"The aim of my version is to present SMiLE as a finished product, by utilizing songs and song fragments available commercially, by mp3, or by bootleg. Digital edits have been made, and in some cases historical accuracy has been overlooked in favor of musical coherence. I believe that with the material I've had to work with, and the extensive research I've done, I have succeeded in making SMiLE a complete and musically satisfying entity."
– Ryan's Smile site mission statement.

REVIEW

Ryan has fulfilled his mission statement in all regards, making his website an excellent starting point for all that are curious about the SMiLE album! While other SMiLE sites have come and gone (dangling mp3's for the readers, then deleting them with lame excuses), Ryan's Smile site has been a true vanguard of the Smile legacy.

And he has done his homework - nothing is left unexplained. After each song is a description in which Ryan makes extensive use of David Prokopy's Smile Notes while adding relevant comments of his own. While some SMiLE-ologists might consider some of Ryan's reasoning 'old school', his line-up is still considered valid by many. Ryan's methodology is based on the "old testament" as far as Smile research is concerned - that is, relying heavily on David Prokopy's Smile Notes and Domenic Priore's Smile 'bible', LOOK! LISTEN! VIBRATE! SMILE! His track list is similar to Domenic's, although there are some unique variations.

In addition to the mp3's that are available on his site, Ryan gives a complete list of his mp3 sources, also pointing out which songs were 'unaltered' or what sections he has "modified" or mixed. He gives a 'recipe' of edits where applicable, noting any 'sonic improvements' such as speed adjustment, etc.

So, until Brian actually talks about SMiLE, this is as good as it gets in SMiLE-land! A must visit site to begin ANY SMiLE journey.

INTERVIEW

E.C.: As long as I have been aware of your website, there was been very little change to the content of the site, other than the addition of a Spanish translation. How long has your site been on the web?

Ryan: The site has been up for about three years now. I initially got into SMiLE after hearing the available tracks on the Good Vibrations box set. I knew of SMiLE long before that, but only that it was some Beach Boys record that never got released. When I became fully interested in its musical contents, I decided to search for the missing pieces and find out if a complete version existed on the underground market. After reading tons of information online and discovering that none did, I downloaded the remaining tracks I knew to be connected to the project (when mp3s were still readily available on websites) and decided to construct my own version. I worked for the better part of a year organizing, reorganizing, editing and sequencing my own "complete" SMiLE album, and decided early on that once I was pleased with my results, I would not tamper with the songs any further. I suppose that is why the site hasn't changed much since its inauguration.

E.C.: Yours is also one of the few sites left that features SMiLE mp3's. So many website sponsors have changed their policies over the years regarding mp3's. Have you ever encountered any problems having 'unreleased' mp3's on your site? Any legal problems?

Ryan: Surprisingly no. At the time of this writing the site has gotten 62,675 hits but I've never had any legal problems whatsoever. And I am very grateful for that, because my intent has never been to cheat the Beach Boys, Capitol or anyone else related to the project out of money. The site is free and the songs are free. I gain nothing from it financially, and indeed if I ever encounter any legal problems I will respectfully remove the mp3s from the site.

E.C.: Some websites had SMiLE mp3's, then took them down, citing 'wishy washy' excuses. Since you aren't selling your SMiLE mp3s, don't you think you are offering a valuable service for both SMiLE fans and casual rock 'n roll history fans?

Ryan: I'd like to think so, yes. I worked very hard on my SMiLE and I'm quite proud of the results. Lots of people are still discovering the site and I receive feedback constantly. When I first launched the site my primary hope was that a few SMiLE aficionados would hear it and maybe find it to be an interesting attempt at constructing the album. The response (from long time SMiLE junkies and newcomers alike) has been overwhelmingly positive, and the site has succeeded far beyond my expectations.

E.C.: You stick to the 'conservative' Priore/Prokopy mindset when it comes to your song lineup. Over the years have your changed your mind regarding the 'Americana/Elemental' sides?. Have there been any new theories that have prompted you to re-evaluate your lineup? (For example, inserting "He Gives Speeches" into "Do You Like Worms?")

Ryan: The Americana/Elemental concept has proven to be speculative, even at the time my site was published. I honestly do not know if such a continuative concept ever existed for the intended album or not. The theme of both is undoubtedly present in parts but as a whole I'm not sure. So I suppose the Americana and Elemental labels on my site are there more for decoration than anything else really. Perhaps I should remove them, I don't know.

I did try to insert "He Gives Speeches" into "Do You Like Worms" once, but to me it sounded very unnatural and arbitrary. The only major change I ever made to the site musically was with "Vegetables". I had constructed a new version that I found far superior to the previous one, so I replaced the old mp3 with the new edit.

Indeed, many new theories (and musical snippets) have surfaced in the last few years. One of the few things I've found that people object to about my site is my exclusion of the "Water Chant" (which I first heard after my site was up). Many people prefer this in place of or as a part of I Love To Say Da Da, but to my ears it sounds very unpolished and out of place with the rest of the material.

E.C.: Speaking of new information, how often do you visit the Brian Wilson & Smile message boards?

Ryan: I visit the Brian Wilson and SMiLE Shop message boards quite often but I rarely post anything. I do not have much to offer at this stage that hasn't already been discussed numerous times before. Generally I go to the message boards just to see if any new information has surfaced about any of the songs, the track order, the upcoming SMiLE tour, etc.

E.C.: If you got to talk with Brian and he allowed ONE SMiLE question to be answered, what would you ask?

Ryan: Hmmm. It's of course difficult to narrow it down. I guess I would ask him to describe in detail the intended contents of each song, and how complete their recordings are, musically and lyrically.

E.C.: You are also in the band Deadwood Forest (which we are featuring this month-shameless plug!). Has SMiLE influenced any of your writing?

Ryan: I was heavily immersed in SMiLE before and around the time we were recording our album Mellodramatic, so I'm sure the influence is apparent in places, but probably more so in the material I'm writing now. Actually, I can say for certain that the beginning of King Of The Skies was directly influenced by SMiLE. When I wrote the arpeggiating eighth note line I remember thinking, "What kind of bass line would Brian Wilson write to accompany this part?" This is especially vivid because it was the only time I had consciously made an effort to sound like somebody else. So SMiLE was a definite inspiration here, but texturally it ended up not sounding too Beach Boys-like -- which is good because I certainly didn't want to rip them off!

E.C.: Do you think SMiLE will ever be released, and if so, in what form? Or, is it better left as a mystery?

Ryan: If I had been asked this question last year, my answer would have been no. However, with the upcoming UK SMiLE tour it's a possibility, because there are probably a lot of people who have not heard this music, and to promote an album that doesn't exist in concrete form seems rather risky. By all means, I'd love to see the album released, but not at the expense of overdubbing new vocals or instruments 36 years later. I'd prefer SMiLE to come out in box set form, similar to The Pet Sounds Sessions: several discs of the sessions and then a final disc of an assembled "album".

E.C.: Are you one of the fortunate SMiLE fans that will make the pilgrimage to see Brian perform SMiLE live in 2004 in England?

Ryan: I will not be seeing SMiLE in the UK, but Brian has implied on his message board that dates in the US will follow the tour in Europe, so I'll definitely be catching it somewhere in America.

E.C.: Finally, what can we expect any new mixes from you in the future?

Ryan: It's highly unlikely that any new mixes will surface. Unless the album is released officially, or a generous amount of evidence surfaces to render an accurate SMiLE recipe, I am treating my current version as the definitive and final product. I may at some point update the mp3s themselves to lessen their size or improve on sound quality, but the content will most likely remain the same.