Wow I Get It!
In 1966 The Beach Boys were one of the top bands in America. They had just released Pet Sounds which knocked critics and musicians on their respective asses. Who was responsible for all this hubbub? Non other than California resident genius Brian Wilson.
What Brian did in response to Pet Sounds has become one of the most exciting stories in American history. Yes, it’s that big of a deal. He went into the studio, which at this point was his laboratory, and made a song called Good Vibrations. We all know the tune, because it became a huge hit. He called it a Pocket Symphony. Good Vibrations thus became the catalyst for what we now know as SMiLE. The Story has been told thousands of time by thousands of people, most of whom are way more qualified than I am. What I would like to do though, is express how the music of SMiLE along with the wonderful story of its demise and rebirth are the reasons why music is the most important thing in my life.
Here’s the quick short verbatim story of SMiLE. It was supposed to be a message to God. This was going to be the most complex and interwoven story ever put on record. Take in mind that in 1966 music was still all about the single and finding a hit. Brian wasn’t interested in doing things that way anymore. He wanted to write an entire piece of music in the vein of his hero, George Gershwin. But make no mistake, this was still to be a Beach Boys record and would still contain elements of popular music. He found himself a lyricist named Van Dyke Parks so that he could concentrate on writing the music. The 2 men sat in the sandbox and wrote the bulk of what would become SMiLE.
Everything was going fine until the Beach Boys showed up from their world tour and heard the new material that Brian was recording. They hated it. Mike Love in particular complained that Brian was, “messing with the formula”. Mike was right, but on so many other levels was he wrong. Since this is the short version of the story I will skip right to the tragic side of the picture. Brian eventually shelved the SMiLE project. He went a little cuckoo in the 70’s and the Beach Boys, for better or worse continued working on the “formula” that had made them so successful in the early 60’s. Some of the songs from SMiLE found their way onto various Beach Boys LPs over the next few years. But they were out of context, re-recorded and were lacking the magic sparked between Van Dyke and Brian.
It was over by 1967. SMiLE destroyed Brian’s soul. He would go on for the next 30 or so years never mentioning SMiLE in interviews or playing the songs from the sessions. Fans of course knew of this great lost album and created the SMiLE mythology. I became aware of the songs by seeing some kind of documentary on PBS in the 90’s. They were talking to fellow musicians and whatnot. I only have recollection of Sean Lennon talking about how important these songs were and how sad it was that this album was never released. The general thinking amongst the SMiLE fans was that we would never hear it the way it was intended.
I was able to download a few tracks that I had read about on the internet including Our Prayer, Heroes and Villains and Fire. Just those 3 were enough fodder for my ears. But they were muddy recordings and I knew that they were out of context.
I am a big fan of concept albums. Call it my progressive rock background or what not. So I knew the only true way to hear Brian’s songs would be to hear them together as one piece of a whole work. I knew it would never happen.
But it did happen. In 2004 he released the sucker. I was blindsided. I heard about him playing SMiLE live in London but I didn’t believe it. I didn’t want to believe it. So I forgot about it. And then I just broke down and looked into it and thus found the truth to be that not only was he playing it live on tour but he was releasing an album. He was actually going to go back to that dark place and finish the great masterpiece.
And to me that is what SMiLE is: a masterpiece of work. One of the best stories in rock and roll. And the music, well it speaks for itself. There are certain times in life where a person can truly connect with art and say to themselves, “Wow, I get it!”
Surf’s Up is absolutely beautiful and the center and heart of the album. Wind Chimes, Cabin Essence: brilliant. Heroes and Villains kicks Good Vibrations’ ass. Vega-tables, Wonderful, etc… Come on you’re killing me with this stuff. How can something be so good? It really is that good!
Brain and Van Dyke, thanks guys. I get it. And I love it. And it means a hell of a lot to me that you guys finished it and that it is so good.
