The March 2nd Mixdown of Heroes

[The Old Master Painter]

Based on these quotes:

“The group’s new LP, “Smile”, includes an album-size, 12-page book of colour photos and a dozen songs by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks. Among the titles: ‘Wonderful, “Do You Like Worms!’, ‘Vega-tables’, ‘Surf’s Up,’ ‘Cabin Essence’, ‘Wind Chimes’, and a suite called ‘The Elements’. The LP also features ‘Heroes and Villains’."  (D&ME 3/25/67 p.4)

“Tracks from the next Beach Boys lp include, ‘The Elements’ (a composition in four movements), ‘Heroes and Villains’ (their next single, weighing in at over four minutes), ‘Child Is Father Of the Man’ and something about going out in the yard to eat worms. Lyrics are mostly by Van Dyke Parks, and it is possible that the lp will be finished one of these days. Smile. ”  (May ‘67, Crawdaddy! #9)

Ala Badman:

"5/11: "Gold Star studio (A), Los Angeles, CA.  Back in California, unaffected (and possibly invigorated by) Taylor's statement of the 6th, Brian returns to the studio and 'sweetens' his March 2nd mixdown of 'Heroes and Villains'."

So was there a Post-Cantina edit of Heroes?

If this 4+ mix of Heroes was Pt. 1, then Pt. 2 would should been around 1-2 minutes or more if you believe in a double-sided Heroes acetate lasting around 6 minutes... Quite interesting stuff. What do you guys think Heroes Pt. 1 and 2 would have been around March?

[The Old Master Painter]

No one?

[Cam Mott]

No one?

Sometime just after the release of H&V (July, early August 1967?), referring to H&V:

"I was completely satisfied with the record two months ago. I haven’t done anything about it after that time.
...every Beach Boys record has it's own story...
...this story has to be told in 3 or 4 minutes."  
Brian, LLVS 140


Re. H&V prior to the June 12-14 sessions:

“We had the complete song, but they just wanted to use part of it. Brian wanted to change what had been done on the rest of it….We went and rerecorded, from where we started off the tape, the rest of the song at the studio in the house. We did the parts and the music tracks and most of the guys played their own instruments.”

Jim Lockert [TBBA 83]


Re. H&V prior to June 1967, probably before May and/or April:

Something about a 2 sided H&V which I can't find the quote.

Chuck Britz


Re. H&V in March when Michael Vosse left:

"The best version I heard, which was never completed, but at least I could see the form of it, was an A side B side version lasting about six minutes. It was a beautifully structured work; and Van Dyke was still very involved."

Michael Vosse

[Cam Mott]

Anybody have that Chuck Britz quote about a 2 sided H&V?

[mike moseley]

when I first heard the Cantina version I laughed out loud in amazement, literally - it was at the 'my children were raised' section, I couldn't believe how great it was

as a song though that mix doesn't work, the whole is less than the sum of the - utterly brilliant - parts