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Dennis Wilson's Big Fuck Off Snare

Started by Goldentony, May 03, 2021, 10:12:05 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Goldentony

Can make this a general Dennis thread if we like because I love him, but first off, the big fuck off snare all over the album, especially on Moonshine -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca6sXJi596g

massive! what is it? HOW? I love this album but from what I know Dennis barely did any drumming in the studio did he? after a point?? nightmare we only got this and Bambu from him later on. Always loved the demo of River Song too, out there in murky quaLITY BUT REALLY, REALLY SOLID fucking caps went off not retyping

Dennis Wilson, I love him, sad sometimes when I think about him but still, seemed to have a mostly good time winding Mike Love up, perhaps the ultimate wind up in forever linking Mike Love's name to Charles Manson in a distant way, wind up merchant king

DrGreggles

I've always wondered how much it annoyed Mike Love when Dennis' songwriting talents emerged - and were so much better than his.

Hopefully a lot.

Goldentony

come on he got to sing DING DING DANG OOOOOHHH DING DANNNAAA DING DONG

Kankurette

Anyone who annoys Mike Love is fine by me.

buzby

Quote from: Goldentony on May 03, 2021, 10:12:05 PM
Can make this a general Dennis thread if we like because I love him, but first off, the big fuck off snare all over the album, especially on Moonshine -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca6sXJi596g

massive! what is it? HOW?
They used varispeed a lot during the recording of the album to change the sound of instruments. On that track it sounds possibly like the drums were recorded with a bit of reverb and the tape sped up sliglhy so you then get this big 'pushing' sound once it's played back at normal speed. The thick string sounds on the album were created the same way - the ARP Solina String Ensemble was recorded with the tape sped up which then produced the drawn-out slow rolling string chords at normal speed.
Quote
I love this album but from what I know Dennis barely did any drumming in the studio did he? after a point?? nightmare we only got this and Bambu from him later on. Always loved the demo of River Song too, out there in murky quaLITY BUT REALLY, REALLY SOLID fucking caps went off not retyping
Dennis played drums on about half of the album's tracks. Here's  the drum credits for the album:
What's Wrong -  Hal Blaine
Moonshine - Bobby Figueroa
Friday Night - Dennis Wilson
Dreamer - Bobby Figueroa
(On this track Dennis covered Bobby's drums with a sheet to dampen the sound. They were then recorded with a close mic and a room mic, and the delayed snare from the room mic was recorded to a seperate track - this is similar to what Martin Hannet used to do to get his trademark 'panned snare' sound, but using the AMS DMX digital delay)
Time - Dennis Wilson
You And I - Hal Blaine on bass drum,  Bobby Figueroa on congas
Pacific Ocean Blues - Ricky Fataar
Farewell My Friend - Dennis Wilson plus Rhythm King drum machine
Rainbows - Ricky Fataar and Dennis Wilson
End Of The Show - Dennis Wilson

A detailed track-by-track description of the recording sessions can be found here




ajsmith2

#5
Quote from: DrGreggles on May 03, 2021, 11:01:44 PM
I've always wondered how much it annoyed Mike Love when Dennis' songwriting talents emerged - and were so much better than his.

Hopefully a lot.

Probably not at all. Mike Love's autobio is filled with praise for Dennis's songwriting. You could definitely argue he was less of an artist than any of the Wilsons, but his lyrics for the Beach Boys were by and large very good and fit for purpose. I don't think appreciation for the various Beach Boys talents has to be a competition or a zero sum game.

ajsmith2

Quote from: Kankurette on May 04, 2021, 12:59:39 AM
Anyone who annoys Mike Love is fine by me.

Murry Wilson annoyed Mike more than any of his fellow Beach Boys ever did, and he's definitely not fine by me!

Bernice

I fucking love Dreamer, but I've never given either of his albums a proper shot. I'll spin 'em today. How finished was Bambu before he died?

greenman

Quote from: Bernice on May 04, 2021, 10:23:40 AM
I fucking love Dreamer, but I've never given either of his albums a proper shot. I'll spin 'em today. How finished was Bambu before he died?

