Uncanny

SF Gate "I don't have the professional equipment. I maybe should have a manager or something like that. To be in show business, I hear you have to have a manager. So I'm not a professional in a way. Nor has it been my priority because, to me, applause is vapid. I'm so inured to the insult, but never to what it can mean. I've learned so much from the criticism I've gotten. My favorite is from back in 1968, some cute little reporter called me the Edsel of pop music. Isn't that great? Applause to me is like that - it's no real litmus as to what you're doing. Sometimes it doesn't even leave a paper trail. It's gone. It evaporates. That never had allure to me."

LA TIMES "In a surprise union of two quintessentially American composers from different eras, one the 1960s mastermind of 'Good Vibrations,' the other the Jazz Age creator of 'Rhapsody in Blue,' former Beach Boy Brian Wilson has been authorized by the estate of George Gershwin to complete unfinished songs Gershwin left behind when he died in 1937."

Also see PITCHFORK

READY FOR THE HOUSE blog has a few more pictures for you to peruse as your lesiure.

DAVID WALA has some exclusive pictures of Brian WIlson's gig in Gothenburg

LA TIMES "Beach Boy Mike Love liked to tell people that Wilson once had a jukebox in his house, and that no matter which of 100 selections you pushed, 'Be My Baby' was the only song that came out. It sounded unlikely, but when I put the question to Wilson, he said it was absolutely true."

NEW TIMES SLO "San Luis Obispo County resident Lance Robison was able to leverage some 45-year-old, reel-to-reel tapes into a five-figure deal that funded his dream project, a new CD called Codependance Beach. What Lance sold to Capitol Records were three reel-to-reel 'work' tapes from the Beach Boys’ 1964 recording session for Shut Down Vol. 2. These tapes contained the multi-tracks from which the original mono recordings were mixed. The mono masters from that 1964 album have since been lost or misplaced, and even if they were found, they don’t contain the various tracks from which to create stereo recordings. In other words, the only reason Beach Boys fans now have stereo versions of 'Don’t Worry Baby' and 'Why Do Fools Fall in Love' is because a then-13-year-old kid named Lance Robison came into possession of these work tapes and held onto them for 43 years."

It's been some time since the last installment, so I though I'd check back in. There are still more promos in my collection that I plan on adding to the extravaganza, including the CD-R that I consider the "holy grail" of Brian Wilson/Beach Boys promo only CD-Rs. You'll have to wait to see the promo I'm referencing. Also, in a few days I'm leaving for a week long record buying trip in Europe. So, don't expect many new blogs for the next week/week and a half. Don't get into any trouble while I'm away.

The photo above was found on the DUST AND GROOVES blog.

EXAMINER discusses Al's recent interview with the magazine RECORD COLLECTOR.

THE BEACH BOYS COLLECTION

CHILD OF THE SIXTIES FOREVER BLOG

LIVERPOOL ECHO

OTHER MUSIC " Summer Jam Alert! Just last week, I sung the praises of the Mighty Sparrow's Hot & Sweet album, produced by Van Dyke Parks and featuring some of the best tropical funk jams you're likely to hear all year. That release made me long for a high-quality reissue of this equally fine album by the Esso Trinidad Steel Band, and some might have laughed at my idle dreaming; yet here it is in a deluxe package on the same label (that'd be Bananastan, which looks to be a new Calypso/West Indian-oriented operation run by none other than Parks himself)!"

"Produced in 1971 by Parks and originally released by Warner Brothers, this album showcases the extraordinary talents of 23 steel pan players conjuring dense, swinging soundscapes that seem to be made out of pure light. The band work their magic on tunes by the Kinks, the Jackson 5, and even Simon & Garfunkel, as well as a few classic calypsos, classical pieces, and a new tune by Parks. The music is as dizzyingly intricate as that of any classical ensemble, yet the band grooves, swings, and bounces with the precision of a machine. Their covers of tunes like "Apeman" and "Cecilia" are instantly recognizable yet exotic, and their stunning version of "I Want You Back" has been a DJ staple of mine for years -- to hear a dozen or so panmen sing the song in unison as the layers of pan drumming swirl around them is startlingly beautiful."

"This deluxe edition also includes, for the first time, a DVD of the 1971 documentary film by Parks and Bud Smith about the Esso Band; it's an excellent slice of life on the road during the group's US tour from that year, with interviews and a number of tight, intense performances everywhere from beachy carnivals to the snowy Midwest. This record holds a special place in my heart; even among the dozens of steel band records I own, it's a truly special jewel. The film is just icing on the cake for a reissue that is long overdue for discovery. As Parks states in the liner notes, "This ain't your Jimmy Buffet Banana Republic, it's Fellini with bikinis!" Well said, absolutely stunning and most highly recommended. "

THE ONION "Just days after the discovery of several previously unreleased Beatles recordings in the attic of Abbey Road Studios, fans and critics across the globe have renounced their enthusiasm for the rock and roll band that was once revered by millions. 'This unfortunate find has forced music historians to completely reassess the talents of John, Paul, George, and Ringo,' said Beatles scholar Mark Lewisohn, who has dated the tapes to early 1968. 'These songs are awful. That one sax solo alone has utterly negated the genius of Magical Mystery Tour and Rubber Soul combined. Certainly this missing link goes a long way toward explaining their solo careers.' In reaction to the discovery, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys has shown dramatic signs of improved mental health."

Pynchon's playlist is on AMAZON.
Read more about Thomas Pynchon's affiliation with the Beach Boys here.

BEATLESNEWS The two titles are:"Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)" and "Today!"