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COMMENT:  Word around the inside is that a 50th Anniversary get-together of the boys is being considered. Everyone feels something should happen.  More later ...

~SWD

 :thewilsons :love :rock :spin :woot :grouphug

While the roof-top reunion was nice, I hope for something a bit more. Thanks for the heads-up SWD! ;D

(...and a top source I might add)

i heard they're playing the Summer in Paradise album all the way through in concert!   ;)

Maybe M.E.L. could get Ringo to join them as the Beatles, then they could do a joint casino tour? Course they'd have to vote on it...-)
Seriously-what's the point? They can't stand each other, really-they can't. The Beach Boys no longer exist, and haven't for long, long time...
In reality-they made ten years worth of killer music-and cheapened it for forty...Now they want to celebrate a fifitieth? Yikes. What a farce.
In realted news, Rain is playing two shows @ the same Casino in my town as thee 'em....Beach Boys. Now that's ironic/  comical when a tribute band has more integrity than one that claims it's not.

Very cool.

it's a waste of 50th anniversary publicity that Mr. moneybags, I mean Dr. Love would wanna take advantage of.

 "When I think about [it] I start to :spin"

Excellent news!

Hopefully we will see some vault releases as well.  The new Jimi Hendrix album 'Valleys Of Neptune' seems to have done quite well.  The Stones have a whole cd of unreleased tracks coming out with Exile on Main Street.

Be a great time for the BB to join in.  Let's face it, a Smile box would be 1000 times better than most new music today.  Be interesting to see how the new Hendrix box set (coming next year) does.  It's mostly unreleased tracks I understand.

You have this from an unimpeachable source ? Recent events would seem to argue against your premise.

Thanks for letting us know Mr Desper !!

yes, thank you for sharing this news.

Very interesting. I think all sides have become much more conscious of their legacy over recent years -- and the legacy is musical, not personal.  I don't think anyone needs it, exactly, but if they work it out and produce something interesting, who can complain?

I just hope they don't do yet another cheesy nostalgia trip.

Great News !!!

I only hope they all sing live and dont re-record some part were they sing with like the 25th anneversary in Hawai !

Let's not get carried away, here! I really doubt a SMiLE box set would come out. The thing that we have to remember is, most people know the BB's because of the early hits, not the later material. Any celebration of 50 years would more than likely be heavy on the surfing, girls, cars stuff. Why wouldn't it be, that's what got them where they are today!

I disagree.  'Valleys Of Neptune' is some pretty obscure stuff.  No top 40 songs in there.  Mainly just studio run-throughs/re-recordings of his older songs.

Look how well POB/Bambu did.  A Smile Box (or 2 CD set) would probably double, triple....... that.

ANYTHING to get Alan back on stage and on the recordings!

I don't care if it's a trainwreck, I will do my damnedest to see a show should it happen.

By the way, 50th anniversary would be next year right?

totally agree : wtf is the point? ::)

so don't go...

I think (hope) that any reunion would not be a simple Mike/Bruce nostalgia trip. It would be respectful of Brian (and probably include some of his band members, if music was performed). It would include Al, the group's best surviving voice. I doubt it would be tacky. It might be boring, but we'll see.

 IF IT HAPPENS, one thing it won't be is boring. Just to see/hear the finished product of massive, time consuming rehearsals would/will be a thrill. As far as the validity of such a possibility, well that is verified by one Mr. Desper.

Uh, what do you suppose I just said?-maybe you should read it again but with more attention . :p

Does this mean Steve Desper does the engineering for the new recording?

Although I would love that, there isn't said anything about a new recording etc.

This news has got my wind chimes a'ting-a-lin! Would love to see them do at least a few shows with a line up of: Brian, Mike, Al, Dave, Bruce, Blondie and Ricky with supporting musicians including Billy Hinsche, Ed Carter, the Jardine boys etc. Hell, I'd even have Stamos invloved and maybe Rieley could be persuaded to do a live version Of A Day In The Life Of A Tree! Or have I just gone too far?

