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Post by jk on Jun 5, 2021 17:46:30 GMT
This interests me, because they hold no attractions for me and I wonder why. Am I burnt out on the Boys? I thought I'd give Sunshine Tomorrow the benefit of the doubt this morning (I bought it when it was released and played it once) but gave up not even halfway through track one! And I can't quite put my finger on why. Is it too clean? Is it because it seeks to rewrite BB history -- in other words, this is how it should have been?
I don't have that with Joshilyn's tutorials, not at all. There's nothing coercive about them. JH is saying, "Listen, this is what I've discovered. This was buried deep in the mix and I've isolated it for you." Her videos are not judgmental. Nor are BeachBoysTalk and Pet Squares...
H'mm. Any thoughts, anyone?
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 5, 2021 17:56:47 GMT
They all have had different meanings and values for me, honestly, depending on each one.
For the most part, I have only passing interest in live albums and tracks, which means a lot of the box sets and digital copyright releases are at best brief interruptions to my life. One listen, sometimes zero listens, and that's fine.
Remixes are a bit more interesting, depending on the details. It can be really illuminating to hear what was on those tapes brought to life differently by a different mix, be it a cappella, instrumental only, or just a new, fresh mix. Sometimes I prefer the remixes to the originals, often not--though I enjoy hearing them.
Session tapes are rarely all that interesting to me. It varies, and I've found some of them interesting now and again. But a lot of the discs or files I have of sessions just sit there ignored.
Unreleased songs, that's where I find the most value. I'm not sure there has ever been a band that left so much consistently good material unused for so long. Whether they eventually used it on later studio albums or waited for the box sets and comps we're discussing here, it's remarkable to me what they left in the can, starting roughly with Smile and going right on through the '70s. Some of these are what makes it all worthwhile for me, these songs that make their way onto my alternate albums and playlists.
With all of the above, they are more like reference materials than albums for me. It's very rare that I put on MiC, TSS, Sunshine Tomorrow, the other copyright releases, or older boxes as albums. But it's not uncommon that I think, "oh, how did they do it on that alternate version?" or "I wish I could hear that part better; wasn't there an instrumental session of this on [whatever]?" and pull the relevant item.
Lastly, the collectible aspect of things isn't big for me. I don't have a shrine to the Beach Boys or anyone else. I don't collect things like autographs, tour merch, or promotional items (though a few items have found a way to hang around the place). So getting a box set that comes with a book is nice enough for the information, but I don't need little promo singles like with TSS, and so on. Just the music, thanks.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2021 20:57:28 GMT
My experience with the boxed sets is this:
When the 30 Years box came out I had my eye on it for quite a while, based almost solely on the official debut of "nearly 30 minutes of Smile material". I still have the clipping from a local newspaper reviewing this set and fanfaring those Smile tracks. The only thing that held me back was the price tag (and a wife who I could never justify this expense to). My break finally came a few years after its release when the Columbia House CD Club offered a half price deal. Besides having a lot of BBs music from all eras to date, the box offered me my first taste of those Smile tracks. But after awhile I got a little bored with the set because so much of the earlier material and the Smile tracks were in mono. I'm a stereo fanatic, see?
I skipped getting the Pet Sounds box because, once again the money thing, and at the time I was thinking, looks like too much of a good thing. I held out hope for a stereo release of the album proper and got my wish three years later.
I did buy the Smile Sessions because it seemed like such an important and historical release. I was a bit disappointed with disc 1 because, once again not in stereo and it sounds just, oh I don't know, flat? Kind of unexciting. The sessions were pretty fascinating the first few times I played them through, and it was great to hear everything pristine after listening to muddy boots for several years up to that point. But I only go through that nowadays for reference if at all. I've got my stereo Smile go to (I think it's Soniclovenoise's mix, IIRC).
I passed on MiC because....well $$$$ once again (these things always seem to come out when I'm in some financial crisis!). I did download a number of the unreleased tracks and new stereo mixes. With these I created my own "albums".
Sunshine Tomorrow (even though it technically isn't a "box") was a must-have right off the bat. In fact that's the one release that I pre-ordered. Disc 1 is my go to, especially the stereo presentation of the Wild Honey album and a few of the "complete" bonus tracks. Beyond that, I rarely listen to the rest and disc 2. Btw, ST inspired me to add the stereo Wild Honey vinyl to my record collection. It's fun to occasionally spin it on my turntable and imagine what could have been in 1967.
I downloaded the complete Wake the World and I Can Hear Music collection. Right off I made some new mixes, edits and sequenced my own version of the Friends and 20/20 albums. I haven't listened to any of the other tracks since.
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Post by kds on Jun 6, 2021 0:25:55 GMT
I think it can be exciting to get "new" content from a dormant band.
I'm far more interested in unreleased tracks and rare live material than sessions or remixes though.
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Post by jk on Jun 6, 2021 9:13:28 GMT
The only actual box sets I own are GV 30 Years and The Pet Sounds Sessions.
