Are you ever embarrassed to be a Beach Boys fan?

[Ron]

To Ron,
I never said none of my friends hate the Beach Boys. They never said what I described. Those who don't like the Beach Boys only don't like them because they don't like all "old" music.
I was describing some of the people I have come across at places like Record Fairs. There are some people who aren't like that, like this person I got Smiley Smile from. But there are just as many, if not more who consider the BB's to be a joke.
If you don't know, Record Fairs are events where people sell their old records. It's usually at places like Town Halls. I think in America it's called Record Shows, correct me if I'm wrong.
I remember that when MIC came out, I didn't see a single copy anywhere at music stores, and it wasn't promoted. The Smile Sessions and TWGMTR fared better, but wasn't exactly top priority for the stores when they came out. And I guess it also depends on which store you go, I mainly go to JB HI FI and it's never in the "Popular" section.
Also, I meant people say they sound like girls when they sing, not that they were singing about girls. I guess I should have explained that better.
As for the Compilation debate, you did misunderstand me a bit. Endless Summer wasn't their first compilation, their first one came out years earlier. When the Beatles released the Red and Blue albums, not only were they already broken up with their legacy sealed, but those albums picked the best songs from their entire career, not just one part of it.
Usually, a Greatest Hits is either good, or at least one that disappears eventually. With Endless Summer, when it came out it was a success. But with that their image as a Nostalgic Surf band was set, and people only wanted to hear the old hits. After Endless Summer, the BB's stopped making an effort to try and change their image, create great albums and make quality music. After Endless Summer, their focus turned to oldies music, instead of contemporary. This was clearly shown on the mediocre "15 Big Ones". The quality of their newer music declined sharply, with a few good exceptions (Love You, half of L.A. Light Album, most of the 85 album, etc.).
Most compilations don't damage a group's career. In fact it pretty much never does. With the exception of the BB's and Endless Summer.
Feel free to disagree, that's just my honest opinion.

Your problem is then that you're in a weird country I suppose.  I live in America and the Beach Boys are pretty beloved by most people that I know or meet.  Over here, people start listening to 'oldies' when they're babies and generally still love the music no matter what age they are, everybody I know grew up listening to bands like the Beach Boys from their earliest memories.  Maybe over there it's different. 

I know several Black people who like the Beach Boys.  Top that.

As for the Endless Summer thing, you're just wrong about all that.  That's o.k.

I wouldn't say Australia is weird at all. But I guess it may be a bit different here, but I doubt it.

So if Endless Summer wasn't the cause of the Beach Boys decline artistically and degeneration into an oldies band, what do you think is the cause?

I don't mean Australia is weird because it's Australia, i'm just saying it's weird about oldies and the Beach Boys, apparently.  At least compared to here.

[Ron]

So if Endless Summer wasn't the cause of the Beach Boys decline artistically and degeneration into an oldies band, what do you think is the cause?

The Beach Boys have made tons of bad choices and decisions in their career.  It had nothing to do with that album, that album was a GOOD choice because it made them money.  They have dozens and dozens of other bad decisions, and continue to make bad decisions, that has hampered their career in many many ways, going way back to about 1966.

One, for instance, is apparently some of the members can't stand each other

Tons of others that people more knowledgeable than me can get into, but these guys were never pros at business and have done some really, really stupid things over the years. 

[drbeachboy]

