Beach Boys Thread

[KingLouieLouie76]

Lifted from the Blur "Music Is My Radar" forum:

They to me and forever will be known as "America's Band"....America's answer to the Beatles.... Brian Wilson is a genius that unfortunately nearly succumbed to immense pressure.. but no doubt... "Pet Sounds" influenced many....

Remarkably, the Beach Boys last year celebrated their 50th Anniversary and true it's not the same without both Dennis and Carl Wilson, but having Brian back in the forefront really was refreshing. Now, Brian is on tour w/Jeff Beck and I hope to see those two legends......

I don't know who else is into the Beach Boys, but this is definitely a fun band to discuss....

[KingLouieLouie76]

Such an amazing video right here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqLTe8h0-jo

But nothing is better than the following clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTpzKDhdjms

No one, I mean ABSOLUTELY no one performed this better than Carl....not even his oldest brother Brian.....

[JAIME]

Love this "Making of" Good Vibrations vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8rd53WuojE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Sean]

Lifted from the Blur "Music Is My Radar" forum:

They to me and forever will be known as "America's Band"....America's answer to the Beatles.... Brian Wilson is a genius that unfortunately nearly succumbed to immense pressure.. but no doubt... "Pet Sounds" influenced many....

Remarkably, the Beach Boys last year celebrated their 50th Anniversary and true it's not the same without both Dennis and Carl Wilson, but having Brian back in the forefront really was refreshing. Now, Brian is on tour w/Jeff Beck and I hope to see those two legends......

I don't know who else is into the Beach Boys, but this is definitely a fun band to discuss....

I absolutely love them. For my money Pet Sounds is the greatest album ever made.

[KingLouieLouie76]

Love this "Making of" Good Vibrations vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8rd53WuojE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for sharing....I've always loved that clip....Want to see something hysterical though? Someone once made a "shred" of it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67T909SbMPQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; That has me always cracking-up BEYOND belief! Shreds in general are the best to watch!

I absolutely love them. For my money Pet Sounds is the greatest album ever made.

Agreed! I just imagine though how "Smile" would have been if it had seen the light of day circa '66/'67! I still loved "Smilie Smile" (even though it was a scaled down "Smile")... "Wild Honey" - "Holland" were solid... "15 Big Ones" had them dropping somewhat, but they did rebound w/"Love You".....But since their recordings have been mixed for the most part, but "That's Why God Made the Radio" and now Brian's latest "No Pier Pressure" have him back in the right direction! I could always go on and on about them......

[Sean]

I thought That's Why God Made The Radio was okay - it had 3-4 really beautiful songs, especially Summer's Gone and the other misty-eyed looks back on their lives.

Brian Wilson's new one, however, is utter, utter shit. I'm so happy he's well enough to keep making music and he is entitled to make and release whatever he feels like, but it doesn't mean I/we have to like and it's a crap album.

[JAIME]

Love this "Making of" Good Vibrations vid:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8rd53WuojE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks for sharing....I've always loved that clip....Want to see something hysterical though? Someone once made a "shred" of it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67T909SbMPQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; That has me always cracking-up BEYOND belief! Shreds in general are the best to watch!

[KingLouieLouie76]

I thought That's Why God Made The Radio was okay - it had 3-4 really beautiful songs, especially Summer's Gone and the other misty-eyed looks back on their lives.

Brian Wilson's new one, however, is utter, utter shit. I'm so happy he's well enough to keep making music and he is entitled to make and release whatever he feels like, but it doesn't mean I/we have to like and it's a crap album.

We're obviously entitled to our own opinion...Another reason I love "No Pier Pressure" is that I attended the Brian Wilson w/Friends performance this past December in Las Vegas and was quite impressed on how the tracks sounded live....

What's your fave Beach Boys album besides "Pet Sounds"?

[Sean]

I thought That's Why God Made The Radio was okay - it had 3-4 really beautiful songs, especially Summer's Gone and the other misty-eyed looks back on their lives.

Brian Wilson's new one, however, is utter, utter shit. I'm so happy he's well enough to keep making music and he is entitled to make and release whatever he feels like, but it doesn't mean I/we have to like and it's a crap album.

We're obviously entitled to our own opinion...Another reason I love "No Pier Pressure" is that I attended the Brian Wilson w/Friends performance this past December in Las Vegas and was quite impressed on how the tracks sounded live....

What's your fave Beach Boys album besides "Pet Sounds"?

Oh man. Probably Surf's Up or Sunflower.

And their Christmas album

[KingLouieLouie76]

I thought That's Why God Made The Radio was okay - it had 3-4 really beautiful songs, especially Summer's Gone and the other misty-eyed looks back on their lives.

Brian Wilson's new one, however, is utter, utter shit. I'm so happy he's well enough to keep making music and he is entitled to make and release whatever he feels like, but it doesn't mean I/we have to like and it's a crap album.

