Mellotronists

Nothing to do with Mellotrons, but I saw Brian Wilson doing 'Smile' last
night in Glasgow.

If what was performed was *even close* to what was intended then the
music world would have been turned upside down on its release in 1967.

Mike Dickson (tron@...) M400 #996
The Official Cynic of Streetly Electronics
Streetly Sample Library http://www.blackcat.demon.co.uk/tron/

--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, tron@b... wrote:
> Nothing to do with Mellotrons, but I saw Brian Wilson doing 'Smile' 
last
> night in Glasgow.
> 
> If what was performed was *even close* to what was intended then the
> music world would have been turned upside down on its release in 
1967.
> 
> Mike Dickson (tron@b...) M400 #996
> The Official Cynic of Streetly Electronics
> Streetly Sample Library http://www.blackcat.demon.co.uk/tron/


Mike:
Some / all of "Smile" was recorded back in 67 was it not?  I recall a 
Julian Lennon interview....  He had heard some of the Smile 
recording.  He said something very similar...."the music world would 
have been turned upside down on its release".  I guess the record 
company was looking for more songs about girls and cars....
Fools!

Clay

On Saturday, March 6, 2004, at 05:44  am, ceccles_ca wrote:  I guess 
the record
> company was looking for more songs about girls and cars....
> Fools!

Apart from girls,cars and food, what else IS there to write songs 
about!!??

C

(a fat bloke with antique Citroen and a small international harem.....)

http://www.s-club.co.uk
        Sundae Club*
    [there ain't no party]


G.Colin Crawford Pianos
01242 574509
07711 574509

g-colin.crawford@...
colin@...

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "ceccles_ca" <clay123@...>
To: <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 5:44 AM
Subject: [Mellotronists] Re: Smile


> --- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, tron@b... wrote:
> > Nothing to do with Mellotrons, but I saw Brian Wilson doing 'Smile'
> last
> > night in Glasgow.
> >
> > If what was performed was *even close* to what was intended then the
> > music world would have been turned upside down on its release in
> 1967.
>
> Mike:
> Some / all of "Smile" was recorded back in 67 was it not?  I recall a
> Julian Lennon interview....  He had heard some of the Smile
> recording.  He said something very similar...."the music world would
> have been turned upside down on its release".  I guess the record
> company was looking for more songs about girls and cars....
> Fools!
>
> Clay

I believe the issue was far more complicated than that, involving Brian's
severe breakdown and loss of nerve, plus the 'touring band's objections
(principally that arsehole Mike Love). *They* were the ones who wanted more
'cars'n'girls', apparently. Boots have been doing the rounds for years,
though I haven't tracked one down yet. Given that these shows will have been
bootlegged, Brian's bound to release a live version, and I heard rumours
that he was *finally* preparing the original tapes for release. Dunno how he
expects to get back to where his head was in 1967 - suppose he just has to
make the best of a bad job. Oh well, better late than never! Wish I'd been
able to afford to go to the 'Smile' show - 'Pet Sounds' a couple of years
ago was phenomenal.

Andy T.

> I believe the issue was far more complicated than that, involving Brian's
> severe breakdown and loss of nerve, plus the 'touring band's objections
> (principally that arsehole Mike Love).

The rest of the band were hardly blameless either, despite their later
protestations. There was also the matter of Capitol Records withholding
hundreds of thousands of dollars in 'creative accounting' of their
royalties.

> Given that these shows will have been bootlegged, Brian's bound to
> release a live version, and I heard rumours that he was *finally*
> preparing the original tapes for release.

I downloaded the opening show of the tour last night. The sound quality
is kind of back-of-the-hall but it's okay.

> Dunno how he expects to get back to where his head was in 1967 -
> suppose he just has to make the best of a bad job.

Interesting story - as the 'musical secretary', the Wondermints' Daria
Sahanaja was with Brian Wilson trying to pick through the music to 'Do
You Like Worms' when he asked whether or not there were more lyrics to
it. Brian picks out a sheet written by Van Dyke Parks in 1966 and reads
through it, but can't make out one of the words. So Brian phones Parks
up and asks him. He asks for a fax. He phones back and says that the
word is 'Indians'. Next day Sahanaja turns up and hears Brian Wilson say
that Van Dyke was also coming round that morning. Within an hour they
are working on 'Smile' again with the intention of finishing it.

Supposedly they weren't trying to get into their 1967 minds as much as
they were trying to finish it off in 2004. Listening to the show it
sounds like they wouldn't need to use any of the old tapes anyway.

Mike Dickson (tron@...) M400 #996
The Official Cynic of Streetly Electronics
Streetly Sample Library http://www.blackcat.demon.co.uk/tron/

Listening to the show it sounds like they wouldn't need to use any of 
the old tapes anyway.

Mike Dickson (tron@b...) M400 #996

I've heard that Carl did a lot of the Smile vocal tracks.  It would 
be great if they could use these tracks in a new mix.

Clay

Quite right Mike.

If filmed accounts/documentaries are accurate then they're all equally to
blame. Other things that hurt the bands career as a whole were Brian
Wilson's continuous consumption of LSD around the clock and Dennis Wilson's
incest with Mike Love's daughter. Geez!

Hopefully they're remembered for only the music!


Chris

> The rest of the band were hardly blameless either, despite their later
> protestations. There was also the matter of Capitol Records withholding
> hundreds of thousands of dollars in 'creative accounting' of their
> royalties.
>

Nothing to do with Mellotrons, but I saw Brian Wilson doing 'Smile' last
night in Glasgow.

If what was performed was *even close* to what was intended then the
music world would have been turned upside down on its release in 1967.

  I hope he performs it in the states.  I am a rabid Brian Wilson fan.  "Smiley Smile" alludes to his vision of what "Smile" would have been.  He was thinking in a non-linear compositional/recording style in 1967!  I met him at a party once, and he couldn't have been a sweeter guy.
   If you like beautiful trip pop, you should check out the release by Manitoba, "Up in flames".  Absolutely gorgeous!



Fritz

Agreed!  It's a blossom that reveals more eith each listening.

fd