Feel Flows box set

[SMiLE Brian]

I want the boxset dammit!

[Joel Goldenberg]

 Some thoughts:
1.Maybe I should tell Mike on Twitter that the original version of Big Sur is the best Beach Boys song of the 1970s, and we need a version with pristine fidelity.
2. Mike wrote in his book of tension between Bruce and the Wilson brothers in 1970-71, to the point of putting up a "No Wilsons Allowed" sign on the studio door. Could there be an issue with the liner notes regarding Jack Rieley?
3. Maybe the delay is all over whether to include My Solution and Seasons In the Sun.

[Don Malcolm]

Everyone: sign the petition. How can it hurt?

The one scenario I have not seen discussed re: the state of limbo for FEEL FLOWS is that Mike is pushing for a bunch of concessions regarding a 60th anniversary tour and he's decided to use this box set as some form of blackmail leverage. It could be something like Brian & Al want Blondie on the tour, and Mike wants Stamos. Or he has some unusual ideas about how to divvy up the proceeds that will work to his financial advantage as compensation for his being widely perceived as the "heavy" in the sour-mash ending to C50.

The way to put a stop to all that would be for someone to steal the master tapes for "Kokomo" and threaten to burn them if Mike doesn't follow Van Dyke's advice to Brian about SOS and "cut the sh*t."

 

[HeyJude]

Maybe all the complaining in this thread is what's causing the delay.  Just sayin'...  

The "complaining" (read: saying we'll pay money for the band's product) came AFTER the friggin' delay. This isn't funny, if it's trying to be. What does this possibly add to what's going on with trying to get this set released?

Seriously, looking at those that love this band and want this set and have now seen insiders explain in as much detail as humanly possible what's going on, yet continue to ignore that information, I don't know which people are being purposely incredulous, which are trolling, and which are just trying to deflect the seriousness (yes, relative to how "serious" a musical release can be) of this by making dumb jokes.

Do you really think those involved with this set, and those in the know, would want to be rallying fans to advocate for this release if they thought fans advocating (which unfortunately a few seem determined to weirdly portray as "complaining" or "whining") for the set was what imperiled it in the first place?

[HeyJude]

This is how I see it:
There never was an official announcement for this release, was there? So, no need to get mad that something doesn't get released at this point when it wasn't even announced in the first place.

Ignoring that advocating for a release is not "getting mad", this is completely illogical.

If this project never existed anywhere but in the minds of fans who wanted it, then yeah, it would be silly to say "release it!" when there's nothing ready to release (even then, though, it wouldn't be silly for fans to tell a band what they'd like and what they're willing to buy).

But you have PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON THIS SET explaining that it was GREENLIT, MIXED, MASTERED, AND READY TO GO.

Further, one would have to be extremely dense or feigning incredulity (or I guess just not actually into the band or interested in archival releases) to not realize that what's happening is that a legitimate project that was greenlit is now in jeopardy and the idea in bringing this all up now is for us to make a final push and advocate for its release.

Stebbins was right; there are a hand full of people seeming to just stumble around not seeing the big flashing light indicating what's going on here. (Or purposely ignoring it). We have everything but a feature-length documentary naming every name on this one, people.

Project done, with obvious goal of being released. Project currently not planned for release. All but a notarized statement informing you that the hold-up is not due to COVID or the content of the set (not the music, not the liners, not the cover art, not the title, etc.). The prompt now: Let the band and everybody know we want this set and that both fans *and* the band will be better off for releasing it.

[mtaber]

Since many have apparently not paid attention to many details revealed in this thread, especially from Howie, and continue to speculate that the release is delayed and possibly cancelled due to liner notes, etc., perhaps Billy or HeyJude could start a new thread on the status of this set.  I’d try myself but don’t want to screw it up.

[HeyJude]

This thread is literally the saddest thread ever. Is there anything we can do to pressure Mike and Brian? It's ridiculous that this isn't being released. WTF is wrong with them?

I'd have thought that the thousands of people dying miserable deaths alone every day is more sad, but yes, not hearing music does push that into second place.

C'mon. In the grand scheme life and death issues will always trump talking about a band. Obviously the previous post was hyperbolic. I don't believe anybody literally thinks this thread is the saddest thing ever in human history. Anybody who has common sense realizes that.

I take all of these current events very, very seriously (see my posts in the 2020 touring band thread), but sorry, I've never been a fan of jumping into an *obviously not life and death* hobbyist (or whatever) discussion and dropping the mic with a "the world has real problems" commentary.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

This thread is literally the saddest thread ever. Is there anything we can do to pressure Mike and Brian? It's ridiculous that this isn't being released. WTF is wrong with them?

