Promises Of SMILE

[petsite]

Ok, we have alot "experts" here. I was just going over the times we were promised SMILE. These are the ones I can think of. Add any you have as well.

1966-1967 - Original release of LP

Late 1967 - Ten track LP.

1972-1973 - Carl announces SMILE to be released at a London press conf.

1978 - SMILE tracks or a collage to be on LA (light album)

1979 - SMILE tracks to be on KTSA

1981 - SMILE tracks or collage to be on Ten Years or Harmony

1988 - Brian to work with group to release SMILE as a sessions CD.

1993 - SMILE tracks to be part of a five disc boxset (oh wait..that one IS true, sorry!)

1996-1997 - SMILE Session boxset similar to the PS boxset to be released.

Any more?

[sockittome]

This isn't much, but it's all I got:

As heard on the Endless Harmony Soundtrack, on the live track of "Wonderful/Don't Worry Bill" (Nov. 23, 1972), Mike introduces the set by saying, "Some years ago we did an album called SMiLE...and it should be out...this coming year..."

Does this help at all?

[Chris Brown]

This isn't much, but it's all I got:

As heard on the Endless Harmony Soundtrack, on the live track of "Wonderful/Don't Worry Bill" (Nov. 23, 1972), Mike introduces the set by saying, "Some years ago we did an album called SMiLE...and it should be out...this coming year..."

Does this help at all?

If I had to guess, that would coincide with Carl's plans from 72/73.

[Jonas]

2004 - BWPS

hehehehe

[juggler]

Any more?

Yeah, an article in the February 4, 1995 issue of Billboard reported that Capitol was working on a 3-CD set called "The Smile Era."  If I'm not mistaken, this was the project for which Frank Holmes was invited by Capitol to supplement his "Smile" drawings with new illustrations for tracks like Wonderful, Good Vibrations, Mrs O'Leary's Cow, etc.

[buddhahat]

Ok, we have alot "experts" here. I was just going over the times we were promised SMILE. These are the ones I can think of. Add any you have as well.

1966-1967 - Original release of LP

Late 1967 - Ten track LP.

1972-1973 - Carl announces SMILE to be released at a London press conf.

1978 - SMILE tracks or a collage to be on LA (light album)

1979 - SMILE tracks to be on KTSA

1981 - SMILE tracks or collage to be on Ten Years or Harmony

1988 - Brian to work with group to release SMILE as a sessions CD.

1993 - SMILE tracks to be part of a five disc boxset (oh wait..that one IS true, sorry!)

1996-1997 - SMILE Session boxset similar to the PS boxset to be released.

Any more?

Didn't David Leaf announce in a press conference around the time of BWPS's release that Brian & co were planning to release the smile sessions imminently? I think Brian was present when he announced this. I'm sure around this time Leaf described BWPS as part of some sort of stage by stage plan, culminating in the release of the original sessions. Obviously the grand goal (yet again) didn't materialise, but if anyone knows the date of this press conference, perhaps this could be added to the list!

[shelter]

We should all just form a union and collectively send a letter to Capitol.

Dear folks at Capitol,

We, All The Beach Boys Fans In The World, collectively refuse to buy any more hit compilations or "Pet Sounds" re-issues until we get a "Smile" box set similar to the "Pet Sounds Sessions" box.

So bring it on, dammit. Some of us are getting quite old and can't wait for another 42 years.

Sincerely,
All The Beach Boys Fans In The World.

PS: Tell Mike we'll collectively sue him if he writes the liner notes again. Not sure yet what we'll sue him for, but we'll think of something.

 

[shelter]

(sorry, double post)

[The Shift]

Bruce Johnston told a UK music paper back in the late 70s or early 80s that he was thinking of putting Smile sessions out as a box set to benefit UNICEF or something.  Unfortunately I no longer have the article as I sent it off to Mark Linett CA before Christmas, so can't be precise about what was said, when, or even in which journal! Perhaps Mark or Alan might help out if they've had chance to sort through the pile of mags yet?
Reading recent posts and articles about that period, I hadn't realised just how much of a spokesman for the band Bruce had become.

