Post #119389 by Tangaroa on Wed, Oct 13, 2004 11:33 AM

OK - here goes:
Long story short - SMiLE was going to be Brian Wilson's response to Sgt. Pepper, and if you liked Pet Sounds, it was a continuation of those complex songs (as opposed to the Beach Boys chart hits that the rest of the band was pushing for...) SMiLE was never released as recorded in '67 - but the sessions remain, and are available legit (some were released on the last Beach Boys box set) or on bootleg...
Brian Wilson never got support or understanding about these songs (Mike Love in particular) who wanted to "keep the hits coming" - as opposed to all the experimental crap... That, along with Brian deteriorating mental health & substance abuse problems, insured it's demise...

Flash forward to 2004, Brian is healthy (er) and touring Europe to acclaim... this year he went back and re-recorded the album (with him on vocals, as well as a new band - i.e. no Beach Boys), which is now available...

Here's some FAQ from http://www.cabinessence.net/
a good place for more info...

Why is SMiLE often regarded as the greatest "lost album" by any band?

The short answer is that based on the quality of the material within SMiLE, and the originally planned timing of the release (just before the Beatles "Sgt. Pepper" album), there is a definite sense that the album could have changed rock and roll history. Remember, Brian and the Beach Boys were on a critical high after "Pet Sounds" and a commercial high after the release of "Good Vibrations" which should have been the "lead-off" single for SMiLE. The fact that the album was seen to have "burned-out" Brian (although he made some very high quality music in the years following the SMiLE sessions) added to the legend.

Although many of the main songs from SMiLE were released on subsequent albums, there was always the mystery of what the final track line-up and running order would have been, especially given the amount of material attempted at the recording sessions for SMiLE. You will find plenty of fan sites with "home-made" versions of the album, although this has lessened with the recent performances and upcoming studio release of the album. One of the most comprehensive sites dedicated to Smile is "The Smile Shop" at http://www.thesmileshop.net

Why was SMiLE not released in 1967?

Basically there are many factors involved in "Smile" not being released in 1967. The Beach Boys filed a lawsuit for back royalties against Capitol at the time and formed their own record label, Brother Records. Brian Wilson was not receiving the support he needed from the band as he was trying to complete his masterpiece. Brian Wilson's lyricist for the project, Van Dyke Parks, left the project before it was completed. These factors combined with Brian's mental problems and heavy drug use undoubtedly played some role in the demise of "Smile", and it is probably a combination of these things, rather than one factor that stopped "Smile" being released.