I ordered this cd from amazon a few days ago, just got it yesterday! (For those who might not know, that's the expanded version of the 80s Japanese issue of the "Pre-Queen" band Smile's recordings....)
I'd had this stuff in various forms over the years.......nice to hear it once again (and now have it in FLAC on my player, at that!).......also great to have The Man From Manhattan! (love that song!)
The first time I've heard that "1984" demo tape, tho.............not bad, there.............at least when you CAN hear Brian............(seems that he had a slightly different sound back then..........more of a Hendrix/Cream guitar tone.............I know he obviously had the Red Special in 67.....was he using AC30s yet?...........hmmmm....or maybe it's just down to the production, or lack thereof.......)
Vocal harmony · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]The King Of Rhye wrote:[/b]
The first time I've heard that "1984" demo tape, tho.............not bad, there.............at least when you CAN hear Brian............(seems that he had a slightly different sound back then..........more of a Hendrix/Cream guitar tone.............I know he obviously had the Red Special in 67.....was he using AC30s yet?...........hmmmm....or maybe it's just down to the production, or lack thereof.......)[/QUOTE]
When BM built the RS he installed a switchable fuzz box, the switch for this was just next to the pickup selector's. When he started using AC30's with a Treble booster the Fuzz box became redundant and was removed, very late 60's or early 1970 I believe. The whole left by the fuzz switch was covered by a red sticker and later black gaff a tape, visible on many 70's and 80's live Queen pics.
The whole was filled in by Greg Fryer when he carried out restoration work in the mid 90's and inlaid a star to help cover up the work.
IMO the 1984 demos feature the Fuzz box and maybe a different amp not an AC30.
joerijoerijoeri · Member since
I bought a good copy of the 80's Japanese version of Gettin Smile for 20 euro's recently. Very happy with it.
Was the title ever explained? Sounds like standard engrish to me...
matt z · Member since
^theory.
A bootleg seller was acquired once an executive learned of prior recordings from this part of the band.
Conversation
Owner: *(in Japanese) so I hear you've got a new record of great value for us.
Broker: yes it's the fellows from queen. Their first band. They were called SMILE
(As SMILE is ubiquitous even in Japan no translation necessary)
Owner: okay. Publish an article in the press discussing their old work. Put it in the QUEEN section.
Call it getting happy. With smile.
^ or something like that.
I only have QUEEN: IN NUCE.
And pre ordained.
Sounds like a better investment.
I like Engrish sometimes. As rong as it's understandabur.
The King Of Rhye · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]matt z wrote:[/b]
I like Engrish sometimes. As rong as it's understandabur. [/QUOTE]
I get a quite a laugh out of those horribly wrong translations of some foreign language into English at times.............like some manuals for various electronic things I have owned over the years.......lol.....or just trying to translate a Japanese website into English in Google.......sometimes the translation still makes NO freakin sense............
Nowhere near the worst (or is that best?) examples I have ever seen, but the Gettin' Smile CD lists 1984's cover of the song "Hold On I'm Coming" as "Hold On I'm Wrong"....lol.......(I was thinking, hmm, never heard of that song before!)..........and the lyrics to Polar Bear are totally wrong as well...........
br5946 · Member since
I've managed to get all six Smile tracks, but Doin' Alright was tricky since it was YouTube-only - In Nuce, the most popular (if you can call it that) disc with the Smile recordings, doesn't have it. Those six tracks got a CD release, of course, but one thing has always puzzled me - how come 'Man From Manhattan' and that 'back again' remix pop up on Ghost Of A Smile? After all, Brian's the only Smile member on that song. And as for 1984, I really do think if the Queen Outtakes Anthology comes around finally, we need a 1984/Smile/Ibex/The Reaction disc.
matt z · Member since
^someone recently posted a candidate for worst bootleg ever. A scanned in photo of gh 1-3 by Queen which shower a photograph of the Beatles and features a really poorly translated song list.
As for the other question. A comprehensive release OUGHT to feature a song even if it was only Brian May on it.
Think of the alternative! *(no release. Only available in acetate/rare vinyl)
Thistle · Member since
It's got the 1984 tracks on it?
winterspelt · Member since
I bought the Ghost of a Smile in 1998/9 (via mail, I got it twice!) does the Gettin' Smile have any difference? (besides the nice Tim Staffel notes and Man from Manhattan)?
The King Of Rhye · Member since
Gettin' Smile has the 1984 demos......which apparently Ghost of a Smile does not....
winterspelt · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]The King Of Rhye wrote:[/b]
Gettin' Smile has the 1984 demos......which apparently Ghost of a Smile does not....[/QUOTE]
Oh really? I never knew they recorded demos for the Smile songs, now Im interested in hear it!
Could it be possible for you to upload the demos?
Stick · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]br5946 wrote:[/b]
how come 'Man From Manhattan' and that 'back again' remix pop up on Ghost Of A Smile? After all, Brian's the only Smile member on that song..[/QUOTE]
Freddie plays the piano and does backing vocals but you're right in saying that Brian is the only Smile member on that song.
Why they put both versions of Man From Manhattan on a cd with Smile songs I cannot say but when it came out it was nice to be able to have them on cd.
Maybe someone thought that because it was a Queen related release it would make a nice bonus.
The Real Wizard · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]The King Of Rhye wrote:[/b]
The first time I've heard that "1984" demo tape, tho.............not bad, there.............at least when you CAN hear Brian............[/QUOTE]
Wait, are you saying the 1984 tracks have been officially released?
Or at least, are on some disc that's on Amazon? I searched but couldn't find anything.
The Real Wizard · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]Vocal harmony wrote:[/b]
When BM built the RS he installed a switchable fuzz box, the switch for this was just next to the pickup selector's. When he started using AC30's with a Treble booster the Fuzz box became redundant and was removed, very late 60's or early 1970 I believe. The whole left by the fuzz switch was covered by a red sticker and later black gaff a tape, visible on many 70's and 80's live Queen pics.
The whole was filled in by Greg Fryer when he carried out restoration work in the mid 90's and inlaid a star to help cover up the work.[/QUOTE]
Interesting ! Never knew this. Was this common knowledge before the new Red Special book came out?
[QUOTE]IMO the 1984 demos feature the Fuzz box and maybe a different amp not an AC30. [/QUOTE]
Bingo. It wasn't until the late 60s that Bri met Rory Gallagher and saw AC30s as the missing piece of the puzzle.
The King Of Rhye · Member since
[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]
[QUOTE] [b]The King Of Rhye wrote:[/b]
The first time I've heard that "1984" demo tape, tho.............not bad, there.............at least when you CAN hear Brian............[/QUOTE]
Wait, are you saying the 1984 tracks have been officially released?
Or at least, are on some disc that's on Amazon? I searched but couldn't find anything.[/QUOTE]
