Adult Child

[Jeff Mason]

And one more critical thought -- 1976 was also the year for Brian Wilson's stint on Saturday Night Live.  He lost a LOT of credibility that night with his performance.  At that point, the public's view of Brian's "comeback" was that it was a pure PR stunt exploiting a sick individual.  No one thought that Brian was in a position to do anything on the evidence of that show and 15BO.

I'd love to see that episode.  Any idea who hosted that night?

Brian Wilson.  11/27/76.

[Sheriff John Stone]

And one more critical thought -- 1976 was also the year for Brian Wilson's stint on Saturday Night Live.  He lost a LOT of credibility that night with his performance.  At that point, the public's view of Brian's "comeback" was that it was a pure PR stunt exploiting a sick individual.  No one thought that Brian was in a position to do anything on the evidence of that show and 15BO.

I'd love to see that episode.  Any idea who hosted that night?

Brian Wilson.  11/27/76.

I think it was Jodie Foster

[Jeff Mason]

And one more critical thought -- 1976 was also the year for Brian Wilson's stint on Saturday Night Live.  He lost a LOT of credibility that night with his performance.  At that point, the public's view of Brian's "comeback" was that it was a pure PR stunt exploiting a sick individual.  No one thought that Brian was in a position to do anything on the evidence of that show and 15BO.

I'd love to see that episode.  Any idea who hosted that night?

Brian Wilson.  11/27/76.

I think it was Jodie Foster

 

Oops -- I checked my history of SNL book and you are quite correct.  I read somewhere once that Brian was a host and he WAS in a skit so I was confused.

[NimrodsSon]

I'm slightly confused. I always thought Adult Child was recorded BEFORE Love You, but based on this discussion it would appear it came after. Which one is it?

[the captain]

Well, certainly some of the songs (HELP is on the Way; Games Two Can Play) were recorded well before Love You was released (as was Love You's Good Time). The other songs, I believe, were recorded right in that same time frame, 1976-77.

[I. Spaceman]

Spot on, Jeff.
Exactly the reason why Love You bombed. They could have put out the cure for cancer and bombed after 15 BO.

You really don't think the fact that LOVE YOU doesn't sound ANYTHING like the Beach Boys, and that Brian and Dennis sound AWFUL, and that the songs are completely loopy, had anything to do with why it bombed?

 

[Andreas]

I'm slightly confused. I always thought Adult Child was recorded BEFORE Love You, but based on this discussion it would appear it came after. Which one is it?

While some Adult Child songs were lifted from earlier projects (as already mentionned),, the bulk of it was recorded after Love You, at least the big band arrangements. I think Hey Little Tomboy is a Love You outtake.

[Andrew G. Doe]

While some Adult Child songs were lifted from earlier projects (as already mentionned),, the bulk of it was recorded after Love You, at least the big band arrangements. I think Hey Little Tomboy is a Love You outtake.

"Tomboy" predated BBLY - just. . I'll save y'all the walk over to 10452. 

'New Album'
projected release date unknown
recorded fall 1976 except * April 1965 (track), ** November 1969, + 1970, #January-May 1976
produced by Brian Wilson
My Diane - Marilyn Rovell - Hey Little Tomboy - Ruby Baby - You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - Sherry She Needs Me* - Come Go With Me# - Mony Mony# - On Broadway# - Sea Cruise# - H.E.L.P Is On The Way+ - Games Two Can Play+ - When Girls Get Together**
(track sequence unknown)

Adult/Child
projected release date fall 1977
recorded  early 1977 except * 1970, **winter 1973, + January-May 1976, @ fall 1976
produced  by Brian Wilson except * The Beach Boys
Life Is For The Living - Hey Little Tomboy@  - Deep Purple - H.E.L.P. Is On The Way* - It's Over Now - Everybody Wants To Live: Shortenin' Bread** - Lines - On Broadway+ - Games Two Can Play* - It's Trying To Say - Still I Dream Of It
 
   Although Brian had found the 15 Big Ones sessions tedious, by fall 1976 his appetite for studio work had returned, so much so that by the year's end he'd completed two new albums. Brian Loves You was released in May 1977 after undergoing a minor change of title, but of 'New Album' little is known bar the title and tracks to be included. As indicated above, eight of the fourteen tracks had histories ranging from a few months - the 15 Big Ones outtakes - to several years (in the case of "Sherry…", an eleven year-old instrumental track overdubbed with a 1976 Brian vocal). The remainder are largely Brian solo recordings, ranging from the near-banal ("Marilyn Rovell") to the sublime ("You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"). For whatever reason, the album was never released (and here it should be noted that some BB historians hold that the title itself is highly suspect - it's possible that someone misunderstood Brian's reference to "a new album").
 
