Billy,

I'm truly sorry to hear of your struggles and your health issues.  I'm glad to hear that you have creating music to keep you happy.  But if your comments were directed at me, I hope you can understand that by no means do I have any ill intentions here.  My main point is that I'm concerned that Brian simply doesn't look great out there onstage, his health at this point is a valid concern, and if there is any possibility that he doesn't want to be up there on stage then I hope he gets the opportunity to do what he wants.  That was all I was trying to say.  If he wants to continue to perform until he drops then more power to him.  I do stand by my assessment that I believe his life is at least somewhat directed for better or for worse, but that does not automatically mean I think his team are actively abusing him.  Can two things not be true at the same time?  And as I stated before I also don't have any ill feelings towards Melinda as I am largely indifferent to her; I'm just not oblivious as to why others have taken issue with her in the past.  Doesn't mean I have any "axe to grind" with her at all.  And having these concerns about the situation by no means makes me a "monster"; I care about the guy's well-being just as much as anyone even if we don't see it the same way.  Brian's overall health has been a topic of discussion amongst fans for almost as long as his overall career has lasted and it is inevitable that discussion and debates will arise from it.  We've pretty much exhausted this exchange for today so I don't plan on following up, but I would appreciate keeping the civility here even if some of you don't like or agree with my take.  

Understood, and no not all of it was directed at you…I’m seeing many of the same things elsewhere (not even just talking EH either). Certain words have extremely negative connotations and have been used by those who *do* have an axe to grind . Here’s the thing nobody seems willing to answer… let’s pretend Brian was indeed being forced against his will to do this. The question is…why? Money? He’s already loaded and at this stage of the game these shows aren’t going to be huge cash cows. There are other, easier and faster ways to earn cash. To ensure  recording career can continue? Honestly, I think the soundtrack and the instrumental album are it. Besides the actual shows, touring is a LOT of work, not just for the artist. What would be the point in “forcing” Brian to do something he allegedly didn’t want to?  Can you imagine how it would be for Brian to be told “that’s it, you can’t do this anymore and your own fans don’t want you to continue “?  How is that beneficial?  How would it benefit for him to be sitting in his living room watching tv all day and ruminating on his own mortality? I’m not going to see 80 (some days I doubt I’ll see 50) but I’ve seen enough family members and family members of friends (including a few who were mentally ill) reach old age and eventually what comes next to know that him ceasing activity probably won’t have a great outcome. He’s not on an extremely grueling schedule either. I may regret being this blunt, but f*** it… Brian’s not gonna be doing shows much longer. He’s not going to pull an Elton John and announce a retirement tour. He’ll  just …stop. This is about two things… keeping some semblance of normalcy for him, and letting him soak in the adulation he both deserves and needs for probably the last time (and giving the fans the opportunity to do so as well).

And overall, I imagine this is about an entity that has to make money in order to continue to release rarity sets.

exactly. That’s why it pissed me off when I read about a boycott from a idiot who kept trolling Howie on Facebook, and my good buddy/bandmate Jay got lambasted over there for pointing this same thing out. I mean, sh*t, don’t buy it but let those of us who want to hear previously unreleased stuff get it.

I have faith that if Brian were being pushed in a direction that was impacting his overall happiness and health, that the good people who have been around Brian for the last 20+ years would have the human decency to stand up for him (if Brian really was in a situation that he could not have the final say in)...including his daughters and close friends.

Thank you. I mean sh*t, I know certain people have an axe to grind with Melinda, but how about his kids? Carnie and Wendy obviously, but Daria, Delaney , and Dylan are all adults too and I’m certain they take a vested interest in their father’s care and well being. But the way some of these monsters act online  you’d think everyone would be huddled in a fucking circle chanting to Baal on how to make him suffer the most , like he doesn’t have anybody who loves and cares about him. 😒 

News flash…not everyone in the world is devious and thinks like that. Hey, I live in Texas, trust me I know many people on this world are cruel and hateful , but not everyone. There are still good and decent people on this world. Maybe not so much on beach boys forums .

Are we REALLY starting this crap with Melinda AGAIN?! Seriously?!

