"Made in California" Box Set

[I. Spaceman]

This is from the Our Team doc:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkhqbwrYwi4

[Sheriff John Stone]

I contend that sequencing that album differently would make it a cooler listen - not many agree with that. The ballads are all knockouts for sure, but there isn't enough variety on the first side to keep a smooth flow. All good songs, though (give or take Ronda).

Oh, I agree with you. Almost any of those ballads would've made awesome side closers. But, damn, it's hard to criticize Today isn't it? Not that it ever stopped me before.

[Sheriff John Stone]

As more archive material shows up, perhaps ppl will wonder how great SU, Caribou or LA Light coulda been?

This message board is notorious (in a good way, IMO....it's fun) for constantly adding and subtracting from original albums to improve them. MIU is no different from the ones you listed, as far as potential for improving that is.

15 Big Ones had 15 tracks and Love You had 14. By the time they got done with MIU, it was 12 tracks. You add "Winter Symphony", "Mike Come Back To L.A.", and close the album with "Our Team" and MIU is improved by a full grade.  

Is this circulating??

About ten years later of being a hardcore fan, I have finally just started getting into the '85 album and beyond BB-wise. I never thought I'd be able to enjoy it when I first heard it. I'm also getting heavily into the bootleg shows available. I liked pretty much everything else either right away or within a couple years of listening.

For some reason, that "Our Team" mini-documentary hasn't been on YouTube for a long time. I have a not-so-good copy on a VHS tape somewhere.

The "Mike Come Back To L.A." segment is the highlight of the documentary - or ANY documentary IMO. It's actually fairly long. It shows Brian and Mike working out the song in the studio; Brian is at the piano showing Mike the parts. Then they have footage of the recording session with a lot of people around; Brian is briefly shown handing out the harmony parts. Then they play a pretty long segment of the song; it's obviously not complete, you can hear that parts are missing.

But the absolute best moment is when they show the most "up", laughing, and lucid Brian I have ever seen - post 1975. He's playing the piano and making funny faces and trying to crack up Mike. You can feel the power others have talked about regarding Brian in the studio when he's on.

Anyway, I really liked the song, "Mike Come Back To L.A.", which became "Some Of Your Love", which I also like.

Interesting...this kind of sounds similar to the (I think?) KTSA doc. It has Brian saying something and the whole band erupts into laughter. But I remember them working out "Goin' to the Beach" at the piano on that one.

Yes, now that you mention it there are similarities.

[Jim V.]

As more archive material shows up, perhaps ppl will wonder how great SU, Caribou or LA Light coulda been?

This message board is notorious (in a good way, IMO....it's fun) for constantly adding and subtracting from original albums to improve them. MIU is no different from the ones you listed, as far as potential for improving that is.

15 Big Ones had 15 tracks and Love You had 14. By the time they got done with MIU, it was 12 tracks. You add "Winter Symphony", "Mike Come Back To L.A.", and close the album with "Our Team" and MIU is improved by a full grade.  

Is this circulating??

About ten years later of being a hardcore fan, I have finally just started getting into the '85 album and beyond BB-wise. I never thought I'd be able to enjoy it when I first heard it. I'm also getting heavily into the bootleg shows available. I liked pretty much everything else either right away or within a couple years of listening.

For some reason, that "Our Team" mini-documentary hasn't been on YouTube for a long time. I have a not-so-good copy on a VHS tape somewhere.

The "Mike Come Back To L.A." segment is the highlight of the documentary - or ANY documentary IMO. It's actually fairly long. It shows Brian and Mike working out the song in the studio; Brian is at the piano showing Mike the parts. Then they have footage of the recording session with a lot of people around; Brian is briefly shown handing out the harmony parts. Then they play a pretty long segment of the song; it's obviously not complete, you can hear that parts are missing.

But the absolute best moment is when they show the most "up", laughing, and lucid Brian I have ever seen - post 1975. He's playing the piano and making funny faces and trying to crack up Mike. You can feel the power others have talked about regarding Brian in the studio when he's on.