   Early the following year, Brian hit the studio again, the result being an album entitled (reportedly by Gene Landy) Adult/Child, yet another confection of new recordings and five tracks from the archive, four of which were recycled from 'New Album', the other being the 1973 American Spring recording of "Shortenin' Bread" (with Brian on bass vocal) completed by a Carl lead. Of the new material, four - "Life Is For The Living", "Deep Purple", "It's Over Now" & "Still I Dream Of It" - saw Brian reunited with Dick Reynolds, the arranger for the 1964 Christmas Album, who handled the role again here. The album was widely publicized as the next Beach Boys release, but fell foul of a serious group fall-out, centered on the 'big band' tracks: it's possible that Reprise also rejected the master. Of the titles not covered previously, "My Diane", "Come Go With Me" and "Hey Little Tomboy" were released on  M.I.U. Album, "Come Go…" almost entirely re-recorded, the latter thankfully shorn of some embarrassing voice-overs in the middle eight. "Sea Cruise" appeared on Ten Years Of Harmony, "Shortenin' Bread" on L. A. (Light Album) (completely re-recorded, with Dennis on bass vocal) while the 1993 box included "Still I Dream Of It" and "It's Over Now".

[Evenreven]

Great posts, Jeff. 

And to Glenn Greenberg: I don't really see your points about the vocals. They are as bad or worse on 15BO. "Back Home" is probably the weakest Brian vocal ever, and Mike's vocals on "R&R Music" and "Blueberry Hill" are too horrid for words. The Brian and Dennis vocals on Love You are gruff, to be sure, but they have a soulful quality UTTERLY lacking on 15BO (except maybe on "Had to Phone Ya").

[Fantastico!]

Forgot about "Sea Cruise"
I thought that was a 15BO out-take--
a GREAT oldie on that one.

[Jason Penick]

Forgot about "Sea Cruise"
I thought that was a 15BO out-take--
a GREAT oldie on that one.

Agreed, one of two oldies that actually worked from that session, the other being the amazing "Just Once in My Life".  I can stomach "Palisades Park" and "Blueberry Hill"... the rest should have remained in the vaults until 2011.

I enjoy the slightly later recorded "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and "On Broadway".  Al's Chuck Barry and Buddy Holly covers are abominations though.  The death knell for the Beach Boys as an artistic entity.

Adult/ Child grows on me more and more with each listen.  The new material is fantastic, and as a whole the record is really only marred by the inclusion of those two Sunflower outtakes as others have stated.

MIU and the Light Album-- hit or miss affairs.  Some strong material buried amongst some dreck, which is symptomatic of every Beach Boy release of this time.  My solution was to create a double album compling the best material from the following: MIU, LA, KTSA, FIRST LOVE, LOOKING BACK WITH LOVE, CARL WILSON, ALMOST SUMMER and the CALIFORNIA MUSIC tracks with Bruce or BW involvement.  This homemade CD is KILLER!  I cannot overstate it enough, there are some great songs on these albums if you are willing to dig through the dreck. 

I'll post my track listing if anyone's interested. 

[I. Spaceman]

I am, my friend!

[the captain]

  My solution was to create a double album compling the best material from the following...

I'll post my track listing if anyone's interested. 

I'll second Ian's interest. In fact, I've done similar things with the early 70s and late 60s material, too. (Not to mention making a single-disc White Album and a "what-if Beatles" album of the members' 1969-70 solo and unreleased stuff.) I really get into stuff like that.

[Jason Penick]

Here ya go... This is really similar to what we did with the later Monkees stuff, assembling the double album out of the later material:


Side 'A':

California Feeling

Wontcha Come Out Tonight

Jamaica Farewell (California Music)

Full Sail

Don't Worry Baby (California Music)

Daybreak


Side 'B':

Good Timin'

One Good Reason

Angel Come Home

Hurry Love

Brand New Old Friends (California Music)



Side 'C':

Goin' On

Pitter Patter

Heaven

Sad Sad Summer

Endless Harmony


Side 'D':

Match Point of Our Love

First Love

Paradise Found

Winds of Change

Seems So Long Ago

 

Running Time: 79.57

I assembled this about 4 years ago, and still listen to it today.  I even went so far as to come up with cover art and a backstory.  The info can be found here: http://pages.sbcglobal.net/jason.penick/inspiration/mia.html

[I. Spaceman]

Cool!

[Jonas]

How would one be able to acquire this M.I.A?

[I. Spaceman]

All the albums he compiled from and a burner.

[Fantastico!]

no Diane?

OK, can I have that song then?

[Jason Penick]

I put "Diane" and "Marilyn Rovell" on my Adult/ Child cd in place of... well, you know, those two Sunflower songs that don't belong there!


Amosario, what Ian said...

[Fantastico!]

I put "Diane" and "Marilyn Rovell" on my Adult/ Child cd in place of... well, you know, those two Sunflower songs that don't belong there!


Amosario, what Ian said...

aha of course!

[Jason Penick]

"Marilyn Rovell" is way underrated and "Diane" is heartwrenchingly good.

Then again, I adore "Hey Little Tomboy" and "Matchpoint of Our Love", so maybe I'm just a big weird-o!!!

[I. Spaceman]

Marilyn Rovell is amazing.

[Jason Penick]

Marilyn Rovell is amazing.

as is your Elvis avatar...

[I. Spaceman]

Thanks, man  !

[Glenn Greenberg]

I've done similar things with the early 70s and late 60s material, too. (Not to mention making... a "what-if Beatles" album of the members' 1969-70 solo and unreleased stuff.)

I did that with the Beatles too!  I call the CD I made "Odds and Ends," because at the time those first solo albums were being written, the Beatles were at odds with each other, and they were coming to an end.