Place to Ask the Bedroom Tapes Author Your Questions

[Myk Luhv]

It seems to me it was around the time they began recording what would eventually be reconfigured for release into Sunflower that Brian had already been experimenting with synthesizers and having them -- rather than keyboards -- be the bedrock for his tracks with increased frequency. I find that shift just as interesting as when he began composing primarily on keyboards rather than guitars (The Beach Boys Today! seems to be where this was most obviously introduced sonically).

I find your question interesting about the synthesizers, but about the composing being done on "primarily guitars" earlier, I don't think that is true. I'm pretty sure Brian nearly always composed primarily on the keyboard. Although apparently "Melt Away" grew out of a bass line or something, and supposedly some early stuff.

Ah, well, I am assuming that their early songs sound a lot more guitar-driven until you get to Today!... where the shift in emphasis (maybe that's more what I'm getting at than his composing on or for) is much more obviously a keyboard-based sound rather than focusing on guitars per se.

That I agree with. A lot of the earlier things were more "guitar rock" whereas a lot of the stuff from like 1965 and after really weren't.

Right! And I find that fascinating, both that original shift from guitar to keyboards as well as the second shift from keyboards to synthesizers. I actually find the latter far more interesting than the former, to be honest. (And around this time he became enamoured with synthesizers, he also began to use drum machines rather than live drums as well, I believe?) These are the sorts of things I would like to hear Brian Wilson consider and discuss at length. To hear his motivating thoughts for the initial change, the process by which he built tracks around this new-to-him technology, and so on. It's interesting as well that the albums with probably the least amount of involvement from Brian Wilson during the '70s -- Carl And The Passions: "So Tough" and Holland -- are also more or less the most guitar-oriented albums The Beach Boys had released since 1964, and once Brian was "back"... 15 Big Ones and Love You!

[alf wiedersehen]

Sorry for the delay guys, Mr. Chidester has been a bit busy lately (including writing an American Spring article). Anyway, he finally had the time to answer some questions.
And here those answers are:

If you recall, did you find anything noteworthy regarding Brian's seemingly new-found interest in, emphasis on, and shift towards composing on analogue synthesizers during this period that these tapes might shed light upon?

That's an excellent question. Obviously, there is Chamberlin and Moog present on select tracks from the era that were written by BW or produced by him, most heavily on the American Spring album, the fairy tale and "Funky Pretty." There also seems to be some minor snyth flourishes on BW's production of the Stephen Kalinich album too. However, I've been hoping more Moog experiments would've popped up by now. Alas, there hasn't been much. Carl Wilson, Stephen Desper and David Sandler all had more of an interest in the Moog than Brian did, though it seems they programmed the synthesizer and sat Brian down in front of it hoping for enthusiasm.

Also, I should note that 1973 is a particularly barren year for BW songs. Besides a few Spring sessions, maybe "Patty Cake" (which has not been heard) and the "Second Fairy Tale," there really isn't much BW music laid to tape. It kind of puts a kink in my theory that he was more active than his reclusive reputation would allow. 1973 may, in fact, be the year that Terry Melcher and Bruce Johnston most remember when they compared Brian to Aesop, lumbering down with a new song on the piano, only for it to disappear back upstairs as soon as he left. The more I seek this stuff out, the more I find that 1973 was truly a reclusive year for Brian..

Did you hear "Lucy Jones"? Does Brian sing a substantial part of the lead, or is it mostly Stephen Kalinich? Also, what's the vibe of it? More "oldie"-ish?

Yes, a basic rocker. I heard it once in 2003. Kalinich is heavy on it, though BW does share the lead with him. Vocally, it's close to the little vocal duet that SK and BW do on the intro to "A World of Peace Must Come," the album. Stephen emotes a little more, thus overpowering Wilson at times on "Lucy Jones," plus the bridge is all Stephen singing.

About how long was "Pa, Let Her Go Out"? Was it just a miniature little section, or a few minutes long? Enough to be considered a "song"?

It's the same track as "Better Get Back in Bed," just different lyrics. It's a mostly instrumental song, of which a little segment was spliced into the fairy tale 45.

I know the tape is missing, but do you have any confirmation that "Gimme, Gimme Good Lovin'" is just another name for "Gimme Some Lovin'"?

I interviewed David Sandler in 2007 when I was completing my book, "Pop Surf Culture" and we talked about several Spring outtakes and other impressions of working with BW. He told me "GGGL" was not a cover of the Spencer Davis Group hit. I asked Andrew Doe about it last week and he said Marilyn Wilson told him that it WAS the Spencer Davis song. I suppose until we hear it, we won't know for certain.

For the "Our Sweet Love" demo, does Brian deliver a full lead vocal? Or is it just reserved to the few lines that appeared on the Sunflower version? Also, is it stylistically similar to "Where Is She?"?

No, just the backing vocals over piano. I can't remember if I called it a demo in any of my "Bedroom Tapes" articles. If I did, that was a mistake. It more sounds like a basic session to me, which was later overdubbed with work by Carl and Steve Desper.

Do you remember what the alternate lyrics to "'Till I Die" are? Also, is it the actual verses or Brian's parts that differ lyrically on the alternate version?

Besides the line "I'll find my way," I don't remember.