THE BEACH BOYS ANNOUNCE 50TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION, NEW ALBUM AND TOUR

[SMiLE Brian]

Can't change Mike Love.

[Heysaboda]

Hearing the DIA snippet, I was amazed at how unmistakably BB it really sounded.  Mike's sounding a lot better than he did in the 80s, and the group blend just sounds vintage. 

You know what I've been thiking for a while?  I think the key is Al Jardine.  I think his voice is pretty sweet, always has been, and you can hear it in most of their original songs; he still sounds pretty good, so if you do that type of song with Al's voice in the blend, I think that's the key to getting that Beach Boys 'sound'.  Carl of course was also a HUGE part of the blend, but Al is still with us thankfully.

Everybody knows the 'bass' sound on any recording is kind of unidrectional for lack of a better word, it's imitable and you can't easily discern with your ear who's singing a bass note.  Also the falsetto part, although tough to do, can be imitated too, Al & Carl (and Bruce) in my opinion always had the hard lines to sing, the middle part of the harmony is tough to handle and keep straight.  As well known as the boys are for the falsetto, I think the real meat and bones was always the middle harmonies. 

Go ahead.  Ridicule me if you must, lol. 

I think your point is well taken, Ron.

Here's the deal:

Even after all these years, Brian, Mike, Al and Bruce have a distinct VOCAL CHARISMA, that's present when they are singing together.

There's just something about those voices!

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I just saw the video. I haven't felt this happy for ages.

[Andrew G. Doe]

By the way, the most recent "Do It Again" video(which has the song complete) honestly shows Jeffrey Foskett doing the highest notes. I enjoy the re-make, and double-tracking has effectively concealed Mike Love's present-day hoarseness.

By the way, as for 2012 CD releases, all we know is that some sort of box set, a reunion album & a greatest hits CD will be included. It is never specifically stated that these projects will include remixes, previously unreleased songs/versions or expanded editions of any specific back catalogue albums. My view is, if we get more archival material & remixes, I'm delighted and I'll buy the CD's. But if we don't get more archival material & remixes, I won't be broken-hearted. "The Smile Sessions" was aimed at avid fans. The 2012 release campaign may be intended to introduce the music to a new generation of listeners; people who have little or no Beach Boys music in their collection. "Greatest Hits"-type collections by The Beach Boys sell well. That's why Capitol keeps cranking out hits discs. This group has had more greatest hits albums than The Doors. And that's an incredible statistic!

No, not "some sort of box set": the press release wording was very specific, for them as cared to read it properly. It's a career spanning box set. Phil, that means from 1961 to date, and as there's going to be a new GH CD for Joe Q. Public, the clear inference is that said box will be targeted at the likes of us - 1993 rebooted. There was also mention of "other commemorative releases", with the words "possible" or "maybe" conspicuous by their absence. I have a notion what these may be. I hope I'm right.

You're not married, are you Phil ?

[Iron Horse-Apples]

You two sound like you're married!

As long as we don't have to listen to the make up sex.

[pixletwin]

I hope "commemorative" means CF and WIBNTLA.  

[The Madcap]

Can't change Mike Love.

He can never learn not to (be Mike) Love.  

[Justin]

I want a complete box set with each album in a mini-LP reproduction packaging!

[elnombre]

I want a complete box set with each album in a mini-LP reproduction packaging!

Is it my imagination or did Japan get one a few years ago?

[Andrew G. Doe]

You two sound like you're married!

As long as we don't have to listen to the make up sex.

Pass the brain bleach, please...

[oldsurferdude]

You two sound like you're married!

As long as we don't have to listen to the make up sex.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK!!

[Justin]

I want a complete box set with each album in a mini-LP reproduction packaging!

Is it my imagination or did Japan get one a few years ago?

I believe they did. But it wasn't it just a few albums?  Sunflower, Smiley Smile, Summer Nights?  It wasn't the entire catalog as I recall. 

[tansen]

I want a complete box set with each album in a mini-LP reproduction packaging!

Is it my imagination or did Japan get one a few years ago?

I believe they did. But it wasn't it just a few albums?  Sunflower, Smiley Smile, Summer Nights?  It wasn't the entire catalog as I recall.  

I've got these japanese Mini-LP sleeve releases:

- but never got a box for them.
Bigger size here: http://db.tt/UyLVDG04

These are from the 90's though.

