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Author Topic: Keepin' The Summer Alive  (Read 19049 times)
ForHerCryingSoul
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« Reply #75 on: January 27, 2017, 09:37:20 PM »

I just really disagree with whoever thought it was a good idea to add a phaser to EVERYTHING.  It would be a much better album without that distracting cheese.
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Lonely Summer
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« Reply #76 on: January 27, 2017, 11:47:26 PM »

I actually dig this album...maybe more than most for sentimental reasons.  But putting sentiment aside, I think it really is solid.  The only tune I DON'T like is "When Girls Get Together".  The title track I like slightly less than the rest but it's really quite a good LP.

For the record, and not with popular opinion, I like Beach Boys '85 quite a lot too.
BB85 is a solid album. Sure, wish they had used more guitars and real drums, and Brian's songs aren't nearly as good as what he saved for BW88, but it's a good listen. Carl is at his best, with some excellent songwriting and singing.
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guitarfool2002
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« Reply #77 on: January 28, 2017, 08:05:28 AM »

I just really disagree with whoever thought it was a good idea to add a phaser to EVERYTHING.  It would be a much better album without that distracting cheese.

I'd like to know more about these production decisions too, but perhaps with not as much of a pessimistic tone, lol... Cheesy

If Mr. Desper has any insight on the decisions to add some of these effects I'd absolutely love to read his thoughts from where he sat behind the board!

I have *zero* knowledge on this relative to the KTSA album, obviously, but related to situations up to the present day, sometimes the decisions to add certain sounds, mix or master a certain way, or even add a different aural sheen to a mix or master than the artist/producer originally featured can come from "above", as in the label or those in the offices rather than the musicians.

Many, many tales can be recited about how a record is handed in, finished with a final mix, and either the person doing the mix or others involved get it rejected by "the label guys" who make comments about making it "sound more like a hit", "make it more punchy", "make the bass more thumpin'", etc. It's people involving themselves from behind an office desk, who had no skin in the game creatively and didn't contribute a note of music or drop of sweat to the project, in the pursuit of making more money and getting more feathers in their own hat.

When the Autotune craze was at its peak, literally everywhere on top 40 and download charts, how many label weasels do you think sent back a mix and ordered that more effect be added to the lead vocal? They want a hit...if there is an effect like phasing or autotune or the Eventide Harmonizer or even the old Aural Exciter that is prominent on hit records of that time, there might be requests to add that to a song even though the general public knows next to nothing about the technology but hears these sounds and associates them with hit songs.

Phasing was very much "in" throughout the 70's, especially guitar. While it could be overused, it could also be a secret weapon especially on guitar...just ask Eddie Van Halen and listen to the first Van Halen album. Almost every guitar track has either a subtle or obvious MXR Phase 90 effect, and it worked fantastically. It even got into country records, apparently there was a Merle Haggard single where the engineer suggested running the electric rhythm guitar through a Phase 90 and after that record hit the radio, phasers were all over country radio by the mid to late 70's. And this was on "country" radio no less, not the most open-minded format.

Again, just my thoughts and ramblings, hopefully Mr. Desper can address the question from his firsthand perspective related to this album.  Smiley
« Last Edit: January 28, 2017, 08:06:08 AM by guitarfool2002 » Logged

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DonnyL
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« Reply #78 on: January 28, 2017, 09:48:04 AM »

I just really disagree with whoever thought it was a good idea to add a phaser to EVERYTHING.  It would be a much better album without that distracting cheese.

I'd like to know more about these production decisions too, but perhaps with not as much of a pessimistic tone, lol... Cheesy

If Mr. Desper has any insight on the decisions to add some of these effects I'd absolutely love to read his thoughts from where he sat behind the board!

I have *zero* knowledge on this relative to the KTSA album, obviously, but related to situations up to the present day, sometimes the decisions to add certain sounds, mix or master a certain way, or even add a different aural sheen to a mix or master than the artist/producer originally featured can come from "above", as in the label or those in the offices rather than the musicians.

Many, many tales can be recited about how a record is handed in, finished with a final mix, and either the person doing the mix or others involved get it rejected by "the label guys" who make comments about making it "sound more like a hit", "make it more punchy", "make the bass more thumpin'", etc. It's people involving themselves from behind an office desk, who had no skin in the game creatively and didn't contribute a note of music or drop of sweat to the project, in the pursuit of making more money and getting more feathers in their own hat.

When the Autotune craze was at its peak, literally everywhere on top 40 and download charts, how many label weasels do you think sent back a mix and ordered that more effect be added to the lead vocal? They want a hit...if there is an effect like phasing or autotune or the Eventide Harmonizer or even the old Aural Exciter that is prominent on hit records of that time, there might be requests to add that to a song even though the general public knows next to nothing about the technology but hears these sounds and associates them with hit songs.

