Mike and Bruce Tour 2015

[Ang Jones]

For 2008 the answer is simple - they had a drummer who could keep time and a new MD. For 2004, it's even simpler - Brian's BWPS tours delivered a metaphorical kick up the arse. I saw them in 2003, granted in a torrential downpour, and both performance and setlist alike were, to be polite, pedestrian. Just over a year later, they blew me away.

I have to agree with various others here, in that I cannot fathom why Mike & Bruce performing a three hour 60 song setlist is somehow worthy of censure, or at best extremely grudging and lukewarm praise. I was speaking with several people last night post show (band members and other fans) and they all voiced negative opinions of this board, and frankly right now I cannot blame them at all. A handful of posters are making this an increasingly dismal place to be. There's a cancer here that needs to be excised.

That's 2004 and 2008 explained then. So what accounts for the improvement from 2014 to 2015 - because several of those who have attended the shows have claimed they are the best so far? As I've already written, the changes are Brian E, the firing of Randell, the different set list.

That this forum is often unpleasant is true. This is far from one sided however.

It is entirely understandable that some people do not feel a wish to celebrate the success of the Mike and Bruce show, simply because of the history. Why wasn't Mike positive about Brian's new album? I believe he claimed he hadn't heard it and made some remark about autotune. Lack of courtesy breeds lack of courtesy.

[HeyJude]

One other thought I will offer: This is one case where I actually HOPE that the Brian and Mike “camps” are watching each other and trying to “out-do” each other. I hope Brian’s band takes the challenge and does an awesome 2015 setlist. No more “Shut Down” or “Catch a Wave.” Maybe even shake out a few of the objective “rarities” that you’ve had in the setlist for a long time, and let’s see a LONG setlist with lots of new tracks. There’s a whole sub-set of Al-centric and Blondie-centric songs they could look at that neither Brian’s nor Mike’s band would ever otherwise entertain. Let’s see “Leaving This Town” and “Santa Ana Winds” and “Lookin’ at Tomorrow” and “Funky Pretty” and “Wake the World.” Let’s see Brian dust some weird stuff off too. How about “Goin’ On” or “That Same Song?”

Instead of having Matt just sing “Don’t Worry Baby” or “She Knows Me Too Well”, how about giving him “Surf’s Up”, or “Trader”?

[Ang Jones]

One other thought I will offer: This is one case where I actually HOPE that the Brian and Mike “camps” are watching each other and trying to “out-do” each other. I hope Brian’s band takes the challenge and does an awesome 2015 setlist. No more “Shut Down” or “Catch a Wave.” Maybe even shake out a few of the objective “rarities” that you’ve had in the setlist for a long time, and let’s see a LONG setlist with lots of new tracks. There’s a whole sub-set of Al-centric and Blondie-centric songs they could look at that neither Brian’s nor Mike’s band would ever otherwise entertain. Let’s see “Leaving This Town” and “Santa Ana Winds” and “Lookin’ at Tomorrow” and “Funky Pretty” and “Wake the World.” Let’s see Brian dust some weird stuff off too. How about “Goin’ On” or “That Same Song?”

Instead of having Matt just sing “Don’t Worry Baby” or “She Knows Me Too Well”, how about giving him “Surf’s Up”, or “Trader”?

I think that to some extent their strengths are in their differences. Perhaps Brian was influenced to do more GH in response to Mike and Bruce's shows. For whatever reason, I think that was perhaps a mistake. Brian is at his best and often also appears happier doing some of the more unpredictable things, though he obviously enjoys finishing with some of those songs that will forever represent the Beach Boys and for that matter Brian Wilson to large numbers of people.

But Brian and his people should take notice of the latest Beach Boys' shows and bring something unexpected into the mix. Totally agree about the Al and Blondie numbers. Someone said Al was interested in doing Surf's Up and also Funky Pretty. Hope both are included.

[Jonathan Blum]

Odd, then, that "Daylight Over The Ocean", a song with an identical genesis, is widely regarded in some quarters as NOT being a Beach Boys number.

