The Smiley Smile Message Board

This evening, after an extended time surfing youtube and seeing bands in different cinfigurations.....and after 3-4 beers, I very quickly had a flash as to a workable reunion lineup.

As follows:

Ed Carter, Bass
John Cowsill: Drums
Mike Love: Vocals
Brian Wilson: Vocals and a little piano
Totten, Jardine, Marks : Guitar and vocals
Sahanaja; Various Keyboards, and vocals
Bruce; Vocals and Keyboards
Jeffrey: various string and vocals

Maybe the beer....but by golly this sounds damn good to my imagination....

Oh and bring in Mertins horns and such.

Everyone from every band can't be there.  Too bad. I'd miss them all but this lineup could do it!

Comments?  Please!

Scott Bennett HAS to be there.

See.....you just can't please everyone! :-D

I'd prefer Bobby Figueroa over John Cowsill. Actually I'd prefer Ricky Fataar, but that'd never happen.

I was going to say the same thing, although I do enjoy both of their drumming.  I think I'd put Billy Hinsche in there somewhere, too. 

Veer iz Taylor?

idiots!

Hey!

 ;D

I, too, have had a few beverages and wish to add my two cents.
I like your list of players, Donald.  I agree Totten and Sahanaja are a must (we know the music would be in good hands and treated with care). 

I'd prefer Cowsill over Figueroa (though Bobby is great...) as his drumming is so energetic and his vocals are IMHO a bigger asset.

As much as I love Jeffrey Foskett's wonderful falsetto work (not to mention that his mere presence might help Brian to relax a bit more), I would opt for putting Matt Jardine in the line up.  Kirsch, Baker, Foskett can ALL deliver great high parts (Baker, though, might be best suited to Frankie Valli's band), but for my money, other than Brian getting back the voice he had for the first decade of the Beach Boys career, Matt Jardine comes the closest to approximating the tone of the original high parts.  I think it is because he has a bit of the "whine" that Brian had that the others, while great singers with impressive ranges, don't incorporate as much of.  Am I alone on this???  Perhaps a double falsetto attack with Matt Jardine and Jeffrey Foskett...or triple attack with Totten added in the mix.

Hmmm, as much as I do feel a curiosity regarding a reunion, I think I'd rather it just be NEW STUDIO recordings as opposed to a live tour (but don't get me wrong, if it did happen I'd go see as many of these dates as my wallet would allow).   I suspect there might be less chance that I would be disappointed with the results VOCALLY if it was a studio project as opposed to a live tour; as they could take the time to get the best possible vocal blend (even though it would be different without Carl).  As much as I love going to see Brian live (and he really DOES have some great nights vocally), he is inconsistent at best in a live setting.  But in the studio, I really think the remaining principal Beach Boys' vocals could really sparkle.  It is just a small matter (Yeah I know...) of writing, arranging and producing a batch of killer new tunes.

Crazy as it may be, I enjoy having three touring acts cranking out Beach Boys tunes.  All three acts are great and worth seeing (for a variety of reasons).  With three acts touring there is also more chance that one of them will be close enough that I can afford to fly or drive to see.

That said, if I were to witness Wilson, Love, Jardine, Johnston and Marks on the same stage together I would probably pee my pants with giddy excitement.

4 beers can do that to you sometimes.

The intent of my plan (as I recall) was to come up with a band who could perform very well together, keep the numbers manageable,  be a line-up that all sides could agree on, and include the core remaining five band members.  Part of the compromise might be no offspring...thus the omission of Matt and Christian, and the inclusion of Jeff.  Cowsill the drummer of choice due to energy, skill, vocals, and namebrand appeal.  My line up would include 4 from Mike's band, 3 from Brian's, Al and  Ed, and David.  My approach is a pragmatic one.  It has nothing to do with not appreciating the many fine artists touring within  the three groups.

Why is the Faatar idea such a stretch?

Just my 2 cents, but I strongly prefer the sound of Matt Jardine's falsetto to Jeff's. No disrespect meant towards the man, he does a great job too.

Here's my dream line up (as of today):

Mike Love: Vocals
Brian Wilson: Vocals, Piano
Al Jardine: Vocals, Guitar
David Marks: Vocals, Guitar
Bruce Johnston: Vocals, Keyboard

With
Matt Jardine: Vocals, Percussion
Billy Hinsche: Keyboard, Vocals
Darian Sahanaja: Keyboards, odds 'n ends
Ed Carter: Bass
John Cowsill: Drums

I don't really care, much, if there is a reunion or not.  But yeah, Hinsche should be involved.