I’m trying to choose my words very carefully as I’m not trying to let my emotions cloud what I’m about to say, but dammit it’s hard.* Brian’s going to be the same at this point whether he is on stage or not. Him being active is likely far better for him mentally and emotionally than staying at home because some of his alleged fans think they know everything. I didn’t want to get too personal but f*** it. I’m not well, and am now on disability. People fucking treat me like a fucking helpless child in my real life and I hate it more than I can possibly express into words. I also suffer from mental illness and severe depression, and every day is a struggle not to opt out. Every day of my miserable life. I have things aside from my family that keep me going, mainly creating music. When the day comes where I’m no longer able to do that, I’m out. If I was forced to quit?! Hell no. Over my dead body. Now I don’t know what it’s like to be 80 years old with schizo-affective disorder , nor have I experienced half of what Brian has gone through. I don’t know what it’s like to have audio hallucinations, at least not with voices (I’ve heard music in my head my entire life but not counting that ). What I DO know if that Brian and those close to him have stated how important the outpouring of love and support he gets from the fans live is incredibly important and dear to Brian. Now if you REALLY think taking that away from Brian and leaving him home feeling the exact same way only minus something that’s pushing him to keep going??? f*** that noise. What do you wanna do, put him in a damn rest home?! This has nothing to with board vs board, this is a man’s life, someone we’re allegedly all fans of, right? Trust me, seeing Brian like this depresses the hell out of me. But what is worse is the fact that he’s not going to be doing this much longer one way or another. Stay home and don’t watch. But have some damn decency and let the man do what he wants.


*giggity.

Well said Don

I can see both of your points. Hell, I’ve been making the same arguments about how the originals aren’t being replaced. And I like most of the new mixes.

That said, I’m realizing that Pet Sounds and Wild Honey aside, I do strongly prefer the original mono. Its not just limited to the Beach Boys either.

My thing is that there are other artists/catalogs/films, etc. where there are tons of items/versions that are just completely unavailable. I again refer to the "Star Wars" example (and even that is becoming more moot as time goes by and finding high quality "original" versions of those old films is pretty easy if you look), where I have no problem if someone *gets into* those films by seeing the futzed-with versions with new CGI and whatnot, but it is problematic that they can't then also go back, if they become a true/big/hardcore fan, and watch the *original* versions.

With the BB catalog, with some random exceptions, you can find most original mono and stereo mixes. Anybody who becomes a big enough fan to want to find that stuff can find it, usually with plenty of options in terms of format, resolution, etc.

It's the wild west out there on streaming services as far as mixes/versions. I'm surprised places like Spotify are as clean as they are in terms of the BB catalog, where most stuff shockingly actually *is* marked as mono or stereo or remix, and they've usually gone out of their way to mark the year of the remix as well.

Again, I like some remixes more than others. I've criticized them sometimes in the past. I think the PS stereo mix is great, one of the best. I said way back in 2007 or whenever that "Warmth of the Sun" comp came out that some of the remixes of stuff like "Please Let Me Wonder" were too wet/too much echo/reverb. But I can't think of a remix that would turn off a new fan from liking a SONG/RECORDING. And I think a stronger case can be made that it would net additional new/young fans who want something a bit more punchy or opened-up in terms of mix (again, we have to speak in generalities about remixes; they don't all serve the same purpose or are made with the same exact ethos, as Wirestone discussed previously).

Also, on Spotify at least, the mono and stereo versions are on the same album; it’s pretty easy to make a playlist of the version of the album you want too so if you wanted a hybrid of different mixes to make your “ideal” version, you can )

Remixes, alternate versions and such have been going on compilations for decades. It used to be that you wouldn’t know how many tracks on a compilation would be altered until you’d already purchased it or read a review) Madonna’s 1990 compilation release was pretty much all remixes and alternate mixes (and weren’t even labeled as such , minus a vague “mastered in Q-Sound” label) . Those mixes became what would be played on the radio for about a decade or so; these days they’re pretty much forgotten*. A year prior, Robert Palmer did the same thing. Likewise, the fact that a majority were different versions wasn’t mentioned anywhere except in the liners.

Be glad things are clearly labeled these days (although the occasional mislabel does happen , at least your warned of its going to be different from the original)!


*The version of Vogue on that comp was the one that became a hit, but the original mix on the Dick Tracy soundtrack is the only one that gets played on Sirius, for example.

I can see both of your points. Hell, I’ve been making the same arguments about how the originals aren’t being replaced. And I like most of the new mixes.

That said, I’m realizing that Pet Sounds and Wild Honey aside, I do strongly prefer the original mono. Its not just limited to the Beach Boys either.

