A huge backlash against the new concert dvd?

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

You have to take into account that they had to find clips of Brian not looking miserable. That eliminates a good number of songs right there. Secondly they have to use performances where they aren't terribly off-key. This isn't Springsteen. It's the Beach Boys. There are some things that just aren't going to go over well on home video.

For all you guys’ demands for the full show you're the first ones who cringe when the Boys mangle "That's Why God Made The Radio" on the Leno show. Of course, they could go back and polish it up in the studio but you guys wouldn't like that either. You know what you guys really like? Bitching.

Bitch bitch bitch. First you waste a month bitching about some bullsh*t regarding Brian using autotune, which probably wasn't even true. Then you bitch about Mike firing poor Brian. Bitch about songs missing from a box set that doesn't even have a tracklisting yet. With the new DVD you'll either bitch about overdubs or you'll bitch about lack of overdubs. You'll bitch about too few songs. Bitch about a too expensive product. Bitch about a product that's too cheap and affordable. Bitch because something is a Walmart exclusive.  Bitch because a bunch of 70 year old men aren't giving you a 4-DVD super duper 60 song package with 18 tour documentaries and slide shows and audio commentary from  Brian and Mike with a fold-out poster and a reproduction of a backstage pass.

This is the Beach Boys. They don't release warts-and-all documentary films and live concert documents. They release carefully selected products that show them at their most professional. And with an emotionally unpredictable guy like Brian Wilson in the group that requires a little more editing than the norm. If this is surprising to you you're either a newbie or you have your head up your ass.

So keep on bitching and leaving 1-star reviews on Amazon and scaring off potential buyers.  Slander the good name of your supposedly favorite band. Insult the songwriting skills of the man who co-penned their biggest hits. Dismiss the lyrics of "California Girls", even though it's the world’s most singable song after “Happy Birthday” and “The Star Spangled Banner”. Blame Mike and Capitol and corporate greed for everything that doesn't go your way in this world of The Beach Boys. You bring shame to us all.

[AndrewHickey]

Led Zeppelin Retrospective DVD - 48 songs
The Who: Tommy & Quadrophenia Live - 61 songs
The Rolling Stones Four Flicks - 52 songs

And how about the Live Aid DVD set?  That had over 100 songs and that wasn't even for profit.

The Beach Boys are a popular group.  They have a lot of money.  Capitol Records has a lot of money.  If they don't want to spend the money, then they're just being cheap.

Right...
By "Led Zeppelin Retrospective" I assume you mean this -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Led_Zeppelin_DVD . Firstly, that doesn't have 48 different songs on it. Sixteen of those tracks are duplicates, interviews and so on.
Secondly, that sold *over 1,625,000* copies. The best-selling Beach Boys DVD ever to date has sold 50,000. That means the Led Zeppelin one sold *over thirty times as much* as the Beach Boys can expect to sell. You can afford to spend more money if you're going to sell millions than if you're going to sell thousands.

The Tommy & Quadrophenia set is a *three DVD set* and sells for *three times as much* as the Beach Boys DVD -- even though it's been out seven years. If you sell a DVD for three times as much, you can afford to put three times as many songs on.

And Four Flicks, again, doesn't have anything like that many songs, because many of the songs are repeated multiple times, It's not the number of performances of a song, but the number of songs, that count. And Four Flicks, again, sells for three times as much as the Beach Boys DVD -- and sold more copies *in its first week of release* than the Beach Boys' best-selling ever DVD sold *in the first six years of its release*.

And Live Aid didn't have to pay publishing royalties on any of the songs, because the publishers waived their fees (those who didn't got cut from the release).

Look, this really isn't difficult to understand. If you're selling a million copies at $40, you can afford to spend more than if you're selling fifty thousand copies at $12. That's just mathematics.

As for the Beach Boys and Capitol having a lot of money -- yes, they do. However, neither the Beach Boys nor Capitol are the production company making this DVD. And even if that production company has huge amounts of money, it won't continue to do so if it puts out DVDs at a loss. It's not "being cheap" for a business to want to put out a product that won't actually lose them money.

I am absolutely certain that if you could find one and a half million people who would buy a DVD of a full show, that DVD would appear. The market for such a DVD simply doesn't exist. That's not anyone being cheap, that's the economic reality of the world we live in.

[SonoraDick]

Capitol Records has a lot of money.  If they don't want to spend the money, then they're just being cheap.

This comment sounds a lot like the "reviews" of the upcoming concert release on Amazon.

Do you really believe... especially after Andrew's comments... that there is ANY business that's going to say "We've made a lot of money. Let's put out a product that's guaranteed to lose money. It doesn't matter."    

[Bicyclerider]

You have to take into account that they had to find clips of Brian not looking miserable. That eliminates a good number of songs right there. Secondly they have to use performances where they aren't terribly off-key. This isn't Springsteen. It's the Beach Boys. There are some things that just aren't going to go over well on home video.

For all you guys’ demands for the full show you're the first ones who cringe when the Boys mangle "That's Why God Made The Radio" on the Leno show. Of course, they could go back and polish it up in the studio but you guys wouldn't like that either. You know what you guys really like? Bitching.