[Ron]

My money's on Andrew.  If they actually get into a fist fight, I don't think Andrew would fight fair, he'd end up going for the jugular or something, or tripping Phil over a stack o' tracks or something and kicking him while he's down, lol.   

Of course, all's fair in love and war, though. 

[PhilCohen]

By the way, the most recent "Do It Again" video(which has the song complete) honestly shows Jeffrey Foskett doing the highest notes. I enjoy the re-make, and double-tracking has effectively concealed Mike Love's present-day hoarseness.

By the way, as for 2012 CD releases, all we know is that some sort of box set, a reunion album & a greatest hits CD will be included. It is never specifically stated that these projects will include remixes, previously unreleased songs/versions or expanded editions of any specific back catalogue albums. My view is, if we get more archival material & remixes, I'm delighted and I'll buy the CD's. But if we don't get more archival material & remixes, I won't be broken-hearted. "The Smile Sessions" was aimed at avid fans. The 2012 release campaign may be intended to introduce the music to a new generation of listeners; people who have little or no Beach Boys music in their collection. "Greatest Hits"-type collections by The Beach Boys sell well. That's why Capitol keeps cranking out hits discs. This group has had more greatest hits albums than The Doors. And that's an incredible statistic!

No, not "some sort of box set": the press release wording was very specific, for them as cared to read it properly. It's a career spanning box set. Phil, that means from 1961 to date, and as there's going to be a new GH CD for Joe Q. Public, the clear inference is that said box will be targeted at the likes of us - 1993 rebooted. There was also mention of "other commemorative releases", with the words "possible" or "maybe" conspicuous by their absence. I have a notion what these may be. I hope I'm right.

You're not married, are you Phil ?

The ideal situation for an obsessive/compulsive music collector, collecting since 1966(who seeks out costly CD/DVD/Vinyl box sets) and has a 1375 watt surround sound home theater, is to be single and be able to spend my disposable income only on myself.....and so I am single(no one to complain about me, my ampilfication and my big speakers when I rock the house down.....though I seldom do: I can only take about 90 minutes of playing the system loudly in a 14" x 14" space)

A box set can be "career spanning" and also contain no(or almost no) rarities or vault material(for example, box sets by Steve Miller Band, Steely Dan, The Moody Blues & Steve Winwood)

And there's a very legitimate question of how much 1960's Beach Boys vault material remains. When the question was posed to Mark Linett(in one of the "Icon Fetch" internet interviews), he slightly evaded answering, and spoke of remixing some previously mono recordings for stereo. Let's not forget that this group was under a harsh 3 albums per year contract; a contract which Mike Love once refered to as "Capitol Punishment". That title was later adopted as title for a 2-CD bootleg of session excerpts from "The Beach Boys Today"

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Love to see a stereo "Wild Honey" with bonus tracks.

And we all want all those unreleased Dennis songs.

My money's on AGD too.  He has predicted EVERYTHING going back a year ago; starting with the Smile Sessions.

Holy Crap.  It just dawned on me. AGD is the secret CEO of Brother Records, Inc. (BRI).
He's that guy, shrouded in darkness, behind that big desk with the big cigar.

[elnombre]

I want a complete box set with each album in a mini-LP reproduction packaging!

Is it my imagination or did Japan get one a few years ago?

I believe they did. But it wasn't it just a few albums?  Sunflower, Smiley Smile, Summer Nights?  It wasn't the entire catalog as I recall. 

Ah, right you are.

[Andrew G. Doe]

A box set can be "career spanning" and also contain no(or almost no) rarities or vault material(for example, box sets by Steve Miller Band, Steely Dan, The Moody Blues & Steve Winwood)

Or it can be like a mid-90s box by a certain West coast surf band and have close to 30 previously unreleased tracks spread over 4CDs and an entire 5th CD of alternate versions, instrumental tracks and sessions.

You've no idea how glad I am I live on a different continent from you - your relentless pessimism is undoubtedly highly contagious. Never come across anyone else who looks so morbidly on the black side of things. You must lead a most depressing existence.

[The Shift]

A box set can be "career spanning" and also contain no(or almost no) rarities or vault material(for example, box sets by Steve Miller Band, Steely Dan, The Moody Blues & Steve Winwood)

Or it can be like a mid-90s box by a certain West coast surf band and have close to 30 previously unreleased tracks spread over 4CDs and an entire 5th CD of alternate versions, instrumental tracks and sessions.

