Beach Boys:An American Family Soundtrack

[jimmyboy]

I just watched a copy of the above mentioned ABC-TV movie and noticed all kinds of little gems in the soundtrack. Stuff from Smile,some live stuff and possibly a demo from Dennis doing "Forever". At the time of its production I remember reading that Brian even went in the studio and did some  stuff for it. Does anyone have any knowledge of what went into scoring this film? Thanks

[punkinhead]

Basically, they went into the vaults and pulled out different stuff and a lot of it appears on the Hawthorne CA compilation....The 'forever' demo you refer to is just denny's vocals with whom I think Brian is playing the piano (2000)...Brian did record some vocal parts that make for some odd sounding vocals for a young Brian, vocals for In My Room, I get Around, and I think one other. He also did piano for a lot of parts, I think Don't Talk, Wouldn't it be Nice, the Honeys' He's a Doll.  The chord they make during the I get around sessions, before Brian fires Murry, is taken from a vocal only selection of Can't wait Too Long.  The Smile selection you write about was written by Alan Boyd (I think!), it was smile inspired (love to say dada/cabinessence-esq-lyrics). The Shut Down version is on the Hawthorne CA comp as well. Surfin' USA (live) is from the extra disc on the GV boxed set and Fun Fun Fun is taken from the In Concert album

[punkinhead]

OH! and how could I forget   

The Shortenin' Bread riff was played over and over and a bearded Brian asks everyone if they know that song.

[jimmyboy]

Thanks a lot Pumpkinhead! Very cool of you.

[Wirestone]

Gary Griffin, who has toured with the Boys, Brian and Jan and Dean was the music director. He's clearly how Brian got involved. That being said, everyone on the Wilson side of things (including Boyd, Parks, etc.) was kind of blindsided by how the movie ended up infantalizing Brian. Van threatened a lawsuit IIRC, necessitating a hasty overdubbed name change of his character, for instance.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Basically, they went into the vaults and pulled out different stuff and a lot of it appears on the Hawthorne CA compilation....The 'forever' demo you refer to is just denny's vocals with whom I think Brian is playing the piano (2000)...Brian did record some vocal parts that make for some odd sounding vocals for a young Brian, vocals for In My Room, I get Around, and I think one other. He also did piano for a lot of parts, I think Don't Talk, Wouldn't it be Nice, the Honeys' He's a Doll.  The chord they make during the I get around sessions, before Brian fires Murry, is taken from a vocal only selection of Can't wait Too Long.  The Smile selection you write about was written by Alan Boyd (I think!), it was smile inspired (love to say dada/cabinessence-esq-lyrics). The Shut Down version is on the Hawthorne CA comp as well. Surfin' USA (live) is from the extra disc on the GV boxed set and Fun Fun Fun is taken from the In Concert album

A little clarification...

The piano on "Forever" isn't Brian: I may be wrong but I recall reading that someone (Gary Griffin ?) added that to the isolated vocal...

Brian's only contributions were the sore-thumb vocals for "I Get Around", "In My Room" and, I think, the Honeys song. No piano. (Again, corrections welcomed).

"Geronimo Leaps" was written by Gary Griffin, lyric by Alan Boyd: a full version was later recorded. This happened because VDP refused permission for his lyrics to be used in the movie (and yes, it does sound awfully like "Da Da").

[punkinhead]

alright, sounds good, most of my post was under the 'I think' assumption besides the vault stuff...I love hearing the piano stuff though!

BTW, what about the SPector track on it? I know it wasn't actually a spector track, was it supposed to sound like be my baby?  It sounded like an awesome wall of sound moment

[Andrew G. Doe]

alright, sounds good, most of my post was under the 'I think' assumption besides the vault stuff...I love hearing the piano stuff though!

BTW, what about the SPector track on it? I know it wasn't actually a spector track, was it supposed to sound like be my baby?  It sounded like an awesome wall of sound moment

Ah, the 'Spector' track. Can't recall iffn it was here or on A N Other BB MB, but someone insisted it was a pukka PS track, and gave me a hard time about it. Until I played the ace and told them Gary Griffin had written it, and that I knew this was a fact as, via a mutual friend, he'd confirmed it. Game, set and, I do believe, match. 

[punkinhead]

alright, sounds good, most of my post was under the 'I think' assumption besides the vault stuff...I love hearing the piano stuff though!

BTW, what about the SPector track on it? I know it wasn't actually a spector track, was it supposed to sound like be my baby?  It sounded like an awesome wall of sound moment

Ah, the 'Spector' track. Can't recall iffn it was here or on A N Other BB MB, but someone insisted it was a pukka PS track, and gave me a hard time about it. Until I played the ace and told them Gary Griffin had written it, and that I knew this was a fact as, via a mutual friend, he'd confirmed it. Game, set and, I do believe, match. 

what's that?

[ESQ Editor]

Best part is Brian Wilson actually singing on "I Get Around" in Part I.

[Andrew G. Doe]

alright, sounds good, most of my post was under the 'I think' assumption besides the vault stuff...I love hearing the piano stuff though!

BTW, what about the SPector track on it? I know it wasn't actually a spector track, was it supposed to sound like be my baby?  It sounded like an awesome wall of sound moment

Ah, the 'Spector' track. Can't recall iffn it was here or on A N Other BB MB, but someone insisted it was a pukka PS track, and gave me a hard time about it. Until I played the ace and told them Gary Griffin had written it, and that I knew this was a fact as, via a mutual friend, he'd confirmed it. Game, set and, I do believe, match. 

what's that?

PS = Phil Spector.

[brother john]

I was struck by how much the character who plays Carl looks like Brian (not Carl) and how little like Brian the actor playing him looks. And yes, Brian is played as if he's a lunatic from the start, and oh...! those terrible wigs... WTF!!??!!

[A Million Units In Jan!]

Doesn't Brian at one part play the SMiLE piano bit 'tag to part 1'? If I remember, it's when he's decided to scrap SMiLE, and he's pretty depressed about it.

[punkinhead]

I remember him playin a smile like piano part when he's offered brownies and all the leeches are watching tv...he also plays a familiar bit (when bearded) after the Add Some music segment when telling that he had something 'new'