What prospects did the original double-sided '15 Big Ones' album have?

[ash]

I have just been informed by Bristol City Council that under no circumstances am i to put the torn up sleeve for 15 Big Ones in the recycling. I have been served an immediate cease and desist and advised to go to the local Council rubbish tip and see if they'll dispose of it in the hazardous chemicals waste. Apologies to anyone who has just come back inside from their recycling bins in an attempt to tweak the album.

[Quzi]

I don't like the album cut of Rock and Roll Music much, but I'm also of the opinion that the final mix didn't lend itself well to Brian's vision. I've always thought that if cleaned up, this hot mix would sound a fuckton better than what was ultimately released.

https://soundcloud.com/james-stockwell-2/rock-n-roll-music-hot-mix

[Nicko1234]

I've probably said this before on here, but I think this record only needed a couple of tweaks to be great...

1/ Overall vocals/vocal mixing. Couple more takes, bring Brian/Mike down, Carl up, add some reverb.
2/ Lose a couple of tracks. Mike's song can do one, Back Home is a personal unfavourite, though I know some people like it,  and I think there were a couple of bad choices with covers. Casual look and Chapel of love i@m not keen on, sea cruise I am.

The great things about this album- It's Okay, Had to Phone Ya, in the still of the night, rock and roll music, TM song. It's kind of like 20/20- which to me feels patchy and unsatisfying as an album, but goshdarn, if there isn't a bad track on it...

TM Song and In the Still of the Night are both atrocious.

[Nicko1234]

I don't like the album cut of Rock and Roll Music much, but I'm also of the opinion that the final mix didn't lend itself well to Brian's vision. I've always thought that if cleaned up, this hot mix would sound a fuckton better than what was ultimately released.

https://soundcloud.com/james-stockwell-2/rock-n-roll-music-hot-mix

It could be said that the final mix was Brian`s visions in the sense that he apparently couldn`t care less about the mixes at that time.

[Quzi]

It could be said that the final mix was Brian`s visions in the sense that he apparently couldn`t care less about the mixes at that time.

Weren't there earlier mixes/versions of the 15 Big Ones material attempted by Brian? I recall someone saying Boyd found them more idiosyncratic and ballsier than what was eventually released. It's entirely possible Brian's apathy toward the final mixes stemmed from the rejection of the earlier approach he was taking.

As for TM Song. I find the lyrics are perhaps the clunkiest in the band's catalogue but the backing track is really inventive and reminds me a lot of the stuff you can find on Friends. I'd love to hear an instrumental only version of it.

[ash]

I don't like the album cut of Rock and Roll Music much, but I'm also of the opinion that the final mix didn't lend itself well to Brian's vision. I've always thought that if cleaned up, this hot mix would sound a fuckton better than what was ultimately released.

https://soundcloud.com/james-stockwell-2/rock-n-roll-music-hot-mix

I just listened to the first 45 seconds or so. Sorry i'm not having any of it. That is one of the worst covers of a Chuck Berry tune ever and there are many many many to choose from.
Even the version of Johnny B Goode by Chuck,John and Yoko is better and that one's almost enough to condemn the entire decade to the trash.
It's just not in the slightest bit rock 'n' roll, that backing vocal arrangement is sooo terrible and that lead is everything i hate about Mike . Oh god i can't believe i just listened to that sh** again. I will never get that time back ever.
I stand by my earlier tweaking comments.
I can't believe the band and in particular the artist i love and admire so much could fall so low. I'll stop now before i start ranting uncontrollably.
Oh man i think listening to that has given me rabies.

[drbeachboy]

I don't like the album cut of Rock and Roll Music much, but I'm also of the opinion that the final mix didn't lend itself well to Brian's vision. I've always thought that if cleaned up, this hot mix would sound a fuckton better than what was ultimately released.

https://soundcloud.com/james-stockwell-2/rock-n-roll-music-hot-mix

I just listened to the first 45 seconds or so. Sorry i'm not having any of it. That is one of the worst covers of a Chuck Berry tune ever and there are many many many to choose from.
Even the version of Johnny B Goode by Chuck,John and Yoko is better and that one's almost enough to condemn the entire decade to the trash.
It's just not in the slightest bit rock 'n' roll, that backing vocal arrangement is sooo terrible and that lead is everything i hate about Mike . Oh god i can't believe i just listened to that sh** again. I will never get that time back ever.
I stand by my earlier tweaking comments.
I can't believe the band and in particular the artist i love and admire so much could fall so low. I'll stop now before i start ranting uncontrollably.
Oh man i think listening to that has given me rabies.

What did Shakespeare write, "Thou dost protest too much".

[ash]

No, i've definitely contracted rabies as a result of listening to 45 seconds of The Beach Boys playing Rock 'n' Roll Music.
i checked the symptoms on wikipedia

[SonicVolcano]

I don't like the album cut of Rock and Roll Music much, but I'm also of the opinion that the final mix didn't lend itself well to Brian's vision. I've always thought that if cleaned up, this hot mix would sound a fuckton better than what was ultimately released.

https://soundcloud.com/james-stockwell-2/rock-n-roll-music-hot-mix

Sounds ace. Wish it was in better quality, though!