You've no idea how glad I am I live on a different continent from you - your relentless pessimism is undoubtedly highly contagious. Never come across anyone else who looks so morbidly on the black side of things. You must lead a most depressing existence.

I don't see it as pessimism, it's just cold hard facts, Andrew.  The coldest, hardest facts findable. The bleaker you anticipate things being, the rosier they seem then they get here.

Phil, I'd guess that Mark gave the question a body-swerve in that manner to avoid getting into a conversation that might have revealed the project and how much work had already been done on that project.

Remember, this is also a band that hasn't catalogued everything yet – remember how the five run-throughs of Surf's Up were found on a Wild Honey-era reel.  Heaven knows how much more stuff like that has been/is waiting to be discovered in this way.

You can't be a Beach Boys fan without harboring hope in your heart.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I don't see it as pessimism, it's just cold hard facts, Andrew.  The coldest, hardest facts findable. The bleaker you anticipate things being, the rosier they seem then they get here.

I'd agree, if Phil subscribed to that doctrine... but over the summer, every time his dire prognostications re: TSS were proven to be wrong (and it was every time), he didn't go "oh goody, so glad I was wrong", but found something else to bitch about. Phil is one of those people who love being unhappy. I really, really do believe that, and if that floats his boat, fine by me... but when he comes around here, pissing on everyone's fire because no-one's telling him anything and generally boring the tits off of us all with his unremitting gloom, then I feel entirely justified in telling him to STFU. Unfortunately, he doesn't, so I guess I'll just have to fly out to Florida and fire-bomb his house, destroying his collection and hi fi equipment: now that would really give him something to bitch about. 

[Wirestone]

so I guess I'll just have to fly out to Florida and fire-bomb his house, destroying his collection and hi fi equipment: now that would really give him something to bitch about.

The hell?

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Both AGD and PhilCohen make valid points.

The 93 box-set was a model of superiority! The ones Phil mentioned were compiled with the mentality that most music fans had recently trashed/melted/sold/buried away in the basement all their scratched up and warped old vinyl albums because CDs were the new thing and sounded like gold and that was it. Those box sets made people happy that so much of a band's best stuff was available on CD and all in one nice and shiny place.

[Andrew G. Doe]

so I guess I'll just have to fly out to Florida and fire-bomb his house, destroying his collection and hi fi equipment: now that would really give him something to bitch about.

The hell?

Humor not your strong suit today ? 

[PhilCohen]

A box set can be "career spanning" and also contain no(or almost no) rarities or vault material(for example, box sets by Steve Miller Band, Steely Dan, The Moody Blues & Steve Winwood)

Or it can be like a mid-90s box by a certain West coast surf band and have close to 30 previously unreleased tracks spread over 4CDs and an entire 5th CD of alternate versions, instrumental tracks and sessions.

You've no idea how glad I am I live on a different continent from you - your relentless pessimism is undoubtedly highly contagious. Never come across anyone else who looks so morbidly on the black side of things. You must lead a most depressing existence.

I don't see it as pessimism, it's just cold hard facts, Andrew.  The coldest, hardest facts findable. The bleaker you anticipate things being, the rosier they seem then they get here.

Phil, I'd guess that Mark gave the question a body-swerve in that manner to avoid getting into a conversation that might have revealed the project and how much work had already been done on that project.

Remember, this is also a band that hasn't catalogued everything yet

But, Mark Linett claimed years ago that he HAD done an extensive cataloging project. But, I suppose, that, as with the Jimi Hendrix estate, new reels are occasionally being found at recording studios, storage facilities or in private collections. It's not entirely impossible that someday(given the quantity of missing reels) that someone will come forward with more "Smile" tapes. After all, over the past few decades, a few additional Robert Johnson alternate takes have been found. The locating of those outtakes(from the pre-tape era) seemed unlikely too.

For these Beach Boys projects, I hope for the best.  But, given the amount of (non-Smile)Beach Boys outtakes already in circulation officially or unofficially, getting "Smile" was the most important thing. We now have "Smile", and I'm happy about that.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Both AGD and PhilCohen make valid points.

The 93 box-set was a model of superiority! The ones Phil mentioned were compiled with the mentality that most music fans had recently trashed/melted/sold/buried away in the basement all their scratched up and warped old vinyl albums because CDs were the new thing and sounded like gold and that was it. Those box sets made people happy that so much of a band's best stuff was available on CD and all in one nice and shiny place.

The latest trend in box sets is mining the vaults.  I expects a career spanning set with lots of unreleased stuff.