Bitch bitch bitch. First you waste a month bitching about some bullsh*t regarding Brian using autotune, which probably wasn't even true. Then you bitch about Mike firing poor Brian. Bitch about songs missing from a box set that doesn't even have a tracklisting yet. With the new DVD you'll either bitch about overdubs or you'll bitch about lack of overdubs. You'll bitch about too few songs. Bitch about a too expensive product. Bitch about a product that's too cheap and affordable. Bitch because something is a Walmart exclusive.  Bitch because a bunch of 70 year old men aren't giving you a 4-DVD super duper 60 song package with 18 tour documentaries and slide shows and audio commentary from  Brian and Mike with a fold-out poster and a reproduction of a backstage pass.

This is the Beach Boys. They don't release warts-and-all documentary films and live concert documents. They release carefully selected products that show them at their most professional. And with an emotionally unpredictable guy like Brian Wilson in the group that requires a little more editing than the norm. If this is surprising to you you're either a newbie or you have your head up your ass.

So keep on bitching and leaving 1-star reviews on Amazon and scaring off potential buyers.  Slander the good name of your supposedly favorite band. Insult the songwriting skills of the man who co-penned their biggest hits. Dismiss the lyrics of "California Girls", even though it's the world’s most singable song after “Happy Birthday” and “The Star Spangled Banner”. Blame Mike and Capitol and corporate greed for everything that doesn't go your way in this world of The Beach Boys. You bring shame to us all.

Having a bad day perhaps?  You're absolutely right - no more bitching, only positive comments and five star reviews and unquestioning praise for whatever new masterings/mixes/DVD or CD releases the BRI brain trust chooses to let us pathetic fans buy.  Seig Heil!

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

How about actually seeing the goshdarn product before dismissing it?

[AndrewHickey]

Having a bad day perhaps?  You're absolutely right - no more bitching, only positive comments and five star reviews and unquestioning praise for whatever new masterings/mixes/DVD or CD releases the BRI brain trust chooses to let us pathetic fans buy.  Seig Heil!

Or perhaps... I don't know... just waiting to actually *watch* a DVD before reviewing it? Or at least waiting until someone else has watched it?

Posting a one-star review for a product you've not bought and don't intend to buy, simply because it isn't something it doesn't claim to be, is just childish. It's not like anyone's being misled -- the tracklist is publicly available, and clearly shows "only" 21 songs. Anyone buying this, then, is buying a 21-song DVD, and giving it a one-star review because it isn't something else is no help to the people who are looking for actual reviews of the actually-existing DVD, rather than comparisons to an imaginary one in the reviewer's head which no-one has ever said would come out.

[SMiLE Brian]

Bubba, great summary of the situation. This DVD could be a good BBs concert sampler if  RAH gig DVD comes out.

[Justin]

You have to take into account that they had to find clips of Brian not looking miserable. That eliminates a good number of songs right there. Secondly they have to use performances where they aren't terribly off-key. This isn't Springsteen. It's the Beach Boys. There are some things that just aren't going to go over well on home video.

For all you guys’ demands for the full show you're the first ones who cringe when the Boys mangle "That's Why God Made The Radio" on the Leno show. Of course, they could go back and polish it up in the studio but you guys wouldn't like that either. You know what you guys really like? Bitching.

Bitch bitch bitch. First you waste a month bitching about some bullsh*t regarding Brian using autotune, which probably wasn't even true. Then you bitch about Mike firing poor Brian. Bitch about songs missing from a box set that doesn't even have a tracklisting yet. With the new DVD you'll either bitch about overdubs or you'll bitch about lack of overdubs. You'll bitch about too few songs. Bitch about a too expensive product. Bitch about a product that's too cheap and affordable. Bitch because something is a Walmart exclusive.  Bitch because a bunch of 70 year old men aren't giving you a 4-DVD super duper 60 song package with 18 tour documentaries and slide shows and audio commentary from  Brian and Mike with a fold-out poster and a reproduction of a backstage pass.

This is the Beach Boys. They don't release warts-and-all documentary films and live concert documents. They release carefully selected products that show them at their most professional. And with an emotionally unpredictable guy like Brian Wilson in the group that requires a little more editing than the norm. If this is surprising to you you're either a newbie or you have your head up your ass.

So keep on bitching and leaving 1-star reviews on Amazon and scaring off potential buyers.  Slander the good name of your supposedly favorite band. Insult the songwriting skills of the man who co-penned their biggest hits. Dismiss the lyrics of "California Girls", even though it's the world’s most singable song after “Happy Birthday” and “The Star Spangled Banner”. Blame Mike and Capitol and corporate greed for everything that doesn't go your way in this world of The Beach Boys. You bring shame to us all.

Is there a way I could permanently subscribe to your posts? 

[lee]

Rock And Roll Music?
Really?

They should of at least put Add Some Music on there. Them all around the piano was amazing.

Amen!

Of all the songs to choose from, why Rock and Roll Music? I know it was a hit back in the day but it is such a weak song imo. Really wish they would have included Please Let Me Wonder, Add Some Music, IJWMFTT or California Saga: California instead.

