The British Answer to Pet Sounds | Billy Nichols [Mini-documentary]

[@dantean]

You cannot begin to imagine how much I love this channel. I was too young to have experienced Swinging London and very early found tragedy in the fact, as I, as an 11-year-old in 1972 identified very heavily with "the love generation" of only 5 years earlier. I'd have been 6 years old in 1967 so seeing Soft Machine or Syd-era Floyd at UfO or Middle Earth was not an option for me (never mind that I was raised in New York's South Bronx), and these little music-historical documents fill a space in my heart I'd all but given up ever expecting to see made whole. Thanks, fellas.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Cheers! Glad you enjoy the channel, thanks!

[@harri211]

Doesn't have the "feel" or sensitivity of "Pet Sounds" but still is awesomely magical! If you like this, you should also check out Sagittarius's album "Present Tense," another magical masterpiece.

[@SophieLovesSunsets]

This video brought a tear to my eye. Imagine writing songs when you're just 17, the first songs you ever wrote and decades later it's selected as one of the most significant albums in music history. That speaks volumes about the love and affection people still have for the 60s. Really lovely video, YP. You never disappoint. The background music added something very special to the whole feel of this episode. Gorgeous 😘❤

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Glad you enjoyed the video! It's a rather sad story but it's great that many people recognized the quality of this record even if it was 30 years too late. Cheers, Sophie!

[@SophieLovesSunsets]

@@YesterdaysPapers I feel a lot of music from that era is loved and appreciated more today than it was back then 💖

[@YesterdaysPapers]

@@SophieLovesSunsets Yeah, a lot of music that went pretty much unnoticed back then is recognized now.

[@SophieLovesSunsets]

@@YesterdaysPapers 100% 😊💖

[@michaelcapewell4811]

I spoke to Billy a couple a couple of years ago after a Slim Chance gig. He said that people wouldn’t want to hear all that old stuff, and it wasn’t much good anyway. I told him that he was wrong about that but he wouldn’t have it. The only song he sang lead on at the gig was I Can’t Stop Loving You, a sappy ballad that was a hit for Leo Sayer 😕

[@Zagneek]

Superb documentary. I’ve never heard the lp in its entirety but do have various tracks on compilations. ‘Girl From New York’ is cosmic and you can really hear the Small Faces vibe. Fair play to Billy for having the bottle to turn up at Harrison’s gaff and a nice gesture from George to take the time to listen and give him a lift up. The Immediate story is worthy of a decent film - Andrew Loog Oldham was the Forrest Gump of the 1960s and was everywhere (he was The Beatles publicist pre Stones) - he’s often overlooked in the story of the 1960s and deserves wider recognition.

[@neilfriedman]

Such great musicians on this album, must give it a listen. Thanks Yesterday Papers for the education

[@cindyfalstrom7231]

It's very rewarding to see the young people really loving this music we loved Several years ago I tried telling people about how great Small Faces were and the reply was always "who?". Now I believe they are having a resurgence, due in great part by KZbin and videos like this. What a perfect little band they were. Thank you YP - MORE SMALL FACES PLEASE

[@neilfriedman]

@@cindyfalstrom7231 actually, i'm 70, but living in south africa, a lot of music escaped us.

[@dupedbydines1305]

Give Mark Eric's "A Midsummer's Day Dream" album a listen on KZbin. Recorded around the same time as Would You Believe (but in California), it is another "lost" Brian Wilson-esque gem.

[@freelywheely]

Excellent spotlight on Billy, much deserved. His 1974 album, Love Songs, is great too with one of the best Ode's to Acid on side 2, "White Lighting".

[@cindyfalstrom7231]

I got a free CD in a copy of Mojo magazine that was a compilation of Immediate Records artists. Among the Small Faces, PP Arnold, Chris Farlowe and Billy Nichols recording of "Girl from NY". Wow, I was blown away with the sound - it seemed so advanced and Steve Marriott's guitar solo was phenomenal! Steve is, of course mostly known for his amazing voice, but many people don't realize what a great guitar player he was. Thank you for this video as I really didn't know a lot about Billy Nichols. Now I'd like to hear more...

[@EdwinJack64]

Great comment!

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Agreed, he's very underrated as a guitar player. "Girl from New York" is one of my favourites from the album. That guitar is so wild.

