Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Previously Unreleased Stereo Mixes of the Gods (An Occasional Series)

Have I ever mentioned that The Beach Boys' Today! (1964) is one of the greatest albums ever made? Or that finding a stereo version (Brian mixed and released it in mono back in the day) has been sort of a personal Holy Grail of mine for the last several decades?

Well, I just just came across a complete, and credible, stereo version of Today! on the intertubes.

And from side two -- heh -- here's a stereo mix of the utterly gorgeous "She Knows Me Too Well."





Not all of the Today! bootleg tracks I discovered sound completely finished -- this one does, I think -- but they're all revelatory, and if you ask me really nicely, I'll send you the download link.

But trust me -- every single one of them, like the above, are so beautiful it hurts.

7 comments:

Sal Nunziato said...

Man am I with you on "Today!" I've had a boot for years that has both "Today" and "Summer Days" as stereo mixes. May I please see, kind sir,see the link so I can compare?

Word verification: nusniums

wayne said...

My favorite BB album..I would love the link..Please

Elroy said...

I would also love the link, thanks as always Steve! Sending you an e-mail with my e-mail address.

steve simels said...

http://www.multiupload.com/3S5ZM1GK3V
http://www.multiupload.com/6IJGXWJ44Y


The first one has miscellaneous studio outtakes from 1965

The second one is Today in stereo, plus more outtakes.

Elroy said...

Wow...just listened to She Knows Me...fantastic. Can't wait to listen to the dls.

I've been listening to them since I was 7 or 8 years old and still rank them as one of my top 3 or 4 groups ever. To hear something like this 45 years later still blows my mind.

Thanks Steve.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing these links. Listening to these in stereo is not the kick I hoped it would be, though. I figured out that's because I couldn't possibly like this song or those two albums any more than I already do: Which is a lot (and more than I like Pet Sounds, with its pretentious train whistles and intimations of Brian Wilson's coming disconnect).

Anonymous said...

Have loved this song since discovering it on the back of "When I Grow Up" as a preschooler many, many years ago. This sounds like a first run vocal from Brian...and I'm pretty sure the mono version we're all used to has Brian's vocal double-tracked. The original version is too ingrained at this point for me but this was interesting to say the least. Thanks Steve!!!