From: kenn@sti.net   
      
   Limoges wrote:   
      
   >   
   >   
   > I still don't buy Brian's explanation that he didn't release SMiLE   
   > because "Mike Love didn't like it" and he himself "didn't think it was   
   > commercial enough."  Why would Mikey hate SMiLE enough to refuse to   
   > release it and then agree to do WEIRD versions of SMiLE songs on Smiley   
   > Smile???  I mean, Wonderful and Wind Chimes sound beautiful in their   
   > SMiLE incarnations but positively CREEPY in their Smiley Smile versions.   
   >   
   > Also, Smiley Smiley definitely sounds more STONED than SMiLE with the   
   > speeded up vocals and laughter and stuff.  And as far as "f*cking with   
   > the formula" goes, Smiley Smile was definitely less commercial than   
   > SMiLE for 1967.   
   >   
   > The only other explanation I can see is something that was proposed in   
   > this newsgroup a couple of years ago - that the Boys preferred the   
   > Smiley Smile versions of the SMiLE songs because they could actually   
   > perform them in concert.   
   >   
   > I still love Smiley Smile, though.   
      
   IMHO, By late May 1967, Van Dyke Parks had quit the Smile project 2 times, and   
   was not getting on with Mike Love over lyrics. The record company who had to   
   give advance money to Brian and the Beach Boys for studio time and paying the   
   wrecking crew was in litigation with the group so was not in a good mood. Smile   
   was far from done at the point it turned into Smilly Smile in June 67'. I have   
   a feeling the situation was at a point that the record company was breathing   
   down the BB's neck for product. I believe Brian did hit a creative wall where   
   he had allot of ideas for Smile but could not mold his dream into something he   
   could record quickly.   Look with all the clout they had with EMI, the Beatles   
   had been forced to release Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields early thus keeping   
   them off the Sgt. Pepper album. How do you think the Beach Boys could fight   
   Capitol? I think if Brian was givin another four months and the suport of the   
   Beach Boys, Smile would have been done. Or it is posible that Brian would have   
   just used another four months to record fragments that would link into nothing   
   or parts of new songs or nothing at all. The Group was back from turing and had   
   to come up with a way to please everyone fast, and to try and keep the #1 PoP   
   Group status they had alive. I truly believe it was at this point that part of   
   the Beach Boys troop (including Mike Love) put forth the idea to quickly put   
   out an album. As there had been no new songs I say Mike Love pulled songs from   
   the Smile project for quick use under Brian's protest and it was at this time   
   the group vetoed Brian and took control. I Belive Brian's help on Smily Smile   
   was under personel objection. I also belive it hurt Brian alot when Cool Cool   
   Water was done and completly reworked from it's Smile vision into what was put   
   out on Sunflower. I don't think Mike Love was the reason for stopping the Smile   
   Project, but I believe he pissed all over it by taking it's songs over and over   
   for nothing more then marketing tools and all after insulting the guy who wrote   
   the words. That Carl put together 1971's Surf's Up just as Brian had wanted was   
   much more respectful, and I hope it was done out of respect for Brian.   
      
   Kenn   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)