For anybody who doesn't have the "Good Vibrations Tour" DVD...

[SonoraDick]

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Vibrations-Tour-Beach-Boys/dp/B00CEYFGYK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_m_6

[Russ_B66]

I would pick it up at that price.

Thanks,

Russ

[Justin]

This is sort of a big deal for me because I don't have this!

When was this originally released?  It looks to be a reissue release from Eagle Rock...official stuff.  Very cool!  Is this something that's been around and everyone already has? 

[HeyJude]

This is sort of a big deal for me because I don't have this!

When was this originally released?  It looks to be a reissue release from Eagle Rock...official stuff.  Very cool!  Is this something that's been around and everyone already has? 

This was only previously released in the UK, Region 2 PAL, so this is the first US release. It's a cool release for the US to finally get, even though I recall seeing the UK DVD and the film print they used wasn't the best looking ever. So for instance if you look at the Anaheim '76 footage in "An American Band", it looks noticeably better to this DVD. But this DVD looks fine overall, and worth it just for bits like "That Same Song" and the goat attacking Al.

[Mikie]

Justin, this DVD has been available for awhile now - since 2004. It's the "It's OK" NBC television special from August, 1976. Concert was recorded in your neck of the woods.....July '76.

Video quality isn't much better than the VHS copy that I recorded right off the TV back then. They should enhance it to today's standards and re-release it.

[SonoraDick]

So for instance if you look at the Anaheim '76 footage in "An American Band", it looks noticeably better to this DVD. But this DVD looks fine overall, and worth it just for bits like "That Same Song" and the goat attacking Al.

Agreed, "That Same Song" is terrific. And the Brian/Belushi/Akroyd surf-police bit is pretty (in)famous as well. I don't think the "live" material is bad, either, considering it's about 37 years old.

[AndrewHickey]

Yeah, it's worth having, but the video quality is frankly almost bootleg level. The live footage is nice, but the performances aren't as good as the Knebworth DVD.

[Generation42]

They should enhance it to today's standards and re-release it.

As this is new (in the sense that it's the first US release, anyway), is there any evidence at all that maybe this did, in fact, happen and we will be getting a dvd with a pristine new transfer?  It's entirely unlikely, I suppose, and I think the lack of a blu ray release pretty much confirms it (I just imagine that, if a new transfer had been made, we'd likely have the option of getting this in hi-def).

Ah well, it's nice to dream.  Personally, though I very much prefer blu ray over dvd, I've never seen the whole special (only a few of the live clips that can be found readily on youtube), so I'll be all over this one.

[Mikie]

Yeah, it's worth having, but the video quality is frankly almost bootleg level. The live footage is nice, but the performances aren't as good as the Knebworth DVD.

This thing was booted for many years on tape, CD, and DVD prior to a formal release. To tell you the truth, the quality of the released version is pretty much indistinguishable from the boots that floated around before. And prior to this "Good Vibrations Tour" title, it had another title, but can't remember what and am too lazy to look.

Here's a good synopsis:

http://www.wmmr.com/music/news/story.aspx?ID=1750506

[Mikie]

They should enhance it to today's standards and re-release it.

As this is new (in the sense that it's the first US release, anyway), is there any evidence at all that maybe this did, in fact, happen and we will be getting a dvd with a pristine new transfer?  It's entirely unlikely, I suppose, and I think the lack of a blu ray release pretty much confirms it (I just imagine that, if a new transfer had been made, we'd likely have the option of getting this in hi-def).

Ah well, it's nice to dream.  Personally, though I very much prefer blu ray over dvd, I've never seen the whole special (only a few of the live clips that can be found readily on youtube), so I'll be all over this one.

Yeah, Blu-ray is where it's at these days. But I don't think any of the prior releases will ever be converted to Blu-ray or even enhanced for re-released. Which is too bad. American Band, the 20th Anniversary, I Just Wasn't Made For These Times, Endless Harmony or even Stars & Stripes would be fantastic in Blu-ray or even cleaned up and enhanced for re-release.

