The Smiley Smile Message Board

Last night our band, along with Mike, Al, and myself, got together for a run through of tonight's short BB set which is part of the Ronald Reagan birthday program. We all met in the library room of the Westlake Four Seasons for an hour and a half and we quite easily refocused a few vocal parts. It was easy, fun, and a pleasure to sing once again with Al.

Scott Totten was his 'usual great BB music director self' and he quickly pulled everything together last night. Matt Jardine was also there and I think he might join us tonight for a couple of songs along with John Stamos.

I'm disappointed that Brian Wilson is unavailable for this event and I know he would have had a really great musical evening rehearsing the music. Scott took a few photos of the song run through and a partial video of us going over "Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring" even though we won't be singing it tonight.

It was a perfect Friday night in Southern California!

Bruce Johnston
Westlake, California (one hour drive from my house)
February 5, 2011

i think inviting brian was nice of mike.  But i think he knew brian couldn't make it.  It was a nice gesture more than anything.

Oh, to have been there and heard Their Hearts...

And that just dropped into your email inbox ?  :)

You keep on thinking Butch, that's what you're good at.  :)

Nice to know that they're working together again...but Reagan? Really?  :o

Looks like Stamos is gonna be there after all. Be very afraid.

Why the eye-rolling ?  The BB have an historical association with the Reagan administration (and Dennis had a somewhat more personal connection with the family), so their being invited wasn't exactly a shocker.


Into every life, a little rain must fall. Or in this case, a prolonged shower of sh*t.  >:(

Get over it, guys.  Anyone who has promoted Dennis' song 'Forever' like Stamos has is OK in my book.

Don't forget, Reagan was the one who arranged for Dennis Wilson to be given a burial at sea.

Haha, you know where BJ posts:

http://www.boards2go.com/boards/board.cgi?user=Bellagio

Well, here's HEARTS at Reagan's inaugural in January, 1985:

   http://video.mail.ru/mail/barabash.89/2506/2519.html

OK:

Promoting "Forever", +5

Co-producing An American Family, -1,000,000,000,000.

^ This.

Has anybody asked Bruce about SMiLE on that board? Haven't the time to check the board out right now. Don't know if he would/could say anything right now anyway.

Well, Bruce is a bit busy right now, and given Alan's little slip earlier this week, I seriously doubt he'd add anything.

How this band continues to think they need a gimmick such as Stamos to make themselves look cool is beyond me. Honestly? Stamos in 2011? At least he was somewhat popular in '88.

He's also a great musician....that may have something to do with his continued stay in the band.

Is it true that Stamos is senior consultant on the proposed summer SMiLE package?

Not. Funny.

I am NOT a  Stamos fan by any means of the imagination ( I really, really don't care for him),however I don't think it's wrong for the guys to have somebody in their band that is, well, their friend. He's been a champion for these BB's for years, so of course he's one of Mike's boys. Doesn't matter if we don't like him, and I don't think they do it to 'make themselves look cool', I think they do it because he's their friend.

Yeah, I fucking hate Full House with a passion but I don't think anyone could deny Stamos is as big a fan as they come.  I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was a regular reader of this board.  If he wants to do it and they want him, why not?

..And I think there was a name at the very  top of that message from Bruce,  which you have omitted, Pong Hit!  It's OK - I'm not turning all "precious" on you - can't abide people like that.   Glad you shared it with the lovely folks on here and Greetings to all at SSDN, from BBB  8)

I bet if Landy were still around (living & in Brian's inner circle), HE'D somehow worm his way into a production credit.  Let's be thankful he's not (in Brian's inner circle).

Actually, would have been amusing if Brian had shown: imagine the rehearsal. "Brian, this is the guy who had a major say in making you look like a drooling mentally handicapped person in that primetime TV series ten years ago. Remember, the one where you had to get a disclaimer inserted ?"

SO:
Stamos is a friend of Mike/Bruce/? and from Al's reports Brian/camp has agreed to do some degree of reunion activities. Will Stamos be a part of that, as Mike's friend/bandmate?  Or will it be part of the proviso from Brian that he be barred from being in the Backujp band?

Man... saving online streams on the web isn't  easy!!
Neither is uploading them to youtube afterwards...

but
enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7xwvOT865c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llGPKlR4PHI

//RD

Thanks ReggieDunbar. As you might have noticed AGD just posted the links as well, probably having been waiting for hours for these to surface on YouTube. Much appreciated!

Nice!

//RD

Nah, got them from Henrik Skold who's linked them on FaceBook... but many thanks, a good thing to have seen.

Hmm...
//RD

Thank you so much !

So was it Brian (or his camp) who got that disclaimer inserted?  I've always wondered exactly how that transpired.  And the change happened in less than 24 hours.

First night (Feb 27, 2000) disclaimer:  "The following dramatization of events in the lives of the Beach Boys is based on published accounts and personal events."

Second night (Feb. 28, 2000) disclaimer (in much larger letters): "The following film is a dramatization based on the early years of The Beach Boys.  Some of the scenes may have been fictionalized for dramatic purposes."

My recollection is that Stamos said he had major regrets about the project, stating he had wanted to bring The Beach Boys story to tv, but that things had spiraled out of his control and the project hadn't turned out as he had expected.

In addition to the film itself, another shocker is reading some of the reviews printed on the back of the "For your Emmy Consideration" double VHS set.  Obviously, they're only going to print good reviews on such a set, but here are some excerpts:  "This movie deserves critical acclaim as well as popular success" (Washington Post) ---- "This film has a focused energy and intelligence totally lacking in recent efforts" (San Jose Mercury News) ---- "Ellis' script is splendid" (Daily Variety).

