Uncanny

DANGER MOUSE is one of our most favorite artists.

NY TIMES MAGAZINE "What changed everything was when I got into Woody Allen," says Danger Mouse, whose real name is Brian Burton. "When I got to college, I saw 'Manhattan' and 'Deconstructing Harry.' I thought to myself: Why do I relate so much to this white 60-year-old Jewish guy? Why do I understand his neurosis? So I just started watching all of his movies. And what I realized is that they worked because Woody Allen was an auteur: he did his Thing, and that particular Thing was completely his own. That's what I decided to do with music. I want to create a director's role within music, which is what I tried to do on this album."

More fun with DANGER MOUSE here: FREE RAP

TBA EMPTY: Stupid Rotation CD (MAXE 010CD)

According to the label: “TBA Empty is Tbilisi, Georgia-based Goslab member Natalie Beridze, and this is her fourth full-length release on the Max Ernst label. Without a doubt, this new TBA Empty album is about the bass drum and absolute dance. This full-length release follows the Stupid Rotation 12"s, produced in collaboration with Thomas Brinkmann. This CD version includes all tracks previously available on the 12"s, plus tracks never-before released….Stupid Rotation is a delirious ride.”

TBA is the Georgien word for lake.

MAX ERNST released this record
GEORGIEN BLOG discusses this artist
FORCED EXPOSURE sells the records
ALL MUSIC has the track listing
GOSLAB contains many interesting artists

I don't know how many of you might have missed our PREVIOUS POST on MIKE HEPPENER'S new novel Pike’s Folly, a wonderful romp which moves with a fast crowd, hipsters like writer's writer TERRY SOUTHERN, and JOSEPH HELLER, of Catch 22 fame.

HEPPENER brings these authors' salacious style into the modern era by incorporating a real pop musician, specifically Brian Wilson, into his narrative. Wilson is both a trope, e.g. one character made a film about Wilson in the '80s and another is obsessed with SMiLE bootlegs, and an actual character. Further into the novel, the final 1/3, which I have not had a chance to finish yet, Brian Wilson himself emerges as a speaking, and letter writing, character.

While the Wilson trope/character is important to the novel, if you put all the references together, it would only stretch over a few pages. Nevertheless, Pike's Folly is turning out to be a great book.

We'll let you know more as we progress through the book. Until then, check out this link: BOHEMIAN AESTHETIC

CHICAGO SUN TIMES "When I last wrote about Roky Erickson in May 2005, I noted that the legendary Texas musician had spent the last two decades trailing Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett and Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson atop the list of rock's most tragic burnouts."

The author of this piece on the mythical Roky Ericson, the sloppy Jim Derogatis, copies his own previous article, and falls in line with nearly every other music critic, to compare Roky Ericson to Brian Wilson. Can't these guys think of something new?

MODERN GUITARS Al Jardine is planning an upcoming limited edition Signature Fender Guitar based on the classic 1962 Stratocaster he used on tour in the 70s and 80s.

For Immediate Release

THE BEACH BOYS PET SOUNDS AND “GOOD VIBRATIONS”
40TH ANNIVERSARIES FETED BY CAPITOL / EMI

COMMEMORATIVE, LIMITED-EDITION CD SINGLE, DELUXE CD/DVD AND DOUBLE COLORED VINYL RELEASES TO MARK SILVER ANNIVERSARIES

“Good Vibrations: 40th Anniversary” CD Single, In Stores June 27, Features Five Versions of the Timeless 1966 Smash Hit and Its Original U.S. B-Side

Pet Sounds: 40th Anniversary Deluxe CD/DVD Package Includes Mono, Stereo and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound Mixes, Plus Rare & Previously Unreleased Promotional and Documentary Footage; Double Colored Vinyl, Limited and Numbered, Presented in Deluxe Gatefold Sleeve

Pet Sounds: 40th Anniversary CD/DVD and Double Vinyl In Stores: August 29

“It was Pet Sounds that blew me out of the water… I love the album so much. I’ve just bought my kids each a copy of it for their education in life — I figure no one is educated musically ‘til they’ve heard that album.”
- Paul McCartney

