Smile (Brian Wilson Album) - Resurrection

Resurrection

After many years of being asked about possibly completing the album (or even performing any of the songs from it) to mostly negative responses, Wilson began to perform a few songs solo at his home studio. He decided in late 2003 to not only revisit and complete the entire album (from memory), he shocked many of his peers and even his bandmates by deciding to perform it live in concert. The new version of the album and its performance was made whole by the addition of either lost or newly composed lyrics by Parks that filled the gaps left open by the original 1966-67 Beach Boys sessions.

A live performance of the newly-completed version of Smile was performed by Wilson along with his backing band, which included former Beach Boys guitarist Jeff Foskett, members of The Wondermints and percussionist Nelson Bragg, in a live performance at the Royal Festival Hall in London on February 20, 2004. Among those in attendance that first night was Paul McCartney and Beatles producer George Martin. Wilson received a five-minute standing ovation, who also invited a tearful Parks onstage.

As a majority of the original master tapes were only one- and two-minute fragments, Brian decided to re-record the entire Smile album using the original scoring, which still gave it the Beach Boys sound. Recording began in April 2004 with his ten-piece touring band, augmented by a ten-piece string section and an acoustic bassist. The basic tracks were recorded at Sunset Sound in four days, with overdubbing and mixing continuing through June.