[@paulgoldstein2569]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of info about Billy. But he seemed to have become a moderately successful songwriter, during the seventies, having a song covered and turned into a hit by Leo Sayer, I Can't Stop Loving You. He wrote songs for Roger Daltrey's McVicar soundtrack, and toured with The Who and Pete Townshend. Back in the late sixties, he did occasional back-up vocals for then-labelmates The Nice.

[@lthompson7625]

Many thanks for this . Just noticed a good condition vinyl copy of the album sold at auction for £6500 in 2021.. The George Harrison story all fits in with the 1960s being very unusual times. Paul McCartney often invited total strangers into his London home . One bloke knocked on his door and introduced himself as Jesus Christ. Apparently McCartney took him to Abbey Road to meet the other Beatles!

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Definitely very unsual times. I can't see one of today's pop stars taking the time to listen to a demo from a 16-year-old fan and eventually becoming friends with him.

[@patgalvez4563]

@@YesterdaysPapers I think guys like Manson put the kibosh on that stuff...

[@sableminer8133]

@@patgalvez4563 yikes , but point taken

[@YesterdaysPapers]

@@patgalvez4563 True.

[@lthompson7625]

@@YesterdaysPapers A few years ago l remember looking at a set of photos up for sale ( Omega Auctions) from 1968. The story was that a foreign fan had made his way to George’s home and asked him could he take some photos of him. George invited him in and let him take a few snaps. It was that period when they were working on those songs written in India for the Double White album. George then told the guy that he had to go and pick up John to bring him back to his bungalow and did he want to come and meet him? All the photos of George and John were all there to confirm the story. Strange days indeed😀

[@Transterra55]

Thanks for an absolutely brilliant video! I have never heard of Billy Nicholls, so quite a history lesson. What a great time to be in London. Greetings from an Anglophile in Tennessee.

[@JohnBrown-pu9ol]

It's great that streaming exists. After I saw this video, I looked up the album on my streaming service. I downloaded it to my saved albums. It's a great record. The vocal and instrumental arrangements are intricate and wonderful. I looked up Billy's biography. I'm delighted to find out that he's still making music in his 70's. He's made subsequent albums in the UK and worked with Pete Townshend and toured with The Who. Cheers,Billy.

[@barrymurphy1337]

Thank you for this video on one of my favourite albums! Castle Music put out a great 2cd set 'Forever's No Time At All - The Anthology 1967-2004' in 2005 which includes many of the tracks from this album as well as my favourite Nicolls song 'This Song Is Green'.

[@traceya9615]

A beautiful mini-doc and so nice to hear Billy Nicholls being interviewed. He got a raw deal - after all that work making the album, how disappointing. He should be far better-known as an artist. Thanks for posting this. Informative as ever.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thanks, glad you liked the mini-doc. Billy should definitely be better-known.

[@HansRickheit]

It's criminal that such a splendid album wasn't released when it should have been. It is one of my favorite albums. Thank you for this great video!

[@pencilpauli9442]

Another wonderful insight into the British music industry of the 60s Great stuff thanks

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thanks.

[@Psychedelic-Peter]

I remember when this album got its first official release in the late 90's. A limited number were signed by Billy himself - which i managed to get hold of a copy. A nice follow up came out a few years later with demos and songs not released on the 'Would you believe' record - and also highly recommended. YP does a wonderful service in bringing attention to many lost underground classic songs that have remained known to a select discerning audience over the years. A well presented and researched channel. Bravo.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thanks!

[@shinyelbow]

Another great documentary and a nice touch having the interview audio with Billy Nicholls himself. Thanks for making this.

[@boomtownrat5106]

Thank you, YP, for an amazing documentary series. You have jogged my memory with this album. Back in the very early 1970s, when I was in high school, my friend at the time had an older brother who was a DJ for an underground FM station. He would bring home these obscure albums coming out of the UK that no other radio stations were playing (well, maybe some college radio stations). One of them was the Billy Nicolls album Would You Believe. I remember at the time thinking how much I enjoyed and it just punctuated the point that I was living on the wrong side of the world. It was at the same time he was bringing home to my friend all the British progressive rock albums that were not heard on American radio. Forever changed what I would listen to. I went from enjoying the three chords of rock ‘n’ roll to progressive which elevated music to that of Mozart.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Cool story. Cheers!

