The Alan Boyd Thread

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Alan, just thought I'd repost this in case you missed it.  If you didn't miss it, sorry to pester.

What's even more remarkable about that song is the fact that ALL I WANNA DO, unlike much of the album, was done entirely 8 track (it had been produced for the unreleased "Last Capitol Album" in 1969).  Interesting note:  for that song, the documentation from the original recording session at Gold Star on 3/19 1969 states the song was produced by Carl Wilson....

Oh wow...so is there any documentation as to what was done at Gold Star on All I Wanna Do and what was done at the house?  Or did any of the Gold Star session make it to the final release at all?  It certainly sounds pretty "housey" to me.

Such a fascinating period, the post 20/20 sessions.  It's really hard to keep track of what was happening when and where.  Like Dennis cutting the Slip on Through version 1 at Gold Star, then again, anew at the house.  Until I found out that was a seperate session, I thought that had been started at Gold Star and finished off at the house.

[Alan Boyd]

Unfortunately, the documentation for ALL I WANNA DO doesn't indicate which tracks may have been added at the home studio.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

OK, thanks.  Listening to it again, thinking about how I would go about pulling that mix off from eight tracks really gave me a new appreciation for the mix.  I think it's kind of deceptively dense.  After the intro, really it's basically bass driven, with the light weird-sounding drumming.  Then later the distorted guitar line or possibly moog line comes in.  Everything else is filled out by the dense group vocals.

[Alan Boyd]

The 1971 recording of SEA CRUISE seems to be a Dennis solo track, more like a rough jam session.  Dennis is obviously winging it - he doesn't really know all the words.  The version cut for 15 BIG ONES was an entirely new recording.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

he doesn't really know all the words.

I'm not sure that's a bad thing.  What a funny song.

[Jason]

Alan, you mentioned in an earlier post that in your research you found a considerable number of work tapes. What kind of material was on these tapes?

[DJF]

Hey Alan,

Sounds like you are having a great time getting to listen to and investigate so many great things.  I hope that someday much of this will see the light of day in some form or other.  Much of it must be great just from a curiosity standpoint and I can imagine many of us would willingly spend hours of our time to hear it.  What a way to make a living LOL

Was just playing your CD the other day and really enjoying that as well.  If I ever get down your way again, do I really need an excuse?, I'll let you know.  Thanks for sharing so much information on this and the other boards.

Dave Fluker

[Alan Boyd]

Hey Gilroy Dave!

Sure thing - lemme know when you feel like trading garlic for smog!

In terms of work tapes - from the 1970s especially there are lots of original session tapes, where you can hear the group working on songs, take after take in some cases.  We've recently been preserving and transferring lots of SUNFLOWER-era reels, tracking sessions on songs like This Whole World, Raspberries & Strawberries/At My Window, Forever, Susie Cincinatti, etc. 

For material from the late 70s there are also quite a few work tapes of rough mixes, and works-in-progress.  We've barely scratched the surface there in terms of transferring and making safety masters of these....

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

We've recently been preserving and transferring lots of SUNFLOWER-era reels, tracking sessions on songs like This Whole World, Raspberries & Strawberries/At My Window, Forever, Susie Cincinatti, etc.

That is perhaps the best and most heartening news I've ever heard.  And tantalizing.  Fantastic.

[Mitchell]

Nice!

[Charles LePage @ ComicList]

Alan, if BRI decides they would like someone to create a vast online library of all the tapes you are preserving, be sure to let me know.   

[DJF]

Hey Alan!

I'll let you know when I have my next road trip scheduled since I will be coming your way!  Garlic, smog, it's all good

Boy, wouldn't it be nice in a few years if the archival material or some of it was available online.  I bet there is just so much great stuff to listen to , you must just enjoy working on that. 

Dave Fluker

[Rocker]

Hi Alan,

do you know if the tapes for the "In concert"-album are complete? I ak because after looking through Eric's great(!!!) setlist-site I came across this: http://members.tripod.com/~fun_fun_fun/8-73.html
I guess if some songs from this concert were recorded, there may have been some other, and this raises the questin if a live soundboard-recording of the Boys doing "River Song" exists....