To Ron,
I never said none of my friends hate the Beach Boys. They never said what I described. Those who don't like the Beach Boys only don't like them because they don't like all "old" music.
I was describing some of the people I have come across at places like Record Fairs. There are some people who aren't like that, like this person I got Smiley Smile from. But there are just as many, if not more who consider the BB's to be a joke.
If you don't know, Record Fairs are events where people sell their old records. It's usually at places like Town Halls. I think in America it's called Record Shows, correct me if I'm wrong.
I remember that when MIC came out, I didn't see a single copy anywhere at music stores, and it wasn't promoted. The Smile Sessions and TWGMTR fared better, but wasn't exactly top priority for the stores when they came out. And I guess it also depends on which store you go, I mainly go to JB HI FI and it's never in the "Popular" section.
Also, I meant people say they sound like girls when they sing, not that they were singing about girls. I guess I should have explained that better.
As for the Compilation debate, you did misunderstand me a bit. Endless Summer wasn't their first compilation, their first one came out years earlier. When the Beatles released the Red and Blue albums, not only were they already broken up with their legacy sealed, but those albums picked the best songs from their entire career, not just one part of it.
Usually, a Greatest Hits is either good, or at least one that disappears eventually. With Endless Summer, when it came out it was a success. But with that their image as a Nostalgic Surf band was set, and people only wanted to hear the old hits. After Endless Summer, the BB's stopped making an effort to try and change their image, create great albums and make quality music. After Endless Summer, their focus turned to oldies music, instead of contemporary. This was clearly shown on the mediocre "15 Big Ones". The quality of their newer music declined sharply, with a few good exceptions (Love You, half of L.A. Light Album, most of the 85 album, etc.).
Most compilations don't damage a group's career. In fact it pretty much never does. With the exception of the BB's and Endless Summer.
Feel free to disagree, that's just my honest opinion.

Your problem is then that you're in a weird country I suppose.  I live in America and the Beach Boys are pretty beloved by most people that I know or meet.  Over here, people start listening to 'oldies' when they're babies and generally still love the music no matter what age they are, everybody I know grew up listening to bands like the Beach Boys from their earliest memories.  Maybe over there it's different. 

I know several Black people who like the Beach Boys.  Top that.

As for the Endless Summer thing, you're just wrong about all that.  That's o.k.

I wouldn't say Australia is weird at all. But I guess it may be a bit different here, but I doubt it.

So if Endless Summer wasn't the cause of the Beach Boys decline artistically and degeneration into an oldies band, what do you think is the cause?

The honest truth is the fans turned them into an oldies band. In concert, you give the fans what they want to hear. They resisted playing all oldies for two years or more, but by 1975 they gave in. I feel that is why they went the oldies route with 15 Big Ones. They tried to give the fans what they thought they wanted and what would sell.

[Sheriff John Stone]

So if Endless Summer wasn't the cause of the Beach Boys decline artistically and degeneration into an oldies band, what do you think is the cause?

Several reasons, too many to mention. But, one basic one...

For a few valuable years after Endless Summer - 1976, 1977, and again in 1980 - The Beach Boys placed their bets on Brian Wilson to do it again (pun intended). Unfortunately, he stopped genius-ing around.

[Blue2013]

To Ron,
I never said my friends hate the Beach Boys. They never said what I described. Those who don't like the Beach Boys only don't like them because they don't like all "old" music.
I was describing some of the people I have come across at places like Record Fairs. There are some people who aren't like that, like this person I got Smiley Smile from. But there are just as many, if not more who consider the BB's to be a joke.
If you don't know, Record Fairs are events where people sell their old records. It's usually at places like Town Halls. I think in America it's called Record Shows, correct me if I'm wrong.
I remember that when MIC came out, I didn't see a single copy anywhere at music stores, and it wasn't promoted. The Smile Sessions and TWGMTR fared better, but wasn't exactly top priority for the stores when they came out. And I guess it also depends on which store you go, I mainly go to JB HI FI and it's never in the "Popular" section.
Also, I meant people say they sound like girls when they sing, not that they were singing about girls. I guess I should have explained that better.
As for the Compilation debate, you did misunderstand me a bit. Endless Summer wasn't their first compilation, their first one came out years earlier. When the Beatles released the Red and Blue albums, not only were they already broken up with their legacy sealed, but those albums picked the best songs from their entire career, not just one part of it.
Usually, a Greatest Hits is either good, or at least one that disappears eventually. With Endless Summer, when it came out it was a success. But with that their image as a Nostalgic Surf band was set, and people only wanted to hear the old hits. After Endless Summer, the BB's stopped making an effort to try and change their image, create great albums and make quality music. After Endless Summer, their focus turned to oldies music, instead of contemporary. This was clearly shown on the mediocre "15 Big Ones". The quality of their newer music declined sharply, with a few good exceptions (Love You, half of L.A. Light Album, most of the 85 album, etc.).
Most compilations don't damage a group's career. In fact it pretty much never does. With the exception of the BB's and Endless Summer.
Feel free to disagree, that's just my honest opinion.

