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| August 17, 2022, 07:13:18 AM |
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: \
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on: August 10, 2022, 09:36:58 AM
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I think one of the downsides to GIOMH is that most of the songs on the album go on for 4+ minutes. Back in the 60s he'd make these 2-3 minute (closer to 2 minute) songs that were just the right length to keep you interested. I feel like if each song on GIOMH was chopped in half it would have a lot more appeal.
So this song, A Friend Like You, isn't a monumental sonic achievement, however it is kinda catchy - and I feel like if it clocked in at around 2 minutes it would be appreciated a lot more.
Man, this is a good point. Something that Joe Thomas picked up on, actually — both Imagination and NPP have some super short songs. The new soundtrack, too.
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Brian Wilson - 2022 Tour Thread (Plus Archived 2021)
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on: August 05, 2022, 05:57:07 PM
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Something happened during the break.
They took a week or so off around July 4. The shows up to then had been uneven, from reports, but you could see BW working hard. His 80th birthday show, which I saw, was more than fine. You could see the cracks, but they were papered over fairly well.
That being said, from all reports things worsened after that break. You can usually expect BW to catch fire at some point during a tour — it happened in 2019, there were some good reports last year. But it didn’t happen this time. Went the other way.
It’s not just physical, though. He’s going through some stuff, and it should be clear to anyone. That’s why it feels weird to discuss.
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: SMiLE was ready in 1967 - discuss
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on: July 28, 2022, 12:18:09 PM
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For me, Brian's vocals on BWPS are actually key -- they're what makes the entire endeavor a discrete artistic entity, one deserving of its own recognition and praise. Sure, most of the material had been composed more than 30 years before. But the arrangement, a handful of new lyrics and (above all) his willingness to engage with the material made the project special. This wasn't a remake, it was a resurrection, one as much personal as it was musical.
So hearing the 60-something Brian doesn't just make sense. It deepens the artistic experience. It makes a teenage symphony to God a parallel old man's testimony of survival. The quest of the music isn't just across the United States, but is from childhood to old age and beyond. It transforms Smile from being an assemblage of mid-60s concepts into a layered metaphor of Brian's own endurance. When you hit that Hawaii section at the end, when the music transforms into a joyous bounce, you're celebrating an artistic renewal.
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: 60th Anniversary Tour
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on: June 30, 2022, 08:57:39 PM
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I think the deal was primarily about the payoff for the guys. That and better catalog management, licensing, etc. They have no ability to make Mike do anything he doesn’t want to do, and he’s certainly not going to do a reunion like the 50th again, for reasons that have been litigated at length. The 60th anniversary wasn’t really the point of the deal, just another potential opportunity.
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Brian Wilson - 2022 Tour Thread (Plus Archived 2021)
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on: June 20, 2022, 06:43:06 PM
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Just saw Brian’s set in Kansas City. A shaky start, and he’s no doubt diminished as a live performer. However, he sang God Only Knows (for perhaps the first time this tour) and gave his utmost on several other leads. Perhaps it was the good vibes from the birthday video showed before the set, but the whole performance wound up being surprisingly soul-affirming and joyous. More details later.
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Sounds of Summer 6LP Announced
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on: June 18, 2022, 09:37:08 PM
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Has no one noticed that the Beatles are also remixing their records? Even classics like Abbey Road that are about as perfectly mixed as makes no difference? (Many Beatles fans loathe them, too.) I’m not saying it’s right or wrong. But clearly there’s some thought in the industry that remastering isn’t enough — classic bands need to have their classic tracks mixed anew and with an ear toward current tastes.
As stated repeatedly on this thread, these mixes are not replacing those on the classic albums, which are widely available and simple to find. They are clearly labeled and dated alternates. If we want this music to live, it can’t sit on a shelf. It has to live in the world of earbuds and streaming, of loudness wars and Bluetooth, of YouTube clips and Spotify playlists.
And my God I’d rather Mark and Howie and Alan do this than Mike Love and LoCash…
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Sounds of Summer 6LP Announced
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on: June 18, 2022, 06:45:38 PM
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Folks have been unhappy with Mark’s mixing decisions since at least the 2013 big boxed set and possibly before. This is the way they’ve gone, and this is the sound they’ve chosen. If you don’t like it, fine, but none of this counts as a new development or somehow unexpected. For that matter, stereo remixes have been used as an inducement for fans to buy compilations since at least the 2009 release of Summer Love Songs. Again, you may not like it, but it’s entirely in keeping with past practices.
Anyway, I listened to all 80 tracks on a lengthy car trip today. It sounds fabulous to me. The remixes seem to fall into three groups, all with slightly different functions. The first are remixes of the early material, basically fixing the incredibly crude original stereo separation. The second are highlighting extra parts of especially complex 70s arrangements like Marcella. Finally, you have a couple of experimental takes on material like God Please Let Us Go On that hasn’t really been examined since release. Everything in the first batch sounded great to me. The second batch was largely fascinating, although as noted the hiss in Baby Blue is really something. The third batch is fun and perhaps shouldn’t be taken overly seriously.
This is art, yes, but it’s also popular entertainment. Old mono mixes, crudely separated stereo mixes and overly dense mixes make the music less appealing to the widest possible audience. This new set attempts to package the band’s best together in consistent sound and presentation. I dig it and appreciate the effort.
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Brian’s Going Back To Court
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on: April 05, 2022, 03:19:12 PM
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I joked upthread that if someone handed me a check for $11 million my response might be something other than initiating litigation against them. And I do feel sorry for Brian, as it's even if it's "just business," the man is ~80 years old and it's no fun be a defendant in litigation at any age, especially when the subpoenas to depositions start rolling in. Believe me.
At the same, I don't judge Marilyn. As I said, I don't live in their world. And, of course, at a very basic level, a deal is a deal. If she owns half of whatever Brian owns with respect to those 170 songs, then she gets half the net proceeds and would certainly be entitled to an accounting of how her distribution was calculated. The same would be true for any co-owner of any business. And, also, it's important to keep in mind that we're talking about generational wealth here. In this matter, Marilyn may not only be thinking of herself but also Carnie, Wendy and the half-dozen, I believe, grandchildren on that side.
That's a bit overly generous as Carnie, Wendy and the grandchildren are also Brian's. Is there some expectation he wouldn't provide for them but Marilyn would? Yes. Given the relations — or lack thereof — between Melinda and Marilyn’s daughters, and the fact that Melinda and Brian have five children of their own, I think concern would be prudent.
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Brian’s Going Back To Court
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on: March 31, 2022, 06:54:21 AM
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Frankly this seems like a fairly minor dispute. Marilyn’s side thinks they deserve half of Brian’s producer royalties, and Brian’s side disagrees. Marilyn is also asking for more detailed financial accounting, which seems like a no brained given the amounts involved.
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Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
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on: December 09, 2021, 02:52:31 PM
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Wirestone, do you have any guesses as to why GIOMH isn’t available on streaming services? I have it in my personal collection, but it’s odd that it’s like this Summer In Paradise-type album that is unavailable to people via streaming.
I’m not sure it’s intentional. When asked a year or two ago on this board, Mark L. was surprised and said he’d look into it. I suspect there might be something hinky about the rights — it was released as part of a two-album deal with Warner’s, but Nonesuch wouldn’t take it so Rhino put it out. Two tracks appear on the best of, so I don’t think the BW folk are that embarrassed by it (not that they should be).
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