[@nigelcampag1290]

Fab album and fab mini doc. Thanks again for the great material you're creating. Cheers Nigel

[@misterakt]

“Would You Believe” is sheer psychedelic perfection. the perfect example of British psychedelia without a single bad track on it. i can see why originals go for so much - even reissues go for a small fortune!

[@stephenwarhurst6615]

What a great time in the music industry. Where artist will go out of their way to help others younger artist get a start

[@sableminer8133]

Thanks! OMG, when he starts laying in on that guitar! 🤩 Blowing my mind fifty years later! I luv how this channel just keeps turning me on to more & more things to add to Apple's app (which, I already looked, has this album!). How do u get the excellent commenters quips like Penny Valentine? She sounds so much like you'd think she would! Dig it man, excellent.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thank you very much for your donation, Sable! Appreciate it. Yes, Marriott's guitar on "Girl from New York" is incredible. As someone else was saying in the comment's section, he was very underrated as a guitar player. And he definitely knew how to get a great, powerful tone from a guitar. Cheers!

[@markpalmar70]

Great that you've done this, thanks! I actually got London Social Degreeon R2 when I guested on the Lamarr show. It's tragic the LP didn't see a 60's release, it's an astounding record. I knew a record shop manager who told me about it. He said Billy Nicholls had been on the phone, asking if he would stock it...his reply was " THE Billy Nicholls? " I wasn't aware of everyone who played on it. Like the Del LP, a timeless pillar of musical art. Marc Lemon

[@familydogg1234]

Update: am watching this for a second time. Not many people know about this limited edition ( when first released) masterpiece. I was happy when it finally was released on CD. Plus the fact it's an Immediate Records release and the musicians involved with it.Like The Beach Boys Pet Sounds LP this LP would get its appreciation years later. Thanx YP!!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR. 9:08

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Happy new year! Cheers.

[@lindadote]

It’s unfortunate Billy’s album was shelved as anyone canny enough to secure Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane to sing backing-vocals was onto a good thing! Steve was a fabulous guitarist but I always felt his amazing vocals overshadowed that fact. Fascinating as always, I really enjoyed this. Thanks YP.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thanks, Linda! You're right, Steve was very underrated as a guitar player.

[@lindadote]

@@YesterdaysPapers …..I always thought so.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

@@markboyd9275 True, Mark! Whenever Steve sang backing vocals, you definitely noticed him!

[@chrisbacos]

Very enjoyable. I would like to meet Andrew Loog Oldham. The British for years have recognized the Brian Wilson is both a genius and a true artist.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Yeah, Oldham must have so many great stories from that era. And it's amazing that he was managing the Stones and producing all that stuff for Immediate Records considering he was in his very early 20s. Most managers from that era were usually older.

[@cindyfalstrom7231]

@@YesterdaysPapers Andrew has written several volumes of memoirs. The best IMO are "Stoned" and "2 Stoned". He is a very interesting character and seemed to be right in the middle of this amazing time and place in early rock.

[@guidoerfen7944]

Masterwork! Dana Gillespie's renderings of "London Social Degree" (short for LSD) and "Live is Short" on her "Foolish seasons" debut are well worth checking out ... ... respectively "Foolish Seasons" is another failed Swinging London classic, having been released in the US only at the time and just recently re-issued on vinyl for the first time.

[@mackb909]

Have only heard BN in bits and snatches through the decades, but this terrific retrospective minidoc has motivated me to buy the album NOW. YP continues to amaze, teaching me things about the people and the music of that era that I never knew. Thank you- again- YP/PT.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Cool! I'm glad you bought the album after watching this video. I'm sure you'll love the record. Cheers!

[@icorr7830]

Absolutely brilliant program - thank you!

[@chrismcgovern1647]

OMG, I had no idea this is what Billy did before singing backup for Pete Townshend! So cool! I want this record! Great video!

[@ericwinnert]

I love this album. been listening to it since it was re-released in '99. Never knew Caleb Quaye played on it. His 45 is one of the best of the 60s

[@VegetabIeMan]

Girl From New York is the perfect opener for heavy 60s rock enthusiasts, this album has everything

[@SophieLovesSunsets]

I will listen to "Pet Sounds" while I'm waiting for this video 😉🎸🎶

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Well done!

