CBS Early Show Segment

[guitarfool2002]

There was definitely a camera rolling during GV instrumental sessions, it *is* audible on certain, specific SOT tracks from the GV sessions set, and several times Brian does indeed tell the person running the camera, "Bob", that the film can't run during the actual take. You can hear it with headphones, as mentioned.

It's hard not to think this film has a very good chance of coming from that very GV session, as heard on SOT.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Perhaps...6/16/66 GV session?

Could be, somewhat better fit... but the gap in time between that and the vocal sessions is a bit big for my liking. But, this is what we here do best: we'll get the answer, or something close.

[debonbon]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3zbbLrm4hw

Easily downloadable!

[Boiled Egg]

Re-posted from another thread (merge, anyone?)

---

Dove-nested questions:

1. Anyone know the source of this footage? It looks fantastically good -- shot on at least 16mm, possibly even finer.

2a. Anyone know the source of its edited form? Is it what we used quaintly to call the EPK?
2b. Is the EPK (or whatever the edited source of this is) the thing that's being parcelled to YouTube one piece at a time as Webisodes?

And they're definitely singing GV in the vocal takes, right?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Re-posted from another thread (merge, anyone?)

---

Dove-nested questions:

1. Anyone know the source of this footage? It looks fantastically good -- shot on at least 16mm, possibly even finer.

2a. Anyone know the source of its edited form? Is it what we used quaintly to call the EPK?
2b. Is the EPK (or whatever the edited source of this is) the thing that's being parcelled to YouTube one piece at a time as Webisodes?

And they're definitely singing GV in the vocal takes, right?

1 - I have a reasonable idea.

2a - Capitol records, I'm guessing.

2b - Could be. No idea, to be honest.

3 - yes, in another sequence someone's synched the single to the footage and the fit is perfect.

[puni puni]

[markcharles75]

As others have stated, it is so strange to actually see footage of Brian in the studio from this era...it really is blowing my mind lol..After years of listening to studio chatter and reading about it all, to see it is something else...Brian is so animated in the studio isn't he?  I don't know why but I never pictured him like that...he is like coming out of his shoes...so excited, young, energetic, inspired...it must have been something else to be an observer of all this back then or to be in the wrecking crew/band witnessing Brian at his peak.   I don't know why, but with all the excitement concerning TSS release, the incredible reviews, press (CBS)...it seems to have "upped" the ante with the Beach Boys as regards their status in the history of rock n' roll...it is like this incredible wave of credibility as swept away a whole lot of damage and rubbis (like the Full House years lol).  I think TSS release has done a world of good for the Beach Boys perhaps with respect to Joe Public's general perception of the Beach Boys.   It is like, "Hey world,  EAT THIS!!" lol

[mammy blue]

The unearthing of all this visual footage has sent what was already a transcendent event into the fucking stratosphere. Utterly surreal.

[Amy B.]

What's strange to me is that BW's body language is exactly the same then as it is now. For instance, the part where he's hunched over the microphone in the control room, snapping his fingers with that peculiar arm motion (2:23). I've seen modern footage of him doing that the same way. And standing at the microphone between takes, shuffling back and forth from one foot to the other (2:17). I thought that was unique to modern-day, older Brian. Obviously not. He seems to have changed so much that it's surprising to see that in many ways, he's the same.

[Andrew G. Doe]

"Feet shifting, body still, eyes closed, head moving seal-like to his music, he stood under the speakers and listened".

Jules Siegel describes the "Fire" playback, Gold Star 11/28/66.

[Cam Mott]

Ok, so it is Brian and Britz at Western.

A young lady is sitting in the studio. Who is she?

Carl is playing electric guitar. In the studio, not the booth?

Hal is playing drums.

Someone is strumming an upright bass. Chuck Berghofer? Anybody id the bottom half of that face? In the studio not the booth?

Corrections? Additions? Buehler?

