A: Yes It Is

B: Dance Dance Dance

My understanding is that the Royal Albert Hall show, filmed and recorded, still remains in the vault, as does the HD / 3D (or was it IMAX?) recording of the Hollywood Bowl show, which was slated to play theaters.

It's OK (single version)
Roller Skating Child
Night Was So Young
Kona Coast
Wontcha Come Out Tonight
Good Timin
Lady Linda
Full Sail
Angel Come Home
Baby Blue
KTSA
Santa Ana Winds
Getcha Back
Where I Belong
Rock & Roll to the Rescue
Kokomo
Still Cruisin'
Summer in Paradise (live single)
Soul Searchin' (MIC mix)
TWGMTR
Spring Vacation
From There and Back Again
Summer's Gone

I think Wild Honey is perfect as is... I think a stereo mix would be mind-blowing.

<<I mean unless you're a huge fan of The New Leave it to Beaver and TJ Hooker, then I whole heartedly apologize. Sheesh.>>

I'm a fan of this band and have been for 40 years.  And this thread takes all of this completely out of historical context.  Yes, New Leave It to Beaver is pure cheese, when examined almost 30 years later.  At the time, it was a television experiment; an attempt to actually revive a TV show from the 50s with the original cast... and it did fairly well for a few years.  I suspect the new revival of Full House will look pretty hokey 30 years from now.  It doesn't take any intelligence to trash older pop culture; it would be like calling out the 1959 season of Ozzie & Harriet for the goofy clothes, hair styles, idiotic storylines and social mores in 1987.

What's missing from your thread is also the historical Beach Boys context.  In 1987, Brian was just starting to merge after years in the wilderness... a rumplestiltskin figure many of us had witnessed on stage or on TV at his worst in the 1970s and early 80s.  We had little knowledge of what he was going through with Landy; to us, at the time, this was a brave attempt by the man to get out there and participate in media.  Bad acting, sure.  Less than adequate script?  Absolutely.  But he was out there... and it was cool to see him trying.

TJ HOOKER... basically new insert shots of Carl (shot on 35mm film) giving shout outs to Bill Shatner in the audience, combined with VIDEO inserts from the 1980 HBO show.  It looked bad back in 1984.  Analog video does not cut well with film.  But taken in the context of 1980s action shows, it was the best you were gonna get.  They all cheaped out in those days.  As for the Beach Boys, they'd had a couple of rough years and just lost Dennis.  It was good to see them honored, even on TJ Hooker.   MTV was in its infancy in those days and they never ran Beach Boys clips.  So it was tough to see these guys in any media.

PROBLEM CHILD?  Personally, I liked that song, even though Bruce hated it.  It was Bruce, right?  Again, historical context.  Yeah, those 80s mixes were too polished... too much fake drum.  But that was the sound in those days.  The Beach Boys scraped out a few hits with that new sound in the 80s... because their stuff was, sonically, finally consistent with the other bands on the radio at the time, as regards mix, etc.  Some of it is hard to take in 2015... certainly it was all much less organic.  But it sounded great to hear Beach Boys records that could compete on the radio.  And did.  This one failed to hit.  But fun little fluff, catchy, goofy.  And I thought the music video, which I saw for the first time recently, was charming.  Good to see these guys goofing and having fun.  And in there pitching.  Because we don't get to see that anymore.

FYI - Problem Child 2 is actually funnier than the first one.  Primarily because of a lot of great vomit jokes.

<<The worst of The Beach Boys ?
Most recently, this forum.>>

Perfectly put, Andrew ... and this entire thread is a glaring example of why most Beach Boys fans have been perceived for decades as obsessive, angry lunatics. 

Got this issue in yesterday's mail... went right to the Adult Child article but skimmed the rest.  Once again, a great issue, up there with the previous LA Light Album edition.  Peter Reum's ruminations about that aborted project were fascinating, as was the sessionography.

At the end of the day, it's a very good song, one of the better originals from that period.  It will be interesting to see what's done with it.  I'd love to see some new material from these guys before it's too late... regardless of the name attached.

