The Smiley Smile Message Board

There's been a push on Motown's 50th and Buddy Holly, 50 years since his death and it got me wondering. Any projects such as books, album compilations, movies etc for the BB's would surely be in the discussion stage by now.

Any word on projects, and just in case the powers that be are reading this, what would you as a fan like?

Because I admire his work so much, I'd like to see Alan Boyd involved in a multi disc DVD project along the lines of an expanded and updated version of "Endless Harmony". Include as many full-length promo video and TV appearances. Personally I’d love to see the colour clip of “Bluebirds…” from Dutch TV (I think) that was on Youtube in glorious quality or “Add Some Music…” performed on a Dick Clark related show in 1970!

I'm EXPECTING another compilation CD, The Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Collection

I'm HOPING for The Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Concert on PBS and DVD

I'm PRAYING for a new Beach Boys studio CD featuring Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks

I'm THINKING the time might be right for another boxed set - The SMiLE Sessions

I'd love to see a box set along the lines of Neil Young' Archives.

What we'll probably get is a single CD of 25 hits, a couple of them (including Kokomo) remixed for the fans.  In 2014, after the accompanying 8-page booklet has been rewritten by Mike.

That, or the next volume in the singles box -  40+ tracks for $200, in a bladderwrack-textured lobster pot.
 ::)

I'm sure we'll get something like the GV box set at least...though I'm praying for the SMiLE sessions box set.  :lol

Perhaps we can see some stereo mixes, unreleased songs, perhaps even an MP3 release of Rarities as a "bonus" disc.

If whatever they release doesn't have either new material or newly (officially) released material, I'll be really disappointed and almost certainly not buy it. I have literally no expectations, because you just never know with them. But if it's a repackaging of stuff with a few stereo remixes, I'm not giving them my money. Unfortunately, I can't imagine any rarities-heavy retrospective being a big seller, either.

I would love to see a live box set...one CD for each decade

An all inclusive 8 hour video documentary box set.
A 10 CD Live Box with compilation of tour books
A SMiLE Box
A 12 CD Box titled 50 years of Good Vibrations that would be an amalgom of the 93 box, and everything else that should have been on that box and everything worthwhile on record since that time.

I could see a mix. A 50 song compilation album set of the usual suspects for the mass market but also some of the rarities in a box set as discussed above for the more hard-core fan.

Some kind of one off gig or get together could raise some interest in both.

A Beach Boys version of the Beatles' "Anthology" project. Book + CDs + DVDs.

How about a comprehensive Beach Boys videography as well. Like KISS has done with it's kissology and Paul McCartney has with "The McCartney Years". This could introduce new fans to the Beach Boys. Alan Boyd and Trish Campo... You have my concept DVDs already.

I'd like to see a reissue of every album that is expanded to include bonus tracks (unrelased songs), studio outtakes, live versions, and  corresponding videos.

Phil @ www.PrayForSurfblog.blogspot.com

Everything you all suggested but on vinyl too.

If theres going to be a concert, I see it being at the dreaded O2 arena...

:(

I saw Leonard Cohen at the 02 and the only opinion of it I have is that the sound clarity of the show was amazing and that cant be a bad thing.

That place seems to have a pretty good reputation. I wonder how Brian would feel about doing a show that size, though.

I do feel that if there was only going to be a single show, it should be in the US. That's home.

I doubt it. Unless there would be a big, clever PR campaign I'm not sure if the reunited Beach Boys would draw a much bigger crowd than Brian and the Mike & Bruce Band do seperately.

Your post just reminded me of something; The Zombies still toured, minus some of the original members. People still went to see them play, but those weren't huge shows.

But when the surviving members reunited to play their classic album, that was a huge draw. Maybe not 02 huge, but a lot more.

Maybe something to that affect would be reasonable?

I always said, that with Brian, Mike, and Al they could do heck of a Pet Sounds performance. If you add in Bruce, David, & Matt Jardine, even better.

