From AGD's Bellagio site :
"Poops/Hubba Hubba
recorded spring 1971-1972
produced by Dennis Wilson & Darryl Dragon
It's a New Day - Behold the Night - Ecology - Baby Baby - Wouldn't it Be Nice to Live Again - Old Movie - Slow Song - Make It Good - Barbara
(track sequence not known)
Despite his lack of material on Surf's Up (reportedly due to a falling out with Carl over sequencing), it's undeniable that in the early seventies, Dennis was the major creative force of The Beach Boys, and equally hardly surprising that he gave serious thought to forging a solo career, to which end he worked intensively in Brian's home studio with the pre-Captain & Tennille Darryl Dragon and band engineer Steve Desper. The results of theses sessions were a precursor to his only released solo album five years hence, richly textured soundscapes imbued with considerable passion. Although the sessions continued into early 1972, the fate of the album was effectively sealed when he offered "Make It Good" and "Old Movie" (a Surf's Up outtake reworked as "Cuddle Up"... and also as "4th of July": apparently "Old Movie" was a catch-all title used by Dennis back then) to round out Carl And The Passions - So Tough - where they naturally stuck out like a pair of sore thumbs ! (A demo of "Barbara" was released in 1998 on Endless Harmony). Some further points - the title(s) of the album were tentative, the Beach Boys reportedly played "Baby, Baby" during their 1972 fall tour, "It's A New Day", a collaboration with Stanley Shapiro, was recorded (at Sunset, with a Blondie Chaplin lead) for possible use in a hair grooming product promo, upon which The Beach Boys expressed an interest in cutting it. However their version was never completed, foundering in a legal morass. "Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again", another magnificent Wilson/Shapiro opus, was another Surf's Up outtake (and ws slated to be included on the proposed DVD-A of the album). One final interesting observation from Steve Desper: not only does he contend that "90% of [the album] was 90% done", but that a lot of Pacific Ocean Blue had its origin in these sessions. Hmmmmmm…"
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This for me is still one of the few still unreleased ''holy grails'' of The Beach Boy's recording history. Dennis was really stretching forward from 1969 on, and that first unreleased solo album could have found critical (if not popular) acclaim. Think of this marketed as a Nick Drake/Scott Walker/Bill Fay kind of album (singer-songwriter w/ orchestra backing). It could have been one of the greats from the 70s. But they are still unreleased sessions, so 'until then we don't have a clear picture of what the album could have been (except those 2 tracks on Carl & The Passions).
So I tried to come up with an alternative album featuring what is available officially and/or via boots. I followed the vibe/mood of Pacific Ocean Blue"s tracklisting to make it seem like a complete album. I even kept the hilarious original title!
(PM for the whole deal!)
https://youtu.be/YzmJG_mt7r4Side A
01 It's a New Day - Would have been a great opener and the female vocals recall what will later be River Song. We only have the Blondie Chaplin version though (still, great vocal!).
02 Baby Baby - replaced by California Slide - This was to be an oldies-like rocker in the vein of ''What's Wrong''. The Beach Boys played it once (I think) during their 1972 tour. For replacement, I used California Slide (Im' Goin' Your Way) 'cause it's just a good rocker from that period. It could be replace by ''Sea Cruise'' but we've only got the 15 Big Ones recording and Dennis' voice had changed a lot then. Love that guitar/drum outro. Very Neil Young-like.
03 Behold the Night - replaced by Lady - My theory the original "Behold the Night" became ''Moonshine'' for POB. Thus, a ballad is required here. I used the alternate mix from Summer Love Songs.
04 Slow Song - (Iv'e Got A Friend) - Followed by another ''Slow Song'', which could have been ''Iv'e Got a Friend'' (or not). Recorded Live at Circus Krone, Munich, Germany / May 9, 1972. There is a backing track out there, but this crude live recording is all we have for the moment.
05 Ecology (excerpts) - Thanks to uploader Youtube uploader videojpp for his mix of the different sections. Great way to close Side 1 with this epic instrumental.
Side B
06 Wouldn't it Be Nice to Live Again - from MIC. Kicks off side 2 with force, much like ''Time'' did on POB.
07 Sound Of Free - not on original tracklist but could have fit - has the same pop quality as did ''You and I'' had following ''Time'' on POB.
From MIC in fake stereo.
08 Barbara - First of what id' like to call the ''Old Movie'' trilogy - each song seem to be similar thematically and musically.
From Endless Harmony demo.
09 Make It Good - From Carl & The Passions
10 Old Movie (Cuddle Up) - The alternate 45 mix w/ added strings and choir.
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