Smiley Smile Message Board Milestone - And General Words Of Thanks

[guitarfool2002]

I thought it appropriate to note that the Smiley Smile forum and community reached something of a milestone in mid-November, one which flew under the radar but one which deserves a mention and thanks just the same.

This forum on November 15th posted the most users online at one time in its history. The previous mark for most visitors at one time was the time Brian Wilson came here for a live Q&A session with members, in early 2015. Even since November 15th, the numbers have been staying high. There is a lot to be excited about, for sure.

I just wanted to take this moment to thank everyone who stops in as part of their regular online routine to read the latest news and conversations, and especially those who contribute and post whether it be once or multiple times daily.

It's the people posting, reading, and sharing who make the forum and community a neat place to hang out for Beach Boys fans.

And in spite of what will soon be 13 years of naysayers and critics saying it won't last, it will collapse after so-and-so departs, message boards are dead, the place is a parking lot...It's still running. For all the various issues and squabbles and dust-ups and everything else that happens every so often, we're still here. It's not just running, it's running strong and posting the best viewership numbers we've ever had just in the past month.

And it's a cool place to be.

So thank you, everyone here, and here's a toast to even more years of talking Beach Boys and hanging out. 

[JK]

I'll drink to that. It's most encouraging to see Smiley doing so well. The recent Barney Kessel topic is exemplary in that respect.  

Long live message boards in the age of social media! Quality before quantity, as a good friend just reminded me.

Keep up the good work, folks.

[Pacific Ocean Blue]

Congrats

[RangeRoverA1]

What took place in 15 Nov.? Anybody rmbr? It isn't due date to new BBs CE digital d/ls, IIRC.

[Don Malcolm]

Thanks, GF. The squabbles partially reflect the undying passion of those who can't wait too long to hear the BBs when they add some music to their day. Often added competition grows both enterprises, and that may have been the silver lining that emerged from the dust-up. Some people aren't meant to be together, no matter how hard they try to co-exist, and they're better off running the show without too much ongoing challenge. Let 'em run wild! 

Why does SS continue to thrive? Crossover between the two boards has settled in over time, and the distinction between them has been established to a level of self-sustaining sufficiency. New folks are able to more easily sense the differences in approach, and either make peace with it all, or choose to align with the one that suits their viewpoint. The other place has a great deal of the UK contingent, as well as a more concentrated undercurrent of those whose politics align with the more "conservative" tendencies that have long been lurking in the band. Over here we have a higher concentration of musician-analysts (though some of the "official historians" have found it politic to straddle both "venues"); a look at the content in the parallel discussions of the 1968 CE sets should confirm this--much more of an attempt to place the newly discovered material in historical and musicological context here.

And that's one major reason for SS being able to survive so well. The other board is worth reading but they tend to rehash a good bit of what was already discussed here many years ago. That's inevitable, of course--they have to replicate a lot of resource info in order to be a viable destination for newbies. And then there's the fact that this board took on an "outsider" identification--Smiley Smile, as opposed to something "safer" (like Pet Sounds or Surf's Up or All Summer Long). Choosing that name signifies the recognition that the BBs cover an incredible and sometimes contradictory amount of "aesthetic real estate," and this underlying impetus is one of the things that continues to energize this place in a way that doesn't quite exist anywhere else.

And, then, of course, there's Ed Roach, Debbie Keil, Ray Lawlor...three people with the unimpeachable ring of truth and no axes of any kind to grind.

This is a great opportunity for all us to count our blessings. Happy holidays and here's to 2019 when we get an even more illuminating CE set!

[Debbie KL]

Thanks so much GF...and it wouldn't be even close to what it is without your hard work and all those of you who make it happen.

[SMiLE Brian]

Cheers!

[rab2591]

Thanks so much GF...and it wouldn't be even close to what it is without your hard work and all those of you who make it happen.

Agreed 100%. I think back to three or more years ago when Guitarfool was being harassed on every corner of this board and some people wanted him gone because he was trying to clean up this place. Yet this forum is now a haven of incredible information with pretty much zero drama. As JK said above, the recent Barney Kessel topic is a testament to the depth of knowledge that is ever present on this forum.

A major thanks to GF, Billy, and the countless others who make this place such a special and necessary part of the fandom. I've been a member for almost 10 years now, and I can't wait to see what the next 10 bring!

[Wata]

I really appreciate the fact there are a lot of active places to discuss this fantastic band - makes me wish there were such places over here in Japan.

Thanks for keeping the board going, we're not so far until we get to Smiley Smile's 15 Big Ones!

[SMiLE Brian]

15 big ones SSers Collaboration album? I want rab to sing its ok or rock and roll music!

[SMiLE Brian]

Billy can sing everyone’s in love with you since his kid can make a better backing track than the album version.

[Debbie KL]

Thanks so much GF...and it wouldn't be even close to what it is without your hard work and all those of you who make it happen.

Agreed 100%. I think back to three or more years ago when Guitarfool was being harassed on every corner of this board and some people wanted him gone because he was trying to clean up this place. Yet this forum is now a haven of incredible information with pretty much zero drama. As JK said above, the recent Barney Kessel topic is a testament to the depth of knowledge that is ever present on this forum.

A major thanks to GF, Billy, and the countless others who make this place such a special and necessary part of the fandom. I've been a member for almost 10 years now, and I can't wait to see what the next 10 bring!

