The Smiley Smile Message Board

One of the golden penetrators! Boo-yah!

A freakin' underrated drummer.  And the second best musical composer in the group.  A classic case of what could have been.

This one will need time for me to carefully word something that encompasses all of his wonderful qualities... but for now can I just say..

YUMMY
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Dennis may have been an all-right Drummer at best, but he sure as hell was the second-most talented member in terms of songwriting.
Some of the songs he made - Be With Me, All I Want To Do, Slip On Through, It's About Time, WIBNTLA, Love Surrounds Me, etc. - are some of my favourites the BB's ever made. It's a damned shame he's the least popular Wilson Brother around here, but what can you do?

it really is a shame :( he was a great person and definitely the coolest member  :hat.  there's certainly more to him than what some people give him credit for and he made great contributions to the band  :)

This is far from true and, if anything, users are rallying against Dennis because you and retrokid are so annoying about him. Dennis' music gets a lot of praise around here. But you and retrokid are the only ones who will blindly love anything that he wrote and treat it all as genius. I absolutely adore Cuddle Up, Forever, River Song and WIBNTLA. I love the Pacific Ocean Blue album. But I can also admit that some of the songs he wrote weren't as good.

The reason Brian gets talked about more on this board is because Brian wrote the majority of the Beach Boys' music. He is the most important member of the Beach Boys. He is the reason that Dennis was able to release music to hundreds of thousands of people in the '60s and '70s.

"Brian Wilson is the Beach Boys. He is the band. We're his fucking messengers. He is all of it. Period. We're nothing. He's everything." - Dennis Wilson.

There's no reason to make this board some sort of high school "woe is me, no one likes Dennis" sh*t. Everyone likes THE BEACH BOYS on this board. It's not Jacob vs. Edward or Brian vs. Dennis or Carl vs. Dennis.

Stop making this entire board about Dennis vs. The Beach Boys.

I'm not sure about Retrokid67, but you're wrong about me. There's plenty of songs written or sung by Dennis that I don't really like. Such as Surfers Rule, Girls On The Beach, Celebrate The News, 4th Of July, Lady, Barbara, etc.

He's still more popular than any other member, but compared to Bran and Carl (who are still great BTW), he's not quite as popular around here. At least that's what I've noticed

I never said that every song of his was genius. this whole time I had been referring to people like Gabo who acts like he had no talent at all and bases his opinions on everything Brian's done, that's it.  Brian and Dennis had two different styles.  I said many times before that I can respect people's opinions so why can't I have one without being labeled as a stupid kid who doesn't know what she's talking about?  and people act like we're the ones who are immature but you just said you guys have been rallying against him just to mess with us....(and btw we kinda had that figured out  :-\)

denny's a  :hat love pob and bambu and his collab with big bri on the coke sessions..

I did not say that.

And I've seen Gabo's comments. He has his own opinion. He's allowed to it. It only becomes a "you guys vs. everyone else" when you make it that way.

I think Mike might be the second best. He co-wrote many of the band's best songs, and his entirely original compositions are at the very least catchy.

Not by himself. Take Sumahama for example.

Plus he can't play any instruments (except for maybe one note of saxophone)

Denny is definitely the superior songwriter. Best example being the comparison between POB and Looking Back With Love (which Mike only co-wrote one song) or SIP

i sorta like sumahama but boy, mike is so damn cheesy i've developed an aversion to the dude.

Actually Mike can play both guitar and piano. Obviously not to wrecking crew standards but competent enough to work out chord structure to his solo compositions. If Mike had never wrote another song after 1975 I'd easily rate him as the band's second best songwriter.

you did say it and when I said "you guys" I was referring to you guys (users) who are doing that.  and Gabo insults Dennis too not just his music. if he doesn't like his music fine I'm cool with that but why attack the man himself? "His music sounds just like the way he looked back in the 70s; hairy and really pretty greasy." I don't feel this way, but if I were to say "if people would just stop exalting drugged out Brian (he's overrated)....." people would have a problem with that am I right?  no one has a problem with giving him props and I don't either but when we (not just me and Rei) gave Denny props, he expressed his disgust with that and we expressed our disgust with his comment, then everyone started to jump in on it and made us out to be the bad guys. they argued with us just as much as we argued with them.