<<I vehemently disagree. His drumming is rudimentary at best. Sounds like a sixth grader banging out beats in his basement. Nothing the least bit tasty. Too much hard snare and he plays the ride cymbal on the verses - a no-no for any drummer who knows how to play to the song. >>

I have to respond to this post from Artie... from about 9 years ago, lol.  I'm nothing if not timely.

But the fact is that Ricky Fataar was Carl's favorite of all of the Beach Boys drummers... he actually described his drumming as "tasty."

<<If there was a fire at a warehouse full of BBs material, where were all the news stories?>>

In restrospect, I don't think Universal had anything to do with this series, other than as a location/host for the show.  So the elements would not have been stored there.

Endless Harmony was done in 1998.  The Universal fire (if that's what Jeff was referring to) was about ten years later.

I just received the below response from Jeff Franklin:

"Nice to hear from you. Unfortunately everything was lost in a warehouse fire of Beach Boys material. 

You are correct it was terrific stuff."

Best

J

 <<Jeff Franklin is one of the "Full House" guys>>

Wrong Jeff Franklin.  The Jeff Franklin on this show, partnered with Steve Waterman, is actually a guy I know.  I wrote a handful of movies for him a few years back (Jeff Franklin III on imdb).  He also did the Born Free, High Tide and Mickey Spillane series, created the USA Network's NIGHT FLIGHT and used to manage Bob Seger.

I'll email him and see if he knows anything about the Beach/Campfire footage.

Sounds like MIU era voice to me.

If we're thinking a compilation, obviously Mike's own  Rockin' the Man in the Boat...

One of the best live versions of this song was featured on the Songs from Here and Back CD.  Lead vocal by Al, recorded in 1974, new mix by Alan Boyd and Mark Linett.

I'd be curious to hear, from our guests, what the general reaction was from Dennis, Carl, etc., when the planned Beach Boys Constant Companion single was vetoed in favor of the disco Here Comes the Night.

Actually, I have read all of the informational nuggets here... and they are all wrong.  I have it on good authority that the record slide effect on the track in question actually came from the multi-tracks for Take A Load Off Your Feet.  The foot skipping sound was electronically re-processed to resemble a DJ album scratch.

Glad I could help.

I'm Waiting for the Wave

I always thought the BG vocals on the WILD HONEY album - and the 1973 BEACH BOYS IN CONCERT album were mixed way too low.

This wins the award for the most witless thread I've seen started on this site, from an author who apparently has an infinite amount of time on his hands.

Thanks for sharing.

I remember the fake treble/bass stereo on Spirit of America.  But, as Lee does, I also remember some of the tracks being duophonic; Good to My Baby and Do You Wanna Dance among them.

<<I asked David Crosby (an admitted fan of neither men) about the Love/Melcher partnership and he told me that it made perfect sense to him, and that they were more similar to each other than not.>>

Fascinating, especially as Crosby had a rep as being an absolute asshat in those days... with an out of control ego.  More evidence of same can be found during bonus recording session highlights included on the CD re-issue of Notorious Byrd Brothers, wherein he humiliates drummer Michael Clarke almost to the point of a fist fight.   His rants on the Byrds section of the Monterey Pop Festival are also a treat.

Altbach and Jardine were co-producers.  Mike, Brian and Al were present for the duration and are the primary vocalists on the album.  Brian's falsetto is prominent throughout the album.  Carl can be heard on Sweet Sunday, Hey Little Tomboy and overdubs on Peggy Sue.  Dennis can be heard on My Diane and the chorus of Hey Little Tomboy.

Even in 1978, it was obvious the Beach Boys for this album were primarily Brian, Mike and Al.

It's my understanding that Brian was present for the writing as well... and was very much involved as a co producer during the early sessions (the unheard Beach Burlesque, for one), and that his earlier experimentations were far more innovative than what ended up on the album ("Why" on disc 6 of MIC is also evidence of this).

A new mix of San Miguel was reportedly prepped for the album as well.

She's Got Rhythm began as Ron Altbach's  "Lookin' Good," B side of Almost Summer, and found on the soundtrack of the same name. 

And that's what little I know...

What's fascinating to me is that not a single photo in this thread is visible.