[@SophieLovesSunsets]

@@YesterdaysPapers 💛🧡❤

[@Wygruce]

This channel just gets better and better. I really appreciate your work.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thanks!

[@jfrorn]

Wonderful story, I had no idea! I actually found Billy's records here on youtube just fuffing about... I loved what I heard and found some more. Thank you for enlightening me on the back story.

[@romelovesdan]

There IT IS!- I was expecting one in the last video! I skipped a chapter missing most of the ALO/Shannon story. Thank you for spreading the news, history, and great music. Thanks for connecting the stories of these must hear albums together including saluting the great musicians. Cheers Billy, ALO, and Yesterday's Papers.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Cheers!

[@familydogg1234]

London Social Disease initials stand for LSD. Coincidence? Diana Gillespie covered this also. Thanx for all the info on the album! JPJones, Oldham Marriot and Lane contributing- must have been fun!

[@soulfoodie1]

Thank you for telling the stories of these two albums- must track down!.they both sound amazing Also thank you for a story about George Harrison I was unfamiliar with . Got to say however that this only increases my respect for Brian Wilson for being able to compose, produce, arrange and do many of the lead vocals on Pet Sounds

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Glad you enjoyed the video. Hope you enjoy the albums, both excellent records.

[@soulfoodie1]

@@YesterdaysPapers thank you as always for amazing infomative vlogs . Only glad Billy has gotten to see the respect his album is held in

[@jamesovens4175]

One of my favourite albums. Thanks for putting the video together.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Cheers.

[@stephenwalker2924]

Quite a tragic tale really. Such a great mini-doc, thanks. Want to see much more of this kind of content!

[@oleplanthafer7034]

Thank you @yesterdays papers! I was hoping for this special feature after the previous video. Really loving your focus on relevant (!) bands and performers on this channel... Keep it up, please! 😃😃😃

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thanks, Ole!

[@antoniogomezmejia2366]

Great story, I will definitely listen to this album... thanks for your recommendations :)

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thanks, hope you enjoy the album.

[@ModTrash]

Yet another great upload and a very underrated album. I also happen to know the man himself has watched this mini doc ;)

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Cool! Hope he enjoyed it.

[@DiegoMedina74]

this record is so beautiful! thank you for the video.

[@terryenglish7132]

Great job as always ! Very interesting

[@sb2165]

Super! Great to see this record getting the acclaim it deserves. I'd place it somewhere in between Keith West and the 60's Nirvana in the UK psych spectrum.

[@stevejames2896]

Absolutely brilliant! Fascinating story well told and once again your visuals really are on another level. Clearly a labour of love. Enjoyed the subtle 'Would You Believe' piano coda as well. Nice touch!

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers!

[@michaelmacaulay7808]

Found this album thanks to your last video - great to see a specific video about it. Thank you

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Cheers!

[@chrisshaw6242]

I love this album and Billy’s story is a movie in the making. London Social Degree was also covered by Dana Gillespie and is a great version! Hunt it out on KZbin and enjoy!

[@EdwinJack64]

Thank you very much Yesterday's Papers for this surprising video! Since the Small Faces are involved, I'm going to do my very best to get this album! 'Would You Believe' I get it?

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thanks, Edwin. Glad you enjoyed the video. "Would You Believe" is a truly brilliant album, I think you'll love it.

[@EdwinJack64]

@@YesterdaysPapers 😄👌

[@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777]

Have you done a Shel Talmy retrospective when he was in the UK.? . mountain of interesting obscure stuff came out of his sessions.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

I'll probably do a video about him someday. Love his production work.

[@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777]

@@YesterdaysPapers You would treat it proper !!!!!!

[@kjelectric5593]

I saw the Who recently and was pleased to find out Billy Nicholls was touring with the band singing back up vocals.

[@stdio44.32]

Weeks later, I keep bumping into Immediate artists...currently listening the "The First Lady Of Immediate" LP by P. P. Arnold...

[@jontwest]

Thumbs up for one of the most bizarre music stories I've ever heard. A kid rocks up to George Harrison's house, no security or vetting, and George naturally listens to Billy's teen songs, and discusses them with him - over several weeks. Wtf?? Then all sorts of music stars try to help Billy make an album that is supposed to rival Brian Wilson. Double wtf. And the album presses 100 copies. Surely this is a prank, right? And the songs, to put it diplomatically, sound.... very much like trying to make a purse out of the proverbial. It's not April 1st, so I guess I'm buying the story, but it's mindblowingly weird. And kudos to the 1960s kid that was Billy, for that incredible run of luck!

