MiC up for order on Amazon, August release

[Lowbacca]

As for price, are you guys not familiar with importcds.com - usually much better prices than amazon.com.

http://www.importcds.com/music/2617315/the-beach-boys-made-in-california
(can't be ordered yet, but the price is better).

As for content, I bet I'll be dissapointed in WIBN(TLA), it's just been hyped too much.

Also I think it's funny how some of you guys think this will be the last Beach Boys archival release - I'll bet my ass that we'll see more rarities in the future, in particular when rest of BRI has seized to exist (e.g. DAB).

You mean... ceased to resist?


What does "DAB" stand for, anyway? David ain't part of BRI.

[shelter]

I have to get something off my chest first. Even though we already knew that MIC would be an updated version of the GV box, I do think that Capitol is playing a dirty trick here. They know damn well that the majority of people who are going to buy this are fans who already bought the hits many times and the album tracks probably a couple of times. They also know that said fans are going to get MIC anyway because of the rarities. They could easily have released the rarities on an affordable 2 or 3 disc set, but instead they just had to add the hits and album tracks YET AGAIN so that they could turn this thing into a fancy box and raise the price by about $100. The right thing to do would've been to release MIC as a 2 or 3 disc rarities set for the likes of us here, and to maybe offer it as a package deal with 50 Big Ones for the more adventurous casual fans. Now it feels kind of like I have to buy a whole car just to get some parts, even though I already have a car.

However... Having said that, judging it as it is and having known beforehand that it probably would be just about 1/3 rarities, I in fact am very pleased with the selection of rarities. WIBNTLA, live versions of songs they haven't played often, Sunflower a capella mixes, the Sound Of Free/Lady single, that's pretty much what was on top of my want list.

[Jonathan Blum]

Count me in as another satisfied voice here!

The '93 box is what tipped me over the edge from a Greatest-Hits-buying fan into a serious convert.  And this box, following on from 50 Big Ones, looks like it'll serve the same purpose for a new generation of people, who know the hits and are interested in digging a little deeper.  With a couple of discs that go a lot more satisfyingly deep than disc 5 of the '93 one!

In fact, I think it might be interesting to look at this box not in terms of what any individual one of us would have wanted, but in terms of what it says about the portrayal of the Beach Boys -- particularly in that "essential starter kit for the serious fan" sense...

More later on that,
Jon Blum

[tansen]

As for price, are you guys not familiar with importcds.com - usually much better prices than amazon.com.

http://www.importcds.com/music/2617315/the-beach-boys-made-in-california
(can't be ordered yet, but the price is better).

As for content, I bet I'll be dissapointed in WIBN(TLA), it's just been hyped too much.

Also I think it's funny how some of you guys think this will be the last Beach Boys archival release - I'll bet my ass that we'll see more rarities in the future, in particular when rest of BRI has seized to exist (e.g. DAB).

You mean... ceased to resist?


What does "DAB" stand for, anyway? David ain't part of BRI.

DAB = Dead and buried
But I don't think David has any saying what so ever over songwriting copyright, nor mechanical copyright as far as i know.

[Lowbacca]

As for price, are you guys not familiar with importcds.com - usually much better prices than amazon.com.

http://www.importcds.com/music/2617315/the-beach-boys-made-in-california
(can't be ordered yet, but the price is better).

As for content, I bet I'll be dissapointed in WIBN(TLA), it's just been hyped too much.

Also I think it's funny how some of you guys think this will be the last Beach Boys archival release - I'll bet my ass that we'll see more rarities in the future, in particular when rest of BRI has seized to exist (e.g. DAB).

You mean... ceased to resist?


What does "DAB" stand for, anyway? David ain't part of BRI.

DAB = Dead and buried
But I don't think David has any saying what so ever over songwriting copyright, not mechanical copyright as far as i know.

Okay - I thought DAB maybe referred to Dave/Alan/Brian, which would leave Mike&Bruce alive - a duo who presumably would make different business decisions regarding the release of archive material. But I guess I was overthinking it.

[brother john]

I'm going to get my one complaint in now - Goin' To The Beach, instead of a glut of other, far better songs does not make sense.

Ditto Good Time.

