Goodbye Surfing,Hello God

The Beach Boys

Vigotone VT238/242
This 5-CDR boxed set was one of the last products released by the Vigotone label,before the FBI shut them down.A complete late 1967 mono soundboard concert from Washingon D.C. makes its' debut(including a live version of "Wild Honey").Ten selections from the 1970 Big Sur Festival also appear,with generally excellent sound(though with the left channel breaking up and cutting out through the first minute of "Country Air").The box also includes various 1960's T.V. appearances(Steve Allen,Mike Douglas,Ed Sullivan,Merv Griffin & Andy Williams),3 alternate(mono) mixes of songs from "Pet Sounds",an interesting alternate mono mix of "The Nearest Faraway Place"(before strings and echo were added),more radio station promo messages(from the same sessions as those heard on "Unsurpassed Masters Vol.11"),and endless mixdown sessions for "20/20" songs(nearly all of them aborted when engineer Steve Desper stops the tape and rewinds for another attempt).The set has a beautiful box and booklet.80% of the material is full fidelity.This could have made a great 2-CD set(and it has on my CD-R recorder!),but as a 5-CD set,it is loaded with filler that will try the patience of even the most hardened fan.Even noted "Smile" historian Domenic Priore told me that he couldn't handle sitting through a playback of all these "20/20" mixdown attempts,when he heard them at the home of Beach Boys reissue engineer Mark Linett.Procede with caution,but the box DOES have some quality material.The concert tracks & T.V. performances were later re-booted in the Dumb Angel label's "Rarities" series.

Sound Quality: 9
Overall Value: 8
Format: CD

Disc One:
1.Hi,We're The Beach Boys
2.Surfin' U.S.A.(home demo)
3.Fun Fun Fun(Steve Allen Show)
4.Wendy(Ed Sullivan Show)
5.When I Grow Up(Unused "Stack O'Tracks" mix)
6-16.Radio promo messages WBBF/WTRY/WPTR/KENO/WMCA/WINS/KNUZ/KILT/KBOX/CHUM/KRLA
17.Dance Dance Dance(backing track)
18-24.Help Me Rhonda(Mixing Session)
25.Little Cycle(Andy Williams Show)
26.Banana & Louie(Complete dog barking session)
27.Wouldn't It Be Nice(Alternate mno mix)
28.God Only Knows(Alternate Mono Mix)
29.I Know There's An Answer(Alternate Mono Mix)
Disc Two:
Washington D.C. Concert 11/19/67:
1.Intro
2.Barbara Ann
3.intro
4.Darlin'
5.intro
6.I Get Around
7.inro
8.Surfer Girl
9.intro
10.Wouldn't It Be Nice
11.intro
12.God Only Knows
13.intro
14.California Girls
15.intro
16.Wild Honey
17.intro
18.Good Vibrations
19.intro
20.Graduation Day
21.intro
22.Johnny B.Goode


23.Harmony Friends(discarded background vocal parts for "Breakaway")
24-28.Friends(Mono mix attempts,three of them complete,but similar sounding)


DISC THREE
1-25.Little Bird(Mono remix session)
26.Bluebirds Over The Mountain(Rough instrumental mix)
27.Never Learn Not To Love(mono 45 mix)
28.The Nearest Faraway Place(rough mono mix)
29-38.Never Learn Not To Love(stereo remix session)
39.Fig Plucker(a spoken word piece)
40.Oh Yeah(a spoken word piece)
41-48.Be With Me(Stereo remix session)


DISC FOUR
1-23.Bluebirds Over The Mountains(stereo remix session)
24-43.Time to Get Alone(stereo remix session)
44-48.The Nearest Faraway Place(stereo remix session)
49.I Can Hear Music(Mike Douglas Show)
50.Never Learn Not To Love(Mike Douglas Show)
51.Breakaway(Take 16-Brian vocal)
52.Breakaway(instrumental)
53.Breakaway(alternate Carl vocal)
54.Breakaway(David Frost Show)


DISC FIVE
1.Add Some Music to Your Day(Vocals-only)
2.Slip on Through(mix in progress)
3.Forever(vocals-only)
4.Forever(alternate mix)
5.San Miguel(alternate mix)
6.Wouldn't It Be Nice(Merv Griffin Show)
Live:Big Sur Festival 10/3/70)
7.Wouldn't It Be Nice
8.Sloop John B.
9.Country Air
10.California Girls
11.Aren't You Glad
12.Cottonfields
13.Their Hearts Were Full of Spring
14.Riot in Cell Block #9
15.Good Vibrations
16.Student Demonstration Time(alternate mix)
17.Only With You(Live 1972)
18.Sail On Sailor(instrumental/vocals-only mix)

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