I can understand his perspective in some ways. For decades he dealt with not getting credit for the songs that he wrote lyrics on. In the late 70s when all 3 Wilsons were doing drugs, he saw that it was destroying lives as well as the band. I think he would have traded his power of the band in a heartbeat if the Wilsons were all healthy and alive today. I have seen 2 interviews since the 90s when Mike is in tears talking about his relationship with Brian. When asked around 2006 or 07 if he missed Brian, he said "He is right here (touching his heart). The Brian I know is right here" Tearing up as he spoke. At the reunion when Brian was either unwilling or not allowed to sit in a room with him one on one, I'm sure that hurt him a lot. And perhaps a big reason he ended the reunion. I'm not saying Mike is perfect. But this man has feelings too. When he hears for a years that he is a talentless hack that was along for the ride, it is natural that he would be defensive about it.

I'm not sure but I'm sure it varies from day to day depending on how much they are inspired. My guess is not as often as when they were in their 20s.

According to AGD and his magic archive site, Ricky's last show was at the Roosevelt Raceway, Westbury NY on the 8/9/74.

http://esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs74.html

Well his site also says the New Year's Eve special was filmed on November 26th so one of those things has to be wrong.

If Ricky's final show as an official Beach Boy was in August and he was asked to fill in in November, then I can see how both could be correct.

I'm not saying these are  the same,  but Murry thinking the same thing about Brian when he quit touring? They didn't know Brian had health issues. Sure it's true that the guys are on the road a lot now at age 70 plus which is amazing. But they are also in a better place emotionally  away from the of their youth. I assume they go to bed by midnight and don't stay up all hours of the night either like stars under 25 tend to do.

I am not a fan of Justin Bieber, but at the height of one's popularity, there is a lot more involved than just concerts. At this stage, The Beach Boys career is laid back compared to the 60s. Or even the mid 70s. Maybe even the late 80s with Kokomo. But all the interviews, media, tmz, fans for pop stars today is as bad or worse than what the Beatles went through in the 60s! Though to be fair, most stars back then traveled in station wagons as opposed to plains. Even as many tour dates that The Beach Boys do, they can probably live relatively private lives. Paul McCartney probably goes through more of what Bieber goes through. But I'm not sure how many tour dates he does.

I think 15 Big Ones is worse than Summer in Paradise. At least most of the songs were not covers.

Dancing and playing the tambourine on stage with the long beard and white robe in the late 60s making him the first member of the Polyphonic Spree!

I have had dreams about The Beach Boys but not that I joined them. The weirdest was that I was in a video rental store and found an early 80s action movie starring Brian, Dennis and Carl. I watched it and Dennis was standing in a warehouse. Meanwhile, Carl was carrying a box, but dropped it and the box broke. Spilled out of it was cocaine into a puddle. Carl stuck a finger in the puddle and licked it. Smiling said, "It's still good". Seems like Brian was in it too, but I can't recall.

He plays sax at the beginning of one of their oral free surf instrumentals. I believe is Carl's Big Chance maybe?

COMMENT:

More insight into McCartney and the Vega-Tables session from THE BEATLES UNIVERSITY

>>>  https://beatlesuniversity.wordpress.com/2014/03/27/paul-mccartney-and-brian-wilson-vegetables/

My favorite version of Vega-Tables can be found, with details and explanations, at my website -- page 3 -- Button "Vega-Tables"

~swd

http://swdstudyvideos.com

Great article! And I have visited your website before. Very insightful. I will have to visit it again soon.

I was ready to credit Sir Paul with "veggie munching" in the 2011 SMiLE Sessions box set sessionography, but since no tapes were found with his voice or reference to him, we figured I'd better not. Too hard to say that any veggie munching on his part remained on tape through the final stages of production.

Are there isolated tapes of just munching sounds? I wonder if any slight grunts which might accompany the munching sounds might be able to be audibly forensically identifiable as Paul. Seriously!

Hadn't Paul chipped a front tooth and cut his lip recently, prompting him to grow his mustache?  That might affect his munching sounds - a split second when the tooth isn't making contact and then munch would increase in intensity once the rest of the tooth bit into the veggie.  Could be used to determine if he is on there.  We need a detailed audio and spectral analysis of the munch track.

Good observation, Columbo!

In Bells of Paris, my brain always thinks "In the open air the painter blows a fart!"

Thank you mr Desper. I know the tape isn't running all the time. Though I hear joking around in other sessions with The Beach Boys, the wrecking crew and others who participate these recordings. So it's a bummer that chatter with Paul in the studio didn't get recorded or preserved. Would be a wonderful gem to have today!

COMMENT to Magic Transistor Radio:  It depends on the format and where in the format the recording is.  Ponging 4-tracks is one thing because two machines are involved. So one machine may be able to run freely. And if tracking on one machine (like an 8-track) then the tape is freely running at first, but once the initial tracking is completed you are locked into a small section of the tape for further recording. In the case of McCartney (thanks JK), his visit was toward the middle of recording, wherein previous tracking has already locked in the freedom to freely run on the multi-track, so freely running the machine would not be possible. ~swd

Thank you for the explanation. Any recording I have done has been on laptops, so I'm not familiar with the 4 tracks/8 track, etc and how it worked.

