The Smiley Smile Message Board

Heads up for the new RS magazine:

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#STILL WINNING

Well, that looks ominous.

Could've given them the cover over that joke Charlie Sheen.

Ditto. I understand the world doesn't revolve around the Beach Boys, but come on...the Boys have a much more successful tour going on than Charlie's "Torpedo of Truth" was.

Yeah he's a nothing

not fragile for 70

Oh goody. Maybe there'll be some dirt. Maybe there'll be some he said - he said. :lol

Man, why is this magazine so obnoxious. What are they going to say now? From all accounts, this reunion is going damn well near perfect and is enormously successful.

Maybe it means "Reunion of the fragile Beach Boys" rather than "the Beach Boys' fragile reunion".

But let's knock the obnoxious mag first, then read the ominous obnoxious dirt when it's ominously available.

(Why is there no apostrophe in "John Mayer s Regrets"?  Illiterate obnoxious b*st*rds!!!!!)

Adam Lambert's "dance music" album received better reviews from Rolling Stone than TWGMTR. Need I say more?

What? Dude was banging 7 gram rocks.

Oh I see. That explains everything.

It does. Go and listen to that and tell me what you think.

I think we should both (all!) read the Rolling Stone article that the thread's about and not worry about reviews, which represent the individual opinions of their respective authors.

Oh Christ. So I have THAT to look forward to seeing when I open my mailbox.

I love how 8 out 10 times their feature article has NOTHING to do with music.

So no thoughts on the actual article?!  I thought it was really well done, probably the best one yet in conjunction with this reunion.  It gives some real insight into the tour.  Brian's conversation on the plane is a classic.

It hasn't hit the shelves yet nor has it been posted online as of yet.  If you can post a scan that would be great.

Happy to post a scan, will the moderators jump on me for that tho??

No one's watching. Move!

Yeah dude, come on!

Go! Go! Go!

Peer pressure at its finest.

Just got the issue in the mail.  A fantastic picture of the guys at a diner eating lunch.  Read the first page and it's quite good so far.

Just remembered that any scans of the article posted would automatically be scaled down when it's posted.  Hopefully jeffcdo can give it a try but I recall trying many times in the past to post large images only to find it scaled down to a much smaller size after I click "Post"  Not sure any images/scans posted would be readable.   :-\

Deeply impressive piece. This and the Newsweek article are the two about the reunion you need to read.

Let's just say that Mike is not going to have many new fans in boardland after this one, though.

Finished the article and it's really the best "inside look" we're going to get into the tour and getting a sneak peak between Brian and Mike off stage.  Some great reporting done here.  Everyone should try seeking it out, hopefully it's making it's way to stores. 

Not sure what you're referring to, Wirestone, about the ani-Mike reaction?  Is it regarding his comments about Brian's health?  His reaction to adding new songs to the set?

I'm thinking the more "I'm going to fake commit suicide over Brian's album-closing suite" bit.

Although the other stuff is good, too.

A scan is not a recording, so as long as it doesn't steal from any of our members or the BB...

use Photobucket or something like that, so we can see it in fullsize.

*ahem*

Ah that. 

That bothered me slightly, yeah (but that sure was a hilarious reaction).  Regardless of that, I'm glad that Mike and Brian are getting on ok, they seem to be able to balance the tight wire ok and meet the other halfway.

Even though Mike was hesitant to add "Marcella" I'm glad he eventually agreed to add it.  In the video I took at the Beacon of the first time it was performed you can see Mike give Brian a smile and a small thumbs up (00:10 below)...he's clearly grooving on it.  After the song is over Mike realizes that it is in fact a great song and says, "Thanks Brian...that was cool!  You're getting to do songs you don't normally get to!" Brian smiles back at him.  So in the end, he embraced the choice.  Compromise = a successful Beach Boys reunion.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g34uojCvqk&list=UUdmS9B6Qr3lJwYZdQEj5QtQ&index=2&feature=plcp

One of the hardest things in life is to have the Grace to forgive people when they make mistakes.  Mike makes mistakes a lot, it appears Brian has found the grace to forgive him and not hold all the constant little remarks he makes and things agains thim. 

Well.  It's midnight, and I'm sitting here in the dark with tears streaming down my face because I just read what Brian's last words to Carl were.  Oh my. 

Which were?

Yeah....so anybody gotta scan of this stuff? I wanna read this article, but I don't wanna run to Wal Mart at this time (around midnight) to end up finding out they don't have this issue!

I gotta say it's kinda funny when people are like, "you still think the old Brian is still in there?" to which I'd say "absolutely, just as quirky and interesting as ever, and still making great music!"

However, nobody really asks this about Mike. Myself, I wonder what happened to the guy that I see on performing with the early '70s version of the band, with Blondie, Ricky, et al. I still can relate Alan Jardine to his younger self, same with David, and for as much crap as I give him, even Bruce. It seems that the more open minded Mike was actually just a role he was playing, waiting and hoping for his moment again. And as much as it seems as though his behavior towards Brian is so great these days and whatnot, it is still quite interesting that the guy STILL seems to roll his eyes when "Surf's Up" is proclaimed the band's number one song by a magazine, or when SMiLE is brought up in glowing terms. Or especially in this case, with him apparently being against adding "Marcella" in.

I really don't think the guy wants to acknowledge any era of the band besides '62-'65 and "Kokomo". I think he's been backed into supporting Pet Sounds just because it's kinda unthinkable that anybody would be against that album anymore. It's just too good, and so classy a recording, and just overall to great to dislike. But I don't think Mike really cares for the fact that people go to the shows and wanna hear "This Whole World", "Marcella", "Sail On, Sailor" or "Heroes And Villains". I think as much as he's grown away from that bad attitude he used to have, he still prefers to whitewash the bands career to fit his vision of what it should be. And I think that's a shame. Because, in his quest to be "commercial" and play up what he thinks to be the band's "commercial" material, he probably doesn't realize he's actually alienating a lot of fans and potential fans who are getting into the Pet Sounds through L.A. (Light Album) era, and that it is that material, along with the early stuff, that is making people realize The Beach Boys are one of the greatest bands ever.

I haven't read the article yet, but I've had no problem with Mike on this reunion. When I started thinking of Mike as the guy who doesn't play an instrument, stands up on stage with just a mic, isn't the best singer, was never the heartthrob, got kind of shunned by Brian multiple times as a collaborater, plus went bald in his mid-20s, you can see where some sort of inferiority complex kicks in.

