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

Now THAT would be worth a physical box set!

 

While that theory is plausible, does it square with the large number of tracks they didn't release? Or did they maybe not tell Capitol about everything they recorded, or maybe Capitol didn't like certain things?

 

Most of the unreleased tracks do not have vocals, which would indicate the group either didn't get around to adding them before Capitol demanded the album, or they didn't like them well enough to add vocals. The point Bruce was trying to make, It think, was that Capitol knew which tracks had vocals (from the Popular Session Worksheets the group was turning in), so they knew how many would be ready to go.

 

I'm pretty sure a company like Sundazed or Light In The Attic could put together some rather wonderful multi-album vinyl reissues of 20/20 and Friends on colored vinyl (Remember the Pacific Ocean Blue set?) with these unheard songs that would sell very well.

 

I'm in!

 

I was so bummed that Friends wasn't included in the Analogue Productions reissue series... Clearly Friends has replaced SMiLE as the most overlooked, neglected period of greatness for this band. Smiley, Wild Honey, Sunflower through Holland, even Love You seem to get more acknowledgment from the guys these days. I understand that Bruce actively hates it for some reason, and Mike is hardly in it, but where are Brian and Al on this?

 

Brian has called it his favorite album in the past.

I don't know why Wild Honey, Friends and 20/20 were no offer to AP by Capitol. Wild Honey maybe they had already decided on the "Sunshine Tomorrow" thing and wanted to save as much hype for that as possible. But Friends and 20/20, though... makes no sense. Yes, Capitol issued their own versions of these on vinyl a couple years ago, but why not let AP and KG work the magic on them? Frustrating.

Every night before bed I say a prayer that AP will get the right to issue the remaining titles (Christmas (mono and stere), Wild Honey (mono and stereo), Friends, 20/20, So Tough). Then we'll have world peace.

 

Yes, the APs have been so good that I really dream of a Friends release. I emailed a while ago about this and received no reply. The Capitol Green label I have for Friends is OK, but doesn't really hold a candle to the AP series.

 

I agree that Capitol may have held back Wild Honey, Friends and 20/20 since they already planned on big things for the '67 and '68 material -- which manifested as the Sunshine Tomorrow, Wake The World and I Can Hear Music releases. That's the only thing that makes sense. It is conspicuous that those are the three albums that didn't get the AP treatment, and the three albums that did get these expanded releases.

And I guess we can assume as well, that the "powers-that-be" believe the post-Holland albums are, sadly, just for us Beach Boy nuts.

I, however, cannot explain the omission of The Beach Boy's Christmas Album. Which is arguably the greatest rock and roll Christmas album ever made and, personally, my all-time favorite Christmas album. It's the one album that I continue to love more and more each year -- as a Christmas album, but also as simply another great Beach Boys album.

 

The AP releases matched the 2012 remaster series in its line up, with the exception of Holland

 

Does this mean "Carl & The Passions - So Tough" is gonna get a super duper treatment in 2022?

Maybe Capitol had already invested money into their own pressings of Friends and 20/20 and didn't want competition (didn't stop them from issuing Pet Sounds for the umpteenth time). I don't know. Makes no sense. Not having the albums as part of the 2012 CD series makes no sense either. Nothing makes any sense!

 

I think it does! Or maybe... they thought it was, in fact, an album by "Carl & The Passions" ya see... and not a Beach Boys album at all.

Which reminds me -- Surfin' Safari (just like Holland) didn't receive a 2012 remaster either, but did (thankfully!!) get an AP release. Excluding the two live albums I sort of understand (though I do not condone), since live albums have typically been considered outside the catalog somewhat. But I have no idea why these others (Safari, CATP and Holland) didn't get jack. What AP decides to release -- I get it -- it's more of the-best-of-the-best boutique label. But Capitol -- who the flunk knows.

Yeah, it's all a mess. I don't get it.

 

The UMe release of Friends, 20/20, and Love You circa 2013 are nicely done and analog (though Love You has a slightly different eq). The green label Friends has a narrowed stereo image and is the least pleasant of that series.

 

The hi-res downloads by UMe for these "missing in action" albums are also nicely done. I think anyway. I mean, they all sound remastered -- certainly different than the previous (2000/2001) masterings. And these include ALL the albums -- all 3 live albums, Christmas album, CATP, Wild Honey, Friends, 20/20, etc. -- all of 'em -- up to and including The Beach Boys '85!!

Sadly, the only thing missing is Still Crusin' and Summer In Paradise... and well, NASCAR and Knebworth. And comps like Endless Summer and Made In The USA. But, still. Not bad.

 

Ooow, Nascar on vinyl would be great! Giant 76 logo picture disc!

 

Yeah, AP not issuing the Christmas album killed me. It's a glaring omission from their line-up.

 

I'd just like to get the mono version of "Concert" which I don't think has ever been on CD.

 

The two channels have little if any common information. Just combine the two channels for a mono mix.

 

Great post, thanks for the info! By chance, do you know where on that album Dennis and/or Carl wanted those two songs to be sequenced?

 

Dennis felt WIBNTLA should close the record.

 

The outtakes have been available on a Sea of Tunes three-CD set. They include Carl belching during the "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" session, and Brian's immortal pronouncement on "Christmas Day" ("22 takes for this f%^!ing piece of s^%t!"). Very entertaining, but not the sort of thing that cries out for release.

 

Lol! I've actually not heard that. It's possible I have and forgot too. But yeah, I like the Christmas album in all its innocent holiday glory. Most Christmas albums back then were recorded in the summer too - which kind of blows the cover off the whole mystique. Probably not the sort of record I need to pull back the curtain.

Then again, I'm sure I'd be drooling all over it if they did a "copyright dump" of that one too.

 

Man, I love this "Be Here in The Morning" backing track. Wish we had vocals so we could make a remixed version. Wish we could remix the whole album. I didnt know I needed a Friends remix until this set came along. I aligned track and vox for Friends, Bird, TM... edited long Meant For You. Got my partial remix but want it all! Sounds so damn good.

 

The live set is finally available in Europe on ITunes, for those interested. I bought it last night!

 

Wait a minute, the 2013 UMe release of Friends is A/A/A? Are you certain? I never heard that. Can someone confirm?