This is supposed to be the Dennis Appreciation Thread. Instead you guys are trashing Denny and calling Mike a better songwriter than Denny?!

Seriously. Mike Love a better songwriter than Dennis Wilson. Think about what you're saying.

Anyway this is turning into a Mike Appreciation Thread, which is obviously off-topic.

Take it to this thread!:

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,15546.0.html

and guess who started the derailing....no surprise  ::)

Actually this time it wasn't who you think it is  :o

...got a point there  :o

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Sigh.

I think this thread is already off the rails.

Damn it, it pisses me off when threads like this with a lot of potential gets ruined by derailing only because I was expressing my love for a lot of Dennis's music in the appropriate thread and people started going at me!

The Kokomaoists can go comment on the Mike Love Appreciation thread which I already shared the link for.

Now let's get back on topic with this thread. Anyone care to say something on-topic?

That's one way of putting it.

I personally have an issue when disagreements over opinions become pissing matches.

Why did you have to bump an 8 year old thread to express your appreciation for Dennis in?  While I do think it's a nice gesture to check if a topic's been touched on before making a new thread, this necro-bumping that's been going on is, IMO, ridiculous.

Also, if you continue to make statements like "he sure as hell was the second-most talented member in terms of songwriting" as absolute, irrefutable truths...don't be surprised when people challenge them.  It's a discussion board.

Or telling someone they "need to start thinking" if they hold a different opinion than you...do you really expect to not receive some sort of backlash when your opinions come across as so forceful?

You two (retro kid and rockfanno1) need to stop ranting about about others members' opinions. This is a BBs board, each person here has their own right to like each member of the group differently. Personally, I think Dennis' music could get repetitive and over the top at times. Brian's music at his peak was the best music not only in the BBs, but the 1960s by a single person.

Great. It looks like I'm the only one who's making an genuine effort not to derail this thread, and trying to get back on topic.

I actually didn't say that much this time, it was mainly Retrokid. Yet for all you guy's complaints about us derailing or spamming on threads, it looks like this time it's you guys who isn't making the slightest effort to get back on topic.

If you want to get back on topic with this thread, you're more than welcome. In fact I would commend the first person who does try other than me. But if it doesn't, I'm going to request the mods to lock this.



Do the right thing

The fact you bumped a thread that hadn't been posted in for 8 years wasn't about to help  ;D

We are doing the right thing, keeping the board free of spam and bad threads. I get it, you like Dennis Wilson and think he is a great artist. But stop ramming this opinion down everybody's throat each day. You and retro kid are worse than newguy562 ever was in shear annoying behavior. The board likes the BBs as a whole, not just the individual members like its a fanboy debate.

It wasn't a bad thread until the derailing started.

What's wrong with reviving old threads? If I see a thread that I find interesting that I happened not to have the chance to post originally, I post on it. What's so bad about that? I'm certainly not the only person who does it.

Yet you consider that to be spam. Not everyone would consider it spam, and it's not like I usually make pointless comments (Though I am admittedly guilty of that once or twice), I make comments relevant to the topic.

And for that matter, you two are the only ones complaining about folks reviving old threads.

If you're not going to stop making an irrelevant comment on this thread, which is in danger of either being locked or moved to the Sandbox, then please either take it to the PM's or leave this thread alone!

And yet you said that The Wilson brothers are the holy trinity of awesomeness? I often see you jumping on various newbies in an ironic way, for some really bizarre reason. Don't try denying it. Also, why you always mention Newguy as the worst model of what the poster of any message board shouldn't be like, as if this place in all its 8-and-cap years of existence didn't have worse, ruder users? It gets sickening, you know.

Again, I completely agree with you, Rei, about reviving old threads doing no bad. And yes, you aren't the only 1, half of the people had their share of that deal.