Phasing was very much "in" throughout the 70's, especially guitar. While it could be overused, it could also be a secret weapon especially on guitar...just ask Eddie Van Halen and listen to the first Van Halen album. Almost every guitar track has either a subtle or obvious MXR Phase 90 effect, and it worked fantastically. It even got into country records, apparently there was a Merle Haggard single where the engineer suggested running the electric rhythm guitar through a Phase 90 and after that record hit the radio, phasers were all over country radio by the mid to late 70's. And this was on "country" radio no less, not the most open-minded format.

Again, just my thoughts and ramblings, hopefully Mr. Desper can address the question from his firsthand perspective related to this album.  Smiley

I don't hear that much actual phaser use, except for maybe some guitar pedal-type tones, which were popular at the time.

I do hear the return of Desper's famous vocal processing sound heard on Sunflower and Surf's Up though.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess the "phase" decisions were made by Bruce (since he was the Producer) and Carl (because you can hear lots of phased guitar sounds on his solo record the following year).
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guitarfool2002
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« Reply #79 on: January 28, 2017, 09:59:17 AM »

The guitar phaser effect especially via that MXR Phase 90 pedal may have been *the* guitar effect sound of the 70's, so it's not surprising to hear the effect like that on guitar on this or other albums.
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« Reply #80 on: January 28, 2017, 11:07:49 AM »



I don't hear that much actual phaser use, except for maybe some guitar pedal-type tones, which were popular at the time.
 

Ditto for me. Can anyone point out specific examples/timecodes of phasers audible on this album?
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Stephen W. Desper
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« Reply #81 on: January 31, 2017, 06:07:44 AM »



I've seen video of them recording the vocals for Goin On many times... As a group.

COMMENT to Robert James:   Yes, and I've seen videos of every major city on planet Earth being destroyed too.  ~swd
« Last Edit: January 31, 2017, 06:09:08 AM by Stephen W. Desper » Logged
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« Reply #82 on: January 31, 2017, 06:21:28 AM »

As I mentioned before, the group may have done some studio work more for the benefit of the "Going Platinum" documentary cameras, but it's really them actually together, really singing, in the studio in this footage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_3ZlgzFqz8

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MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm
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« Reply #83 on: January 31, 2017, 07:24:57 AM »



I've seen video of them recording the vocals for Goin On many times... As a group.

COMMENT to Robert James:   Yes, and I've seen videos of every major city on planet Earth being destroyed too.  ~swd
Yikes. We are clearly enjoying different Youtube channels! 

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Don Malcolm
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« Reply #84 on: January 31, 2017, 09:56:54 AM »

Stephen will correct me if I'm interpreting incorrectly, but I believe he means that there are many visual representations of events in real-life places that did not actually happen.

Brian was on his second downward slide during this time, so I'm not surprised to discover that his studio presence on KTSA was minimal.

I think we would all like to hear what Stephen can bring out in these tracks that got lost in the mastering process-- but, that said, they will still remain far from the best tunes in the band's history
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Rick5150
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« Reply #85 on: February 01, 2017, 06:09:58 AM »

Like I said, I love the album. It has some fun songs and some quirky songs. Everything that Stephen Desper does to enhance any of the Beach Boys music makes me happy. Whether you think it is 'better' or not, it is certainly a new way to hear familiar music. I always come away from these listenings with a new appreciation for the group, the engineer and the music.

It is good to see the boys in the studio together, but I cannot help but think that they did that for the benefit of the cameras and the fans who are interested in seeing them record. I would expect that there would be very few distractions while recording an studio album. Probably the best way to have the least distractions is recording individually, at a time that is most convenient for you.
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donald
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« Reply #86 on: February 15, 2017, 08:58:03 PM »

I liked KTSA at the time it was released......well about half of it.    Carl was still in fine voice at the time.  I like the title track, especially when performed live at Knebworth and at the D.C. Concert.  I still like watching that HBO D.C concert.   Great memories.......
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Lonely Summer
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« Reply #87 on: February 15, 2017, 11:54:52 PM »

I liked KTSA at the time it was released......well about half of it.    Carl was still in fine voice at the time.  I like the title track, especially when performed live at Knebworth and at the D.C. Concert.  I still like watching that HBO D.C concert.   Great memories.......
That's one of my favorite BB's concerts to watch. Dennis was giving it all he had, and Carl sounded fantastic.
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« Reply #88 on: February 16, 2017, 07:17:19 AM »

The DC '80 show is quite good. I tend to like large hunks of it more than Knebworth. Dennis was more put together for Knebworth than DC, though even in a somewhat compromised state, he actually does an excellent job on the drums for for DC as well.

It's interesting that, as I recall, when they prepped the Knebworth show for release around 2002 (on DVD and CD), I think Bruce seemed to feel they should have released the DC show instead. I think, in his mind, DC was a "finished" project in that they had gone in, done the small amount of overdubs, and essentially "released" that show via airing it on TV in 1980. Whereas, even with several overdub sessions, Knebworth must have still felt "unfinished" to him because it had been shelved (though several hunks of it were aired in 1981 on the "20th Anniversary" TV special).
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