Wake me when someone complains about Dennis donating tracks from Bambu...

Sigh,
Jon Blum

[filledeplage]

If it was "Love and Mercy" or "In My Car" or "Lay Down Burden" or "Imagination," there might be a cogent argument to be made. That was solo work.  And, who knows, maybe they will cover some of those some day...I had truly wished they had done "Love and Mercy" to close C50. But, it wasn't my choice.  

In what way is "In My Car" a solo song? It's on a Beach Boys album and features at least three original Beach Boys (Brian, Carl and Al).

In the way that it was recorded as a BW solo track and offered for the album, as Bruce told me, "very late... big surprise". Carl and Alan's vocals are so obviously later overdubs.

I know that. And that still doesn't make it a solo song at all. Maybe at one point during it's creation it was, but as far as the eye can see it was released as a Beach Boys song and has three Beach Boys on it, regardless of when certain vocals were added.

From cabinessence.net - In My Car - Brian Wilson/Eugene Landy/Alexandra Morgan.  Their credits were removed for Still Cruisin' and it was said that it was Brian's solo entry.  But, in fairness, it is sort of a "mélange" with soundtrack covers, from Troop Beverly Hills, Good Morning Vietnam, The Big Chill, and Soul Man, "Still Crusin'" from Lethal Weapon 2 and "Wipe Out" with The Fat Boys. Their credits (Landy and Morgan) "have been removed from most other Brian songs from that era."

If I'm incorrect about Carl working with Jeff on Surf's Up, mea culpa.    The setlists are very sparse and Jeff was not continuously performing in the band. (I don't have the later Ian Rusten "Concert book" handy)  However, for private performances, if SU was a request, it may have been likely for Foskett to share the lead. I shall keep looking.

But SU was on the setlist at many of the college/university shows in the 70's, in the BB context, with absolute attribution to Brian.  These audiences had seen Bernstein's "Inside Pop," with Brian's solo, alongside many of the contemporaneous influential composers.

[Fire Wind]

Some great stuff last night.  Really, I go to see MnB to hear the stuff they're best at - the early hits, Little Honda, Shut Down etc.  In some ways, I preferred the first set to the second.  There was more of Mike in his element.  All that stuff was terrific.

Farmer's Daughter was a treat to hear.

H+V, yes more like version from the 70s, felt much different to a Brian or the C50 version.  Seemed like an odder, artier track like this.  More of a genuinely quirky feel to it.

I thought Mike's vocal on All I Wanna Do was fine, as good as could be expected.  Not that it could match his original vocal, but it sounded as I thought it would sound.  Very interesting to hear.  And sounding very different in style and sound to anything else played, particularly the guitars.

Christopher Cross, who I didn't really know before, sang Carl parts with a Carl-ish voice, a real bonus for All This is That.

Pisces Brothers seemed to be well-received.  Less to do with the song in itself, perhaps, which was just fine for a personal tribute, but for all the video of George.

I would have liked David to have had more of a role, or a spotlight on him beyond his vocal on Getcha Back.  If not doing Pet Sounds (the track), they should've got him to play Summer Means New Love to tie in with the SD+SN!! promotion.

Cowsill was beyond great on everything (barring his line on Isn't it Time).  Wild Honey made for a much more interesting encore than what we would normally get.

Maybe I just wasn't watching him closely, but I don't recall Bruce adjusting his microphone stand much at all.

[Jonathan Blum]

But Brian and his people should take notice of the latest Beach Boys' shows and bring something unexpected into the mix. Totally agree about the Al and Blondie numbers. Someone said Al was interested in doing Surf's Up and also Funky Pretty. Hope both are included.

For what it's worth, I can't remember the last time Brian's done a straight Greatest Hits tour -- some time before the reunion, I think.  The Brian/Al/David/Blondie/Beck tour threw in things like "Little Bird"!  So I'm expecting the unexpected there.  If it's as interesting a mix as the Soundstage special (seriously, "Hold On Dear Brother"?  "Pacific Coast Highway"?) I'll be a very happy camper...

