Carl as Producer

[BillA]

I vaguely remember a line from the book "Heroes and Villains" that occurred during the 1977 dispute.  Mike complained about the amount of money that had been wasted on Holland and then Carl complained that he had not been compensated for producing the 4 early 70's albums.

My question is regarding "Sunflower", "Surfs Up", "Carl and the Passions" and "Holland" and who produced what.  I do hear what I suspect to be Brian's production all over "Sunflower" (especially "This Whole World" and "At My Window") and "Surfs Up" ("Surfs Up", "Tree" and "'Til I Die") although I could be wrong. 

What was Carl's role in producing these records?.  Did he just finish up things Brian had started? Did he coordinate with the song writers? Or had he pretty much become the creative director?

[Jon Stebbins]

Brian had some production input, but his role was more of a (part-time) composer/arranger arranger in those days. Carl was the main producer, although Dennis certainly produced or co-produced his songs, and Bruce had a hand in his songs, and to a lesser extent Al on his songs. No way Carl was just finishing things up, he was running the show.

[Ed Roach]

Brian did have quite a bit of production participation in Dennis' songs from Sunflower.
Typical of those two brothers, Dennis would work alone in the studio at Brian's Bellagio house.
The studio was under his bedroom, and Dennis' music would inevitably lure Brian downstairs.
I experienced this myself, both when Dennis was working, and when the group I had brought
out from Brooklyn was recording at the studio, although then Brian was just interested to see,
and hear, who this was recording in his studio!  (Desper had prepared me for this happening)

[slothrop]

Apparently Brian produced "Add Some Music" alone--his name appears as the producer on various 45 releases of the song. That's the last song that bears that label until the bizarre "Child of Winter" if I remember correctly. "All I Wanna Do" also really sounds like a Brian thing to me--those high guitar parts throughout, the amazing bass sound, subdued drumming, and of course the vocal arrangements in that insane break before the third verse. I could be wrong but it sounds like Brian had a bit to do with that song.

[Andrew G. Doe]

In 1981, the Ten Years Of Harmony lyric sheet gave individual credits for the first time to post 1969 songs previously credited to The Beach Boys, thus:

Add Some Music To Your Day - Brian
Disney Girls - Bruce
Marcella - Carl
Cool, Cool Water (45 mix/edit) - Brian
This Whole World - Brian & Carl
Don't Go Near The Water - Alan & Carl
Surf's Up - Brian (1966/7) & Carl (1971)
Deirdre - Bruce
Long Promised Road - Carl
Feel Flows - Carl
'Til I Die - Brian & Carl

[c-man]

"All I Wanna Do" also really sounds like a Brian thing to me--those high guitar parts throughout, the amazing bass sound, subdued drumming, and of course the vocal arrangements in that insane break before the third verse. I could be wrong but it sounds like Brian had a bit to do with that song.

Indeed it does, however the basic track at least was in fact produced by Carl.  Brian may have been involved with producing or co-producing the numerous vocal overdubs, though.  To further answer your question, it appears Carl was the Beach Boy most involved with the mixdowns during those days (this from various sources, including Al and Desper).