L.A. (Light Album) Radio review/discussion

[Steve Latshaw]

<<And I am sorry, but I really want to hear the fully mixed version of Calender Girl. Brian himself was very happy with it!>>

You and me both, pal...

[bonnevillemariner]

Dang, I want me one of those horse t-shirts.  Dellydel?

[the captain]

ESQ's David Beard joined me on today's "The Vintage Rock & Pop Shop" to discuss the group's 1979 "L.A. Light Album". Here is that interview/discussion..minus the songs, naturally:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fPyPZkorjw

Just listened to this and wanted to say I enjoyed it tremendously. Nice work to you and David.

[Nicko1234]

I`d like to join in the congratulations for this interesting piece. Nice to see one of the rarely discussed albums being given its due.

I have to say though that while I agree with many of the opinions offered, I still can`t see the love for Constant Companion. To me, this is one of the most dated sounding recordings that any of the band ever did. There were numerous Beach Boys originals that would have been a better fit for LA imo.

[Steve Latshaw]

<<I have to say though that while I agree with many of the opinions offered, I still can`t see the love for Constant Companion. To me, this is one of the most dated sounding recordings that any of the band ever did. There were numerous Beach Boys originals that would have been a better fit for LA imo.>>

Dated in what way?  Dated now?  Certainly; it was recorded 37 years ago.  Would have been very fresh in early 1979.  Same Caribbean vibe as Goodnight Tonight from Wings.  Great stuff.

[Smile4ever]

None of the guys played on the track; we used our own people.

So Bruce thought that it was SO important that this be a Beach Boys record, but didn't allow them to play on it? Just a weird story.

[Custom Machine]

I find it interesting that David, who is brilliant in what he does, did not know the history of why HCTN was done as a disco record. Here is why the idea came to Bruce.

Bruce was working with Curt and California Music (Curt had taken over running that trademark). Curt had cut HCTN FOR California and was going to record it as one of their records. When Bruce became involved with the group again, he talked about this re-involvement with Curt and Curt suggested how great it would be to cut HCTN with the BB. To quote Bruce from late 1978:

I told Curt Becher, who is a guy who when he was a baby produced records for The Association like “Cherish” and “Along Comes Mary”, and then he had his own album … I told him I was going to work on the Beach Boys project. Curt and I had talked about cutting “Here Comes The Night” (for our own album), but he said that the Beach Boys should really be the ones to do it. So I approached everybody and I thought – “a Beach Boys disco record. Before anybody hears it, they’re going to hate it if they love the Beach Boys”. But if I’m right, when they hear it, they’ll realise that disco – in terms of the Beach Boys – is a lot different than disco in terms of Cerrone or Giorgio Moroder. It has to be because it’s the Beach Boys. So I decided, “Okay, I’ll talk it over with them”. Curt and I are co-producing “Here Comes The Night”. None of the guys played on the track; we used our own people. When it came to putting the vocals on, because it’s so much more rhythmic than you’re used to with normal Beach Boys vocals, Curt was a little curious as to whether they could sing the parts. But I’m telling you, I wasn’t surprised. They sang the parts … I’ve got it all done now, and it’s incredible. It’s nice to know that you can be in the record business for seventeen years, and have all these things change, and you can go into this style you’ve never sung in and (snaps fingers) you’ve got it. The first day! And it was really hard to sing. It was hard for me to sing ‘cause it’s so syncopated.

That is how the recording came to be. I always thought that the single version should have been on the LP to allow more time for other tracks, like Companion, etc.

Thanks so much for sharing this info.  I'd always thought the HCTN disco version was completely Bruce's idea, but it's possible that back in the day I had read what you posted and then later totally forgot about it, especially since his comments were made, and presumably printed, a number of months before the album was released.  What is your source for Bruce's late '78 comments?

I've never been a fan of disco, but I, for one, have always really liked the BBs disco version of Here Comes the Night, including the long version, and loved to blast it out on my car stereo back in 1979.  When doing so the song typically got a very positive reception, but people would usually give a funny look when I said it was by the Beach Boys.

BTW, today is the release date for Capitol's round two of BB vinyl album reissues, which includes LA Light Album.

[Andrew G. Doe]

There's a CM track - on the Passion Fruit CD, I believe - on which the basic format for the disco "HCTN" is very obvious.

[Andrew G. Doe]

None of the guys played on the track; we used our own people.

So Bruce thought that it was SO important that this be a Beach Boys record, but didn't allow them to play on it? Just a weird story.

Not only did the band not play on it, the first layer or two of bvs were laid down by Curt's people. Brian's not on it (in hospital at the time) and I seem to recall Dennis isn't either. He... wasn't too enamoured of the whole notion.

[Smilin Ed H]

Wasn't the phrase, 'too macho-city,' used to describe Dennis in terms of why he wasn't on the track?

[Nicko1234]

Dated in what way?  Dated now?  Certainly; it was recorded 37 years ago.  Would have been very fresh in early 1979.  Same Caribbean vibe as Goodnight Tonight from Wings.  Great stuff.

Dated as in it hasn`t stood the test of time half as well as many other songs from that era.

Dennis wrote far better songs for Bambu and the other Beach Boys all also had superior originals. Constant Companion didn`t deserve to be included imho.

[adamghost]

But "It Won't Be Long" would've been incredible on L.A.

[phirnis]

Brian looks remarkably alert and healthy in those photographs, especially compared with the KTSA footage from only 1-2 years later.

[Smilin Ed H]

Guess that's She's Just Out To Get You dropped from this one in favour of Constant Companion!

[Rocker]

I didn't want to start a new thread for this, so sorry to bring this up. In the media section I posted the following link that I found on youtube but since not everyone's looking into that part of the board I thought to put it here as well as it is of some interest.


KHJ Los Angeles / Beach Boys Playback Special 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1_ppIoGsrk




This is a radio presentation of the "L. A. (Light Album)" with Carl talking shortly about each track. Enjoy.

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

I didn't want to start a new thread for this, so sorry to bring this up. In the media section I posted the following link that I found on youtube but since not everyone's looking into that part of the board I thought to put it here as well as it is of some interest.


KHJ Los Angeles / Beach Boys Playback Special 1979

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1_ppIoGsrk


This is a radio presentation of the "L. A. (Light Album)" with Carl talking shortly about each track. Enjoy.

This is lovely. Thanks!