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[filledeplage]

One other thought I will offer: This is one case where I actually HOPE that the Brian and Mike “camps” are watching each other and trying to “out-do” each other. I hope Brian’s band takes the challenge and does an awesome 2015 setlist. No more “Shut Down” or “Catch a Wave.” Maybe even shake out a few of the objective “rarities” that you’ve had in the setlist for a long time, and let’s see a LONG setlist with lots of new tracks. There’s a whole sub-set of Al-centric and Blondie-centric songs they could look at that neither Brian’s nor Mike’s band would ever otherwise entertain. Let’s see “Leaving This Town” and “Santa Ana Winds” and “Lookin’ at Tomorrow” and “Funky Pretty” and “Wake the World.” Let’s see Brian dust some weird stuff off too. How about “Goin’ On” or “That Same Song?”

Instead of having Matt just sing “Don’t Worry Baby” or “She Knows Me Too Well”, how about giving him “Surf’s Up”, or “Trader”?

I think that to some extent their strengths are in their differences. Perhaps Brian was influenced to do more GH in response to Mike and Bruce's shows. For whatever reason, I think that was perhaps a mistake. Brian is at his best and often also appears happier doing some of the more unpredictable things, though he obviously enjoys finishing with some of those songs that will forever represent the Beach Boys and for that matter Brian Wilson to large numbers of people.

But Brian and his people should take notice of the latest Beach Boys' shows and bring something unexpected into the mix. Totally agree about the Al and Blondie numbers. Someone said Al was interested in doing Surf's Up and also Funky Pretty. Hope both are included.

What does that mean, "take notice of the other's shows?"  Last fall in 2014, I heard them practicing at a sound check, "You Still Believe in Me." 

Brian doesn't need permission to do GH at his shows.  They are from the BB font. He has done Little St. Nick in July! Christmas in July! He got a fantastic audience response! It isn't all about competition.  It is striving to do one's personal best.  Brian went out on that limb in July with Little St. Nick as did the Touring Band did with Wild Honey a couple of years back. 

Isn't it even plausible that the touring band would want some "variety" ( the spice of life!) and to switch it up to keep things interesting?

[HeyJude]

"Surf's Up" was in the setlist in 1971 (and perhaps survived into the setlist for another year or two, though by '73 I think it was gone, if not '72). I believe it briefly returned in 1975 during the "Beachago" tour, and I think that's about it. There are some folks out there that meticulously collect live setlists and live recordings and whatnot and would have noted a later performance. I'm pretty sure it was never attempted during Jeff Foskett's tenure in the touring band, which lasted from late December 1981 through July of 1990.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Last time I checked, it appeared that many people seem to enjoy this board. Just cruise the amount of posts here on any given day and one can see the healthy glow it casts. No cancer, no heart disease, no life ending content going on,  well, maybe a little high blood pressure, but the mods help to get that down to acceptable levels when it gets out of control. The only thing I see are OPINIONS of this, that, or the other thing. Generally speaking, there are no rights or wrongs when it comes to opinions, is there, really?? What is interesting is how most here stick to what they believe one thing or the other. There's your board-without honest opinion, this board would not exist and should these opinions whether "for" or "against" anything be silenced, we risk a compromise of any sort of democracy here. That would certainly suck the very life out of this or any other entity. Don't like what you read here? Fine. No problem, right? Are you man enough to read it? Are you man enough to move on and go to the next post or are you going let it ruin your little day? For instance, and I make absolutely no apologies for not liking Mike Love, so I state my OPINION. If you don't like it, oh well, life goes on in Beach Boys land.
I'll check with the mods later but it doesn't appear that anyone has suffered premature death because of what I've posted about him. But, if you find that your skin is a bit too thin to handle anything you don't want to hear, I have the answer-go to "The Vibe Room"-it's a wonderful, very quiet, little place where EVERYONE loves Mike Love and everything he does no matter what! Trust me, you'll never want to come back here ever again.  