Most of the albums are a bit more towards melodic than Dreamer but there is a good deal of variety on both, honestly there by far my favorite Beach Boys related releases post 67.

The Bambu tracks that have been released all seem pretty much finished to me, its certainly not an album of demos. The big uncompleted track is obviously Holy Man, theres a still instrumental version and one with the Foo Fighters drummers vocals on it on the 2CD of Pacific Ocean Blue with the Bambu tracks.

Has Pacific Ocean Blue Hal Blaine's last contribution to a BB-related album?

Kankurette

Quote from: ajsmith2 on May 04, 2021, 09:48:23 AM
Murry Wilson annoyed Mike more than any of his fellow Beach Boys ever did, and he's definitely not fine by me!
Except Murry. He was a shitbag.

The Culture Bunker

It's been about 22 years since I saw it, but I remember Dennis doing a pretty decent acting job (alongside James Taylor, of all people) in 'Two Lane Blacktop'.

Goldentony

Quote from: buzby on May 04, 2021, 09:00:25 AM
They used varispeed a lot during the recording of the album to change the sound of instruments. On that track it sounds possibly like the drums were recorded with a bit of reverb and the tape sped up sliglhy so you then get this big 'pushing' sound once it's played back at normal speed. The thick string sounds on the album were created the same way - the ARP Solina String Ensemble was recorded with the tape sped up which then produced the drawn-out slow rolling string chords at normal speed.Dennis played drums on about half of the album's tracks. Here's  the drum credits for the album:
What's Wrong -  Hal Blaine
Moonshine - Bobby Figueroa
Friday Night - Dennis Wilson
Dreamer - Bobby Figueroa
(On this track Dennis covered Bobby's drums with a sheet to dampen the sound. They were then recorded with a close mic and a room mic, and the delayed snare from the room mic was recorded to a seperate track - this is similar to what Martin Hannet used to do to get his trademark 'panned snare' sound, but using the AMS DMX digital delay)
Time - Dennis Wilson
You And I - Hal Blaine on bass drum,  Bobby Figueroa on congas
Pacific Ocean Blues - Ricky Fataar
Farewell My Friend - Dennis Wilson plus Rhythm King drum machine
Rainbows - Ricky Fataar and Dennis Wilson
End Of The Show - Dennis Wilson

A detailed track-by-track description of the recording sessions can be found here

Brilliant mate, cheers for all this!

And yeah re Mike - he helped write some of the lyrics on this didn't he? Only seen parts of Knebworth live but there's points in that where it looks like Dennis is physically holding back Carl so he cant kill Mike aswell.

Goldentony

Quote from: The Culture Bunker on May 04, 2021, 06:58:08 PM
It's been about 22 years since I saw it, but I remember Dennis doing a pretty decent acting job (alongside James Taylor, of all people) in 'Two Lane Blacktop'.

Genuinely great film this, watched the whole thing not realising it was Dennis

rue the polywhirl

Quote from: Kankurette on May 04, 2021, 12:59:39 AM
Anyone who annoys Mike Love is fine by me.

CaBbers' Dilemma - The drunk and abusive cousin of Mike Love who dates Mike Love's probable love child when they are 16 and soon marries and is drunk and abusive and cheats vs Mike Love. Which side to take?


PaulTMA

Another thing ML said in his autobiography was that he was disappointed Dennis' solo career stalled because he enjoyed writing with him for POB and wanted to do more of it.  I think people are a bit desperate for every action ever carried out by ML to be deserving of scorn, which is pish.  He is indeed an arsehole but he's such an easy target to the point of monotony.  It's the new 'Ringo wasn't a good drummer'

Goldentony

agreed, lets focus on Dennis's big fuck off snare and other Dennis related fun, it's fair to say that Mike has played the ultimate wind up by giving Forever to John Stamos but then again there's a song so good it transcends that and masks how mad All I Wanna Do on the same album is, so point Dennis , but that's not what the thread is about, its not beach boy tennis here is it. Here's the/or a River Song demo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJeHcHzGyZQ

AH ITS AN EARLY MIX?? right

Kankurette

Quote from: PaulTMA on May 04, 2021, 11:36:15 PM
Another thing ML said in his autobiography was that he was disappointed Dennis' solo career stalled because he enjoyed writing with him for POB and wanted to do more of it.  I think people are a bit desperate for every action ever carried out by ML to be deserving of scorn, which is pish.  He is indeed an arsehole but he's such an easy target to the point of monotony.  It's the new 'Ringo wasn't a good drummer'
I like some of his stuff. Aren't You Glad for instance. I just don't like him. I know it's not original but that's just how it is.

Dennis was the only surfer in the band, funnily enough.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley


buzby

Quote from: Goldentony on May 05, 2021, 12:16:36 AM
agreed, lets focus on Dennis's big fuck off snare and other Dennis related fun, it's fair to say that Mike has played the ultimate wind up by giving Forever to John Stamos but then again there's a song so good it transcends that and masks how mad All I Wanna Do on the same album is, so point Dennis , but that's not what the thread is about, its not beach boy tennis here is it. Here's the/or a River Song demo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJeHcHzGyZQ

AH ITS AN EARLY MIX?? right
There's a slighly clearer, less distorted version of it here. It's the rough mix from early 1974 mentioned in that article I posted earlier. The master tape was transferred from 16 to 24 tracks in July 1976 so that the orchestral and choir parts could be overdubbed onto it. The promo film of the choir recording session mentioned in the article can be found here.

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on May 05, 2021, 02:59:03 AM
Baby Blue by Dennis is such a beautiful song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYGA2y01hJs

Wow, yes, the backing harmonies that start at 1:43 are goosebumps.

Goldentony

Quote from: buzby on May 05, 2021, 09:52:46 AM
There's a slighly clearer, less distorted version of it here. It's the rough mix from early 1974 mentioned in that article I posted earlier. The master tape was transferred from 16 to 24 tracks in July 1976 so that the orchestral and choir parts could be overdubbed onto it. The promo film of the choir recording session mentioned in the article can be found here.

truly great, nice one. Hoping they move onto this era fast enough with the reissues and archival stuff, some recordings of them doing this livewith Blondie & co in better quality for a start.

wosl

Quote from: Goldentony on May 05, 2021, 12:16:36 AMit's fair to say that Mike has played the ultimate wind up by giving Forever to John Stamos but then again there's a song so good it transcends that and masks how mad All I Wanna Do on the same album is, so point Dennis

Any chance you could clarify what you're driving at here? I like Forever but am fonder of All I Wanna Do. The meaning of 'mad' here is throwing me.

Goldentony

It's the sound of vaporwave, isn't it. Top to bottom it's just a total vaporwave hit but out of nowhere 35 odd years before it all and by The Beach Boys, proper Pitchfork 2009 sound. Love it. It's a masterpiece but it's so odd hearing it nowadays with the context of that imagined future Vaporwave goes for. I don't know if there's anything else from the time similar because im not that worldly, but it's gorgeous and odd and totally on its own.

wosl

All I Wanna Do, you mean?  That swirly, ghost-image sort of thing going on?

Goldentony

yeah sorry, All I Wanna Do, that dreamy, echoing atmos and the snare coming in from miles away

wosl

It's a beautiful track, and it bails Mike out a bit whenever he gets pegged as the trusted-formula-obsessed Marine sergeant.  Some of that misty, out-of-focus approach got carried over to Feel Flows.

PaulTMA

Quote from: Kankurette on May 05, 2021, 02:22:03 AM


Dennis was the only surfer in the band, funnily enough.

Original members, yes.  Bruce Johnston was a surfer.  He said in a late 90s documentary that he was still at it

PaulTMA

Also, Living With A Heartache was the fifth Chillwave song

Apparently Brian's role was only to make some chordal, musical sense of his idea for All I Wanna Do.  Cannot remember where I read it but I've seen accounts saying it is largely Mike's song.  Lyrically it is his, no doubt of that