When in their career, if ever, do you stop listening to the beach boys?

[JK]

If this board was narrowed down to only those that are well versed with every phase of the band's career, you'd have a much less diverse and interesting bunch of people here. [...] It's just not realistic to expect fans to research every inch of the band's career. As far I'm concerned, Still Cruising might as well be by a different group and I have no urge to listen to it .... (yet!)

The italicized bit echoes my feelings as well. I feel that way about much of the later stuff. I like some of what I've heard----it's just that I don't think of it as being by The Beach Boys. So shoot me!

My listening pleasure for whole albums ends with Holland. if it weren't for Holland it would end with Surf's Up. :=) 

[Alex]

No love for Carl and the Passions?

[buddhahat]

.

[JK]

No love for Carl and the Passions?

I love "Marcella" and "All This Is That" but the album as a whole has never grabbed me.

[drbeachboy]

If this board was narrowed down to only those that are well versed with every phase of the band's career, you'd have a much less diverse and interesting bunch of people here. [...] It's just not realistic to expect fans to research every inch of the band's career. As far I'm concerned, Still Cruising might as well be by a different group and I have no urge to listen to it .... (yet!)

The italicized bit echoes my feelings as well. I feel that way about much of the later stuff. I like some of what I've heard----it's just that I don't think of it as being by The Beach Boys. So shoot me!

My listening pleasure for whole albums ends with Holland. if it weren't for Holland it would end with Surf's Up. :=) 

You have been shot, by me. You can think any way you want, but you are wrong. Wrong because it is indeed The Beach Boys right up through Stars & Stripes. Truth is stranger than fiction. I'm amazed by what people rationalize in their heads.

[anazgnos]

If this board was narrowed down to only those that are well versed with every phase of the band's career, you'd have a much less diverse and interesting bunch of people here. [...] It's just not realistic to expect fans to research every inch of the band's career. As far I'm concerned, Still Cruising might as well be by a different group and I have no urge to listen to it .... (yet!)

The italicized bit echoes my feelings as well. I feel that way about much of the later stuff. I like some of what I've heard----it's just that I don't think of it as being by The Beach Boys. So shoot me!

My listening pleasure for whole albums ends with Holland. if it weren't for Holland it would end with Surf's Up. :=) 

You have been shot, by me. You can think any way you want, but you are wrong. Wrong because it is indeed The Beach Boys right up through Stars & Stripes. Truth is stranger than fiction. I'm amazed by what people rationalize in their heads.

You can't accept the basic idea of somebody saying Stars and Stripes may as well be a different band?  I don't think he's saying he thinks there are different members involved.  The argument isn't over whether a certain grouping of people is or is not legally enabled to use the name "the Beach Boys", we're talking about whether a given product meets a given fan's desired (subjective) level of aesthetic legitimacy.  You can't mandate that for another person.

I mean So Tough may as well be by a different band than Pet Sounds.  It's just a basically true sentiment.  Different people, different time, different aesthetics, different goals.  The Piper at the Gates of Dawn was made by a pretty different band than The Final Cut, even though they were both made by Pink Floyd.  This isn't an obscure concept.

[adam78]

The moment Brian Wilson isn't involved, then for me, it isn't the beach boys. He was everything that made them for me, right up to, and a bit past the friends album. He was the force, obviously using the bands talents as well, that shaped everything I love about their music. Harmonies, chord structures, productions, melodies, the lot. I just hear a massive dip in the quality of their music for me once he stepped back, and I mean as a whole. Little bird and forever are probably both in my top ten BB songs ever so I'm not saying no one else ever did anything, it's just I for one can't think of a band who so made it's name based on one persons humungous input, to be that band once said person has departed.

There's examples of it all over musical history. Stone roses once squire left. Some people don't regard Genesis after gabriel left etc. etc....

Personal taste/view, but anything Beach boys in the 80's onwards just isn't the Beach boys.

[drbeachboy]

Nope, can't accept it, because it is indeed The Beach Boys no matter how much you try to rationalize that it is not. Even Brian was involved with that one. If one wants go get picky about no Beach Boys with no Brian, then accept that only two albums were made without his direct participation; L.A. Light Album (maybe minor participation) and Summer In Paradise. Even Still Cruisin' has Brian with In My Car and Wipe Out (where he is The Beach Boys). There is stuff that I dislike in the later era, but I don't listen to it often because I've rationalized that it isn't them. I mean really?

[adam78]

Nope, can't accept it

And the beautiful thing is you don't have to. Personal opinion has no boundary, definition or ruling.

[drbeachboy]

Nope, can't accept it

And the beautiful thing is you don't have to. Personal opinion has no boundary, definition or ruling.