Throughout most of what we all do, we tend to appreciate the things we have involvement in the most. Mike was most heavily involved during the early 60s. Of course he may feel some resentment still over Pet Sounds or Smile tracks, Brian found new lyricists. I'm sure that hurt at the time and still hurts to some degree now.

In Mike's head, he likely justifies it by saying that those are the songs played on the radio as well. And to a certain degree he's absolutely right. Its the 50th anniversary tour, it would be odd for them not to play their biggest hits.

Keep in mind I'm in no way a Mike Love-r. I think he is closed minded and I think he does still shun some of the group's best work. I still love the pre-Pet Sounds work though too, likely more than the rest of this board. So I have no problem hearing Little Douce Coupe over say, She's Goin' Bald.

Mike is Brian's straight man.  If there were no Mike (Or Jeff) Brian would play shortnin' bread for 2 hours.  We'd all love it, but it wouldn't sell many tickets. 

In the article, eventually Mike relents, does what Brian wanted, and admits that it was great. 

In the studio, Brian calls the shots, as should be.  On the stage, Mike calls the shots, as it should be. 

Yup that's it!

I definitely agree with you on most (if not all) of that. I can see why Mike would be most appreciative of the songs and era which he was most prominent in. When I used to be in a band, I would always be more excited if somebody complimented me on one of "my" songs rather than the other guy's song, even if it was our same band regardless of which one they liked. So I can dig that.

And yeah, I'm sure none of them would admit it, but I'm sure Mike has a bit of an inferiority complex. And Al probably resents Mike a little bit too, for kicking him out and a few other things. But I'm glad they have stuck together anyways. The way these guys mold their personalities and styles and whatnot is part of what makes the band so great. I prefer The Beach Boys as a group over Brian, Mike, Al, Carl, Dennis, David, Bruce, Blondie, or Ricky solo, no matter how good those solo things may be. The Beach Boys do have that certain *vibration* and it comes through.

But also, at the same time, I'm not saying they shouldn't play nearly ALL of their hits. However, there is still room for classic songs that were not hits, and rather than pick lame cover songs ("Duke of Earl") or semi-cheezball originals ("Summer in Paradise")*, it does make more sense to throw in really good music like "This Whole World" and "Marcella". But maybe Mike still has to learn this, and if apparently he realizes Brian or whoever was right in that instance and owns up to, good on him.

*Yes, I'm aware they aren't playing "Duke of Earl" or "Summer in Paradise" on this tour, but I was just making a point.

And also, somebody upload the thing!

Wrong, NOT the way it should be, at least not to the extent that it is now. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, of course.

Please elaborate!

No uploads yet?

I would, but you really kind of have to put it into the context, so I'll just leave it alone.  There's a quote in the article from Joe Thomas about it.  Basically it was a really beautiful Brianism. 

It's really great that some got to read this article and are critiquing it all around our ignored pleas to post it. Awesome.

Well, I don't know, maybe you could just go to anyplace that sells magazines, and read it?  "Gimme Gimme Gimme"  Somebody sent me a copy, it's not mine, so I'm not sending it to anybody else.  I shouldn't talk about it until everybody alive has read it? 

Somebody sent you a copy?  Gimme, gimme.  I am going to buy it.  It is not on the news stands yet.

It is interesting that they keep letting these extremely candid reports. Like they still haven't learnt to wash their dirty laundry privately after the tarmac episode in the late 70s.

Some of us live out in the sticks. Ahhh...hillbilly country...where my 147 IQ is more than double of most of the rest of the population combined.


Yeah...that too.

Who is the author for this piece?

Marcella is a song Brian doesn't normally get to do? Brian has been doing it in his solo act for years. Cool about the compromise, though.

You actually know your IQ?  Probably should have kept that one private, Billy. 

Right...but I guess Mike didn't know that.

Still dying to hear about Brian and Carl...not that I need tears running down my face at work today...

I sent you a p.m., onkster. 

Now that just makes me wanna read the whole article. I'm loving the plane dialogue too, made me laugh!

From the article:

"Mike's an entertainer.  Brian is an artist," says band member Jeff Foskett.  "There's room for both, but it's hard to reconcile."

In addition to being one fine musician, Jeff is a very smart and perceptive man!

BTW
the opening picture (The Boys at a diner, finishing a meal) is worth the price of the magazine.  A riot!  Keeper!

Yeah, the picture is awesome.  Worth a thousand words, time 5. 

yeah, I think that may a quesadilla of some kind Brian is working on.  BTW, as of my lunch hour the issue IS NOW on the news stands. Go forth and buy.

I thought the article was great. No idea why there was so little mention of David though. Odd. I don't even remember a quote.

Some very good Brian and Al stuff though. Al appears to be pretty much exactly as you'd expect him to be.

Seems like Brian's band is the reason Stamos disappeared.

I'd love a professional massage as well

I'm going to ensure everybody goes out and buys the issue with this :

It details how Al couldn't figure out how to flush a toilet on a flight.  He gave up, and went and asked the flight attendant. 

I'm tellin' ya, peebles, ya gotta buy this issue.  (And I usually hate Rolling Stone.)

Brian and Mike are at some restaurant in Florida, on their night off:

Brian asks, "Isn't Kokomo around here, Mike?  Somewhere down around the Florida keys, right?  We should go there."

But it's totally deadpan so you don't know if he's joking.

Brian is a riot!  Love the Lovester too!

 :lol

Yeah, and the story about Brian's last time with Carl.... well gosh........

Can someone *please* tell me who wrote the article?

And how many pages long is it?

Jason Fine, 5 pages.

Excellent article.  A must-buy, must-read

Thank you, startbb. I'm always fascinated to see who gets these assignments. I'm encouraged by this news. I think the Newsweek writer was a bad appointment.

The article in Rolling Stone is much better than the one in Newsweek.

Ahh, c'mon, someone hook it up with a scan! I always hook everyone up when I can.  ;D

I'm stuck in the studio and can't travel hours to get a copy right now... Would greatly appreciate it!

Since I don't live in the US and the local edition of Rolling Stone doesn't feature this article, I would REALLY like to be able to read it. I'm willing to part with some of my precious eternal gratitude.

 ;)

What a superb article. It hit all the right notes for me- offering us a peek into their world instead of trying to regurgitate their entire history.

 I got chills and my eyes watered a bit reading about Brian's last words to Carl. (Ok, just thinking about it again to type the sentence I just typed made my eyes water again- ah!)

You did better than me then, I was full on bawling.  


"Sniff... It's... .It's... It's JUST SO BEAUTIFUL!!! .. Sniff... Sniff..."