[@YesterdaysPapers]

It is indeed a weird story but the songs on the album are excellent. The fact that both Harrison and Oldham were so impressed by Nicholls' songwriting is a testament to the quality of his songs.

[@jontwest]

@@YesterdaysPapers To be fair, I only listened fully to the title track, and a few seconds of a couple of other tracks. But if it's indicative of the rest, it might be more that Harrison was a particularly kind & encouraging sort of guy to an enthusiastic minor. What track do you feel is the stand-out track of the album? I think the fact that the album went unreleased speaks to what the music industry people in general thought of the songs, despite the music stars attached to the project. Anyway, I don't like to critique the work of a 17 yr old that wasn't even released, and Nicholls was clearly a kid with talent, and you've piqued my interest to find out if as an adult he was able to develop that talent further. Thanks for the vid

[@YesterdaysPapers]

@@jontwest Here's Nicholls' wikipedia; en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Nicholls

[@hetmanjz]

YES. Thanks for this!!

[@MrStickyMouse]

Been looking forward to this one.

[@sashamoghilla2919]

Another excellent minidoc. Thanks a lot!

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thanks, Sasha!

[@misternewoutlook5437]

I knew it was a rare album for a long time. I saw the CD one day a bought it without any delay. It's melodic and creates an interesting mood of nostalgia. Definitely a gem which audiophiles need to check out.

[@ndogg20]

Hard to believe that Pet Sounds had such an impact on the UK, that even 2 years after it was released and 1 year after Sgt.Pepper, Brit bands were still impressed with it. In the US it was considered just a pop record by a major band.

[@wildchurch]

Been looking forward to this after you mentioned it would follow the Del Shannon doc! Absolutely love this album - it got pretty well promoted with the reissue in the early 2000s here in Japan. ‘Feeling Easy’ still features on one of the BGM play lists at the local department store - the ‘soft psych/chamber pop’ list they put on mid-afternoons or towards the close of business 😎 Keep up the fantastic work! (any chance of a Tintern Abbey mini-doc?)

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thank you very much! I love Tintern Abbey so maybe I'll do a video about them someday. Cheers!

[@jayburdification]

Whoa whoa whoa. WTF?!? This changes everything I thought I knew about British Baroque-Pop. I know London Social Degree, but I had no idea it came from such a densely packed album.

[@Syd4510]

Yes, it's a really good album, I read about it in the magazine Record Collector years ago, and bought it on cd. It's beautifully produced, and the songs are great. It's similar to The Zombies' Odyssey & Oracle in atmosphere and style.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

I agree, it's got a similar atmosphere.

[@GaryJohnWalker1]

Was the Billy Nichols interview with yourself/this channel? Whatever, fantastic video. Strength to strength

[@YesterdaysPapers]

The interview excerpts are taken from a radio interview with Nicholls. I posted a link to that interview in the video description. Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks!

[@deanevans8536]

Billy has work with The Who for so long. Because he is an incredible musician/singer/songwriter

[@daveyvane]

No, I believe he has earned credibility.

[@katbela3971]

At minute 2:30 Dyck James appears, of unpleasant memory, not only for having lost the Billy Nichols tapes, but for having betrayed John, Paul, George, and Ringo by selling his Northern Songs shares to Sir Lew Grade instead of selling them to The Beatles, and that's how they lost the copyright to their own songs. Other than that, very good video, as always, Yesterday's Papers. Thank you.😀💯👍

[@Seej1982]

That Grundig tape recorder looks a lot like the TK49 I had for some time. It wouldn't erase properly either, LOL!

[@oleplanthafer7034]

Crisps and home brew are at hand! 😃😃😃

[@lakrids-pibe]

What flavour?

[@oleplanthafer7034]

This time it's an old german brew called "Kölsch", bright and clear with a straw yellow hue, but brewed norwegian style with a traditional local yeast called "kveik", which shortens the brewing time considerably (3-7 days). Great taste!

[@mikaelsjoberg1894]

Love yr videos!!

