SMiLE Sessions box set!

[buddhahat]

You say that I'm negative, but at least I acknowledge the quality of the "Smile" songs and recordings, but we are now seeing a sour grapes "Smile was never any good, anyhow" attitude taking root here. Before such attitudes spread like wildfire, Capitol & Brother should come to their senses, and realise that it is now in their best interests to reveal some information and reassert that this box set is still going to happen.

Hey no offense Phil, and I know you love the Smile music. I probably shouldn't have been so snarky in my earlier post, but I don't think you do yourself any favours with all these negative predictions. Capitol will put out a new release when they're ready and I'm sure we'll see this box coming out before the end of the year. As far as the compilers being so secretive about this release - that's par for the course and good business sense on Capitol's part. The information that's released has to serve the commercial interests of the project as far as they're concerned. Much that we'd like Mark or Alan to come here and tell us which edit of Child is going to be used, it just isn't going to happen.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Back in mid March, Capitol announced the box was happening. I don't recall any statement since then, on or off the record, that says (or even hints) that it's not. When the 1993 box set was announced and fan wish-lists were solicited (in late 1992), the next thing we heard of was the release schedule, about a month before it came out as I recall.

July 12th obviously isn't happening. August 9th would require a press release within a week or so. My moneys on an announcement of the release date mid-August and a release mid/late September. If I'm wrong, no biggie, world will continue turning.

[The Shift]

Much that we'd like Mark or Alan to come here and tell us which edit of Child is going to be used, it just isn't going to happen.

And it'd spoil the surprise and the wonderful tension!

[Shady]

Let's all just make good on our word and have this thread hit 100 pages before the next press release

[Les P]

Let's all just make good on our word and have this thread hit 100 pages before the next press release

OK, I'll do my part...  Since there is no news yet, my unconscious is creating it instead.  Last night I dreamed that I was in a studio watching Jeff Foskett add vocals to the SMiLE tracks without them, and had the impression the surviving Beach Boys had also added some.  I was surprised at this and it sounded really good, but I thought "oh boy, the folks on the Smiley Smile board are going to hate this. "  Also saw the box, and there was no Frank Holmes art, IIRC there was some artwork, mostly orange with some green vines, and the lettering.  I was disappointed the FH cover wasn't used and thought "well, maybe the FH illustrations are in the booklet."

Obviously I need to spend less time here...

[buddhahat]

Let's all just make good on our word and have this thread hit 100 pages before the next press release

Mmm. Dunno. That's going to require an awful lot of inane posting for the sake of it. Do you think we're up to it?

Just out of curiosity, what's the longest thread in the history of the board?

[bgas]

Let's all just make good on our word and have this thread hit 100 pages before the next press release

OK, I'll do my part...  Since there is no news yet, my unconscious is creating it instead.  Last night I dreamed that I was in the studio watching Jeff Foskett add vocals to the tracks without them, and had the impression the surviving Beach Boys had also added some.  I was surprised at this and it sounded really good, but I thought "oh boy, the folks on the Smiley Smile board are going to hate this. "  Also saw the box, and there was no Frank Holmes art, IIRC there was some artwork, mostly orange with some green vines, and the lettering.  I was disappointed the FH cover wasn't used and thought "well, maybe the FH illustrations are in the booklet."

Obviously I need to spend less time here...

Oh, see, that ties in with the comment that Taylor ISN"T on the Smile Sessions, implying that some/all of the rest of Brian's band have contributed vocals. Then of course, there's Brian having to leave the Euro tour to do some session work to finish production of the sessions, retrospectively , of course.

[Shady]

Let's all just make good on our word and have this thread hit 100 pages before the next press release

Mmm. Dunno. That's going to require an awful lot of inane posting for the sake of it. Do you think we're up to it?

Just out of curiosity, what's the longest thread in the history of the board?

I would think the initial smile thread when Al leaked the news

Let's all just make good on our word and have this thread hit 100 pages before the next press release

OK, I'll do my part...  Since there is no news yet, my unconscious is creating it instead.  Last night I dreamed that I was in the studio watching Jeff Foskett add vocals to the tracks without them, and had the impression the surviving Beach Boys had also added some.  I was surprised at this and it sounded really good, but I thought "oh boy, the folks on the Smiley Smile board are going to hate this. "  Also saw the box, and there was no Frank Holmes art, IIRC there was some artwork, mostly orange with some green vines, and the lettering.  I was disappointed the FH cover wasn't used and thought "well, maybe the FH illustrations are in the booklet."

Obviously I need to spend less time here...

