GOOD VIBRATIONS promo video ex-ci-ta-tions

[guitarfool2002]

Here's the guy who may or may not be the mysterious Bob Gordan.

Looks a lot like Jules Siegel to me.

Honestly I thought the same thing the more I looked at the film. This extreme closeup...it could be Jules after all.

It is - earlobes (as in 'lack of') are identical. Compare with airport shots.

It's a safe bet then that Jules is the mystery man in the film! At least until further confirmation, but it's a safe bet. That has been a mystery for me since early 2000's...who was the guy with the camera. The person I spoke with thought it was Mr. Gordan, so I went on that for years.

[Jon Stebbins]

The part in Barbara's hair is in a different place than the girl in the GV promo. I'm no hairstylist or expert but they're two different people, unless a hairline can be changed that way...

Interesting that my first reaction when seeing this clip, before we were wondering who the girl might be, and before we started wondering about hair parts etc...was that this clip is reversed...that her natural movements look like those of a right hander, that's shown reversed. I play a lot of basketball, and my daughter plays high school basketball ...my wife and I are responsible for filming the games for coaching purposes...I see a lot of girls basketball footage as a result. So it struck me immediately that her movement does not look like a normal lefty...its a very nuanced thing. Anyway, i have no idea if that's important or not...but I'd bet that this clip is reversed, which isn't that strange considering other parts of the film has a reverse effect.

[guitarfool2002]

I did a similar Google Maps search this morning, and the shot of the Capitol Tower in the background...does that line up logically with where the film was shot at the firehouse? Or would it appear to be a different location than the general area of the firehouse for that scene and others?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Here's a Googlemap I made - BB studios in LA (plus the firehouse - yellow):

BB studios in LA

[guitarfool2002]

The part in Barbara's hair is in a different place than the girl in the GV promo. I'm no hairstylist or expert but they're two different people, unless a hairline can be changed that way...

Interesting that my first reaction when seeing this clip, before we were wondering who the girl might be, and before we started wondering about hair parts etc...was that this clip is reversed...that her natural movements look like those of a right hander, that's shown reversed. I play a lot of basketball, and my daughter plays high school basketball ...my wife and I are responsible for filming the games for coaching purposes...I see a lot of girls basketball footage as a result. So it struck me immediately that her movement does not look like a normal lefty...its a very nuanced thing. Anyway, i have no idea if that's important or not...but I'd bet that this clip is reversed, which isn't that strange considering other parts of the film has a reverse effect.

That is an interesting possibility but I don't think the scene we're looking at was reversed. She kicks the ball down the road, and runs behind a white car to get it. That white car is a Chevy Corvair, early 60's, and a car which had the motor in the trunk and the trunk in front where the engine would normally be found! That's why the "trunk" has vents. My Dad used to own a Corvair and worked on them when they were new in the 60's, that's how I recognized the car. I'm not that obsessive to research that much...

If the photo were reversed, the name "Corvair" on the back would be reversed as well, but on this white Corvair the name appears normal:

[celticsurfer]

Here's a Googlemap I made - BB studios in LA (plus the firehouse - yellow):

BB studios in LA

Andrew, and what about that rare Promo of the BBs in the studio recording Good vibes. Saw that on the french 1st channel in B&W in early february 1967 at Cinq Colonnes a la une  serious news magazine. the previous report was about Vietnam and Anderson company fighting in the jungle! (I have still the liittle piece of the local newspaper announcing that, somewhere in my collection!).

[Andrew G. Doe]

OT-ish - classic sports car in the background at 2.25... Mike's MG ?

[Jon Stebbins]

The part in Barbara's hair is in a different place than the girl in the GV promo. I'm no hairstylist or expert but they're two different people, unless a hairline can be changed that way...

Interesting that my first reaction when seeing this clip, before we were wondering who the girl might be, and before we started wondering about hair parts etc...was that this clip is reversed...that her natural movements look like those of a right hander, that's shown reversed. I play a lot of basketball, and my daughter plays high school basketball ...my wife and I are responsible for filming the games for coaching purposes...I see a lot of girls basketball footage as a result. So it struck me immediately that her movement does not look like a normal lefty...its a very nuanced thing. Anyway, i have no idea if that's important or not...but I'd bet that this clip is reversed, which isn't that strange considering other parts of the film has a reverse effect.

That is an interesting possibility but I don't think the scene we're looking at was reversed. She kicks the ball down the road, and runs behind a white car to get it. That white car is a Chevy Corvair, early 60's, and a car which had the motor in the trunk and the trunk in front where the engine would normally be found! That's why the "trunk" has vents. My Dad used to own a Corvair and worked on them when they were new in the 60's, that's how I recognized the car. I'm not that obsessive to research that much...