[Mr. Cohen]

Don't forget, the time-traveling psychedelic Brian Wilson almost released this SMiLE, a compilation album:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2gsBWRhqNc&feature=related

Track List:

It's Good News Week - Hedgehoppers Anonymous
Heroes & Villains - Beach Boys
Pictures of Matchstick Men - Status Quo
Itchycoo Park - The Small Faces
All I Wanna Do - The Beach Boys
Nearest Far Away Place - The Beach Boys

Good Vibrations - Beach Boys
I Think We're Alone Now - Tommy James & The Shondells
Windy - The Association
Hungry - Paul Revere & The Raiders
It's Wonderful - The Young Rascals
Whistle In - Beach Boys

Unfortunately, he's now lost, or so we think: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRF5jjlUFPQ&feature=related

[Bicyclerider]

I don't recall any stories regarding the 1988 projected Smile release that involved Brian doing further recording with the Beach Boys.  the initial plan was for a 2 CD sessions release, i.e. the famous "Linnett tape" the contents of which are reproduced in LLVS.  Then there were some stories that Brian would "finish" Smile with new lyrics by Landy and Morgan about therapy and mental health.  I guess that plan turned into Sweet Insanity and "Brian."

[Andrew G. Doe]

The post Pet Sounds Sessions projects were going to be:

1 - a "Good Vibrations" sessions CD (it's rumored this reached the mastering stage)

2 - a 3CD Smile Sessions set, comprising a "Heroes & Villains" disc, a 'best of the rest' disc and as close to a finished version as they could get, using the existing material.

[grillo]

The post Pet Sounds Sessions projects were going to be:

1 - a "Good Vibrations" sessions CD (it's rumored this reached the mastering stage)

2 - a 3CD Smile Sessions set, comprising a "Heroes & Villains" disc, a 'best of the rest' disc and as close to a finished version as they could get, using the existing material.

I remember reading about both of these things. The GV Box seemed moments away and then ...well, you know. I feel like the SMiLE box was also very close but somehow slipped away. The PS box kept getting pushed back, so I had hopes that these other sets would make it through the red tape in good time. Oh, what a fool believes...

[Dan Lega]

I was at a "Night with Brian Wilson" type thing, where Brian was interviewed in New York by some DJ probably about six months after the premiere of SMiLE in London.  David Leaf was there and he said he expected a box set of the original SMiLE sessions would be out within the next year.  This interview was taped and broadcast at a later point, and may have been put on the web for everyone to hear, too.

Someone mentioned 1995 as a date that Capitol was thinking about a SMiLE disc (or discs), and this may be true, but I thought they were also thinking about a SMiLE disc around 1991 when they were first putting all the Capitol albums on CD for the first time.  (This would have been the stuff Mark Linnet found, too.)


Love and merci,   Dan Lega

[petsite]

Bruce Johnston told a UK music paper back in the late 70s or early 80s that he was thinking of putting Smile sessions out as a box set to benefit UNICEF or something.  Unfortunately I no longer have the article as I sent it off to Mark Linett CA before Christmas, so can't be precise about what was said, when, or even in which journal! Perhaps Mark or Alan might help out if they've had chance to sort through the pile of mags yet?
Reading recent posts and articles about that period, I hadn't realised just how much of a spokesman for the band Bruce had become.

Bruce told Roger Scott during the Capitol Radio interview for KTSA that "the Smile tapes are around. They really are around. We just have to decide what to do with them, issue them for UNICEF or Cambodian Relief....."

[The Shift]

That might well be the same interview -  the paper probably based a piece on transcribed quotes.

Do you know what year that was petsite?

[petsite]

1980. The interview was run on Capitol radio London. It was later pressed by CBS UK onto a promo LP.

[The Shift]

Heh -  sure I've bid on one of those, unsuccessfully, in the past on eBay, so never heard it yet!