What Brian did in response to Pet Sounds has become one of the most exciting stories in American history. Yes, it’s that big of a deal. He went into the studio, which at this point was his laboratory, and made a song called Good Vibrations. We all know the tune, because it became a huge hit. He called it a Pocket Symphony. Good Vibrations thus became the catalyst for what we now know as SMiLE. The Story has been told thousands of time by thousands of people, most of whom are way more qualified than I am. What I would like to do though, is express how the music of SMiLE along with the wonderful story of its demise and rebirth are the reasons why music is the most important thing in my life.
Here’s the quick short verbatim story of SMiLE. It was supposed to be a message to God. This was going to be the most complex and interwoven story ever put on record. Take in mind that in 1966 music was still all about the single and finding a hit. Brian wasn’t interested in doing things that way anymore. He wanted to write an entire piece of music in the vein of his hero, George Gershwin. But make no mistake, this was still to be a Beach Boys record and would still contain elements of popular music. He found himself a lyricist named Van Dyke Parks so that he could concentrate on writing the music. The 2 men sat in the sandbox and wrote the bulk of what would become SMiLE.
Everything was going fine until the Beach Boys showed up from their world tour and heard the new material that Brian was recording. They hated it. Mike Love in particular complained that Brian was, “messing with the formula”. Mike was right, but on so many other levels was he wrong. Since this is the short version of the story I will skip right to the tragic side of the picture. Brian eventually shelved the SMiLE project. He went a little cuckoo in the 70’s and the Beach Boys, for better or worse continued working on the “formula” that had made them so successful in the early 60’s. Some of the songs from SMiLE found their way onto various Beach Boys LPs over the next few years. But they were out of context, re-recorded and were lacking the magic sparked between Van Dyke and Brian.
It was over by 1967. SMiLE destroyed Brian’s soul. He would go on for the next 30 or so years never mentioning SMiLE in interviews or playing the songs from the sessions. Fans of course knew of this great lost album and created the SMiLE mythology. I became aware of the songs by seeing some kind of documentary on PBS in the 90’s. They were talking to fellow musicians and whatnot. I only have recollection of Sean Lennon talking about how important these songs were and how sad it was that this album was never released. The general thinking amongst the SMiLE fans was that we would never hear it the way it was intended.
I was able to download a few tracks that I had read about on the internet including Our Prayer, Heroes and Villains and Fire. Just those 3 were enough fodder for my ears. But they were muddy recordings and I knew that they were out of context.
I am a big fan of concept albums. Call it my progressive rock background or what not. So I knew the only true way to hear Brian’s songs would be to hear them together as one piece of a whole work. I knew it would never happen.
But it did happen. In 2004 he released the sucker. I was blindsided. I heard about him playing SMiLE live in London but I didn’t believe it. I didn’t want to believe it. So I forgot about it. And then I just broke down and looked into it and thus found the truth to be that not only was he playing it live on tour but he was releasing an album. He was actually going to go back to that dark place and finish the great masterpiece.
And to me that is what SMiLE is: a masterpiece of work. One of the best stories in rock and roll. And the music, well it speaks for itself. There are certain times in life where a person can truly connect with art and say to themselves, “Wow, I get it!”
Surf’s Up is absolutely beautiful and the center and heart of the album. Wind Chimes, Cabin Essence: brilliant. Heroes and Villains kicks Good Vibrations’ ass. Vega-tables, Wonderful, etc… Come on you’re killing me with this stuff. How can something be so good? It really is that good!
Brain and Van Dyke, thanks guys. I get it. And I love it. And it means a hell of a lot to me that you guys finished it and that it is so good.
posted by DeesKnees at 2:32 PM
1 Comments:
Brad,
The problem with Brian Wilson is that he gets mixed up into the whole Beach Boys story where he is somehow associated with John Stamos and Kokomo.
The Beach Boys that exsisted between 1960 and 1967 was a different story. Even on its simpliest terms the structure of the harmonies were brilliant.
Regardless. What I will say to anybody unfamilar with SMiLE is to forget about everything you deem cheesy about Beach Boys music and listen with an open mind. In doing so you may very well find what I and millions have found to be possibly the best album never released. And now that it is released as: Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE take it for what it is:
A perfect masterpeice.
Dee
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