Lorne Michaels is still a big Beach Boys fan. Maybe this one is out of his control or the license fees are too high. Or maybe the demand wouldn't be there to warrant re-releases of some of these DVD's.

[Mike's Beard]

Even the blurry picture can't hide that Brian is scared out of his wits during the live performances.

[HeyJude]

Eagle Vision's pattern is to use the same transfer. They often just seem to put stuff out in the UK first. A blu ray release would require scanning film elements, which I doubt the would budget for a release  like this.

[Generation42]

Eagle Vision's pattern is to use the same transfer. They often just seem to put stuff out in the UK first. A blu ray release would require scanning film elements, which I doubt the would budget for a release  like this.

Thanks for the info about EV's m.o.  Still, while I figured it probably wouldn't be budgeted, from what I've seen of the special (a few of the song performances), I feel it certainly warrants such loving attention.  I imagine that, being recorded in 1976, most (if not all) of the footage from the special is from film stock, rather than videotape, no?  If this is the case, that footage would really, really benefit from a proper HD transfer.

Imagine what could be done in the right hands.  One could couple an HD scan of the picture with an audio remix or remaster (were the performances recorded to multi-track, or just captured by the camera's mic's alone?) and you'd have the foundation for a great version of the television special for release.  Heck, one could conceivably take that and toss in any other performances from the Anaheim show which were filmed, but not included on the special, along with maybe any other surviving footage of the guys from the era (or current-day remembrances of the time period), and really make it something special.

If you wanted to take it a step further, how about taking this super duper blu ray, packaging it with a new remix/remaster of 15 Big Ones (including some demos and studio outtakes from the sessions), and creating one heck of a deluxe album release?  Beyond even this, the audio of the entire Anaheim show could fill a second cd, and if one were to package all of these along with maybe something along the lines of a reproduction of the tour booklet, what a start on a box set we'd have, huh?

Now, I realize that this is asking an awful lot (especially, maybe, when getting into deluxe alum/box set territory for an album that doesn't carry with it the historic weight of a Pet Sounds or a Smile, but these type of packages are not unheard of (NIRVANA, for instance, released a similar package two years ago, albeit for their most highly acclaimed work) and I'd love for more of my favorite artists, like the Beatles and the Beach Boys, to embrace such a type of release when and where the audio and surviving film make it possible.

[SonoraDick]

And prior to this "Good Vibrations Tour" title, it had another title, but can't remember
what and am too lazy to look.

I'm going by memory, too, and she ain't what she used to be... "It's OK"??

[Mikie]

Yeah, I think that's it, Dick. I can't find it in the collection.

Here's a good technical review of the Good Vibrations Tour DVD, released in the UK back in '04. I suspect they haven't improved the quality for the U.S. release. Not exactly scathing, but you take what you can get.....

http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Reviews/Reviews.asp?ID=5256

[Alan Smith]

This is sort of a big deal for me because I don't have this!

When was this originally released?  It looks to be a reissue release from Eagle Rock...official stuff.  Very cool!  Is this something that's been around and everyone already has? 

This was only previously released in the UK, Region 2 PAL, so this is the first US release. It's a cool release for the US to finally get, even though I recall seeing the UK DVD and the film print they used wasn't the best looking ever. So for instance if you look at the Anaheim '76 footage in "An American Band", it looks noticeably better to this DVD. But this DVD looks fine overall, and worth it just for bits like "That Same Song" and the goat attacking Al.

Also on Region 4 for many years @ major Oz retailers for nix.

Wonder how that goat fared once the cameras stopped rollin'?

[Mike's Beard]

Dennis punched it.

[Alan Smith]

 

[HeyJude]

It's hard to say who even owns the rights to this special. I believe it would be Lorne Michaels' "Broadway Video", same ownership as SNL and stuff like that. I don't even know if the Beach Boys have any ownership rights in the special itself; I don't recall hearing that there was a Brother logo or copyright notice on the DVD.

