The Smiley Smile Message Board

...a group performing The Beach Boys songs today that actually sounds like the Beach Boys? I'm sorry, and I"m not saying these people aren't talented in their own right, but Brian's band (as well as Brian himself) don't sound anything close to the original blend, also Bruce and Mike's version doesn't really cut it either. They all have the usual beach band sound, but they all sound like half rate impersonators. How are people supposed to enjoy these concerts if they all sound like cover bands? I don't know. Does anybody else agree? Is there anybody out there who can mimic Brian's early voice, none that I've seen so far. Sorry if this is a sensitive subject, but let's face it that certain combination of voices is just not around anymore. Please feel free to share your thoughts.

Here's a thought...

Go have your ears thoroughly checked.

In the past few years I've seen both Mike & Bruce, and Brian. The blend sounded good to me.

I believe it iis you who should have your ears thoroughly checked, my friend. Play them side by side, you'll see what I'm talking about.

It's a lot to ask to hope for anyone to sound like 4 genetically closely related individuals (and neighbor/friend) in their late teens and early 20s who grew up singing together for years before going public.

I'm talking live performance, not studio recordings. I suggest you stick with those. I've seen The Beach Boys live from 1980-1996, and the current Mike & Bruce band, and Brian's band, are, by and large, better.

So... you want to hear people that sound like the beach boys?

These guys should be right up your street...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L--cqAI3IUI

 :)

Exactly.  Live performances seldom sound like studio recordings.  If you want the latter just play the records because the former is wishful thinking.

Damn straight, with one notable exception...1993! God, if only they would've kept that up, it could've been the beginning of a renaissance for the band. Granted, they still would've ended in 1998, but at least there would've been a better ending to their story.

Ok, then I wish there was a group that sounded like the beach boys "live" from 1964. Thanks for those of you are just taking this as a friendly discussion.  8)

sorry for the cheap jibe, but you've got to admit calling all the surviving members of the band and their sidemen 'half rate impersonators' in your first post isn't a good way to start.

I don't know about Wilson-esque, but Fleet Foxes spring to mind when it comes to live harmonies...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNDDbrjKJOU&feature=related

To the original poster, do you mean like a four-piece band playing the songs exactly as they were in 1964? Because even from 1965 on, the band's live sound changed dramatically. After the surf period, they seemed to slow things down a lot.

It could be interesting to see something like that for some of their songs, but it wouldn't work for anything after Pet Sounds, really.

Sorry about coming off as insulting to them, but that's not what I intended. I mean it's a fact that the people performing these songs today aren't the original performers, right? All I'm wondering is if there are people out there who can duplicate that sound (live or recorded 62-70), and so far I haven't heard anybody that can. Listen to a Beach Boys cover band, and then listen to Mike and Bruce's, as well as Brian's band, notice any similarities, the nasal falsettos, the modern sounding snare drum, etc. I just think it would be cool to go for that classic sound, ya know?

Maybe (in addition to the obvious genetic issues already raised) the reason there aren't many people who sound as similar to them as you'd like is that putting that kind of effort into imitation rather than creation is pathetic. There has already been a Beach Boys (in numerous great incarnations). Let other people be other people.

Firstly, with respect, its a stupid question, because no-one sounds like the Beach Boys because they're not the Beach Boys, simple as that. What do you want... actual genetic clones? It ain't gonna happen. The BW band don't sound like the BBs because a] they're  different people with different voices, and b] they're in their forties, not their twenties, which makes a difference.



well... they are all cover bands, so what do you expect?

It isn't an insensitive subject, just a stupid one. You sound as if you feel ripped off because the Beach Boys haven't managed to clone themselves for the 21st century. I think your expectations are unrealistic.

However, if you want Beach Boys songs done with authenticity, then check out http://fendertones.com (http://fendertones.com), which has links to some great live performances, or http://www.myspace.com/explorersclub (http://www.myspace.com/explorersclub) who have a vocalist who does sound like Brian Wilson. (And BTW their album is great!)

Agreed over the 1980-97 era very few tours got it as close as the solo bands do now. The fall of 1993 is a huge exception, and I guess some of the better shows from 1980 are too.

I kind of get what jammer730 is saying. He wants kind of that garge band sound. I don't follow imitators but I am sure that some bar band out there does something like that.

I think that's what the poster was talking about.  That's stuff is incredible.  Gives me chills.   :afro

Yes, yes! Now you guys are getting it, the fendertones do a great job of recreating the instrumental portion of the sound, as for the vocal portion, you don't have to be a clone of somebody to accurately imitate them. here's an example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXELqOKBqMc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXELqOKBqMc)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6p2t5HkB1I&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6p2t5HkB1I&feature=related)

For those of you wondering what my big deal is, I'm what some folks might call a youngin, a rare species of people born within the past 20-30 years, ha ha, sorry, just jokin', but seriously I didn't get to see the Beach Boys in their prime, I didn't get to experience what a lot of those bashing me over the head are talking about, is it so terrible to want to see a great band the way they once sounded, or for that matter that type of musical brilliance in a live context? Not really, no, and this isn't an argument, so everybody please refrain from  hurling a truck-load of insults at me, instead maybe something like "oh, yeah, I saw this great group they sounded just like the beach boys" or "man, this guy I heard sounds just like Dennis", you know, polite comments like these, Thanks!  :p

http:/www.thebeachtoys.com

I saw these guys and was mightily impressed.

Of the current tours, Brian's band comes closest to replicating the sound of the records.

Hey Jammer I am late to the game myself and I really find Brian's band to be up there. Think what you want, but I enjoy mostly everyone I've seen live. It's not the records, but it's the spirit of it all.

I was wondering... If you had to form a group now to recreate the vocal sound of 1960s Beach Boys, who should be in that group? I'm not just talking about singers who could sing the parts, but singers that actually have similar sounding voices.

I guess Al and Mike still sound more like their younger selves than anyone else does... Brian obviously doesn't, who could do his vocals? Christian Love for Carl's vocals, probably... And who for Dennis's vocals?

I think it would be hard for any band to get back that original spark and sound of their freshman and sophmore albums.

People and music evolve.  I have always found that something to look forward to.  What will the new (fill in name) sound like?

As for that great early garage band sound of the boys such as surfin safari.....yeah that was uniquie and fresh and I still love to hear new bands that sound that original, talented, and not overproduced.

I think most cover bands overdo it when it comes to capturing the sound of a band....it ends up being a hodgepodge of a sound, a caricature.


And an earlier poster mentioned the BB in 93 being good.  I agree.  If only they could have kept THAT up.  For those who haven't heard the unplugged recordings from New York in 93, you are in for a treat...if they are ever released.

I say happy listening to the younger crowd who are just now soaking all of this in......and urge older posters to bring them along with enthusiasm....gently showing the way ;)

That's pretty cool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHlPpRoA578

Welcome, jammer730.   You took a browbeating and didn't back down and that's admirable!

And I've seen the respective bands from the early 1970's to 2008, and in my opinion, the Mike & Bruce shows pale in comparison to the earlier BB shows.

Thanks for the great comments guys, the links are awesome, if you can find any other groups, I'd love to hear them.  ;D

I have a feeling that bands like Journey, Foreigner, etc. might just continue on for decades to come, to the point that no original members are left - just new guys who can imitate their vocal and instrumental predecessors.  I hope that when Brian and the remaining boys have gone to their eternal rest, the BB's name goes along with them.