I really want to read this! Is it available in UK. If not can someone help me out...

Really wanna read this but hate Rolling Stone... hmmm....

No scans?

I'm dying to know what Brian's last words to Carl were. And all of the other stuff in the article.

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Great article!  Thanks for posting!

You're welcome, Awesoman. Finally was able to do 3 image "snips" per article page from Rolling Stone's online archives. Mine hasn't arrived in the mail yet. The writer, Jason Fine, also wrote one of the best profiles on Merle Haggard for the magazine a few years ago.

they slightly overplay the Mike vs. Brian on the setlist thing, especially since Mike IS open and deep in his choices, as shown by the concerts and in his filmed RS interview.  The other night at the Bowl he chastened the crowd gently for expecting all hits and defended the deep cuts (that is, in an "in case you wonder why we are doing this song" kind of way--very wonderful).

Brian was not much for "waves of love" but is totally into Daybreak--me too.

Excellent reason why Brian was anti-"WOL" - it's just not good enough.

No RS cover for the BB 50th wins me a bet here at the house.  Although it's a nice article, me thinks it is Rolling Stone that has become irrelevant.... and long ago.


Here's an email to direct a note about your delight that RS passed on a Beach Boys cover for this issue:

letters@rollingstone.com

"Waves of Loves" is undercooked. It's perhaps the genesis of a good song, but it feels incomplete now. The chorus melody goes on for too long considering what it is, for example.  Brian and the boys probably could've whipped it into shape, but they already had good songs in the can they could use instead.

Interesting, too, that it was Joe Thomas's chords on "Think About the Days" that convinced Mike that Brian still had the talent. Of course, Mike goes on to praise the vocal arrangement of that song, but it's still funny that he's still unaware that Thomas wrote the chords.

"Surf Freezes Over".  Friendship defrosted.

Brian as astronaut, or GPS.

Dennis and Mike's pants.

Mike's mock suicide -- yeah, I can understand where he's coming from, but I'd never dare -- and case of LSD.

John Stamos loving "Summer's Gone".

Mike's self-knowledge.

"...I think maybe I'll just stay."

This article is just packed with utter gems.  Thousands of thanks to the interviewer -- and I'll be sure to buy my own copy!

Cheers,
Jon BLum

Thanks for uploading! That's a really great article

Brian's bit about "Kokomo" is too funny.  This thing is filled with Brian-isms- the conversation on the plane was a lot of fun.  "I'm a in a rock group.  We're called the Beach Boys."

One of my favorite parts: After Mike says he couldn't dream of not performing their biggest hits in concert, Brian is asked for his vision for the Beach Boys' tour: "I'd like to scare people a little." Just wish he had convinced Mike to do Add Some Music To Your Day & Marcella a little earlier in the tour, since I missed it...

Didn't he say something similar back in 66' about "SMiLE"?

The article itself brings up a great deal of emotions for me.  To make it short and sweet, I really hope that no matter where their careers take them professionally that The Beach Boys remain on good terms from here on out.  They established a wonderful legacy together and shouldn't spend the rest of their lives fighting it out in courtrooms over trivial issues.  I also think when we are speaking about Brian Wilson specifically my feeling is he can only benefit by reconnecting with his old mates because as of late they seem to bring out a great deal of positivity in him which is obviously a good thing so hopefully that continues. 

I don't think I've ever read a magazine feature twice in a short span, but I plan on reading this again today.  Just fantastic.

Some great Brian quotes in there, the plane etc.
Mike still comes off as a pompous ass at times, I think he has mellowed and gets things more but it seems like he can't help himself.
I feel bad for Al. You will always have the Brian/Mike rivalry and all that entails but Al is not a part of that. He's still stuck in between. He's gonna back Brian push comes to shove for sure.  Al misses Carl and Dennis to an extent more on this tour than any of the other guys. Obviously Brian does, but in a different way. Al is having fun on stage but the BB were always Brian in 1 direction, Mike the opposite and the others in between and now it's just Al in between and that's gotta be sad.  Dave wasn't there for that dynamic, it's not his fault and I don't know how to read Bruce. He's frighteningly loyal to Mike it seems.

Great read. By the way, no reason to disparage the Newsweek piece - it succeeded on other levels (the studio and tour rehearsals). The Stone piece gives great insight into the great balancing act of this tour.

And poor Al. He's gone from a man waiting on a bus, to a man sleeping on a bus. 

Well written article. Kind of in the same vein as the Newsweek one, not wearing rose colored glasses for this. Has anyone noticed how the touring band seems to be in a sort of negative light after reading those articles?

It seems with this band that somebody ALWAYS has to be the villain doesn't it?  ::) 

Great article. Thanks for posting.
My favorite was the words Brian said to Carl. Wow.

Weird how Mike told Brian not to worry about having another beer and then later expressed concern about Brian's weight and lack of exercise.

Especially classy to express such concern to a guy writing a Rolling Stone article... while also working in the death of Murry and intestinal details. I can almost picture Melinda reading that out loud and fuming as Brian stares into space. Altho in Love's defense, I bet we've all worried about his recent health too!

Clearly the whole back problem bizness f*cked his exercise regime and it's back to steak and cake.

he did flee the stage pretty nimbly in Irvine and wasn't assisted, tho.

I was at both the H. Bowl and Irvine, as well as Opening day at Dodger Stadium.  Brian is moving MUCH better now, there is really no comparison at all. And speaking of concern over Brian's health and weight, I am sure we all have that.  He is indeed over weight.  However, it was a BIT of an irony for Love to talk about Brian's weight, wasn't it?

I take issue with that, Andrew. So "Waves of Love" isn't good enough, but "Daybreak Over The Ocean" and "Beaches In Mind" are totally worthy?

Bad back and all, he can ride an exercise bike, and maybe cut back on the calories a little.  I was struck by how fat-in-the-face Brian looked, not good.

With all that free time they have between gigs, I wonder if they ever try to write some new material.

Being shlepped around on buses and doing radio shows and interviews constantly isn't exactly the best environment to write new material.

I don't like either of the songs you mention, but I do think they're both better than Waves Of Love.

I think it's like

Brian and his merry band of supporters, Jeff, half the band, etc.

Mike, Bruce, and their couple guys

Al kind of by himself, but everybody gets on with him although they don't show him too much respect

Dave, who everybody shows respect but kind of just 'is' there. 

That Brian and Al exchange over "Waves Of Love" reminded me of the scene in Goodfellas where Morry keeps bugging Jimmy about his share of the money.