Many thanks for sharing the knowledge.

[mistermono]

There was a place here in Canada called CD Warehouse.  They had a hard copy catalogue that you could order out of and they updated an reprinted the catalogue each year.  It included coming releases as well as back-catalogue stuff.  I distinctly remember that around the time my Beach Boys obsession began (94-95) there was an entry, with a catalogue number for "The Beach Boys - Smile".  As soon as I saw that entry I placed a pre-order and checked in regularly after the release came and went.

I hasten to add that this was a strictly legit store - no boots.

[Roger Ryan]

There was a place here in Canada called CD Warehouse.  They had a hard copy catalogue that you could order out of and they updated an reprinted the catalogue each year.  It included coming releases as well as back-catalogue stuff.  I distinctly remember that around the time my Beach Boys obsession began (94-95) there was an entry, with a catalogue number for "The Beach Boys - Smile".  As soon as I saw that entry I placed a pre-order and checked in regularly after the release came and went.

I hasten to add that this was a strictly legit store - no boots.

Yeah, the "SMiLE Era" CD set was considered a real prospect in the mid-90s. The original plan was to release the "Pet Sounds Box Set" in spring of '96 (to commemorate the 30th anniversary) with a single or double disc "Good Vibrations" sessions release (featuring the first ever stereo mix - something we now know can not be done due to the vocal tracks being lost) following in October '96 and a 3-CD "SMiLE" set in '97. The idea is that each would commemorate their respective 30th anniversaries. Well, in-fighting delayed the "Pet Sounds Box Set" by a year-and-a-half and the follow-up projects collapsed.

Of course, the 40th anniversary release of the "Good Vibrations" single with sessions and alternate mixes/versions filled in for the never-released two-disc version discussed ten years earlier (and it had the first ever stereo mix of the backing track!).

[petsite]

Don Was also hinted at an interactive CD-ROM of SMiLE in 1995, no doubt thinking he would work on it with Brian.

[Dan Lega]

At one point during the early or mid 90's, the Tower record store at 4th Street in Manhattan had tab/slot marker for "Smile" in their Beach Boy CD section!  Now I don't know if it was because they had seen or heard something official, but I always thought it more likely just a joke or wishful thinking on the part of some enterprising employee there.

Love and merci,   Dan Lega

[Jay]

There was a place here in Canada called CD Warehouse.  They had a hard copy catalogue that you could order out of and they updated an reprinted the catalogue each year.  It included coming releases as well as back-catalogue stuff.  I distinctly remember that around the time my Beach Boys obsession began (94-95) there was an entry, with a catalogue number for "The Beach Boys - Smile".  As soon as I saw that entry I placed a pre-order and checked in regularly after the release came and went.

I hasten to add that this was a strictly legit store - no boots.

Somebody should try to track down that catalouge number.

[Jay]

Bruce told Roger Scott during the Capitol Radio interview for KTSA that "the Smile tapes are around. They really are around. We just have to decide what to do with them, issue them for UNICEF or Cambodian Relief....."

I wonder if that quote included tapes that are now thought to be lost? Just imagine if the Look vocal sessions had existed as "recently" as 1980. It almost makes you want to cry....

[petsite]

I don't think that there was anymore around in 1980 then there is now. Curt Becher and Bruce went through the SMiLE tapes, starting with LA and through to TYOH. Bruce also (he told me this once, guess he won't mind) that he even brought out the 8 track master for PS and made his own stereo mixes, just to play around. Bruce was living out the ultimate fan fantasy. He was allowed access to the entire Brother Vaults, especially when he was activly producing them.

You know, they didn't release Cousins, Friends and Brothers in 1982. They recorded California Dreamin', California Calling, Sweetie, Steve, I'm A Man etc. They had so many outtakes from previous LPs that they could have put something out then. Include SMILE tracks. Hell.