[Ang Jones]

But Brian and his people should take notice of the latest Beach Boys' shows and bring something unexpected into the mix. Totally agree about the Al and Blondie numbers. Someone said Al was interested in doing Surf's Up and also Funky Pretty. Hope both are included.

For what it's worth, I can't remember the last time Brian's done a straight Greatest Hits tour -- some time before the reunion, I think.  The Brian/Al/David/Blondie/Beck tour threw in things like "Little Bird"!  So I'm expecting the unexpected there.  If it's as interesting a mix as the Soundstage special (seriously, "Hold On Dear Brother"?  "Pacific Coast Highway"?) I'll be a very happy camper...

Cheers,
Jon Blum

I last saw Brian last year - that was mainly greatest hits. But it was at a festival.

Of course I'd be delighted with Hold On Dear Brother and Pacific Coast Highway, and virtually anything from NPP too.

[drbeachboy]

Last time I checked, it appeared that many people seem to enjoy this board. Just cruise the amount of posts here on any given day and one can see the healthy glow it casts. No cancer, no heart disease, no life ending content going on,  well, maybe a little high blood pressure, but the mods help to get that down to acceptable levels when it gets out of control. The only thing I see are OPINIONS of this, that, or the other thing. Generally speaking, there are no rights or wrongs when it comes to opinions, is there, really?? What is interesting is how most here stick to what they believe one thing or the other. There's your board-without honest opinion, this board would not exist and should these opinions whether "for" or "against" anything be silenced, we risk a compromise of any sort of democracy here. That would certainly suck the very life out of this or any other entity. Don't like what you read here? Fine. No problem, right? Are you man enough to read it? Are you man enough to move on and go to the next post or are you going let it ruin your little day? For instance, and I make absolutely no apologies for not liking Mike Love, so I state my OPINION. If you don't like it, oh well, life goes on in Beach Boys land.
I'll check with the mods later but it doesn't appear that anyone has suffered premature death because of what I've posted about him. But, if you find that your skin is a bit too thin to handle anything you don't want to hear, I have the answer-go to "The Vibe Room"-it's a wonderful little place where EVERYONE loves Mike Love and everything he does no matter what! Trust me, you'll never want to come back here ever again.  

I have no issues with opinions either, except when it is in complete opposition to a stated fact. The insistence that one's own opinion outweighs the truth does send my blood pressure rising.  It happens here way more than it should, as we are the ones who search out and learn the facts. We are the ones who care the most that the correct information gets out there to all who want to learn about the band. I'm a Beach Boys fan, first and foremost. It bothers me that I have to choose sides when I come in here. It's becoming more rare that we can actually have a friendly discussion anymore. We shouldn't have to come in here and go at each other's throats. I doubt that that was ever the intent of creating this forum.

[SMiLE Brian]

OSD!

[Ang Jones]

One other thought I will offer: This is one case where I actually HOPE that the Brian and Mike “camps” are watching each other and trying to “out-do” each other. I hope Brian’s band takes the challenge and does an awesome 2015 setlist. No more “Shut Down” or “Catch a Wave.” Maybe even shake out a few of the objective “rarities” that you’ve had in the setlist for a long time, and let’s see a LONG setlist with lots of new tracks. There’s a whole sub-set of Al-centric and Blondie-centric songs they could look at that neither Brian’s nor Mike’s band would ever otherwise entertain. Let’s see “Leaving This Town” and “Santa Ana Winds” and “Lookin’ at Tomorrow” and “Funky Pretty” and “Wake the World.” Let’s see Brian dust some weird stuff off too. How about “Goin’ On” or “That Same Song?”

Instead of having Matt just sing “Don’t Worry Baby” or “She Knows Me Too Well”, how about giving him “Surf’s Up”, or “Trader”?

