If you could change one event/decision in Beach Boys history, what would it be?

[smilethebeachboysloveyou]

The rehiring of Landy late 1982, with carte blanche. It was a catastrophically stupid short term fix that turned into pretty much a wasted decade, and the results of his regime are still painfully obvious today. Every single person who so much as nodded when asked if it was a good idea deserves eternal censure. Anyone else would have been a better choice.

Still, if it weren't for Landy, Brian would have most likely died around the same time as Dennis. You gotta give Landy credit for saving his life

Crediting Landy for saving Brian's life is a little like crediting the Church of Scientology (or one of many other cults you'd care to mention) for helping drug addicts clean up their act.  It's technically true, but their motivations are suspect and they regard the people's lives they save as their own private property, free to do whatever they'd like with.

[Andrew G. Doe]

The rehiring of Landy late 1982, with carte blanche. It was a catastrophically stupid short term fix that turned into pretty much a wasted decade, and the results of his regime are still painfully obvious today. Every single person who so much as nodded when asked if it was a good idea deserves eternal censure. Anyone else would have been a better choice.

Still, if it weren't for Landy, Brian would have most likely died around the same time as Dennis. You gotta give Landy credit for saving his life

OK... Carl Wilson calls you in fall 1982: "My brother Brian... we don't know what to do... he's 320 lbs, chain-smoking and hoovering up any drug he can lay hands on... if this carries on, we're worried he's gonna die... what can we do ?"

Well, gee Carl, I have absolutely no idea. That's a tough one. Lemme think it over...

My point being, even Stevie Wonder could have seen the problem AND the solution. Advanced meson resonance theory it ain't. Landy probably put the phone down then danced around the room with glee at begin given a second chance to fill his pockets, and give the guy his due, he seized it firmly with both hands.

[Nicko1234]

OK... Carl Wilson calls you in fall 1982: "My brother Brian... we don't know what to do... he's 320 lbs, chain-smoking and hoovering up any drug he can lay hands on... if this carries on, we're worried he's gonna die... what can we do ?"

Well, gee Carl, I have absolutely no idea. That's a tough one. Lemme think it over...

My point being, even Stevie Wonder could have seen the problem AND the solution. Advanced meson resonance theory it ain't. Landy probably put the phone down then danced around the room with glee at begin given a second chance to fill his pockets, and give the guy his due, he seized it firmly with both hands.

Then why couldn't Carl?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Because The Beach Boys, collectively and individually, have repeatedly exhibited a penchant for making absolutely the worst possible decision, given a choice. This is challenged only by their outstanding ability to bury their heads in the sand and not recognise the elephant in the room.

[Cyncie]

The rehiring of Landy late 1982, with carte blanche. It was a catastrophically stupid short term fix that turned into pretty much a wasted decade, and the results of his regime are still painfully obvious today. Every single person who so much as nodded when asked if it was a good idea deserves eternal censure. Anyone else would have been a better choice.

Still, if it weren't for Landy, Brian would have most likely died around the same time as Dennis. You gotta give Landy credit for saving his life

OK... Carl Wilson calls you in fall 1982: "My brother Brian... we don't know what to do... he's 320 lbs, chain-smoking and hoovering up any drug he can lay hands on... if this carries on, we're worried he's gonna die... what can we do ?"

Well, gee Carl, I have absolutely no idea. That's a tough one. Lemme think it over...

My point being, even Stevie Wonder could have seen the problem AND the solution. Advanced meson resonance theory it ain't. Landy probably put the phone down then danced around the room with glee at begin given a second chance to fill his pockets, and give the guy his due, he seized it firmly with both hands.

The whole "but without Landy Brian would be dead" approach seems to imply that Landy and only Landy could have made a difference. I'm sure there were some competent and ethical therapists out there who could have not only helped Brian, but wouldn't have damaged him with the incorrectly prescribed drugs or taken advantage of him psychologically and materially.  It's just a shame no one called UCLA or Stanford or the American Psychiatric Association to find one.

[Ovi]

The rehiring of Landy late 1982, with carte blanche. It was a catastrophically stupid short term fix that turned into pretty much a wasted decade, and the results of his regime are still painfully obvious today. Every single person who so much as nodded when asked if it was a good idea deserves eternal censure. Anyone else would have been a better choice.

Still, if it weren't for Landy, Brian would have most likely died around the same time as Dennis. You gotta give Landy credit for saving his life

OK... Carl Wilson calls you in fall 1982: "My brother Brian... we don't know what to do... he's 320 lbs, chain-smoking and hoovering up any drug he can lay hands on... if this carries on, we're worried he's gonna die... what can we do ?"

Well, gee Carl, I have absolutely no idea. That's a tough one. Lemme think it over...

My point being, even Stevie Wonder could have seen the problem AND the solution. Advanced meson resonance theory it ain't. Landy probably put the phone down then danced around the room with glee at begin given a second chance to fill his pockets, and give the guy his due, he seized it firmly with both hands.

