MiC up for order on Amazon, August release

[monicker]

This is both exciting and disappointing. I imagine that the politics behind such a release must be really difficult to navigate for the compilers, so i do keep that in mind. That said, i see two problems. And i don’t mean with the tracklist (which does have obvious problems; more on that later), but with the bigger picture:

1. The fact that this box set is targeting two markets/demographics simultaneously. That doesn’t work. It sells both demographics short. Why buy the hits and album tracks we’ve already purchased numerous times over the years/decades? On the other hand, what casual fan is going to care about most of these rarities? I know that Capitol promised this would be a career spanning box set, and a career spanning box set is exactly what the news today revealed, but many of us have been saying for a while now that a set like this doesn’t make sense to begin with. It’s one product for totally conflicting markets. How many times can the fucking hits and album tracks be released? The casual fans got 50 Big Ones LAST YEAR, and god knows how many greatest hits type releases this band has released over the decades. The idea that this set will appeal to the casual fan who wants a little more than just the hits (which is spurious) is a concept that is pretty much moot in the internet age. Put out a major release that is truly for the hardcore fans (TSS was sold by the myth and PSS by critical acclaim). Which leads to the next problem i see...

2. I think Capitol, the people behind The Beach Boys brand, and even the band themselves are afraid to take a chance on the Beach Boys, to do something that is unsafe and foreign to what the band’s name represents culturally. The brand name is big business, it’s a mainstream entity, and has too many associations tied to it that i think those in charge feel can’t be undermined by presenting a big release from the Beach Boys brand that represents a completely different, esoteric side of the brand name (again, TSS and PSS don’t count in this regard).

This is something that, of course, no one wants to think about, but i really think that a dream archival release won’t be possible until several years after all of the members, or at least Brian and Mike, are gone...

Anyway, let’s not think about that. I second the idea to start a petition for BB central though. Can we do that in earnest? 


Questions and thoughts:

-What’s the early version of Amusement Parks and the alt version of Meant for You?
-Don’t Worry Baby alt lead vocal? Do we know anything about this? Never heard anything about this before.
-I wonder if Surf’s Up ’67 2012 mix (as opposed to 2011) is going to be a different take or different composite of takes than what showed up on TSS.
-SIP Live?   
-How can Thank Him and the original Big Sur not be on this? How in the world is that even a possibility?
-No In The Back Of My Mind ’70s version?
-The CDs themselves look nice, but the cover art and high school yearbook theme are embarrassing.

One of the things i’m most disappointed with is not only how few a cappella and instrumental mixes there are, but how they were handled. I am thrilled about This Whole World a cappella, but of all songs in the BB canon to release in an a cappella mix, Slip On Through? Really? Also, i’m in the minority with loving Don’t Go Near The Water and Transcendental Meditation, so while i’m very happy to see instrumental mixes of those two, i imagine most of you guys are perplexed and a little irked by that. There are loads of songs that could have gotten the a cappella and instrumental treatment that i think would have satiated most people. Why take up 8 valuable minutes with the (granted, mindblowing) Smile backing vocals montage that was released less than two years ago? More Good Vibrations sessions/sections? There was an entire disc dedicated to it also just recently released.

I keep reading dismissive comments about how songs that people wanted to see on here could just be found on bootlegs...Well, you think it makes more sense to release the hits and album tracks for the hundredth time than to give an official, good quality release to stuff that is only available illegally? Yeah, we can just go to youtube or a bootleg to listen to Thank Him, but we can also just go over to our CD shelves and/or computers to listen to the great majority of discs 1-4, no?

Oh well, still preordered this shasta anyway.

[Doo Dah]

I'm sick of RnR music, and Come Go with Me too. No, Al- I will not go with you. That was valuable CD space that could've been better allocated.

I've heard one of the preliminary remixes of Rock 'n' Roll Music, and I have to say it's actually pretty...revelatory might be a bit inaccurate, but it was pretty fantastic.  Mind you this was over 5 years ago.

Could this '12 remix be an attempt to recreate the old 'hot mix' we heard of back in the day? Always wondered why that one never came out in a box set.

[drbeachboy]

I'm sick of RnR music, and Come Go with Me too. No, Al- I will not go with you. That was valuable CD space that could've been better allocated.

I've heard one of the preliminary remixes of Rock 'n' Roll Music, and I have to say it's actually pretty...revelatory might be a bit inaccurate, but it was pretty fantastic.  Mind you this was over 5 years ago.

Could this '12 remix be an attempt to recreate the old 'hot mix' we heard of back in the day? Always wondered why that one never came out in a box set.

Very well could be, because the "hot" mix is the only version that I know of that had the extra verse.

