2003 BB Convention Reminiscence Thread

[Catbirdman]

You should have encoded at a higher bit rate.

Absolutely champion first response 

The bit rate??? AGD reveals that Alan Boyd almost lost his job over this (I never knew it was THAT bad!!!), and people are concerned about the bit rate??

Besides, I had them as .aiff files on my computer. I deleted them years ago. They're gone.

As for who was responsible for spraying this thing all over the internet (as low bit rate mp3s apparently), I couldn't even begin to imagine who that was. I wish I knew. I would have a few choice words for them (one of which would be "despicable" - I know first-hand how that one stings).

[A Million Units In Jan!]

deleted

[Rocker]

[
Since that day I have never shared anything Beach Boys-related with ANYONE, no matter what the situation. My collecting days pretty much ended right then and there. I dropped out of the scene completely. It is only now, after hearing the SMiLE announcement, that I have started to dip my toe in the pool again by visiting this message board.

Hope you'll find some joy now that you're "back" and have some fun on this board.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

What's done is done. You made a mistake, as we all do from time to time. In any case, I myself feel you are one of the best new members we've had in forever, and I welcome you being here.

[XY]

Never trust anyone...
Sad story, but your mistake brought a lot of joy to many Beach Boys fans. Some of the coolest unreleased and alternate stuff is on those CD's.

[smile-holland]

I spent a while with Alan on the phone about it. I think he was under the gun about it, and the PTB were looking for someone to blame.

Under the gun ? He nearly lost his job and his reputation. I know you didn't steal the tracks from his house, but you put them into general circulation, and having attended the 2003 convention you must have had a very good idea as to the original source. That was a despicable act. Despicable.

I think the word despicable is not the right choice here (nor is it very tactful). I think if anyone is entitled to use these kind of words it's (a.o.) mr. Boyd himself. Catbirdman got these recordings, and at a certain moment shared them with a few others. A sensible thing to do? Or a naive move? I'd say yes. And looking back on the effect of it: stupid? Maybe so. But if I read the story correctly, this wasn't the intention. Plus I think he has got his "punishment". No need to do repeat it again.

And think of this: I wouldn't surprise me if half of the board members has heard, or posesses this CD(s) or the downloads. Could have been easy to not buy or download it if we decided that it wasn't right to keep that chain going... What does that make of us?

Again: not trying to justify anyting here, just trying to put it in perspective. (well... I'm trying to...    )

[The Shift]

That confession was a bold thing to do. You came with a story to tell – a fascinating one at that, one that's probably already stored in a dozen BBs historians' databases – told it and got the wrist slapped all over again, which is a shame.

You have my admiration for the genuine regret you've expressed now, and for the way you handled it at the time as soon as you realised what you'd unintentionally done.

We've all dropped a bollock once in our lives and not all had the balls to fess' up.

Let him without guilt cast the first rock, 'n all that…

[Catbirdman]

Oh dear, I opened a real can of worms. And I usually like worms, too.

I should not have "confessed" on this board. I did so for selfish reasons: I wanted to be absolved of the matter and to hear people say it wasn't really my fault. Some of you have said just that, and I won't lie, it's what I wanted to hear. But what AGD said has kind of put me in my place a bit.

Consider: Alan Boyd nearly lost his job and reputation over this. Whoa. I mean, I knew he took some heat, but not to that extent.

I could plead that I was just an unfortunate stooge, and that the whole thing is unfair. But as Andrew points out, Alan was obviously the source for the leaked material, and knowing that, I simply should not have gotten involved on ANY level. It was a mistake, and my actions had consequences.

An apology would probably ring hollow to Alan, but an apology is all I have. I'm sorry for what I did. Beyond that, I can't undo what's done; the toothpaste is out of the tube. I'm not going to beat myself up over it anymore.

[Jcc]

Catbirdman, don't beat yourself up.  I don't think you did anything wrong.  You're clearly not a distributor, and all you did was share a few songs with 5 people whom you thought you could trust.  You also did not profit monetarily from any of it.  In addition, you didn't steal the boots yourself, you got them from someone else, who got them from someone else, etc.