The whole "but without Landy Brian would be dead" approach seems to imply that Landy and only Landy could have made a difference. I'm sure there were some competent and ethical therapists out there who could have not only helped Brian, but wouldn't have damaged him with the incorrectly prescribed drugs or taken advantage of him psychologically and materially.  It's just a shame no one called UCLA or Stanford or the American Psychiatric Association to find one.

That is true, but I'm inclined to believe that the band/family indeed tried to help Brian a lot before, be it by hiring psychiatrists or hospitalizing him. It's just that none of those worked at all. Keep in mind that Brian was not exactly easy to deal with. Remember that story about how he panicked and ran off once a psychiatrist lit his pipe because it reminded him of Murry?

Landy probably seemed to them like the ultimate solution. They were desperate.  Hell, I'd probably do the same if put face to face with a choice that has at least a tiny chance of saving my brother/friend (though I'd probably think twice about the "completely free hand" thing). Of course it was not the best, but it probably seemed to them like the only one with any chances of effect.

[bluesno1fann]

Speaking of Eugene Landy, was he the person responsible for Brian Wilson's Tardive Dyskinesia?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Amongst those with the requisite knowledge, that's the leading theory. If I was asked to point at the person who DID save Brian's life, it'd be Peter Reum. Without his intervention, the condition Brian would be in now - if he were still alive - doesn't bear thinking about.

He'll give me serious grief for stating this, but it's true.

[Jay]

They couldn't: he demanded, and was given, a completely free hand.

Why couldn't the group have stopped Landy and/or the infamous "surf Nazi's"? I mean, really? If it had been by brother, I would have gone to Brian's house with enough weaponry to start WWIII, and forcibly "kidnapped" and taken him as far away as possible. Even out of the US if need be.

[Mark H]

#1 would absolutely be changing the amount/types of drugs Brian was taking, or as quoted at the start of the thread just him not using them at all.

#2 would be that around the early 70's they should have had better sense on choosing album content (something MIC really highlights) and, again to echo plenty of others here, for them to have kept on releasing records like Sunflower/Suerfs Up/CaTP/Holland in the late 70s instead of the Endless Summer focus.

#3 would be for them to have put 'I went to sleep' on the end of Friends instead of 'Transcendental Meditation'!

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Put me, or any one of you guys in charge of Capitol Records in, say 1964......

Just to drop the pressure a bit, get behind them, realise what they had.

Just look at what the BB's achieved without that support!

[Micha]

The decision not to use the hi-hat on studio recordings.

+1

This might seem like a tiny and insignificant detail, but it's just one more thing that contributed to them less than impressing the rock/hip contingent when it mattered....... And it's why many of us prefer the live Dennis-driven versions of songs in question......

"Listen to this horseshit. Is the drummer even using cymbals? This doesn't even sound like classic rock! LOL!"

Hey, I didn't say I agree with it! But can you imagine just finishing side 4 of Tommy and then throwing on 20/20 and yeah, Do it Again's got a nice groove, but then it's all sleigh bells n wood blocks from there out.... Not much fun for air drummers who'd likely toss the record off and put their Zappa or Sgt. Pepper back on (where Ringo rocks it)

I have a friend who still makes fun of The Beach Boys because I played him Wild Honey once and he couldn't stop laughing about the simple drums with no hi-hat! .... I mean, yeah, people are idiots, but idiots buy (or don't buy) records!

*giggle* I knew what you meant and that it wasn't something you were totally onboard with. It's just so silly. I have little time for folks like your friend, at least in terms of talking about music.

Might sound selfish, but I'd rather things the way they were than them chasing after lame rawk cliches full-on in order to gain popularity.

True, but then again, I still wish Brian had just let Dennis bash away on many many songs.

And most of all, have Dennis choose the tempo!

Actually I hadn't thought someone would pick up my remark, which is why I hadn't checked this thread in quite some time. Of course if I could choose between the hi-hat and Landy not damaging Brian with his "medicaments", I'd choose the latter.

[Wrightfan]

Brian not shying away from production in the late 60's...so I guess Heroes going to #1 would help prevent that.

[Sound of Free]

I wish Brian had turned his "temporary" break from touring in 1963 into a permanent break, with Al rejoining the band and Dave remaining in it.

I wonder if Murry began picking more fights with Dave because he knew he had mature, reliable Al Jardine in the bullpen, ready to go. If Brian is off the road permanently, Murry might have realized the band needed Dave, and Dave would have been around when Murry's role decreased dramatically.

A key part of this scenario is that Brian isn't on the plane in December 1964 and doesn't have the breakdown.

This is nothing against Bruce, it's more pro-Dave, preventing Brian from the 1964 breakdown, giving the group a more "rocking" direction with Dave and giving Dennis and Carl an ally in the 1970s.

[Myk Luhv]

I wish The Beach Boys had all quit touring and become a studio-only group. That is where their legacy remains and for good reason.

[drbeachboy]

I wish The Beach Boys had all quit touring and become a studio-only group. That is where their legacy remains and for good reason.

Then they would have been The Beatles!