gfxgfx
 
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
logo
 
gfx gfx
gfx
680598 Posts in 27600 Topics by 4068 Members - Latest Member: Dae Lims March 28, 2024, 07:35:35 PM
*
gfx*HomeHelpSearchCalendarLoginRegistergfx
gfxgfx
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.       « previous next »
Pages: [1] Go Down Print
Author Topic: Love you (production, etc)  (Read 3523 times)
Rocker
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Online Online

Gender: Male
Posts: 10622


"Too dumb for New York City, too ugly for L.A."


View Profile WWW
« on: September 29, 2007, 03:34:36 AM »

One of my favorite Beach Boys-albums, I just listened yesterday to this record and there are somethings I would to discuss. No matter what you think about the songs or performances, this album has one of the best sounds of any BBs-album, imo almost as great as "Sunflower" and "Surf's up", that's why I wonder how it was recorded and produced.
For example, I think the drums on "Honkin' down the highway" absolutely kick ass, so anyone know how they were recorded? What kind of mics and how were they placed?

It also seems that some singing was doubled (Dennis on "I'll bet he's nice") and some not (Carl's lead on "Let us go on that way") and that many of the background voices are only Brian, including the astonishing harmonies on "The night was so young". What were the reasons? Didn't the other BBs wanna participate on their new album? Carl and Dennis are more often heard than Mike and Al, so was it a fraction-thing? Why wasn't Mike on the backgrounds to "Let us go on..." (which again is only Brian) but is singing the middle-eight?

What about the mix? Did Carl do that and how many input did Brian have on that? I think the album is very well mixed. I would love if we can get very deep into the making and recording of this album.
Are there any session-tapes on bootleg? Do they even exist in the vaults?
Logged

a diseased bunch of mo'fos if there ever was one… their beauty is so awesome that listening to them at their best is like being in some vast dream cathedral decorated with a thousand gleaming American pop culture icons.

- Lester Bangs on The Beach Boys


PRO SHOT BEACH BOYS CONCERTS - LIST


To sum it up, they blew it, they blew it consistently, they continue to blow it, it is tragic and this pathological problem caused The Beach Boys' greatest music to be so underrated by the general public.

- Jack Rieley
Wirestone
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 6043



View Profile
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2007, 02:32:22 PM »

I've never heard any sessions to the album.

I believe Mike wrote the bridge to GPLUGOTW (how's that for an acronym), which is why he sang it.

From what I've heard, Carl basically assembled the album from Brian's sessions. He was very respectful to the rough-hewn nature of the project, though -- he didn't polish much at all.
Logged
Andrew G. Doe
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 17767


The triumph of The Hickey Script !


View Profile WWW
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2007, 02:40:47 PM »

Um, actually Carl did quite a bit of polishing. Quite a bit...

There are tapes/CDRs of some of the vocal sessions around, and the band do sing a lot of bvs. Even on "Solar System", which sounds like a solo BW track.
Logged

The four sweetest words in my vocabulary: "This poster is ignored".
Wirestone
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 6043



View Profile
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2007, 03:03:17 PM »

Andrew: So what would this polishing entail? Just in terms of the instrumental presence, Carl doesn't play guitar a great deal. Most of the other instruments sound like Brian. So what did he add (or subtract)? Just wondering -- it certainly doesn't sound like your typical Carl production.
Logged
c-man
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 4941


View Profile WWW
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2007, 06:09:34 PM »

You can definitely hear Dennis singing on the backgrounds of GPLUGOTW (listen with headphones for the "Dear Lord...oh, Dear Lord", which I think is in the second verse). 
Logged
Magic Transistor Radio
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 2974


Bill Cooper Mystery Babylon


View Profile
« Reply #5 on: September 29, 2007, 08:02:05 PM »

I've never heard any sessions to the album.

I believe Mike wrote the bridge to GPLUGOTW (how's that for an acronym), which is why he sang it.

From what I've heard, Carl basically assembled the album from Brian's sessions. He was very respectful to the rough-hewn nature of the project, though -- he didn't polish much at all.

Man, I would love to hear sessions or even just backing tracks to these songs! The same with Friends. I really enjoy the creative drumming style on this album. A similar style of drumming is on Friends and a few other tracks. Which makes me wonder who is playing drums? I've heard that Brian played drums on Funky Pretty which also has this style of drumming. Dennis seems to have a bit more straight foward approach, at least on his own songs.
Logged

"Over the years, I've been accused of not supporting our new music from this era (67-73) and just wanting to play our hits. That's complete b.s......I was also, as the front man, the one promoting these songs onstage and have the scars to show for it."
Mike Love autobiography (pg 242-243)
Wirestone
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 6043



View Profile
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2007, 08:07:53 PM »

I always heard that Brian played drums on a lot of the tracks, but Dennis is on Mona, I believe, as well as Honkin Down the Highway and I Wanna Pick You Up (?). Ding Dang and Good Time don't count, either, being earlier recordings.
Logged
Magic Transistor Radio
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 2974


Bill Cooper Mystery Babylon


View Profile
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2007, 08:11:32 PM »

I always heard that Brian played drums on a lot of the tracks, but Dennis is on Mona, I believe, as well as Honkin Down the Highway and I Wanna Pick You Up (?). Ding Dang and Good Time don't count, either, being earlier recordings.

