The Smiley Smile Message Board

Who will win? Who can survive this clash of titans?

(http://clayfiles.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/bwwa.jpg)

DId you see what Boner Williams albums they had?

That photo reminds me, why wasn't Kip Winger at the BW tribute? He and Ricky Martin would have done one helluva duet, and Kip could have added some of those trademark high-kicks!

Ok, Wirestone deserves some sort of award  :lol

Whatever. You guys can joke all you want, but WBA proved their superiority nigh on 40 years ago. The Beatles' skill and talent intimidated Brian into scrapping SMiLe, but it was only when Wishbone Ash came out with their masterpiece "Argus"  in 1971 that Brian really lost it... he knew he couldn't compete with them, not with crap like "This Whole World" or "'Til I Die."

Plus, it seems like Wishbone Ash has a somewhat controversial frontman who's keeping the band going despite an almost total lineup change. It's uncanny!

What happens when matter and anti-matter collide like that?

IMPLOSION!! :o

 :lol :lol :lol I just pissed myself... give Wirestone a fine whiskey and a cigar!

One of my friends made me listen to Argus once after claiming it was the best album he had ever heard, I wasn't impressed as each song seems to go on forever and ever, even the shorter songs seem incredibly longwinded.

Yeah, me too. I had a friend, an Italian guy, who burned me a copy. Are you Italian?

On first listen, I really was thinking that this was Spinal Tap territory; but the album did grow on me after a few listens. But, yeah, those songs are LONG. Still, I like what they were doing better than, say, Yes. There's still a sense of melody that's not wholly overcome by guitar wankery.

Difficult to categorize them, sort of early metal/folk rock/progressive. Not that Wishbone Ash needs to be categorized.

'When you're stoned, 20 seconds of music seems like 2 hours. We were really stoned'  Brian Wilson, IJWMFTT

It should be noted that very few prog bands can do long songs without boring the living hell out of you. I count Os Mutantes, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Tangerine Dream, Faust, Opeth, Therion, Pink Floyd, Nokturnal Mortum, and Genesis among those who can do long songs and actually keep the listener riveted.

I would mostly agree with that but I would add the extended version of in a gadda da vida with the exquisite organ noodling to your list.  And to be fair, one has to mention the exquisite organ noodlings of Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson.

I don't crap on Yes but they had at least one album which is twice as long as it should be!

Its certainly possible to make long compositions in any genre which keep the listener engaged and excited throughout...there's no law which says pop songs have to be 3 minutes long....that just happened to be the time a 12 inch shellac or 7 inc 45 lasted. So it became the standard length for popular music songs.

Brian has the ability to pack 7 minutes worth of musical ideas into 3 1/2 minutes, which is clever and impressive in itself.

Steve Howe...guitar wankery?!?  :angry

Maybe if I said 'genius-level guitar wankery' it would help?

That helps somewhat.  :p

Yes, you have to listen to the long version of that.  Also, the long version of "Crimson and Clover" is a must. 

Sorry guys BUT looking at the photo in question 'Where The Hell Is The Dennis Wilson Tab' 'cos I can't see one !!!!!!!!
Sod BW and WA , where is POB ???????

Don't you know that Wirestone shot the shop owner after having taken the photo?

I'd be more than happy if my local record store had a Brian Wilson tab and the BB tab would contain more than a Greatest Hits CD

But... I noticed they have a POB under W Misc  ;D

There used to be a store in the town where I went to college that had a Brian Wilson tab and a Beach Boys tab and had at least one copy of every single one of their albums...though for some reason the Beach Boys tab was in the Oldies section while the Beatles were in Rock... ??? ???

I had this terrible habit for years... every time I saw a record shop, no matter where, I felt the compulsion to go inside and inspect the contents of the BBs section. It had to be stocked in a representative way, or else I felt resentment against the shopkeep.

But now I'm on the right pills.

I had never heard of Wishbone Ash until this thread. They haven't grown on me yet, but I will give them a fair chance.

Argus is quite good. Too long, but good.