If the photo were reversed, the name "Corvair" on the back would be reversed as well, but on this white Corvair the name appears normal:

You're right, that second part of the clip where she kicks the ball pretty much kills any reversing possibility. But man, she's got some weird ass coordination issues that totally gave me that reverse feeling at the start....but not the case as you have proved as her part stays on the same side of her head throughout.

[Mikie]

That Corvair looks like a '63. It didn't last long on the market. It was a fire hazard. My friend's Mom and Dad were killed in one when it was rear-ended in traffic, trapped them inside, and immediately caught fire and burned them to a crisp.

Wallach's Music City, where they rented equipment and promoted records (like the Boogie Woodie/Spirit of America single) was at Hollywood and Vine across from the Tower.  Gold Star studio was on Santa Monica near Vine in that area......

[ghost]

Every man on this board would minimize this thread if his wife happened to walk in the room.

[ghost]

unless i'm the only one mastorbating...?  

[Been Too Long]

Noticing the picture of the vine covered hillside, it looks like a highway embankment. The building in the picture with the Spanish style roof looks like the “Chateau Alto Nido” at 1851 Ivar Ave. My best guess is that this is the on ramp on the south side of the Hollywood Freeway at about the point it crosses over Holly Dr.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I have a hard time believiing that this is the 'offical GV' promo video but have no idea of the history or intentions of these films.

This seems to be, just from my observation, a better use of the video.  Wondering if a fan made this or if it was done my the BB.
The Beach Boys - Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire): SMiLE Promo Video - 1967
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEl-1NFTVNs

it was shown as the promo for "GV" in the UK on Top Of The Pops. Remember it clearly.

Gotcha AGD.  But what about the Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire) video. It looks like they took video shot for that and edited in to the GV video.  The Fire stuff is totally out of place for GV.

Nope - the video was shot over a month before the "Fire" session. 10/23/66, just before the European tour.

I have a very hard time believing all this elaborate 'Fire' video was shot with the intent of using it for GV.
Plus you state "23 - "Good Vibrations" promo film shot in LA (allegedly)".

Even if the "Fire" music wasn't yet recorded, doesn't mean Brian hadn't already written it, played it at home, and come up with the video concept for the 'Fire' sequence.  I can totally see Brian writing this music and saying "I've got a great video idea for this piece.  Let's find a Fire Station, get some hats, ......"

I'm a video editor and it looks to me that Capitol needed a promo video and they just put something together on the fly.  Could it be the mystery people were friends of the editor (who just needed some funny B-roll to drop in with the Fire footage).

This video does anything BUT symbolize the vibe of "GV".

And no one has yet explained the origins of the - Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire): SMiLE Promo Video - 1967 (which looks like the intended purpose of the footage and seems to perfectly sync to the music.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEl-1NFTVNs

Love to hear from the guys that editing the GV promo.  Maybe all will be revealed in the boxset; as it doesn't seem like anyone has any concrete facts on this video except that is was used to promote GV.

[37!ws]

The promo films for "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" and "Sloop John B" have nothing to do with their lyrics, either.

[monicker]

But man, she's got some weird ass coordination issues that totally gave me that reverse feeling at the start....

That's part of why i love that footage so much.

[Andrew G. Doe]

And no one has yet explained the origins of the - Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire): SMiLE Promo Video - 1967 (which looks like the intended purpose of the footage and seems to perfectly sync to the music.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEl-1NFTVNs

Allow me to explain - that's a fan edited video. That's all. Nothing to do with Capitol, or The Beach Boys. As for the footage being used in the "Fire" section of the American Band video... the producers and director made a mistake: they saw fire hats and fire engines, and jumped to the wrong conclusion. There's photos of Brian directing the video wearing a fire hat, and the video had to have been shot between October 1st and 20th. I'll ask around.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

The promo films for "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" and "Sloop John B" have nothing to do with their lyrics, either.

Dude, your way off there.  For 'SJB', Brian takes the Captain's hat from Bruce.  He is the Captain.  The don't have a ship handy so they use a raft in the pool.  The cruise goes bad and everybody gets wet.   It's a great home video to go with the song.

As to "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" , if you are talking about the Boys in the woods, it has an esoteric/avante garde theme to the lyrics.  Mike is playing the central character, a normal dude minding his own business camping in the wooods.  He's not 'ready'/'made' for the monstrous world of 'today'.

The GV video is a hodge podge.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

And no one has yet explained the origins of the - Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire): SMiLE Promo Video - 1967 (which looks like the intended purpose of the footage and seems to perfectly sync to the music.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEl-1NFTVNs

Allow me to explain - that's a fan edited video. That's all. Nothing to do with Capitol, or The Beach Boys. As for the footage being used in the "Fire" section of the American Band video... the producers and director made a mistake: they saw fire hats and fire engines, and jumped to the wrong conclusion. There's photos of Brian directing the video wearing a fire hat, and the video had to have been shot between October 1st and 20th. I'll ask around.