[@UdiKoomran]

Amazing album

[@Mike-zs8hq]

Joint in mouth, headphones on and no distractions, let's go!

[@julianalbertoguillenlopez]

Great disc 🙏

[@Sydney-Casket-Base]

I love London Social Degree!!!

[@willieluncheonette5843]

Very nice post, YP.... All new to me. Thank you! No problem releasing an album and song two years after an album and song with the exact same name?

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Thanks, Willie! Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@willieluncheonette5843]

@@YesterdaysPapers So they did not think it was a misstep in any way to use the same song title and album title as the Hollies 'LP Would You Believe? (but without a question mark) from 1966.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

@@willieluncheonette5843 i dunno. Maybe they didn't even know the Hollies had a record with that title. When that record was released in 1966, I don't think many people were buying Hollies LPs 'cause they were mostly considered a singles band, like many others bands from that era.

[@theqrm]

Really good doc. Did John Peel ever play the single?

[@YesterdaysPapers]

No idea but I'm sure he played it. Sounds like it would be right up his alley.

[@MarioBeatle120]

I listened to the album right after your last video on Home & Away & it is now on my fav albums shelve right next to Home & Away. Like Del's album it gets close to sounding like Pet Sounds on a few tracks, but overall it sounds like Del's record mixed with the other pop sounds of the british music scene at the time. I found it awfully interesting that the cover also had the Pet Sounds color pallette of yellow & green. It's a shame that the label fell under before they could release it cause like Home & Away I think it would've been a huge success, but at least we can listen to it now & it has gotten recognition.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Agreed. I honestly think that if they would have been released in the 60s, they would be considered cult classics from the 60s.

[@jean-marcknight8816]

Alarm set !

[@Robert_Presto]

Like Pet Sounds, to fully appreciate "Would You Believe" you have to listen to it with headphones in a dark room.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

It's a great "headphones" album.

[@paulgoldstein2569]

Another interesting and explorative album that never was, like the Del Shannon, but some tracks here better than others, my favourites being tracks 2 and 9, his own version of Come Again, better than Del's version, the album a tad nearer to Pet Sounds than Del's, but also holds that Emerlist Davjack influence here and there.

[@AlexAlexon3897]

Had hardly heard of Billy, but this is very interesting. Some of the songs remind me of early Harry Nilsson and/or The Left Banke too.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Yep, the Left Banke also had that kind of baroque pop sound. Spot on.

[@AlexAlexon3897]

@@YesterdaysPapers: Thank you. It's time I heard all of Pet Sounds too! 🙂

[@deadlyoneable]

I’m trying to break into the music business too. Maybe I’ll just randomly show up at one of the remaining Beatles house. I’m sure they’ll be just as accommodating.

[@UdiKoomran]

One of the best albums of rhe 60’s no shit

[@JimPigMuseumOfSound]

I always thought of The Zombies’ Odyssey and Oracle LP as highly influenced by Pet Sounds

[@robertsterner408]

Thanx

[@shea086]

My view is that Pet Sounds (The Beach Boys) is one of if not the best ever albums in popular music. The music I hear here bares no resemblance to it what so ever. I wouldnt expect it to. Pet Sounds is from another planet. It's so ground breaking for 1966.Theres no fórmula to Pet Sounds. It's a once in a lifetime work of art. It cant be copied. Certainly not by a music businessman like Andrew Oldham.

[@sunkintree]

it obviously sounds similar

[@xwsftassell]

Nice. I didn't know any of that.

[@syater]

Without being aware of Oldham's hand in it or the intension to produce a British' Pet Sounds' I've long held this Nicholl's album and the Del Shannon album as peas in a pod, so to speak. Intuition, I suppose.

[@YesterdaysPapers]

Yep, both brilliant albums.

[@Stephen09479]

The song London Social Degree is an acronym for LSD.

[@geldofpunk32]

Sgt Pepper's was the real British answer to Pet Sounds

[@SPINNINGMYWHEELS777]

Is there any merit to the black beauty neck snapping story? Sounds raw.

