Beach Boys and politics

[Magic Transistor Radio]

This is all very interesting. The thing I find the most shocking is that, from what I've heard on here, is that Dennis was quite conservative. I never would've guessed that.

There hasn't been much on Dave Marks or Glen Cambell, but if I were to make a guess, Glen is a Country music republican (of course there's always Willie Nelson and others), and Dave I could see either way. Maybe his book will clear that up. Maybe not.

[MBE]

Peter honestly it's true! I read Patti's book and she said Dennis was in tears begging her not to abort.

[Smilin Ed H]

Dennis didn't want Patti to have an abortion.  Doesn't make him conservative overall.

Yes, Glen is a Republican - a fairly conservative one, I believe.  Tends to believe God will help him with everything rather than sorting things out for himself - hence the mess he's frequently been in. I believe in the 60s he objected to the Smothers Brothers showing anti-war footage behind him singing (I'm guessing Universal Soldier or Galveston).

Carrie may shoot me down here, but I think I recall her saying David is a Republican too.

[Ebb and Flow]

There's a clip that's been booted of a joke Denny told about Nixon in '73, though that probably doesn't mean anything given the time period.

[bellagio]

It seems like these guys were too sheltered and got too rich too young to have any real idea or interset in politics, especially the Wilsons. Bruce can't help but be a jack-ass...I mean Republican, since he's always been rich. Mike and Alan seem like they've taken the time to consider things and, good or bad, glad or sad, they've made informed decisions. But the wilsons...I think they were/are too caught up in being Wilsons and artists to ever have had any real feelings about politics, and I think that's awesome. They were true artists and totally unconcerned with what the times had to offer...Great thread, by the way.

[Ron]

Yeah; It was a great thread until you called several of us Jack-asses.

[Mahalo]

Why are the rich always assumed to be Republican? Last time I checked, there were a lot of rich Democrats, especially in the world of celebrities.....Remember the 2004 election when over 50 million people voted for President Bush?? They weren't all rich were they?

[Peter Ames Carlin]

I woudn't call Mike's politics "considered." Maybe more like "random" or "self-serving." He was such a staunch Reagan supporter, you'll recall. Which means the environmental activist-slash-peacenik was actively supporting a guy whose environmental policies and saber-rattling foreign policy were in complete opposition to his own beliefs. When I asked Mike to explain, he noted that the Reagans were "really nice people" and that it was cool that they were from California, too. Maybe, he proposed later, neither he nor the other BB's were really "politlcally savvy" or anything like that. Yes, Mike. That's it exactly.

Maybe it's safest to say that they all contain/contained multitudes. That it was possible for Dennis to be both a libertine cocksman (who wore a Planned Parenthood t-shirt) and a tearful defender of Patti Davis's fetus, among other family values-oriented ideals, and etc. etc.

[grillo]

Hey, you can't help but ruffle a few feathers when talking about politics...Most people I know are neither Dems nor Repubs but, instead, actual people with many and varied beliefs that can't be easily put in a box. Sorry, but if you identify too much with a certain party you are likely watching too much TV news and not paying enough attention to whats going on around you...Now, let the party begin!

[the captain]

Sorry, but if you identify too much with a certain party you are likely watching too much TV news and not paying enough attention to whats going on around you...

I agree with that wholeheartedly. It's pretty tough to fit a person's beliefs on every subject into a one-word description. While I generally lean (hard) left, my positions on individual issues vary not only across the political spectrum, but vary from day to day on the same issues sometimes. We all change our minds, often more often than we'd probably care to admit (lest we be ever run for office and be called flip-floppers!). No reason the Beach Boys should be any different.

[Amy B.]

That's why I can't stand when politicians are skewered for being "flip-floppers." Flip-flopping doesn't necessarily mean that you're trying to please your base.... sometimes it means that you're actually thinking. The best leaders are willing to see both sides of an issue, and so are the thoughtful voters.

Sorry.. that was a little off-topic.

[MBE]

You know this is a good thread and I think overall we have been civil to each other. BTW  I know Mike didn't support Bush in 1992 because of his environmental beliefs. I remember him doing an interview and making a point of it.
I think you can disagree with a candadate on some issues and still vote for them. I defy anyone to find one politician or even one person that your views are exactly the same. Even if one candidate is only 60 percent agreeable to your way of thinking you are still likely to vote for them over the one who you agree with only 40 percent of the time. I don't think we should chastise Mike because he isn't a political pundint, it's sometimes hard to articulate something that in your heart just feels right.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I consider myself a conservative, but I respect everyone elses views. I have watched some Michael Moore films with an open mind only to be even more convinced to the political right.

Anyways, I did not start this thread to see which BBs I would like more or side with. It's just another interesting thing to know about them.

