The Smiley Smile Message Board

Will the Beach Boys continue as a touring act after Mike retires? Will Jeff or Scott carry the torch? And when Mike decides to retire, will Bruce retire with him? It would be weird having a BBs band with no actual members...

I think it will go on as long as there is sufficient demand to make it profitable. Certainly big bands like the Count Basie Orchestra and Duke Ellington Orchestra have done it.

If the musical standards remain high, I don't see why not. It wouldn't be the same, but nothing ever is. Watching a couple septuagenarians mostly croak, muddle, and mic-adjust their way through teenage music while supported by younger (but not young) musicians isn't exactly authentic to the originals either.

If people want to pay for quality renditions of the catalog, BRI should own and profit from the product.

I was thinking about this,,,,In Brian's book he talks about how the Four Freshmen have continued as a whole new group, because the members are dead or retired, so I'm wondering if The Beach Boys will go down the same route after they retire/die? I can see that as long as it is done the right way, for example they cannot record or write any new songs , (we don't need another "New Monkees" situation), They won't be a tribute band but will feature the children of the Beach Boys, at least they will be in charge, and the wives in the same way that the Beatle wives of John and George all have a say in what happens to the Beatles, They wouldn't be a tribute band but a continuation of the Beach Boys, they will only be allowed to sing songs approved by the family, The merchandise will have only the original members on it..I picture The Beach Boys of the next Gen as being more like a touring museum...

I truly hope not. I enjoy seeing Mike and Bruce's Beach Boys, but without those two it wouldn't be The Beach Boys. The touring members, while talented, are not Beach Boys and should not tour under that name.

Don't tell that to Foskett. My gut/sense is that he would go for the license to lead the band in a heartbeat if Mike retired or was otherwise indisposed.

I have mixed feelings. The way Jeff seems to be positioning himself to take over is unsettling. On the other hand, shouldn't these songs be performed long after the original BBs are gone?

I think that's what tribute bands are for??  And no, I don't favor the group or their heirs putting an official tribute band on the road, and further don't especially want to see such a group with folks like Matt Jardine and Christian Love in it.  Not as any kind of quasi-Beach Boys unit.   Just seems kinda lame to me.  If they want to go out as the Endless Summer Band, featuring Matt Jardine or whomever or some such, that I be cool with.  Heck remember all the stink when Michael Clarke went out with his Byrds-like group??  And he was an actual Byrd!

Hypothetically---

If David and Bruce went out as The BBs, would that be acceptable?

I don't see any of these guys retiring just because of "old age". That's obviously not a conflict of interest. However, if any serious health issues were to occur or God forbid they just don't wake up one day, I think we'd see immediate change if Mike or Brian is affected.

Honestly if Bruce, Alan, or David were "to go"...I don't think we'd see any alteration in the current arrangement. Now, as far as once the time comes that there are no living Beach Boys...I could easily see a touring band called "The Beach Boys" owned by BRI and whomever would be benefiting from it in the original founders families, maybe even some offspring would be involved in the lineup...but I totally think Foskett thinks he's the real deal, and Mike and Bruce seem to be okay with that too. He won't disappear easily. The only one in the touring band that I wouldn't see doing this is John Cowsill. I can't quite explain why, but it doesn't seem like his kind of gig anymore.

I really thought the Beach Boys were done when Carl died; how wrong I was. I'm sure the group - as it is today - will continue for many more years, although it may get to the point where Mike sings fewer leads and sits down on the songs he's not featured on. Bruce doesn't do much as it is, so I can't see age changing his role very much. After they're gone, who knows? Will there still be an audience for Beach Boys music in 2030 or 2040?

My dream to carry the torch for the Beach Boys would be 'California Saga' featuring many of the Beach Boys offspring (and John Stamos-haha just kidding). Perhaps playing with Brian's backing band. But even the minimalistic approach they were doing in 2012 would be cool and more economical. Obviously it wouldn't make sense for them to write new songs unless its released as California Saga. Perhaps have opening acts be their other music projects such as Wilson Phillips, Carl's sons band (I forget what they were called), etc

A band consisting of Sean Lennon, James McCartney, Dhani Harrison and Zak Starkey might be interesting, but would you want that billed as "The Beatles"?

Nope.

When Mike Love and Bruce retire, that should be it, no more Beach Boys. 

Who says that bands have to go on forever?

Most of the best bands go on for a few years then call it quits. There are exceptions like The Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers... But to me, after Carl passed away, there were no real "Beach Boys". I see Mike and Bruce's band as a (very good) tribute band. But the Beach Boys without Carl? Without Brian? Hell, even without Dennis or Al? That's not really the Beach Boys, is it!

I really hope there's no "Next Gen Beach Boys" in the future. There has never been a "New Beatles" Band but their songs and albums are still incredibly popular and kids still discover them. I don't want kids from the future to discover The Beach Boys via some tribute bands featuring somebody's grandson!

All over without  Mike on stage.  Bruce will retire.... If something happens to Bruce first Love would keep touring ie. big ego and loves $$$.  The music is the "star" of the show. ..... The BB's ended when Carl died  Al left and Carl's band  members left. 
 Foskett could probably go back playing some shows with Papa Doo Run or play little lounges or bars  by himself ....
Maybe Cowsill will go back to carpentry work as he was for many years & play the few shows with his family band at Newport R.I. ?  No idea what others in Love's group will do ?  The clock is running down fast.

