"Does the Union Know You're Recording?"

[Surfs_Up]

Hi all.

I've been listening to my Good Vibrations box set, and I noticed that near the beginning of the Hang on to Your Ego sessions track on disc 5, someone in the recording booth asks "Does the union know you're recording?"  I'm guessing that this was during a recording with session musicians, and as such, the individual asking the question was wondering whether the musicians' union, probably the AFM, was aware that what was likely a rehearsal was being recorded.  Doesn't seem like it would be a big deal, but I know that the unions can be very strict about this kind of stuff.

Just curious if my assumption is correct, or if there's something else behind that comment.  By the way, a longer version of this same track also appears on the Pet Sounds box set.

[Paul R.]

I thought someone was chastising Brian for engineering at the board - which only an engineer in the union was supposed to be doing.

[Summer_Days]

And I thought it was response to Brian saying "this time we're gonna record with a tape recorder. Here we go!". Thought it was just humorous.