Good Vibrations session footage from PBS special

[Autotune]

No way Brian would shake his head like that if he was actually recording.

[keysarsoze001]

During the "bop bops", you mean? Absolutely right.

[EgoHanger1966]

Does anyone who can read lips know what Brian appears to be saying at 3:10?  I feel like I can almost hear it in my head, but I can't.

I think...

"Come on, now!" and then he sings "Yeah!" into the mic after he gives the camera that suggestive look.

[EgoHanger1966]

How long is the special? My TV guide thing slots it in for an hour, but the description says 87 minutes.

[guitarfool2002]

We've gone over the "staging" topic before, when bits of this footage appeared on the Beach Boys' "Web-isodes" series of Smile Sessions promo videos on YouTube. I'd suggest searching this board's archives for some more pertinent information on these two films if anyone is interested.

The topic here could be the content of the film itself instead of whether or not it was 'staged'. I'll say this: In 1966, you would not set up a studio, hire a roomful of musicians, and get the whole ball rolling at great expense if you were only there to "stage" a film. What you'd most likely do is have a session booked, and in between the official takes of the song, or even after a keeper of a take was recorded, you'd have the cameras on the floor shooting footage. Or, you'd get the musicians and singers rehearsing the parts before an official take, which in Brian's case could take hours and which seems to be the case here.

So it's not exactly "staged", and this issue came up with several other pieces of film shot in 66-67 featuring other artists in similar situations at the same LA studios. Check my link to the Studio Sessions blog for other examples.


And a big reminder: This is in no way complete. There is more to be seen from these two films, and some of the screenshots can be found in the other thread discussing this. There are some very prominent shots featuring more studio musicians on the floor, great views of both Columbia (vocal) and Western #3 (instrumental) sessions, as well as shots of various guests in the studio those days.

When, pray tell, if ever, will we get the full compliment of this footage, a more complete, unedited roll of this incredible film? This was a neat release, but where is the rest?

[Sheriff John Stone]

When, pray tell, if ever, will we get the full compliment of this footage, a more complete, unedited roll of this incredible film? This was a neat release, but where is the rest?

Exactly. Yes, the 50th Anniversary tour and album put the Smile Sessions boxed set in the rear view mirror. However, once things settle down, I'm sure SMiLE will be a popular topic again. So, let's not forget that it is out, and alive, and there's no need to leave anything in the closet. Let it out!

[keysarsoze001]

We've gone over the "staging" topic before, when bits of this footage appeared on the Beach Boys' "Web-isodes" series of Smile Sessions promo videos on YouTube. I'd suggest searching this board's archives for some more pertinent information on these two films if anyone is interested.

The topic here could be the content of the film itself instead of whether or not it was 'staged'. I'll say this: In 1966, you would not set up a studio, hire a roomful of musicians, and get the whole ball rolling at great expense if you were only there to "stage" a film. What you'd most likely do is have a session booked, and in between the official takes of the song, or even after a keeper of a take was recorded, you'd have the cameras on the floor shooting footage. Or, you'd get the musicians and singers rehearsing the parts before an official take, which in Brian's case could take hours and which seems to be the case here.

So it's not exactly "staged", and this issue came up with several other pieces of film shot in 66-67 featuring other artists in similar situations at the same LA studios. Check my link to the Studio Sessions blog for other examples.


And a big reminder: This is in no way complete. There is more to be seen from these two films, and some of the screenshots can be found in the other thread discussing this. There are some very prominent shots featuring more studio musicians on the floor, great views of both Columbia (vocal) and Western #3 (instrumental) sessions, as well as shots of various guests in the studio those days.

When, pray tell, if ever, will we get the full compliment of this footage, a more complete, unedited roll of this incredible film? This was a neat release, but where is the rest?

Fair point. Probably our use of the word "staged" is a little too broad.  I think sort of the bottom line is that it isn't as if we're seeing the recording of the precise takes used in the record. Doesn't make it any less important, though. What we need is something like The Beatles Anthology documentary, while these guys still make any sense at all recalling the early days and details of all the grim details of their histories.

[Generation42]

Ever since some of this footage was first broadcast last autumn, I've been DYING to see more.  A couple of evenings ago at Darien Lake, as were treated to this footage during "Good Vibrations," I was torn between watching this holy of holies, and the actual band on the stage.  I opted (mostly) for the guys on stage, as I figured I'd have the chance to see the film again sometime.  I was able to catch the shot at 3:10 - 3:17, and it was just the greatest!

Anybody from the mountaintop who may be reading, pleeeease tell us that this footage will be made available to us on bluray.

As has been pointed out, this makes for a fantastic promo film for the song, and one does wonder'what-if,' but I would guess that the sight of musicians other than the 'Boys playing along may have deterred the camp from airing this at the time.  Who knows?

[keysarsoze001]

Well, unless the angle was "Brian Wilson, the genius at work with his army of talent" or something. Certainly people knew he was back at the studio recording while the Boys were on the road, cause he'd been doing it that way for some time before GV was released. So if they emphasized "watch the maestro's mad sonic experiments" instead of focusing on the contributions of the other Boys, that might've flown to some degree.

[Generation42]

Hear! Hear!

[Paul J B]

A couple of evenings ago at Darien Lake, as were treated to this footage during "Good Vibrations," I was torn between watching this holy of holies, and the actual band on the stage.  I opted (mostly) for the guys on stage, as I figured I'd have the chance to see the film again sometime.  I was able to catch the shot at 3:10 - 3:17, and it was just the greatest!

Just went through the same thing last night in Milwaukee. It was bit of a challenge to focus on the live act and the video at the same time, but it REALLY DROVE HOME the point that the Beach Boys music is truly timeless. Video shot 46 years ago when Brian cut his masterpiece single, and the surviving members performing it live in front of thousands of people was remarkable. I really loved that we got to see more of Carl and Denny that way as well.