A lot of 'Love You' tracks or BBs tracks? I'm sure you meant the album itself. I wonder if the same is true on 'Friends'
Logged

"Over the years, I've been accused of not supporting our new music from this era (67-73) and just wanting to play our hits. That's complete b.s......I was also, as the front man, the one promoting these songs onstage and have the scars to show for it."
Mike Love autobiography (pg 242-243)
Sheriff John Stone
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 5309



View Profile
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2007, 08:18:37 PM »

One thing I like about Love You is that, for me, Brian seemed to be in his element. That being, the two minute song.

I can appreciate some of Brian's "longer" tracks like "Add Some Music", "Cool Cool Water", "A Day In The Life Of A Tree", "Marcella", "You Need A Mess Of Help", and "Funky Pretty" - all cool tracks, great tracks - but Brian had a certain magic/talent, where he could fit so much into 1:55 - 2:30. And he did that masterfully on Love You, much like his earlier hit-making days.   
« Last Edit: September 29, 2007, 08:46:32 PM by Sheriff John Stone » Logged
Jay
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Posts: 5985



View Profile
« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2007, 08:26:26 PM »

Are there any session-tapes on bootleg? Do they even exist in the vaults?
There are a few "alternate mixes" of some songs. There is also a version of Honkin' Down The Highway with Billy Hinche(spelling?) singing lead.
Logged

A son of anarchy surrounded by the hierarchy.
Andrew G. Doe
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 17767


The triumph of The Hickey Script !


View Profile WWW
« Reply #10 on: September 29, 2007, 09:00:01 PM »

Carl's mix made the tracks, for want of a better word, 'brighter'.
Logged

The four sweetest words in my vocabulary: "This poster is ignored".
phirnis
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 2594



View Profile
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2007, 12:20:32 AM »

I'd love to hear the backing track of I Wanna Pick You up. Listen to those Switched-On Bach-like synthesizer touches in the second verse. Heartbreaking.
Logged
Rocker
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Online Online

Gender: Male
Posts: 10622


"Too dumb for New York City, too ugly for L.A."


View Profile WWW
« Reply #12 on: September 30, 2007, 02:06:52 AM »

I, of course, heard the piano demos and also the alt. version of "Honkin' down..." but I was wondering if any session tapes like for "Today!" (SOT) for example exist. Would be interesting to hear them.

@AGD: Which BBs sang on "Solar system", as, like you said, it really sounds liek Brian-solo?

Does a musicians-list exist? I always wondered if it's Carl's guitar on "The night was so young" or someone else's...
Logged

a diseased bunch of mo'fos if there ever was one… their beauty is so awesome that listening to them at their best is like being in some vast dream cathedral decorated with a thousand gleaming American pop culture icons.

- Lester Bangs on The Beach Boys


PRO SHOT BEACH BOYS CONCERTS - LIST


To sum it up, they blew it, they blew it consistently, they continue to blow it, it is tragic and this pathological problem caused The Beach Boys' greatest music to be so underrated by the general public.

- Jack Rieley
c-man
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 4941


View Profile WWW
« Reply #13 on: September 30, 2007, 06:31:15 AM »

I, of course, heard the piano demos and also the alt. version of "Honkin' down..." but I was wondering if any session tapes like for "Today!" (SOT) for example exist. Would be interesting to hear them.

@AGD: Which BBs sang on "Solar system", as, like you said, it really sounds liek Brian-solo?

Does a musicians-list exist? I always wondered if it's Carl's guitar on "The night was so young" or someone else's...

In most cases, I doubt if "session tapes" as such exist, like they do for "Today!", because Brian was doing most of the instruments himself, one-at-a-time, assembly-line style, and in most cases if someone else played the guitar, for instance, it would've been an overdub and the only remaining take would be the final one.  That said, you might catch, for instance, someone saying something like "OK, Carl" at the start or at the end of a guitar o/d. 

I've always thought the guitars on "The Night Was So Young" and "Roller Skating Child" sound very Carl-like, whereas the guitars on "Honkin'" or "Let's Put Our Hearts Together", for instance, sound less Carl-like (and thus probably Billy or Eddie...Eddie definitely played the guitar on "Mona", according to Earle Mankey). 

Sonically, this album knocked me out right from the first time my (then 14-year old) ears heard it.  The opening punch of the first two cuts is just SO impressive!  And, oddly enough, I hadn't yet heard the entire "15 Big Ones" album (just the two singles).  As a matter of fact, other than "Endless Summer", "Love You" was the first BBs album I heard all the way through!  Imagine that!
Logged
Andrew G. Doe
Smiley Smile Associate
*
Offline Offline

Gender: Male
Posts: 17767


The triumph of The Hickey Script !


View Profile WWW
« Reply #14 on: September 30, 2007, 09:41:13 AM »

@AGD: Which BBs sang on "Solar system", as, like you said, it really sounds liek Brian-solo?


All of 'em.  Smiley
Logged

The four sweetest words in my vocabulary: "This poster is ignored".
gfx
Pages: [1] Go Up Print 
gfx
Jump to:  
gfx
Powered by SMF 1.1.21 | SMF © 2015, Simple Machines Page created in 0.603 seconds with 22 queries.
Helios Multi design by Bloc
gfx
Powered by MySQL Powered by PHP Valid XHTML 1.0! Valid CSS!