Things have been quiet for damn near a year. And that makes you excited for details?..........

Well all fenders came with flat wounds. Rounds weren’t even appearing till 66? 67? And fender didn’t immediately adopt them. So I’d imagine all the way up to pet sounds is almost entirely flat wounds. Especially on all electric fenders.

Well Do it Again has origins back to Hawthorne Blvd. and that itself reminds me of a song by the Frogmen .. the name escapes me... but Mike could still technically be right if he had a hand in Hawthorne Blvd - but let’s be real here.

I saw Mike Love at a grocery store in Los Angeles yesterday. I told him how cool it was to meet him in person, but I didn’t want to be a douche and bother him and ask him about the Feel Flows set or anything.

He said, “Oh, like you’re doing now?”

I was taken aback, and all I could say was “Huh?” but he kept cutting me off and going “huh? huh? huh?” and closing his hand shut in front of my face. I walked away and continued with my shopping, and I heard him chuckle as I walked off. When I came to pay for my stuff up front I saw him trying to walk out the doors with like fifteen Milky Ways in his hands without paying.

The girl at the counter was very nice about it and professional, and was like “Sir, you need to pay for those first.” At first he kept pretending to be tired and not hear her, but eventually turned back around and brought them to the counter.

When she took one of the bars and started scanning it multiple times, he stopped her and told her to scan them each individually “to prevent any electrical infetterence,” and then turned around and winked at me. I don’t even think that’s a word. After she scanned each bar and put them in a bag and started to say the price, he kept interrupting her by yawning really loudly.

I hope to one day have as much free time as this kid.

Cool video. I have seen parts of it but not all. Crazy to think that Hal was so rich he had a mansion AND a yacht.

I’m getting tired of checking this thread.

I see both ‘fans ‘ point of view.

Yes we are ‘owed’ nothing .. but we know it exists.

And we are trying to do whatever it takes to get released.

I don’t know where all of the ‘entitled’ crap comes from.
Jeez. Some of us are really into the thought of hearing new music.

I love Surf’s Up - but I like both the Surf’s Up album version and the Smile Sessions versions does different reasons.

So I’m wondering if there exist a version with all Brian on lead - and the Moog bass coming in from the Surf’s Up album on: ‘I heard the word’...

Thanks

I’m probably in the extreme minority here:
Surfin Safari to Pet Sounds is entirely comprised of masterpieces. Every album - warts and all - is, to me, a masterpiece.

The clacker or castanet sound that appears in say San Miguel for example - is it one person over dubbing them? Or multiple people playing it?

Was there some mind of delay effect applied? Or did the player slightly delay the second play thru?

Ah yeah, I remember that in Mike's book. Going based of the rumors, Brian wasn't that involved in the studio with the other boys. Usually just some studio cats and a maybe 1 or 2 of the boys, right?

If Bruce admired Brian that much and Brian wasn't playing with the guys in the studio then that 'no Wilson's allowed' sign must have been almost solely directed at Dennis and Carl. Was Carl's drug use really THAT bad during that time? I know him and Jack would indulge in cocaine but I can't see that being that big of a derailment. I'm sure Dennis was smoking weed and dabbling in cocaine as well, but he was the most prolific out of any of them. I understand being against drugs but Dennis was cranking out some good tunes. Arguably the best out of the whole band at the time.

What did Bruce think would happen when he restricted 3 family members and founders of a band he was the newest to join? In the main man's house, no less.

I was reading about Sunflower on Wikipedia - obviously not a legitimate source - and there was a quote that said:

In August, Carl, Dennis, Mike Love, and Jardine sought a permanent replacement for Johnston. They approached Carl's brother-in-law Billy Hinsche, who declined the offer to focus on his college studies.

I had never heard this before. Is this true? Did Bruce know at the time? What was the reasoning? Strange they wanted to boot him but ended up taking two of his songs for the album. And featuring him vocally on other songs on the album.

Does Dennis participate in this song in any way?

"Ten Years of Harmony" is "special" though. As far as I know, we don't have "Sea Cruise" or the title track readily available on cd. It'll be a welcome addition to my collecrion, personally.

Which title track?

Looks like they are saying the title track is ten years of harmony. I didn’t know that was ever released officially. Perhaps this is the first time?

Some of Mikes best vocals are on Hushabye.
Some of his worst are on Santa Claus is comin’ to town.

I wish some Beach Boys related higher power would just say something. Even if it’s just here for the nerds. Very very few non hardcore fans are going to buy this. You gotta be a nerd to want it. This isn’t even level 2 fandom. This is max fandom. The non hyper nerds (like us) who will buy this is extremely negligible. This is strictly for the cork sniffers. Just tell us what the heck is going on and perhaps a proposed quarter it could be released in, please!

I'd Love Just Once to See You?

Interesting. I must have forgotten in my rigorous session and personnel lists that Dennis was on this. I truly didn’t know that. Where did you read this?