I'm Australian too, and yeah that's basically how it is for the Beach Boys here. Although at some JBHI-FIs I've been to you can find them both in the 50s/60s section and the popular section.

[Shady]

Embarrassed?

They've had more top 40 hits than any other American band.

Their principle songwriter is considered a pop music genius.

They recorded an album that influenced The Beatles to write one of their most influential albums.

Currently popular musicians are citing them as a strong influence.

College classes analyse Brian Wilson's music.

And people of all generations sing along whenever my group pulls out a Beach Boys song at a car show or community event.

Nope. No reason to be embarrassed that I can see.

Beautiful post, there is no reason to be embarrassed to being a Beach Boys fan

I think we're just running out of things to talk about 

[bluesno1fann]

To Ron,
I never said my friends hate the Beach Boys. They never said what I described. Those who don't like the Beach Boys only don't like them because they don't like all "old" music.
I was describing some of the people I have come across at places like Record Fairs. There are some people who aren't like that, like this person I got Smiley Smile from. But there are just as many, if not more who consider the BB's to be a joke.
If you don't know, Record Fairs are events where people sell their old records. It's usually at places like Town Halls. I think in America it's called Record Shows, correct me if I'm wrong.
I remember that when MIC came out, I didn't see a single copy anywhere at music stores, and it wasn't promoted. The Smile Sessions and TWGMTR fared better, but wasn't exactly top priority for the stores when they came out. And I guess it also depends on which store you go, I mainly go to JB HI FI and it's never in the "Popular" section.
Also, I meant people say they sound like girls when they sing, not that they were singing about girls. I guess I should have explained that better.
As for the Compilation debate, you did misunderstand me a bit. Endless Summer wasn't their first compilation, their first one came out years earlier. When the Beatles released the Red and Blue albums, not only were they already broken up with their legacy sealed, but those albums picked the best songs from their entire career, not just one part of it.
Usually, a Greatest Hits is either good, or at least one that disappears eventually. With Endless Summer, when it came out it was a success. But with that their image as a Nostalgic Surf band was set, and people only wanted to hear the old hits. After Endless Summer, the BB's stopped making an effort to try and change their image, create great albums and make quality music. After Endless Summer, their focus turned to oldies music, instead of contemporary. This was clearly shown on the mediocre "15 Big Ones". The quality of their newer music declined sharply, with a few good exceptions (Love You, half of L.A. Light Album, most of the 85 album, etc.).
Most compilations don't damage a group's career. In fact it pretty much never does. With the exception of the BB's and Endless Summer.
Feel free to disagree, that's just my honest opinion.

I'm Australian too, and yeah that's basically how it is for the Beach Boys here. Although at some JBHI-FIs I've been to you can find them both in the 50s/60s section and the popular section.

Well at least Brian Wilson is always in the Popular section

[metal flake paint]

There's one record store in Australia, specifically Prahran, Melbourne, where The Beach Boys are filed exclusively under "B" rather than "50s/60s." No embarrassment about talking about the band instore either, in fact, it's welcomed

[bluesno1fann]

There's one record store in Australia, specifically Prahran, Melbourne, where The Beach Boys are filed exclusively under "B" rather than "50s/60s." No embarrassment about talking about the band instore either, in fact, it's welcomed

Interesting. What's the store's name and if it's possible could you send me the link to their website?

[metal flake paint]

There's one record store in Australia, specifically Prahran, Melbourne, where The Beach Boys are filed exclusively under "B" rather than "50s/60s." No embarrassment about talking about the band instore either, in fact, it's welcomed

Interesting. What's the store's name and if it's possible could you send me the link to their website?

Sure thing:

http://www.grevillerecords.com.au/ (notice the LOOK!LISTEN!VIBRATE!SMILE! on the spaceship)

One of the last great independent record stores in Melbourne. Warwick, the owner, knows his music and is a great guy to chat with.