Happy birthday to the one and only! Here's a little playlist I made for the occasion: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4qSDshVc4nHRL8CzvlOliK?si=57b826c48a384c91

😎Added to my library …nice running order!

Today is the 80th birthday of the most brilliant songwriter and producer of the rock era … happy Birthday !

I can understand that feeling…but the original mixes are still available! I’m literally on Spotify as we type listening to the All Summer Long album in mono! If the new mix of Marcella was inserted into So Tough, then that’d be out of line. But it’s not! It’s one thing to not like the new mixes… I do for the most part (although I do prefer the original mono ) but the whole thing about Carl not being here to sign off….sorry , IMHO that is faulty logic. By that same logic, we need to remove every copyright extension release. No more performance of classical music, as Bach can’t sign off on it. Get rid of every Beatles reissue after Lennon died. Nobody could ever cover a song again.

Ok, so that sounds a bit extreme, but hopefully my point is clear. As long as it is clearly labeled a remix, there’s no issue. Now passing off a new mix as the original vintage deal, now that’s a different thing entirely

Yeh but this kind of thing is like “ha wow I wish The Beach Boys weren’t on Full House.” Some will say, well just don’t watch it. But the gripe is not about the person who doesn’t like The Beach Boys on Full House. It’s about a greater concern for the way the group is presented.

It’s not about not doing anything that Carl can’t sign off on. To me, I’m curious as to why there was any kind of desire to endlessly remix the tracks like this in the first place, and to include them in place of the original (IMO tasteful, artful, and definitive) versions on a high profile release such as this.

Good point about Full House… but that was also while the band was an active functioning entity, but barely hanging on by a thread. At this point, in 2022 they’re pretty much set. Besides, they’re clearly labeled as remixes. Pretty much the first instinct for someone hearing a remix of something they’re not familiar with is to compare to the original , especially now that it’s easy to do so.

As for the other point… remember for the longest time we got endless repackaging of the same old songs over and over . Redundant releases were a plague. We kind of have an embarrassment of riches these days

Maybe you could move the EH vs. SS discussion to its own thread? I want to read people’s thoughts on Sounds of Summer and not get involved in a lot of drama I neither care nor know anything about.

Yeah sorry about that. Since all this talk was somewhat related to the release it kinda made sense for it to be in this thread. But yeah, post-release I can see it being annoying for most people to read that drivel haha. Hopefully that's the end of it.

Agreed.

I can understand that feeling…but the original mixes are still available! I’m literally on Spotify as we type listening to the All Summer Long album in mono! If the new mix of Marcella was inserted into So Tough, then that’d be out of line. But it’s not! It’s one thing to not like the new mixes… I do for the most part (although I do prefer the original mono ) but the whole thing about Carl not being here to sign off….sorry , IMHO that is faulty logic. By that same logic, we need to remove every copyright extension release. No more performance of classical music, as Bach can’t sign off on it. Get rid of every Beatles reissue after Lennon died. Nobody could ever cover a song again.

Ok, so that sounds a bit extreme, but hopefully my point is clear. As long as it is clearly labeled a remix, there’s no issue. Now passing off a new mix as the original vintage deal, now that’s a different thing entirely

Sure

Anyone in charge of marketing and promotion for the Beach Boys needs to stop framing them as "classic rock à la the Beatles and Rolling Stones." If you can't appreciate the fact that the Beach Boys are inimitably kitsch at heart, then you're probably not qualified to be the arbiter of what's "cool" about them.

That particular one was easy to find , as you said it.

I’m not posting the EH comments here.

Hey guys -- can I just say, AGD was the ONLY one over there that I knew that had the class and balls to take my part.

Even I guy that I know -- and have actually helped -- could only muster a weak, "Howie may be brash, but. . . ."

Let's not sh*t on people here.
We're better than that.

You’re right… my apologies. Hell, we all have celebrating to do… listened to the new set twice already 😎

Mess of Help…I dug the fact that Brian is way more audible… Much prefer the way the lead was mixed here as well

Just got through listening to Wind Chimes on disc 2. everything sounds ok…except Do It Again. What happened to the drum sound?

As I stated in the other thread (the SOS thread), the tide has been turning for the band for a while now. It’s mostly due to the millennials and Gen Z folks. This is a band that averaged a gain of 1500-2000 new Spotify followers a *day* for about 6 month’s time (currently averaging 1500 new a day per Chartmetric).  It’s even higher on YouTube. The age group of their fan base is younger compared to their peers in the 60s and 70s .