[Mr. Cohen]

This was ingenious. By throwing on Dennis' "Live Again" they did just enough to shut up the diehard crowd, or at least enough to prevent them from forming a consensus. I remember posting a few months that I suspected this box set would mainly be a rehash of the BB hits and the old bonus tracks from the twofer. Turns out I was being generous - most of the bonus tracks are still unavailable. But hey, for over $100, you can get high fidelity versions of like 7 unreleased BB songs! Great deal!

[TV Forces]

Very pleased Tears In The Morning isn't on there, as I'd have thought Bruce would've really pushed for it.

Bruce didn't even know a box set was being prepared, which makes me wonder how much we can blame band politics for the shortcomings of the tracklisting.

I agree with those who proposed eliminating enough of the hits from discs 1-4 to fit the 10 studio disc 5 songs in there, so we can have an all-live disc 5.  Get some Lei'd in Hawaii in there.. some Carnegie Hall.  Some songs from last year that didn't make the new 2 disc set. 

[Wirestone]

This was ingenious. By throwing on Dennis' "Live Again" they did just enough to shut up the diehard crowd, or at least enough to prevent them from forming a consensus. I remember posting a few months that I suspected this box set would mainly be a rehash of the BB hits and the old bonus tracks from the twofer. Turns out I was being generous - most of the bonus tracks are still unavailable. But hey, for over $100, you can get high fidelity versions of like 7 unreleased BB songs! Great deal!

You mean 60. Easy mistake to make when you're acting like an entitled child.

[TV Forces]

You mean 60. Easy mistake to make when you're acting like an entitled child.

Pointing out that the box is a rip-off and the tracklist is ill-advised is not being an entitled child.  But that's an easy mistake to make when you're a crabby judgemental geezer with a moneytree out back.  I thought this forum was for discussions.  So many people here are unable to tolerate opposing points of view.  No, we don't have to buy the box.  Just like you don't have to click reply on every post you disagree with.  

[SloopJohnB]

I wonder what the usual hidden tracks at the end of some discs will be. It'd be a nice opportunity to slip in a short track. "Thank Him" would be a great choice but I'm not holding my breath.

[Mr. Cohen]

Right. The BBs make money because of their fans. We have a right to evaluate the product they release and decide whether or not we want to buy it. I'm not demanding they release the rarities; I'm just saying this is a rip off for the diehard fan that already owns most of the material.

[smile-holland]

I'm just saying this is a rip off for the diehard fan that already owns most of the material.

Tiny correction here: that can be your opinion, but why state this a a fact? I'm going to buy this set with the thought NOT being ripped off (and I consider myself a die-hard fan)

[smile-holland]

You mean 60. Easy mistake to make when you're acting like an entitled child.

Pointing out that the box is a rip-off and the tracklist is ill-advised is not being an entitled child.  But that's an easy mistake to make when you're a crabby judgemental geezer with a moneytree out back.  I thought this forum was for discussions.  So many people here are unable to tolerate opposing points of view.  No, we don't have to buy the box.  Just like you don't have to click reply on every post you disagree with.  

@ Wirestone and TV Forces: take this to PM's, both of you.

[AndrewHickey]

This was ingenious. By throwing on Dennis' "Live Again" they did just enough to shut up the diehard crowd, or at least enough to prevent them from forming a consensus. I remember posting a few months that I suspected this box set would mainly be a rehash of the BB hits and the old bonus tracks from the twofer. Turns out I was being generous - most of the bonus tracks are still unavailable. But hey, for over $100, you can get high fidelity versions of like 7 unreleased BB songs! Great deal!

Well, I'm clearly not one of the 'diehard crowd' by that definition, as I have pretty much no interest in hearing Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again, simply because people here are so monomaniacal on the subject of a song they've never even heard that any possible enthusiasm for it left me months ago.

But even not counting stuff like Sound Of Free that's getting a legit CD release for the first time ever, or things I'm hugely excited for like the alternate versions of Be With Me, Don't Worry Baby and Meant For You or the live Little Bird -- just looking at songs that have never had a legal release by the Beach Boys in any form, we have:

Back Home 63 and 70 (I'd consider these different enough from the Big Ones version to count the two as one unreleased song between them), (Wouldn't It Be Nice To) Live Again, California Feelin',  Goin' To The Beach, Why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love, Da Doo Ron Ron, Soul Searchin', You're Still A Mystery, Sherry She Needs Me, Mona Kana, Where Is She?, I Believe In Miracles, Why, Barnyard Blues, You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling and My Love Lives On.