[Blue2013]

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I don't mind that the Beach Boys are sometimes in the 50s/60s  oldies section. The 60s were a good time for music so naturally the section is going to be filled with a lot of cool stuff.

[metal flake paint]

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I don't mind that the Beach Boys are sometimes in the 50s/60s  oldies section. The 60s were a good time for music so naturally the section is going to be filled with a lot of cool stuff.

Trouble is, in my experience that section also includes material that the group recorded after the sixties   Personally, I find it easier to search for music alphabetically rather than by genre.

[Blue2013]

Trouble is, in my experience that section also includes material that the group recorded after the sixties  

I get you. 
It's kinda awkward when I find the Sunflower/Surf's Up twofer & That's Why God Made The Radio there on occasion.

[bluesno1fann]

Trouble is, in my experience that section also includes material that the group recorded after the sixties  

I get you. 
It's kinda awkward when I find the Sunflower/Surf's Up twofer & That's Why God Made The Radio there on occasion.

You know who is a better candidate for being in the 60's section at music stores? The Beatles.
They were strictly a 60's band, and they broke up in 1970.
The Beach Boys on the other hand made music from the 60's to 1992 with one reunion album in 2012. Yet it's stuck in the 60's section.
Talk about unbelievable!

[Blue2013]

Trouble is, in my experience that section also includes material that the group recorded after the sixties  

I get you. 
It's kinda awkward when I find the Sunflower/Surf's Up twofer & That's Why God Made The Radio there on occasion.

You know who is a better candidate for being in the 60's section at music stores? The Beatles.
They were strictly a 60's band, and they broke up in 1970.
The Beach Boys on the other hand made music from the 60's to 1992 with one reunion album in 2012. Yet it's stuck in the 60's section.
Talk about unbelievable!

At the JB HI-FI I visited today, they put The Beatles in both the popular and the oldies section.
The Beach Boys were only in the oldies. I didn't check to see what they had in stock, but I'd say they probably had the latest album there.

To come full circle, yes I also  that this is Endless Summer's fault.
 If they released a greatest hits covering their career up to 1974 instead of 1965, I severely doubt stores would place them in the 50s/60s section.

[Mike's Beard]

So if Endless Summer wasn't the cause of the Beach Boys decline artistically and degeneration into an oldies band, what do you think is the cause?

Several reasons, too many to mention. But, one basic one...

For a few valuable years after Endless Summer - 1976, 1977, and again in 1980 - The Beach Boys placed their bets on Brian Wilson to do it again (pun intended). Unfortunately, he stopped genius-ing around.

15 Big Ones, Love You and MIU all have worthwhile songs scattered on them but yes, the genius had long since departed.

[bluesno1fann]

Trouble is, in my experience that section also includes material that the group recorded after the sixties  

I get you. 
It's kinda awkward when I find the Sunflower/Surf's Up twofer & That's Why God Made The Radio there on occasion.

You know who is a better candidate for being in the 60's section at music stores? The Beatles.
They were strictly a 60's band, and they broke up in 1970.
The Beach Boys on the other hand made music from the 60's to 1992 with one reunion album in 2012. Yet it's stuck in the 60's section.
Talk about unbelievable!

At the JB HI-FI I visited today, they put The Beatles in both the popular and the oldies section.
The Beach Boys were only in the oldies. I didn't check to see what they had in stock, but I'd say they probably had the latest album there.

To come full circle, yes I also  that this is Endless Summer's fault.
 If they released a greatest hits covering their career up to 1974 instead of 1965, I severely doubt stores would place them in the 50s/60s section.

Actually, with that part, there was nothing they could do.
Capitol owned the rights to all the BB's material up to the Party album. So they couldn't use any of their songs from Pet Sounds onwards, unfortunately.
I think putting the BB's in the Oldies section instead of the Popular section shows what the store thinks of them. Obviously JB doesn't think highly for the BB's, and it shows with the lack of MIC or the large Smile Sessions Box Sets.

[Blue2013]

Trouble is, in my experience that section also includes material that the group recorded after the sixties  

I get you. 
It's kinda awkward when I find the Sunflower/Surf's Up twofer & That's Why God Made The Radio there on occasion.

