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Stories in Beat that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
'Smiley Smile'
After the relatively disappointing sales of Pet Sounds in May of 1966 and the subsequent release of the Best of The Beach Boys compilation a few months later. One would think Brian Wilson would have taken the advice of Capitol Records executives and return to churning out more hits about Surfing, cars and other creatively stifling teenage themed subject matter. Thankfully, That wasn't Brian's way. Instead he followed his muse into even more adventurous and unique sounds. He was at first very successful at this spending most of the summer of 1966 at various Los Angeles Studios recording what he called his "Pocket Symphony". Various sections of music were recorded at many different studios and assembled into a final piece. While Pet Sounds lyricist Tony Asher did attempt an early draft of lyrics for the song ultimately titled "Good Vibrations". Ultimately Brian's most frequent collaborator, Bandmate and cousin Mike Love dictated to his wife while driving to the studio one day the final lyrics. He also added the vocal hook of the song based on the songs bassline (A fact he will never tire of pointing out.) Carl Wilson would sing the ethereal verses of the song. The song featured extensive use of the Electro-Theremin instrument designed and played by Paul Tanner which had briefly appeared on the Pet Sounds track "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times." The outro features a thumping cello part suggested by Carl Wilson. The final song was finally edited together for release in October of 1966. It went on to become The Beach Boys second number one hit and a defining piece of 60s popular culture. At the end of the year a poll in a British music publication saw the Beach Boys top the Beatles in their home country as the biggest vocal band in the world. Unfortunately after this Brian and the Beach Boys winning streak would come to a bitter end following the non-release of their next planned album SMiLE originally slated to be released in January 1967 to follow Good Vibrations. Now the story of the SMiLE album will be featured in a separate future article because it is way more complicated than can be addressed here. Brian had been working with lyricist Van Dyke Parks on the songs for SMiLE during the fall of 1966 and spring of 1967. However due to a combination of the resentment of his fellow bandmates (Mike Love in particular.) and uncertainty about how to finish the final edit along with drug exacerbated mental health problems. Brian would abandon the project in the Spring of 1967. Still contractually obligated to deliver a new album. The band re-grouped at Brian's new house with his wife at the time Marilyn on Bellagio Road in Beverly Hills. The resulting album called Smiley Smile, whose name was suggested by Brian's young cousin Barry Turnbull, was recorded mostly by the band doing all the instrumental and vocal parts themselves as well as sharing the final production credit. This would be the first Beach Boys album since Surfin' USA not to feature Brian Wilsons credit as sole producer. It was released in the fall of 1967 to a world still in thrall from The Beatle's Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band album earlier in the summer and the Monterey Pop Festival which the Beach Boys famously pulled out of at the last minute which would permanently taint their reputation with the burgeoning counterculture.
By Sean Callaghan5 months ago in Beat
Mercury rising
It doesn’t feel like the Mercury Music Prize deserves all that much praise for finally lifting its gaze beyond the M25. Yes, it’s nice that the music industry is apparently aware that there’s more to life than London. But it’s taken 33 years to reach that far-from-groundbreaking conclusion.
By Andy Potts5 months ago in Beat
Songs That Should Not Exist
There are so many songs I could add to this list. 1. “Friday” – Rebecca Black Listen here “Friday” is the aural equivalent of stepping barefoot on a Lego. Every note is a testament to what happens when ambition meets no discernible talent. The autotuned vocals are robotic, the lyrics read like a diary of a caffeinated thirteen-year-old, and the beat is an unrelenting metronome of despair. Listening to this song is simply unpleasant. It is an experience of existential torment wrapped in a pop veneer.
By Tim Carmichael6 months ago in Beat
My 5 Favourite Albums Ever
For those of you who are Facebook friends, you may see certain songs featured on my story from time to time. I don’t usually share my music taste unless you’re a close mate and so, consider yourself a close mate. I’m actually writing the majority of this on my phone and I’m hoping to keep it short.
By Annie Kapur6 months ago in Beat
Hunters by Matthew Fromm - Jon and Stephen Recorded Readings Special Episode In Review
Are you on the hunt (yes, I went there!) for something fun to listen to with that spare 20 minutes you don't know what to do with? I mean, you could spend it watching Family Guy clips on the YouTube, or you could open up Spotify and enter the world of Hunters.
By Paul Stewart7 months ago in Beat
I Love Rock and Roll
“We Will Rock You” is a song that was recorded by the British rock band Queen. It is featured on their 1977 album News of the World. The song was written by band member and guitarist Brian May. Rolling Stone magazine ranks it at number 330 on the list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In 2009 the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
By Rasma Raisters7 months ago in Beat
Singer with a Golden Voice
This singer came into the world as Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero, born in the Ironbound neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey, on December 12, 1937. Francis was one of the very first American artists to record her hit songs in multiple foreign languages. She meticulously recorded tracks in German, Japanese, Italian, Spanish, French, and several other languages, allowing her to connect directly with audiences in their native tongues.
By Rasma Raisters8 months ago in Beat
Songs I Woke Up To: Daði Freyr (Daði & Gagnamagnið) - Think About Things
Hello! And welcome to the very first edition of Songs I Woke Up To, where I tell you about the song that I woke up today. To clarify, I don't mean the song that was playing on a radio or phone when I woke up, I mean the song that was already blasting away on repeat in the back of my brain before I even opened my eyes.
By John Dodge8 months ago in Beat