Hollywood, California – June 13, 2006 – The Beach Boys’ seminal 1966 album Pet Sounds and classic #1 hit single “Good Vibrations” both celebrate 40th anniversaries this year. Capitol/EMI Music Catalog Marketing will celebrate the four-decade milestones of one of popular music’s most influential and universally-acclaimed albums and truly iconic singles with commemorative anniversary releases. “Good Vibrations: 40th Anniversary,” a limited-edition CD single, will be released physically and digitally on June 27. Pet Sounds: 40th Anniversary will be released on August 29 in two configurations. The deluxe, limited-edition suede-feel CD/DVD digipak features the classic album in Mono, Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Hi-Res 96kHz/24-bit PCM Stereo mixes, rare and previously unreleased promotional and documentary film footage, and a photo gallery of classic band images from the era. A deluxe, double colored vinyl package, limited to 10,000 numbered copies worldwide, presents Mono and Stereo mixes of Pet Sounds in a gatefold sleeve.

"Pet Sounds is a landmark album. For me to say that I was enthralled would be an understatement. I had never heard such magical sounds, so amazingly recorded. It is a timeless and amazing recording of incredible genius and beauty." – Elton John

Pet Sounds, the Beach Boys’ 12th studio album is universally hailed as one of the most important recordings of all time. Since its original May 16, 1966 release, the studio masterpiece has reigned at the top of countless critic and fan polls, and four decades later, the visionary album maintains its timeless rank as one of popular music’s most-cited influences. More than 100 domestic and international publications and journalists have lauded Pet Sounds as one of the greatest albums ever recorded. In 1995, Pet Sounds topped MOJO magazine’s special issue “The Greatest Albums of All Time” at #1 while in 2003, Rolling Stone magazine listed Pet Sounds at #2 out of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.”

Pet Sounds: 40th Anniversary deluxe, limited-edition suede-feel CD/DVD digipak package includes a CD with mono and stereo mixes of the original album and a bonus mono track, “Hang On To Your Ego” (an early version of the album’s “I Know There’s An Answer”), recorded during the Pet Sounds sessions but not included in the album’s original tracklist. The DVD’s six film and video cuts include a behind-the-scenes documentary, “The Making Of Pet Sounds;” “Pet Stories,” featuring interviews with Brian Wilson, lyricist Tony Asher and members of the original “wrecking crew” Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye, Don Randi, Frankie Capp and Tommy Morgan; the never-before-released 1966 promotional color ‘firehouse’ film clip for “Good Vibrations;” original 1966 promotional black & white film clips for “Sloop John B” and Pet Sounds, and an excerpt from the unreleased BBC television documentary, “Rhythm of Life,” in which Sir George Martin joins Brian Wilson in the studio for a discussion of the album’s musical significance. Pet Sounds: 40th Anniversary’s DVD also contains a photo gallery set to the classic music of “God Only Knows” and Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Hi-Res 96 kHz/24-bit PCM Stereo audio mixes of the album plus a Hi-Res 96 kHz/24-bit PCM Mono mix of bonus track “Hang On To Your Ego.”

Pet Sounds: 40th Anniversary’s commemorative double colored vinyl, limited to 10,000 numbered copies worldwide, is sure to become a highly prized collectible for fans. Presented in a deluxe gatefold sleeve, the album’s mono mix on yellow vinyl is complemented by the stereo mix on green vinyl.

“Good Vibrations,” named the “#1 Greatest Single of All Time” by MOJO magazine and the “#6 Greatest Song of All Time” by Rolling Stone magazine, is a timeless musical treasure. The “Good Vibrations: 40th Anniversary” CD single, presented in a limited edition digipak, features five different versions of the timeless Beach Boys hit, including the original 45 single version, an edit of the song with elements from various sessions, an alternate studio take, an instrumental and a live version from a Honolulu rehearsal in August, 1967 that was originally intended for the lost album Lei’d in Hawaii, as well as the single’s original U.S. B-side, “Let’s Go Away For Awhile.” The single’s original U.S. cover art appears on the front of the CD single, with various international single covers replicated within the package.

