Revisiting the TLOS AOL Sessions

[Eric Aniversario]

Cancelled a weekend beach camping trip with 20+ friends because of rain in the forecast, it was a big bummer because I had put so much into planning it. I'm at home taking care of some "rainy day" projects and chores that have piled up steadily over the past few months.  Enjoying some music I haven't listened to intently in probably years.  The TLOS Aol Sessions are great!  I probably never listened to them intently more than once or twice when they were first released.  I had a lot going on that year and didn't have time to sit at home and listen to music other than in the background when going to sleep or getting ready for work in the morning.  These sessions function very well as stand-alone versions of most of the key songs from TLOS.  I'm a compilation person, so it was a bummer for me to not be able to include most of TLOS on my homemade comps because the tracks didn't work well out of context (seguing into the talking bits).  But these work very well alone!  Going to revisit the TLOS demos next!  So a bummer of a weekend became a productive one and a relaxing and stimulating one as well!

[astroray]

As I go threw some bad things right now, Brian Wilson music is always "Good for what ails ya"!

[stack-o-tracks]

Damn, dude, cancelling a camping trip because of a little rain?! Buy a rain fly for your tent and a poncho, you're good to go. 

Us Californians are so spoiled, man. Most of us wouldn't dream of setting up a camping trip for that many people in late-February/early-March.

You think we could ever set up a SmileySmile.net/Beach Boys fans camping trip here in California?  That's about the only group of people I don't know who I'd spend some nights in a tent near....

[Eric Aniversario]

Damn, dude, cancelling a camping trip because of a little rain?! Buy a rain fly for your tent and a poncho, you're good to go.  

Us Californians are so spoiled, man. Most of us wouldn't dream of setting up a camping trip for that many people in late-February/early-March.

You think we could ever set up a SmileySmile.net/Beach Boys fans camping trip here in California?  That's about the only group of people I don't know who I'd spend some nights in a tent near....

If I had known that it would have just been a sprinkle here and there, I definitely would have kept it in place. I had all the carpools, equipment, tents, food arrangements set up. The way the forecast was, they made it seem like it was gonna pour all day! I had a hunch this would happen. :-/

And to follow up, I did listen to the TLOS demos. Having heard the demos first, and listening for weeks before the album came out, it took a while to get used to the released album. It sounded too slick and compressed. But now, looking back, I realize that the demos were definitely were not as good as the released product, as it should be.

[elnombre]

As I go threw some bad things right now, Brian Wilson music is always "Good for what ails ya"!

Feel better astroray. As a wise man once told me, beautiful flowers can grow from the rich soil of our bitterest tears and disappointments.

And keep listening to our man Bri too. The song is love, after all.

[The Shift]

Here in Yorkshire you go out no matter what the forecast.

Got back today just before heavy snowfall started… close-run thing.

I'd be up for a Smilers CA trip though. Last CA one was the JMT; before that the PCT. just have to explain it to the family…

[SMiLE Brian]

Here in Yorkshire you go out no matter what the forecast.

Got back today just before heavy snowfall started… close-run thing.

I'd be up for a Smilers CA trip though. Last CA one was the JMT; before that the PCT. just have to explain it to the family…

Are you going to have a snow-day party at the village hall?

[The Shift]

S'all melting… 

But listened to some of the AOL sessions in the bath post-walk and agree with Eric – great stuff!

[elnombre]

No snow up here in Leeds. Feel like I've missed out!

[stack-o-tracks]

Damn, dude, cancelling a camping trip because of a little rain?! Buy a rain fly for your tent and a poncho, you're good to go.  

Us Californians are so spoiled, man. Most of us wouldn't dream of setting up a camping trip for that many people in late-February/early-March.

You think we could ever set up a SmileySmile.net/Beach Boys fans camping trip here in California?  That's about the only group of people I don't know who I'd spend some nights in a tent near....

If I had known that it would have just been a sprinkle here and there, I definitely would have kept it in place. I had all the carpools, equipment, tents, food arrangements set up. The way the forecast was, they made it seem like it was gonna pour all day! I had a hunch this would happen. :-/

And to follow up, I did listen to the TLOS demos. Having heard the demos first, and listening for weeks before the album came out, it took a while to get used to the released album. It sounded too slick and compressed. But now, looking back, I realize that the demos were definitely were not as good as the released product, as it should be.

This is definitely one of those winters where you can't for sure tell what the heck is going to happen.... At least in NorCal.... Probably SoCal too.... We haven't had frost since December, and if there's rain in the forecast, it's a 40/60 chance of it happening..... It's either going to rain like crazy or I'm going to be mad I didn't water my kale & carrots. Can't blame you for cancelling.

You sound good at organizing things tho.....


If you're interested, we should totally try to organize a SmileySmiley camping trip in the near future. Definitely in California, and definitely at the beach, but where? I've been camping at Pismo Beach near San Luis Obispo, and Leo Carrillo Beach in Malibu, and loved em both.


I'm a pretty broke fool, but would consider that kind of meet up a worthwhile event.  So sorry for hijacking your thread, but with enough interest, a SmileySmile.net camping trip would be totally awesome.


Who's down?

[phirnis]

Inspired by this thread I relistened to some of the TLOS material. I really love some of the cheerful and catchy stuff on this record. Good Kind of Love is fantastic and I have a soft spot for Mexican Girl (insipid lyrics and concept, true, but "very Brian" and so catchy!). The spoken interludes are kind of awkward in a sweet way akin to Mt. Vernon and Fairway - that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned. Live Let Live is another favorite. Really not into stuff like California Role, though, and I think Goin' Home would've been a much better song without "At 25 I turned off the light", etc. That part doesn't sit well with me at all. Overall, still a good listen almost 7 years later.