I'd have thought that the thousands of people dying miserable deaths alone every day is more sad, but yes, not hearing music does push that into second place.

C'mon. In the grand scheme life and death issues will always trump talking about a band. Obviously the previous post was hyperbolic. I don't believe anybody literally thinks this thread is the saddest thing ever in human history.

I take all of these current events very, very seriously (see my posts in the 2020 touring band thread), but sorry, I've never been a fan of jumping into an *obviously not life and death* hobbyist (or whatever) discussion and dropping the mic with a "the world has real problems" commentary. Anybody who has common sense realizes that.

I don't have common sense.

[guitarfool2002]

Since many have apparently not paid attention to many details revealed in this thread, especially from Howie, and continue to speculate that the release is delayed and possibly cancelled due to liner notes, etc., perhaps Billy or HeyJude could start a new thread on the status of this set.  I’d try myself but don’t want to screw it up.

Speaking as a moderator here, I think having one dedicated thread as we do now is the best way for people to easily find updates. When there are multiple threads things get lost in the shuffle.

What I will do is pin this thread so it appears at the top of the discussions so it's easy to find.

Any other requests or concerns please drop me a line.

[Vale]

I want the boxset dammit!

I've never wanted something so much.
Checking all the time for news here and there. I need this boxset.

[rab2591]

Project done, with obvious goal of being released. Project currently not planned for release. All but a notarized statement informing you that the hold-up is not due to COVID or the content of the set (not the music, not the liners, not the cover art, not the title, etc.). The prompt now: Let the band and everybody know we want this set and that both fans *and* the band will be better off for releasing it.

And this is what is so mind-blowing to me: that fans actually have to raise a fuss just so they can SPEND money right now. I don't know about the rest of you all, but COVID put a dent in the ol' finances. But yet here I am gladly willing to save up a little extra just to be able to listen to some amazing music. Think about that: during a global pandemic where the world is on the brink of financial chaos and we're all being told to BEG a certain band-member to allow us to spend our hard earned money on something other than essentials. Given the history of this band it shouldn't even surprise me that we need to beg the schoolyard bully to take our lunch-money.

I signed the petition, I may write on Mike's Facebook wall, but other than that I don't really know what more can be done.

It's funny, someone on the EH forum was bragging that their forum didn't "implode" due to the recent news about the Feel Flows set...implying that Smiley Smile supposedly "imploded" due to this news - no, what we have is 975+ posts in this thread alone that shows that hundreds of fans want this set...as opposed to the paltry 6 pages of dry musings from a prominent member there deflecting, as usual, any blame away from Mike Love. That place is worse than BBB.

[SMiLE Brian]

Thank god an "interested party" isn't after me and OSD anymore...

[rab2591]

Thank god an "interested party" isn't after me and OSD anymore...

The guy recently created a thread asking why people don't use their real names for their username. Gee whiz, maybe it's because they don't want to be friggin doxed by an "interested party", or they don't want the police called on them from halfway around the world imagine that!

Seriously, you can't make this stuff up. And sadly people willfully participate there.

[HeyJude]

Project done, with obvious goal of being released. Project currently not planned for release. All but a notarized statement informing you that the hold-up is not due to COVID or the content of the set (not the music, not the liners, not the cover art, not the title, etc.). The prompt now: Let the band and everybody know we want this set and that both fans *and* the band will be better off for releasing it.

And this is what is so mind-blowing to me: that fans actually have to raise a fuss just so they can SPEND money right now. I don't know about the rest of you all, but COVID put a dent in the ol' finances. But yet here I am gladly willing to save up a little extra just to be able to listen to some amazing music. Think about that: during a global pandemic where the world is on the brink of financial chaos and we're all being told to BEG a certain band-member to allow us to spend our hard earned money on something other than essentials. Given the history of this band it shouldn't even surprise me that we need to beg the schoolyard bully to take our lunch-money.

I signed the petition, I may write on Mike's Facebook wall, but other than that I don't really know what more can be done.

It's funny, someone on the EH forum was bragging that their forum didn't "implode" due to the recent news about the Feel Flows set...implying that Smiley Smile supposedly "imploded" due to this news - no, what we have is 975+ posts in this thread alone that shows that hundreds of fans want this set...as opposed to the paltry 6 pages of dry musings from a prominent member there deflecting, as usual, any blame away from Mike Love. That place is worse than BBB.

Anyone depicting this place "imploding" due to this news is *missing the entire point.*

News that this set was finished and is just sitting there unreleased was not just plopped onto this board as an "FYI." I think everybody wants the fans to let the band/pertinent parties know that this set should be released.

