excellent news!

The Beach Boys' Smile is quite possibly the most storied lost album in rock history. The album was stalled in 1967 by sonic mastermind Brian Wilson's nervous breakdown, and its songs were heavily bootlegged in the ensuing decades. Wilson released a much-loved, reworked solo version in 2004, but all sorts of issues with record labels and band members prevented the official release of the original Smile. But now, Billboard reports that Capitol is finally planning to release The Smile Sessions later this year.

According to Billboard, Mark Linett, who recorded and mixed Wilson's 2004 Smile, and archivist Alan Boyd are co-producing the release, which will be available as a download, a double-CD set, and a box featuring four CDs, two vinyl LPs, two vinyl singles, and a book by Beach Boys historian Domenic Priore.

Although no release date has been set yet, and previous plans throughout the decades to release Smile have fallen through, EMI exec Bill Gagnon assures Billboard that "it's coming out," saying that all of the band members and associated parties have given their support.

Linett and Boyd are working to construct a version of Smile that's as close as possible to Brian Wilson's original vision, with the album proper taking up one CD or three sides of vinyl, and outtakes claiming the rest of the space. In a statement given to Billboard, Wilson says, "I'm thrilled that the Beach Boys' original studio sessions for Smile will be released for the first time, after all these years. I'm looking forward to this collection of the original recordings and having fans hear the beautiful angelic voices of the boys in a proper studio release."

http://pitchfork.com/news/41856-the-beach-boys-to-finally-release-ismilei-sessions/

Wow!! Can't wait. Very exciting news !!!

I have a few of the fan projects (Purple Chick, Fast Eddie, etc), where they pieced together the session outtakes to fit the sequence provided in Brian's SMiLE release in 2004. To have a studio processed version is icing on the cake.

I am a big Brian/BB fan and post on a couple of those boards -- they're pretty excited over there to say the least! I just wonder if it's a little late though -- they probably would have done better with this 10 years ago (or 40!). Regardless, I'll buy the poor man's release.

Seeing Brian Wilson and his incomparable band perform Smile at Carnegie Hall a few years back was (perhaps along with his first solo show I saw) the most emotional musical experience for me ever. With Van Dyke Parks in the audience and a few thousand true believers, it was a cathartic experience. Not to mention musically stunning.

i saw brian on his Smile tour as well. it was unbelievable.

Good news. Thanks.

Me too. I recorded the 2005 SMiLE performance at The Greek Theater in Berkeley.

I would upload it to HC, but I was recently banned for breaking the rules (?).
No idea what I did, but there is no way that I can find to ask them what I did.

Anyway, I was only warm on the SMiLE material until I spent days trying to figure out where the track breaks were, and after a couple of days I was infatuated with the material.

Numerous versions of SMiLE can be found on this blog.

[warnakeysbeachboysblog.blogspot.com]

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Wry Cooter
I am a big Brian/BB fan and post on a couple of those boards -- they're pretty excited over there to say the least! I just wonder if it's a little late though -- they probably would have done better with this 10 years ago (or 40!). Regardless, I'll buy the poor man's release.

Seeing Brian Wilson and his incomparable band perform Smile at Carnegie Hall a few years back was (perhaps along with his first solo show I saw) the most emotional musical experience for me ever. With Van Dyke Parks in the audience and a few thousand true believers, it was a cathartic experience. Not to mention musically stunning.

I've seen five BW concerts since 1999. I think the best was in 2000 when he played the whole of Pet Sounds with full symphonic backing. I saw the Smile show but don't remember much about it. I was sick as a dog, totally out of it on cough syrup, and almost didn't even go. I remember thinking "Surf's Up" was beautiful beyond words, though. Just wish I had felt well enough to really enjoy it.

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tatters

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Wry Cooter
I am a big Brian/BB fan and post on a couple of those boards -- they're pretty excited over there to say the least! I just wonder if it's a little late though -- they probably would have done better with this 10 years ago (or 40!). Regardless, I'll buy the poor man's release.

