The Beach Boys - 'The Platinum Collection'

Hey, it's time for another Beach Boys compilation! (Dig the "socially aware tracks," too!) Saw this listed at Spin CD in the UK:

"A 3CD set - delayed from this time last year This mammoth three CD retrospect takes in all the classic hits from the legendary 1960's surf-pop outfit. As well as the essential hits such as 'I Get Around', 'Surfin' USA', 'Good Vibrations' there are also alternative takes ('Help Me Rhonda') as well as collaborations with The Fat Boys ('Wipe Out') and long time touring partners Status Quo ('Fun Fun Fun'). The album also takes in the band's more socially aware tracks e.g. 'Student Demonstration Time' and 'Cottonfields (The Cotton Song)'. Released 30 May, £15.99."

 

That's the most bizarre tracklist I've ever seen for a Beach Boys compilation.

 

Clearly Mike Love compiled this one.

 

The only good thing is, that they "updated" some mono songs by replacing them with stereo versions like "Heroes and Villains" or "California Girls". So it's only interesting for those, who don't have those stereos already

 

Quiz

I just got an email. You can take a quiz to win the Platinum Collection. If it's like the Genesis collection, it might be cool?

The Beach Boys Platinum Quiz
Fancy winning an exclusive 'Platinum Collection' presentation disc with your name on it? Enter our fiendish Beach Boys quiz and score more than 70% for a chance of winning. But be warned: it's tough, so get googling! Play quiz!

The Platinum Collection (Sounds of Summer Edition)
A 3CD celebration of the greatest moments from one of the greatest bands of all time. The Platinum Collection brings together The Beach Boys' finest tracks from right across their unique career. In shops 30th May. Pre-order this album from amazon.co.uk

 

It sounds very similar to the Sounds of Summer collection, which also used "updated" stereo versions, but with more post 1973 tracks.

 

Whoo-hoo! Got 'em all right!!

 

I already saw this in Montreal, but only at HMV.

 

I scored 90%. I hope I win the CDs because I won't be getting them otherwise.

 

I also got 90. Missed the Van Dyke Parks violin question.

 

I didn't get a Van Dyke Parks violin question. I guess that the quiz presents 10 questions at random out of a larger pool.

 

Right. I tried the quiz a second time and got a few different questions, and one wrong again.

 

10/10

 

10/10 the first time, 9/10 the second (I didn't know how many #1 hits they had in England ).

A couple of bad questions though:

Q: Which member of the band didn't play an instrument?
A: Mike Love

Didn't Mike Love play the saxophone on a couple of their early recordings?

Q: Van Dyke Parks co-wrote which album with Brian Wilson?
A: Surf's Up

As most of you will know, Van Dyke Parks only co-wrote one song on that album - the title track. The other options were Wild Honey and Holland. Since, Van Dyke collaborated with Brian on "Sail On Sailor" (not always credited for some reason) "Holland" would be an equally valid answer.

 

He plays the honkin' two-note sax solo on "Shut Down" (and, later, on its instrumental follow-up, "Shut Down Part II"). He also "plays" the sax at the end of "Long Tall Texan" off of their first live album.

I believe, by Parks' own admission, his "collaboration" with Brian on this song was limited mostly to coming up with the title!

Interestingly, there's a question on there about who Brian collaborated with on Smile.

 

This has been out for a few months here.
Doesn't have "Getcha back" on it though....

 

The violin question was wild, so I took a wild guess and got it! Ended up with 100 pts.!

 

Re: Sail On Sailor.. I think Van Dyke has said that he came up with the title, the phrasing and - believe it or not - the melody for that title line ("sail on, sail on sailor...") but that he considered it just part of his work, and never wanted or recieved credit for anything more than lyrics. As usual I can't remember exactly where I read it but it is a direct quote from an interview.

 

I couldn't get the quiz to display. Just says click here to download plugin. Bad idea.

 

Mike also played the theremin for live performances of Good Vibrations.

 

Actually, technically not a Theremin. He's playing a Moog synthesizer with a ribbon control, that involves sliding your finger along a ribbon to produce a similar sound to a Theramin. He can be seen playing it on that clip of the Boys performing on the Ed Sullivan show in 1968. The Beatles used the same instrument on a few tracks on Abbey Road.

A Theremin is a contraption that involves moving your hands between two antennae. (Think Jimmy Page in The Song Remains the Same.) An actual Theremin was used on the studio version of "Good Vibrations" (and "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times"), but it's an incredibly difficult instrument to master (that is, to play the notes you actually intend, versus just playing random weird noises), so the Beach Boys opted for the simpler route for stage performances.

By the way, there are kits online for how to build your own Theramin. Never tried it myself, though...

 

Even for the performances of the song in '66?

 

Does anyone know how this collection sounds? Same remastering as the previosly release one disc version?

 

Uhhh... that, honestly, I don't know about. I'd have to listen to them again.

 

Yes - Mike plays the device, manufactured by Paul Tanner (who played on Good Vibrations), in the December 1966 performance in Michigan (the first time they played the song, I believe).