[Mahalo]

Phoenix- Good Call on Somewhere Near Japan!

This stuff really matters!! I never heard Chasing The Sky though. I would very much like to though.

No brainer about 4/4 Big Sur. What about ITBOM instrumental?

I can't wait to hear a cappella TWW.  I am excited about the inst. versions of DGNTW and TM as well... There is so much to look forward to.




GREAT POST MONICKER!! Don't disagree with anything. Especially like what you said about TSS vox montage and GV sections.... would've liked more stereo SMiLE trax, i.e. MOC.

[Shady]

Monicker nailed it!

[Dave Modny]

This is my 5th legal box set, not to mention all of the boot box sets. I think this is well balanced for group effort, and frankly, I cannot say that I would change much here. I have seen lots of excitement in reviewing this thread, and some disappointment. Quite honestly, given the politics surrounding The Beach Boys, I think Alan and Mark have done a great job of balancing everything out. The early years are mostly Brian, as they should be, but the rest of the group is well represented after Smile. I think Dennis and Carl are well represented, keeping in mind that almost every live track is from the years Carl led the road band. For those who want to hear obscure tracks (e.g. My Solution, We Got Love, Problem Child, etc.) they are ALL on Ebay. You just have to look. This is a career spanning package, and I feel great that everyone in the group stepped up and made sure Carl and Dennis are represented too.  Congratulations to the team that assembled this box.

I agree with you in principal, Peter, but the completist and historian in me still has to single out the absence of We Got Love as a fairly unique situation, a missed opportunity and a rare mistake with its not being included on the set. Namely, and going from memory, it's still the only released Beach Boys non-promo, non-single or EP, non-compilation or soundtrack, studio album track -- albeit released briefly and in small quantities -- that I can think of that's never been *officially* released on commercial/retail CD [That is, obviously discounting stuff like Happy Endings, etc.]. In a nutshell, not just an obscure track, but one that's technically part of the band's officially released album catalog -- even if only for a few hundred lucky souls in Germany.

And, while I have plenty of bootleg versions lifted from that noted German vinyl (with copious amounts of nasty digital noise reduction in a case or two...some better than others), or taken from someone's own reference cassette copy, I sure would've loved to have heard it directly from the master tape in pristine quality. This set would've seemed like a no-brainer, particularly in terms of representing Blondie and Ricky in some sort of "rarity capacity" (though I do like Hard Times, too). On the other hand, with the exception of no Carry Me Home, this is really my only major disappointment for the set. The compilers really did seem to listen to the hardcore fans, thus, consider me 98% satisfied!


Oh well...maybe the next compilation...lol.



PS - One other live track I would've liked to have seen officially released: One of those two Michigan State '66 recordings of Denny doing You've Got To Hide Your Love Away -- perhaps with that "on the ten yard line" bit erased via a fresh multitrack mixdown or a fly-in from another part of the song. Such a nice, heartfelt performance that fans often single out as being one of the "good ones."

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Glad this has  finally  been officially announced! I can't wait for disc six....there's a treat on there that everyone has missed in the excitement over CF74 and WIBNTLA...

... which is what exactly....

'Where is She', for one, is supposed to be a top notch song according to the few who have heard it . It is a Sunflower outtake.  'My Love Lives On' is a song featuring a Dennis lead vocal that dates from the Caribou sessions....I think the final part of it was done in 1977, but it was originally started in 1974 'I Believe In Miracles' is a song that I believe also dates from 1974; if it is the song I'm thinking of, it features vocals by Brian.

[Pretty Funky]

Re(4): "Made In California" is up for preorder with "Wouldn't It Be Nice(To Live Again)" included!
Posted on June 12, 2013 at 00:19:09 AM by Bruce Johnston

Acedecade75:

I realize the great expense of all these CDs & DVDs but at least EMI dug in the vaults at the right time for the real fans. I do not expect someone to buy 'everything' but there is a great deal of selection now and you can count on a great deal of sonic quality that will be recaptured from the original recordings.

I was thinking that possibly 'down the road' we (the band) could listen to some playbacks of the recording of our Royal Albert Hall concert (my absolute favourite concert of the whole tour!!!!) and perhaps we could bring it to life as a future release if it sounds as good as I remember.
Bruce Johnston
Montecito
June 11, 2013


Yes Please!!!

[guitarfool2002]

-Don’t Worry Baby alt lead vocal? Do we know anything about this? Never heard anything about this before.

I'm betting this could be from that stash of multitracks and sessions which turned up out of the blue, and which eventually made it to the official archives through Jon Stebbins' efforts. Missing multitrack material which wasn't on SOT or anywhere else. The Don't Worry Baby multis were among those reels.