Anyway, I really liked the song, "Mike Come Back To L.A.", which became "Some Of Your Love", which I also like.

I've really always wanted to see this "Mike Come Back To L.A." sequence. I can't believe it's never popped up online. Nobody could put it up??

Honestly, I think it would be interesting if the group released some kind of DVD collection with the Our Team special, Goin' Plantium, 1989 Endless Summer stuff, and any other applicable stuff.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Today is an interesting album for me, I really really dislike all the current CD mixes, so I bought it on vinyl. It's one of my favorite albums... but only half.

If that album took side 2 of SD and side 2 of today, you have an amazing precursor to Pet Sounds.

I LOVE Today! But it isn't as consistently good as the albums I picked.

Interesting..

Which songs do you think are the pitfalls?

Don't Hurt My Little Sister, and Bull Sessions on each side, now that I look... it's not quite as bad as I thought...

I contend that sequencing that album differently would make it a cooler listen - not many agree with that. The ballads are all knockouts for sure, but there isn't enough variety on the first side to keep a smooth flow. All good songs, though (give or take Ronda).

Today! is a perfect album. Ronda isn't as good as the single version but it's still  great song (surely those uncommercial fading in and out vocals were designed specifically to annoy Murry after his interference during the session, which only makes them even more fun...); Bull Sessions... is a throwaway album closer designed to take off some the heaviness the casual young BB fan was no doubt experiencing after the ballads, and it works perfectly in this respect - just press stop after In The Back Of My Mind if it bothers you, but personally i think it was a very clever move by Brian to include it; and as for Don't Hurt... How anyone can not love this song is beyond me! Each to their own i suppose.

[Ebb and Flow]

Ronda isn't as good as the single version but it's still  great song (surely those uncommercial fading in and out vocals were designed specifically to annoy Murry after his interference during the session, which only makes them even more fun...)

The session with Murry took place at the vocal recording session for the "Rhonda" single version...not the "Ronda" album version.  AFAIK there's never really been an explanation as to why the volume was played with like that during the mixdown.

[runnersdialzero]

Maybe it's me being born in the CD age, but these "filler" tracks like "Bull Session" never bothered me in the least. That's especially true of that track considering it comes at the very end of the album and, in a sense, reminds me of these odd spoken word recordings etc. that everyone and their mother started including as hidden tracks in the 90s. To me, "In The Back Of My Mind" closes the album, "Bull Session" is just a little something extra that, as Disney Boy said, you can easily hit stop before.

Either way, I'd rather they saw release than not. "'Cassius Love' vs. 'Sonny' Wilson" and "Our Favorite Recording Sessions" are amusing listens, too.

[adamghost]

As more archive material shows up, perhaps ppl will wonder how great SU, Caribou or LA Light coulda been?

This message board is notorious (in a good way, IMO....it's fun) for constantly adding and subtracting from original albums to improve them. MIU is no different from the ones you listed, as far as potential for improving that is.

15 Big Ones had 15 tracks and Love You had 14. By the time they got done with MIU, it was 12 tracks. You add "Winter Symphony", "Mike Come Back To L.A.", and close the album with "Our Team" and MIU is improved by a full grade.  

Is this circulating??

About ten years later of being a hardcore fan, I have finally just started getting into the '85 album and beyond BB-wise. I never thought I'd be able to enjoy it when I first heard it. I'm also getting heavily into the bootleg shows available. I liked pretty much everything else either right away or within a couple years of listening.

For some reason, that "Our Team" mini-documentary hasn't been on YouTube for a long time. I have a not-so-good copy on a VHS tape somewhere.

The "Mike Come Back To L.A." segment is the highlight of the documentary - or ANY documentary IMO. It's actually fairly long. It shows Brian and Mike working out the song in the studio; Brian is at the piano showing Mike the parts. Then they have footage of the recording session with a lot of people around; Brian is briefly shown handing out the harmony parts. Then they play a pretty long segment of the song; it's obviously not complete, you can hear that parts are missing.

