Mike now talking 50th Reunion with Brian

[TdHabib]

Hi-five southbay!

[Wilsonista]

All we need to do is...
1. Get a great producer (hey, how about Don Was or Sean O'Hagan, they're good?);
2. Get some great material (hey, how about Mike and Brian just write about 12 great songs together without threatening to maim or at least sue each other?)
3. Get that $500,000 advance an artist such as the Beach Boys will require to record this watershed album that ANY major label would die for;
4. Get somebody to replace Carl's vocals (this should be easy as voices like his are really a dime a dozen);
5. Get the remaining Beach Boys to agree to be in the same room together for more than about 30 minutes;
6. See if we can dig up Derek Taylor to stir up the appropriate  interest in this endeavor.

I would like a real grand finale for this group more than anyone, but, you guys all left reality at the front door of this thread, right?

Finallly, some common sense!

[The Shift]

All we need to do is...
1. Get a great producer (hey, how about Don Was or Sean O'Hagan, they're good?);
2. Get some great material (hey, how about Mike and Brian just write about 12 great songs together without threatening to maim or at least sue each other?)
3. Get that $500,000 advance an artist such as the Beach Boys will require to record this watershed album that ANY major label would die for;
4. Get somebody to replace Carl's vocals (this should be easy as voices like his are really a dime a dozen);
5. Get the remaining Beach Boys to agree to be in the same room together for more than about 30 minutes;
6. See if we can dig up Derek Taylor to stir up the appropriate  interest in this endeavor.

I would like a real grand finale for this group more than anyone, but, you guys all left reality at the front door of this thread, right?

Finallly, some common sense!

Thing is with Beachboyland that Strange Things Happen.

Whod've thought ten years ago that Brian would be touring, that he'd've finished SMiLE, that the law suits would have ended and that AGD would confess to liking Looking Back With Love? That Al would've recorded a solo album that wasn't all country & western/folk versions of Sloop John B? That David Marks would be well-and-truly back in the fold? That Mike & Bruce would be the touring version of our favourite band, and that many hard-core fans actually rate them very highly?

Beachboyland isn't normal.

That's why we keep the faith, as David Leaf so succinctly used to put it (and who'd've thought he'd be persona non-grata at BW gigs?)

Because if it's really, truly, absolutely fricking certain that something won't happen, it's a dead cert that it will.

Or not.

THAT's the way it is -  embrace the truth, get real! Maybe. Perhaps. Could be.

Deep in your heart, you know you want it to be this way.

[southbay]

I shouldn't blame you.  I dreamed big in 1985. And 1989. And 1995.

[Sheriff John Stone]

All we need to do is...

1. Get a great producer

4. Get somebody to replace Carl's vocals

How about for 1) James Guercio and for 4) Peter Cetera

[mikeyj]

If they could just get the right producer....That's been the key (for better or worse, usually worse) for a long, long time.

How about some good songs as well? I'd much rather hear quality songs than quality production. Of course both are vitally important, but I'd rather hear a song as good as say "God Only Knows" with BB '85 style production than hear "Summer Of Love" with Pet Sounds style production.

[Aegir]

I would LOVE to hear Summer of Love with Pet Sounds production! That would be AWESOME.

[Awesoman]

yes please a beach boys reunion  get mike, al, brian, david, and bruce together not too mention record a new album together as a one last amazing album like what the beatles did with abbey road..

Your expections are ridiculously high; prepare for ultimate disappointment if a new album comes to fruition.

If they could just get the right producer....That's been the key (for better or worse, usually worse) for a long, long time.

Nah...ultimately if the quality of the material is sub-par, there is only *so much* a producer could do. 

[Nicko1234]

I don`t know why some people naturally assume that any new material might not be up to much. There have been some good songs on Brian`s solo stuff, on Mike`s unreleased album and, by the sound of it, Al`s CD too. If the band members were to write 2-4 songs each then there is no reason why they might not come up to scratch.

[the captain]

For example, Santa's Goin to Kokomo was awesome.

[Aegir]

I don't know if you're being sarcastic or not, Luther, but as you know, Mike has far more respectable songs than that one.

[the captain]

I was indeed being sarcastic.

[joe_blow]

I was indeed being sarcastic.

You must have been referring to Camp California?

[Rocker]

All we need to do is...

1. Get a great producer

4. Get somebody to replace Carl's vocals

How about for 1) James Guercio and for 4) Peter Cetera

Well, if Al doesn't hurry up, they might have a recording with Carl.... (Don't fight the sea)
Christian Love sounds great btw and often very reminiscent of Carl Wouldn't mind him and Matt Jardine filling out the Boys' blend

[The Shift]

I don`t know why some people naturally assume that any new material might not be up to much. There have been some good songs on Brian`s solo stuff, on Mike`s unreleased album and, by the sound of it, Al`s CD too. If the band members were to write 2-4 songs each then there is no reason why they might not come up to scratch.

That's what I'm hoping too. Beach Boys fans tend to have an optimistic streak, and a realistic streak too. It's what keeps us alive!

[The Heartical Don]

I don`t know why some people naturally assume that any new material might not be up to much. There have been some good songs on Brian`s solo stuff, on Mike`s unreleased album and, by the sound of it, Al`s CD too. If the band members were to write 2-4 songs each then there is no reason why they might not come up to scratch.

That's what I'm hoping too. Beach Boys fans tend to have an optimistic streak, and a realistic streak too. It's what keeps us alive!

Oh. Was it that then?

[Sheriff John Stone]

I don`t know why some people naturally assume that any new material might not be up to much. There have been some good songs on Brian`s solo stuff, on Mike`s unreleased album and, by the sound of it, Al`s CD too. If the band members were to write 2-4 songs each then there is no reason why they might not come up to scratch.