I hear ya AGD but it's a heck of a lot more than Brian just wearing a Fireman's hat.  I'd really be surprised if they shot all that 'Fire' footage with the intent of using it for a GV promo video.  Brian's masterpiece and they decide to shoot in a fire station, etc.  Maybe the video was shot with the intent to use it as an album promo.

Yeah, love to hear from someone who was there.

[Andrew G. Doe]

And no one has yet explained the origins of the - Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire): SMiLE Promo Video - 1967 (which looks like the intended purpose of the footage and seems to perfectly sync to the music.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEl-1NFTVNs

Allow me to explain - that's a fan edited video. That's all. Nothing to do with Capitol, or The Beach Boys. As for the footage being used in the "Fire" section of the American Band video... the producers and director made a mistake: they saw fire hats and fire engines, and jumped to the wrong conclusion. There's photos of Brian directing the video wearing a fire hat, and the video had to have been shot between October 1st and 20th. I'll ask around.

I hear ya AGD but it's a heck of a lot more than Brian just wearing a Fireman's hat.  I'd really be surprised if they shot all that 'Fire' footage with the intent of using it for a GV promo video.  Brian's masterpiece and they decide to shoot in a fire station, etc.  Maybe the video was shot with the intent to use it as an album promo.

Yeah, love to hear from someone who was there.

Remember what Dennis says in the antique shop in the London 1966 footage:

"Fire hats ! Brian looooooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss fire hats !"

Well before the Fire Music session.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

And no one has yet explained the origins of the - Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire): SMiLE Promo Video - 1967 (which looks like the intended purpose of the footage and seems to perfectly sync to the music.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEl-1NFTVNs

Allow me to explain - that's a fan edited video. That's all. Nothing to do with Capitol, or The Beach Boys. As for the footage being used in the "Fire" section of the American Band video... the producers and director made a mistake: they saw fire hats and fire engines, and jumped to the wrong conclusion. There's photos of Brian directing the video wearing a fire hat, and the video had to have been shot between October 1st and 20th. I'll ask around.

I hear ya AGD but it's a heck of a lot more than Brian just wearing a Fireman's hat.  I'd really be surprised if they shot all that 'Fire' footage with the intent of using it for a GV promo video.  Brian's masterpiece and they decide to shoot in a fire station, etc.  Maybe the video was shot with the intent to use it as an album promo.

Yeah, love to hear from someone who was there.

Remember what Dennis says in the antique shop in the London 1966 footage:

"Fire hats ! Brian looooooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss fire hats !"

Well before the Fire Music session.

I understand sir but that doesn't mean Brian hadn't already written the music and conceived the video.  As I recall, Brian usually had the songs written before he had a session.
I'd also say they were in the antique shop way before anyone was contemplating a 'GV' promo film.  So you're proposing they bought the fire hats in London in preparation for the 'GV' promo?
Me thinks that's a stretch!

But then again, they are the Beach Boys and you know their ways wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more than I.
I just find it interesting. 

But I'm never going to buy into the argument that the "Sloop John B" video didn't tie into the song. (I know you're not making that claim)

[SloopJohnB]

OT-ish - classic sports car in the background at 2.25... Mike's MG ?

It struck me a few months ago too - definitely an MG TC, so same model, same color, and same light canvas top. Odds are it's Mike's.

[Andrew G. Doe]

And no one has yet explained the origins of the - Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire): SMiLE Promo Video - 1967 (which looks like the intended purpose of the footage and seems to perfectly sync to the music.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEl-1NFTVNs

Allow me to explain - that's a fan edited video. That's all. Nothing to do with Capitol, or The Beach Boys. As for the footage being used in the "Fire" section of the American Band video... the producers and director made a mistake: they saw fire hats and fire engines, and jumped to the wrong conclusion. There's photos of Brian directing the video wearing a fire hat, and the video had to have been shot between October 1st and 20th. I'll ask around.

I hear ya AGD but it's a heck of a lot more than Brian just wearing a Fireman's hat.  I'd really be surprised if they shot all that 'Fire' footage with the intent of using it for a GV promo video.  Brian's masterpiece and they decide to shoot in a fire station, etc.  Maybe the video was shot with the intent to use it as an album promo.

Yeah, love to hear from someone who was there.

Remember what Dennis says in the antique shop in the London 1966 footage:

"Fire hats ! Brian looooooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss fire hats !"

Well before the Fire Music session.