Seeing Brian Wilson and his incomparable band perform Smile at Carnegie Hall a few years back was (perhaps along with his first solo show I saw) the most emotional musical experience for me ever. With Van Dyke Parks in the audience and a few thousand true believers, it was a cathartic experience. Not to mention musically stunning.

I've seen five BW concerts since 1999. I think the best was in 2000 when he played the whole of Pet Sounds with full symphonic backing. I saw the Smile show but don't remember much about it. I was sick as a dog, totally out of it on cough syrup, and almost didn't even go. I remember thinking "Surf's Up" was beautiful beyond words, though. Just wish I had felt well enough to really enjoy it.

I've basically seen every tour including "Pet Sounds" with orchestra-- about a half dozen shows I guess. Brian is the world's worst front man! And his voice, though serviceable, isn't what it was to say the least. But the audience adores him and it is an incredible experience to sit with the converted and cheer him on. But what really makes his shows so great is his band -- top flight musicians and singers who are clearly performing a labor of the highest love. I saw the Beach Boys in their early/mid 70s live prime (including Stones sideman Blondie Chaplin!) and nothing can compare with that (Carl Wilson singing being part of that equation). But Brian's band is just as good in it's own way -- musically better overall I'd have to say. And their performance of Smile was jaw dropping -- it's on video somewhere -- well worth picking up if you dig this music.

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Fuman2
Me too. I recorded the 2005 SMiLE performance at The Greek Theater in Berkeley.

I would upload it to HC, but I was recently banned for breaking the rules (?).
No idea what I did, but there is no way that I can find to ask them what I did.

Anyway, I was only warm on the SMiLE material until I spent days trying to figure out where the track breaks were, and after a couple of days I was infatuated with the material.

I'm guessing that maybe you were banned because Brian (as are the Beach Boys) is one of the acts who dont allow their unofficial material to be shared on bit torrent sites. They're banned from dimeadozen - so I assume its the same on HC.

[wiki.dimeadozen.org]

Too bad.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-03-13 06:01 by Gazza.

Hi Gazza,

I sent a note to your RocksOff email acct yesterday.

Not sure how often you check it, so just wanted to let you know.

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Wry Cooter

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tatters

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Wry Cooter
I am a big Brian/BB fan and post on a couple of those boards -- they're pretty excited over there to say the least! I just wonder if it's a little late though -- they probably would have done better with this 10 years ago (or 40!). Regardless, I'll buy the poor man's release.

Seeing Brian Wilson and his incomparable band perform Smile at Carnegie Hall a few years back was (perhaps along with his first solo show I saw) the most emotional musical experience for me ever. With Van Dyke Parks in the audience and a few thousand true believers, it was a cathartic experience. Not to mention musically stunning.

I've seen five BW concerts since 1999. I think the best was in 2000 when he played the whole of Pet Sounds with full symphonic backing. I saw the Smile show but don't remember much about it. I was sick as a dog, totally out of it on cough syrup, and almost didn't even go. I remember thinking "Surf's Up" was beautiful beyond words, though. Just wish I had felt well enough to really enjoy it.

I've basically seen every tour including "Pet Sounds" with orchestra-- about a half dozen shows I guess. Brian is the world's worst front man! And his voice, though serviceable, isn't what it was to say the least. But the audience adores him and it is an incredible experience to sit with the converted and cheer him on. But what really makes his shows so great is his band -- top flight musicians and singers who are clearly performing a labor of the highest love. I saw the Beach Boys in their early/mid 70s live prime (including Stones sideman Blondie Chaplin!) and nothing can compare with that (Carl Wilson singing being part of that equation). But Brian's band is just as good in it's own way -- musically better overall I'd have to say. And their performance of Smile was jaw dropping -- it's on video somewhere -- well worth picking up if you dig this music.

Wry, There's a surprisingly large contingent of BB fans on here, and there's been some good discussions about them. Here's a link to a discussion about Brian's Lucky Old Sun album and tour:

[www.iorr.org]

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Fuman2
Hi Gazza,

I sent a note to your RocksOff email acct yesterday.

Not sure how often you check it, so just wanted to let you know.

Thanks for the heads up, mate. Usually e-mails to that address automatically go to my main account, but for some reason that one didnt. Have just replied to it.