The Smiley Smile Message Board

it amazes me to see how many people post here, good, bad, weird and wonderful......

its a great resource for knowledge, clarification and history and what's happening in the world of The Beach Boys and related...

but where and what would we all be doing if we didn't have this board??....

its a daunting thought..... if we had to pay an annual subscription, would most pay up???.....

I sure would. 

not much happens on other boards, including the 'master's' these days....

Thankyou guys who run this board, and 'try' and keep us in line...

its the great nearest faraway place...


RickB

I would much prefer if the Smiley board didn't exist and the Cabinesesnce board still did ... this is a pale shadow of the original.

What was that like?

yeah I remember that, but before my time...

what was it like?...... how was it better?

Rb

Throwing my two cents in: This forum is great but the height of Beach Boys fandom on the internet in my opinion was pre BWPS.  The old "SMiLE SHOP" was an amazing place to be around 2000-2001-ish.  I was finishing up college around that time and would find myself hitting up the "SMiLE shop" forums in between classes just to see what was up and what aspect of "SMiLE" people were talking about.  Back in those days it was complete blasphemy to say anything positive about Mike Love and Leafian type followers sprouted up everywhere.  Now things have come far more back towards center in discussing the Lovester which in one way is good as we get more variety in opinions but in another way leads to more arguments which at times turns me off for weeks at a time as far as this particular message board goes.

Maybe it's just nostalgia kicking in but a decade ago, The Beach Boys fan community at large seemed to welcome newbies more openly than they do today.  I honestly can't say for sure if I would've become such a devotee if I was just discovering The Beach Boys now as I've seen many a newbie raked over the coals on this and other forums.  Still as the OP brought up one thing that this forum should be commended for is that the owners are keeping it fee-free, something that can't be said for certain other music forums on the internet.  

So all in all, cheers and another round for The Smiley Smile Message Board and all it's members.

I am a fan of like ten thousand bands, with maybe a bit shy of a couple dozen being what I would consider "favorites" in which I'm extremely familiar with most or all of their catalog. However, this is one of only two message boards I frequent on a fairly regular basis (with the occasional break, I'll admit) and there are reasons for that.

Apologies if that comes off as "yeah d00d i am msg board connoisseur and am here to enlighten you sorry ass folks", it's just how I feel.

I find it rather delightful here myself. Even joining as a 'Newbie', what, 2 years ago, I didn't feel like a stranger, nor was I treated like one. I think the initial joining process for a message board does require a certain extent a pretty good general knowledge of the band [any band on any board], or at least leaping in mostly on areas you know. The only problem with Newbies are ones that create unnecessary new topics which are pretty general. I for one feel the Insignificant questions thread should be pinned to help resolve this. Bar that, bring 'em in.

This is also basically the only message board I post on and read regularly. Being pretty sure the other board Runners mentions is the same as me, I don't contribute much in that community, one that is also comparably dead to here, showing clearly interest doesn't vanish most of the time [though there are inevitably quiet times].

And finally, the sense of humour on this board compared to others is far better. Running jokes give me a good giggle, me slaughtering things is hailed the drug of the century, and the sandbox is great. I just wish it had an alerts system on here. Would make knowing if my posts had been replied to far easier. Ah well, one would hate to lose what we've got just for simple things like that!

We would all be at the Smilier Smile forum

I can't believe how long I have been reading this board and still learn/discover new things all the time.  I've said it before and I'll say it again: what a rich, varied, complicated, inspired, crazy beautiful history this band has.  The musical treasures and stories that keep cropping up never ceases to amaze me.  Cheers to all

I am the definition of a New member of this forum, as I only joined in July this year  :lol
But it is by far my favourite forum, as most other music forums either have barely any activity, the site looks horrible, the site is horribly organized, and of course, most members are arseholes.
This forum is the opposite, there's always people on, the site looks great, the site is one of the best organized, and there are very few arseholes.
Kudos to the Mods for making this site what it is!

It was back when message boards had "magic", when fans who weren't inner circle suddenly had global contacts and became a circle. You suddenly found that you weren't alone in loving the band. You found yourself snail mailing CDRs around the planet with other BB/BW fans. Discussions were wide eyed and wonderful, everyday was a learning experience. The guy who ran it (Mike Wheeler) did a great job and created a great resource in the Cabinessence website - it remains pickled in time these days as http://www.surfermoon.com/

The problem these days is that message nazi protocols and fascist moderators rule the roost (perhaps with good reason but with little tact). Too many of the topics are retreads of sooooo many that have gone before - boring! I find it rare these days if a get past the first few posts of a thread. Every now and then something perks my interest and that's a good thing and ultimately makes this board an important (and relevant) resource.

