Brian Wilson's Secret Bedroom Tapes - LA Weekly 1-30-14

[alf wiedersehen]

So, about "Walkin'".. (and perhaps this would be a better question for the author)..

Do both (1968 & 1970) versions circulate? I believe I'm familiar with the 1970 version that has Brian giving up on the lead vocal.
I wonder if the '68 version has a full, lead vocal from Brian. Anybody know?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Is "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin" a cover version of the late '60s hit of the same name by the band Crazy Elephant?  If it is, it can't be too good.

The Spencer Davis Group song "Gimme Some Lovin'".

[Jim V.]

Is "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin" a cover version of the late '60s hit of the same name by the band Crazy Elephant?  If it is, it can't be too good.

The Spencer Davis Group song "Gimme Some Lovin'".

Stevie Winwood singin' that joint! Great singer.

But anyways Andrew, do we know of this 1972 version of "Gimme Some Lovin'" is the same thing that David Sandler talks about? You know, the medley that combined "Gimme Some Lovin'" with "Baby I Need Your Lovin'"? I mean, I guess it really doesn't matter right now anyways since apparently the tape is lost (bummer).

And by the way, isn't there a 1977 version of "Gimme Some Lovin'" as well with Brian on the lead?



*Also Andrew, on your 1973 page for "shows and sessions" section, you have a listing for "Baby I Need Your Lovin'"/"I'm A Man". Anyways, I'm pretty sure you mixed up "I'm A Man" with "Gimme Some Lovin'". And secondly, since the "Gimme, Gimme Good Lovin'" session was  in 1972, that would probably mean the assumed 1973 session never existed. So I guess you could probably delete it from your timeline. Not trying to be picky or anything, but just trying to help you keep that right.

[KittyKat]

Is "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin" a cover version of the late '60s hit of the same name by the band Crazy Elephant?  If it is, it can't be too good.

The Spencer Davis Group song "Gimme Some Lovin'".

The title on the list is "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'.," not Gimme Some Lovin. The title is identical to the Crazy Elephant song, which can be found on YouTube. It was a bubblegum pop tune that was a US hit in 1969. From the description of the tune, I suspect it is the Crazy Elephant song.

[Jim V.]

Is "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin" a cover version of the late '60s hit of the same name by the band Crazy Elephant?  If it is, it can't be too good.

The Spencer Davis Group song "Gimme Some Lovin'".

The title on the list is "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'.," not Gimme Some Lovin. The title is identical to the Crazy Elephant song, which can be found on YouTube. It was a bubblegum pop tune that was a US hit in 1969. From the description of the tune, I suspect it is the Crazy Elephant song.

You are correct that on the list it is "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'". It is also that title on the AFM sheet that c-man found.

However, it's pretty well known that it is indeed "Gimme Some Lovin'". I'm sure Andrew has his sources, and I know David Sandler himself has told me he worked on a medley of "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" with Brian.

[KittyKat]

I recently found a book that I thought I had lost, which is a compilation of interviews from '70s Melody Maker mag. An interview of Brian, done at his home in 1973, mentions that he played a song for the interviewer that sounded similar to the Spencer Davis song, but was not. I wonder if it's the same song discussed in the  LA article. Brian mentions he worked on it with David Sandler.

[Jim V.]

I recently found a book that I thought I had lost, which is a compilation of interviews from '70s Melody Maker mag. An interview of Brian, done at his home in 1973, mentions that he played a song for the interviewer that sounded similar to the Spencer Davis song, but was not. I wonder if it's the same song discussed in the  LA article. Brian mentions he worked on it with David Sandler.

Would you care to post exactly what he said? I've never heard of this interview? Or at the least, which book it's in?

[superunison]

Perhaps I should post this in the "ask the author" thread, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me if "Our Happy Home" was actually the track "Untitled Instrumental - rehersals" from "Unsurpassed Masters 20 (1968-1969) Friends, 20/20, Odds and Ends" ??

[Andrew G. Doe]

I recently found a book that I thought I had lost, which is a compilation of interviews from '70s Melody Maker mag. An interview of Brian, done at his home in 1973, mentions that he played a song for the interviewer that sounded similar to the Spencer Davis song, but was not. I wonder if it's the same song discussed in the  LA article. Brian mentions he worked on it with David Sandler.

Would you care to post exactly what he said? I've never heard of this interview? Or at the least, which book it's in?

Title is something like "The Giants Rock On".

