Beach Boys Feel Flows Boxset

[Dan O.]

Giving the set a first listen now. Halfway through Disc 2 (or part 2 of my download copy). The mixes of both core albums are excellent, but they always were sonically pretty good. Getting the feeling I'm just coming to the interesting stuff...

[GubGub (Al)]

Mine is due to be delivered any minute now.

[Dan O.]

Giving the set a first listen now. Halfway through Disc 2 (or part 2 of my download copy). The mixes of both core albums are excellent, but they always were sonically pretty good. Getting the feeling I'm just coming to the interesting stuff...

And it's wonderful. At their creative peak, they were truly the best vocal group on the planet, there was no one to touch them !

This set also contains plenty of "what ifs" and "could have/should have beens", and it's amazing to hear some of them now. Dennis Wilson's input, in particular, was so underappreciated, especially by his own band...

[Jules Gray]

Dennis Wilson's input, in particular, was so underappreciated, especially by his own band...

They, and by 'they' I mean Mike, Al, and Bruce, just didn't want Dennis to be a major force in the band.  It wasn't about not appreciating what he was bringing in, it was about ego, jealousy, and slicing up the pie.

Really looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of this set.

Jules

[Dan O.]

Dennis Wilson's input, in particular, was so underappreciated, especially by his own band...

They, and by 'they' I mean Mike, Al, and Bruce, just didn't want Dennis to be a major force in the band.  It wasn't about not appreciating what he was bringing in, it was about ego, jealousy, and slicing up the pie.

Really looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of this set.

Jules

Another factor is that they signed recording contracts with Reprise and later Columbia stipulating that at least 80% of the composition and recording credits had to be by Brian Wilson. After all, he was the hitmaker with the golden touch, and this formula had always worked in the past. Therefore, some rejection of Dennis' work became inevitable...

[GubGub (Al)]

This box was released sort of at the wrong time for me as I have been too busy this weekend to work my way through it. I have (fingers crossed) an entirely empty Bank Holiday Monday which I hope to spend watching the paralympics and luxuriating in music.

Having said that, I have now made it as far as disc 3. The two core albums are of course wonderful and the bonus tracks on discs one and two are very satisfying but disc 3 is an absolute joy. It is a weird thing to say but these backing tracks lose nothing for the absence of the lead vocal. They are wholly fulfilling entities in their own right, a riot of lush harmonies and beautifully mixed and mastered. I am absolutely loving this, perhaps more than the 1967 set (which I adore) and definitely more than the Smile box which, whilst fascinating, is ultimately fragmentary and frankly goes on a bit.

[GubGub (Al)]

I have always loved This Whole World. It is one of my favourite Beach Boys songs but I always wished it was longer. The new box contains a much longer alternative backing track so I have spent a grey and gloomy Bank Holiday Monday cheering myself up by creating my own mix/edit using elements of the original released version and this alternative recording. I am really pleased with the results.

I have become quite adept at this sort of thing after creating a few of these alternative/unique versions lately with the help of Audacity, including George Harrison's Hear Me Lord, Lennon's Happy Xmas (War Is Over), The Beatles' The Long One (the final section of side 2 of Abbey Road) and Gary Clark's Setting Sail.

[davidmjs]

I never got around to getting this, but have just noticed there seems to be a large number of "Disc only" sets for sale up on eBay.  I've just bought all 5 discs sans any packaging for £15 inc postage.  Suits me fine as I can digitise it.  Just wondering if any BB fans know of anywhere one can access a digital copy of the cover/literature that came with the box?