Would Brian have stayed in music biz if Love went back to pumping gas?

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

For Your Consideration.

From the Alternate Timeline Zone.

Well done. Did you spend all day coming up with that? 

Why are we assuming (other than to just be mean) that Mike would have stayed pumping gas?

How many of you guys are still at your very first job?

If we're assuming Mike would now own said gas station, this would have to be considered something of a success, right?

[leggo of my ego]

For Your Consideration.

From the Alternate Timeline Zone.

Well done. Did you spend all day coming up with that? 

Nah. Took me about 45 mins.

I'm a genius too.  

[leggo of my ego]

Actually I am looking forward to retiring in less than 10 years.

As for the graphic, checking out the link it struck me -- do a little photoshop with Mike
and his very own Gas Station. Then I just had to think of a name, grab some stills and voila!!

[oldsurferdude]

For Your Consideration.

From the Alternate Timeline Zone.

Well done. Did you spend all day coming up with that? 

Ahhhhhhh-mYke luHv in his natural habitat-well done, man.

[oldsurferdude]

Actually I am looking forward to retiring in less than 10 years.

As for the graphic, checking out the link it struck me -- do a little photoshop with Mike
and his very own Gas Station. Then I just had to think of a name, grab some stills and voila!!

Post of the year-go collect your reward.

[SMiLE Brian]

Great picture

[Dancing Bear]

Mike's as capable as anyone here of getting Pet Sounds, Smile or Van Dyke's lyrics.

[Kurosawa]

If Mike had stayed pumping gas, today he might even own the place and it could be called "The Love Pump"!

I'd get gas there!

So would Nigel Tufnel~!

[Cam Mott]

I thinking none of them would go back to doing anything until the band had failed. Since Brian couldn't produce a hit with anyone but the Boys even when he was on top he might have written a song or few with somebody for somebody but I have a feeling that wouldn't have been enough for Brian and he would have shortly been working for his Dad in the shop. You know, unless something completely different happened in alternate past.

[oldsurferdude]

I thinking none of them would go back to doing anything until the band had failed. Since Brian couldn't produce a hit with anyone but the Boys even when he was on top he might have written a song or few with somebody for somebody but I have a feeling that wouldn't have been enough for Brian and he would have shortly been working for his Dad in the shop. You know, unless something completely different happened in alternate past.

Uh, I remember Brian giving a couple of songs away to Jan and Dean and Murry getting really pissed b/c they were half decent songs-can't remember which ones they were, but I think Murry put the brakes on any future givaways except maybe Darlin' . That could be the reason Brian couldn't produce a hit outside the BBs when he was on top but I'm sure you'll come up with another dig at Brian.

[Cam Mott]

I thinking none of them would go back to doing anything until the band had failed. Since Brian couldn't produce a hit with anyone but the Boys even when he was on top he might have written a song or few with somebody for somebody but I have a feeling that wouldn't have been enough for Brian and he would have shortly been working for his Dad in the shop. You know, unless something completely different happened in alternate past.

Uh, I remember Brian giving a couple of songs away to Jan and Dean and Murry getting really pissed b/c they were half decent songs-can't remember which ones they were, but I think Murry put the brakes on any future givaways except maybe Darlin' . That could be the reason Brian couldn't produce a hit outside the BBs when he was on top but I'm sure you'll come up with another dig at Brian.

What dig? He cowrote a hit or two with somebody for somebody but he didn't produce a hit for anybody besides the BBs. Unless I'm forgetting something.

[leggo of my ego]

I thinking none of them would go back to doing anything until the band had failed. Since Brian couldn't produce a hit with anyone but the Boys even when he was on top he might have written a song or few with somebody for somebody but I have a feeling that wouldn't have been enough for Brian and he would have shortly been working for his Dad in the shop. You know, unless something completely different happened in alternate past.

Uh, I remember Brian giving a couple of songs away to Jan and Dean and Murry getting really pissed b/c they were half decent songs-can't remember which ones they were, but I think Murry put the brakes on any future givaways except maybe Darlin' . That could be the reason Brian couldn't produce a hit outside the BBs when he was on top but I'm sure you'll come up with another dig at Brian.

  That wouldn't be Surf City would it?  It only went to #1

[RangeRoverA1]

That wouldn't be Surf City would it?  It only went to #1.

Why you say "only" #1, as if the highest place in chart is #0?

[KittyKat]

Would Brian have been able to write hits after the surf era, though? The Jan and Dean songs were all similar to Mike Love's beloved formula. Brian never wrote a hit for anyone in the post-surf era, either the Beach Boys or not the Beach Boys. I think he might have stayed in music without the boys, but would have wound up a cult type figure. Which he sort of is now, come to think of it.

[leggo of my ego]

That wouldn't be Surf City would it?  It only went to #1.