Oh, see, that ties in with the comment that Taylor ISN"T on the Smile Sessions, implying that some/all of the rest of Brian's band have contributed vocals. Then of course, there's Brian having to leave the Euro tour to do some session work to finish production of the sessions, retrospectively , of course.

It's all coming together, seems Les P had a Precognitive Dream

[Jim V.]

To be honest I don't even like SMiLE that much. It's impossible to listen to, all of the material is spread out over a half dozen bootlegs and you have to listen to 3 minutes of false starts just to hear 30 seconds of anything that sounds good. I'm not a big fan of a lot of SMiLE songs, Wonderful especially has always kind of bored me. The better parts, Cabinessence and Surf's Up, have already been released. I feel like a lot of the important details on the other songs that would have made them really excellent are missing, so most of the fun of SMiLE rests in imagining all the stuff that isn't there. Even after all these years Heroes and Villains still feels incomplete, I'm just waiting for a mix of the song that finally lives up to the hype, but who knows if one even exists. I really liked BWPS when it first came out, but it's not something I listen to much anymore and I've developed an aversion to the production and feel of that album. My enthusiasm for the whole enterprise is really fading fast, I don't know what they're doing but it seems like we're being set up for another disappointment and I really wish that they would just move on this already and strike while the iron is still hot instead of letting the thing burn out yet again.

Part of me thinks SMiLE has never been released because there's nothing to release.

I know how you feel. To much of Smile is indulgent. If Brian had managed to finish all the good songs he'd just about have an EP-worth of material, but all the rest of the stuff I would classify as 'musical curiosities' or bonus track material - largely childish, irrelevant scribbling. The best stuff is fabulous, but there isn't that much of it.

I'm not saying whether I agree or disagree with you, brotherjohn, but I am interested in seeing what this "EP" worth of material of "good songs" is, and what you consider "bonus track" material. I'm assuming the EP's worth is probably "Surf's Up", "Heroes And Villains", "Cabin Essence", "Wonderful" and "Child is Father..."

Actually there's  no way I can agree that there's only and EP's worth. There is definitely an albums worth of awesome material there.

[stack-o-tracks]

I definitely think if the 2004 version has an album's worth of music, the 1967 version would have as well.

As for the Smile Sessions.... I imagine about an EPs worth of completed songs and a bunch of instramentals/songs missing various leads & harmonies. Hopefully they put some of the 2004 leads over the incomplete stuff. 

But really, I have no idea because I'm a n00b and an idiot. 

[Les P]

Let's all just make good on our word and have this thread hit 100 pages before the next press release

OK, I'll do my part...  Since there is no news yet, my unconscious is creating it instead.  Last night I dreamed that I was in the studio watching Jeff Foskett add vocals to the tracks without them, and had the impression the surviving Beach Boys had also added some.  I was surprised at this and it sounded really good, but I thought "oh boy, the folks on the Smiley Smile board are going to hate this. "  Also saw the box, and there was no Frank Holmes art, IIRC there was some artwork, mostly orange with some green vines, and the lettering.  I was disappointed the FH cover wasn't used and thought "well, maybe the FH illustrations are in the booklet."

Obviously I need to spend less time here...

Oh, see, that ties in with the comment that Taylor ISN"T on the Smile Sessions, implying that some/all of the rest of Brian's band have contributed vocals. Then of course, there's Brian having to leave the Euro tour to do some session work to finish production of the sessions, retrospectively , of course.

Yep, all the pieces are coming together.

[juggler]

When the 1993 box set was announced and fan wish-lists were solicited (in late 1992), the next thing we heard of was the release schedule, about a month before it came out as I recall.

Very true.   The release details were announced in the May 22, 1993 issue of Billboard, and the set was released on June 29, 1993.  

Billboard, 5/22/93...
http://books.google.com/books?id=cygEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=RA1-PA113&dq=%22david%20leaf%22%20%22mark%20linett%22&pg=PA12#v=onepage&q=%22david%20leaf%22%20%22mark%20linett%22&f=false

[PhilCohen]

What if......The "Smile Sessions" box someday does get released, and it contains little or nothing that we don't already have. Then we've been put through all of this stress, anticipation and speculation for nothing.

[Shady]

What if......The "Smile Sessions" box someday does get released, and it contains little or nothing that we don't already have. Then we've been put through all of this stress, anticipation and speculation for nothing.

I wouldn't really care

Would just enjoy the having it as a big box set with a massive booklet and of course the crisp new mixes

[rab2591]

What if......The "Smile Sessions" box someday does get released, and it contains little or nothing that we don't already have. Then we've been put through all of this stress, anticipation and speculation for nothing.