I think that to some extent their strengths are in their differences. Perhaps Brian was influenced to do more GH in response to Mike and Bruce's shows. For whatever reason, I think that was perhaps a mistake. Brian is at his best and often also appears happier doing some of the more unpredictable things, though he obviously enjoys finishing with some of those songs that will forever represent the Beach Boys and for that matter Brian Wilson to large numbers of people.

But Brian and his people should take notice of the latest Beach Boys' shows and bring something unexpected into the mix. Totally agree about the Al and Blondie numbers. Someone said Al was interested in doing Surf's Up and also Funky Pretty. Hope both are included.

What does that mean, "take notice of the other's shows?"  Last fall in 2014, I heard them practicing at a sound check, "You Still Believe in Me." 

Brian doesn't need permission to do GH at his shows.  They are from the BB font. He has done Little St. Nick in July! Christmas in July! He got a fantastic audience response! It isn't all about competition.  It is striving to do one's personal best.  Brian went out on that limb in July with Little St. Nick as did the Touring Band did with Wild Honey a couple of years back. 

Isn't it even plausible that the touring band would want some "variety" ( the spice of life!) and to switch it up to keep things interesting?

Of course Brian doesn't need permission to do BB greatest hits and no doubt GOK, GV, Surfin' USA and many more will nearly always appear in the set list. Competition is fine too. I don't like the way that Mike has repeatedly made rather unpleasant remarks in interviews though, continually citing Brian's drug abuse. Brian hardly ever cites things from Mike's distant past - and he easily could. It gives the impression that Mike is jealous and spiteful. Someone suggested that maybe Mike had 'poached' Jeff and Brian E. Then Mike's band perform two tracks about which Mike has been less than complimentary in the past.  But perhaps that is all coincidental and they upped their game simply out of a genuine interest in making it more interesting for their fans. I hope so.

[Cam Mott]

Did "Darlin'", "Time To Get Alone", and "Had To Phone Ya" belong to the Beach Boys?

[Ang Jones]

Last time I checked, it appeared that many people seem to enjoy this board. Just cruise the amount of posts here on any given day and one can see the healthy glow it casts. No cancer, no heart disease, no life ending content going on,  well, maybe a little high blood pressure, but the mods help to get that down to acceptable levels when it gets out of control. The only thing I see are OPINIONS of this, that, or the other thing. Generally speaking, there are no rights or wrongs when it comes to opinions, is there, really?? What is interesting is how most here stick to what they believe one thing or the other. There's your board-without honest opinion, this board would not exist and should these opinions whether "for" or "against" anything be silenced, we risk a compromise of any sort of democracy here. That would certainly suck the very life out of this or any other entity. Don't like what you read here? Fine. No problem, right? Are you man enough to read it? Are you man enough to move on and go to the next post or are you going let it ruin your little day? For instance, and I make absolutely no apologies for not liking Mike Love, so I state my OPINION. If you don't like it, oh well, life goes on in Beach Boys land.
I'll check with the mods later but it doesn't appear that anyone has suffered premature death because of what I've posted about him. But, if you find that your skin is a bit too thin to handle anything you don't want to hear, I have the answer-go to "The Vibe Room"-it's a wonderful little place where EVERYONE loves Mike Love and everything he does no matter what! Trust me, you'll never want to come back here ever again.  

I just checked The Vibe Room. Unless something is wrong with my computer, the last posts seem to be months ago. And this during a Beach Boys tour.

[Eric Aniversario]

Does anyone have the May 31st setlist?