Why you say "only" #1, as if the highest place in chart is #0?

its with a hint of sarcasm

[leggo of my ego]

Would Brian have been able to write hits after the surf era, though? The Jan and Dean songs were all similar to Mike Love's beloved formula. Brian never wrote a hit for anyone in the post-surf era, either the Beach Boys or not the Beach Boys. I think he might have stayed in music without the boys, but would have wound up a cult type figure. Which he sort of is now, come to think of it.

ding! ding! ding! we have a winner!

[Nicko1234]

It's all hypothetical (with the emphasis on the pathetic) but without the surfing novelty it would have been tough for Brian to achieve any major success. Those early songs from 1961/2 are pleasant but unspectacular. Without hits it would have been much harder for Brian to get studio time so his abilities as a producer would not have developed. Maybe he would have done something to do with music on a small scale but none of us would probably have heard of him.

[Cam Mott]

Would Brian have been able to write hits after the surf era, though? The Jan and Dean songs were all similar to Mike Love's beloved formula. Brian never wrote a hit for anyone in the post-surf era, either the Beach Boys or not the Beach Boys. I think he might have stayed in music without the boys, but would have wound up a cult type figure. Which he sort of is now, come to think of it.

ding! ding! ding! we have a winner!

Interesting and he never produced a hit for anyone other than the Boys after several tries in any era.

[oldsurferdude]

Would Brian have been able to write hits after the surf era, though? The Jan and Dean songs were all similar to Mike Love's beloved formula. Brian never wrote a hit for anyone in the post-surf era, either the Beach Boys or not the Beach Boys. I think he might have stayed in music without the boys, but would have wound up a cult type figure. Which he sort of is now, come to think of it.

Hits after the surf era? Oh, just a couple-Wouldn't It Be Nice, God Only Knows, Good Vibrations, Sloop John B, Heroes and Villians, and Darlin. There was also Barbara Ann, I Can Hear Music which were not of course, written by BW.

[oldsurferdude]

It's all hypothetical (with the emphasis on the pathetic) but without the surfing novelty it would have been tough for Brian to achieve any major success. Those early songs from 1961/2 are pleasant but unspectacular. Without hits it would have been much harder for Brian to get studio time so his abilities as a producer would not have developed. Maybe he would have done something to do with music on a small scale but none of us would probably have heard of him.

Breaking news straight from Nicko's Beach Boys ouija board.

[Mr. Cohen]

Without Mike and Dennis, Brian never writes surf music or lyrics. He does some Four Freshman style stuff and doesn't get anywhere on the charts.

Without Carl and Dave, he never gets the cool surf and Chuck Berry riffs down.

Without Murry, he doesn't put enough treble on the guitars and the sound gets muddy.

Without Al... well, I guess Al wasn't so important.

But yeah, Brian's early success was entirely dependent on his family and Dave.  I think that's why they had so much resentment when he sorta outgrew them with his mid-60s albums. "Oh, now all we're good for is the harmony blend? You think you're hot stuff, huh?"

Here's a better hypothetical: what if Brian hires the right manager for Radiant Radish and it becomes a wildly successful California chain, and what if he also keeps Three Dog Night on Brother Records and produces for the group?

[Mikie]

Al was important on the harmony blend and also the rhythm guitar. Dave had the rhythm guitar down to a T but didn't sing much on the records. Al could play rhythm and bass and could sing the harmony parts and lead vocals. Didn't write that much, but on the records and on the road he was a necessity for that full Beach Boys sound.

[Mr. Cohen]

Yeah, Al was good for the road and added to the harmonies, but another Bruce or someone could've taken his spot. The BBs recorded many hits without him. That's not to say Al didn't have a lot of talent, but unlike the others, he was replaceable.

[Mr. Cohen]

Also, Dave makes a good point in the Brian Wilson Songwriter film. He notes the folksy sound of "Surfin'" when the band had Al, and then mentions how he and Carl were able to work together on "Surfin' Safari" to produce a more rock and roll sound. He said Brian's ears (or ear, in this case) sorta perked up when he heard Dave and Carl playing.

[RangeRoverA1]

Without Al... well, I guess Al wasn't so important.

Without Al, I can't think of anyone in the group who would nail the lead vocal on Help Me, Rhonda, even Mike.
... ..., there'd be no Sloop John B - one of the best PS tracks & ultimate favorite of mine.
... ..., Brian couldn't build the essential harmonies, or in other words, couldn't achieve the famous BBs vocal blend. Or in words of some other posters, family sound.
... ..., there wouldn't be alternate Cotton Fields which is well-recognized by so many fans.
etc. etc.
Also as a vocalist, Al is much stronger than David. And The Beach Boys are the vocal group, first & foremost. I think that is quite an evidence of Al being irreplaceable.

Another little fact, just in case you didn't know: in one of his fairly recent interviews, Brian was asked about each of the bandmates, what he thinks about every one of them & he started name-calling Mike, Dennis, even Carl. But when Brian didn't mention Al & the interviewer asked him "What about Al?", he hastily responded "No, Al's a nice guy, don't mix him with that company." Or sth. along that.