The Best Album is Friends

[Rocker]

P.S. Check out an alternate version of Friends: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg8SO24gygU
Is there a moog on this track? Listen especially on the "Let's Be Friends" part to the bassy thing around 1:12 it's super funky like a clavinet or something. Don't hear that in the album mix.

I think I recognize that mix from one of the Unsurpassed Masters discs.  Could be wrong though.

Same as this methinks?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS8P-DI2aoI

Hey, that picture at 0:30 is cool. Never seen it before.

And what does Carl say at the end off-mic?

The Picture at 0.30 must be from I'd say late 70's?? 77 or 78?? Power of Google 
I don't know what Carl says at the end unfortunely Sorry I will listen more closely via headphone or even cut out and clean up the end bit will report back..

If anyone has that picture, could you please post it?

Regarding Carl: Thanks, it's not that important, so just take your time if you wanna try it.

[Mahalo]

Also I don't know how I feel about Do It Again. One way to conceptualize Friends is as an exploration of genres that were being done in the 60s especially around LA. Sunshine Pop, Psych, Exotica, Easy Listening, Bossa Nova, Jazz, Country Rock. It touches on all these different points and I think this album is the direct predecessor of The Turtle's Battle of The Bands. Friends doesn't have a unified concept like that LP does but it has a subtler spirit. That's why I like the addition of Do It Again as it touches on another key LA 60's music scene. The only problem I have is that I don't like Do It Again that much as a song.

It's automatic when I talk with old Friends...

[punkinhead]

For an alternate Friends I'd want to include I Went Sleep and/or Time To Get Alone.

I actually had both of those on my other mixes, but for the sake of keeping the disc short like the original Friends (as short as I could) I ended up saving those for another mix.

Mona Kani sounds like a great choice, never considered it... I guess since SMNL is not played that much in my own song cycles I decided to add it.... it really is a mellow tune...

I think We're Together Again fits perfectly.

[punkinhead]

Haven't read the whole thread but this seems to be fitting:

http://www.goldminemag.com/article/cover-story-friends-the-beach-boys-feel-good-record

Really nice read from Dave Beard. 
And it speaks to one of the reasons( maybe the most important) Mike disliked Dennis.  Dennis was the first to interact with Mike's Swami. Mike has stuck with it, to this day, but Dennis knew him first!  Oh how that must eat at Mike every darn day.  Dennis got all the girls first; Dennis had all the fun first; DENNIS knew and THEN  introduced Mike to Sexy Sadie. How to feel about that... 

that article has some great pictures!

[Music Machine]

I like keeping most of the original Friends running order but dropping Transcendental and have the last three tracks be I Went to Sleep, Diamond Head and Walk On By and then dropping the Smile material from 20/20 and making it all '68 - '69 material.

[hypehat]

It certainly is! Sat in the park listening to it today, it was wonderful.