MiC up for order on Amazon, August release

[GhostyTMRS]

Count me in as one of the folks who's baffled by the mixed reception this box set is getting on here. This set looks AMAZING! The sheer amount of unreleased material is staggering. I was 23 back in 1993 when the first box set came out and I remember Beach Boys fans sh**ing themselves over a track like "Punchline"....I mean...seriously...."PUNCHLINE". This set is packed with far more than we could've hoped for back in 1993. Sure, it's pricey and we all have to set aside $20 per week until release date to afford it, but as others have pointed out this is being given the deluxe treatment. In fact, it's shaping up to be the most impressive box set in my collection.  


Others have compared MIC unfavorably to The Beatles Anthology? Well, first of all, again..that was a rarities set with a long roll-out of product (TV specials, a book, new tracks by the "threetles", VHS and DVD's) and MIC is a career-spanning box set. Just like how the '93 box did, this will turn a HUGE amount of listeners on to the Beach Boys.

RE: The Beatles Anthology. Do you have any idea how REVILED those sets are in Beatles fandom, with hardcore fans bitching and moaning about what wasn't included, how the tracks were tampered with? (makes this place seem tame)  
Keep in mind that literally NOTHING was coming out of the Apple vaults for 25 years up to that point (unlike how Capitol has handled the Beach Boys...Beatles fanatics should only be so lucky). I meanl, if you add up all the bonus tracks from the two-fers, the unreleased material from the '93 box, Endless Harmony and Hawthorne, CA you've got already got a collection that far outdistances The Beatles Anthology (minus most of the editing and collage-work that was done to those Beatles outtakes to make them more palatable to the "average" listener).      

[Jonathan Blum]

Part VI: The Messengers

And then there's the live tracks -- all grouped together a whole parallel history of the band.  What's interesting here is how, in contrast to the live albums, they're not interested in presenting the hits -- if Mike Love was presented with this set of tracks as a potential setlist, he'd just plotz!  Perhaps most tellingly, the live set is skewed far later in the band's life than the studio stuff -- it's an additional nine tracks added to the post-Surf's-Up era, but only a brief glimpse of the Beach Boys as self-contained five-piece surf band. Blondie and Ricky are on almost as many live tracks as they are studio ones in the set. And Dennis is at least as much of a presence as Brian -- writing four songs to Brian's six, while appearing on more of the tracks!  After he's gone, there are four tracks which help fill in the mysterious echoing void between 1980 and 1996… and which are there to tell the world that even in the time when they were being dismissed as a travelling jukebox, they were still doing "Smile" material and tracks like "Sail On Sailor".

So what's the new version of the Beach Boys story? The same basic framework, but fleshed out a bit.  For starters, David Marks is a Beach Boy -- there at the beginning, there at the end -- though still somehow never quite in the spotlight.  The earlier stuff is emotionally richer than you think, the middle stuff keeps the pop and the art side by side.  There's a lot more to the band than fun-fun-fun and a two-album burst of genius.  After "Smile", Dennis is a major force, but Brian's still there, and Carl and Al and Mike are each pulling their weight. And Bruce…  well, he's the guy who wrote "Disney Girls". Once they lose Brian from active duty, they're still going as a band -- Blondie and Ricky are a bit more of a footnote, but part of a kick-ass live lineup. And rather than the band effectively ceasing to function after 1977, they're still working steadily into 1980 (if less well). The next fifteen years are a void, with "Getcha Back" and "Kokomo" coming out of nowhere - but they're followed by not one but two Brian's Back moments, bringing us up to a present day where the band is clearly still standing.

It's really interesting that they don't end it with "Summer's Gone", though.  Did they not want to put such an emphatic full-stop on their career here?  Better to end it with the upbeat "Isn't It Time" and the hint of something more to come?  Or were they just out of space?

Either way…  as canonical statements, you could do a whole lot worse.

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[Micha]

I don't think it's an oversight by the compilers. It was probably a contender for release at some point. Seems to me Al would not disapprove of it. So that leaves..............Mike Love, who's probably vetoed it for at least the last couple of Beach Boys comps containing unreleased/rarities.

I think you're probably wrong. I would be surprised to learn Mike vetoed any of the songs I miss on MIC. Big Sur is one of them. Don't forget, there's much more that *could* have been released than fits on 6 CDs. They had to leave off something due to that, and maybe the drum box argument is the answer. I just don't believe that Mike vetoed Big Sur just to annoy Mikie and me and all the others who love that recording.

"I Just Got My Pay" was fairly primitive and simple, compared to "Ol' Man River" and "We're Together Again"

Interesting - I feel the other way 'round. In my book "We're Together Again" is just plodding on while "I Just Got My Pay" has drive and is funny at that.