No, you went too far when you reached Stamos on your list.

Don't know whether to smile or cry about this, but I will go to see it if it's a tour. Please, NO Stamos!!! Here's hoping they use Brian's band as well....fantastic group of musicians!

I just love seeing this kind of thing unfold.

About 36 hours ago, Steve said "a 50th Anniversary get-together of the boys is being considered" - considered, nothing more - and already we've [the collective we] jumped to at least three different conclusions.  ;D

I agree. If Desper is in the loop I see it more as a remaster or release of some rarities he was involved in and the group providing some comment to meet PR requirements. Possible DVD/ Album combo. Not much else but I don't mind being proved wrong.

Think I'll wait and see what it tuns out to be.

Unlikely to be anything as great as I might dream it to be, but you never know, it could be the second coming of a teenage symphony to God.

Just release the 50 best tunes...But don't go near each  other-it'll be ugly...(Maybe add Carls' "Heaven"/ Brian's Love & Mercy/ Al's "Don't Fight the Sea" / Dennis' "River Song" or "Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again"and run...Then Love can go back to thrashing the Beach Boy name with a bunch of strangers..See- it's a stupid thing to do. :lol

If "Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again" isn't some part of whatever is going to happen in 2011 then when will it ever happen?  Regardless of anything else that's the one *must* for me.  I heard it in 2003 in Connecticut.  It's as good as has been talked about.  Evie Sands/Adam Marsland do it great justice but they're not Dennis.

What significant material, whose existence has been confirmed, haven't been released or bootlegged yet? I only know of a couple of things like WIBNTLA. Are there many out there?

I hope my conclusion/joke wasn't one of these

"Bunch of strangers"??  Let's see, we have Tim Bonhomme, who replaced Billy in '96, therefore he was in the band the last two years of the Carl/Al lineup, and every year since...so he's no stranger.  John Cowsill...no stranger to most fans of '60s power-pop.  Randall Kirsch...he sometimes subbed for Eddie C. as far back as the '80s, and has also done so in Al's band, so no stranger there.  Scott Totten:  he's done for Mike & Bruce what Darian has done for Brian's band, and is as big a fan of the original BBs as any of us, so I don't think he should be considered a "stranger"....And then there's Christian Love...as familiar to one original band member as Matt Jardine is to another.

c-man, please don't wreck the narrative with pesky facts. Brian is the one to be cheered for. Mike, Bruce & Co. are the bad (no-talent) guys. (Al is the short one with whom one is to Keep It Clean.) One more infraction and there will be trouble. That is all.

My prediction? As cool as a surviving BB's live concert/TV special would be with a thoroughly comprehensive documentary and Rareties CD tie in a'la "Endless Harmony" the reality is we will probably get the same old "Hits" CD, which "Kokomo" aside doesn't stray beyond 1968 recordings called something like "50 Years of Summer". Mike and Bruce will go on American morning chat shows to hype it, where Bruce will not be able to get a word in edgeways.  Someone will interview Brian who be relatively unaware that a) a new CD is out, b) it's 50 years since the group first formed and c) that he was ever a part of it. He will then spend the rest of his airtime discussing his upcoming solo project and how much he loves Phil Spector's "Be My Baby".

Mark my words: this is what will happen.  :-D

Sorry to be "Mr Positivity" but I learned not to count my chickens after the Peter Gabriel era Genesis reunion bit the dust.

Cool, another Genesis fan! :D

Bob Green touches on the topic in today's commentary.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/02/greene.beach.boys.summer/index.html?eref=igoogle_cnn

MEL commonts on "Beach Boys" after the Beach Boys too!

I'm guessing the 50th is too tempting financially to simply let it pass.  The BB have been surfing on re release packages for many years.  This is a good opportunity to put out some lucrative product.  Might be some film and reunion performance/s.  Nothing wrong with ANY of that.  I'd like to see a well done full length documentary combining the best of previous with new commentary and unreleased footage.  An EH for the ages.    Anything new and of quality would be welcome.  Mr. Desper's connection here whets my appetite and stirs my curiosity.

