Beach Boys 1968 - "I Can Hear Music: The 20/20 Sessions" and "Wake The World: The Friends Sessions"*

Sorry, I can't stay silent about this. Do you realize that the compilers of these amazing collections have shared how much resistance they're getting from Capitol to even release these in any format? And yet you decide, brazenly, to steal the material and boast about it on a message board? I acknowledge that many people in the target demographic value physical formats above all else, and that's anyone's right to feel that way. But that doesn't entitle you to throw a public tantrum and cut directly into the sales that the bean counters are watching. Would you rather they stop releasing these at all? Keep it up and that's exactly what will happen.

To Alan Boyd and Mark Linett: thank you, thank you, for this annual labor of love, and I promise I will support these efforts by purchasing whatever Capitol agrees to release.

 

Listen 'bird'
Before you start playing 'look at me, and how supportive I am' bull.
I've spent 30 years buying every album release, official merch, solo albums from direct websites,
so don't preach that rubbish to me. You don't know how much I have paid money to
The Beach Boys, Brian, Al and many related artists, band members albums.
Also, when have I not acknowledged the work behind these compilers and their work?
I was making a statement against Capitol/EMI, so don't put words in my mouth.
If you call my reasons stated as 'throwing a tantrum', well, you have a lot to learn.
My reasons are as valid as the next persons, so pull your head in and have a good day!

 

These beancounters should realise that most of us would have paid more for this music if they put it on a silver disc in a plastic box instead of a flac file. And they can keep booklet and promotion simple for my concern.

 

Sadly that poster isn't even the first person I've seen publicly brag on the internet about not paying for these releases. Makes no sense to me, even in a selfish sense, as there's a direct cause and effect in play here.

 

I understand the reasons why it was more feasible to do this as a download only release, but the lack of praise or attention given to the Friends-era material is, to me, really sad. No promotion, not a mention from any of the band members as far as I can tell, nothing. Talk about being clueless about your own musical legacy. There are so many tracks in the Friends set in particular that are more in the SMiLE vein than anything else the band ever attempted again. A lot of the more casual fans who delved into the high profile SMiLE release would really dig a lot of this, but it isn't going to happen. The ship just sailed.

 

I don't care how many records or whatever you've bought in the past. I'm talking about these releases. These annual releases of ultra-rare, fringe material. There is not a large market for it, and they are on a short leash. You are not entitled to steal it, period. You are not entitled to brag about stealing it either.

 

And! your not entitled to tell me what I can and can't do.

 

On this same market were beautiful releases of Hendrix, the Beatles, the Doors , Roxy Music and many others. You tell me it's not feasible and these bands release material for charity?

 

Both of those points you threw in my face there were points that I already agreed with you on. I acknowledged that it was Capitol you have a beef with, and not the compilers. I agree with you on that, and I have the same beef. I too wish they at least promoted these more, let alone released them on physical media.

I also acknowledged in my response that you have a right to feel as you do.

So you see, your response to me was overly defensive. You cannot deny my central point and that is that it is bad form to steal, regardless of your reasons, and to post about it here. Period. Your actions are not helping the situation.

 

Pretty sure it's not SHF policy to brag about stealing music. So while I wouldn't call it "entitlement," I would feel very comfortable in saying that it is within my rights to reply to you and call you on your poor form.

And it's "you're" - not "your."

 

I don't even understand what you're trying to say here. Look, I too wish Capitol was promoting these and releasing them on CD or vinyl or whatever. But they're not, and what's worse, we've been told by those in the know (the very people that compiled them), that they have to fight to release them at all. So all I'm saying is don't steal it and post about it here. What is so hard to understand about my point?

 

My point is, like many many others here have already stated and complained about, is the lack
of physical product of these brilliant releases. The whole not a 'large market' argument
doesn't hold up.
When there are presented decently, people will buy like the 67' sunshine tomorrow collection.
I do hope what I say and so many here have said gets back to 'The Tower' because
they need to know the real situation and how dividing they have made it for fans.
I am not the only one who has currently 'borrowed' these songs.
Other diehards will not pay top dollar for a file with no liner notes, details or even cover artwork.
It's principal.
We WILL buy if they delivered the goods. Not only buy, but buy the Vinyl, limited color vinyl, CD, limited editions,
overseas editions with bonus tracks, and so forth.
You can blame me, but the way I see it, they shoot themselves in the foot.

 

Craig, you are such a fount of knowledge and I'm sure others have told you that you should publish all this info in some format. Please consider!

 

Totally agree. I wish Capitol would wake up and put some faith in this music. I also wish that the general public would begin to be more aware that the post-1966 Beach Boys material is as significant as it is. There's still the whole "Brian went to bed after Smile" myth that sticks. I do hope in a few generations' time it will shift at least slightly. The whole 1967-72 era is brilliant.

 

But if it's not released to your satisfaction (and understand - I am with you on how it should be released in an ideal world), then you'd rather it not get released at all?

 

Oh don't get me wrong! I'm really glad they are released and I've got access to listen to them.
Top stuff.

 

Well, if enough people don't buy them, then they will stop releasing them.

 

It's especially frustrating when you consider how much PR they pumped into that boneheaded London symphony orchestra release this past year.

 

With that same thinking I should get free groceries too. I've spend thousands at Krogers. They owe it to me

 

They probably do, supermarkets are usually 100 percent markup.

 

That was gonna be a 'fizzer' from the get go.

 

You have absolutely no idea how retail works, do you ?

 

Ummmm, I was a Grocery Manager for 10 years.

 

Did they fire you for stealing?

 

In the Radiant Radish?