Al: Hey, Brian, everybody got to contribute to the album. I want you to record my song. Everybody else got theirs recorded.

Brian: You're something else, you know that?

Al: Come on, Brian, you know I love you and would do anything for you.

Brian: Yeah, like keep busting my balls.

Yeah, Al doesn't seem to get much respect. He got interrupted a couple of times during that Google interview, and I've noticed he has had to share a mike during a couple of interviews too--once with Bruce and once with Dave.

I was going to say that about Mike's weight-- he's not exactly fighting-thin himself. Maybe he believes that because he's a vegetarian, he can eat whatever he wants. Nachos? But I do hope someone is looking after Brian's health, with his history. Apparently no one stops him from stopping at McDonald's!

I agree Mike is overweight, but I don't think I'd call him out of shape.  He stands up for the whole concert, everynight, and scoots across the country nonstop.  Sings his ass off, etc.

Meanwhile Brian's very lethargic and a little roly poly.  God Bless his brilliant, overweight, buddah-like, can I rub you and get a wish belly though. 

Not totally worthy, but certainly better, especially from a technical viewpoint.

Doesn't WOL have Carl's voice on it? Maybe that's why Brian doesn't want to fix it up for a BB's album. Or maybe he will change his mind.

The main problem is, none of Al's songs are very good.

Has he written a single tune that isn't based on another song or piece of music? It's become obvious that the man, while he has a great voice and decent production aesthetic, just isn't a songwriter. Brian can knock out catchier tunes in his sleep -- and with Beaches in Mind, he probably did.

Why would people respect Dave but not Al?

It's interesting the way Al uses the press to try to get his way and get his voice heard, repeatedly announcing things before they are done deals. In person with the others, they frequently talk over him... frustration on all sides!

 Hey, at least he got California Saga in! Great to hear him advocate Surf's Up and Our Prayer as well.

From Newsweek July 19, 1976:

Brian's return - which he reportedly undertook at the insistence of his wife, Marilyn - has divided the group sharply. Much of the debate centers around the new album, with its hybrid format of borrowed oldies and somewhat flaky originals. Jardine and Love were all for letting Brian take full charge, even though Love makes no secret of resenting him. Love, who jumped rope to get in shape for the tour, recently declared: "I'm not going out on the road like some broken-down rock star."

Apropos of Mike's "out of shape" comments ... funny how things never change in families.

Al does take inspiration (rip off) other songs too much but he has written far better songs than Beaches in Mind.

You'll have to ask them. 

Let me rephrase my question...why is it your presumption that people respect David but not Al?  What specific evidence do you have, or is it just speculation (which is fine, by the way).

The song that David was supposedly writing with Mike didn`t make the album either and the same goes for Bruce`s song. I suspect that Al, Bruce and David all get the same amount of respect as each other. All considered to be secondary figures and of much less importance than Brian and Mike.

There was no confirmation that Mike and Dave actually collaborated on anything. Mike just said it was a possibility at one point.

Just watch the show, and see who gets respect and who doesn't.  That's all I'm saying.  Dave gets respect, Al gets the "oh, gee, you again?" treatment in interviews, on stage, Brian kicking him off his tour, Mike suing him and generally relegating him to permanent back bencher status, Brian leaving the room when Al wants to record, reporters writing about how Al can't flush a toilet, people posting videos up of Al forgetting words, Brian staring Al down when he messed up, etc. 

Dave gets none of that. 

I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I was just making the observation that it appears, everybody views Al as a bit of an inferior member they can push around, whereas they never show Dave any of that.  Nothing but respect for his guitar work, etc. 

Didn`t Carrie Marks comment that Mike pissed David off and then joked about it onstage a few years ago which caused a rift for a while?

And David`s vocals have been largely absent from record and concert.

David has been knocked in magazine/newspaper articles as well..."back after only an absence of 49 years..."

I seem to recall that Dave had hepatitis, right? It was diagnosed around the time he had rejoined the band, and he had to take some time out for treatment.

It would be great to read the '76 RS article "The Healing of Brother Bri" followed by this new article. Fascinating counterpoint.

Not sure what relevance that has...

I thought you were suggesting that Mike's joking onstage and causing a rift is what drove David from the band in the late '90s.

I think it depends which show they get a quote after.  The one in the article which generated that quote got slammed on this board -- the band member's reaction seemed mild next to that!  But the next show at the Beacon got raves, Brian was really on, the new numbers started debuting...  but nobody asked the band what they thought about it then.

Cheers,
Jon Blum

What's remarkable about this article -- and to a lesser extent, the articles in the VCStar and Newsweek -- is how much they underscore the impression of Brian that emerged from the Peter Carlin book a few years ago. The Brian of that book, more than any other, is an intelligent, talented, funny (and lazy) guy, with a bit of an ego. That Brian doesn't hesitate to manipulate people (generally kindly) to get his way, and is far more aware of his surroundings, strengths and weaknesses, than people give him credit for.

What's more, in the years since Carlin's book, the creative surge of TLOS and the Disney projects has clearly given Brian a jolt of confidence. He really comes across as the boss in that article, and while he's no doubt "different," he can also use that to get his way. He's super open, and that makes it hard for people to refuse him when he asks for things. Mike, for all of his bravado, clearly now respects that Brian has a career and power base of his own, something he never had while in the band. Mike essentially has no leverage over his cousin anymore -- in fact, Brian has all the power in the reunion, and has not been hesitant to use it.

The notion that at this stage in the game Brian would -- more or less -- be running things, is amazing.

Yeah, I agree Wirestone. 


Something I've always been appreciative of, and always thought held true... was that all of the beach boys, and especially Mike, absolutely WORSHIP Brian more than even we fans do.  All of them.  Period.  I mean, gushing, profound, over the top, "Oh my god he's just like Jesus Christ" type admiration. 

Even when he was pretty damn gone, they'd drop everything they were doing and come running at his beckon call to record... "Ding Dang" or whatever. 

The impression ultimately that I've gotten, from all kinds of articles like this, from books, from anctedotes, everything... is that all of the Beach Boys, Mike, Carl, Dennis, Al, Dave, and Bruce... love nothing more in life than sitting in a room and having Brian Wilson tell them what to sing. 

That's right...he's made a big improvement since the start of the tour.

It's probably Exercise just touring!  If they keep his ass out their long enough he'll probably start running track and singing Falsetto again!

Great post, Wirestone.  Brian is as sly as a fox, and it's wonderful to get a little peek at the interpersonal dynamics going on and to see how Brian is in total command of the situation.