Nobody thinks this is the Beach Boys of the 60's or 70's.  It is what it is.

Why do we go to our High School reunions?  It's fun to see some of the old gang together again and all that.

The BB are getting near the end of the line.  Let's be happy there is some kind of 50th Celebration and be thankful for all the great music.

I must agree.   But wouldnt it be nice to see BW and ML, strong as they've been over the last year, together on a stage doing it right just one more time?

Wait, you guys go to your high school reunions!?

Be true to your school?

NO-too much ca ca under the bridge! :psyche

I wonder where Melinda currently stands on this talk of reunion?

Its been described by Stephen Desper as a 'Get-Together' only at this stage. No reunion as in concert, new album mentioned.

Think roof-top type deal. presentation of some kind, record exec's, product plug,  photo-op's, forced smiles and crappy buffet with warm booze!

Would many LA wives turn down a chance to dress up and stand in front of a TV camera?

Yes, it would. Remember the Floyd at Live 8 ? One of the most emotional rock & roll moments ever. Don't care what Roger said before or after, for those fleeting moments he was onstage with the others, he was clearly having the time of his life, thrilled to be playing with them again. And remember, these guys hadn't even so much as spoken for over 20 years ! Back in 1990 Brian was still (occasionally) sharing a stage with the others and he'd do an album with them five, six years down the line. They shared a rooftop four years ago. They're human beings, they have feelings, above all they have the kind of memories we can only fantasise about. My feeling is, you put Brian, Mike, Alan, David & Bruce in a room together without the wives, managers and lawyers, ask them if they'd be up for it, you'd get a resounding "hell, yes".

I agree old pal, they are still cousins and friends who share an amazing history and....I'll say it... love together.  The ca ca has gone under the bridge where it belongs.

I'm with this plan...  I love it when AGD's optimism shows itself -  usually justifiable too!

If they would get right on stage it would be the first time that ML and BW got it  right on stage together in 45 years (I always thought that the shows without Brian in the 70's and 80's were better than the shows with Brian).

Talks are underway.

I feel somewhat ashamed that this is getting me so excited...I really hope something (read: anything) happens. A reissue or some rarities would be nice; a concert or DVD; whatever. With this, who knows...maybe soon there'll be a critical/public reappraisal of the BBs work ahead. I hope they make the most of this opportunity. I mean, how many bands even exist in some form 50 years later?

The scary thing is this does all seem to hinge on if Melinda wants it to happen or not as she seems to hold BW's reigns. Let's face it Mike has been trying to make this a reality for nigh on 20 years so you know he'd be up for it in a flash. Forget what Bruciebaby says on the the SmileySmile blog site - where Mike goes he will follow. Al, rumor has it, has his solo release earmarked for sometime this Millennium so he knows that a raised profile can't hurt its sales...  So it all boils down to whether Brian's wife and associate business partners takes the bait or not. I think the key issue is do they think Brian's upcoming Gershwin project could benefit or be detracted by a reunion? DOES ANYONE ELSE AT TIMES JUST WISH SHE WOULD STAY AT HOME AND DO THE DISHES AND CHANGE ALL THEIR ADOPTED CHILDREN'S DIAPERS AND LET BRIAN DO WHAT HE WANTS!!!! LOL!!!!!

Serious time again - Where does David Marks fit into all of this? Is he welcome/willing? Last I heard after 50 years of friendship Mike finally managed to piss him off like all the others.

I read that not too long ago on this board, but don't know what happened. Is it known? Or do we know that there are problems between the two of them?

But maybe a DVD with performances by all three acts could be made. You know Mike and Bruce doing some of the surf-stuff, Brian and band doing his big works and Al and Dave doing some of the lesser known BBs-materail that wasn't written by Brian (although Mike and Bruce could do this, so we'd have Dave on surf-guitar)

Let's just say that it's unlikely David will be sharing a stage with Mike in the immediate future... but hopefully the lure of a once and for all, final reunion will prove stronger than ego.

