What are the odds on an official Adult/Child release?

[phirnis]

By the way, who was resposible for pulling the plug on this album? I figure this kind of stuff is quite dramatic when it happens because of all the work and money put into the production of a full album. Prior to Adult Child, the BB had some of their albums rejected, like initial versions of Sunflower and Holland. Why didn't they decide this time around to again put some more work into the record in order for it to be released?

[Mikie]

Adult Child was rejected by Warner/Reprise Records (maybe by Mo or Lenny) for not being "commercially viable". Also, rumor was that half of the band didn't like the big band sound of the album.

[Nicko1234]

Isn`t it said that some group members (probably including Mike) disliked the big band style.

Personally I think the fact that either of these albums were even considered for release shows again what a messed up state the band were in by this point. These albums would both have been completely uncommercial and even describing them as `full albums` is slightly misleading when you consider how many old recordings were planned for inclusion. And many of the songs do sound like half-hearted demos.

I think the bigger mystery is why, out of all of these songs, Hey Little Tomboy was deemed worthy of inclusion on M.I.U.

[Quzi]

It's Trying to Say is ridiculously infectious. It sounds like it possesses the bones of a circa-1964 Beatles tune.

[Gabo]

Adult/Child will never get an official release and doesn't deserve it either. It's atrocious -- that comes from a huge fan of Love You.

 

[Sheriff John Stone]

I enjoy Adult Child very much. It is interesting and fascinating. But, I always felt that it was the straw that broke the camel's back. Both with The Beach Boys and the record companies, I think it was decided that Brian Wilson would no longer be left to his own devices to make records. After Love You & Adult Child, Brian Wilson would now be accompanied, monitored, and/or flat-out have others make records for him.

[phirnis]

I enjoy Adult Child very much. It is interesting and fascinating. But, I always felt that it was the straw that broke the camel's back. Both with The Beach Boys and the record companies, I think it was decided that Brian Wilson would no longer be left to his own devices to make records. After Love You & Adult Child, Brian Wilson would now be accompanied, monitored, and/or flat-out have others make records for him.

I agree with most of what you write but didn't he produce the initial sessions for L.A. Light? Of course those recordings were later again deemed unreleasable, right? It's strange how everyone would demand Brian Wilson to be the group's major creative force and then not be willing to actually put the records out that he'd come up with. He didn't produce M.I.U. or KTSA, only contributed to the songwriting and it's not clear to what particular degree he did that. Neither album did sell, while Love You is at least considered a cult classic today.

I wonder if there was some tension with regards to Brian's role as early as the late 60s when Friends didn't sell at all.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I enjoy Adult Child very much. It is interesting and fascinating. But, I always felt that it was the straw that broke the camel's back. Both with The Beach Boys and the record companies, I think it was decided that Brian Wilson would no longer be left to his own devices to make records. After Love You & Adult Child, Brian Wilson would now be accompanied, monitored, and/or flat-out have others make records for him.

I agree with most of what you write but didn't he produce the initial sessions for L.A. Light? Of course those recordings were later again deemed unreleasable, right? It's strange how everyone would demand Brian Wilson to be the group's major creative force and then not be willing to actually put the records out that he'd come up with. He didn't produce M.I.U. or KTSA, only contributed to the songwriting and it's not clear to what particular degree he did that. Neither album did sell, while Love You is at least considered a cult classic today.

I wonder if there was some tension with regards to Brian's role as early as the late 60s when Friends didn't sell at all.

In retrospect -  TODAY (45 years after the fact)  - I wonder if there might be some second-guessing of Brian's decisions/ideas in the 1967-68 period. I mean, the guys followed Brian...right off a cliff, being dropped by their record company and into bankruptcy. That wasn't entirely Brian's fault, but, while having a lot of musical merit, the group never fully recovered from the trifecta of Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, and Friends.

Even with that, the guys still wanted Brian to lead them again in 1976. Despite Brian's physical and emotional condition, they thought he "still had it" and were willing to gamble their careers again. There isn't a lot written about it, but I wonder if the guys were maybe thinking "what did we get ourselves into here" (with 15 Big Ones), were willing to be patient and give it another try (with Love You), and finally thought "this is enough" with Adult Child.

With the initial L.A. Light Album sessions, there's no doubt they wanted a lot of Brian's input, but I wonder if Yetnikoff, Guercio, and the group didn't have some quality control in place?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Isn`t it said that some group members (probably including Mike) disliked the big band style.

Allegedly. More pertinent is the undeniable fact that Reprise listened to the master delivered (late June/early July 1977) and said "no". They had a habit of doing that.

[DonnyL]

The odds of Adult Child being released seem slim, which is curious, because I think it's truly a 'lost album' -- I mean the thing was finished and ready to go.

I think I've linked to this article before, but I wrote it in 1999:

http://troun.tripod.com/essentialrarities.html

[Nicko1234]

That`s an interesting article but I can`t agree at all that Adult Child is better than, or even in the same stratosphere as, albums like Surf`s Up and Holland. A lot of the productions sound unfinished, it doesn`t hang together cohesively at all, there are some very average covers and some of the songwriting leaves much to be desired (eg. Hey Little Tomboy).

Plus I think Holland marked the end of an era for the group. When they included an older song (Big Sur) on this album they sensibly re-recorded it. From 15 Big Ones onwards they were happy to just chuck old recordings onto albums even if they stuck out like the proverbial. Adult Child suffers from this more than most and the record company made the correct decision in not releasing it.

[Mikie]

That`s an interesting article but I can`t agree at all that Adult Child is better than, or even in the same stratosphere as, albums like Surf`s Up and Holland.

Or even Landlocked.

[Quzi]

Isn`t it said that some group members (probably including Mike) disliked the big band style.

Allegedly.

Was the alleged hostility toward the big band style or Dick Reynolds' involvement? If it's the latter, I don't really blame them. On paper, a big band record by Brian in 1977 sounds like a whole heap of fun... had he produced it himself. Dick's arrangements are too serious and saccharine to work well. Brian's talent for arranging and production still could be flexed in great ways, as moments like "Had to Phone Ya" proved, so yeah... I'd have misgivings too if presented with Dick's tracks.

Adult/Child will never get an official release and doesn't deserve it either. It's atrocious -- that comes from a huge fan of Love You.

 

I wouldn't call it atrocious, but I really don't understand how Love You is so accomplished and Adult/Child... isn't. What gives? Wasn't Brian supposed to be "healthier" through to '78? Where was Carl's mixdown producing on this one?

[TheLazenby]

I found a lousy MP3 rip of the "New Album" vinyl boot at one point... and I do like that album.  "My Diane" is a great opener.

"Marilyn Rovell" is pretty catch as well, but obviously Brian would overlook that song these days.

[rogerlancelot]

ATTN: SONICLOVENOIZE

Please make New Album your next project.

Thank you in advance!