SWEET INSANITY - DUPE CASSETTE

[petsite]

I always like to look at the yahoo japan page cause they always seem to have interesting items for auction. This item really caught my eye. It is a promo cassette sent out by Brains and Genuis of the second mix of SWEET INSANITY. Someone is going to get a great deal.

http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r50403664

[harveyw]

A few of these have been surfacing lately. A couple were up for auction at this year's UK Fanclub convention (no takers), and there's one up for sale on Rockaway's website right now
http://www.rockaway.com/online/online/title.php?ItemID=14284
Which looks like a total bargain to me.

[the captain]

I always like to look at the yahoo japan page cause they always seem to have interesting items for auction. This item really caught my eye. It is a promo cassette sent out by Brains and Genuis of the second mix of SWEET INSANITY. Someone is going to get a great deal.

http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r50403664

The only way someone gets a great deal is if the "seller" sends it free, and pays the listener besides. As far as I'm concerned, it's pretty much as bad as the Beach Boys material of the time.

[Exapno Mapcase]

"As far as I'm concerned"

Yeah, we know, Luther, we know...

[the captain]

Sorry, how about this: Wow, what a great deal for whoever is lucky enough to get that one! While I may have said negative things about it in the past, I was clearly wrong not to agree with those of you who consider this album full of 80s goodness. Rainbow Eyes is on par with the best the man ever did. My previous opinions are very, very wrong, and that I held to them showed stubbornness, not consistent honesty.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Luther, you're on fire today! Did ya have a good New Year's Eve? Keep posting, I'm enjoying the reading....

[the captain]

No, people will think I'm being contrary and nasty and all that. I don't want that. Besides, it's a busy recording day for me today (and lately--3 new songs finished and posted in the past week ... 2 of them today!).

[art rush]

Did I leave my keys in here?

[LeeDempsey]

Apparently an entire box of these were found by the Landy family as they were going through his belongings after his death.  Rockaway has multiple copies for sale for $30.00 U.S.  There is also a version with a beige j-card with a slightly different lineup, and (EDIT) cassette singles of "Smart Girls" and "In My Car," all of which were made to be given out by Landy as gifts and for promotional use.  The quality is pristine; better than any of the bootleg CD's that surfaced in the '90s.

Lee

[Sheriff John Stone]

....all of which were made to be given out by Landy as gifts and for promotional use.

I'm confused. For promotional use? Did Brian have a recording contract? Did Landy think this was the finished product, the version that was ultimately going to be released?   

[the captain]

Did Landy think this was the finished product, the version that was ultimately going to be released?   

Well they certainly thought it was finished: it was turned in (although rejected). And so any remix of it would have presumably also have thought to have been finished. It's not like Sweet Insanity was Smile or anything, sitting around in fragments. It was a complete album.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Did Landy think this was the finished product, the version that was ultimately going to be released?   

Well they certainly thought it was finished: it was turned in (although rejected). And so any remix of it would have presumably also have thought to have been finished. It's not like Sweet Insanity was Smile or anything, sitting around in fragments. It was a complete album.

But, my point is, why hand out copies of an album that hasn't even been contracted/released? Again, for promotional reasons? What was he promoting? An unreleased album? 

[the captain]

I don't know what the label situation was, but whomever they were turning it in to (Sire?) must have been fronting the cash, so I assume there was a deal in place, but that the album was simply rejected. As for promo, yeah. They weren't thinking "Hey, let's hand out promotions of this album even though it will be rejected and remain unreleased." I'm sure Landy figured it would be well received. Unless I'm mistaken, they didn't just have promo materials available, but they actually had been giving them out. Just building a buzz (or hoping to), I suppose. I don't see it as too unusual. Funny that Landy would be the one doing it instead of the label, but that's Landy...

[Exapno Mapcase]

I don't rate most of the album either but maybe not everyone feels that way does and it's really handy of you to imply somoene's an idiot because they think they're getting a great deal

[the captain]

I don't rate most of the album either but maybe not everyone feels that way does and it's really handy of you to imply somoene's an idiot because they think they're getting a great deal

I didn't. And I recognize not everyone feels the way I do: in fact, I encourage that. All I did was make a joke about my feeling of the album's quality. You're the one who made it personal. Anyway, the thread has moved on past that point. Please don't revisit it.

[Exapno Mapcase]

It was a joke!?  Okay, pucker up and we'll agree to differ.

Now on a more serious note, was the first version merely a working version?  I'm guessing Landy had the final say on whether to Bob or not - or was the first rejected and he decided to fiddle around before submitting the second.  Or is the second purely the result of the bootleg market?

[the captain]

Yep, joke. My humor doesn't translate well into SmileySmileness, as I've often learned...but I'm not giving up. To your question, my understanding is that the first version was intended as finished product, turned in as such to Sire, where it was rejected. The second was the reworking, and so the second stab at finished product. But I'm sure someone more into that kind of research could be much more definitive.

[Exapno Mapcase]

I recall the anticipation being considerable.  Landy saying the next one was going to be a huge leap, musically (as opposed to off a cliff, which it nearly was); there were also stories about Brian being on a roll, completing loads of new songs.  Was it this time that he began to put on weight again or was it after SI was rejected?

What has always surprised me was that SI has its fans.  I remember reading a piece in Mojo (I think by Bill Holdhsip, but I may be well off the mark here) claiming it was better than BW88, but, even taking the production feel of the time into account, it just seems overblown - with, in some cases, flimsy songs with inflated arrangements and production.  At times, he seemed desperately short of a good melody - something he suffers from to some extent today. That said, I wish he'd recorded a good version of Don't Let Her Know...

[Sheriff John Stone]

I was always a fan of Sweet Insanity (hate the title, though). I thought the arrangements and melodies were strong. And, I believed that with the right producer and the all crucial final track selection, it could've been better than BW88. Just an opinion...

[lance]

My biggest problem by far is the vocals...not the backing vocals, the leads. I think that is his worst period as a singer, I think he sounds better now than he did in 1990. Normally it wouldn't matter, but BW songs, more than most writers call for nice sounding lead vocals IMHO.

[TdHabib]

While I've always liked BW88 a good deal (it gets about a B+ from me), Sweet Insanity is a bit more of a stretch, mainly because, while the melodies are still strong, some of the lyrics are getting weaker. That being said, "Don't Let Her Know She's an Angel," the SECOND version, is an absolute classic. Great Brian vocal (sounds like 70s Brian in spots, including the falsetto backups) and a terrific tune including much improved lyrics. "Someone to Love" is a real good rocker, "Water Builds Up" is another classic and I must say I kinda like "Make a Wish" as a bit of fun. The rest, while not horrible, doesn't quite meet the BW standard for me. "Smart Girls," though, is an absolute hoot!

[petsite]

I ordered mine. No matter what you think of the merits of the album, it is still a piece of history. And I like alot of it. Spirit Of Rock And Roll is so much stronger than the released version from 2001 (I ignore the Dylan vocals).

[Andrew G. Doe]

What "released version from 2001" ?  Until the Hallmark CD, the only 'released' version was the one on the 1986 25th Anniversary TV special.

[MBE]

I still think SI is a bomb. I don't like any of it really. Some songs are better then others, but I think this is Brian at his very worst. Vocally, production wise, lyrics, even melody.

[petsite]

Spirit Of Rock And Roll was recorded arond the same time as California Feeling in 2001. That is what I have been told. Didn't come out until 2006.