Now that I think of it, they can't even manage to get beachboyscentral.com together. How many years now?

Forgive me for asking but was the falling out over something that can be disclosed or is it too private a matter?

I'll pass on that, if that's OK. Cop out, I know, but...

That is about as naive as those clowns in yellowland. Ahem, WHY is it thought  that Dave will probably not be included?? Ca ca from ML?? Why is Al not performing with the M& B Tribute band?? You got it-Ca Ca-all the way, baby. :P

Here's an excerpt from the article that I find scary:


"I asked him (John Stamos) if he thought there might be a band called the Beach Boys on the road even after all the original Beach Boys are gone.

'I don't see why not,' he said. 'The music's not going to die, is it?'"


Please, God, no!  The Beach Boys aren't some corporate rock entity like Journey or Foreigner (two bands who've hinted that they plan on keeping the "franchise" going)!  When the last BB is gone, the name should be retired.

The author is asking Mike, not Stamos. Either way, no big deal. And to say the Beach Boys aren't "some corporate rock entity"? I hate to break the news, but they've been just that for as long as I've been alive. (And that's not even an insult.)

I think it's safe to say, despite Brian's reputation as a sort of early "indie" so to speak, the Beach Boys were corporate rock as soon as Surfin' USA blazed up the charts.

All I have to say is, we as fans are not obligated to have anything happen. If Brian, Al, Mike and Bruce all go to a band members house without the wives and assorted hanger-on's and enjoy and hour or so of each other's company, then that would be nice. No hard feelings, ego's, or lawsuits. Just old friends hugging each other, saying "Damn, it's great to see you again".  No huge reunion tours and fancy airplane rides. No meaningless hotel rooms and random fans wanting autographs. Just good times. I can't help but to think that it's probably what Carl and Dennis would want.

50 BIG ONES

it would be great to see an all-star celebration a la the 25th... with ALL surviving members.
it's been nearly 15 years since the Endless Harmony documentary/soundtrack. the time is right.
they will obviously do SOMETHING to mark the occasion... but how big will they go???


it's pretty exciting! let's keep our fingers crossed that they do something we can all be proud of.......... and that no one dies in the next few months.

Everyone's the same.  You don't have to advertsie Victioria's Secrets to sell out.

Excuse me, but that would be the most terrible thing to do.

i disagree... if the right performers were chosen.


Ray Charles singing "Sail On Sailor" was the highlight of the 25th Anniversary... and possibly life in general.
My list of artists would include Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard, Aretha Franklin, etc.

Just please keep will.i.am as far away from the Wilson Songbook as possible.
Please.

Anyone who is/has been signed to a Major Record Label is part of the corporate music scene no matter what type of music they are producing. The second you sign to a major you are doing so for two reasons 1) to utilise their vast distribution/promotional resources and 2) to accumulate as much wealth from the sales of your music as possible. Not that I have any sort of problem with that as long as you don't allow a bunch of suits force you into compromising your musical vision for higher sales. It's when groups and artists on the majors try to make out they are anti corporate and rebels and such that I find them to be full of it.

Uh, pretty sure you don't make jack crap from sales on a major, that's what touring is for. Distro, yeah. Money, no.

Depends on the contract you sign. I know the Eagles pocket a MAJOR slice from the actual sales of albums.

This is yet another thing that's being a but blown out of proportion. There was a misunderstanding… That's all.

Sorry to have ask but what is being blown out of proportion and a misunderstanding??

Also no guests for the show unless directly connected to the group! That 25th anniv is mostly a disaster....Belinda Carlisle??!
 I want to hear the BB sing their songs!

I'm guessing the original post, with some of us then blowing it out of proportion.

Ooh, a quiz? 
I'm guessing the Dave/Mike fallout, was ESQ's reference.

Wishful thinking, but likely much ado about nothing, as typified
by the innumerable reunion rumors to date.