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Last time I checked, it appeared that many people seem to enjoy this board. Just cruise the amount of posts here on any given day and one can see the healthy glow it casts. No cancer, no heart disease, no life ending content going on,  well, maybe a little high blood pressure, but the mods help to get that down to acceptable levels when it gets out of control. The only thing I see are OPINIONS of this, that, or the other thing. Generally speaking, there are no rights or wrongs when it comes to opinions, is there, really?? What is interesting is how most here stick to what they believe one thing or the other. There's your board-without  opinion, this board would not exist and should these opinions whether "for" or "against" anything be silenced, we risk a compromise of any sort of democracy here. That would certainly suck the very life out of this or any other entity. Don't like what you read here? Fine. No problem, right? Are you man enough to read it? Are you man enough to move on and go to the next post or are you going let it ruin your little day? For instance, and I make absolutely no apologies for not liking Mike Love, so I state my OPINION. If you don't like it, oh well, life goes on in Beach Boys land.
I'll check with the mods later but it doesn't appear that anyone has suffered premature death because of what I've posted about him. But, if you find that your skin is a bit too thin to handle anything you don't want to hear, I have the answer-go to "The Vibe Room"-it's a wonderful little place where EVERYONE loves Mike Love and everything he does no matter what! Trust me, you'll never want to come back here ever again.  

I just checked The Vibe Room. Unless something is wrong with my computer, the last posts seem to be months ago. And this during a Beach Boys tour.

Precisely Ang. Questions anyone??  

[MaxL]

Does anyone have the May 31st setlist?

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-beach-boys/2015/royal-albert-hall-london-england-4bc98f66.html

[Steve Latshaw]

<<http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-beach-boys/2015/royal-albert-hall-london-england-4bc98f66.html>>

Thanks for posting this.  Amazing... love to see an authorized release of this...

[filledeplage]

One other thought I will offer: This is one case where I actually HOPE that the Brian and Mike “camps” are watching each other and trying to “out-do” each other. I hope Brian’s band takes the challenge and does an awesome 2015 setlist. No more “Shut Down” or “Catch a Wave.” Maybe even shake out a few of the objective “rarities” that you’ve had in the setlist for a long time, and let’s see a LONG setlist with lots of new tracks. There’s a whole sub-set of Al-centric and Blondie-centric songs they could look at that neither Brian’s nor Mike’s band would ever otherwise entertain. Let’s see “Leaving This Town” and “Santa Ana Winds” and “Lookin’ at Tomorrow” and “Funky Pretty” and “Wake the World.” Let’s see Brian dust some weird stuff off too. How about “Goin’ On” or “That Same Song?”

Instead of having Matt just sing “Don’t Worry Baby” or “She Knows Me Too Well”, how about giving him “Surf’s Up”, or “Trader”?

I think that to some extent their strengths are in their differences. Perhaps Brian was influenced to do more GH in response to Mike and Bruce's shows. For whatever reason, I think that was perhaps a mistake. Brian is at his best and often also appears happier doing some of the more unpredictable things, though he obviously enjoys finishing with some of those songs that will forever represent the Beach Boys and for that matter Brian Wilson to large numbers of people.

But Brian and his people should take notice of the latest Beach Boys' shows and bring something unexpected into the mix. Totally agree about the Al and Blondie numbers. Someone said Al was interested in doing Surf's Up and also Funky Pretty. Hope both are included.

What does that mean, "take notice of the other's shows?"  Last fall in 2014, I heard them practicing at a sound check, "You Still Believe in Me." 

Brian doesn't need permission to do GH at his shows.  They are from the BB font. He has done Little St. Nick in July! Christmas in July! He got a fantastic audience response! It isn't all about competition.  It is striving to do one's personal best.  Brian went out on that limb in July with Little St. Nick as did the Touring Band did with Wild Honey a couple of years back. 

Isn't it even plausible that the touring band would want some "variety" ( the spice of life!) and to switch it up to keep things interesting?

Of course Brian doesn't need permission to do BB greatest hits and no doubt GOK, GV, Surfin' USA and many more will nearly always appear in the set list. Competition is fine too. I don't like the way that Mike has repeatedly made rather unpleasant remarks in interviews though, continually citing Brian's drug abuse. Brian hardly ever cites things from Mike's distant past - and he easily could. It gives the impression that Mike is jealous and spiteful. Someone suggested that maybe Mike had 'poached' Jeff and Brian E. Then Mike's band perform two tracks about which Mike has been less than complimentary in the past.  But perhaps that is all coincidental and they upped their game simply out of a genuine interest in making it more interesting for their fans. I hope so.