Of course, these reviewers probably took the material at face value, or were OK with the fact (which totally irritates me) that filmmakers generally convince themselves that it's fine to distort the facts through "artistic license" in order to make a film memorable and attract an audience.

--

I assume there is no ill will between Brian and Stamos having been in a three way conversation with the two of them backstage at the Hollywood Bowl in '08. Stamos and Brian interacted as if old friends, Melinda was also very welcoming to Stamos. Some guys just get away with stuff I guess.

... or they resorted to selective quoting. Example (not re: the TV series):

on promo material - "absolutely unbelievable"
.
actual review - "it's absolutely unbelievable how poor this movie is"

Along these lines, here's Stamos doing his best Brian impersonation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f81vWxPfzM

My understanding is that Brian was provided with a screener for the first two hours early on and approved it (he even recorded some vocals for it), but the producers were hesitant to provide a screener for the second part. Brian and Melinda finally got to see the rest just a day or two before the broadcast and were outraged. They demanded a beefed up disclaimer be presented. Eventually, some other changes were made such as Van Dyke Parks name being changed (he threatened to sue).

So, was it the real Brian who recorded the young character's vocals in Brian's "new" voice? Those vocala weren't bad at all

I always thought the disclaimer was more on VDP's behest than Brian's, given that it bloody well savages him. I can't remember much else of it, possibly my mind trying to do me a favour

And rightfully so. I thought he came off as completely retarded and pretty much like a cartoon figure. Very insulting.

It was neat to wake up this morning and  see the newspaper article on the Beach Boys appearing at the Reagon 100th celebration.  Beach Boys in large print, the same size and font as Nancy Reagon.  (the type , not Nancy Reagon herself)  ;D

Brian re-recorded two short clips for the 1st part - both were when he was at the piano in the Rovell's house. One, as I recall was a song for the girls, and the other was "I Get Around". It was very obvious the voice was 2000 Brian.

Brian's comment on the mini-series was "It wasn't very nice".

It wasn't just for VDP's sake. In addition to his own portrayal, Brian was not happy with how Dennis was treated either.

More like Dennis? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCe-K6NiTm8

I'm sure "In My Room" was another one he re-recorded.

I'm aware of the historical association...I wasn't surprised, I just think Reagan was an evil corporate merdahead beholden to the interests of the wealthy elite (same goes for Maggie Thatcher and Lyin' Brian Mulroney).

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, my opinion is you're wrong.  Reagan.  REALLY.

People like you are really a piece of work.  The man has his 100th birthday celebration, has been dead for years, has a wife who's there who's ancient as well, and their favorite band  happened to be the Beach Boys.  It's not enough for you to just let a dead guy have it for one night, you have to start talking sh*t.  I'd hate to be such an asshole that I have to be a jerk at a fucking FUNERAL. 

Go rally against capitalism at a Rage against the Machine concert, the Beach Boys are all about some capitalism and Ronald Reagan.  Sorry.  I know it sucks, but thems the breaks.  At least yall have U2. 

What an ass. 

To be fair, nobody is being a jerk "at a friggin' FUNERAL." Reagan has been dead for years. And for people with memories, it is somewhere between awkward and hilarious how he is being inaccurately lionized in recent years as a Tea Party styled reformer, when in fact he was without question a compromiser who, while apparently theoretically in favor of shrinking government, grew it consistently and never balanced a single budget, and after cutting taxes significantly early on, reversed that shortly thereafter. The man was charismatic, no doubt about it. But he didn't actually do a lot of what his current legend says or hints that he did. And finding fault either with the reality of what he did (or didn't do) or with what he's credited with doing doesn't make one an ass. Or an anti-capitalistic rager (against the machiner ... thank you, thank you ... I thought of that myself). Anyway, this is begging to become Sandboxed, so I'll shut up. Except first I'll say, I have no qualms with the Beach Boys performing at a Reagan memorial party, regardless of my disagreements with the politics. And I think all presidents deserve a certain amount of respect, also regardless of my disagreements with their politics. So go for it, Mssrs. Love, Johnston, Jardine, & Co. If you needed my blessing--which you don't--you have it.

If the discussion indeeds slowly turns into a political discussion, then a move to the Sandbox is inevitable. But whether here on the main board, or in the Sandbox, avoid the name-calling please.

Luther you're cool.

Sorry, didn't mean to turn this into a huge argument...regardless of who the Boys were playing for, the show itself wasn't half bad.

Here is a video from the day after the Reagan show, with The Beach Boys singing Happy Birthday!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n5n7-OqUno

Isn't it slightly macabre to sing Happy Birthday to a dead man?

Thanks for posting the vid. I thought Mike's speech was nice, and the three Boys look great in suits - Al has aged so well, and Bruce looks so much better without the hat!

This sprang to mind....

http://www.theonion.com/articles/embarrassed-republicans-admit-theyve-been-thinking,19248/?utm_source=recentnews

Got to give Mike some credit. While everyone is just singing a standard Happy Birthday, Mike adds his bass near the end and it 'Beach Boys' the song. :thumbsup

Yeah, but he was singing it to a REPUBLICAN.  So I can't like it.  Man made politics that control people are more important to me than god given music.  So lets not talk about the beauty of the stuff god gave us, lets first talk about the negativity that man gave us. 









HE WAS A REPULICAANNNN OH THE HORRRORRRR

I'll keep my music and politics seperate thanks.

Awesome to see them all looking great.

Especially Al, guess he was right to keep it clean  :smokin

Stamos there unnecessarily again.... >:(

Great and absolutely hilarious article from The Onion!  Thanks for the link!  Regardless of anyone's political persuasions, this is satire at its best.

Yes, it was a nice gesture.