Much better than "Smile" but few fans "get it"..very
organic album. Perfect album in my opinion..Brian
Wilson's genius in top form execpt he probably wouldnot agree with me.
Bruce Johnston April 10, 2001
PS-now I really have to give this board a rest so "byefor now"..
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Replying to:
To me this is one of the ultimate Brian Wilson works,
complete genius from beginning to end, a really
organic album, a bit more in the real world. I was
just wondering what you thought of this album during
its recording and if your opinion towards it hasaltered at all over the years?
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Date: 04/6/01 11:31:50 AM
My acetate has been buried in my archives and I just don't recall its structure.
Perhaps Brian will make it clear to us one day. Did you ever see the movie "Shine"?
Bruce Johnston
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Hi Bruce
I am amazed to read you have an unreleased acetate of 'Heroes...' This is one of my favourite BB songs and I long to hear one of the mythical unheard Smile versions. Could you give an idea what the song was made up of without being too specific - ie were there a lot of sound fx ie barnyard noises etc?
Also, when you say the Smile bootlegs are wide of the mark, what do you mean? I assume you're saying there are more complete cuts than the ones we have heard?
People obsess about Smile so much simply because its absolutely brilliant, and deserves to be heard in as complete a form as possible.
I really appreciate that you can't be too specific, but any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Yours sincerely
MS
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Date: 04/3/01 06:23:34 AM
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I love Smile but the bootleg tapes are only a wild guess. Brian needs to time travel in order to finish this wonderful project.
Bruce Johnston
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Brian mentioned not too long ago that he has a "master plan" for the famous SMILE album. Do you (Bruce Johnston) have any idea what it is? Also, what did you think of the SMILE material? Too weird? Too progressive? Too uncommericial? Pure genius? Which leads me to one more question, if I may. What are your feelings on fans owning bootlegs of unreleased material, such as SMILE? Thanks for taking time to communicate with us.
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Brian never completed "Smile" and we would never want to question his magnificent artistry or his decision to scrap the project. It's very possible that Capitol has a master in their vaults, which would be better quality than my scratchy old acetate. As you know acetate discs predate cassette tapes.
Just how many times can we re-release yet another recording of the same songs. To me, it's overkill.
Bruce Johnston
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Too bad! First off; Why can't you give the acetate back to the Capitol vaults incase the original mix is missing? We're not asking you to copy it and give it to fans, but maybe once in the vaults it would officially find itself on a Beach Boys release ala "Hawthorne California". 2nd. Why are all the Beach Boys constantly tight lipped about "Smile" after all these years. A little openess and forthcoming about something so damn old would be appreciated! I'll be dead before I learn anything constructive or useful from "Smile". Waiting 35 years now. It's getting old, hu?
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Since Brian was the producer of "Heroes and Villains", I don't feel it would it be appropriate to discuss in detail his "rough draft" of a work that was in progress.
Thanks for your interest.
Bruce Johnston
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Dear Bruce.
There are a lot of Beach Boys fans out there who like to make their own compilations of what Smile tracks are available to them.I know you said that you don't recall which version of Heroes & Villains you have,but is there a possibility that you may post the order of what sections make up the version you have in your archives when you return?
Thanks in anticipation,Bruce.
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I do remember a much longer version and buried deep within my archives in the vault is an acetate copy. I don't recall which version of Heroes & Villains I have. I do not intend to make this recording public.
Bruce Johnston
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Dear Bruce Johnston,
do you have any recollection about longer versions of Heroes And Villains during the recordings of late 1966 and early 1967?
The only finished versions are 3 minutes long ("cantina" version, mixed in February 1967) or 3 1/2 minutes long (the single version, mixed in August 1967). Did you hear any test mixes or acetates of a longer version at some time? Or do you have an idea about the structure of the song in the fall of 1966, when it supossedly contained sections about Barnyard Billy?
Date: 04/10/01 10:23:26 PM Name: Bruce Johnston
Subject: Re: Bruce: your opinion on Smily Smile?
Name: Bruce Johnston
Subject: Re: heroes and villains
April 5, 2001
On the road in Michigan USA
Its great to see you posting and taking the trouble to answer folks questions.
April 2, 2001
April 4, 2001
dictated from the road
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
April 4, 2001
dictated from the road
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
April 4, 2001
dictated from the road
somewhere in Northern Michigan almost to Canada!)