[Justin]

I don't know if this was already mentioned but here's what Steve Hoffman had to say about the discovery of this footage:

Ron Furmanek found this original 16mm footage last year, turned Alan Boyd onto it, and Brother purchased it from the owner!  It was found in the trash at the curb a few years ago in the SF valley. Two rolls of 16mm on rusted reels stored in even more rusted film cans. Goes to show that stuff is still hiding everywhere.

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?p=7855613#post7855613

 

[Wrightfan]

Amazing that this AND the Don't worry Baby multi-tracks were nearly trashed. Unreal.

Even if this is staged (which is likely) it's still awesome. Man, I can't believe I forgot to record the special 

[The Shift]

I don't know if this was already mentioned but here's what Steve Hoffman had to say about the discovery of this footage:

Ron Furmanek found this original 16mm footage last year, turned Alan Boyd onto it, and Brother purchased it from the owner!  It was found in the trash at the curb a few years ago in the SF valley. Two rolls of 16mm on rusted reels stored in even more rusted film cans. Goes to show that stuff is still hiding everywhere.

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?p=7855613#post7855613

 

We have a rather quaint saying here in England that goes something along the lines of "Jesus f*<{;~€ Christ!!!!!!!!!!!!"

How close must this stuff have come to being lost for ever... and how much stuff has been thrown out with the dishwater down the years?

[Jaspy]

I don't know if this was already mentioned but here's what Steve Hoffman had to say about the discovery of this footage:

Ron Furmanek found this original 16mm footage last year, turned Alan Boyd onto it, and Brother purchased it from the owner!  It was found in the trash at the curb a few years ago in the SF valley. Two rolls of 16mm on rusted reels stored in even more rusted film cans. Goes to show that stuff is still hiding everywhere.

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showthread.php?p=7855613#post7855613

 

That's true. And Glyn Johns recently found Desper's lost 1968 stereo mix of "Do It Again". The tape was still lying there on the parking lot where it fell from the car roof, you probably know the story. Was a bit dirty, but talented audio-people knew how to restore it and it'll be released on the next-next remaster-reissue of "Friends" in 2015. Stay tuned. See ya then.

[Jay]

No way Brian would shake his head like that if he was actually recording.

When I was watching this footage, I kept thinking to myself, "Why would a perfectionist like Brian Wilson keep dancing and jerking his head all around while he was trying to record his vocals?". 

[guitarfool2002]

Even if this is staged (which is likely)

It is not likely at all because it wasn't staged. I thought I explained that a few posts earlier, but I guess it didn't get read.

There is a difference between saying something was staged, meaning the entire scenario was a fake and done just to shoot a few reels of film, and saying the film was shot in between the actual recording, which is the case here. You obviously can't have a film crew knocking around with live and sensitive microphones recording the music. That doesn't imply the studio scene we see on film was fake.

Go to the AFM session sheets, add up how much it cost to bring all of those union musicians into that studio, with their instruments, set them up with mics and cables set up all around, have all the chairs and stands set up just right, have the studio book Chuck Britz (at Western) and his assistants...all bills paid and all done to 'stage' a phony session for a film camera? No way.

The priceless aspect of this footage is seeing just how things were set up and how the musicians were positioned with microphone-placement techniques and whatnot. There is so little of this available from this classic era, especially in LA, that any new camera angle or technique revealed becomes a revelation for those studying these things.

Example that floored me and perhaps not as many who watched it either here or the earlier YouTube Smile webisodes:

Lyle Ritz playing his upright bass with a felt pick. I had no idea he would be picking a stand-up bass, but it makes perfect sense when you hear some of his incredible sounds from upright bass on various Smile-era sessions. I assumed he had taped his fingers to get that kind of punch from the strings, and then the film showed him with a pick. Those little details are the fun stuff. Definitely not staged.

Staged is a strong word, the poster after me said it best. Staged implies creating something under false pretenses, and in this case the film(s) were both shot at actual sessions where what was filmed is the way those rooms were actually set up and featuring the musicians and singers who were actually there. Nothing staged about it.

[Jay]

Has it ever been said whether the studio footage is silent or not?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Has it ever been said whether the studio footage is silent or not?

It's silent.

There, I said it.

[18thofMay]

Has it ever been said whether the studio footage is silent or not?

It's silent.

There, I said it.

Chuckle... Early morning funny..

[37!ws]

Personally, it was a no-brainer to me at the Milwaukee concert:

I watched the film footage.

Hell, I'd been staring at the group all night, I could afford to focus on this amazing film...

[hypehat]

Back during the TSS promotional campaign, where we first saw this footage, someone managed to sync it up to one of the sessions. Or am I imagining that?

There's also a session where Brian tells the cameras to stop rolling because it'll show up on the takes, iirc. So this wasn't 'staged'.

[Ziggy Stardust]

It looks like a promo video that was never released.  Just a guess.  Did Carl really play bass on the song?  Why is Mike Love wearing gloves?  It seems stage-y.

Answers:
Yes, he did (on that version).
Because it's the sixties.

So on which version Carol Kaye plays the bass? i'm confused.

[Jon Stebbins]

It looks like a promo video that was never released.  Just a guess.  Did Carl really play bass on the song?  Why is Mike Love wearing gloves?  It seems stage-y.

Answers:
Yes, he did (on that version).
Because it's the sixties.

So on which version Carol Kaye plays the bass? i'm confused.

On a version that is not part of the released single. Check the credits on the Smile box booklet.

[keysarsoze001]

Besides, with modular recording, with different parts of the song being recorded at different studios, I'm sure there are instances where the person playing each instrument could change between the chorus and the bridge, for instance.