True, I meant the whole album getting a posthumous release as others have mentioned in the past. To be honest I find much of the record to be pretty crap and the hodgepodge mix of big band stuff with early 70's outtakes really don't sit well together. The best stuff has already been creamed off for past releases.

Couldn't disagree more. Obviously It's Over Now and Still I Dream Of It are wonderful, but the rest of the Adult Child material that's seen release is the worst stuff (Games Two Can Play, Hey Little Tomboy and HELP Is On The Way). On the other hand Life Is For The Living, Everybody Wants To Live, Lines and It's Trying To Say are all great.

Couldn't disagree more. Games Two Can Play and HELP Is On The Way are my favorites on Adult Child, but of course they belong to a whole different era. It's a good thing they did get released.

[The Shift]

"I Just Got My Pay" was fairly primitive and simple, compared to "Ol' Man River" and "We're Together Again"

Interesting - I feel the other way 'round. In my book "We're Together Again" is just plodding on while "I Just Got My Pay" has drive and is funny at that.

A sparkling example of how different we are and how difficult it would be for the compilers to please all of us.

I love both I Just Got My Pay – first heard it on the deep cuts retrospective Hawthorne Hotshots (was that on the Jackalope label?), where it had the slightest skip – and Ol' Man River, which I could listen to forever and to my ears has a SMiLE resonance and just the perfect exquisite nature that endears me to the Beach Boys.

Whereas We're Together Again sounds laboured, as if the guy's real meaning behind the lyric/vocal is "We're together again, and I'm suddenly reminded why we broke up in the first place…"!

But I'd take it over anything else by any other group, 'cause The Beach Boys is where I'm at.

[Paulos]

Messrs Blum, Modny and 37!ws, please take a bow - excellent, detailed and informative posts all round.

[shelter]

I used to think Elvis fans were pretty much the dumbest around, but since the advent of archival Beach Boys releases, I've had to revise my opinion. Nothing will ever be good enough for a segment of the fan world. Me, I'm going to pass over the maybe 2% of mild disappointments and glory, if not actually wallow, in the 98% remaining. I was speaking to someone last night about this, and mentioned my own mild surprise at the exclusion of "We Got Love": they paused, reflected a bit and responded, "well... y'know it is pretty boring". And dammit, they're right.

I do agree that a lot of folks on these forums are generally too negative. But most of us are about to pay +/- $130 (which is, with my current financial situation, an awful lot of money) for 58 unreleased songs. Don't you think we have the right to be critical about what we're going to get? Serious question...

[drbeachboy]

I used to think Elvis fans were pretty much the dumbest around, but since the advent of archival Beach Boys releases, I've had to revise my opinion. Nothing will ever be good enough for a segment of the fan world. Me, I'm going to pass over the maybe 2% of mild disappointments and glory, if not actually wallow, in the 98% remaining. I was speaking to someone last night about this, and mentioned my own mild surprise at the exclusion of "We Got Love": they paused, reflected a bit and responded, "well... y'know it is pretty boring". And dammit, they're right.

I do agree that a lot of folks on these forums are generally too negative. But most of us are about to pay +/- $130 (which is, with my current financial situation, an awful lot of money) for 58 unreleased songs. Don't you think we have the right to be critical about what we're going to get? Serious question...

Yes, you have a right to be critical, but not about the "Career Spanning" aspect of the box. Anybody who misunderstood what that meant, or plain just ignorned it, have no one to blame but themselves. We have talked about this for 18 months and I know that what is being released is exactly what was promised. I have the hits a dozen times over or more, but it comes with the territory. These mixed hits/rarity type releases have been done over the past 20 years. I just look at it as helping Brian and the Boys keep their Millionaire status.

[BiNNS]

I'm pretty excited for this thing. I speak as someone who has yet to get any of the remasters and didn't bother picking up 50 Big Ones. I'll judge this set based on what is actually on it, and not what I had hoped would be on it. Sure, I wanted to finally hear certain songs in great quality, but there are songs on this set that I've never hear before, period. This is enough to make me a happy Beach Boys fan.

Obviously I'm not proclaiming to predict the future, but I can picture (wish) the BB's camp/Capitol releasing yet another summer hits package in the next couple of years with Carry Me Home on it being the marketed selling point for us, (The hardcore demographic).

[coco1997]

I'm looking forward to making a few 'alternate tracklists' with some of the new material found on MIC. "California Feelin'" on "15 Big Ones," "(WIBN)TLA" on "Surf's Up", "Goin' to the Beach" on "KTSA,", and maybe "My Love Lives On" on "M.I.U."?

[Sheriff John Stone]

I'm looking forward to making a few 'alternate tracklists' with some of the new material found on MIC. "California Feelin'" on "15 Big Ones," "(WIBN)TLA" on "Surf's Up", "Goin' to the Beach" on "KTSA,", and maybe "My Love Lives On" on "M.I.U."?