[@kamandi1362]

7:15 - “Don’t fart, baby”??? 😳

[@tylerthompson1842]

I’d love to know what part of CT he moved to as I live there. It’s damn shame about this record reminds me of The Zombies last one Edit: did a little research apparently he moved to a town call Westport which is down by the shore

[@PAULLONDEN]

Too clever for my simple taste this one . Apart from two or three tracks "Pet Sounds" also went over my head. Anyway , with money rather tight I could only afford to splash out on must have Stones , Hendrix , Dylan, Zeppelin etc. albums.Later on with Nichols' and Pet Sounds on my hard drive although pleasant enough , still can't fathom what the fuss was about.

[@guitarpop]

It's a shame that they basically mixed Steve Marriott's vocals out of existence

[@bigscarysteve]

I thought Sgt. Pepper was the British answer to Pet Sounds.

[@heinkle1]

Two albums which, if properly released, would have defined 1967/1968

[@daveyvane]

Yes. They should prosecute somebody

[@deadlyoneable]

I think Andrew Loog was kind of desperate to get back into the game at this point once the stones sacked him. Unfortunately, he never hit gold again.

[@noblesavage23]

(L)ondon (S)ocial (D)egree. Outstanding album. Have it love it.

[@grahamgillard3722]

Get honest. Nothing compares to Pet Sounds.

[@NiennaT]

The british answer to pet sounds? Nope. Only one Brit at the time seemed to really get what Brian Wilson was doing and came up with a Bristish Answer to his muisc. John Carter. Play his track Let's go to San Francisco' with The Flowerpot men back to back with Good Vibrations and you'll hear it immediately. Forget Oldhams claims and just listen. You can also listen to John Carter's true undestanding of Brian Wilson's music and production style on his track 'Beach Baby' with First Class in the 70s. Both tracks are masterpieces in their own right and equal to anything that the Beach Boys were doing. John Carter was the British Brian Wilson. You can hear the Beach boys influence right back to his work with the Ivy Leauge, who were proabably the best of all the british harmony groups of the early 60s. You guys should do a video about John and his music and stop wasting time talking about Oldham.

[@StainedGlassWindowss]

I’m pretty sure the real British response to pet sounds is sgt pepper. Both great albums but pet sounds is a better record is my opinion. It’s not a collection of pop psyche diddies; it’s so much more than that. Brian wasn’t looking to the Beatles at that point and if your a guitar rock Beatles/ Hendrix fan and you don’t get it that’s the whole point. You’ll never get that record because it surpassed expectations in every sense of the word. The emotional vulnerability and naked insecurity is universal and that’s one reason why it’s the best. Another point would be the music and harmonic innovations. The way Brian treats the 6-4 chord and the arrangements on that and the smile album. Sorry it’s beyond anything the Beatles or any other rock band has attempted. Smile is light years beyond the 2 and half min pop diddies on sgt pepper aside from within you without because that’s an eastern music experiment. The chords are more complex and interesting. Brian is a genius and the Beatles did t go as deep and I would bet money that John Lennon himself would agree. He was a HUGE BW fan yup and he thought Beatles fans were a bunch of zealots. The hard facts are the music it’s more explorative and musically complex and unexpected. I expect getting better to end the way it does a cheesy, formulated Beatles style pop track(that is clearly an attempt at a BW composition you can hear it in the beat alone)wrapped in a easy to digest package. I expect that simplistic three triad chord chorus in Lucy in the sky with diamonds. I don’t expect the bridge in wouldn’t it be nice, I don’t expect that 9 chord that’s leads to the bm7 chord in don’t talk. I don’t expect the key changes in god only knows or the classical motifs that run throughout smile which is also lyrically superior to the contrived and unfocused acid rock themes of 20 years ago today sgt pepper taught the band to play. It’s bizarre to me that people can’t see the distinction in brilliance or quality. Smiles lyrics and music to me light years beyond the Beatles. It makes sense why rock fans wouldn’t get it out of their element completely. Pet sounds and smile are totally different from anything rock or pop of the time. Sgt peppers isn’t pet sounds or smile. It has moments of these records but they couldn’t leave behind the predictable rock sound and go for something totally different why? Because they’re weren’t Brian. Brian wasn’t saying hey how can I make rubber soul 2.0 no but the Beatles were thinking that with the album they tried to copy (and music fans know it) ha there’s even a pet sounds sgt pepper meme. It would be like if pet sounds and smile were sitar drenched Dylan and byrds esque guitar driven rock tracks ha NOT THE CASE