This might sound weird as hell, but Neil Young could possibly sing a great version of Don't Worry Baby, just as long as he does it in a lower register, like Brian does on the Roxy cd. I just got a really weird image of Merle haggard singing "Take A Load Off Your Feet".  :lol

All the way under the bridge.

Hey, she was hot at the time!

All    the    way    u n d e r      t h e      b  r  i  d  g  e  . . .last bridge I saw, nothing stayed under it-water and all the other junk it carries kept coning and going which it should continue to do during our lifetime-well, maybe not yours, that is. ::)

While I await whatever reunion does or does not take place, I will be most content to see the Boys at my County Fair on July 20th!

I'm expecting another excellent show from Mike, Bruce and the current band.  I've no idea why people run them down so much; seeing them on their yearly tours belting out those great BB tunes is far better than silence and memories alone.

That being said, I'd certainly welcome any kind of reunion tour, and would pony up the cash to be in attendance. Let's hope it's done and done WELL!!!   

This is good news. It's always nice to see Mike, Brian, Al, and Bruce together and (seemingly) on the same page.

Maybe they could do a new album called 50 Big Ones. ;)

i say re-record one song from that year times 50 !

61
62
63
64
65 etc........

Which one song from 1966 would you choose and the song from...eh....say 2006 would be what?

Sorry, maybe I don't understand your meaning? ???

well, maybe they didn't record a song a year but that is kind of a cool idea.

except that the new versions would really suck compared to the originals.

how about a 50-song setlist of songs chosen by the fans???

now THAT would be cool.

Yeah, a bunch of old guys recording inferior rehashes of their old music...minus their best singer.  Color me there!!

Sorry, it was a bit short. I was meaning that they maybe do from each year in their recording years (1961-1992) and re-record those songs.

A whole new cd with all new songs would be great of course !

I liked the Dylan / Adriana Lima commercial for VS a few years ago.  I think the subliminal association didn't hurt Bob a bit.
Or Adriana either for than matter.

It's gotta be at Madison Square Garden.

With Brian's band,

And A DVD release  ;D

10-12 new songs (Wilson/Love) sung by Jardine, Love, Wilson
1 old Carl outtake
1 old Dennis Outtake
band=some combo of BW and BB + Dave
Released Labor Day '11
I'll pay money for that

Frankly I could care less if whatever's left of the Beach Boys try to do something together...whether it be a new album or a concert.  If they want to meet up again on the Capitol Records rooftop that would be good enough for me.  I think it would be very hard for them at this point to be able to put anything out that would be significant. 

My wish is that they do one concert and publish it on DVD. A good title would be:  "The Beach Boys: Do It Again" :D

....or it could be the thread heading for the court case after any reunion. ;D

...or "Still Cruisin' Part 2!" ;D

Or..."Surf's Still Up"..they could get an endorsement deal from Viagra.

My take on this thing at the moment is a 'behind the scenes' program/ DVD on a reunion would have a little interest but it is now too late for the best footage. The negotiations would be compelling viewing!

Take a read of the last chapter of Ginger Baker's book. Good Cream goes sour in NYC. >:(

"Beach Boys Plan Anniversary Blowout With Likely Reunion Tour"
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beach-boys-plan-anniversary-blowout-with-likely-reunion-tour-20110928 (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beach-boys-plan-anniversary-blowout-with-likely-reunion-tour-20110928)
Wow, I'm really excited about the DIA sessions! :)

So, a lot of folks from this board visit the Hoffman board but for those that don't, this was just posted regarding the '67 Surf's Up.  What he says next is of particular interest:

"I've heard that version - and it IS that good. There's an emotional quality to it that was missing in his earlier piano demo.

Also, my interview with Mark Linett sheds a little light on where that version came from. Apparently, while working on the first-ever stereo mix of Wild Honey, they found a few run-throughs of "Surf's Up" with just Brian and a piano, AFTER Smile had been aborted."

I wonder what else is being (has been) worked on for the 50th.

EDIT: I see Buddhahat has beaten me to the punch in the Wild Honey in stereo thread.