Does anyone else get the feeling from that article that they did not have Marcella in the setlist for the second Beacon show and Brian didn't care and started it anyway?  I would be surprised if he went and told the guys from his backing band but no one else. :lol

Well, I think this is true sometimes. Problems tended to crop up when you had competing artistic visions for the band, especially during the post Endless Summer era, when Mike had very clear ideas about where to go, Carl and Dennis had other ideas, and Brian was off in his own little world. Given that they're free of outside influences now -- and Brian is the only one of them regularly recording Beach Boys-sounding music -- there is much less conflict over creative direction. As terrible as it is to say, Carl's death basically cleared the way for Brian to lead the band again.

What an absolutely incredible article about the most fascinating band ever

Wait, when did the first two happen? As for "Marcella", hey, he was hesitant but opted to give it a shot and is seemingly glad he made the call to do so. What's wrong with that?

Edit: The article doesn't even say Mike was opposed to it.

Which is fascinating -- but also notice how the scene in the restaurant plays out, with Brian diffidently suggesting new songs for the setlist saying it's on advice from his family.  He may well have power, but he's not going to outright assert it!

Cheers,
Jon Blum

I like how he says "Oh Michael" LOL 

That's what makes Brian Brian! He's not going to say it's what he wants. He has to sidle up to it. But it's not like -- at this point -- he's fooling anyone. That's what I find really funny about it -- of course he wants to play these songs. But bides his time until Mike has a bad night (which the night with Stamos was, certainly) and then he magically gets what he wants the next day. For both songs! No one can accuse him of pushing too hard -- yet it all manages to fall precisely in the places he wants it to.

That has to be the greatest line ever spoken accidentally by a living being:

"I think I'm gonna stay a while..." in the context, it has unlimited meaning...


BRIAN. YOU ARE STILL A GENIUS.

One or two thoughts re. apparent respect or lack of for Al and Dave -

Al is very prominent on the new album and is in great voice (especially on From There to Back Again). Dave, to my knowledge, while apparently playing guitar on several tracks, is to me inaudible in the mix and appears to not even get a special featured spot anywhere on the album. For that matter, I can only hear one passage where Bruce has a lead vocal bit.

Both Al and Dave are featured prominently in the live shows however. Personally, I think because Brian knows Al is still a great singer, and with no Carl around anymore in the blend, I think he expects more vocally from Al onstage and in the studio, which is why it might seem that Al gets a little more criticism at times. 

I really like the new album, but do wish we could have heard a little more from Bruce in the vocals and that Dave was featured properly, as he is billed as an official member. Meanwhile, Jeffrey Foskett (who, as a falsetto singer is a little shrill for my tastes but whom I have no beef against) is featured as a de facto essential group member on the new album, filling in Brian's old high parts and most of the spot mid-range where Carl would be. To be a little controversial perhaps, I think Jeff should be viewed as a 'proper' Beach Boy on this album, as, after Brian, Mike and Al, he seems to be the most prominent voice on the album, even taking the odd lead part here and there.

And, judging by both the new album and that wonderful RS article, it really is amazing how much power Brian now has in the group again. He really does seem to be 'the boss' again musically speaking  :) 

Oh yeah, and I love Brian's comments to Mike re. Kokomo when they were in Florida. Classic Brian/ Mike banter  ;D

Thanks for posting the article !!

I love how Brian - after Scott Totten says they couldn't do "Marcella" bacuase thy don't know it yet - goes "My guys know it. We can do it."
It shows how important those guys are to Brian. He trusts them and knows that they'll be up for it if he wants to do something out of the air. I believe I've seen videos of "Marcella" being performed and Cowsill wasn't on drums but someone from Brian's band. Now I know why.


BTW if this should sound like a stab from my side against Scott Totten and John Cowsill, it shouldn't sound that way. Those two guys are great and very important for the great sound the Beach Boys' band brings to us on this special tour

And I think Mike's earlier "Whaaat ?!" about "Marcella" was more like "You want us to do this song tomorrow without having it rehearsed ?!" and not "You want us to do that piece of sh!t ?"

No. This was 2008 or 2009 aprox. David got over it before the reunion. Carrie said so in a reply to my comment.

Regardin Brian dissing Alan's song, I guess for him it's bussiness as usual. Don't you think that Brian's job as a producer, since his early 20s has been dissing other people's ideas? Not that he necessarily likes to do it, that I don't know. But he certainly does it; it's his job.

The thing is Brian is the boss, and since we tend to think he is not, we find those stories surprising. But don't you think that Al and the rest of the guys have been trying to push their songs into the albums forever?

I am still hoping for a track by track analysis of Dave's playing on the 7 songs he is credited with. Who has good enough ears to do this?  Liner notes aside, I am sure he's singing as well. Some omission fails to reflect that but,. . . .

I hear Bruce everywhere on the album--everywhere, though his leads are confined to part of SV, TWGMTR and Isnt It Time. parts

Read the article, lots of interesting stuff. Interesting setlist "politics." I think it's interesting that Mike is very into doing more well-known songs, yet I would assume it's at his insistence that they do "It's OK." I know it was a minor "hit" as the second single from 15BO. But at this point, even semi-casual fans might know something off of "Pet Sounds" or "Smile" better than "It's OK."

It sounds like they are all talking about the setlist being more contentious than it actually is contentious. Think about it, a typical BB show in the 90's was around 30 songs or so. They are doing 45-47 songs give or take on this tour. That gives them plenty or room to do the well-known stuff and some deeper cuts.

Mike does seem to overcompensate for his perceived notion that the audience will just up and walk about if they hear too many "non hits." Yeah, if you come out and do the entire new album and then play "MIU" and "Summer in Paradise" and leave the stage, that might become an issue.

But you're playing most of the freaking songs on every greatest hits compilations. The audience can handle "Marcella." Someone should do a better job convincing Mike that *some* of the people going to these shows are the fans that have skipped his shows for years and clamor for hearing "Smile" from beginning to end. Really, they don't mind "Add Some Music to Your Day."

I don't get Mike's gesture of putting the gun to his head after hearing the end suite, nor do I get his comments about clouds.

Is he saying it was depressing and it's suicide music??? 

Yes

Thank you! I know, Wirestone, that your posts are well thought out and expressed articulately. I hope you don't mind if I refer to this one in the future.

The customers are gonna come - frequently - to visit the office, and they're gonna question - repeatedly - TWGMTR, specifically the production values, the inclusion of "Daybreak Over The Ocean", and Mike's "fun fun fun" lyrics. So, now the people manning the front desks can say, with confidence, "You'll have to speak to the boss, he's in charge, he's the guy responsible.....Mr. Wilson, are you in your office. There's some people out here who have some questions?"