* * *

“Good Vibrations - 40th Anniversary” Limited Edition CD Single
1. Good Vibrations (45 version)
2. Good Vibrations (edit culled from various sessions)
3. Good Vibrations (alternate studio take)
4. Good Vibrations (instrumental)
5. Good Vibrations (live Honolulu, HI rehearsal - August 25, 1967)
6. Let's Go Away For Awhile (original “Good Vibrations” single B-side)

Pet Sounds: 40th Anniversary Limited Edition CD/DVD
CD
Mono Mix Stereo Mix
1. Wouldn't It Be Nice 15. Wouldn't It Be Nice
2. You Still Believe In Me 16. You Still Believe In Me
3. That's Not Me 17. That's Not Me
4. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) 18. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
5. I'm Waiting For The Day 19. I'm Waiting For The Day
6. Let's Go Away For Awhile 20. Let's Go Away For Awhile
7. Sloop John B 21. Sloop John B
8. God Only Knows 22. God Only Knows
9. I Know There's An Answer 23. I Know There's An Answer
10. Here Today 24. Here Today
11. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times 25. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
12. Pet Sounds 26. Pet Sounds
13. Caroline No 27. Caroline No
Bonus Track (Mono)
14. Hang On To Your Ego

DVD
1. THE MAKING OF PET SOUNDS (behind-the-scenes documentary featuring interviews with Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, Bruce Johnston and Tony Asher)
2. PET STORIES (Brian Wilson, Tony Asher, Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye, Don Randi, Frankie Capp and Tommy Morgan reflect on the Pet Sounds sessions and songs, the album’s original release and its legacy)
- The Greatest Album Of All Time…
- The Songs
- 'Caroline, No'
- 'Wouldn't It Be Nice'
- 'God Only Knows'
- 'Sloop John B'
- 'I Know There's An Answer'
- 'You Still Believe In Me'
- On All 8 Cylinders…
- The Vocals
- Competition With The Beatles
3. RHYTHM OF LIFE: Sir George Martin & Brian Wilson in the Studio (never-before-released BBC TV documentary excerpt)
4. GOOD VIBRATIONS (unreleased 1966 color ‘firehouse’ promo film)
5. SLOOP JOHN B (1966 black & white promo film)
6. PET SOUNDS (1966 black & white promo film)
7. PHOTO GALLERY (“God Only Knows” audio synched to photo gallery)
* DVD also contains Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and Hi-Res 96 kHz/24-bit PCM Stereo audio mixes of Pet Sounds + Hi-Res 96 kHz/24-bit PCM Mono audio mix of bonus track “Hang On To Your Ego”

Pet Sounds: 40th Anniversary double colored vinyl (ltd. to 10,000 numbered copies worldwide)
Mono Mix (yellow vinyl) Stereo Mix (green vinyl)
1. Wouldn't It Be Nice 1. Wouldn't It Be Nice
2. You Still Believe In Me 2. You Still Believe In Me
3. That's Not Me 3. That's Not Me
4. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) 4. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
5. I'm Waiting For The Day 5. I'm Waiting For The Day
6. Let's Go Away For Awhile 6. Let's Go Away For Awhile
7. Sloop John B 7. Sloop John B
8. God Only Knows 8. God Only Knows
9. I Know There's An Answer 9. I Know There's An Answer
10. Here Today 10. Here Today
11. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times 11. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
12. Pet Sounds 12. Pet Sounds
13. Caroline No 13. Caroline No

JON STEBBINS

AP via WDTN The surviving founders of the Beach Boys — Brian Wilson, Mike Love and Al Jardine — made their first public appearance together in 10 years Tuesday, standing atop the historic Capitol Records building in Hollywood.

The trio gathered to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the landmark "Pet Sounds" album and the recent double-platinum certification of 2003's "Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of the Beach Boys." The trio was joined by veteran band member Bruce Johnston and former Beach Boy David Marks.

"It's always good to do this while we're living," Jardine quipped to reporters before the event, in which band members were presented with framed plaques each containing two platinum vinyl records.

Plaques also were issued posthumously to Wilson's brothers, Carl and Dennis — both original Beach Boys members.

The reunion of the Beach Boys came after decades of animosity between Love and Wilson, who are cousins.

Love sued Wilson in November, saying Wilson "shamelessly misappropriated (Love's) songs, likeness and the Beach Boys trademark, as well as the `Smile' album itself" when Wilson was promoting 2004's "Smile." Love previously sued his cousin in the mid-1990s, seeking more songwriting credit on the band's back catalog.

The two shared a friendly rapport Tuesday, standing side by side and patting each other on the back. In thanking his bandmates, Love lauded "my cousin Brian Wilson, for his incredible abilities that gave us all this amazing life."

When asked if all hatchets have been buried, Love pointed to his back.

"The hatchets are right here," he said with a laugh.
Loved added that between the band members "there's issues that arise, and you resolve them over time."