Lock this thread, the TRBB spoke the truth in 2006. ;)

Hey, I'd consider myself a massive Wilson fanboy (my avatar is a design of Dennis I made). But I don't shove that fact in anyone's face (well...I try not to). I try and show my more music oriented friends just how great Brian's music is and, if they are receptive, usually do not deny that Smile and Pet Sounds are really special pieces of work. But being on this message board, its assumed you are a massive fan. I've never understood the distinctions that are constantly made between the different types of fans. Everyone is here for the Beach Boys, and it is only natural that different people will prefer different aspects of the bands work, whether that be a favorite member, phase or style of songwriting. I wish this part of Beach Boys discussion would die out completely. It becomes far too personal, and now, mixed a member who's heavy-handedness (whether its due to age, opinionated nature, or, whatever) annoys many, things become downright unpleasant. It has continued for a while now, and I know am not the only one a bit turned off by it.

It will be vastly stupid if The Real Beach Boy locks this thread because of such a trivial & small feud between some of the posters. Also, it's weird hearing this from you, one of the continuous spammers of not only this thread but also others (hint: the Mike Love topics; topics started by newbies that got mostly negative responses, so you conveniently joined the majority etc.). Just my (and maybe not only) humble observations.

2Woodstock: fair enough, but why then continue mocking Rei & Jess & not accept them? As you may noticed, they stopped derailing this topic already, but Smile Brian thought to go into another circle of sarcastic digs at the poor newbies. Reconcile.

I think it is fair to be at least somewhat annoyed see the same comments about Dennis? It's the same, basic point being reiterated over and over.

Travesty.

Indeed.

I may be coming off badly to some people in this thread, but its just because I am honestly completly burned out from the "DW is god" fan club  takeover of the board the last couple of weeks. I have no problem with Dennis or his music (WIBNTLA is a lost masterpiece) but when the "club" constantly posts or shoot down any differing opinions about him, I get annoyed. BBs fandom is the most diverse in in all of music and I hate to see people being told what to think or that they are "spamming" if they don't agree with the "club". Dennis is a musical great, just not in the same view that his "club" aka cult think he is.

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The club of two seems to have definitely gotten under yours and some other people's skin, which is totally counter to what they want...I assume. I think sometimes the problem with young and enthusiastic posters is that at times something has to be good at the expense of something else being bad. More Dennis, less Brian. The Beach Boys are great because the Beatles suck. Dennis is God, Mike is Satan. Mike is clean, Dennis is a bum. Surf and Car songs suck because Smile is awesome. This kind of thing always ends up making people wary of whatever opinion people are pushing. The club might have taken a better approach, or if not them then some other entities on the board, to just say "I think Dennis is great and here's why"...and make a solid point, a passionate argument for the thing you love because you love it, not because something else gets too much attention, or because some people don't agree etc... Navigating a message board politically can be tricky, but I've found (for me) the best way is to celebrate the things you love, correct people on factual stuff that is wrong, but leave plenty of room for other people's opinions. Also ignore mean people because they just want attention, or need medication. Anyway, I like people that like Dennis' music, but i don't like seeing them alienate and annoy considerate people with a different opinion. For years this board was dominated by people who really knew their sh*t about the history of the BB's...all kinds of factions, but the majority of people were well informed. In 2012, with the reunion, we saw a major influx of people with a novice level knowledge of the band. The number of new threads with no actual worth made it so I rarely wanted to be here, for a time, it got under my skin. But many people pointed out that it was really a good thing because new blood means the BB's will not die, a new generation will embrace them and they can take their time and learn more, and who knows, they might even be well informed one day. Maybe the DW club can be viewed that way, new blood, they'll learn as we go. Just think of all the cool sh*t and revelations that might be awaiting them.

Dennis was a good songwriter, a good arranger/producer, and a good singer. All that doesn't add up to greatness, though.

But Dennis was great, and it's hard to put my finger on the source of that greatness. Soulfulness? Expressiveness? At his best, he makes music from his heart -- and that music finds a home in the listener's heart.

Dennis was art, Bruce was craft, Brian combined art and craft.

Hang on, lemme get out my Troll-B-Gone spray.  :P

:smash I don't even want to add to this mess, but...


Statements like this are why some people consider you a troll. Had this sentence not been written, your post would've been responded to in a more civil way, or it would've been ignored. But you can't make comments like this and act surprised that people lash out at your posts.

Think about what you post before you post it. If you do that I guarantee that Smile Brian and others won't have such a negative attitude about your contributions here.