I wouldn't really care

Would just enjoy the having it as a big box set with a massive booklet and of course the crisp new mixes

Exactly. I don't think anyone here is expecting much more than what we already have. I just want a properly mixed 'Holidays' and 'Look' and I'll be happy.

[bgas]

What if......The "Smile Sessions" box someday does get released, and it contains little or nothing that we don't already have. Then we've been put through all of this stress, anticipation and speculation for nothing.

What if...... When the Smile Sessions box is released, it has many more tracks than you ever thought possible (that you've never heard), and the excitement is just too much for that little thing where your heart should be, and you drop on the spot and never get to hear any of them...

[rab2591]

What if......The "Smile Sessions" box someday does get released, and it contains little or nothing that we don't already have. Then we've been put through all of this stress, anticipation and speculation for nothing.

What if...... When the Smile Sessions box is released, it has many more tracks than you ever thought possible (that you've never heard), and the excitement is just too much for that little thing where your heart should be, and you drop on the spot and never get to hear any of them...

that just blew my mind.

[18thofMay]

What if......The "Smile Sessions" box someday does get released, and it contains little or nothing that we don't already have. Then we've been put through all of this stress, anticipation and speculation for nothing.

What if...... When the Smile Sessions box is released, it has many more tracks than you ever thought possible (that you've never heard), and the excitement is just too much for that little thing where your heart should be, and you drop on the spot and never get to hear any of them...

Day making post!!

[JMZ]

What if......The "Smile Sessions" box someday does get released, and it contains little or nothing that we don't already have. Then we've been put through all of this stress, anticipation and speculation for nothing.

I agree with Shady and Rab, it's already great that all the SMiLE stuff we already know will be available in better quality. To me, even just a good HQ mix of "Child is father ..." would be enough to buy.

Concerning the "never before heard" stuff, they said there are about 35 hours of recorded sessions. The bootlegged portion (= what we already have) of that represents what ? Let's say a maximum 6 hours counting all the "source" bootleg stuff (not the compilations, fan mixes, etc).

That leaves Mark Linett and Alan Boyd 29 hours worth of sessions to unhearth one nugget or two ... Pretty likely nah ?  

[Andrew G. Doe]

What if......The "Smile Sessions" box someday does get released, and it contains little or nothing that we don't already have. Then we've been put through all of this stress, anticipation and speculation for nothing.

I agree with Shady and Rab, it's already great that all the SMiLE stuff we already know will be available in better quality. To me, even just a good HQ mix of "Child is father ..." would be enough to buy.

Concerning the "never before heard" stuff, they said there are about 35 hours of recorded sessions. The bootlegged portion (= what we already have) of that represents what ? Let's say a maximum 6 hours counting all the "source" bootleg stuff (not the compilations, fan mixes, etc).

That lets Mark Linett and Alan Boyd 29 hours worth of sessions to unhearth one nugget or two ... Pretty likely nah ?  

The likelihood of new songs is, of course, vanishingly small (unless someone's been sitting on a reel that had no documentation whatsoever), but I'll be utterly astonished if we don't hear new material from sessions that are currently seriously under-represented... and of course, the audio quality will be several notches up the scale (unless acetates are involved).

But mostly, I want this thing to be released so that Phil Cohen will shut the f*** up. 

[18thofMay]

Lol.. I doubt that!!

[vintagemusic]

I'm kind of flabbergasted, when I read people say, the SMiLE songs aren't that great.
Personally, I think the Pet Sounds sounds songs, and especially the SMiLE songs are
the greatest one, two clutch of songs I can think of. By anybody.

Surf's Up, Hero's and Villians, Good Vibrations, Cabin Essence. Just remarkable.

I agree Some of the SMiLE songs may not be as great as those four. But song for
song, I think it trumps Sgt Pepper, Unless you add Penny Lane/ Strawberry Fields.

Sgt pepper is the same way, I mean does anybody really believe Lovely Rita is in the
same class with Day In The Life,?

More than the that, In SMiLE the songs are all so interconnected, it's more like seeing
it as one whole piece, at least to me, it's all one piece like Gershwin or something.


Personally I am most excited about hearing a faux nearly complete sounding album on
disc one, that is better in fidelity and content than any of the bootlegs I have heard assembled.

Also the possibility of a song that was thought to have no lead vocals, or songs more fleshed
out than we were aware existed.

The other thing is I find it weird that people still don't believe it's coming out, people like Phil Cohen.