Yes, and of course, it is.

I think that the clouds comment refers to the fact that had he written the lyrics, there would be a touch of hope or positivity to those songs.

It's that same Mike Love positivity wherein he suggests that the Brian suite makes him want to shoot himself in the face. They don't call him Mr. Positive Thinker for nothing!

Summer's On! (lyrics by M. Love)


Summer's On!
Summer's here to stay
Here today
Just like yesterday

Old friends have gone
They've gone to surf some bitchin' waves
Our dreams hold on
You know we still have more to say

It's Joe Thomas's suite too.  Who knows how much of it Brian wrote?  I'm sure that figured in Mike's thinking.  If Mike got to write one line of it and got a songwriting credit for it he wouldn't have had a thing to say about it.

now that's a hit!

Holy crap, Mike really didn't do himself any favors in this article did he

I laughed out loud. Thanks!

Thank you EgoHanger and Ivy.  :)

Erm

We have a great new album, headed for the top ten apparently.  One or two (or more?) albums in the can.  And we are 27 dates into the tour.

Doesn't seem like a very fragile reunion.

I think the thing about "Marcella" like said above, was more about Mike saying "What? You want us to do it tommorow???" not that he didn't want to do it.  Mike & Bruce have done some pretty obscure stuff in their shows, and are in this one as well, so I don't think he's completely against it.  

And very similar to the line "I'm thinking maybe I'll just stay" in Summer's Gone.

Amazing!

That's brilliant.  I'd love to see a "Mike Love Reimagines Your Favorite Songs" type of thread.

Pacific Coast Highway
Wilson / Love / Thomas

Sometimes I realize
My days are getting cool
Sometimes I realize
It's time to get back to school

And I wanna catch waves

Sun is rising
And I've got to grab my board

My life
Is full of fun, fun, fun
My life
Is in the warmth of sun

Driving down Pacific Coast
Out on highway one
The rising sun

Hello

I don't find it shoot myself in the head depressing (the part you cut out).  Even then, I think it's more reflective/bittersweet/melancholy than depressing.  I don't really hear any despair minus some of Pacific Coast Highway. 

I wonder how it would sound if written by Tom Waits.

Probably more of a sea shanty.

Pacific Coast Highway
(Wilson / Waits / Brennan / Thomas)

Sometimes I realize
It's fifty men on a dead man's chest
Sometimes I realize
It's Madeline wearing the vest
Of old Joe, a working man out by the docks

And I want to drink rum

Sun is sinking
Into the sea where Maria my love
Was lost and never to return

Driving down the coast, my Caddy
Full of demons and vinegar
The sun burning like a million devils

Awooh! (indecipherable scream)

Why don't you run away and catch some rays with me?
On this summer's day, I wanna go down to Hawaii.
Why don't we play Summer In Paradise anymore?
There's a spot along the way, where maybe we can stay.
Meditate on the floor near my front door.

On Santa Monica city pier
We watch the surfers who gather here
The super surfers who've found their way
And now we're all here to stay

And it's a surfer's world
There's nothing to it
Surfer's world
I'm blastin' through it
Surfer's world
Thinking waves over
It's a surfer's world after all

Wonderful surfin' lives we live
And catch a glimpse of that setting sun
I can't imagine how life would be
If you did not surf with me

And it's a surfer's world
There's nothing to it
Surfer's world
I'm blastin' through it
Surfer's world
Thinking waves over
It's a surfer's world after all

Sunday morning
Skies so blue
yo tambien surf
Means I surf too

You can drive your car
To the beach somewhere
And hit the surf anywhere
It doesn't matter that much to me
'Cause we're pretty good surfers, see

And it's a surfer's world
There's nothing to it
Surfer's world
I'm blastin' through it
Surfer's world
Thinking waves over
It's a surfer's world after all

These are HILARIOUS! Keep em' coming.

The article is candid as hell, but there's a tenderness and forgiveness to all this even in some of the rougher parts. The depiction of the characters are strong, compelling. I guess Mike's naysayers will confirm their view, as will his fans.

I still find that "I think I'll stay" line to Carl amazing.
Yes, he'll stay because he has a few more things to do, like perform Pet Sounds live, finish Smile, create TLOS, do the Gershwin album, and write and perform the best BBs album in years.

Of course only because the reunion has gone so well so far. Imagine this article woul've come out and the band hadn't played "Marcella" or "Add some music" (yet).

Yup, and on a personal level, raise children, live life, be healthy.  I think the brilliance of it is that while we all struggle with how to handle life and death, when pressed Brian found it really simple, as simple as a choice to stay or go. 

The opening shot of them having lunch will undoubtably cause Myke fans a certain degree of distress. Kudos to RS for positioning the fold of their magazine to slice neatly through Myke's face. :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

:lol

really f*cked that they gave the cover to Sheen. i mean come the f*ck on.

Yeah no kidding...if there was any time to give them the cover...why the hell not now?

In that case, Mike bashers would be all over him and I guess I would be defending him.

Wait. That's what's happening right now.

If you stop and think about who's running that place and what kind of person it is, this is not surprising.

Not surprising but still terribly disappointing.

Look, they've been ignored by RS forever.

To have this sort of coverage is good in itself. And it's the piece of written journalism on the reunion so far.

That was really something to read. ["I think I'll stay."]

Sort of a Robert Frost "miles to go before I sleep" concept.

Loved the NY diner photo (great diners in NY and NJ!) so coolly ingrained in the really lively culture...

It is a real diss to the fans, not to have them on the cover. 

A missed opportunity for Rolling Stone.   

Actually got the magazine, really great article. An adventure of a read; I loved it.

That's a sad thought that had crossed my mind too. :(

RS is a money-driven operation, esp. because it was founded, and is still governed by people linked to the hippie movement. Made dopehead/bad actor Sheen simply sells more copies than do five elderly gents who are too old to participate in the X-factor.

I actually tried reading the articles on Sheen and John Mayer and couldn't finish either one.  Both are so absolutely full of themselves (Mayer actually moreso) they make Mike Love somehow seem refreshingly gracious...

Good observation, thanks (I don't have the issue). What you tell is truly a sign of our times. I guess narcissism best describes modern popular culture, perhaps it has taken the place of what used to be called: character and creativity.

Yes, exactly!  Nice connection and nicely put!!!

Something very Frostian about the last 3 songs, indeed!

Now you're making me think of Squeeze! "Footprints on the beaches are now footprints in the Frost..." Hah!

