Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

I've had a bootleg of both Bambu and Pacific Ocean Blue for a few years now.

I must admit, I've only ever been underwhelmed by them.

I'll probably buy this set to hear it with better sound quality (rather than vinyl rip) but I don't think it'll change my opinion vastly.

I've been disappointed with it. I don't think Pacific Ocean Blue is that great an album. A lot of the songs are pretty lack lustre. The Bambu sessions sound better to me. A couple of real classics in there.

Dave B

Takes all sorts. I've always like "POB" personally - to my ears "What's Wrong" is the only real stinker on there (generic cocaine-sozzled Cali boogie-woogie fodder). I don't think it even sounds that much like the Beach Boys, except for the obvious vocal harmonies - Dennis' voice, by this stage, was far more raspy and lived-in than Brian's or Carl's, and I've always liked the poignancy his runied-sounding vocal chords lend to the songs. Plus the new remastering is far better than the early 90s CD on Epic (which always sounded way too muddy and indistinct for my liking).

Played the "bambu" disc for the first time this mortning - having never heard the boots, I yearn for what it might have sounded like had it been completed - although even listening to the fragments is no chore.

It's rumoured that the whole package is about to be pulled from the shelves yet again owing to an allegedly litigious extract from the sleeve notes, so anyone who's curious should snap it up now just in case. You read it here first...

I can understand why hard core Beach Boy fans pine for this release, but to the unconverted it may be hard going. However it is nice to see it given a nice reissue.