The only thing I read was that Mike hadn't heard NPP. That was a face value statement.  If you don't hear something, how can you give an "informed" opinion?

Everything becomes blown out of proportion for nothing.  And the insults fly, "Stamos" threads become created, out of frustration, because he is an easy target. Or some toxic "parody" is created for the sake of mockery. That is high school b.s., gang/bully mentality.  It is the behavior of a punk.

And, early on, with NPP, except those who were sent "promo" copies, (I'm not one of those lucky few) and, we only heard clips of the great coming attractions.

And, how can an inference be made of "jealous and spiteful?" But, that is what happens here.  There is little room for a divergence of opinion.  If one says one nice thing (or true thing) about the Touring Band, one is put in the category of "Mike's camp." And most compliments are "left-handed" ones.

[Mike's Beard]

Does anyone have the May 31st setlist?

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-beach-boys/2015/royal-albert-hall-london-england-4bc98f66.html

That is one hellava setlist! Just about every era gets touched on and lots of Today! tracks.

[Andrew G. Doe]

That's 2004 and 2008 explained then. So what accounts for the improvement from 2014 to 2015 - because several of those who have attended the shows have claimed they are the best so far? As I've already written, the changes are Brian E, the firing of Randell, the different set list.

The difference between this year and last year, at least in the UK, is the setlist. I was at HCP & Epsom last year, and as regards relative musicianship, there's no real difference IMHO.

I find it amusing that you've not been to any of the recent shows, yet feel qualified to pass comment on them. Amusing and disingenuous.

That this forum is often unpleasant is true. This is far from one sided however.

No argument there, but I'm not the one posting tedious Variations On A Theme Of I Hate Mike Love daily. These people have blatant issues. However, if it means taking one for the team in making this forum a more pleasant place then by all means excise me too.

It is entirely understandable that some people do not feel a wish to celebrate the success of the Mike and Bruce show, simply because of the history.

So, the "history" outweighs the music for "some people". I pity them, I truly do.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Maybe I just wasn't watching him closely, but I don't recall Bruce adjusting his microphone stand much at all.

You missed about three lead vocals, including a spankingly good "Disney Girls".

[ontor pertawst]

I'm glad you guys all had a blast and the aching ass that only such a lengthy show can provide! I guess I'll excuse all the insults possibly aimed in this direction since clearly you're all hopped up from goin' to the beach and that's totally understandable. I get pretty loopy and puritanical too with some live Pet Sounds in my system.

But this bully/punk business and the like, ease off on that. Again, nobody here is lookin' very classy and above it all when they are flinging fetid mud in all directions and getting some in the mouths of innocent passers-by.

The mods clean up anything that crosses the line and let's try to be fair, most of the lengthy BW threads this past year have had just as many detractors with oddly familiar names posting quibbles, sneers, disingenuous questions prefaced by "quite frankly" and "honestly," pleas for his retirement, complaints about setlists, mentions of our favorite old legal cases, etc. Along with many bans temporary and permanent on both sides of the Kokomo divide. It's what happens on a board like this not directly controlled by the Wilsons or the Loves! It's infuriating at times of course depending on which opinion of yours is being mauled or what deeply held belief is being snottily trampled by some total jerk, but let's remember these are public figures and it's in fact ok to have opinions about 'em. Unfortunately, Cousin Mike and Cousin Brian inspire some crazy commentary online. Look on any newspaper article, blog post, youtube video. We're actually doing pretty good compared to some of the swill you see elsewhere. At least tour date and recording session information gets corrected quickly! AGD's blood pressure thanks you.

 It seems like instead of trying to change the rules we should just follow the rules of this board and stop with the personal insults towards each other, and this not-so-subtle attempt at working the refs. Which is reaaaally obvious.

Also, I'm sorry for making fun of John Stamos. I admit it, just his name sounds funny to me and hearing the words "John Stamos" make me laugh a little bit. I'll have it checked out.