Yeppers, but if you post nonsense then I'm posting my thoughts regarding it. Fair enough?

[adam78]

Nope, can't accept it

And the beautiful thing is you don't have to. Personal opinion has no boundary, definition or ruling.

Yeppers, but if you post nonsense then I'm posting my thoughts regarding it. Fair enough?

Absolutely 

[buddhahat]

Nope, can't accept it

And the beautiful thing is you don't have to. Personal opinion has no boundary, definition or ruling.

Yeppers, but if you post nonsense then I'm posting my thoughts regarding it. Fair enough?

You might not agree but dismissing a different opinion as nonsense seems a little narrow minded to me, even if you do put a Smiley face after it.

I think the question of what defines the identity of a band is an interesting one. Are the Beatles that released Free As A Bird in 1995 the same band that recorded Strawberry Fields? Presumably, because the single has 'The Beatles' stamped on the cover the answer would be yes, but then surely the Love album also deserves to be considered a Beatles album? Is The Beatles Rockband a product of the band, or the brand? If The Beach Boys changed their name to Beach in the 70s, yet released exactly the same albums, would they have still been the same band? Even after The Flame members joined?

Your idea of what constitues The Beach Boys relies heavily on the name and my idea of the band is defined more by lineup and aesthetic changes resulting in a sense of different bands at different times, some of which I choose to listen to, some of which I don't. I don't think you're wrong, but I don't think my perception is nonsense either.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

It always seems to come back to that annoying reality that there are Beach Boys fans and there are Brian fans! As stupid as it may be, it is a persistant fact.  Toi be a Brian fan and not a Beach Boys fan is, to me, akin to claiming to love the planet earth but only its land mass and not the water. Or to love trees but dismiss the soil from which they grow. I could go on and on with such silly analogies but to fawn all over Brian and then dismiss anything that he was not heavily involved in as not The Beach Boys is kind of sad, but what do I care, the Beach Boys are The Beach Boys and someone can decide whatever they want but they can't change a damn thing.

[anazgnos]

I haven't seen but maybe one person say that Brian's involvement is the be all and end all of what constitutes "real" Beach Boys.  I think that would be a pretty hardline position to take.  I think many would agree that there are some great albums with very little Brian involvement, and some terrible albums with plenty of him.

[buddhahat]

It always seems to come back to that annoying reality that there are Beach Boys fans and there are Brian fans! As stupid as it may be, it is a persistant fact.  Toi be a Brian fan and not a Beach Boys fan is, to me, akin to claiming to love the planet earth but only its land mass and not the water. Or to love trees but dismiss the soil from which they grow. I could go on and on with such silly analogies but to fawn all over Brian and then dismiss anything that he was not heavily involved in as not The Beach Boys is kind of sad, but what do I care, the Beach Boys are The Beach Boys and someone can decide whatever they want but they can't change a damn thing.

I'm with you as far as Brian wasn't an entirely independent creative force within the band - of course not. The talents of the other members would've rubbed off on him and vice versa and arguing that whatever group of guys you dumped Brian into would've had the same magic is nonsense, but then I don't think anyone is necessarily suggesting that.

The music does change once Brian steps back though (inevitably) and you can't blame people for preferring the sound of the Brian centric band. You can try to encourage people to find the value in the albums where Brian is less present but it's all down to personal taste. As a relative Brianista, I can find something to enjoy in nearly all his solo albums - even the Disney one. My girlfriend heard me listening to it the other day and her response was basically "What is this s**t?!" Well, as much as I can argue that flashes of Brian's creative genius are to be glimpsed in the keyboard part to blah, blah, blah, if I were to hear the album cold with no vested interest in Brian's history etc. I suspect I'd react the same way! I think, as a hardcore fan, you can plumb the furthest depths of a back catalogue and still convince yourself you've struck gold, and if that's how you feel, there's no harm in it, but when you start trying to convince other people that Summer In Paradise is worthy of the band's name (an extreme example) you have to be prepared for differences of opinion.

[STE]

I really tried but I cannot get past "Luau".

But still I come to post here.

[drbeachboy]

Nope, can't accept it

And the beautiful thing is you don't have to. Personal opinion has no boundary, definition or ruling.

Yeppers, but if you post nonsense then I'm posting my thoughts regarding it. Fair enough?

You might not agree but dismissing a different opinion as nonsense seems a little narrow minded to me, even if you do put a Smiley face after it.

I think the question of what defines the identity of a band is an interesting one. Are the Beatles that released Free As A Bird in 1995 the same band that recorded Strawberry Fields? Presumably, because the single has 'The Beatles' stamped on the cover the answer would be yes, but then surely the Love album also deserves to be considered a Beatles album? Is The Beatles Rockband a product of the band, or the brand? If The Beach Boys changed their name to Beach in the 70s, yet released exactly the same albums, would they have still been the same band? Even after The Flame members joined?