You know who is a better candidate for being in the 60's section at music stores? The Beatles.
They were strictly a 60's band, and they broke up in 1970.
The Beach Boys on the other hand made music from the 60's to 1992 with one reunion album in 2012. Yet it's stuck in the 60's section.
Talk about unbelievable!

At the JB HI-FI I visited today, they put The Beatles in both the popular and the oldies section.
The Beach Boys were only in the oldies. I didn't check to see what they had in stock, but I'd say they probably had the latest album there.

To come full circle, yes I also  that this is Endless Summer's fault.
 If they released a greatest hits covering their career up to 1974 instead of 1965, I severely doubt stores would place them in the 50s/60s section.

Actually, with that part, there was nothing they could do.
Capitol owned the rights to all the BB's material up to the Party album. So they couldn't use any of their songs from Pet Sounds onwards, unfortunately.
I think putting the BB's in the Oldies section instead of the Popular section shows what the store thinks of them. Obviously JB doesn't think highly for the BB's, and it shows with the lack of MIC or the large Smile Sessions Box Sets.

Does anyone know when the Beach Boys could use their pre-Pet Sounds catalogue? 1986? Why couldn't Capitol come to some kind of agreement with them instead?

About JB  -- I've never seen Made In California outside the computer screen. I have seen The Smile Sessions, not the box set but the single disc version (which is the one I own).

Oh well.   
I'm sure I see Pink Floyd's The Wall box set every time I go there.

[bluesno1fann]

Trouble is, in my experience that section also includes material that the group recorded after the sixties  

I get you. 
It's kinda awkward when I find the Sunflower/Surf's Up twofer & That's Why God Made The Radio there on occasion.

You know who is a better candidate for being in the 60's section at music stores? The Beatles.
They were strictly a 60's band, and they broke up in 1970.
The Beach Boys on the other hand made music from the 60's to 1992 with one reunion album in 2012. Yet it's stuck in the 60's section.
Talk about unbelievable!

At the JB HI-FI I visited today, they put The Beatles in both the popular and the oldies section.
The Beach Boys were only in the oldies. I didn't check to see what they had in stock, but I'd say they probably had the latest album there.

To come full circle, yes I also  that this is Endless Summer's fault.
 If they released a greatest hits covering their career up to 1974 instead of 1965, I severely doubt stores would place them in the 50s/60s section.

Actually, with that part, there was nothing they could do.
Capitol owned the rights to all the BB's material up to the Party album. So they couldn't use any of their songs from Pet Sounds onwards, unfortunately.
I think putting the BB's in the Oldies section instead of the Popular section shows what the store thinks of them. Obviously JB doesn't think highly for the BB's, and it shows with the lack of MIC or the large Smile Sessions Box Sets.

Does anyone know when the Beach Boys could use their pre-Pet Sounds catalogue? 1986? Why couldn't Capitol come to some kind of agreement with them instead?

About JB  -- I've never seen Made In California outside the computer screen. I have seen The Smile Sessions, not the box set but the single disc version (which is the one I own).

Oh well.   
I'm sure I see Pink Floyd's The Wall box set every time I go there.

I saw the large Smile Sessions box set only once, at a JB in the middle of the City. I got the small box set because I couldn't afford the large box set and I didn't want the single disc version.
As for MIC, I have not once seen it, sadly. I see box sets all the time with various artists, whether it be the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, etc. But virtually never the Beach Boys unfortunately.

[Alan Smith]

<pop!>

[Micha]

So if Endless Summer wasn't the cause of the Beach Boys decline artistically and degeneration into an oldies band, what do you think is the cause?

Brian Wilson and the fact that time didn't stop in 1967.

[Smilin Ed H]

Now I am.

[Mikie]

 

[Myk Luhv]

I hate The Beach Boys. I just post here ironically.

[retrokid67]

My school has homecoming in a few days and one of my teachers wants to convince the board to play Beatles songs for the 50th anniversary for the alumni, had a 5 minute discussion about them and played "Twist and Shout". (to avoid the awkwardness  ) I told him after class that they should also play BB songs b/c in '64 they were running neck and neck.