Agreed Rab...GF and Billy both put up with an unbelievable amount of crap, some of it defending me and my right to tell the truth here, and I truly appreciate it. I suspect there were things behind the scenes that they also cleaned up that we'll never know about. Some of the shadows of what was going on there was pretty obvious, but they had to deal with it all. That took guts. The people with ugly and/or self-serving agendas, along with some serious head-case trolls and liars appear to be gone. That's a big deal.

Now to the positive side of why this place still thrives - lots of knowledge and intelligence still gives this board fascinating, up-to-date info. It's a treasure without the trauma of the past. We owe these people a lot!

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Billy can sing everyone’s in love with you since his kid can make a better backing track than the album version.

Hey the crazy part is she is already working on a dubstep cover of Busy Doin' Nothing so there you have it

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

On a different note...I'd like to echo what has been said before.  I joined up here as a regular member on Christmas of 2005. Can't believe it's been that long!  I'm also glad that things have settled down on most fronts here and elsewhere; the Beach Boys' fan community can be a bit volatile at times, but at the end of the day most of us are just that...fans

Agreed Rab...GF and Billy both put up with an unbelievable amount of crap, some of it defending me and my right to tell the truth here, and I truly appreciate it. I suspect there were things behind the scenes that they also cleaned up that we'll never know about. Some of the shadows of what was going on there was pretty obvious, but they had to deal with it all. That took guts. The people with ugly and/or self-serving agendas, along with some serious head-case trolls and liars appear to be gone. That's a big deal.

Most definitely. A lot of it was down to one person in particular, but thankfully him and his stench are gone and he's eating crumpets elsewhere.

[Fall Breaks]

Billy can sing everyone’s in love with you since his kid can make a better backing track than the album version.

Hey the crazy part is she is already working on a dubstep cover of Busy Doin' Nothing so there you have it

I would so love to hear that.

[Lee Marshall]

If memory serves...wasn't November 15th, 2018 the day OSD made it known across each and every forum known to man [and woman] -kind that he would be here posting in the 'buff'?  Congrats to those who deserve further credit.  Seems like the place can still get 'it' up [numbers wise] even without the various and sundry,  long lost malcontents.

[SMiLE Brian]

Lee!

[JK]

If memory serves...wasn't November 15th, 2018 the day OSD made it known across each and every forum known to man [and woman] -kind that he would be here posting in the 'buff'? 

 

[Debbie KL]

Lee!

What would we do without all of you? Laugh a lot less, I'm thinking. Thx for making this fun.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

If memory serves...wasn't November 15th, 2018 the day OSD made it known across each and every forum known to man [and woman] -kind that he would be here posting in the 'buff'?  Congrats to those who deserve further credit.  Seems like the place can still get 'it' up [numbers wise] even without the various and sundry,  long lost malcontents.

My lunch! Why did you leave me so suddenly?

[rab2591]

Guitarfool, I've been reading the Rocky Book Thread on the PS Forum and just want to extend my thanks to you for being willing to share your knowledge (and the truth about certain events) to even the most remote parts of the fandom. It's pretty funny to see how certain posters there petulantly act on their own forum then have the gall to question why they were perma-banned on this forum...Like you say, it is all in black and white on this forum for everyone to read...shouldn't take a rocket scientist or even a bad lawyer to get that.

And many thanks again for being a tremendous part of this great community!

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Hard to believe I joined here on Christmas of 2005. Time flies!

And thanks again to every member on this forum....you are definitely appreciated!

[Robbie Mac]

Thank you, Billy, GF, and Chuck for having us (read: me) here!

At the end of the day, whether you own and have memorized every scrap of music that has been legally released and  bootlegged or you only know the hits and Pet Sounds, we are all fans.

[MsBecca]

Thank you guys for having me here too. I started at the other place but OMG some of them seem to get hot and sticky over you all  and it is getting tiresome. I am about 5 seconds away from blowing up at them because some of them are extremely childish . I am there to discuss music like i am here and to be completely forthcoming , to learn more about my favorite band.  Many of you all at both sites know like WAY more than me.  I just do not want to see any more fighting and mud flinging so I am probably going to stay here more often. I sadly have to confess that at first I did not have a good opinion on here because of what a few people there keep saying and that fact it took a very long time to get my account approved.  Now it is  nice to be able to read about the 1968 collection material without reading any shade being thrown.

He is without sin can toss the first stone and all that jazz

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Thank you, Billy, GF, and Chuck for having us (read: me) here!

At the end of the day, whether you own and have memorized every scrap of music that has been legally released and  bootlegged or you only know the hits and Pet Sounds, we are all fans.

Truer words have rarely been spoken...very well put.

Thank you guys for having me here too. I started at the other place but OMG some of them seem to get hot and sticky over you all  and it is getting tiresome. I am about 5 seconds away from blowing up at them because some of them are extremely childish . I am there to discuss music like i am here and to be completely forthcoming , to learn more about my favorite band.  Many of you all at both sites know like WAY more than me.  I just do not want to see any more fighting and mud flinging so I am probably going to stay here more often. I sadly have to confess that at first I did not have a good opinion on here because of what a few people there keep saying and that fact it took a very long time to get my account approved.  Now it is  nice to be able to read about the 1968 collection material without reading any shade being thrown.

He is without sin can toss the first stone and all that jazz

Thank you for the kind words, although honestly I'd prefer if it you wouldn't sling mud back at them too.  That said, thank you for the support!