Here's my dream line up (as of today):

Mike Love: Vocals, bad humor
Brian Wilson: Vocals, Hand Gestures
Al Jardine: Vocals, Guitar
David Marks: Vocals, Guitar
Bruce Johnston: Vocals, Hand Claps

With
Eugene landy: Sampled Vocals off a keyboard since he is dead
Joe Thomas: Keyboards, Vocals
Steve Dahl: Keyboards, bad humor
Rocky Pamplin: Bass
Stan Love: Drums

He and Blondie weren't invited to the rooftop reunion. Even the Beach Boys don't consider them Beach Boys. Shame.

Brian Wilson: vocals, piano
Mike Love: vocals, tambourine
Alan Jardine: vocals, guitar
David Marks: vocals, guitar
Bruce Johnston: vocals, bass
Glen Campbell: guitar
Ricky Fataar: drums
Blondie Chaplin: vocals, guitar

Surfin'
Surfin' USA
Surfer Girl
In My Room
Be True To Your School
Don't Worry Baby
The Warmth Of The Sun
Fun, Fun, Fun
All Summer Long
I Get Around
When I Grow Up
Help Me Rhonda
Then Kissed Her
California Girls
The Little Girl I Once Knew
God Only Knows
Wouldn't It Be Nice
Here Today
Good Vibrations
Heroes And Villains
Darlin'
I'd Love Just Once To See You
Meant For You
Friends
Do It Again
Time To Get Alone
All I Wanna Do
Forever (David Marks)
Add Some Music To Your Day
'Til I Die
All This Is That
Sail On Sailor
We Got Love
It's OK
Roller Skating Child
Wontcha Come Out Tonight
Good Timin'
Lady Lynda
Goin' On
Getcha Back
Kokomo
Somewhere Near Japan
Summer In Paradise
Soul Searchin'

This is good.  We are keeping this to a reasonable size lineup.   But we must remember that Mike and Melinda must agree on the final lineup.I think she would want Darian and Jeff.  And remember; a realistic number of participants that  must include the core five Beach Boys.  Several good people will necessarily be left out of the lineup.

My dream line up:
Brian Wilson: vocals, piano (when he feels like it)
Darian Sahanaja: keyboards, vibes, vocals
Scott Bennett: keyboards, vibes, vocals
Nick Walusko: guitars, vocals
Probyn Gregory: everything and the kitchen sink, vocals
Taylor Mills: vocals
Jeff Foskett: guitar, vocals
Mike D'Amico: drums, vocals
Nelson Bragg: percussion, vocals
Paul von Mertens: woodwints, sometimes singing

(The Tasty Brothers could come back too.)

this is a good thread. enjoy reading it. being a libra i see the pluses from all sides. i see only one problem....i am sitting on the deck of this damn apt they have me in. it is a hot day. 4 beers is not enough. already had 8. plan to have more. when i check back in i will check out this tread. if i can contribute something i will if not i will drink more beer and enjoy the posts.....

btw..hi don!  :)

Be careful Steve!   You might fall off the deck and tumble through the roof of the WalMart below!

I don't care what the lineup is as long as they do both Summer of Love and Smart Girls!! :lol :lol :lol

I'm glad to see this board is finally beginning to publicly acknowledge the magical, inspirational power of alcohol.  :beer :drunks It's what I've been saying all along!

While I was considering a nice, restorative sober week (or at least day), I'm a sucker for this kind of thread. So once I get back from the beach (yep, we have them in Minneapolis, albeit on lakes, not oceans) and a nice swim there, I may drink up and chime in. Yes, I know: you're excited!

Bah, who needs alcohol when we have Mike Love's Looking Back With Love album? Listen to that for a couple of hours and you'll start to feel like you're on drugs, like a Lester Bangs cough syrup cocktail gone wrong. Probably the safest drug around, although the effects can be scary.

OK, I didn't get back to this as quickly as planned. And I drank a lot more than four beers. (Well, technically zero beers, but a lot of wine.)

I'm taking it a slightly different direction, in that I'm not going to focus on the lineup for a live band's show. Since it's Never-Never Land anyway (or at least Probably Not-Probably Not Land), my attempt at a pragmatic solution is aimed at doing an album. Oh yeah. That old thing again.

It includes Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks. Because I'm thinking studio work, it isn't essential that there be just one functioning band: different guys COULD play on different tracks. But for the hell of it, it would be nice to at least focus on a core group. Maybe this:

Mike Love, vocals
Brian Wilson, vocals, keyboard
Al Jardine, vocals, guitar, bass
Bruce Johnston, vocals keyboards, bass
David Marks, guitar, vocals
...
Darian Sahanaja, keyboards, pitched percussion (i.e. vibes, xylophone, etc.), vocals
Scott Totten, guitar, vocals
Mike D'Amico, drums, vocals (Cowsill is fine with me, too. But I want a drummer-singer to keep the group smaller)

Ideally, this album is recorded along the lines of the way BWPS and TLOS were, with the instrumental tracks done with as many people playing together as is possible, minimal overdubbing. Certainly a D'Amico, Jardine/Johnston, Marks, Sahanaja, Totten group could do that. Vocals, too, would be done as much together as possible to maximize blend and feel.