Same here. I'm already imagining new comps/mix CD's for my car! Quick question on "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling".... When was that recorded, so which album would've it been considered an outtake from?

[AndrewHickey]

I'm cool with people bitching and moaning about the track list...but what I'm NOT cool with is people bitching and moaning about the track list because they claim ignorance on the fact that this set is exactly what was promised.

Exactly. I'm glad someone else is also saying this...

[shelter]

Yes, you have a right to be critical, but not about the "Career Spanning" aspect of the box.

Why not? Just because something has been announced over a year ago doesn't mean you can't still think it's not the right way to go.

These mixed hits/rarity type releases have been done over the past 20 years.

I know, but why do The Beach Boys have to keep doing it? They did it with the GV box, they did it with several compilations that each had one or two unreleased tracks or a few new stereo mixes (from the top of my head: Ten Years of Harmony, Classics Selected by BW, the Sunkist LP, Made in USA, the Capitol 2fers, Sounds Of Summer, Warmth Of The Sun, Summer Love Songs, the Zinepack, the singles box) and now they're doing it again... In hindsight it's surprising that TWGMTR ever came out, because it's almost like The Beach Boys have some kind of phobia for releasing anything that doesn't have Good Vibrations, I Get Around or Help Me Rhonda on it... Like they're afraid that people will forget that they also have those songs.

[shelter]

In hindsight it's surprising that TWGMTR ever came out, because it's almost like The Beach Boys have some kind of phobia for releasing anything that doesn't have Good Vibrations, I Get Around or Help Me Rhonda on it...

Come to think of it, didn't they release a special edition of TWGMTR with a golden oldies bonus disc?

Maybe they should put a sticker on every new release and be done with it:

A new release by
THE BEACH BOYS
The band that brought you
GOOD VIBRATIONS, I GET AROUND and KOKOMO*

*Not on this album, but you can find them on a zillion others

[AndrewHickey]

In hindsight it's surprising that TWGMTR ever came out, because it's almost like The Beach Boys have some kind of phobia for releasing anything that doesn't have Good Vibrations, I Get Around or Help Me Rhonda on it...

Come to think of it, didn't they release a special edition of TWGMTR with a golden oldies bonus disc?

Yep, and that was the one that got the album onto the charts, thanks to all those QVC sales...

[beacharg]

I'm looking forward to making a few 'alternate tracklists' with some of the new material found on MIC. "California Feelin'" on "15 Big Ones," "(WIBN)TLA" on "Surf's Up", "Goin' to the Beach" on "KTSA,", and maybe "My Love Lives On" on "M.I.U."?

Same here. I'm already imagining new comps/mix CD's for my car! Quick question on "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling".... When was that recorded, so which album would've it been considered an outtake from?

I think 15 Big Ones

[Jim V.]

I'm looking forward to making a few 'alternate tracklists' with some of the new material found on MIC. "California Feelin'" on "15 Big Ones," "(WIBN)TLA" on "Surf's Up", "Goin' to the Beach" on "KTSA,", and maybe "My Love Lives On" on "M.I.U."?

Same here. I'm already imagining new comps/mix CD's for my car! Quick question on "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling".... When was that recorded, so which album would've it been considered an outtake from?

It was basically recorded right before the Love You/New Album sessions. So I suppose you could call it a Love You outtake.

[Mikie]

AGD - I meant studio version of "The Letter" - same one that's on Rarities, not the live version.

BTW, on a related note, and assuming that it's not a mis-print, I guess it's safe to say that the version of "The Letter" on here comes from that same 8/25 pre-concert rehearsal that's already given us released versions of "Good Vibrations," "Their Hearts We Full Of Spring," etc. (i.e. vs.  the later, Heider studio version)?

It's not a mis-print and yes, it's safe to say it was recorded at Heider's L.A.

[Mikie]

I do agree that a lot of folks on these forums are generally too negative. But most of us are about to pay +/- $130 (which is, with my current financial situation, an awful lot of money) for 58 unreleased songs. Don't you think we have the right to be critical about what we're going to get? Serious question...

It's 145 bucks now. Save your money or wait for it to show up cheaper in a used record store or on Ebay or other discounted site. The Smile box fluctuated all over the place around the time of its release and dropped like a rock later - at one point you could get it for $99.

[Paulos]

I do agree that a lot of folks on these forums are generally too negative. But most of us are about to pay +/- $130 (which is, with my current financial situation, an awful lot of money) for 58 unreleased songs. Don't you think we have the right to be critical about what we're going to get? Serious question...