But I digress.

You're right, it does have that feel, exactly. Mature and true. That's what elevates it above mere fun/sun.

Y'know, now that I think about it, Mike and Brian are the yin-yang sugar-salt duality you almost have to have for a satisfying Beach Boys--or hell, life in general--experience: the let's-not-think-too-deeply-and-just-have-fun side, and the well-there's-more-to-it-all-than-that-and-we-gotta-consider-it side. And those complement each other, do they not?

I was thinking the same thing.

First off, when Carl was still around, the band was still somewhat viable as a band.  The lineup of Mike, Carl, Al, and Bruce was the lineup that did "Kokomo" and most people accepted that collection as "The Beach Boys". Shoot, they even made an album with that lineup, Summer in Paradise, regardless of how bad it is.

Secondly, and more importantly, I gotta say that Carl's presence did present a roadblock for Brian artistically. It is known that he walked out of the sessions for Brian's Beach Boys material in 1995, apparently because he wasn't so into the songs. I just could not see Mike, Al, Bruce, or David doing that. These guys know that they need Brian's songs, and that Brian holds all the cards. No Brian, no viable modern artistic entity known as The Beach Boys. However, if Carl was still around, and wasn't part of the proceedings, one would imagine the whole thing would fall apart, likely because Brian would probably be so hurt that his brother didn't like his stuff that he'd quit the project.

However, I totally wish Carl was still with us. It would be quite interesting to wonder what would have happened from '98 til now if he was still around. Would Brian still have toured on his own? Would he have done Pet Sounds and SMiLE live? Would Carl have joined him? Or would these have been Beach Boys projects? Would Al still have been kicked out? Would there have been a new Beach Boys album around 2000? Who knows?

And one other weird thing I thought about recently, is wondering how Denny and Carl would have looked if they were still alive. I can't imagine Denny as a 70 year old man! Would Carl still have had the beard, turned totally grey? Weird as it sounds, I think 2012 Carl might have looked a bit like Brian does now!

The reason you can't imagine what they'd look like is it just wasn't meant to happen.  No way Dennis ever would have made 70. 

Wow that's one of the most interesting Brian Wilson/Beach Boys articles I've read in a long time. I particularly enjoyed the account of Brian on the plane. It reminded me of as lot of non fiction novel journalism that came out in the 70s - Tom Wolfe etc. Great stuff. Makes me think this approach applied to a more in depth Brian Wilson interview (spread over a longer time period) would be fascinating.

Thanks for scanning/sharing the article.

I have to think that if Carl was alive and Brian wanted to lead, Carl would gladly step out of the way.  I don't know why Carl walked out that time but I bet if we knew the truth it wouldn't have anything to do with Brian's artistry.

I think this is incorrect. Brian stated outright that Carl told him he didn't like the material.

In Carl's defense however, one has to imagine that he objected to the material because he though Brian could do better probably. Carl knew how special Brian is, and he probably at some point figured to himself that if there was another project with Brian and The Beach Boys it had to be at a certain level, and apparently things like "Soul Searchin'" and "You're Still A Mystery" weren't up to his standards. How garbage like Summer in Paradise and Stars And Stripes appealed to him, but Brian's mid-'90s tunes didn't, doesn't make much sense to me, but hey, he's his own person. We all have our own taste and our own situations going on.

Great hypotheticals. When Brian's solo career really hit high gear with the Pet Sounds symphony and Smile, I couldn't help but wonder how it would have been received by Carl (or whether the gravity pull of a Beach Boys with Carl would've precluded Brian's solo excursions).

Regarding today's power dynamics in the band, I do recall Carl's interview in Musician magazine - released just prior to the '85 album. He was proud of the band's new effort but specifically stated that in order for the Beach Boys to make a GREAT album, that album would need to conceived and directed by Brian. The fall out  in '95 seemed to contradict that, but that is what he said back in '85. Just a guess on my part, but I bet that Carl would've liked the new album. He always believed in the legacy of the Beach Boys sound, and the new album is pure legacy - in all its permutations (and excitations).

It's too bad Carl was never interviewed indepth on these and other topics. It certainly seems that at a certain point, he sort of stopped putting up a fight to things like "Summer in Paradise" or "Stars and Stripes" or the jukebox touring, etc.

His reported distaste for the couple of Paley tracks the BB's worked on has always been really vague. One report I remember reading suggested he simply didn't like the Don Was-produced backing track to "Soul Searchin'." He sang the song to that backing track, but later on his vocal was dubbed back onto the older Paley-Brian-produced backing track, which is the version we've heard for all these years. The Was backing track has never surfaced, and while they did the cut-and-paste job on Carl's vocal before he died, he may have never heard that version.

But the BB's are sometimes the kings of irony and contradictions. "Smile" is too weird, but they put out "Smiley Smile." Somebody doesn't like the Paley tracks, but soon after signs on for an album where Toby Keith sings "Be True to Your School."

I'd like to imagine that if Carl were alive, he would have joined Brian on the Pet Sounds tour and ultimately the BWPS tour.  He did not seem as though he would have wanted to do the non-stop fairground tour circuit with the Mike and Bruce band, and it would seem that the opportunity to perform the best music from Brian's best days would pull him in like a magnet.   It would be the Wilson Brothers on tour!

But at the same time, maybe it was Carl's death which smacked BW in the face and made him think, "gee, I'm sort of running out of time.  Maybe I ought to resurrect my career and deal with my demons because if I don't, I'm going to be remembered as nothing more than a 60's surf music genius who had an acid meltdown and spent his life in bed."

Whatever the reason is, it's very clear that BW has found his mojo again.  It's almost if the solo period was preparation for the day he would have to take command of his old band again and right the ship.

I said the same thing several weeks ago. 

Thank goodness he kept up the touring in the 90's and 00's because he would not have been able to take on such a tour as this Celebration tour is turning out to be. 

I know the "what if" thing is pretty pointless, but I'm not sure Carl would have just one day decided to leave the touring BB's and join Brian. Even prior to his illness, in the 90's Carl seemed to become more and more resigned to Mike's vision for the band and he continued to participate in that band. Carl and Dennis seemed to be major proponents in the 70's especially of being more progressive in the studio and live. Carl seemed to feel this way into the 80's, one of his conditions on rejoining the live band in 1982 being to institute a more varied setlist. But it's ironic that a Carl-less BB's in 2012 are performing a more interesting and varied setlist than anything the BB's with Carl did in the 90's and probably the 80's (apart from the late '93 "box set" tour).