Based on the years I've been posting on this board, for ANYONE to call the above "despicable" is like a local sheriff announcing a campaign to rid his town of obscene materials when he's the best customer at the brothel one town over.  If there is anyone here who hasn't heard a Beach Boys bootleg or made a copy for a trusted friend, then that person is clearly in the minority.

I'm not a bootlegger.  I don't make this stuff and I would never steal tapes from a vault or from someone's house.  That being said, the Beach Boys ought to get on their knees and thank God that they have fans who are so committed to the music...let's see, about 45 years after that music STOPPED being relevant to the world-at-large, that they would be willing to listen, let alone distribute, snippets of alternate takes and instrumental tracks of obscure songs that were never hits or even well-known at the time they were released.

"Cease and Desist" order?  That's pretty heavy-handed.  Always a good business decision to read the riot act to one of your most dedicated fans.  Good going, Brother Records!!  I hope these people are aware that just about every penny in profit they make off this upcoming SMiLE box will largely be due to the fact that the existence of bootlegs has helped keep this music alive, vital, and relevant since 1967.  Most people will not buy this box, or the SMiLE 2-disc edition, were it not for someone who'd told them at some point how important this music was, or what it could have been.

And how would anyone in the 1980's or 1990's have any idea of SMiLE or what it meant, without being able to hear just a little bit of the music?  It would have become a footnote of history, maybe something discoverable 100 years from now by some archiver of late 20th Century popular music.  Something you'd hear about in 5-10 minutes of a graduate seminar.   Brian Wilson's long dead by then, even SMiLE 2004 would never have been made.

I'm not saying bootlegging is legal, or right by the artists involved (provided of course those artists actually own the music in question).  Otherwise, I feel your pain, I really do, Mr. Suit-wearing Capitol Records bureaucrat!

But spare the self-righteousness and judgments (a.k.a. despicable) for people who commit real crimes.

[hypehat]

I wasn't busting your balls, I was laughing at the first response!

You obviously f***ed up, but then we all do. C'est la vie. I certainly don't think any less of you.

[STE]

Ironic how in threads all over the board you can find people complaining that "certain collectors" do not share material but then when they do share they are despicable...

It's a sensitive and complex situation, especially because it involved Alan Boyd, who really didn't deserve any merda on him.
But honestly now, who on this board has never shared unreleased material?


Not me of course. I have never heard, seen or possessed any unreleased material.

[bgas]

It's a sensitive and complex situation, especially because it involved Alan Boyd, who really didn't deserve any merda on him.
But honestly now, who on this board has never shared unreleased material?

AGD?   

[alanjames]

Everyday, everyone have some people to count on. And one day, everyone will see that some of these people didn't deserve it...they lie to us and this is it. I think everyone one day lived this kind of situation.
Certainly he did. He made a mistake, but he didn't want it.
Despicable: killing each other, steal each other, hurt each other, etc...
He shared a material that possibily will never see a proper release, and maybe some of these material didn't have the ideal quality to release.
And I think all the fans who have listened Get The Boots will buy all releases containing these material in a pristine and clear sound, mixed and mastered properly, because the quality of the leaked material is very rough.
 

[mtaber]

I remember that a bootleg came out sometime around '82, and on the back cover whoever put out the boot had listed my  name and address, for people to contact me if they wanted info on my newsletter.  I got a threatening phone call from the Beach Boys' legal firm ordering me to "cease and desist" distributing the boot and to hand over all proceeds to the band pronto.  I asked them if they thought I was stupid enough (don't answer, AGD!) to put out a bootleg and then print my name and address on the damned thing?  I then reeled off some inside information concerning embarrassing behaviors of a bald band member that might see the light of day if they wished to continue harassing me before hanging up on them.  Never heard back from them. Still have no idea who put out the boot.

[bgas]

I remember that a bootleg came out sometime around '82, and on the back cover whoever put out the boot had listed my  name and address, for people to contact me if they wanted info on my newsletter.  I got a threatening phone call from the Beach Boys' legal firm ordering me to "cease and desist" distributing the boot and to hand over all proceeds to the band pronto.  I asked them if they thought I was stupid enough (don't answer, AGD!) to put out a bootleg and then print my name and address on the damned thing?  I then reeled off some inside information concerning embarrassing behaviors of a bald band member that might see the light of day if they wished to continue harassing me before hanging up on them.  Never heard back from them. Still have no idea who put out the boot.