Of the reunion, he said: "We've been together, just in different configurations and different situations. But this is a great one because everybody's in a celebratory mood, everybody's on their good behavior and everybody's enjoying the fact that our records have been recognized even 40 years after we first put (them) out."

A second greatest-hits compilation, called "The Warmth of the Sun," is planned for release next spring, Love and Wilson said.

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BOSTON PHOENIX Why write a novel which includes Brian Wilson as a character?

"I guess the book needed a spiritual guide," says novelist Mike Heppner. "I’m not sure why I felt that, but I wanted someone who stood aside from the story who offered wisdom and inspiration. There are always artists that inspire me at a certain time, and at that time it was him. And I’ve always admired artists where there is a push-pull dynamic between their instincts to be commercial and popular, while their mind is warped to what the mainstream really is. And that was Brian Wilson, particularly around the time of Smile [the Beach Boys’ 1967 'lost' masterpiece, rerecorded and released by Wilson in 2004]. He was going through a war inside himself, which spun out of control. He wanted to make popular music that spoke to adults and children while still being intellectual. I can relate to that because in the books I write, I try to be entertaining. But at the same time, my sense of what’s entertaining is a little off and it comes off a little strange, like Smile."

SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE "Bands are so often likened to the Beach Boys that the comparison is no more enlightening than saying a group has a singer or a guitarist."

GAWKER

BLOGCRITICS “The surviving founding members of the Beach Boys — Al Jardine, Mike Love, and Brian Wilson — and Beach Boys member since 1965, Bruce Johnston, will appear together for the first time in 10 years on the rooftop of the landmark Capitol Records building in Hollywood on Tuesday, June 13, for a ceremony celebrating double-Platinum designation for domestic sales of more than two million units of Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys.”

Unfortunately, it looks like David Marks is left out in the cold, again. Although Marks may not be an “original” Beach Boy, neither is Bruce Johnson. Marks was on the scene years before Johnson. Also, Marks appears on several of the Beach Boys biggest hits, probably far more than Johnson.

EDIT:

According to the BBB message board, Marks IS part of the event--

"They said it would never happen; but all five surviving Beach Boys -- co-founders Brian Wilson, Mike Love, David Marks and Al Jardine, along with longtime member Bruce Johnston -- will appear together on Tuesday (June 13th), on the rooftop of Capitol Records' Los Angeles headquarters. Co-founders Dennis and Carl Wilson died in 1983 and 1998, respectively."

"The event, which commemorates the sales of over two million copies of the group's hits compilation Sounds Of Summer: The Very Best Of The Beach Boys, will mark the first time Wilson, Love, Jardine and Johnston have appeared in public together in nearly a decade. In addition to the group being awarded their platinum albums, Capitol Records will be unveiling the artwork for a commemorative Beach Boys anniversary CD and vinyl titles to be released later this year."

"In a LAUNCH exclusive, Al Jardine said that the group has been amazed by the album's unstoppable success: 'We've been delighted and surprised in the weekly sales figures and they're beyond comprehension -- and they're showing no sign of slowing down!'"

"Jardine said that being with the guys on their old stomping grounds just might be the thing needed to get them all to finally commit to reforming: 'We're going back to our roots. It is a reunion. It's a beautiful thing.'"

"When asked if the awards-ceremony would be a dry-run for a full scale musical reunion Jardine said, 'I sure hope so. The only reason we're here is because we're sharing the music and love... And then the lawyers came. An impressive offer (for a reunion) has been made. We just need to sit down and agree to do it -- or not to. But that's what we've already been doing (laughs).'"

"Founding Beach Boy David Marks told LAUNCH that the group's records will never fall out of fashion: 'The Beach Boys actually symbolize a happier time. People are drawn to it -- and continually drawn back to it, because mainly people wanna feel good, and the music is just feel-good music, what can I say? And it reminds everyone of happier times too.'"

"Beach Boys historian Jon Stebbins told LAUNCH that, 'It's nice to know that David Marks is finally getting acknowledged for the hit records he contributed to. Let's hope this type of goodwill is a signal that Dennis Wilson's great unreleased music will finally see the light of day.'"

"Stebbins long awaited biography on Marks, titled The Lost Beach Boy is due out later this year. In 2000, Stebbins published the definitive biography on Dennis Wilson, titled The Real Beach Boy."