The Beach Boys “Landlocked Sessions”
The Landlocked Sessions were recordings made in 1969/1970 after the Beach Boys left Capitol records and signed on to the Warner/Reprise roster. The Boys’ new label rejected these recordings, feeling they did not capture the group at their best (in a purely commercial sense). So fans miss out on great quirky tracks like “Loop De Loop,” “I Just Got My Pay,” “San Miguel,” “Suzie Cincinnati,” and the gorgeous Dennis Wilson penned gem “Lady.” Some tracks would appear on later albums Surf’s Up and Holland (check out the great version of “Big Sur” or the 5 minute “Till I Die”). In response to major label demands, the Beach Boys fired back by releasing the masterful Sunflower in 1970, followed by 71’s classic Surf’s Up. These records were special not only for their quality but because they represented a creative rebirth of sorts – the material on hand was excellent, abundant and cutting edge. Landlocked is the very beginnings of this early 70s renaissance. Much of it has never been officially released but it’s all great stuff that’s worth hearing.
Copies (bootlegs) of Landlocked are usually coupled with another unreleased Beach Boy’s album, Adult Child. Also, some bootlegs of Landlocked include the glorious Brian Wilson penned “Soulful Old Man Sunshine.” This track was cut in 1969 and eventually/officially released on 1998’s Endless Harmony. Its unique brass arrangement gives it a blue-eyed soul sound.
It always amazes me how many great unreleased recordings and false starts the Beach Boys had during their heyday. Their outtakes and unreleased albums are better than most groups’ best material.
“San Miguel”
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Nice post, Jason. Great to have some insight into a prolific (& scrambled!) period in the Beach Boys timeline. Was Take A Load Off Your Feet originally intended for Landlocked, or was it Add Some Music/Sunflower? In any case, it is surely my favorite Al song… Any chance to keep this topic range (Unreleased Beach Boys) as a feature?
The player doesn’t seem to work on this post. Of course I can always download it, always interesting with a Beach Boys feature!
@Frasse. sorry about that. fixed the links.
I notice some of the older posts no longer have the mp3’s available to grab. Is there any way of getting them? If so I could spend the next few months on here, great blog.
The expansive world of Beach Boys bootlegs happens to be worth the effort of exploration. Not only are there plenty of unreleased songs and alternate recordings/mixes, but many songs exist as “vocals only.” These a cappella versions can stand alone, so beautiful and fascinating are the Beach Boys’ voices. Endless harmony indeed.
http://www.soundlift.com/band/music.php?song_id=82930
Excellant post. Thanks you.
Great post – have a couple versions of Landlocked (one with solo Dennis tracks at the end and the other coupled with Adult Child as you mentioned) and it is a lost classic of the early 70’s (a nice companion to “Surf’s Up” and “Sunflower”. Always great to focus on lost Beach Boys music other than “Smile”. Thanks again.
I’m really liking your site, but just one correction, Landlocked was never intended for release. Think of it as a sampler, a compilation of material being considered for the bands next album. I think it only got submitted as an actual album as a complete accident.
You should do a write up on Friends, that’s my favorite Beach Boys album hands down.