The tracklist? I think we'd have to assume that as great as newly penned Wilson/Love songs would be, those would be few. So maximize some unreleased or under-released songs that would prove inoffensive to Love's idea of the band. Maybe some things along these lines.

My Maryanne
Some Sweet Day
This Isn't Love
The First Time
Walking Down the Path of Life (perhaps expanded with Love and Jardine contributions)
Everything I Need
I'm Broke (David not only soloing, but singing lead?)
It's Trying To Say (Baseball)

If Al's album were scrapped and some of its better originals added, I'd be in favor of that. As for any of Mike's songs, well ... I'll keep an open mind, but I really prefer what he writes with Brian or the others. (And if he can team up with anyone to do any amount up to an album's worth, I'd be thrilled of it.)

As for Dennis/Carl stuff, I have mixed feelings. The flown-in vocals sort of bug me, younger leads over aged tracks and vocals. Maybe just unreleased stuff, though I don't know what Carl has unreleased that would be worth hearing. (With Dennis, we obviously all know of a gem in WIBNTLA.) Or maybe even the current group covering one of each of their songs. I don't know.

Anyway, those are some thoughts.

I think Bobby Figueroa should be there because Dennis personally chose and hired him!

And the same goes for Billy Hinsche because he was so close to Carl and there was so much mutual respect between the two.

Nothing against either of them, but I think the two musical directors plus D'Amico offer a little more (trying to say this nicely) quality, especially vocally. And if you start getting into who Dennis and Carl liked, well, you need to bring in both Blondie and Ricky and possibly another slew of sidemen. My whole thing was keeping it contained so everyone was involved.

I'm going to take Luther's album idea and go in a different direction.

Full on Beach Boys Love You style album with Brian, Mike, and Darian in a room with Brian sitting in an easy chair and a couple of synthesizers on hand for him to record basic tracks with keyboards, synth bass, bass drum/snare, then flesh them out with the members of Brian's band (including a bonus release of the original Brian-tracked demos)+ vocals from the rest of the Beach Boys.  Boom.

Yeah, but both Ricky and Blondie quit or were fired (depending on who's telling the story) whereas Bobby and Billy were around for years and years.

But, yeah, there's no way everyone would be happy however it turns out.

I just hope it wouldn't be Brian's band, and only so it wouldn't just be Brian solo with a few old guys who come out and sing on some songs and then go sit back down. If Brian's band is there, I think they'd insist on singing all over the place and steamroll the "purity" of a Beach Boys reunion!

I doubt it's Brian's band that has any control over how much they themselves do (in the studio). They're hired sidemen (and -woman), and that's it. Collaborators to a point, but do you REALLY think Nelson gets a whole lot of say over what he's going to be tackling on any given day?

I honestly don't know! I think Brian and his band have been together, more or less intact, for so many years now, that things probably function more like a "real band" than we would assume. But I could be completely wrong.

You know, the weekend is coming up and I think with 14 beers we could all see not only the five living Beach Boys but Carl, Dennis and Elvis moon-walking with Jackson onstage in our own homes with Murry calling out 'syncopate' from the side of the stage.

Anyone care to go to the gig? :beer

Well, in order to keep everyone involved, you would have to include someone from Al's band, perhaps his musical director, Billy Hinsche. Additionally, almost everyone in Al's band has played with the Beach Boys.

I think a good combo would be:

Brian Wilson
Mike Love
Al Jardine
David Marks
Bruce Johnston
Darian Sahanaja
Scott Totten
Billy Hinsche
Jeff Foskett
Bobby Figueroa

Aegir,   your line up is essentially in line with the original 4 beer plan.   I salute you!

And I only had two tonight!

This is all so wrong, let me fix this:

Brian Wilson (keyboard, vocals)
Mike Love (saxophone, vocals, lyrics)
Joe Thomas (co-producer, arranger)
Jimmy Buffet (guitar, vocals, lyrics)
Bruce Johnston (keyboard, vocals, lyrics)
John Stamos (drums, vocals, guitar, Dennis Wilson)
Al Jardine + David Marks (give Brian back messages, pick up lunch, play bass/rhythm guitar occasionally when needed)

The BBs new hit single, "Jojomo", hits #1 7/21/10!

add Joe Thomas' mother and call it jomama