Without the Smiley board, I would be tucked away in my little pad in Hawaii. Loved the old Cabinessence board, but it's deader than a doorknob over there now, through no fault of my own. I tried to bring some life into the place, but I guess people just aren't interested in discussions about Carl's beard, Mike's hat, Bruce's shorts, and a potential MIU box set. This sure is a good place to learn all about the won-won-wonderful Jeffrey Foskett, though.

Outside

We would all be dead.

‍

Not a clue. For all its faults, quirks and resident trolls of all complexions, this is the best BB/BW forum there is. Yes, as us oldsters will always say, it was better back in the day, that day being the Cabinessence era: certainly there were far fewer posters who, having read the Wikipedia entry and - possibly - Brian's pseudobiography, assumed they knew it all (which is of course most irritating to those of us who actually do...). That said, in the main this is a good place to be for intelligent discourse, breaking news and significant, if arcane, research. Now and then a troll slips through the grating, but they're swiftly dealt with one way or the other.

The single biggest failing of this board ? We only see the smallest facet of each others real personas - the (literally) fanatical part. Would be fun, and I think instructive, to organize a one-time SS convention. I'd be there.

Invercargill, New Zealand, July 2014.

Its the southern hemispheres turn for something!!

Las Vegas, NV

Yeah, I did like the Smile Shop a bit more but I think that has to do with nostalgia, at least somewhat.  I visited Cabinessence before that but I found the Smile Shop at just the perfect time for me.  As it is, I still say (despite the "occasional" arguments and flame wars) this is still the best message board on the net, due to the level of knowledge, common interests, honored guests, mods, and community, etc, etc, etc.  I may not post that often but I devour the posts on here every day.

Where would I be without it? AHEAD of my deadlines, rather than just barely maintaining them.  However, I'd be a lot less knowledgeable, more frustrated (at my lack of knowledge), and more alone when I work at my desk. 

Thanks to everyone who helps make this place what it is!

The obvious venue is David Mark's old house in Hawthorne, CA.

What about us in the UK? either hold it here or pay for our flights and hotels  >:D

How about Not America?

Stainforth UK.

We have a nice village hall, the ladies might make tea and cakes, and the salmon are leaping on the foss at the moment.

That last factor might be key in enticing Al to be special guest.

Oh, and the pub re-opened last week after a four-month closure.

If a UK meet is organised, so long as it's at a weekend/in the break between semesters, I'm in!

What other board do you visit? Is Smileysmiley the wife or the mistress?   :o

huh - it looks like there is still some level of activity over at the cabinessence forum. I wonder why - I mean, what's the point of having two sites? Smiley smile seems to be the be all and end all unless you're a die hard "brianista" and you post at brianwilson.com....

While I miss the old Smile Shop, because of the intrique and mystery of Smile before and during the bootleg leakage of tracks and the endless speculation and promise of possible revelations always in the air, I feel there are many more educated and knowledgeable fans capable of discussing every aspect of the Beach Boys catalogue and career here than there were on the Smile shop board - of course, there are many more people here than ever populated the Smile shop. 

Remember the Shut Down II board? I found that at the same time I discovered this place and used to frequent both for a while. Last time I checked the site had whittled down to 3 people and one of them was the board's owner.

I would be a miserable wreck, walking the streets and shooting up heroin, I would lose the will to live and end up face down in the dumpster looking for food, and thrown into a paupers grave while no one would know who I was... then I would stand in front of God and ask Him "Why wasn't there a smiley smile board?" and then ask Him to snuff out my soul so that it didn't exist anymore.. I simple refuse to exist with out this board,,, :lol

I was just reading on one of the archives at surfermoon.com this morning.  Yeah, you were there.  To answer the OP, I used to read a lot of reviews at assorted Amazon sites, YOU-(videos here)TUB, Steve's place, lots of artist's sites (Laura Nyro, John Martyn, Beatles, Iron and Wine/Sam Beam, Jimmy Webb, ect. - many good ones out there), and there is a site for re-issues called Second Disc.  I still do move around the net, but this is a fun place, and has gotten much more of my time in the past two years.  I've only owned a computer since 2006.  One of the first searches I made was Beach Boys.  On that, I have never seen a better site than here.  And a lot of the old posters of which you speak, are here.  