Gee, those are some of my favorite songs that feature Dennis, and Celebrate the News is one of my all time favorite Dennis songs.  And the melody to Barbara is fantastic.  It just goes to show that if you ask 100 Beach Boys fans what their 10 favorite Beach Boys songs are, you'll likely get 100 very different answers.

I appreciate those of Dennis' songs that I like. There's quite a few of them. Actually, of the BB members only Brian wrote more songs that I like. A lot more. But Dennis had great ones, too.

Jon Stebbins preaches it like a mudder fudder!  ;D

Didn't Dennis have a message board at one time? It was called Dreamer or something similar.

I like Dennis Wilson's Music more because it makes me a better person.  Here is my list of my favorite Dennis Wilson Songs

1 Forever
2 Lady
3 Cuddle Up
4 Wouldn't be nice to live again
5 Barbara
6 Baby Blue
7 Barnyard Blues
8 Be With Me
9 Sound of Free
10 Fallin' in Love

Oh the irony...  :-D

To all those who got this back on topic, I sincerely and genuinely thank you.

Even Surfer. Thank You  :-D

(OSD tribute) :angry  :wall :smash :whatever :brow :jedi :thud :violin >:( :( :o

...and people call us the trolls  ::)

but I too thank Jon and others for getting back on topic  ;D

I wonder why Lady is that much higher on your list than Fallin' In Love - do you really think it is that much better? ::)

...It's about time this thread made a comeback.

Feel free to post about the positive side of Dennis Wilson here, and how you appreciate his contributions instead of focusing on the negative side of him like a certain recent thread. The guy was a legend, a hell of a talented guy with a big heart, and he deserves a lot better.

However I guess negative threads are still ok for Mike?

I don't think I've seen a negative Mike thread in a while. And I've noticed this forum for the most part appreciates Mike and his contributions

Ain't no light without a bit of dark. 95% of the stuff about the band here is fairly positive or at least constructive. No one in this band was perfect, even the almighty Brian PETSOUNDS Wilson, but most of us forgive their faults as people or are at least able to see things rationally and impartially without letting fantastic music or a few weird things people did decades ago completely cloud our overall opinion of them.

All's I'm sayin' is it should be okay to mention something questionable someone in the band did/said without an immediate knee-jerk reaction in an attempt to bury said questionable things. It's okay, we'll be moving along from the thread about Denny marrying his second cousin soon enough.

Mike doesn't even deserve all of the hate he gets.  he's made some great contributions to the group too.  

But this is the Dennis thread...

Pretty much this.

The first attempt at a resurrection of this thread was a failure partly because people started praising Mike (even though I posted a link for Mike's actual appreciation thread) on a thread about Dennis.

You've put it perfectly.

I love Dennis' early songs, like "Celebrate the News" and "Be with Me", but his style begins to lose me as we go further into the 70's. Although, "River Song" is really great.
I think his beginning compositions were more adventurous, like someone figuring out they have a talent and figuring out what they can do with it. It seems like he got comfortable with it and began to settle in and make less-interesting works - to me, at least.

I like the verse melodies of Be With Me but the choruses leave a lot to be desired.

Celebrate the News is great, though.

I just smile at the fact that a thread not holding Dennis in a good light now has 2 positive Dennis threads next to it. Do we have PR people posting here or what?

Dennis's negative side is what makes POB so damn good - that album is dark, full of sadness but also hope...it's one of the most emotionally expressive albums Ive ever heard. AGD said something like this a while back: 'it's a man pouring his heart onto tape'.
with Denny, the darkness is important.

When you look at it that way, you make an excellent point!

Ovi, Disney Boy, MarcellaHasDirtyFeet & the like will agree with you.

I wish he had finished Ecology. Judd made a version of Ecology (the song) with all the pieces assembled and it sounds magical. He was onto something there...

I completely agree.  He's so honest in his lyrics and it was a great way to get all of his emotions out.

Demand him the link.

No I have the file! I meant Dennis was onto something...if that's what you meant. Confused now.

I do agree! POB is one of my favorite albums.

EDIT: I've decided not to be a disgusting, dirty troll who seemingly only wants to hear tales of interracial, man-on-man rape.