I remember a time not that long ago when a bootleg with that many unreleased tracks on would have cost as much as this box set does...

And again, that's just the unreleased songs. Is there anyone here who *doesn't* want to hear Meant For You (Alternate Version), Sound Of Free in decent quality, It's Over Now (Alternate Mix -- presumably at the correct speed), Friends and Little Bird live, legal releases of Vegetables and Wonderful from the box set tour, a good quality live It's About Time, a legal Carnegie Only With You, the alternate lead vocal on Don't Worry Baby, or the demo for Be With Me? And those are just the ones that are *really* exciting.

The box might not be all you wanted, but those of us who are excited for it are excited for a lot more than just seven tracks. And not just because it contains Wouldn't It Be Nice (If People Would Shut Up About This Track) either...

[AndrewHickey]

Bruce didn't even know a box set was being prepared, which makes me wonder how much we can blame band politics for the shortcomings of the tracklisting.

Bruce and David don't get a say as non-voting members, although I believe Bruce would still be asked about the inclusion of any of his tracks, so at some point someone must have said "hey Bruce, we're putting Disney Girls on this thing, that OK with you?" and he must have replied "yes". Brian, Al, Mike, and Carl's estate are the ones who get a say in what goes on the box.

(Two things I've heard, but I don't know how reliable they are -- that the original tapes for Carry Me Home are lost and it was impossible to get it to releasable sound quality, and that Mike Love didn't veto a single song, but *did*  have some problems with "how it was presented" early on. Both are third or fourth hand, so take with as many pinches of salt as you require).

[pixletwin]

*Die hard fan here. I don't feel ripped off. Quite the opposite, in fact.

[Jonathan Blum]

Bruce and David don't get a say as non-voting members, although I believe Bruce would still be asked about the inclusion of any of his tracks, so at some point someone must have said "hey Bruce, we're putting Disney Girls on this thing, that OK with you?" and he must have replied "yes".

Bruce's big thing is that he's not really interested in these "bottom feeding" stuff-from-the-vaults releases, so that's probably the reason nobody talked with him about it!

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[bonnevillemariner]

Right. The BBs make money because of their fans. We have a right to evaluate the product they release and decide whether or not we want to buy it. I'm not demanding they release the rarities; I'm just saying this is a rip off for the diehard fan that already owns most of the material.

Exactly.  I refuse to buy the hits yet again.  In fact I make it a point never to buy the same song twice any more.  And since I'm not a completeist (yet), I have absolutely no problem cherry-picking from iTunes or Amazon.  This isn't an album in the sense that it's not a specially crafted set of new material meant to listen to front to back.  I'm not obligated as a fan to purchase the whole thing so I can listen to it as the artist intended for me to hear it.  And as a consumer, I'm not obligated to give in to the racket.  In fact, by purchasing the tracks I want individually, I'm sending the message-- however insignificant my voice may be-- that I won't be taken advantage of.

I really can't wait until the transition away from the CD/album format is complete.  I appreciate a good album (which is one reason I buy vinyl), but I'm sick of all the the bullcrap about CD space limitations and the whole mindset of needing to throw the hits into the digital package.  This would be a different story if I was a completeist, but fortunately I'm not (yet).  

And why not demand they release the rarities?  If somebody listens, great.  If not, no harm done.  I demand the Boys settle their differences and record together again (could care less about touring).  As a consumer I have a right to demand this, just as the artists have every right to completely ignore those demands.

[The Shift]

I wonder what the usual hidden tracks at the end of some discs will be. It'd be a nice opportunity to slip in a short track. "Thank Him" would be a great choice but I'm not holding my breath.

I suspect none -  TSS's "hidden" tracks were flagged up in the pre-release track listings whereas there's nowt here.

But I'm in the "deliriously happy to be getting what we're getting" camp, and don't mind!   

[Mikie]

Did anybody here notice that the price of the box yesterday was $130 or $135 and today it's $145.49? The same thing happened when the Smile box came out - the price was jumping all over the place.

[AndrewHickey]

Exactly.  I refuse to buy the hits yet again.  In fact I make it a point never to buy the same song twice any more.  And since I'm not a completeist (yet), I have absolutely no problem cherry-picking from iTunes or Amazon.  