I've always been fascinated on Dennis guitar playing. I know there are a handful of songs he is credited with playing guitar. I've always wondered how proficient he was; his desired tone, his style, his playing technique, his guitar of choice, etc.

Is 'Well you know I knew' an example of Dennis' guitar playing?

I know... After Pet Sounds a new era of Smile began which was drastically different. Then after the demise of Smile there were sporadic moments of Pet Sounds, to some degree, - Busy Doin' Nothin' all the way to Had To Phone Ya.... And on his solo albums at spots.

But the question is: was Brian 'reluctant' to write in the Pet Sounds style - either because it didn't do so well at the time, or because everyone wanted it, or it wouldn't have fit in with the 'times'... Or had so much time accumulated that he was incapable of making music in that style?

From Surfin' Safari to Pet Sounds you can hear and follow the growth and the accumulation of everything Brian had learned to the zenith that is Pet Sounds. Smile was, of course, a 'one-up' of Pet Sounds but totally different.

How come Brian didn't ever really try to write in the style of Pet Sounds again?

Any body out there have the ability to ask Al? If we have a way, may as well ask him. These (insignificant) questions won't be able to be answered.. forever. Plus I doubt he's gotten this question before, and he may enjoy some Beach Boys fandom since he's off the road for this virus.

Thank you for the response! I appreciate any tidbits on this era. Just quoting the book - which claimed.. Quote.. "Chuck Britz, always Brian's most trusted engineer, even agreed to come out of retirement to run the vacuum tube mixing board they'd managed to dig up for the sessions."

I had no clue Chuck was working well into the mid 80's! Is there anything we know he produced/worked on?

I was reading 'Catch a wave: the ride, fall, and redemption of the Beach Boys' by Peter Carlin (2006). On page #232 the entire page is devoted to The Beach Boys (well, at least Carl) + Marilyn converting Western studios to look like how Brian would have remembered it in the 1960's. Including putting up plywood to hide 'modern' equipment. Going so far as to source an old four-track Ampeg recorder, Urei tube console, and original Altec 604e speakers.

They even went so far as to supposedly drag Chuck Britz out of retirement to show up to mix for his old chum Brian!

Mr. Desper commented in the book. It says Brian was 38 which would have been 1980 and sessions for School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes the Bell), and Sunshine took place. We also know that (Old R&B standard )"Stranded in the Jungle" and oldie "Jamaica Farewell" were attempted.

My question to Mr. Desper is: Can you shed any additional information on this session? Mood and atmosphere? Was it merely one go? Or multiple days? How was Chuck? And Carl?

Were "Stranded in the Jungle" and "Jamaica Farewell" completed?

What session crew members were there? I'm curious to know if it was newer cats or some old studio birds from the heyday.

Was Brian just trying to get the sessions over with or was he at least calling for additional takes, more this, more that, etc - Like how we hear on other early session outtakes where he is clearly in control and knows what he wants.


I know this was a long time ago, so understandable if you don't recall too much. I've Googled around and couldn't find much info on this/these session(s) so hoped you'd be in the neighborhood and could pop in.

Also if anyone else wants to kick in, come on!

You're right. I've been under the wrong assumption that Al was a sole writer to Lookin' At Tomorrow. I had to look it up again.

Even crazier then that Al barely has songs attributed solely to him and him and Murry didn't really see eye-to-eye and here's a song on Murry's solo album.

Just seems really strange. Wish I knew how it got pitched up, was Al involved at all in the production?

We don't definitively KNOW that for sure. however.  Merely speculative. Al definitely was not 'In the family' and would NOT have a sole writing credit for a song until Surf's Up. He did numerous covers until then.

It just seems extremely strange that Al (of all the members) would have pitched -Murray- of all people a song way back in 1967.

Especially considering that his next 'entirely created' song would appear on Surf's Up in 1971

"Italia" is, of course, based on the piece "Pink CChampagne"which was written around 1962 by Al I think.

That's correct. 1963. Which makes it even more confusing to me how this got selected. Did Al pitch it? Did Murry know about it prior to 'Many Moods'?

[At all?]

So we know the album was released in October of 1967. Which is almost a MONTH after Smiley Smile.

We know, according to Wikipedia, that Brian produced the song 'Italia' written by Al Jardine.

Did Brian produce the WHOLE album?

Now, Italia was Al's song and he wasn't really 'in' the 'family' circle the Murry concluded... Do we know HOW this song came to be proposed? Or what Murry thought of it?

Has there been any Beach Boys comment on the album? At all?


is it absolutely confirmed Brian produced the entire album?

Just seems very strange to me that Al Jardine of all people... who was unequivocally the 'outsider' of the group... managed to pitch an entire SONG up to Murry of all people. Al receives SOLE credit.... Meaning it is entirely HIM.... Back in 1967.. With 'Italia'.

It wouldn't be until 'Holland' in 1973 that Al receives another solo.. non-cover credit... with Holland's 1973 'California Saga'.

Seems a bit strange... Anyone have more info? This album is a unique period for the band.