Thank you mr Desper. I know the tape isn't running all the time. Though I hear joking around in other sessions with The Beach Boys, the wrecking crew and others who participate these recordings. So it's a bummer that chatter with Paul in the studio didn't get recorded or preserved. Would be a wonderful gem to have today!

We know he was there during the April sessions and that he munched on vegetables for the song, he has said as much as have The Beach Boys.  I would think Brian would have wanted to preserve any Paul chatter during the sessions.  So a few possibilities come to mind.  The session Paul munched on wasn't preserved but was redone by the Boys.  The session chatter was not recorded or edited out and not preserved.  Or the tape is missing with the chatter.  It's hard to tell from the Smile Sessions release because it seems between take chatter is minimal compared to other eras of the band - the same for Smiley and Wild Honey.

That seems odd to me that chatter with Paul McCartney would get lost! Unless they found out that he was not the real Paul, but Bill Shephard. 

I have heard many times, as I am sure most of you that Paul was in the sessions for Vegetables. Though, I have not heard him talking or referred to in any of the sessions for Vegetables. I know he was just chewing vegetables, but I would think that some conversation would exist in the sessions and would have been saved. But none have come out. Anyone have any information on this? I have a hard time believing if they existed in the vaults, it would have been in the Smile Sessions box, or Sunshine Tomorrow. Unless there is a legal reason they can't or the tapes were lost. Or he never talked while the tapes were rolling.

I think there should be a Brian is Back box set. Including 15 Big Ones/Love You albums and sessions. As well as unreleased material from that period. As well as an official release of Adult Child. Include maybe a DVD of highlights of Brian on the road and interviews from 76-78ish. I don't know if there would be any money in something like this, but I would pay $100 for it!

Added they should throw in a restoration of Brian is Back, and some of the live performances from the era.  I would also pay $100 for it if not more...

Absolutely!

I think there should be a Brian is Back box set. Including 15 Big Ones/Love You albums and sessions. As well as unreleased material from that period. As well as an official release of Adult Child. Include maybe a DVD of highlights of Brian on the road and interviews from 76-78ish. I don't know if there would be any money in something like this, but I would pay $100 for it!

Thanks for the comments. I'm surprised it sounds professional. Everything was recorded on my iphone and transferred to my laptop where I added effects via audacity.

Has anyone listened to this?   

1. Don't Worry Baby
2. Darlin
3. Cotton Fields
4. Add Some Music
5. That's Why God Made the Radio

Not that I thin any of these songs suck, but I find them a bit boring.

Nice cover. But I think I love your choice of slides on your video. 

Haha thanks! My odd sense of humor. Using a photo of the Byrds singing when he talks of birds singing.

Hey I took a listen to this today, you really nailed the vocal if I was asked whether of not Jack Rieley was singing it I could have been fooled haha. Awesome job though 

Thanks! It was a bit of an accident. The chords online were half a step higher than the original, so after recording I lowered the pitch half a step. Turns out my voice lowered sounds a lot like Rieley!

https://youtu.be/5vOVJSiGzGQ

This one took me awhile. For further notice, my brother who has experience recording music said he could help me produce future covers. So they will sound much more polished than the ones I've done so far. At the very least, I have learned a bit about how to hear something and arrange it. Kind of like Brian did with the Four Freshman all those years ago. But I realize, it's not easy!

My thoughts on the music during Brian's solo career. BW 88 was very good. One of his best in my opinion. A bit of his quirkyness. I think the 80s technology was used tastefully. Rio Grande is one of the best works of art in his career! Love and Mercy is a classic gem with good lyrics. Though I prefer the IJWMFTT doc version. Sweet Insanity songs were a huge step down production wise. Then we get to the post Landy Payley sessions. From what I've heard this is some of his best work production wise since the 70s! Chain Reaction is one of my personal favorites! The early version of Gettin in Over My Head is more interesting than the released version IMO. Imagination songs are nicely written, but poorly produced IMO. Kind of boring for the most part lacking the quirkiness I love so much. Highlights include Lay Down Burden, She Says That She Needs Me, Cry, the tag to Sunshine and Happy Days has some quirkiness in it. Pet Sounds live is good to watch but I would rather listen to 1966. The exception is the title track which I think is an improvement! BWPS was great when it came out and my favorite concert ever, but since the Smile Sessions box came out I hardly listen. GIOMH is better produced than Imaginations but not as well as the 90s Payley sessions IMO. Highlights for me include Dance the Night Away. The bridge of Make a Wish and Waltz. A Friend Like You is an embarrassment considering 2 geniuses are on it.TLOS and Gershwin are the height production wise in his touring years IMO. TLOS is probably a top 5 album that he has EVER done IMO where he was the promonent songwriter/producer!! Disney and his work on TWGMTR are a step down production wise IMO. Though the last 3 or 4 tracks on TWGMTR are very good. NPP is the most modern sounding album he has done in his touring years and some inspired moments. Al Jardine, Blondie Chaplin and formerly David Marks added nicely to his concerts. I can't say enough about the vocals of Al and Blondie!

So these are a few of my thoughts. And I believe that we will look back at this with more appreciation 20 years down the road or when Brian has passed on!