I understand sir but that doesn't mean Brian hadn't already written the music and conceived the video.  As I recall, Brian usually had the songs written before he had a session.
I'd also say they were in the antique shop way before anyone was contemplating a 'GV' promo film.  So you're proposing they bought the fire hats in London in preparation for the 'GV' promo?
Me thinks that's a stretch!

But then again, they are the Beach Boys and you know their ways wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more than I.
I just find it interesting. 

But I'm never going to buy into the argument that the "Sloop John B" video didn't tie into the song. (I know you're not making that claim)

I've asked SWWK* (hopefully). We'll see.

[* - someone who would know]

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I've asked SWWK* (hopefully). We'll see.

[* - someone who would know]

Ha, always fun to learn a new acronym. I was in the hospital Tuesday visiting a very sick friend and they ordered some test 'STAT'.  Take your pick - statim is a medical term meaning "immediately" (from Latin) or "Sooner Than Already There"

[guitarfool2002]

I have a hard time believiing that this is the 'offical GV' promo video but have no idea of the history or intentions of these films.

This seems to be, just from my observation, a better use of the video.  Wondering if a fan made this or if it was done my the BB.
The Beach Boys - Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire): SMiLE Promo Video - 1967
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEl-1NFTVNs

it was shown as the promo for "GV" in the UK on Top Of The Pops. Remember it clearly.

Gotcha AGD.  But what about the Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire) video. It looks like they took video shot for that and edited in to the GV video.  The Fire stuff is totally out of place for GV.

Nope - the video was shot over a month before the "Fire" session. 10/23/66, just before the European tour.

I have a very hard time believing all this elaborate 'Fire' video was shot with the intent of using it for GV.
Plus you state "23 - "Good Vibrations" promo film shot in LA (allegedly)".

Even if the "Fire" music wasn't yet recorded, doesn't mean Brian hadn't already written it, played it at home, and come up with the video concept for the 'Fire' sequence.  I can totally see Brian writing this music and saying "I've got a great video idea for this piece.  Let's find a Fire Station, get some hats, ......"

I'm a video editor and it looks to me that Capitol needed a promo video and they just put something together on the fly.  Could it be the mystery people were friends of the editor (who just needed some funny B-roll to drop in with the Fire footage).

This video does anything BUT symbolize the vibe of "GV".

And no one has yet explained the origins of the - Mrs. O'Leary's Cow (Fire): SMiLE Promo Video - 1967 (which looks like the intended purpose of the footage and seems to perfectly sync to the music.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEl-1NFTVNs

Love to hear from the guys that editing the GV promo.  Maybe all will be revealed in the boxset; as it doesn't seem like anyone has any concrete facts on this video except that is was used to promote GV.

Not be confrontational but that film was edited together for a Good Vibrations promo film clip, it's been all but proven and when that film clip was first aired decades after it's original broadcast (which Andrew among others saw in the 60's and can back it up), it later was part of a Beach Boys video collection for AMC network's "Am Pop" series in the early 2000's. Alan Boyd compiled those clips, and this was among them. That is where I first saw it. Mr. Boyd himself can back that up. The original intent of that film was for Good Vibrations.

Here's a recent post from Alan about it:

I recently got in touch with Caleb Deschanel, and asked him about that Good Vibrations film.  it turns out he didn't actually shoot that promo....but he did cut the negative!  He was studying at USC at the time, and a call came in asking if one of the students in the film department would be interested in helping out with the post-production.  When fellow student George Lucas turned down the gig, Caleb took it on.

As far as the editing and filming, it would seem some famous names in the film industry were involved. Caleb Deschanel, famous in the industry as a cinematographer, is of course also the father of sisters Zoe and Emily whom we know. George Lucas was also a film student when he was asked to help with the editing of the Good Vibrations clip. Sure, it's a bit haphazard by modern standards but no more scattershot than the clips of Paperback Writer, Rain, etc. which The Beatles had been doing earlier in 1966 for similar purposes and continued doing in place of touring and live appearances on television to promote singles. The raw nature of these gives them some charm, IMO.

Michael Vosse, David Anderle - both men have spoken about this clip, with one of them suggesting it was a "distraction" for Brian to work on it at this time: I believe one of them mentions it specifically as the GV promo film though I could be wrong.

I think the evidence for this being filmed as a Good Vibrations promotional clip outweighs the evidence of it *not* being for that purpose. The producers and editors of American Band were the ones who confused the issue when they cut the film to "Fire" in the early 80's. That was not the original intent nor the original editing of the footage. If I'm wrong I'm wrong but I'm pretty confident with all the evidence to support it.

[hypehat]

unless i'm the only one mastorbating...?  

Ghost, you've knocked it out of the park considering what Mikie posted just above you. You've really outdone yourself this time....


I know/hope it was intentional, but it was too funny not to acknowledge