[Phoenix]

I don't like the album cut of Rock and Roll Music much, but I'm also of the opinion that the final mix didn't lend itself well to Brian's vision. I've always thought that if cleaned up, this hot mix would sound a fuckton better than what was ultimately released.

https://soundcloud.com/james-stockwell-2/rock-n-roll-music-hot-mix

Did you speed that up or is that the way you got it?  The version I have of the hot mix runs 2:57, plays slower, and has the missing final verse ("Don't care to em play a tango....").  Are they both legitimate mixes or is yours a custom edit? 


And keeping things on topic, the version I have includes the bit where the DJ refers to it as "an exclusive preview from the Beach Boys unreleased double album."  Does anyone know when that broadcast originally aired?  I'm curious to know how far along the plans changed for the mix of the song and the length of the album.

[Quzi]

I don't like the album cut of Rock and Roll Music much, but I'm also of the opinion that the final mix didn't lend itself well to Brian's vision. I've always thought that if cleaned up, this hot mix would sound a fuckton better than what was ultimately released.

https://soundcloud.com/james-stockwell-2/rock-n-roll-music-hot-mix

Did you speed that up or is that the way you got it?  The version I have of the hot mix runs 2:57, plays slower, and has the missing final verse ("Don't care to em play a tango....").  Are they both legitimate mixes or is yours a custom edit? 


And keeping things on topic, the version I have includes the bit where the DJ refers to it as "an exclusive preview from the Beach Boys unreleased double album."  Does anyone know when that broadcast originally aired?  I'm curious to know how far along the plans changed for the mix of the song and the length of the album.

Yeah, I cut that extra verse and made it around 9% faster. I may have fudged with some EQ as well.

Sounds ace. Wish it was in better quality, though!

Working on it 

[Phoenix]

I don't like the album cut of Rock and Roll Music much, but I'm also of the opinion that the final mix didn't lend itself well to Brian's vision. I've always thought that if cleaned up, this hot mix would sound a fuckton better than what was ultimately released.

https://soundcloud.com/james-stockwell-2/rock-n-roll-music-hot-mix

Did you speed that up or is that the way you got it?  The version I have of the hot mix runs 2:57, plays slower, and has the missing final verse ("Don't care to em play a tango....").  Are they both legitimate mixes or is yours a custom edit? 


And keeping things on topic, the version I have includes the bit where the DJ refers to it as "an exclusive preview from the Beach Boys unreleased double album."  Does anyone know when that broadcast originally aired?  I'm curious to know how far along the plans changed for the mix of the song and the length of the album.

Yeah, I cut that extra verse and made it around 9% faster. I may have fudged with some EQ as well.

Sounds ace. Wish it was in better quality, though!

Working on it 

That explains a lot!  Nice job. 

[SonicVolcano]

I don't like the album cut of Rock and Roll Music much, but I'm also of the opinion that the final mix didn't lend itself well to Brian's vision. I've always thought that if cleaned up, this hot mix would sound a fuckton better than what was ultimately released.

https://soundcloud.com/james-stockwell-2/rock-n-roll-music-hot-mix

Did you speed that up or is that the way you got it?  The version I have of the hot mix runs 2:57, plays slower, and has the missing final verse ("Don't care to em play a tango....").  Are they both legitimate mixes or is yours a custom edit? 


And keeping things on topic, the version I have includes the bit where the DJ refers to it as "an exclusive preview from the Beach Boys unreleased double album."  Does anyone know when that broadcast originally aired?  I'm curious to know how far along the plans changed for the mix of the song and the length of the album.

Yeah, I cut that extra verse and made it around 9% faster. I may have fudged with some EQ as well.

Sounds ace. Wish it was in better quality, though!

Working on it 

Cool

[drbeachboy]

Since we have been talking about 15 Big Ones and it's album cover, do any of the historians or anyone else for that matter, know why Dean or whoever used the photos that they used? Again, except for Dennis (whose pic is fantastic), why did they use such awful pics of the rest of the guys? I get the rest of the design and all, but those shots were not very photogenic, for lack of a better term.

[Heysaboda]

I'm gonna listen to Bob Dylan's Self Portrait in an effort to calm down.
I'm just so angry thinking about this album and everything it represents. Actually maybe i should listen to Friends..yep feelin better already.

Well, I agree that both Friends and Dylan's Self Portrait are terrific albums to chill out to!!

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I don't like the album cut of Rock and Roll Music much, but I'm also of the opinion that the final mix didn't lend itself well to Brian's vision. I've always thought that if cleaned up, this hot mix would sound a fuckton better than what was ultimately released.

https://soundcloud.com/james-stockwell-2/rock-n-roll-music-hot-mix

Sorry but that hurt my ears 

[Cabinessenceking]

Since we have been talking about 15 Big Ones and it's album cover, do any of the historians or anyone else for that matter, know why Dean or whoever used the photos that they used? Again, except for Dennis (whose pic is fantastic), why did they use such awful pics of the rest of the guys? I get the rest of the design and all, but those shots were not very photogenic, for lack of a better term.

the beach boys and those around them are for the most part utterly clueless on these issues.