I'm just guessing third-party, I have no idea.

And man, would it be fantastic to get the contents of those reels released someday?

[guitarfool2002]

Still wondering out loud how it came to be that Bruce of all people didn't know about this box set until now.

[Wirestone]

I think Monicker makes some good and bad points. On one hand, I do think the box will sell, and I think it's easy to underestimate the number of boomers who have money to spend on something like this. I bet the vast majority of these boxes will sell to people who never listen to disc 6, or at best listen to it once uncomprehendingly.

On the other hand, I think he's spot on about the branding issue, and it's really a frustrating thing at this point. The fact that they're using that obnoxious band logo on everything makes my skin crawl. Bands with far smaller audiences have been much more imaginative in their releases. For example:

-- There could be a fabulous two- or three-disc set of the 15 Big Ones sessions, including all the oldies that were recorded, along with instrumental-only tracks.

-- You could have a multi-disc Love You set that includes the Adult Child material and some contemporaneous live work.

-- You could have a couple of discs collecting the Caribou sessions and other miscellaneous early and mid-70s rarities.

-- You could have any number of live releases.

-- You could have a killer expanded edition of Still Cruisin' that includes all the 80s soundtrack tunes.

-- You could cobble together an unreleased best of the 80s and 90s that has some of the Usher sessions material along with Brian and the band's fragmentary work from the mid-90s.

You could do all of this stuff, and there would be an audience for it. You could release it in extremely limited editions. Or in a single big box. Whatever. But the point is, a lot of this stuff doesn't fit the corporate image. And that's a real shame, because so much of the music is so good, and deserves to be heard in a definitive, released form.

Anyway, I'm still happy about the box. I think it will be a great collection, and it looks overall like something assembled with love and care. But I would love for there to be so much more.

[EgoHanger1966]

Still wondering out loud how it came to be that Bruce of all people didn't know about this box set until now.

He's probably just messing with us - good 'ol Bruce.

Or he's miffed that Tears In The Morning isn't included and is feigning indifference.

[Wirestone]

Still wondering out loud how it came to be that Bruce of all people didn't know about this box set until now.

He's not a member of BRI. Simple.

[Dave Modny]

'My Love Lives On' is a song featuring a Dennis lead vocal that dates from the Caribou sessions....I think the final part of it was done in 1977, but it was originally started in 1974 

That was going to be my next question for those in the know. That is, do we know for sure if Denny's lead vocal indeed dates from August of '74, or rather, if from the work that was done during the Bambu sessions in '77?

If it's truly a '74 vocal...we're taking about more "missing link' type of stuff in terms of the timeline of Denny's voice. Very exciting stuff!

[EgoHanger1966]

I think Monicker makes some good and bad points. On one hand, I do think the box will sell, and I think it's easy to underestimate the number of boomers who have money to spend on something like this. I bet the vast majority of these boxes will sell to people who never listen to disc 6, or at best listen to it once uncomprehendingly.

On the other hand, I think he's spot on about the branding issue, and it's really a frustrating thing at this point. The fact that they're using that obnoxious band logo on everything makes my skin crawl. Bands with far smaller audiences have been much more imaginative in their releases. For example:

-- There could be a fabulous two- or three-disc set of the 15 Big Ones sessions, including all the oldies that were recorded, along with instrumental-only tracks.

-- You could have a multi-disc Love You set that includes the Adult Child material and some contemporaneous live work.

-- You could have a couple of discs collecting the Caribou sessions and other miscellaneous early and mid-70s rarities.

-- You could have any number of live releases.

-- You could have a killer expanded edition of Still Cruisin' that includes all the 80s soundtrack tunes.

-- You could cobble together an unreleased best of the 80s and 90s that has some of the Usher sessions material along with Brian and the band's fragmentary work from the mid-90s.

You could do all of this stuff, and there would be an audience for it. You could release it in extremely limited editions. Or in a single big box. Whatever. But the point is, a lot of this stuff doesn't fit the corporate image. And that's a real shame, because so much of the music is so good, and deserves to be heard in a definitive, released form.

Anyway, I'm still happy about the box. I think it will be a great collection, and it looks overall like something assembled with love and care. But I would love for there to be so much more.

These would all be terrible, terrible sellers.
I mean, there's niche, and then there's those.
I think an additional rarities compilation overview (2cd?) could be a nice seller - there are plenty of things from all aspects of their career that were missed on this set. Quality stuff, too - Big Sur 4/4, Stevie, what have you.

[pixletwin]

Glad this has  finally  been officially announced! I can't wait for disc six....there's a treat on there that everyone has missed in the excitement over CF74 and WIBNTLA...