But the absolute best moment is when they show the most "up", laughing, and lucid Brian I have ever seen - post 1975. He's playing the piano and making funny faces and trying to crack up Mike. You can feel the power others have talked about regarding Brian in the studio when he's on.

Anyway, I really liked the song, "Mike Come Back To L.A.", which became "Some Of Your Love", which I also like.

I've really always wanted to see this "Mike Come Back To L.A." sequence. I can't believe it's never popped up online. Nobody could put it up??

Honestly, I think it would be interesting if the group released some kind of DVD collection with the Our Team special, Goin' Plantium, 1989 Endless Summer stuff, and any other applicable stuff.

I find it a little disturbing.  Brian is certainly up, but there's a manic, almost frantic edge to the jam session footage.  It is kind of surreal to watch Mike playing along on keyboards.

[Mr. Cohen]

If you really listen to the arrangements on KTSA, you'll realize that it was the last time Brian was really in charge of most of the harmonies on a BBs record until, well... That's Why God Made the Radio. Say what you want to about "Some Of Your Love" being cheesy, but listen to the vocals in the tag - to quote Kanye West, "that sh*t cray!" That's some vintage BW genius at work. Who else could arrange vocals that way? The tag on "Oh Darlin'" has Brian throwing out some crazy counterpoint like it's child play.

"Goin' On", with those ascending harmonies during the chorus, also never fails to inspire me. What a display of raw emotion. And here I thought this BW guy had burned out a long time ago! Bruce said in an interview that a lot of effort was put into having everything done the way Brian wanted it done, and it shows.

[Mr. Cohen]

Also, just because I'm on the topic, listen to Mike's part near the end of "Santa Ana Winds", when he repeats "Santa Ana winds keep blowin'". What a brilliant, pastoral melody. It sounds almost western, and really captures the feel of a mighty gale.

[tansen]

Does anyone have a divx/xvix/etc of the Our Team special?

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

I love KTSA. In my opinion, it kicks the pants off of MIU, and I definitely prefer it to LA. I also dig BB85, the production would bother me if it it was an album by any other artist. But coming from the boys, it is yet another fascinating iteration of my favorite band. And I think they pull it off.

I'm 28.

[Cabinessenceking]

If you really listen to the arrangements on KTSA, you'll realize that it was the last time Brian was really in charge of most of the harmonies on a BBs record until, well... That's Why God Made the Radio. Say what you want to about "Some Of Your Love" being cheesy, but listen to the vocals in the tag - to quote Kanye West, "that sh*t cray!" That's some vintage BW genius at work. Who else could arrange vocals that way? The tag on "Oh Darlin'" has Brian throwing out some crazy counterpoint like it's child play.

"Goin' On", with those ascending harmonies during the chorus, also never fails to inspire me. What a display of raw emotion. And here I thought this BW guy had burned out a long time ago! Bruce said in an interview that a lot of effort was put into having everything done the way Brian wanted it done, and it shows.

Goin' On has got some good music goin' on. All the music generally did even at this stage, but they failed with concieving any lyric which made any sense. Even 'Some Of Your Love' has a good track, but the lyrics are appalling.

[Generation42]

I'm really looking forward to some new info on Made in California.  Didn't someone say there was a release date posted on a now-deleted page somewhere?  Was it an early Amazon pre-order page?

[Dutchie]

I'm really looking forward to some new info on Made in California.  Didn't someone say there was a release date posted on a now-deleted page somewhere?  Was it an early Amazon pre-order page?