[earcandy]

Ahh, you beat me to it! ha ha

[Andrew G. Doe]

Girl looks a bit like Marilyn - might be Diane though, seeing as she was contractor.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Ok, so it is Brian and Britz at Western.

A young lady is sitting in the studio. Who is she?

Carl is playing electric guitar. In the studio, not the booth?

Hal is playing drums.

Someone is strumming an upright bass. Chuck Berghofer? Anybody id the bottom half of that face? In the studio not the booth?

Corrections? Additions? Buehler?

Carl is playing Fender Bass.  Can't quite tell who is on String bass, actually.

[Cam Mott]

Didn't see any clocks or holiday decorations. Brian, Carl and string bassist are wearing long sleeves [even velour] except for Hal and maybe Britz. Maybe early Fall or/to late Spring [at least in the Midwest]? That narrows it down right? Sometime during the whole SMiLE period.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Didn't see any clocks or holiday decorations. Brian, Carl and string bassist are wearing long sleeves [even velour] except for Hal and maybe Britz. Maybe early Fall or/to late Spring [at least in the Midwest]? That narrows it down right? Sometime during the whole SMiLE period.

Same film stock as the GV vocal session, so I'm guessing around the same time period, and in another thread someone's put forth a convincing argument for it being 6/16/66.

[egon spengler]

Why is this, like, the greatest thing I've ever seen? Is my life that mundane, or is this clip that tremendous?

[Heysaboda]

Why is this, like, the greatest thing I've ever seen? Is my life that mundane, or is this clip that tremendous?

LOVE IT

MORE PLEASE 

[SMiLE Brian]

The master and his craft.....

[anazgnos]

AWESOME!!!!  Thanks so much.   

[guitarfool2002]

Some detective work on the new Smile era studio film:

First, this one looks like it's Marilyn sitting in front of the console:



Next, this is the best I could get of the bassist's face:



And a close-up of him playing, with a very interesting twist:



He is using a pick to play the upright bass. This is pretty much as un-standard and as unorthodox as you would play an upright, it's almost always fingers-on-strings. VERY interesting, and explains some of the incredibly rich acoustic bass tones on these recordings. Looks like a small-diaphragm condenser mic placed in front of the F-hole, perhaps an AKG or a Sony? Can't tell for sure.

Is the bassist Chuck Berghofer? This is Chuck Berghofer from around the same time:



Same guy in both photos? I can't tell.

Next, Carl Wilson. The thing to look for is Carl is shown playing TWO separate instruments. From Brian's earlier YouTube GV video:



It's a dark, possibly a sunburst, Fender bass played through what looks like a Tweed Bassman combo amp on the floor.

This same bass can be seen in the recent CBS video propped up against the amp in the earlier shot of the upright. Also here:



And again here:



When the camera pans in on Carl's hands, he's playing a bass with a white or lighter finish, but it's still a bass, as you can see the four tuning pegs on the headstock:



And notice it again in the earlier shot:



Does the session date match up with Carl Wilson on bass (two models, it looks like...), and who else would be listed on acoustic/upright bass? Again, it's hard to match the photos but does it look like Berghofer's profile?

Hopefully some of that is of interest or can help identify for sure the date of this film. There is obviously more of this footage as the stills from the earlier YouTube clip are showing more of the musicians and Carl playing a different color Fender bass.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Not Berghoffer - the guy in the footage has a cleft chin.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Yep, not the right chin.  Must be Lyle.

[guitarfool2002]

Not Berghoffer - the guy in the footage has a cleft chin.

I agree. I'm really stumped as to who that could be. It's definitely not Lyle Ritz, it's not Jimmy Bond, doesn't seem to match Berghofer. Who else would play upright? Maybe we'll have to look outside of the GV sessions for upright bass credits, and put some names together. At this point I can't offer a guess, but I wonder if the fact he's playing with a pick might be a clue?

We need the full film! LOL  

[Andrew G. Doe]

Playing with a pick, gotta be C*rol K*ye.