It's 145 bucks now. Save your money or wait for it to show up cheaper in a used record store or on Ebay or other discounted site. The Smile box fluctuated all over the place around the time of its release and dropped like a rock later - at one point you could get it for $99.

Still only CDN$112.46 on amazon.ca. I seem to recall that a lot of people ordered TSS from amazon.ca because of the price difference.

[Sam_BFC]

Amazon UK don't seem to be showing a price yet, but Sainsbury's are listing for £80.99 which isn't too bad.

http://www.sainsburysentertainment.co.uk/en/Music/CD/The-Beach-Boys/Made-In-California/product.html?product=E11250584

[Shady]

I do agree that a lot of folks on these forums are generally too negative. But most of us are about to pay +/- $130 (which is, with my current financial situation, an awful lot of money) for 58 unreleased songs. Don't you think we have the right to be critical about what we're going to get? Serious question...

It's 145 bucks now. Save your money or wait for it to show up cheaper in a used record store or on Ebay or other discounted site. The Smile box fluctuated all over the place around the time of its release and dropped like a rock later - at one point you could get it for $99.

Still only CDN$112.46 on amazon.ca. I seem to recall that a lot of people ordered TSS from amazon.ca because of the price difference.

I was one of them. It was a fantastic price. Arrived in Ireland from Canada (I assume) the following day

[Shady]

In case anyone was wondering what Eeyore has to say about the upcoming box, behold

Philip A.Cohen says:
Already, in the first 24 hours that this set has been listed for preorder, we've already seen a $15 price increase(from $130 to $145). Nice going Amazon marketing geniuses! Price it beyond what people can afford, and there will be more consumers obtaining the music by illegally downloading than consumers buying the set.
Anyone who preorders when Amazon is setting the price at or beyond list price is a sucker, and this only encourages Amazon.com's greed.
Hey Amazon, we're music fans and collectors. We're not music addicts. And we're not suckers.

Seems like he hates amazon almost as much as he does Capitol! Hey Phil you do know that if you pre-order something off amazon and the price rises that they will honor the original advertised price?

And this later post is almost too delicious

Philip A.Cohen says:
Well it may indeed be released, albeit at an extremely high price. All along, I wanted to keep pressure on Capitol to break the "Wall of Secrecy", and they now have, albeit 19 months after the initial announcement of a "career-spanning boxed set". There's some good material in the set, but it is somewhat of an anti-climax. With a limited amount of remaining vault material Capitol & The Beach Boys are taking a marketing approach similar to the Jimi Hendrix estate: dish up only a small amount of good new material on each release, to ensure that the record company can continue to assemble vault projects for many years to come. you note that I haven't commented on the track line-up over at the Smiley Smile forum. They won't un-ban me. In any event, all over the internet, "Made in California" is getting a mixed reception.

 

Come on, Let Phil come back!

[Mikie]

112 bucks, Paulos? You can't beat that with a stick. I'm sure the MIC box will do the same when the dust settles. I paid 140 somethin' for mine the day it came out. I remember some people complained when the Smile box was released and opted to get the 2-CD set instead. Those that did that missed out.

I can't see complaining about the price. You got no choice. Just don't go out for a couple of weeks. Don't eat. Cut back on the brewski's and steaks for a little while. It's worth the sacrifice. It's a given to buy this thing, especially to a collector and fan who has to have everything and then some.

[Paulos]

I do agree that a lot of folks on these forums are generally too negative. But most of us are about to pay +/- $130 (which is, with my current financial situation, an awful lot of money) for 58 unreleased songs. Don't you think we have the right to be critical about what we're going to get? Serious question...

It's 145 bucks now. Save your money or wait for it to show up cheaper in a used record store or on Ebay or other discounted site. The Smile box fluctuated all over the place around the time of its release and dropped like a rock later - at one point you could get it for $99.

Still only CDN$112.46 on amazon.ca. I seem to recall that a lot of people ordered TSS from amazon.ca because of the price difference.

I was one of them. It was a fantastic price. Arrived in Ireland from Canada (I assume) the following day

Me too, although they managed to lose mine! One ranty email later they sent a new one by express delivery and it arrived a 2 days later.

[Paulos]

112 bucks, Paulos? You can't beat that with a stick. I'm sure the MIC box will do the same when the dust settles. I remember some people complained when the Smile box was released and opted to get the 2-CD set instead. Those that did that missed out.

I can't see complaining about the price. You got no choice. Just don't go out for a couple of weeks. Don't eat. Cut back on the brewski's and steaks for a little while. It's worth the sacrifice. It's a given to buy this thing, especially to a collector and fan who has to have everything and then some.

In US $ its only $110! I'm not going to suggest that people starve themselves or stop smoking, drinking etc but there is a clear choice here - sustenance and vices versus MADE IN CALIFORNIA!!!!!!