Now it seems that if you take all the BBs and add them together and divide to get the average, you end up with a right leaning group. Which makes some sense considering that the subject of most of their (hit) songs are about capitolistic Americana (fancy cars, surfin, having fun, etc)

[Ebb and Flow]

Now it seems that if you take all the BBs and add them together and divide to get the average, you end up with a right leaning group. Which makes some sense considering that the subject of most of their (hit) songs are about capitolistic Americana (fancy cars, surfin, having fun, etc)

I wouldn't necessarily consider surfing to be wholly a product of capitalism.  Much of the surf culture in the 50's before the craze was about rejecting authority, sticking it to the system and living life free from the constraints of a capitalist society.  There's a lot of crossover with the beat movement as well.  And the sport itself in theory is a non-competitive, passive activity.  But certainly by the time The Beach Boys were singing about it, it had become a fad driven by profit, so in a sense you're right, which is why many surfers rejected the BB's and went for Dick Dale and Jazz instead.

[MBE]

It's funny nobody mentioned their religious views. Another thread?

[Jon Stebbins]

David watches Fox news for the comic value...he's no Republican in philosophy...he's more liberal than most Dems...but truthfully politics is too narrow for him, he's an improviser. Carrie is a reformed or recovering former Reagan Republican who now sees the light and has very progressive views...still has a soft spot for Ronnie though.

No way Dennis was conservative in most political views...he related to bums much more than country clubbers.

[Awesoman]

David watches Fox news for the comic value...

Funny, I do the same thing with CNN and MSNBC...

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I guess you could say that I am liberal when it comes to art and music. I really enjoy the underground progressive music that is done fully for creativity. I will say the same for indie movies. For the most part, I don't care for the performers that are on the latest money making style of the time like the American Idol garbage.

I do have one question though. What is an older philosophy? Communism/socialism or Capitolism/free markets?  In other words, what makes one more proggressive then the other?

[the captain]

I do have one question though. What is an older philosophy? Communism/socialism or Capitolism/free markets?  In other words, what makes one more proggressive then the other?

Well, capitalism is older than communism, and I don't think either is truly progressive--they're both well over 150 years old.

In the U.S., anyway, I think progressive isn't a term for either of the two. It is just a term left-leaning politicians have claimed for themselves because it implies some kind of change of the "old guard," as opposed to the right-leaning politicians' use of traditional/conservative imagery. Both sides are capitalists, although some Dems incorporate some ideas that lean toward socialism. And I'd say neither side is remotely progressive.

[MBE]

What I think is funny reading this is that some of us are really bad at disguising our own views and instead attribute them to our favorite Beach Boy. I don't mean that in a bad way because I am sure I do it too. I literally find it funny though.

[Uncomfortable Seat]

I know that Blondie and Ricky were against apartheid.  That's what We Got Love was about.  I remember years ago thinking that was the subject of the song and wondering if it was right, then I think it was a Mojo article that revealed that I was correct.  I was quite pleased with myself!

[mozelly]

     I'm really prefer  that The Beach Boys stay out of the political pit. I believe it's good they can perform at either Democrat or Republican functions and consider it an honor to do so.  It's quite clear most celebrities lean to the left here in the states.  Although, Elvis Presley when  questioned about the Vietnam war, said he was just an entertainer and his public opinion on the war was irrelevant. Dwight Yoakam when asked about his politics in the past has said that he didn't want his political views to screw the way people saw his work,but he would consider himself a libertarian.
      I lean to the right pretty hard and I can deal with one of my music heroes having some personal problems ,but the first time they bash my political or religious beliefs ,their records get dumped in the trash. I've read articles criticizing Jack White for not getting political in his music, I hope he doesn't ,anymore than the few hits here and there I've heard.
      It's hard to take any celebrity serious, conservative or liberal ,when it comes to politics. They don't live in the same environment that we average folks do. This isn't the place to get into this discussion, so I'll leave it at that.
     

[shelter]

I think it's good if musicians speak out for their political beliefs. Music is about expression. And if you care about what's happening to your country, your people and the planet that you live on, you've gotta be into politics. I'd take a good political message over yet another cheesy love song or one of those dumb 'Give me something to break!' type of Limp Bizkit songs anytime.

[Amy B.]

      I can deal with one of my music heroes having some personal problems ,but the first time they bash my political or religious beliefs ,their records get dumped in the trash.

I'm not sure they're bashing anyone's beliefs by expressing their own. Just like books, albums are a form of expression. Some books talk about politics; some don't. Some music talks about politics; some doesn't. I don't see how a musician has any less of a right to talk about politics than anyone else, including your average cable TV political pundit. I might not listen to a song where I don't agree with the lyrics, but I don't know that it's grounds for boycotting that artist.

Elvis didn't put political messages into his songs (unless you count "In the Ghetto"), but he met with Nixon and told him that drugs were bad, Communism was bad, and the Beatles were bad for the American spirit.

[Wilsonista]

David watches Fox news for the comic value...

If only Fox had any comic value.......