The name should have been retired after Carl passed away before myKe luHv could sink his nasty claws into it. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennn...

Cool, Cool Watering Down the Brand's Legacy

When a Band Needs a Frontman.

I would pay to see a 4-6 person Fenders & Pendletons tribute wunderkind gang (the OP's Touring Museum idea) come to my hometown, featuring special guest Matt Jardine.  But any other non-member, likely not. 

How about The Fendertones - Officially Licensed Tribute Show?

The most important takeaway from this discussion is it doesn't matter. Or at least, there is no single outcome that will be satisfying to most people, and thus it's irrelevant, more or less. Can't please everyone. So they should do whatever they want to do. Non-rock bands have a precedent for going on long after the primaries are gone, a la Ellington, Basie, etc. It gets weird when people associate the singer with the song (or in this case, the band with the songs). Obviously a lot of people here care about who is on stage ... but non-Beach Boys have had prominent roles with the Beach Boys for decades now. Some of you are fine with Billy Hinsche, or Matt Jardine, or Jeff Foskett, or whoever else. Others, not. Some have rules: one original member, etc. Others, not.

So really. It doesn't matter. If BRI wants to continue with a licensed Beach Boys, it should. Some people will be pissed, others will be thrilled, and plenty will fall in between. Nobody should care all that much.

I guess a comparison might be the Beatles, Elvis tributes that are out there. Not for me but if they keep the music alive I don't see any harm. Occasionally I've seen artists get a tick from widows, children of originals etc so again, I don't see any harm.

Plus one.

Though honestly, if you wanted to make the best possible group possible (say, by combining the best people from all factions' bands), I'd say it is for me. Not as an ongoing, productive entity in terms of new music, of course. But for playing the catalog? I'll take Matt on "Don't Worry, Baby," and Darian on "Darlin," etc., all damn day!

The Beach Boys were a band that created amazing innovative music with catchy lyrics and untouchable harmonies. That band died a little with the loss of Dennis and should have stopped being called the Beach Boys after Carl's death unless all remaining members are aboard and we are getting some new music. With the exception of Brian, nobody is really creating music at all. Mike may be keeping the band's name alive for a new generation, but the current Beach Boys band is little more than a cover band without any of the ingredients that made them the Beach Boys.

The Beach Boys are one of several bands that originated in the 1960s that are still touring under the original name with a small portion of the classic lineup.   The Yardbirds are out there with just Jim McCarty just to name one example.

As long as they do the music justice in a live setting, and charge reasonable prices (check and check), I dont see an issue.

However, when bands start touring with zero original members, iys time to drop the name.

The Beach Boys are very close to a ghost band as it is, and I expect a Totten-Foskett band to keep touring into the 2020s. Although the idea doesn't fill me with anticipation, I can understand it on a human level. Foskett has been with the Beach Boys or Brian continuously (I believe) since 1979. So he's been with them longer than I've been alive, longer than Dennis or Carl were in the band. His job is at Beach Boys Inc., and when the boss retires, why shouldn't he expect to take over the operation?

Never Happen !  Also Foskett wasn't  in  Love's line-up in the 90's (he was fired).  Brian hired him in late 90's on his tour.  Love rehired him after many years  absent( 1990 --2012) ... time "heals old wounds" - especially because  Foskett is a great singer and both Love & Brian need his vocals these days...
It's all over when Mike calls it Quits !  ( not financially feasible for Foskett or anyone else to tour )

I don't think that's true. If most of the people who buy tickets to Beach Boys shows (as opposed to Brian's shows) cared who was in the band, they probably wouldn't be there. I don't see why it would be that much less feasible for a Mike-less band to tour than a band with Mike.

I'm with you Maggie. The Four Freshman have been mentioned and BRI could license the same way. I hope it would be 'A Tribute To The Beach Boys' title rather than The Beach Boys.

I suppose for those who don't know or don't care...any old alignment of faces, bodies and voices will suffice as long as they do the songs some semblance of justice.  There certainly will come a time when Brian will hang 'em up.  And as  G R E A T  as his OWN group is...with and without Al and Blondie...Brian really IS the main draw.  That they collectively do 'it' BETTER than the 'name brand' matters not I suppose.  It's like when a company gets taken over by new ownership.  The product, ultimately is never really the same again.  Such is the case with BRI and the unit traveling these days as the 'official' version of the "sand-pail sailors".

As for those so-called 'beach boys'...  Who knew that they were truly and totally done/history after Carl passed?  Not I.  Sadly I never realized that all of the contributors along the way were only there serving, as it turns out, to satiate the nutty old squirrel's "nourishment and revenge."  I doubt many of them knew either.   [Well maybe Stamos...especially in terms of helping out with the 'nourishment' department]  Otherwise?  Likely not too many of them.  And sorry but Jeff ain't no Carl so THAT will never really 'fly'.  That said...the Beach Boys with Carl in the saddle NEVER-E V E R  toured for "nourishment and revenge".

Once that began... ... ...the group officially ceased to exist.  Period.

Therefore...'cept for the year 50 reunion...there really hasn't been any Beach Boys band since February 1998...almost 19 years now.   Think about THAT  Mr. "Revenge".

So then ... that said?  This 'discussion' is pretty much nothing more than moot.