[Cabinessenceking]

Hopefully they can be released along with other Beach Boys outtakes such as Gold Rush and Our Life, Our Love, Our Land.

All this stuff should be out as it just makes them a few more bucks.

[KittyKat]

I recently found a book that I thought I had lost, which is a compilation of interviews from '70s Melody Maker mag. An interview of Brian, done at his home in 1973, mentions that he played a song for the interviewer that sounded similar to the Spencer Davis song, but was not. I wonder if it's the same song discussed in the  LA article. Brian mentions he worked on it with David Sandler.

Would you care to post exactly what he said? I've never heard of this interview? Or at the least, which book it's in?

The writer compared it to "Cottonfields," with some similarities to "Gimme Some Lovin'." It's hard to tell if it's the "Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'" song or something else entirely. I don't have a scanner that works, so I took a picture of the interview with my camera phone and uploaded it to TinyPic. The image quality isn't the best, but it is readable if zoomed in. I omitted the first part of the interview, which describes the Bel Air neighborhood. The interview seemed to be a promotion for American Spring. While Brian is interviewed, Marilyn and Diane are quoted as well.  The name of the book is "Today's Sound," and it's a British Melody Maker book that somehow wound up on an American used book store. Here's links to the interview pics, in order:
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=mvi8n6&s=8
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=28rionm&s=8
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=16m9gcg&s=8

[Andrew G. Doe]

Pretty sure the song Coleman wasn't allowed to name was "Shortenin' Bread".

[KittyKat]

I never thought of "Shortnin' Bread" as sounding like a Stephen Foster song, but I suppose it could.

[bossaroo]

great article! thanks for posting it.

[bossaroo]

 

[Bedroom Tapes]

Soooo...any update on these rare gems/tapes seeing the light of day sometime soon?   

[Andrew G. Doe]

However, it's pretty well known that it is indeed "Gimme Some Lovin'". I'm sure Andrew has his sources, and I know David Sandler himself has told me he worked on a medley of "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" with Brian.

My source is also one Sandler, D. 

[The_Beach]

any update on these gems coming out anytime soon?

[The Shift]

Aren't a few trickling out? On Made in CA, NPP, CA Feeling II…

[The_Beach]

Aren't a few trickling out? On Made in CA, NPP, CA Feeling II…

whats npp?

[Andrew G. Doe]

N(o)
P(ier)
P(ressure).

[donald]

Aren't a few trickling out? On Made in CA, NPP, CA Feeling II…

Can you list specifically which ones are on MIC, NPP etc?   And the titles they are released under?    by the way, I'm still digging the gems I'm hearing on MIC.

[Wrightfan]

Aren't a few trickling out? On Made in CA, NPP, CA Feeling II…

Can you list specifically which ones are on MIC, NPP etc?   And the titles they are released under?    by the way, I'm still digging the gems I'm hearing on MIC.

Here are the songs that have official releases

Good Vibrations 30 years box set: H.E.L.P. is on the Way, Games Two can Play, I just Got My Pay
Endless Harmony: Break Away "demo"
Made in California: Sail Plane Song, We're Together Again, Old Man River, Back Home (1970), Where is She?, Soulful Old Man Sunshine, California Feelin' demo (1974.)
No Pier Pressure: In the Back of my Mind (1975)
California Feeling 2: Lucy Jones
A World of Peace must come: America, I know You

[LeeDempsey]

Here are the songs that have official releases

Good Vibrations 30 years box set: H.E.L.P. is on the Way, Games Two can Play, I just Got My Pay
Endless Harmony: Break Away "demo"
Made in California: Sail Plane Song, We're Together Again, Old Man River, Back Home (1970), Where is She?, Soulful Old Man Sunshine, California Feelin' demo (1974.)
No Pier Pressure: In the Back of my Mind (1975)
California Feeling 2: Lucy Jones
A World of Peace must come: America, I know You

"Soulful Old Man Sunshine" was on Endless Harmony prior to being reissued on Made In California, but otherwise looks like an accurate list to me.  Several others have appeared in altered form (i.e. "Won't You Tell Me" was on the Sunrays - Vintage Rays box set with the same instrumental track but with a Rick Henn lead vocal), but not in the version described by Chidester in his article.

Lee

[The Shift]

I'm hoping there might be another version of America, I Know You in which the lyric is scaled down to its key elements, as was done with Be Still. Less is more, even more so in that case.