Your idea of what constitues The Beach Boys relies heavily on the name and my idea of the band is defined more by lineup and aesthetic changes resulting in a sense of different bands at different times, some of which I choose to listen to, some of which I don't. I don't think you're wrong, but I don't think my perception is nonsense either.

If it is the Beach Boys on the 1985 record or CD label and because you say you don't like that record, so it can't be the Beach Boys, that is plain nonsense. None of what you state equals the original scenario. Let's end this. It is nonsense to argue over nonsense.

[Runaways]

i'm yet to make the leap from holland to love you yet.  Once I do, i imagine i'll stop there

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I think the quality of the BBs went way down after Holland. Love You is very good, but it does have some lyrics that make me cringe. Having said that, there are songs on every album after Holland that are incredible.

15BO: Everyone's In Love with You, Had to Phone Ya, Just Once in My Life
MIU: Belles of Paris, Sweet Sunday Love, My Diane, Match Point
LALA: Good Timin, Baby Blue, Sumahama
KTSA: KTSA, Sunshine, Endless Harmony
BB85: Getche Back, Where I Belong, Male Ego
SC: Kokamo, Somewhere Near Japan, Make it Big
SIP: Slow Summer Dancin, SIP

However, with each album, there was more and more week cuts as well.

[drbeachboy]

Totally agree with you here. While the albums did get weaker, still, there was some very good stuff on them to make them worth owning, especially with the well priced 2-fers. I have a different set of songs than you, but anyone listening to these albums would be sure to find their own favorites within.

[buddhahat]

If it is the Beach Boys on the 1985 record or CD label and because you say you don't like that record, so it can't be the Beach Boys, that is plain nonsense. Non of what you state equals the original scenario. Let's end this. It is nonsense to argue over nonsense.

I think you must have misunderstood my point, but something tells me there is little point explaining it it again. 

[drbeachboy]

If it is the Beach Boys on the 1985 record or CD label and because you say you don't like that record, so it can't be the Beach Boys, that is plain nonsense. Non of what you state equals the original scenario. Let's end this. It is nonsense to argue over nonsense.

I think you must have misunderstood my point, but something tells me there is little point explaining it it again. 

I understood you perfectly. We can think whatever we want, it doesn't mean that the thinking is correct. If the 3 remaining Beatles release Free As A Bird as The Beatles, then it is The Beatles, whether we rationalize differently or not. Just like with The Beach Boys in concert. There used to a provision that at least 3 members had to be on stage for it to be a Beach Boys show. It is up to the band members to determine what is a group effort, not us.

[I. Spaceman]

If it is the Beach Boys on the 1985 record or CD label and because you say you don't like that record, so it can't be the Beach Boys, that is plain nonsense. Non of what you state equals the original scenario. Let's end this. It is nonsense to argue over nonsense.

I think you must have misunderstood my point, but something tells me there is little point explaining it it again. 

I understood you perfectly. We can think whatever we want, it doesn't mean that the thinking is correct. If the 3 remaining Beatles release Free As A Bird as The Beatles, then it is The Beatles, whether we rationalize differently or not. Just like with The Beach Boys in concert. There used to a provision that at least 3 members had to be on stage for it to be a Beach Boys show. It is up to the band members to determine what is a group effort, not us.

Wow. You're extremely annoying.

[Summertime Blooz]

After 'Love You' the albums are mostly dispensable although I thought BB 85 was pretty OK. My Beach Boys ultimate playlist contains very few songs that come after 'Surf's Up'.

[drbeachboy]

If it is the Beach Boys on the 1985 record or CD label and because you say you don't like that record, so it can't be the Beach Boys, that is plain nonsense. Non of what you state equals the original scenario. Let's end this. It is nonsense to argue over nonsense.

I think you must have misunderstood my point, but something tells me there is little point explaining it it again.  

I understood you perfectly. We can think whatever we want, it doesn't mean that the thinking is correct. If the 3 remaining Beatles release Free As A Bird as The Beatles, then it is The Beatles, whether we rationalize differently or not. Just like with The Beach Boys in concert. There used to a provision that at least 3 members had to be on stage for it to be a Beach Boys show. It is up to the band members to determine what is a group effort, not us.

Wow. You're extremely annoying.

I know, the truth hurts, doesn't it? I'll leave if you want, because I find quite a few of you annoying too. Nature of the beast, I suppose. Plus, if someone answers my post, am I supposed to not answer them, because my reply annoys you? Don't READ it!!! Now, bugger off. I'm grouchy today.