[XY]

I read they also recorded a 1973 concert with Brian guesting on a few songs for IN CONCERT. Is there something in the vaults, Alan? And do you know if any of the 1970 appearances with Brian were recorded? Thanks!

[Rocker]

Yeah, forgot about that one. I think you said, Jasper, that Bruce was also guesting on that concert. So there we had 8 Beach Boys on stage. That must've been a show with great, great vocals (okay maybe not greater but fuller as normal)

[Alan Boyd]

There are approximately 8 billion reels of concert tapes recorded during the 1972-1973 tours..... at least, that's what it seemed like listing them all.  There are tapes with RIVER SONG listed, but we haven't gotten around to those yet.  There is tape of a show in Hollywood that Brian is supposed to have guested at (not the one where the group played DAY IN THE LIFE OF A TREE, sadly).  Nothing from 1970, though.

Alan

[Rockard]

Wow! Incredible news!

[XY]

Well...half-incredible news! As a hyper-fanatic Brian Wilson nut I was quietly hoping that at least one of those 1970 gigs would exist on tape (in acceptable sound quality)... Great to know that so many tapes of the best BB touring years are around.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Alan, one more little question about "All I Wanna Do," is there any indication as to what is responsible for the mechanical sounding percussion that goes throughout the track?  It doesn't sound like the Rhythm King, but I'm fairly certain it's not produced directly by a human, because when I drag a copy of the song one bar over, the beat syncs up perfectly for the rest of the song with absolutely no variation. 

[Alan Boyd]

Hmmmm.... hard to say....


1st generation
1 - left drums
2 - guitar
3 - Right drums
4 - piano
5 - bass
6 - Roxi
7 - Doubled Roxi
8 - Out of Tune Roxi

2nd generation ?
1 - L Stereo
2 - Fuzz
3 - R stereo
4 - Mike
5 - L OD stereo
6 - Double BG (gtar - trump - Ztar and Ztar OD crossed off)
7 - Right OD stereo
8 - Du Duits

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

You didn't have to list all that!  I've been trying to limit making you do that.  You could have just said "no."  But I'm glad you didn't.     Thanks. 

Roxi?  Three of these Roxis, as well, doubled and out of tune.  I'm guessing that "left drums" and "right drums" are the tom fill in the beginning...

[petsite]

Hey Alan, glad to see you still haunt this board. I hate when LIFE sticks it's ass in to my BB time.

Anyway, two quickies.

1.) Is there a tune called Boys & Girls writtenby Brian for KTSA in the vaults.

AND.....

2.) Since the LAST CAPITOL ALBUM reel says saftey copy on it, was a copy sent to Capitol? The reason I ask is that if Cotonfields and The Lord's Prayer are DUOPHONIC, wouldn't that have been done by Cap and not at Brother Studios?

Thanks,

Bob Flory

[Alan Boyd]

There is indeed a basic track (no vocals) for BOYS & GIRLS, and I think it's pretty killer.  Very upbeat, nice changes.... just the kind of thing we were hoping Brian would come up with back in '79.  I included that track amongst the unreleased goodies we officially presented at Susan Lang's "Busy Doin' Something" gathering back in 2003.

I don't know if Capitol ever received the LAST CAPITOL ALBUM from The Beach Boys.  The Beach Boys still have the original master - or what's left of it (several tracks were snagged from that reel for inclusion on master reels for SUNFLOWER and THE SECOND WARNER BROTHERS ALBUM).  I have no idea how or where (or why) those duophonic remasters were done, to tell the truth.

Alan

[petsite]

Thanks Alan for the info.

I may have asked you this in the past so please forgive the repeat.

In an interview done in San Francisco in Dec. 1981 (when the BB were playing the Circle Theatre), Brian said that the group has cut Sweetie with Alan, Mike and Brian singing a combined lead. He goes into great detail on this and even talked of the key of the song (B).

Was this found in the vaults.

Also, the version of GV on the Rarities LP of 1983 came from The Best Summers Of Our Lives 1/4 track reels sent to radio stations. As of 2000 (the last time I checked) that mix had not turned up in the vault. Has it since been found?

Thanks again,

Bob

[Alan Boyd]

Hi Bob,

1.  Yes. 

2.  Haven't located this... but we do have the 1/4" master of that radio show.

Alan