Otherwise, we'd all still be sitting here with thumbs up our a** assuming a release in the next few months given the talk of the set by several band members.

There's a reason we're talking about this, and a reason we're talking about it now.

[rab2591]

Exactly.

People here and elsewhere seem to be under the impression this is just delayed for a couple months. I don’t know how much more clear “Currently NOT scheduled for release” could be. Especially when the source is Howie Edelson who was passionate enough about this release to go out on a limb to get the fans involved.

[Lonely Summer]

Is it possible that someone in the BB's camp heard that the Let it Be reissue/remix/remake was postponed till 2021, and decided that was the way to go? It makes no sense to me. A lot of us have been stuck at home for the last 4 or 5 months, we've had plenty of time to listen to box sets, watch dvd's, they should get this stuff out now...and before we all die of covid.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Typical Beach Boys...have a chance to beat the Beatles to the punch, and instead it’s “nah, fam, we good“. 😒

[rab2591]

What are the odds that a certain band-member was pissed that another band-member boycotted The Beach Boys earlier this year. Granted, the boxset was supposed to come out February 2020 which is exactly when the boycott occurred, so more likely this thing was dead-in-the-water before then. But it does make me wonder.

A lot of us have been stuck at home for the last 4 or 5 months, we've had plenty of time to listen to box sets, watch dvd's, they should get this stuff out now...and before we all die of covid.

The Nintendo Switch gaming system seemingly sold out everywhere when the quarantine started. They were selling for like twice their price on Ebay for a while. People are itching for home entertainment. When Stebbins wrote that even "the label wants this thing released" I lost a lot of hope. The label knows this thing is a hot ticket item and it's being kicked to the curb for whatever reason. Now is the time.

[thetojo]

When Stebbins wrote that even "the label wants this thing released" I lost a lot of hope. The label knows this thing is a hot ticket item and it's being kicked to the curb for whatever reason. Now is the time.

The person holding this up just seems to like f###ing around as a form of point scoring - it assists his fragile ego to exert some control where he can, but at the end of the day he's smart enough to know (I hope) that he'll be better off $$-wise when he lets it through. That's my positive outlook on this.

In my country, there's a saying, "never stand between a labor politician and a bag of money". Mutandis mutandae, I feel this applies here. There's a substantial bag in this box set, and it's time dependent.

At the end of the day, greed will win out, but not before a point has been made within the group.

[TimeToGetAlone]

Question for those who might know: would all unreleased songs (up to the end of 1970) still need to see the light of day or risk falling into Europe's public domain? And, potentially, do you think we would still see alt versions of existing songs under some kind of digital release dump?

Obviously there would be a considerable loss in terms of the presentation of the boxset and what this offers to the Beach Boys' narrative, but I am genuinely curious from somebody who could say on a musical front the kind of impact a non-release would have in terms of actually hearing the songs in one format or another.

[pixletwin]

<<<<<shouts into the void>>>>>>>

It would be nice, as compensation, if BRI finally released that online sessionography they promised with MiC.... 

[Matt H]

Is it possible that some of the unreleased stuff is so good that some in the band believe it will make them look bad that it wasn't included on the albums originally?  Probably not, but that thought just popped into my head.

[Awesoman]

Unless I'm missing something, all Howie said was that it currently wasn't scheduled for release.  That could mean a number of things.  Do we have any actual information that any of the band members are deliberately holding up this release?  It seems like there is a lot of speculation going on for a project that was never officially announced in the first place.  Would be nice to get clarity on whether Howie's comments meant it was cancelled, postponed or just simply a release date hasn't been set yet. 

[Matt H]

This is the quote that made me think it may be cancelled:

I find it amazing reading through this thread that so many people have learned nothing about this band's fatal flaw...which historically is of course themselves. And definitely not all of them. Howie laid it all out for you in big flashing letters, but some people are still stumbling around, confused, wondering if it's Covid-19, or marketing, or the label that's holding this up. Jesus, c'mon people. Look at the f'n history of this band. Read Howie's posts because he knows everything. He can't name names because he's a professional with bridges intact and trying his best to keep them that way. This box could have been released months ago. It could have a solid release date right now. It's ready. We want it. The label wants it. But that can't happen because the circular firing squad is doing their thing ...again. It's often a one or two man circular firing squad BTW. People have written chapters in book's about it. Maybe this will get worked out, it doesn't look great right now. But if you wonder why? Look at the history of the band, the answer is obvious. Finding a way to f*** up a beautiful thing. It's in the DNA of the Beach Boys.

[Joel Goldenberg]

I sent very polite tweets to Brian, Mike and Al begging them to ensure the prompt release of the set.