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Post by kds on Nov 15, 2022 21:22:15 GMT
Me, too. He did say a few things, which I omitted since my focus here was about the experience of working within the band again. But basically all he said was: - TWGMTR was an old song - Spring Vacation started out as an old song that Mike "made 25% better" by rewriting lyrics - That he wrote Bill & Sue and Beaches in Mind. (Literally, that's what he said. "I wrote some songs like TPLoB&S and Beaches in Mind.") - That (presumably the recording of) the record started with Strange World, and moved through other songs like FTtBA and PCH. - And this, about Summer's Gone:
"The last song on the album was 'Summer's Gone.' It was a beautiful melody. It was also one of those songs that people thought was a farewell, like 'When You Wish Upon a Star.' It was definitely nostalgic, but anything we made in 2012 would have been nostalgic. We were looking backward. That's how seasons went. When I sang it, I was thinking of Carl and Dennis and my dad, but it was like 'Caroline, No' also, because I was thinking about younger versions of myself."
(p. 265)
That's by far the most he said about any of the music.
I don't think it was in the book, but I recall an interview with either Brian or Joe Thomas where one of them said Summer's Gone was specifically written with the idea of it being the final song by The Beach Boys.
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Post by Kapitan on Nov 15, 2022 21:26:18 GMT
I believe that's from a (the?) longer Joe Thomas interview where he goes through the history of the album and many/most of its songs in much more detail.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Nov 15, 2022 23:00:05 GMT
"I sometimes read in interviews that Mike wants to go into a room with me and write new material for the Beach Boys. But it's just not done that way anymore. That's a '70s idea. At this point, we go with the new way. I write lots in the studio. It's a real musical environment. ... Oh, I think Mike could live with that, too. Somebody refresh my memory, but how did Brian write That Lucky Old Sun?
And, Brian Wilson reads Mike Love's interviews?
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Post by jk on Nov 21, 2022 20:32:51 GMT
I have a new question. I think it speaks for itself:
Which Beach Boys track do you feel best fits the expression "less is more"?
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Post by kds on Nov 21, 2022 21:00:08 GMT
Off the top of my head, I'll go with Meant for You. I think the brief song is a nice way to open up the Friends album, and I also think the album version of far better than the extended cut that was released on MiC.
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Post by Kapitan on Nov 21, 2022 21:08:13 GMT
That's a good one, KDS.
I was thinking "In My Room." Yes, it has harmonies (albeit simple ones), and yes, it has a harp as an added complexity in the arrangement. But it is a pretty straight-forward song that I think would have been made worse by further embellishments. For example, the appearance on the Red Skelton show, where the instrumental part is sweetened with strings ... it becomes almost muzak.
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Post by jk on Nov 22, 2022 9:27:42 GMT
My choice would be "'Til I Die". No intro, straight in. No instrumental break. Three verses, the last of which adds that whistling-wind effect and segues via a brief wordless section into the tag, a simple repeating pattern that doesn't develop:
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Emdeeh
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 520
Likes: 532
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Post by Emdeeh on Nov 22, 2022 13:39:03 GMT
I agree with jk about "'Til I Die." That's a beautiful track all by itself, so elegant. And with those gorgeous vocals on top, sublime.
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Post by kds on Nov 22, 2022 13:42:27 GMT
I definitely agree about In My Room and Til I Die. The extended Desper mix that was included on the EH made me appreciate the original that much more.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Nov 26, 2022 13:36:00 GMT
Less is more...how about just an organ and a bass? But so effective. And the vocal arrangement? Now that's something else. It still gets to me every time...
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sockit
The Surfer Moon
Posts: 234
Likes: 181
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Post by sockit on Dec 18, 2022 21:59:24 GMT
Much of the Wild Honey album uses the less-is-more approach but this song illustrates it best, and it's my favorite song on the album. That wonderful detuned piano, bass, and light drums and that's about it for instrumentation (except for the organ stabs on the bridge in the mono mix, which I can live with or without). Yet this song conveys so much feeling and is very satisfying.
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Post by jk on Dec 18, 2022 23:10:26 GMT
Less is more...how about just an organ and a bass? But so effective. And the vocal arrangement? Now that's something else. It still gets to me every time...
Yes indeed, but... How about just an organ -- and a single voice? The underrated "Be Still" is about as basic as it gets:
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Post by Kapitan on Dec 19, 2022 14:19:38 GMT
I agree "Be Still" is almost as basic as it gets, but I would disagree that it's underrated (at least among serious fans) ... and I don't think it's especially good. It sounds to me not like a song whose simplicity is perfect, but more like a demo of a mediocre-to-decent song.
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Post by lonelysummer on Dec 20, 2022 8:39:15 GMT
I like Be Still. I don't think it's underrated, though. It's a Dennis song, and Dennis is worshipped these days as the best non-Brian writer in the group. I also like A Day in the Life of a Tree, and I think Brian made the right call in having Jack Reilly sing it. It's a song that needs a shaky, unprofessional voice to sing it. VDP coming in on the tag is perfect, because he also has a voice that's not a singer's voice. There was a guy in my band who was not a good singer - though he desperately wanted to be one. Anytime I had a song that was slighty off-center, it went to him.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Dec 20, 2022 13:14:28 GMT
I like "Be Still", too. I might stretch as far as to call it a good song. I think the demo-like quality works in this case. Short song, simple arrangement, direct message. "Be Still" was a precursor of what was to mostly come from Dennis, meaning sensitive, tender ballads from the outwardly rough and tumble drummer.
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