We're obviously entitled to our own opinion...Another reason I love "No Pier Pressure" is that I attended the Brian Wilson w/Friends performance this past December in Las Vegas and was quite impressed on how the tracks sounded live....

What's your fave Beach Boys album besides "Pet Sounds"?

Oh man. Probably Surf's Up or Sunflower.

And their Christmas album

Excellent choices! For me it's "Friends" and "Wild Honey".....But again it's awfully complex to select any as favorite since they're all brilliant! I love their b-sides, rarities, and unreleased material as well..... Love this version of Dennis' "Fallin' In Love (Lady)" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2pPpeXt4Xs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[KingLouieLouie76]

Happy 49th Anniversary to one of the best albums ever recorded! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvTEN910z6I" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mallard No. 22]

(from the 'Northern Soul' thread....)

They did have a rivalry. In recording terms, this existed more between The Beatles & The Beach Boys, than it did between The Beatles & The Stones.

E.g. 'Pet Sounds' was technically ahead of what The Beatles had done by 1966.

First, their rivalry (but always friendly) began earlier, but really even started picking up steam in '65....Also, they both began influencing each other quite a bit...
So this is pre-"Pet Sounds" which was influenced by "Rubber Soul"..... Then "Pet Sounds" helped inspire "Revolver" and "Sgt. Pepper" and we don't what would have happened if "Smile" came out instead of the stripped-down "Smilie Smile"...but by then the Beatles stripped themselves down for "the Beatles".....

Interesting how The Beatles & The Beach Boys UK/USA careers overlapped in terms of top ten singles success in 1966/67.

Prior to this, a lot of the Beach Boys great singles had not reached great chart heights in the UK.

After this, they continued having UK top ten hits (e.g. 'Do It Again' was a no. 1) but their chart success in the USA faded, probably as a consequence of the 'Smile' difficulties.

[KingLouieLouie76]

(from the 'Northern Soul' thread....)

They did have a rivalry. In recording terms, this existed more between The Beatles & The Beach Boys, than it did between The Beatles & The Stones.

E.g. 'Pet Sounds' was technically ahead of what The Beatles had done by 1966.

First, their rivalry (but always friendly) began earlier, but really even started picking up steam in '65....Also, they both began influencing each other quite a bit...
So this is pre-"Pet Sounds" which was influenced by "Rubber Soul"..... Then "Pet Sounds" helped inspire "Revolver" and "Sgt. Pepper" and we don't what would have happened if "Smile" came out instead of the stripped-down "Smilie Smile"...but by then the Beatles stripped themselves down for "the Beatles".....

Interesting how The Beatles & The Beach Boys UK/USA careers overlapped in terms of top ten singles success in 1966/67.

Prior to this, a lot of the Beach Boys great singles had not reached great chart heights in the UK.

After this, they continued having UK top ten hits (e.g. 'Do It Again' was a no. 1) but their chart success in the USA faded, probably as a consequence of the 'Smile' difficulties.

"Smile" was one contributing factor since it had been highly anticipated for a year and then suddenly the more stripped down and rather odd "Smilie Smile" was released....You must listen to its entirety because it is very intriguing indeed.

Then, the other reasons is that the Beach Boys backed-out of the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival (in which they were supposed to headline) at the last moment due to several reasons, and then also Carl (the youngest Wilson brother) became a conscientious objector and refused to be drafted into the Vietnam War. Some claim it was Brian who refused Monterey because he was still upset w/the aborted "Smile" sessions and one hilarious unsubstantiated rumor is that lead-singer Mike Love was resentful of one of the Festival's sponsors. This all caused the bands popularity to wane here in the States during the time in which the Kinks became loss popular in the UK in which a few have paralleled before.

[Mallard No. 22]

Wonder if e.g. Hendrix's appearance on the Monterey bill had some effect on The Beach Boys decision to pull out?

Already in some difficulties with the 'Smile' project, perhaps they feared being upstaged publicly?

[KingLouieLouie76]

Wonder if e.g. Hendrix's appearance on the Monterey bill had some effect on The Beach Boys decision to pull out?

Already in some difficulties with the 'Smile' project, perhaps they feared being upstaged publicly?

No, but ironically you mention Jimi..... He supposedly commented during his performance how the Beach Boys were suddenly "passe"and the masses unfortunately bought into it...However, if you listen to the follow-up to "Smilie Smile", "Wild Honey", then that's absolutely not the case whatsoever.... The title track for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P9hTGretdY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and another fave of mine from that same album "Let the Wind Blow" would tell everyone otherwise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xdnrzp ... freload=10" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The album was released on 12/18/67 and was solid all throughout!

It's just the States didnt consider them relevant, but they were still a hit abroad, especially in the UK!