[BergenWhitesMoustache]

Rock 'n' Roll Music great ?

I will fight that til i die. There is no place in the entire known universe as it may exist from time to time (that's in my songwriting contract) where the Beach Boys version of Rock 'n' Roll Music is great. It's not even 0/10.

"A couple of tweaks to be great" ?

how about you hold the record in one hand and tweak it hard with the other till it snaps and then tweak it in the bin.
Then rip the cover into tiny pieces and put it in the recycling.
That's more than a couple of tweaks !

(sorry Mr Moustache but i really hate this record so bad)

haha- no worries

I couldn't claim it's not the soundtrack to some SERIOUS ball-dropping, but is there NOTHING you like about it? I mean- Had to phone ya is pretty undeniable, imo. I'll grant you that the vocal production isn't what it could have been, but check the backing track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDr2jZzirw4

And It's Ok is a cracking fun in the sun track!

[Jukka]

Thanks for the Had To Phone Ya backing track. That was truly revelatory. Maybe the album doesn't really suck that bad, it's just the way it has been mixed overall?

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Thanks for the Had To Phone Ya backing track. That was truly revelatory. Maybe the album doesn't really suck that bad, it's just the way it has been mixed overall?

Brilliant!  Love it.

[BergenWhitesMoustache]

Thanks for the Had To Phone Ya backing track. That was truly revelatory. Maybe the album doesn't really suck that bad, it's just the way it has been mixed overall?

A lot rests on the vocals too. They just don't have any sweetness. I mean, NO one comes out of this album looking great as a vocalist, imo. Whilst I'd say the backing and arrangement of 'phone ya' is the undoubted highlight of the album, there are other cool things going on too. Blueberry Hill isn't a favourite of mine by a long way, but again, the backing is pretty cool. Sounds like the wrecking crew to me.

If this record was never released and we just had 'had to phone ya', blueberry hill (ins), just once in my life and it's okay as bootlegs, maybe a partial instrumental of TM Song, we'd all be daydreaming about another close call with a classic album.

[Phoenix]

I figure I'll give this question another go in its own dedicated post:

And keeping things on topic, the version I have includes the bit where the DJ refers to [the hot mix of "Rock And Roll Music"] as "an exclusive preview from the Beach Boys unreleased double album."  Does anyone know when that broadcast originally aired?  I'm curious to know how far along the plans changed for the mix of the song and the length of the album.

[Don Malcolm]

That is a super backing track fo' sho'--just snagged it. Thanks so much. But was it actually recorded in '76 or is this backing track the one that BW cut with David Sandler in '73? Just doesn't seem like something that BW could have done as part of the 15BO sessions.

It's amazing how sour the singing is on 15BO--only a few songs manage to escape that. For those of us who went from Holland to the various guest slots the BBs had in the interim ("Wishing You Were Here,""Don't Let The Sun Go Down on Me"), it was particularly shocking at the time. A couple of my pals at the time were running with the theory that the Wilson Bros. had been abducted by aliens and had been replaced by clones who couldn't carry a tune...

My sense was that the double LP talk surfaced in March '76 and was dead by early May.

[ash]

haha- no worries

I couldn't claim it's not the soundtrack to some SERIOUS ball-dropping, but is there NOTHING you like about it? I mean- Had to phone ya is pretty undeniable, imo. I'll grant you that the vocal production isn't what it could have been, but check the backing track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDr2jZzirw4

And It's Ok is a cracking fun in the sun track!
[/quote]

Thanks for posting that. I stand corrected at least as far as the backing track for Had To Phone Ya goes. Must've been one of Brian's better days.
It is certainly a very big problem that the vocals on 15 Big Ones are so poor in relation to their earlier work. I'm not gonna listen to it again but  am i right in thinking that even the normally reliable Al doesn't come out with much credit ?
Having slated this album so severely, i'm wondering if any of the classic 60's acts were still making half decent records at this time (mid 70's). Possibly only Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. Makes me glad The Beatles split up, we only had to suffer the Let It Be album - one of the many reasons they are still held in such high esteem.
Even the worst Macca albums and John's rubbish solo career couldn't damage their reputation whereas The Beach Boys floundered like a beached whale (and even looked like one occasionally  in Brian's case).

[BergenWhitesMoustache]

That is a super backing track fo' sho'--just snagged it. Thanks so much. But was it actually recorded in '76 or is this backing track the one that BW cut with David Sandler in '73? Just doesn't seem like something that BW could have done as part of the 15BO sessions.

Pretty sure it was '76.

It makes sense in the context of the Brian's back thing. Initially the oldies were 'a way to get Brian used to the studio again'- so he goes in, potters about with his synth bass and tack piano, get's a bit of confidence back, arranges 'phone ya', books the backing session....loses it again. Suddenly those covers are looking like the best chance of having an album...but there was definitely a spark or two.

I really do wonder about the vocals...it's not just the singing that's bad, it's the arranging.