What is the most devastating moment in the band's career?

[Smile4ever]

If you had pick one single moment that is the most negative/devastating to the band's career, what would you choose?

[Douchepool]

Michael Love's baldness or choice of hats.








Seriously, though...Brian deciding not to release Smile combined with the non-appearance at Monterey.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Not booting myKe luHv out of the group in the late 60's. His days in the sun were over by then. 

[CenturyDeprived]

Not booting myKe luHv out of the group in the late 60's. His days in the sun were over by then. 

Ya know, while it may be a controversial opinion, I non-sarcastically and honestly do think that that more than one BB member might in fact agree with that.

[Douchepool]

I don't think firing the Lovester was ever in anyone's mind at any point in the band's active history.

[SMiLE Brian]

The choice of an uncomfortable seat.

[Douchepool]

Nothing like being subjected to Keepin' the Summer Alive on an uncomfy chair.

[Mike's Beard]

Not booting myKe luHv out of the group in the late 60's. His days in the sun were over by then. 

Do It Again, Add Some Music, All I Wanna Do, Cool Cool Water, Don't Go Near The Water, He Come Down, All This is That, Big Sur, Only With You and Funky Pretty would suggest otherwise.

I'd say blowing the mid 70s 'comeback' album was the biggest misstep. Listen to POB, Blondie's S/T solo debut and Jack Rieley's Western Justice to get an idea of what a Holland follow up could have been.

[Douchepool]

That's definitely a major misstep...although given what exists, did we really miss much? The California Feelin' piano/vocal track aside, there isn't much worth writing about there unless there's leagues of unheard greatness from the period.

[John Manning]

AGD's review of SiP

[joshferrell]

the deaths of Dennis and Carl

[Douchepool]

AGD's review of SiP

An unsightly blemish for sure.

[sea of tunes]

If you had pick one single moment that is the most negative/devastating to the band's career, what would you choose?

The failure of SUNFLOWER.  

I'm by no means an expert, but after watching various documentaries over the years, it's clear that BDW was more engaged during the making of that record than any other one after SMILE (at least, up until LOVE YOU).  If SUNFLOWER had been a success and gotten the right publicity and right single, BDW might have charted a different course in the 1970s and not gone deeper into a shell, creatively.

[Mikie]

the deaths of Dennis and Carl

No brainer there.

[CenturyDeprived]

I don't think firing the Lovester was ever in anyone's mind at any point in the band's active history.

Um... Dennis' mind perhaps? Not saying anyone actually thought about finding any kind of practical way to do it, but I do think that various band members have probably found his various actions regrettable enough to a point to privately thinking that the benefits of his no longer being in the band past a certain point outweighed the alternative. Just IMHO.

[Douchepool]

The failure of SUNFLOWER.  

I'm by no means an expert, but after watching various documentaries over the years, it's clear that BDW was more engaged during the making of that record than any other one after SMILE (at least, up until LOVE YOU).  If SUNFLOWER had been a success and gotten the right publicity and right single, BDW might have charted a different course in the 1970s and not gone deeper into a shell, creatively.

I don't think anything on Sunflower was particularly single-worthy...but then again the band weren't really a singles band at that point. Add Some Music to Your Day was probably the most logical choice.

[Douchepool]

Um... Dennis' mind perhaps? Not saying anyone actually thought about finding any kind of practical way to do it, but I do think that various band members have probably found his various actions regrettable enough to a point to privately thinking that the benefits of his no longer being in the band past a certain point outweighed the alternative. Just IMHO.

All speculative for sure...and I'm sure Dennis and Carl might have seen potential benefits in the late 70s if Michael was ousted.

[sea of tunes]

The failure of SUNFLOWER.  

I'm by no means an expert, but after watching various documentaries over the years, it's clear that BDW was more engaged during the making of that record than any other one after SMILE (at least, up until LOVE YOU).  If SUNFLOWER had been a success and gotten the right publicity and right single, BDW might have charted a different course in the 1970s and not gone deeper into a shell, creatively.

I don't think anything on Sunflower was particularly single-worthy...but then again the band weren't really a singles band at that point. Add Some Music to Your Day was probably the most logical choice.

This Whole World?...

[CenturyDeprived]

Um... Dennis' mind perhaps? Not saying anyone actually thought about finding any kind of practical way to do it, but I do think that various band members have probably found his various actions regrettable enough to a point to privately thinking that the benefits of his no longer being in the band past a certain point outweighed the alternative. Just IMHO.

All speculative for sure...and I'm sure Dennis and Carl might have seen potential benefits in the late 70s if Michael was ousted.

Yep. Hell, it was in Love's mind (and actions) regarding Jardine; I don't think the flipside desire (from more than just Jardine's corner) is in any way unrealistic.

[Douchepool]

This Whole World?...

Possibly...but as great as the tune is, it doesn't scream "single," y'know? Being buried on the flip of Slip On Through probably didn't help either.

[southbay]

The above answers notwithstanding, I'll throw another into the mix...Al and Carl not forming an alliance twenty years earlier

[Douchepool]

Yep. Hell, it was in Love's mind (and actions) regarding Jardine; I don't think the flipside desire (from more than just Jardine's corner) is in any way unrealistic.

Wouldn't Al as a member of BRI be at the mercy of the other voting members if he were to be dismissed from the band like he was in the early 90s for a few weeks?

[Mike's Beard]

That's definitely a major misstep...although given what exists, did we really miss much? The California Feelin' piano/vocal track aside, there isn't much worth writing about there unless there's leagues of unheard greatness from the period.

That plus I've Got a Friend, Good Timin', River Song, Rainbows and Angel Come Home all hail from that period. I've never heard it but some have said Mike's Glow Cresent Glow is none too shabby. Plus if Chaplin had never left there'd be Hard Times and stuff from his solo debut. If Rieley was still managing them, there's plenty of quality stuff off Western Justice that could have been worked up into BB material.

[Douchepool]

That's definitely a major misstep...although given what exists, did we really miss much? The California Feelin' piano/vocal track aside, there isn't much worth writing about there unless there's leagues of unheard greatness from the period.

That plus I've Got a Friend, Good Timin', River Song, Rainbows and Angel Come Home all hail from that period. I've never heard it but some have said Mike's Glow Cresent Glow is none too shabby. Plus if Chaplin had never left there'd be Hard Times and stuff from his solo debut. If Rieley was still managing them, there's plenty of quality stuff off Western Justice that could have been worked up into BB material.

Agreed on all counts. Imagine if POB had the band's voices on it. I can see Carl nailing What's Wrong and Al doing Rainbows.

[Mikie]

1. The loss of Carl in the studio and on the road. The loss of Dennis in the studio and on the road.

2. Brian's retraction resulting in less productivity in the band starting in the late 60's and the loss of his clear voice in 1975.

3. After Jack Rieley left and Endless Summer was released, the loss of artsy fartsy avant-garde material regressing into oldies and Surf, Sand, and Sun.