The first was a birthday present in, I think, 2003, when I was besotted with the Boys' music. It was my first taste of SMiLE (I steered clear of bootleg mixes in those days) and I thought the set was a gas (with the possible exception of a live track or two).
TPSS fascinated me for a while, although I soon reverted to the mono original and never returned to it.
I'm probably the only person on the planet with the single-CD version of TSS! It took over in my affections from the trebly BWPS and then itself dropped from view. As for SMiLE itself, my go-to fan mix these days is the "GV"-less Aquarian SMiLE, which probably needs no introduction by now, thanks to my tub-thumping on its behalf. At one time on Vimeo, it's now only available in a necessarily reversed version on YouTube.
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Post by kds on Jun 6, 2021 12:06:06 GMT
The only actual box sets I own are GV 30 Years and The Pet Sounds Sessions. The first was a birthday present in, I think, 2003, when I was besotted with the Boys' music. It was my first taste of SMiLE (I steered clear of bootleg mixes in those days) and I thought the set was a gas (with the possible exception of a live track or two). TPSS fascinated me for a while, although I soon reverted to the mono original and never returned to it. I'm probably the only person on the planet with the single-CD version of TSS! It took over in my affections from the trebly BWPS and then itself dropped from view. As for SMiLE itself, my go-to fan mix these days is the "GV"-less Aquarian SMiLE, which probably needs no introduction by now, thanks to my tub-thumping on its behalf. At one time on Vimeo, it's now only available in a necessarily reversed version on YouTube. I probably would've bought the single disc Smile Sessions had it been more readily available in the States, or more importantly, had I known it existed before I bought the two disc. The second disc tried my patience, I couldn't imagine four more.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 6, 2021 13:32:28 GMT
I guess my two main reasons for purchasing a boxed set - and I don't purchase many anymore - is for reference purposes (building/completing the catalogue), and, yes, they "sucker me in" to acquire that rare, unreleased track or two or three. I usually have so many of the tracks from previous sources, and then I find myself weighing how much those rarities are worth the purchase. Honestly, I only listen to most of the outtakes, sessions, and alternate versions a few times and that's it, unless, of course, I use the tracks later in specialty comps - which I am apt to do.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2021 14:24:12 GMT
Sessions used to really fascinate me. I would spend hours listening to Smile boots in my headphones late at night or spend Sunday afternoons at Bob Hanes' house listening to take after take of sections of songs. It was like I was there at the studio listening to the creation of this music, which at the time had quite a bit of mystery to it. Now that it's mostly officially released the mystery is not as present, and I even find it a little tedious to go through.
I also have absolutely no interest in live material (this goes for all bands, for me). I never thought the Beach Boys sounded that great on live recordings. I guess I'm more of a polished sound kinda fan.
My main interest are stereo remixes of previously mono-only songs and the fairly complete outtakes.
Some of my favorite remixes: Pet Sounds and Wild Honey (via Sunshine Tomorrow) are my favorites and I play them often. Today and Summer Days are a bit uneven, and I understand why, but I still enjoy them well above the original mono mixes. The stereo remix of the Cottonfields single has always sounded good to me, although I'm interested to see if the new mix offers anything "new". And of course I Get Around and All Summer Long (the song) sound pretty good. I never understood why the trebly 2012 release of the album included the remixes, but not the AP release.
Regarding the outtakes, there are so many but here are a few of my favorites: We're Together Again Wouldn't it Be Nice (To Live Again) Soulful Old Man Sunshine San Miguel All Dressed Up for School I Do
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 6, 2021 14:29:36 GMT
I also have absolutely no interest in live material (this goes for all bands, for me). I never thought the Beach Boys sounded that great on live recordings. I guess I'm more of a polished sound kinda fan. Right there with ya.
I enjoy live music, too ... live. To me, the live experience just doesn't translate well to tape. I've mentioned before that I've come across several boots of shows I had attended and loved, only to find the recordings demonstrating the shows weren't as good as they felt at the time. I don't mean sound quality of the recordings, I mean the performances themselves. Even a great show, when caught on tape, loses a lot of the energy. And then to compound it, you have the various audio issues that go with a live recording.
Instead of an experience, it's a glimpse that helps you imagine the experience. Whereas studio music, in my opinion, is itself the experience. Just my personal preferences.
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Post by jk on Jun 6, 2021 21:29:30 GMT
I also have absolutely no interest in live material (this goes for all bands, for me). I never thought the Beach Boys sounded that great on live recordings. I guess I'm more of a polished sound kinda fan. Right there with ya.
I enjoy live music, too ... live. To me, the live experience just doesn't translate well to tape. I've mentioned before that I've come across several boots of shows I had attended and loved, only to find the recordings demonstrating the shows weren't as good as they felt at the time. I don't mean sound quality of the recordings, I mean the performances themselves. Even a great show, when caught on tape, loses a lot of the energy. And then to compound it, you have the various audio issues that go with a live recording.
Instead of an experience, it's a glimpse that helps you imagine the experience. Whereas studio music, in my opinion, is itself the experience. Just my personal preferences.
This! So I agree with sockit on this issue, although our ways part when it comes to stereo remixes of mono stuff.
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