I only have this link for european fans: http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/SESSIONID/196d1014f13263da4d8d26de0491358e/poprock/detail/-/art/Beach-Boys-Made-In-California-Limited/hnum/3084686

[EgoHanger1966]

If you really listen to the arrangements on KTSA, you'll realize that it was the last time Brian was really in charge of most of the harmonies on a BBs record until, well... That's Why God Made the Radio. Say what you want to about "Some Of Your Love" being cheesy, but listen to the vocals in the tag - to quote Kanye West, "that sh*t cray!" That's some vintage BW genius at work. Who else could arrange vocals that way? The tag on "Oh Darlin'" has Brian throwing out some crazy counterpoint like it's child play.

"Goin' On", with those ascending harmonies during the chorus, also never fails to inspire me. What a display of raw emotion. And here I thought this BW guy had burned out a long time ago! Bruce said in an interview that a lot of effort was put into having everything done the way Brian wanted it done, and it shows.

Goin' On has got some good music goin' on. All the music generally did even at this stage, but they failed with concieving any lyric which made any sense. Even 'Some Of Your Love' has a good track, but the lyrics are appalling.

Those ascending harmonies are a straight copy from an unused (at that time) Heroes & Villains 'snippet'. It's on TSS, now.
I love "Oh Darlin'" - Bruce said he was going for a Brian vibe and he generally got that. I've never been able to find the version with Brian on lead vocals, unfortunately, but I like Carl's vocal, too.
Don't care for his vocal on the title track at all, though - sounds like he's sauced! (he might have well been).

[Andrew G. Doe]

I'm really looking forward to some new info on Made in California. 

Well, I could give you some*... but then I'd have to kill you, of course. 

[* denotes statement that may or may not be true]

[EgoHanger1966]

I'm really looking forward to some new info on Made in California. 

Well, I could give you some*... but then I'd have to kill you, of course. 

By not giving us the information, you won't be killing us...that means you're letting us live. Therefore, concrete evidence "Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Live Again)" will be on the box. Thanks AGD! 

[The Shift]

I'm really looking forward to some new info on Made in California.  Didn't someone say there was a release date posted on a now-deleted page somewhere?  Was it an early Amazon pre-order page?

I only have this link for european fans: http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/SESSIONID/196d1014f13263da4d8d26de0491358e/poprock/detail/-/art/Beach-Boys-Made-In-California-Limited/hnum/3084686

EMI release schedule for Czech Republic:

http://www.emimusic.cz/cz/titles.php?filter=date&order=desc

There are now several European online retailers with holder pages for the set.

Google "5099923234529" for an idea.

[Generation42]

I'm really looking forward to some new info on Made in California. 

Well, I could give you some*... but then I'd have to kill you, of course. 

[* denotes statement that may or may not be true]

 Thanks, Andrew.  I guess I'll just have to try to be a little more patient.



Oh, and thanks, Dutchie, that must have been it.

So if that link is accurate and folks in Europe can expect a November 16 release, would that leave the U.S. with the 13th or 20th, I wonder?

[Andrew G. Doe]

I'm really looking forward to some new info on Made in California. 

Well, I could give you some*... but then I'd have to kill you, of course. 

By not giving us the information, you won't be killing us...that means you're letting us live. Therefore, concrete evidence "Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Live Again)" will be on the box. Thanks AGD! 

Mad as a box of seriously insane frogs.

[Freddie French-Pounce]

I'm really looking forward to some new info on Made in California. 

Well, I could give you some*... but then I'd have to kill you, of course. 

By not giving us the information, you won't be killing us...that means you're letting us live. Therefore, concrete evidence "Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Live Again)" will be on the box. Thanks AGD! 

Mad as a box of seriously insane frogs.

Swedish Frogs?

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

It's official. Swedish Frog (Live) will be on the box set!

[The Shift]

So if that link is accurate and folks in Europe can expect a November 16 release, would that leave the U.S. with the 13th or 20th, I wonder?

19th for Europe, 20th for US is my guess. 16th is probably delivery day to stores.

[Gertie J.]

omg, what the friggin' crap it was reading the last 2 or something pages. Guess RR is one of those childish attention seekers that can be met on the interwebs. I could be wrong but it's ridiculously obvious.