at a Heroes and Villains session.  The last thing a Smile Junkie needs is more bad data.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Lou is a very reliable source, and here's a good place to point out that all the Smile session dates and info on the 10452 site were derived from his researches and checked by him - for that, many thanks.

I eagerly await c-man's insights into this much vexed era.

[c-man]

Lou is a very reliable source, and here's a good place to point out that all the Smile session dates and info on the 10452 site were derived from his researches and checked by him - for that, many thanks.

I eagerly await c-man's insights into this much vexed era.

Well, c-man is trying to proactively offset the enormous headache he is sure to endure when he attempts to compile his SMiLE-era credits and essays sometime in the next two years, by collecting all the info he can.  He's dreading the day when he'll actually have to begin sorting through the volumes of stuff written on the topic.  And he'll undoutedly have to revise the finished product numerous times, as those with more insight than he catch mistakes he's made (or, will make at that time...).

Seriously, the dates and credits shouldn't be that hard...oddly enough, SMiLE is probably the best-documented BBs album in terms of unearthed AFM contracts & Capitol worksheets.  What will be tricky is determining WHAT was recorded at which session, in terms of H&V vocals, etc, as the participants in this forum well know!  Anyways, I've got the realatively straightforward Party!, Little Girl, Stella By Starlight, and Pet Sounds sessions to compile before I have to worry about that SMiLE beastie. 

[The Song Of The Grange]

Lou is a very reliable source, and here's a good place to point out that all the Smile session dates and info on the 10452 site were derived from his researches and checked by him - for that, many thanks.

Thanks for the tip on the Bellagio 10452 site.  I hadn't discovered that site yet.  Looks like a whole bunch of good info to digest--looks like I won't be watching the superbowl after all.

[GLarson432]

Watch the Super Bowl.  Ian and AGD have done a great service to BB fans but the information about what happened between 48 years ago and, say, yesterday isn't going to change.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Yeah, watch the game - the site will still be there tomorrow. 

[the captain]

Of course, considering how long they drag out the Super Bowl with advertisements, the game will still be there tomorrow, too...