[Aegir]

Bitch bitch bitch. First you waste a month bitching about some bullsh*t regarding Brian using autotune, which probably wasn't even true.

There was clearly autotune! That's why everyone stopped talking about it after awhile, because they took it away!

[ontor pertawst]

Yeah, the shows were much more enjoyable without that crap! If our bitching in any way nudged that decision, then huzzah for bitchin'.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Did you ever had hard proof? I mean, more than some 10 second video clip taken with a cell phone?

[I. Spaceman]

Did you ever had hard proof? I mean, more than some 10 second video clip taken with a cell phone?

The 10 second video clips from later shows sounded totally different, so it is all relative. It was clearly there on early shows.
But other than that, I agreed with all of your post above. To be honest, I don't give a flying if they use autotune or not.

[Shady]

I believe this board was responsible for the removal of auto tune on Brian's mic..

A fine achievement! 

[lee]

I'm glad to see people on amazon bitching. Maybe someone at Capitol will see that there is a demand for a full show (hopefully the RAH show) and at least consider it as a release in the future. I'm not going to pretend to know how the financial side of these things work but I think the full RAH show would be a nice bonus in the upcoming box set. What a better way to end a box set celebrating 50 years than one of the final shows where all 61 songs of the tour were performed.

[AndrewHickey]

I'm glad to see people on amazon bitching. Maybe someone at Capitol will see that there is a demand for a full show (hopefully the RAH show) and at least consider it as a release in the future. I'm not going to pretend to know how the financial side of these things work but I think the full RAH show would be a nice bonus in the upcoming box set. What a better way to end a box set celebrating 50 years than one of the final shows where all 61 songs of the tour were performed.

More likely they'll think "Hardcore Beach Boys fans will deliberately sabotage sales of any live DVD we put out because of their overwhelming, unbelievable sense of entitlement. Better not bother with any more releases then."

[ontor pertawst]

Nah.

[Pretty Funky]

How about actually seeing the goshdarn product before dismissing it?

From Amazon...

1.0 out of 5 stars A poor representation of an epic tour, November 6, 2012
By Frieda J. (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviewsThis review is from: Live in Concert: 50th Anniversary [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)
Unlike a lot of these other reviews, I've actually watched a prerelease copy of this disc thru the kindness of a semi-stranger. It's absolutely pathetic, from the paltry song selection to the uninspired production, lazy editing, and downright goofy shot selection choices. Let's hope 2013 releases display the band in a better light, because I think I'll just stick to what's on the internet otherwise. Beach Boys fans will, of course defend this vehemently just out of their usual battered wife syndrome. Sight unseen, right? Let's make excuses for this low budget release out of a sense of misguided loyalty and pretend they couldn't do any better. Look at the DVD cover again and pretend that's top notch work. What, was actually doing a good job in Photoshop somehow too expensive? 

[Justin]

That's gotta be some MAJOR "goofy shot selections and uninspired production" for me to actually hate watching "Marcella" "All This is That" and "Heroes and Villians on this DVD.  I mean really major!

[ontor pertawst]

A very good point!

I can't wait to check out a nice version of Marcella with the speakers cranked up! And HEROES... I loved the version on Jools and hope we get a nice mix so you can pick out all the elements. All This is That kinda bores me, they should have rotated that slot more and occasionally played another artier number there instead of pretty much always playing it. But a minor quibble, I'm sure lots of other people adore it.

 Ya think they monkeyed with the sound much? This looks pretty cheap so I dunno if they had the budget for it...

The 21 song thing doesn't bother me anywhere near as much as excessive overdubbing or too many shots of fans dancing!

Maybe it'll be a more straightforward presentation and the stuff coming next year will be more of the slick edit/interview thing that drives me bonkers.

 I wonder if I should just buy the thing and not read any more about it until I've seen it so I'm not conditioned to gnash my teeth the second I hit play.

As I think I whined about previously, wowie wow - that cover really is cheap looking, huh?

[AndrewHickey]

That's gotta be some MAJOR "goofy shot selections and uninspired production" for me to actually hate watching "Marcella" "All This is That" and "Heroes and Villians on this DVD.  I mean really major!

The entire DVD just consists of close-ups of Bruce's knees.

[Justin]

The entire DVD just consists of close-ups of Bruce's knees.

Sweet Moses!

I'm currently drafting my 1 star review.

[Justin]

As I think I whined about previously, wowie wow - that cover really is cheap looking, huh?

I was hoping it was just a temporary image but sadly...it's still there.  And I secretly hoped I'd get used to it as time went on---and I still haven't.

[ontor pertawst]

That's gotta be some MAJOR "goofy shot selections and uninspired production" for me to actually hate watching "Marcella" "All This is That" and "Heroes and Villians on this DVD.  I mean really major!

The entire DVD just consists of close-ups of Bruce's knees.

It would be a bold artistic direction to go in and possibly worth the effort. I mean, those are some knees...



"Back off, ladies... plenty of my knees to go around."

[Pretty Funky]

"I give my knees 5 stars!"