The surviving Beach Boys have all confirmed it, the record company, many other people on and off the record,
it's a done deal for sure, the only question is what date and what's on it.

I am curious how well it's going to do, I think it's gonna be big, like super super big..and I am really hoping
for a strong disc one. I think that and its mystique is what's gonna give it traction.

[brother john]

To be honest I don't even like SMiLE that much. It's impossible to listen to, all of the material is spread out over a half dozen bootlegs and you have to listen to 3 minutes of false starts just to hear 30 seconds of anything that sounds good. I'm not a big fan of a lot of SMiLE songs, Wonderful especially has always kind of bored me. The better parts, Cabinessence and Surf's Up, have already been released. I feel like a lot of the important details on the other songs that would have made them really excellent are missing, so most of the fun of SMiLE rests in imagining all the stuff that isn't there. Even after all these years Heroes and Villains still feels incomplete, I'm just waiting for a mix of the song that finally lives up to the hype, but who knows if one even exists. I really liked BWPS when it first came out, but it's not something I listen to much anymore and I've developed an aversion to the production and feel of that album. My enthusiasm for the whole enterprise is really fading fast, I don't know what they're doing but it seems like we're being set up for another disappointment and I really wish that they would just move on this already and strike while the iron is still hot instead of letting the thing burn out yet again.

Part of me thinks SMiLE has never been released because there's nothing to release.

I know how you feel. To much of Smile is indulgent. If Brian had managed to finish all the good songs he'd just about have an EP-worth of material, but all the rest of the stuff I would classify as 'musical curiosities' or bonus track material - largely childish, irrelevant scribbling. The best stuff is fabulous, but there isn't that much of it.

I'm not saying whether I agree or disagree with you, brotherjohn, but I am interested in seeing what this "EP" worth of material of "good songs" is, and what you consider "bonus track" material. I'm assuming the EP's worth is probably "Surf's Up", "Heroes And Villains", "Cabin Essence", "Wonderful" and "Child is Father..."

Actually there's  no way I can agree that there's only and EP's worth. There is definitely an albums worth of awesome material there.

Yes, that's about it, plus Da Da and Our Prayer of course. Its a great shame 'Child...' never acquired full song status - if it had a proper worked up set of vocals it could have been another Surf's Up.

Do You Like Worms is not up to much, I think. The intro to Look is lovely, but the rest of is it is silly, as is Holidays and Master Painter. He Gives Speeches is fun,  but fails to get past the demo stage, and Wind Chimes is almost very good but the arrangement is unfinished. Perversely, I quite like You're Welcome, and the Smiley version of Vegetables is pretty good for similar reasons. That's it really. The abstract, experimental stuff just doesn't work. Its not what Brian Wilson does. He is master of the beautiful, haunting melody and the beguiling chord change. With Fire and such like he was out of his depth.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Yes, that's about it, plus Da Da and Our Prayer of course. Its a great shame 'Child...' never acquired full song status - if it had a proper worked up set of vocals it could have been another Surf's Up.

Do You Like Worms is not up to much, I think. The intro to Look is lovely, but the rest of is it is silly, as is Holidays and Master Painter. He Gives Speeches is fun,  but fails to get past the demo stage, and Wind Chimes is almost very good but the arrangement is unfinished. Perversely, I quite like You're Welcome, and the Smiley version of Vegetables is pretty good for similar reasons. That's it really. The abstract, experimental stuff just doesn't work. Its not what Brian Wilson does. He is master of the beautiful, haunting melody and the beguiling chord change. With Fire and such like he was out of his depth.

So, basically... "don't f*** with the formula" ? 

[brother john]

Yes, that's about it, plus Da Da and Our Prayer of course. Its a great shame 'Child...' never acquired full song status - if it had a proper worked up set of vocals it could have been another Surf's Up.

Do You Like Worms is not up to much, I think. The intro to Look is lovely, but the rest of is it is silly, as is Holidays and Master Painter. He Gives Speeches is fun,  but fails to get past the demo stage, and Wind Chimes is almost very good but the arrangement is unfinished. Perversely, I quite like You're Welcome, and the Smiley version of Vegetables is pretty good for similar reasons. That's it really. The abstract, experimental stuff just doesn't work. Its not what Brian Wilson does. He is master of the beautiful, haunting melody and the beguiling chord change. With Fire and such like he was out of his depth.

So, basically... "don't foder with the formula" ? 

You know, those very words did run through my head as I was typing the above  , but yes (or no...).

There were some things the BBs did better than anyone anywhere ever, and some things they didn't. Perhaps if Lou Reed had recorded MO'LC it might have worked, but the Boys? No.