Yep. There are three possibilities. First, they might already have a few songs written just looking for a home. Second, the spark of a new, meaningful project could lead to some renewed creativity. Or third, maybe they could collaborate among themselves like they did successfully in the past.

[The Heartical Don]

I don`t know why some people naturally assume that any new material might not be up to much. There have been some good songs on Brian`s solo stuff, on Mike`s unreleased album and, by the sound of it, Al`s CD too. If the band members were to write 2-4 songs each then there is no reason why they might not come up to scratch.

Yep. There are three possibilities. First, they might already have a few songs written just looking for a home. Second, the spark of a new, meaningful project could lead to some renewed creativity. Or third, maybe they could collaborate among themselves like they did successfully in the past.

Like, in: tucking Brian in in a four-poster and supplying him with hamburgers and Bolivian Marching Powder, and the rest working in the home studio, with the very occasional visit of Brother Bri, to do a couple of staccato synth drones? Could be. A. Distinct. Possibility.

[The Shift]

I don`t know why some people naturally assume that any new material might not be up to much. There have been some good songs on Brian`s solo stuff, on Mike`s unreleased album and, by the sound of it, Al`s CD too. If the band members were to write 2-4 songs each then there is no reason why they might not come up to scratch.

Yep. There are three possibilities. First, they might already have a few songs written just looking for a home. Second, the spark of a new, meaningful project could lead to some renewed creativity. Or third, maybe they could collaborate among themselves like they did successfully in the past.

Like, in: tucking Brian in a four-poster and supplying him with hamburgers and Bolivian Marching Powder, and the rest working in the home studio, with the very occasional visit of Brother Bri, to do a couple of staccato synth drones? Could be. A. Distinct. Possibility.

Ah, there we go again, reminiscing about the good times...

[The Heartical Don]

I don`t know why some people naturally assume that any new material might not be up to much. There have been some good songs on Brian`s solo stuff, on Mike`s unreleased album and, by the sound of it, Al`s CD too. If the band members were to write 2-4 songs each then there is no reason why they might not come up to scratch.

Yep. There are three possibilities. First, they might already have a few songs written just looking for a home. Second, the spark of a new, meaningful project could lead to some renewed creativity. Or third, maybe they could collaborate among themselves like they did successfully in the past.

Like, in: tucking Brian in a four-poster and supplying him with hamburgers and Bolivian Marching Powder, and the rest working in the home studio, with the very occasional visit of Brother Bri, to do a couple of staccato synth drones? Could be. A. Distinct. Possibility.

Ah, there we go again, reminiscing about the good times...

 

[Emdeeh]

Christian Love sounds great btw and often very reminiscent of Carl...

Christian Love has a good voice, which does help fill the mid-range hole in the harmonies in concert, but, imho, aside from some familial charactering in his voice, he doesn't sound much like Carl. I think his sister Hayleigh comes closer.

[Rocky]

Like, in: tucking Brian in a four-poster and supplying him with hamburgers and Bolivian Marching Powder, and the rest working in the home studio, with the very occasional visit of Brother Bri, to do a couple of staccato synth drones? Could be. A. Distinct. Possibility.

Ah, there we go again, reminiscing about the good times...

now thats when the boys really used to know how to get the whole gang together for an album

[Awesoman]

I don`t know why some people naturally assume that any new material might not be up to much. There have been some good songs on Brian`s solo stuff, on Mike`s unreleased album and, by the sound of it, Al`s CD too. If the band members were to write 2-4 songs each then there is no reason why they might not come up to scratch.

I *do* agree with this.  There are some good tracks off of Brian Wilson's That Lucky Old Sun such as "Live Let Live" and "Midnight's Another Day".  Mike Love had a pretty darn good tune with "Cool Head, Warm Heart".  And Al Jardine's "Driving" sounds like it will be a pretty decent track.  The problem is the band is rather direction-less and incomplete without Carl Wilson.  Without his presence there would be holes in the harmonies; just wouldn't sound right.  And although you could try and fill these holes with Christian Love or Matt Jardine, neither are actual Beach Boys.  Brian Wilson's interest in the project would be questionable at best; no one really knows whether or not he really wants to work with these guys again.  I just think if these guys tried to do another album it would be quite sub-par at best, or another Summer In Paradise at worst.  Without the heart and soul of the group (namely Dennis and Carl), I just don't care for new Beach Boys material. 

[Sheriff John Stone]

The problem is the band is rather direction-less and incomplete without Carl Wilson.  Without his presence there would be holes in the harmonies; just wouldn't sound right.  And although you could try and fill these holes with Christian Love or Matt Jardine, neither are actual Beach Boys.

Yes, the harmonies situation would be a question mark. But, I can see/hear Bruce taking Carl's part and David Marks singing Dennis' part. When Bruce really tries, he can still sing repectably, and, I've recently seen some David Marks' performances on YouTube and he was quite impressive.

Yes, it would be quite feasible to utilize the talents of a Matt Jardine or Jeff Foskett to sing the high harmony as "insurance". They have both been used effectively on projects like Stars and Stripes and Brian's solo albums. Really, the harmonies are not a big concern of mine. I won't say how good (or bad?) they'll sound, but I know they'll sound a little different. Again, with the right producer, studio technology, Brian's vocal arranging, and the guys' rising to the occasion, I'm confident and optimistic. I really believe the days of Love You and Getting In Over My Head - vocally - are a thing of the past.

[Pretty Funky]

Brians favorite albums then!

Oh wait...they were yesterday.