I heard it was issued by Mother Taber Records   

[MBE]

Wasn't that Landlocked. Funny enough Mike made a joke out of bootlegs in Goldmine while "Brian" blasted people for them on his message board.

As for myself I think this accident was a happy one in the big picture. I am truly sad that Alan almost lost his job, but hell if BRI dosen't give us this stuff what do they expect! I think it's much worse for someone to pirate things that are currently in print then to boot unreleased stuff. For instance if I put out a record and some schmuck took it and was selling it without paying me then I would be pissed. However I would be flattered if somebody wanted the outtakes that I didn't see fit to put out.

In the case of the Beach Boys some stuff is never going to come out until if and when the copywrite runs out for good. I understand them being embarrassed by some things, but there are those of us who really just want the whole artistic picture good, bad, or ugly. Perhaps thanks aren't in order, and I myself would never copy something I was asked not to, but aren't most of us really enriched by those Cd's? I personally only regret we don't have vinyl on them. Hell one last thing. Some bands have put out their own versions of bootlegs and ALL of these sell better then the boots. All of us here would support and buy this stuff legally but we can't so we don't.

[bgas]

In the case of the Beach Boys some stuff is never going to come out until if and when the copywrite runs out for good. I understand them being embarrassed by some things, but there are those of us who really just want the whole artistic picture good, bad, or ugly. Perhaps thanks aren't in order, and I myself would never copy something I was asked not to, but aren't most of us really enriched by those Cd's? I personally only regret we don't have vinyl on them. Hell one last thing. Some bands have put out their own versions of bootlegs and ALL of these sell better then the boots. All of us here would support and buy this stuff legally but we can't so we don't.

Most of the BBs stuff won't come out till they're gone, is what I think. then maybe it'll be easier to convince their heirs to release it. course I'll probably be gone too... 
Course that is if they don't have it destroyed as part of their "last wishes"

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I've always wondered what Brian's reaction was when he found out his band used to collect boots

[Jay]

I've always wondered what Brian's reaction was when he found out his band used to collect boots

I think I read somewhere that Darian used to knowledge of SMiLE boots when they were doing BWPS.

[MBE]

I've always wondered what Brian's reaction was when he found out his band used to collect boots

Of course I think it was "Brian" not Brian who had a problem with it. I don't know if Mike collected them but he certainly didn't mind discussing them with the interviewer jokingly trying to extort $20.
I know John Lennon liked to buy them. I think Elvis even was OK with them.

[Jay]

Paul Mccartney has been known to actually tape record other people's shows.  Jimi Hendrix did too. Actually, a few bootlegs from club jams come from Hendrix recording from his personal tape recorder.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I've always wondered what Brian's reaction was when he found out his band used to collect boots

I think I read somewhere that Darian used to knowledge of SMiLE boots when they were doing BWPS.

The 'official' story of Darian going into the vaults and copying all the Smile stuff he could find for BWPS was greeted - and rightly so - with considerable hilarity by everyone who knew him, as he already had something like 85% anyway. 

[rogerlancelot]

Thank you very much for "Here Come Da Honey Man". I like it even better than "Da Doo Ron Ron".

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I've always wondered what Brian's reaction was when he found out his band used to collect boots

I think I read somewhere that Darian used to knowledge of SMiLE boots when they were doing BWPS.

The 'official' story of Darian going into the vaults and copying all the Smile stuff he could find for BWPS was greeted - and rightly so - with considerable hilarity by everyone who knew him, as he already had something like 85% anyway. 

Somewhere in all of this I forgot about the Les Chan tape, when Brian was asked about the Hawthorne Hotshots bootleg!

[Mikie]

Would you refresh my memory on the Les Chan tape and Hawthorne Hotshots, Billy? Did Les ask Brian about this bootleg?

As you probably know, Hawthorne Hotshots was a Peter Reum compilation. Are you talking about Les' interview with Brian in the early 80's?