Without this board, I'd prolly be still stuck on the BlueBoard.... :wall

If this wasn't here, many of us would be on one of the older or other sites.  I think posters gradually gravitated to one site (this one) that seemed to have more posters, honored guests, and variety of discussions.  I used to enjoy the old Cabin, and spent many pleasant late evening hours in the chat room.  Met up with some folks there for the Pet Sounds tour in 2000.  Susan did a great job with the Shut Down II site.  I stopped posting for a time while my life was focused on other things.  When I returned, most folks were here.  Also, some episodes when some of the sites were off line happened during times when there was a lot of BB activity to discuss and the site/s that were available captured some folks that may have been regulars elsewhere.  This place is like a bar where you can drop in and chat with whichever old friends happen to be there at the time.  Some folks went to Ians place.  I went there a few times but my habit is to stop in  right here.   Sometimes I wonder where this will go and when this it will end.................I hope not for a long time.

i have no life so nowhere

I would actually have to get out of the house and make some friends!  My God, I don't even know how to do that anymore!!   :-\

Seriously though, the Smile Shop was a pretty cool place....for awhile.  Seems like after all the hub-bub about BWPS died down, it got kinda weird.   I got into a few skirmishes, and I'm a pretty mellow guy!

I guess I missed the whole Cabinessense thing.  I don't even remember ever dropping in on it. 

That's an understatement.  ;D

Don't you mean Inglewood?

Hear hear. Guess it was have to be in Las Vegas....too bad I live in New Jersey and have a baby girl about to be born...would love to meet the big posters in person. I see name tags with our SmileySmile "handles"....that would be fun!

Yeah, every couple of weeks somebody posts there.  I think it's safe to say............it's DEAD!   ;D

That is not something to mock, that is something to mourn.

Nah. You see Andy, nobody is really mourning its loss. I posted on that board for 13 years and made some good friends there. But I don't miss it.

I do.

What's semester? Is it like a seamstress?

Term times basically. Though for some reason they call it a semester at uni, go figure. I break for Christmas and then in may for summer

Why? With the exception of a handful of posters who never migrated here from there, how is that board different or any better than this one? All the key players are here.

Oh hecks yes, I'd be there (in fact, I'd gladly make the tea and cakes).

I've only just found it.... how weird is that?

Annie

I'd like to add that I'd be a poorer man musically had I not  connected with folks here and on other BB sites over the years.   Just for the record, I want to thank each and every person who has provided me either directly or indirectly with connections to the music of the band that I would not otherwise have had.  I have received "gifts" both directly and annonomously from a number of BB fans over the years.  Some are no longer with us, such as the late great Greg Larson.  Some don't visit often enough.  But I sincerely thank you one and all. 

I'd probably be uncovering a fucking cornfield or something.

I dread even thinking about non-existence of Smiley Smile board. People of it are my friends, all of them. That said, without being aware of this place, I lived fine. Only with less musical view/knowledge of 60s-70s stuff.

 :thumbsup

Exactly.

Make an ODD FUTURE board.

Ah, I see what you did there. Droll, most droll. I am diverted.  :)

We can't all be as effortlessly unfunny as you, dear sir. Some of us have to work at it!

Pumping gas in Hawthorne.

Stalking Mike Love.

Is there something like a Smiley Smile Facebook group? [And I don't mean the collectors exchange]

Consider yourself zinged, dear Andrew.

"Where would we all be if not for 'smiley smile' board"? I don't know. Out somewhere being productive members of society?





















































































































































Nah....probably not.  ;D

You've got a point. Too bad I never experienced it.
But this forum has definitely stagnated in my opinion. The only thing really going for it is the Beach Boys survivor rounds.
Other than that, it's stagnated.

That was a zinger ? Gee, standards are slipping around here.  :)


With all due respect - and I mean that - you've been here about four months and not experienced the ebb and flow. The next major release/tour/interview will perk it up some and with the forum cleansed of disrupting influences, the discussion will be less fragmented. Yes, of course it's not what it was - nothing ever is, that's a function of time and human memory - but it still beats whatever's in second place.

Fours months is a little too short for burnout. It's taken me 3 and a half years to reach the point where I've realised that there is a finite amount of discussion you can have based around The Beach Boys. Also in that time my musical tastes have exploded into other areas and these days, in many ways I find The Hoffman Board to be of more interest to me. But I haven't built up the rapport over there that I have with some posters on here. Ideally I'd like you guys to all join a Frank Zappa board as the ones I've looked into are as dry as a bone.
Anyway as AGD pointed out there's always something waiting around the corner to spark the board back to life, just when the Mike is/isn't a c*** or "What if Smile had blah blah" tedium reaches it's zenith. Stick around kid.

COMMENT:

If you have smileysmile.net in your "favorites" or earmarked/bookmarked for easy access, then this website has meaning in your life, as it does in mine.

Whether you just read or are a poster I'm certain we can all agree that our lives and BB fandom is greatly enhanced through our association with this website.

If these words ring true with you, may I be so bold to ask you to please join me and, once in a while, visit that yellow DONATE button above to support this website with a little practical endorsement. Even just a few dollars, when multiplied by many, will help keep smileysmile.net on the air. You'll feel better too.

If you already visit the yellow button now and then, thanks for helping keep this website for us all the enjoy!    ~swd