What do you guys think about the Zombies comparison? I think it would be reasonable to asume, if promoted at all that a 50th anniversarry concert with all surviving original members would draw more than the usual shows they do.

Depends on whether they could put together one last hit song with some of the magic in it.

one web adress: WWW.BEACHBOYSCENTRAL.COM   


open for business! :-D

While some will disagree, I think if The Beach Boys - Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce & David - called a press conference (in 2010), and all were present, and they announced a 50th Anniversary Concert at a major venue, that it would attract significant interest in the music community. The Beach Boys are an institution, there are a lot of media outlets these days, and now, more than ever, people enjoy reading music news. While the "record business" is dying, more people are listening to music than ever, including classic Beach Boys. I mean, think how many people have a Beach Boys comp in their collection that they dig out occasionally.

I don't know how long the interest would be sustained, but it could hang in there pretty long with updates.

I agree, Sheriff.

Totaly unscientific.

Youtube views

Zombies reunion 2300.

BB roof top.  13500.

Led Zep reunion 2500000.

The unfortunate reality. Crap like Zeppelin sells like hotcakes...great stuff like the BBs and the Zombies goes totally unappreciated.

Whoa. Crap like Zeppelin? And no  :-D after a statement like that?

Amazing how people seem to prefer watching a concert over a press conference, isn't it?

Not the Zombies concert apparently.

The Zep thing was just thrown in as a number for a reunion gig.

As has been stated many times, the BB's never broke up to most people and some kind of reunion may be of interest to the likes of us. (1274 members) countered by the Blueboarders who IMO would switch from being anti reunion to pro at the flick of a switch if Brian wanted it.

 :-D   I'll add one for good measure.  ::)

I LOVE the Zombies, but commercially they were never in the same league as the BB and Led Zep. When they broke up in 1968 they'd released just 2 LPs and had 1 UK and 3 US Top 40 hits.

Didn't Jon Stebbins post that the Hollywood Bowl would be very interested to host a Beach Boys-reunion show? I think that might be a good place, you know home....

I think two things have really hurt the BBs long-term appreciation: 1. They have never stopped touring. (word has it that Mike Love & Bruce plan to be stuffed by taxidermists when they die and will still tour in the name of their estates, lip-syncing to recordings) 2. The surf/hot rod/innocent early 60s image of the band, strongly promoted by people like Mike Love throughout the years. While that image will always make them money, it continues to deny them the critical approval bands like Zeppelin get. And, tragically, some of Brian's best songs are tainted by such lyrics. It's a blessing and a curse. Brian even contemplated rewriting the lyrics to many of his classic songs in the late 60s/early 70s. Although I don't mind the surf/hot rod lyrics, I'd probably like the songs that much more if they didn't have those kind of lyrics. They're a historical curio at best. Imagine what Pet Sounds would sound like if a song like "Caroline No" was called "Chevrolet No" and was about a car, like "Don't Worry Baby". Still would be a great song, but it would've undercut its artistic value. Do the BBs get as popular without the surf/hot rod lyrics? Probably not, but I could care less (and we wouldn't be calling them the BBs, would we?). I still think Brian would've made great pop art. He didn't actually need a big budget to do it, and I think his music would've sold enough without people like Mike Love to at least keep him well-fed and producing new records. And he probably would've been happier. But who knows?

The BBs proved in 1993-the Nov "Box Set" tour-that they can still do an incredible show that isn't just Endless Summer and three other songs-if they are motivated. If (a very big IF) they all wanted to do it-they could do a nice 2 or 3 hour show-like the Box Set show-that covered their whole career and was tasteful...but I don't really think that you can get Brian's people and Mike's people and Al's people to agree on it-though stranger things have happened...

Is Al Jardine not going to ever rejoin Mike and Bruce?

Nope, no  :lol. I'm being serious. I can't stand Zeppelin, or Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, ELP, post-Barrett Floyd, post Brian Jones Stones, or post-Tommy Who, for that matter. I think the Clash, the Ramones, Boston, and the Jack Reiley-era BBs were the best bands of the 70s.