... which is what exactly....

'Where is She', for one, is supposed to be a top notch song according to the few who have heard it . It is a Sunflower outtake.  'My Love Lives On' is a song featuring a Dennis lead vocal that dates from the Caribou sessions....I think the final part of it was done in 1977, but it was originally started in 1974 'I Believe In Miracles' is a song that I believe also dates from 1974; if it is the song I'm thinking of, it features vocals by Brian.

There are so many titles on this that I am not familiar with, this is good stuff to know.

[EgoHanger1966]

"I Believe In Miracles" is listed as a vocal section - so that means it's not going to presented in full form? Or is the vocal section all that exists?

Not sure what "Why" is, either, but it would be damn near impossible to search the board based on that title 

[Jeff]

I think Monicker makes some good and bad points. On one hand, I do think the box will sell, and I think it's easy to underestimate the number of boomers who have money to spend on something like this. I bet the vast majority of these boxes will sell to people who never listen to disc 6, or at best listen to it once uncomprehendingly.

On the other hand, I think he's spot on about the branding issue, and it's really a frustrating thing at this point. The fact that they're using that obnoxious band logo on everything makes my skin crawl. Bands with far smaller audiences have been much more imaginative in their releases. For example:

-- There could be a fabulous two- or three-disc set of the 15 Big Ones sessions, including all the oldies that were recorded, along with instrumental-only tracks.

-- You could have a multi-disc Love You set that includes the Adult Child material and some contemporaneous live work.

-- You could have a couple of discs collecting the Caribou sessions and other miscellaneous early and mid-70s rarities.

-- You could have any number of live releases.

-- You could have a killer expanded edition of Still Cruisin' that includes all the 80s soundtrack tunes.

-- You could cobble together an unreleased best of the 80s and 90s that has some of the Usher sessions material along with Brian and the band's fragmentary work from the mid-90s.

You could do all of this stuff, and there would be an audience for it. You could release it in extremely limited editions. Or in a single big box. Whatever. But the point is, a lot of this stuff doesn't fit the corporate image. And that's a real shame, because so much of the music is so good, and deserves to be heard in a definitive, released form.

Anyway, I'm still happy about the box. I think it will be a great collection, and it looks overall like something assembled with love and care. But I would love for there to be so much more.

This has to be parody.

[Kurosawa]

Carry Me Home isn't on this set, correct? Is it too rough to release?

[Wirestone]

Any number of acts with fewer fans have put out lines of official bootlegs and crazy rarities sets. It just takes some imagination, and the understanding you won't sell masses of copies.

As for the 15 Big Ones set, I happen to really love those sessions and think they're wildly underappreciated. Putting them all together would hopefully prompt a reevaluation of a really creative and odd time in the band. But maybe that's just me. 

[Rocky Raccoon]

I was thinking that possibly 'down the road' we (the band) could listen to some playbacks of the recording of our Royal Albert Hall concert (my absolute favourite concert of the whole tour!!!!) and perhaps we could bring it to life as a future release if it sounds as good as I remember.
Bruce Johnston
Montecito
June 11, 2013

This is the most wonderful thing Bruce Johnston has ever said.  Please let this happen.

[guitarfool2002]

Still wondering out loud how it came to be that Bruce of all people didn't know about this box set until now.

He's not a member of BRI. Simple.

Simple? Maybe if we stretch logic just enough to conclude that the topic of this box set was never raised even once in passing as Mike and Bruce traveled together and/or rehearsed to play their shows.

How long has this been a topic here? We fans knew about the set before an actual Beach Boy! And Bruce says this on a British fan message board.

Not to mention the fact that Bruce will be receiving his own royalty checks for portions of this set.

It's hard to believe. I think he's taking the piss. 

[Gabo]

i'll buy some of the unreleased tracks (To Live Again etc) but probably not the whole box... :/ es demasiado caro

[puni puni]

A lot of the people in these hardcore Beach Boys circles are really clueless when it comes to determining what rational-minded (e.g.: not insane) people would care to listen to. Even the people in charge seem to have no idea what they should be including and what they shouldn't. (I'm speaking mostly about the vocals-only Slip On Through and studio version of I'll Bet He's Nice.)

everything else on the set is more-or-less fine... besides the crazy stuff like Problem Child or instrumental Don't Go Near The Water.

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

I'll cherry pick the box on iTunes. And I will be sooooo happy.

I think I can offer an explanation for the inclusion of instrumental tracks for Don’t Go Near The Water and Transcendental Meditation-- the lyrics are moronic, and the backing tracks are interesting mid-period, well produced BB tracks. Sounds good to me!