And assuming they do release them in that format (which I would imagine they will), then no harm's been done to anyone, has it? Those who want just the unreleased stuff -- or just some of the unreleased stuff -- will be able to buy those tracks they want. Those who are new to the band will be able to buy a collection of all the tracks they want and a lot they don't even realise they'll want until they get them. And then there are those like myself who mostly want the unreleased stuff, but are perfectly happy to get it in nice packaging, along with all the best of the new stereo mixes and remasters all in one convenient package.

This isn't like ten years ago, where it was all or nothing. Then the complaints might have been justified -- now they're really not.

[Nicko1234]

This was ingenious. By throwing on Dennis' "Live Again" they did just enough to shut up the diehard crowd, or at least enough to prevent them from forming a consensus. I remember posting a few months that I suspected this box set would mainly be a rehash of the BB hits and the old bonus tracks from the twofer. Turns out I was being generous - most of the bonus tracks are still unavailable. But hey, for over $100, you can get high fidelity versions of like 7 unreleased BB songs! Great deal!

Well, I'm clearly not one of the 'diehard crowd' by that definition, as I have pretty much no interest in hearing Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again, simply because people here are so monomaniacal on the subject of a song they've never even heard that any possible enthusiasm for it left me months ago.

But even not counting stuff like Sound Of Free that's getting a legit CD release for the first time ever, or things I'm hugely excited for like the alternate versions of Be With Me, Don't Worry Baby and Meant For You or the live Little Bird -- just looking at songs that have never had a legal release by the Beach Boys in any form, we have:

Back Home 63 and 70 (I'd consider these different enough from the Big Ones version to count the two as one unreleased song between them), (Wouldn't It Be Nice To) Live Again, California Feelin',  Goin' To The Beach, Why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love, Da Doo Ron Ron, Soul Searchin', You're Still A Mystery, Sherry She Needs Me, Mona Kana, Where Is She?, I Believe In Miracles, Why, Barnyard Blues, You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling and My Love Lives On.

I remember a time not that long ago when a bootleg with that many unreleased tracks on would have cost as much as this box set does...

And again, that's just the unreleased songs. Is there anyone here who *doesn't* want to hear Meant For You (Alternate Version), Sound Of Free in decent quality, It's Over Now (Alternate Mix -- presumably at the correct speed), Friends and Little Bird live, legal releases of Vegetables and Wonderful from the box set tour, a good quality live It's About Time, a legal Carnegie Only With You, the alternate lead vocal on Don't Worry Baby, or the demo for Be With Me? And those are just the ones that are *really* exciting.

The box might not be all you wanted, but those of us who are excited for it are excited for a lot more than just seven tracks. And not just because it contains Wouldn't It Be Nice (If People Would Shut Up About This Track) either...

I do agree with several of your points and there probably are about 20-30 songs that I would say that I am excited to hear (and some others I have some curiosity about).

Even if there are 60 unreleased songs though (and that is pushing it when it comes to radio spots, session intros, versions that may be very similar for all we know etc.) then $130 for 2 CDs worth of stuff and a book is still a ridiculous amount of money. I wouldn't necessarily have used the phrase 'ripping off the fans' but it does have some legitimacy at that price.

Personally I am relieved that I am in a position now where I know I do not want the physical box. There is no temptation to spend all that cash. To have to change discs to hear the 1 unreleased song on Disc 1 or the 1 early version on disc 2 does not appeal to me and getting hold of the rare songs and burning your own disc will probably result in a much more listenable track list and save a stack of money.

[Nicko1234]

This isn't like ten years ago, where it was all or nothing. Then the complaints might have been justified -- now they're really not.

I don't know...

I still think certain complaints are valid. Certainly about the price if it stays the same as it does seem more expensive that other sets on the market.

[SloopJohnB]

I wonder what the usual hidden tracks at the end of some discs will be. It'd be a nice opportunity to slip in a short track. "Thank Him" would be a great choice but I'm not holding my breath.

I suspect none -  TSS's "hidden" tracks were flagged up in the pre-release track listings whereas there's nowt here.

But I'm in the "deliriously happy to be getting what we're getting" camp, and don't mind!   

Count me in that camp as well ! But squeezing the extra song or two from the vaults would make me even happier  I think TSS was the first major BB release to have its bonus (not really "hidden"...) tracks announced in the track listings, so maybe it will remain an exception.
...And the H&V Baldwin overdub at the end of one of the discs remained hidden