I think Carl may well have worked with Brian on Brian's solo stuff. It's more likely in my view that Carl would have maybe fostered a Brian-inclusive BB reunion sooner as opposed to leaving the BB's and touring with Brian. But of course, the what-if scenarios mean nothing.

Good points, but there's a big difference between fighting an uphill battle with a bunch of stubborn band-mates to get creative control of the band (and finally giving up on that fight after 20 years) and joining something (Brian's Band) which would already be a happening thing.

Carl's 2001 choice:  Casino or Concert Hall?

Carl was the musical leader of the Beach Boys band, though. He picked and rehearsed the musicians. The band, as presented in the 1980s and 1990s, was his vision. And people criticized it (and Carl!) at the time for doing only hits and being unambitious. And yet Carl kept doing it, and pushed for slick commercial projects (S&S and the Like a Brother album) over artier ones (Paley sessions).

People want to believe that Carl was some shining exemplar of the Beach Boys art. And certainly in the 60s and 70s he was. But the fact is, starting in the 1980s, he wholeheartedly supported and abetted Mike's traveling jukebox vision of the band. And he actively blocked Brian from doing anything more progressive.

Brian has played a few casinos on his tours though not as many as the Beach Boys.  For some towns in America the local Indian casino is the only concert hall they have. The Beach Boys play something like over 100 shows a year so they play all kinds of places.  That's what made the difference for Carl was the number of shows the Beach Boys played.  I don't have any idea how much money Carl had but he wasn't a songwriter so he didn't get royalties like Brian and playing with the Beach Boys for over 100 shows a year would have paid more bills than playing thirty or forty shows a year with Brian. 

Perhaps I should have phrased it: "County Fair or Concert Hall"

I understand what you're saying about the band being "Carl's baby" in the 1980's and 1990's, but isn't it possible that Carl would have wanted to play more esoteric stuff but knew the band wouldn't go along with it?  Carl was the big compromiser of the family.  He probably saw his role as being the guy who put together the "Greatest Hits" shows but always kept the band true to the music.   If he couldn't get the band to play more of the rarities, or do a "Pet Sounds Live" he could at least insure that they respected the music and played it the way it ought to be played.

Otherwise those dancing cheerleaders in the 90's might have morphed into strippers before the end of the decade...  >:D

I would imagine a lot of things factored into what Carl supported or attempted to advocate for when it came to the band and the setlist. In Carl's defense, it seems like the culture of the audiences and the media coverage of the band was such that there was less celebration and "coolness" in the nerdy aspects of BB fandom, like "Smile" and championing Dennis' solo work, and all of that sort of stuff. There have always been die-hard fans. But I think there wasn't the same apparent openness to more varied setlists from the fans in Carl and the band's view in, say, 1991 or whatever.

Part of the reason the 2012 setlist has featured a nice selection of "rarities" is that the band is now aware of the popularity of their less-obvious hits. Carl or Al or whoever probably couldn't have convinced Mike to sing "Marcella" in 1990.

I think Carl also didn't get a chance to see the type of huge fan appreciation that Brian got for his solo tours. Carl has been quoted in interviews lamenting how the band could do a short, stinker of a show and fans still loved it. He also dealt with the fans who screamed "Barbara Ann" and went on a beer break while they performed "Angel Come Home" or "Livin' with a Heartache" or, in 1988 when they tried to add "This Whole World", etc.

I can only guess, but I would doubt Carl ever didn't want to do more varied setlists. I think he believed, rightly or wrongly, that such setlists wouldn't go over well. Also, it seems in later years he did abdicate some of the leadership role to Mike in terms of organization and whatnot. This eventually created a bit of a rift apparently between he and Al as described in Jon Stebbins' and David Marks' book.

I think Carl's perception of the fans plays into this. I've read stories from people meeting Carl before shows and telling him how much they loved a song he wrote, to which he would reply something like, "Oh, I love that song too, but tonight's more of a meat and potatoes show." He was just trying to give the people what they wanted. I'm sure it was frustrating too, for him to pour his soul into singing some '70s gem, only to look out into a mostly disengaged crowd.

Well, but saying "I love that song" to a devoted fan is just the same as playing "meat and potatoes" sets to casual fans. You're giving them what they want to hear in either case.

What we don't know is what Carl actually felt. And people want to give him the benefit of the doubt, which I understand. But the fact is, he had the opportunity to play deep cuts -- it's not like Mike would have seriously begrudged him a couple of obscure tunes -- and didn't do it. He had the opportunity to push for cool new music on record, but he didn't do that either.

At a certain point, it's not what's in our hearts that matters. It's what we do. And Carl didn't follow through. Simple as that.

But Carl also played fan requests. I was talking to him at a 1984 show and mentioned that I loved "Heaven" and was delighted that he'd played it (unexpectedly) in an earlier show. He said, "I like it too. I think I'll play it tonight." And he did just exactly that.

In later years, Al seemed to be the most adventurous in wanting some deep cuts setlist-wise. I think Carl was just worn down, caught between being the band's mediator and the whole Landy debacle (which took an enormous toll on him), in the later years. But then again, he was fully vested in the 1993 boxset tour, the last time I heard the BBs play a setlist like they're doing nowadays. That '93 show was one of the best BB shows I've ever seen.

Agreed. I think the 1985 album was Carl's last attempt at taking artistic chances with the BB in the studio. Whatever our thoughts on the album, it'd be a stretch to call it an artistic or comercial success. Perhaps he decided to withdraw from that role after said album.

But while discussing this, please keep in mind that in the mid 90s there were extra musical aspects. We don't know yet the full extent of the impact Brian's autobio had on Carl.

I agree with both of you.

Oddly enough, the one person who didn't come through "artistically" on the 1985 album was Brian. I remember the hype surrounding that album, and much of it was centered around Brian working with Steve Levine, learning the new technology, writing a lot of new songs, etc. Brian's contributions - "I'm So Lonely", "Male Ego", "It's Just A Matter Of Time", "Crack At Your Love" and "California Calling"  - were throwbacks if anything.

I can't picture Carl, if he'd lived, leaving the Beach Boys to tour with Brian.  Recording the odd solo track together, sure.  Maybe guest appearances at selected shows.  But I can't see him walking out permanently on the band, and I can't see Mike tolerating repeated leaves of absence.

But the one thing I *really* can't imagine... is Carl missing out on the chance to help Brian finish "Smile".  After all, he had form.

Imagine the Royal Festival Hall premiere in that universe.  Imagine Carl's voice on the recording.

Now that's a heartbreaker...

Cheers,
Jon Blum