I believe everything in it was indeed shot on film, so if the film negatives survive, they could do an HD scan. But it's a question of whether the negatives even still exist. They would seemingly at least have to have a finished film print around, and even scanning that in HD would yield good results potentially. The UK DVD I've seen of this looks like some sort of video-sourced master made from a print, maybe some sort of video master that was serviced to TV back then? To me the UK DVD looks marginally better than the videotape dubs that have floated around for years, but it doesn't look nearly as sharp as the original film would. It seems like the "An American Band" team had access to a lot of raw film and video, hence notice the difference I menetioned before between the two sources for Anaheim footage, or notice the quality of the Central Park '71 videotape footage in "An American Band" versus "Endless Harmony"; it looks much better in "An American Band."

But I don't think they'd budget for a HD scan and Blu-ray for this, and Eagle Vision seems to sometimes put stuff out in the UK and then eventually if it sells well and they can clear the rights, put it out in the US. Usually there isn't such a long gap between the UK and US releases of course.

[Justin]

Thanks everyone for the info.  Not sure how this slipped passed my radar as I was starting my BB DVD collection.  Anyhoo, I shall look forward to getting this even though the quality will probably leave more to be desired.  I have a lot of stuff from Eagle Rock and it's always been fantastic....kinda surprising they're not giving us an upgrade in quality here...

[JohnMill]

Eagle Rock I believe is the outfit that puts together those great "Classic Albums" DVD series.  I'm hoping one day that they'll select a Beach Boys album to be the subject of one of their DVDs as it would be nice to have a DVD devoted exclusively about the making of "Pet Sounds" or "SMiLE".  Either way Eagle Rock does a pretty decent job with it's releases.

[mammy blue]

The live footage is nice, but the performances aren't as good as the Knebworth DVD.

I don't know that I totally agree with this. Dennis is still in his prime in "OK" and not remotely diminished as he is at Knebworth. Also, Mike, although still obnoxious, is still in counterculture turban mode rather than patriotic baseball cap mode. Horses for courses. This also captures some great personal moments like the 3 brothers talking/singing about Murray and the hilarity of Al pretending to be Henry David Thoreau and then cowering in the presence of an enthusiastic goat.

[MBE]

I have to agree. Although the decline was first noticeable during the non UK, or non Beacago shows of 1975, in 1976 you still had a healthy Dennis. In fact the special is the last major footage where you have a completely healthy vibe from him. I think the DVD is far better than the boots I had seen. More complete too.

[Jon Stebbins]

No contest between the quality level of the Beach Boys in '76 as opposed to the Knebworth period. In '76 they still retain the remnants of their glowing mid '70's peak...by Knebworth they were cheesy and wheezing. Plus Knebworth is overdubbed, Its OK is the real live stuff. Admittedly Dennis' presence gives Knebworth some credible rock energy, but in general the band was in decline, they had let go half the band because they didn't meditate, the horns were gone, everything organic replaced by Meros on keys, satin baseball jackets and shorts were on the rise. 1976 was the last tour that easily sold out 50,000 plus stadiums throughout the states, by '80 they had trouble selling out the 17,000 seat Forum in L.A. I saw them both years, '76 and '80...I'd take the '76 show a zillion times over the '80 show.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I have a soft spot for the 1976 NBC-TV Special. I was getting hooked big time.

As flawed as the band was at that time, there were still some musical highlights, and also a "nearing the end of an era" if you will. "Sloop John B" is one of my favorite live versions of that song; check out Carl's guitar playing and Dennis' drumming. Carl's singing on "God Only Knows" has him still singing in his angelic voice; while he would remain spectacular for many years to come, his singing voice would get huskier so I appreciate this 1976 version. Same with Mike, in 1976 he hadn't gone completely "nasal" yet. The version of "It's Ok", with the reversed choruses, is full of energy. The Hornettes, the sailboat stage, the wives, McCartney, the SNL crew, everything! And then there's Brian. When you watch him laughing and trying to crack up his brothers during "I'm Bugged At My Old Man", you see a man who for a brief moment...could share a fun, happy moment with his brothers. He was smiling, laughing, naturally. He didn't do too much of that post-1976.

This 1976 film is loopy, all over the place, and like 15 Big Ones, might've missed the mark and turned some people off. But for nuts like us, it's priceless.