I’ve seen more than one post here and the other place  stating The Beach Boys would never been ranked along the classic rock greats like the Beatles and the Stones . Crazy part is, these are the only two places that say that ! Pretty much everyone else already has them on the same level. It seems like the only people who don’t give The Beach Boys their proper respect are their own fans

I'm catching some deja vu vibes to 2015 when various parts of the No Pier Pressure album were also tagged with the label "unlistenable"...often by posters with less than 10 posts to their history too. So like HeyJude, I have to wonder what's going on if the tag "unlistenable" is being thrown around again, by posters with short or no histories. That's what's happening?

Definitely deja vu vibes to NPP. There was that 10 second iPhone video of an 'On The Island' session that sent some "fans" into a full-blown panic because they suspected "autotune". There was so much petulant backlash that Brian/Management issued a statement about the negative responses. To an iPhone recording of a bossa nova song. Think about that.

This is similar, where something as harmless as a podcast interview turns into a complete shitshow on a forum. Thankfully, since NPP was released, most of those brilliant music critics have gone to the EH forum...Which is exactly why the shitshow took place there and not here.

I will NEVER understand the desire for The Beach Boys to be a guilty pleasure. I just don’t get it. I mean, sh*t, it’s ok if other people like what you like 🙄

It was embarrassing 10 years ago (when I first became a huge fan) to bring this band up to people. Many times I'd hear more about Uncle Jesse than anything else. I know other fans have gone through much worse. So yeah, I appreciate any effort to elevate these guys above Kokomo and and Uncle Jesse references. And in the last 10 years I have seen a shift in tone about The Beach Boys. Not sure why, but perhaps the ongoing PR for the last 10 years has had some effect.

On another note, I implore people to type in 'Shut Down' into their preferred streaming/music service, and listen to the first 10 seconds of each old/vintage mix of that song, then listen to the new 2021 version. It is absolutely like night and day in terms of quality. There is a ton of clarity and life in the 2021 version. The bg vocals aren't panned to the right anymore for stereo. It is just full (in a good way).

If the other early songs are mixed like this we are really in for a treat!

Be glad you didn’t become a fan in the 90s like me! That appearance on Home Improvement was an embarrassment. I *never* want to go back to the days where they were best known for popping up on milquetoast “comedies” for boomers and Karens . That trash was lame af. Of course, the fact is that’s no longer the case , which means a certain segment of the fan base no longer feels special and unique for liking a band most other people made fun of. Those people need to get over themselves, grow a set (yeah I’m using their words now ) , and accept the fact that time has passed them by. The world moves on. Deal with it.

I will NEVER understand the desire for The Beach Boys to be a guilty pleasure. I just don’t get it. I mean, sh*t, it’s ok if other people like what you like 🙄

Don’t forget some of them threatening a “boycott” 😂

Some “fans”.

Excuse me while I mosh to Marcella.

Sorry again for interjecting into the thread, but since this stuff is going back and forth, it's time to address yet another lie being told about people here. This nonsense and the lies need to stop.

So it's been said yet again that people were banned here "for simply stating our opinions". This according to "feelsflow", whose membership is still active here and who was not banned.

I'll make this one easy: That's an outright lie. No one, and I repeat NO ONE, was banned here for "simply stating their opinions". Period. If people can't accept this, or prefer to lie and ignore the facts, we'd be happy to open the archives and go through exactly what people who were banned actually did or how they acted to trigger a ban. It's not pretty, and I'd rather not see that happen. But keep lying, Will and others, and you'll see what actually happened because it's all in the archives. The bans were for breaking board rules, most times repeatedly. And that's a fact. How those rules were broken by the banned individuals would cast them in a pretty bad light in some cases, which is why that's not something we'd want to see happen.

So here's another case where people who carry grudges cannot let things go after 5-7 years, and who continue to lie. They lie about me, lie about Billy, lie about Charles and the operation of this forum, they've lied about Brian Wilson and his family, they've lied about Howie most recently, they've continually lied about how and why people were banned here, and it continues to this day.

Appalling.

Just grow up, get over it, tell the truth, and talk about the music. If the only thing left to do to boost yourself up is spread lies and false information, that's pretty pathetic.

Sorry for the interruption.

Exactly. The way they turned on Howie speaks volumes.

And yeah these lies about being banned over difference of opinion is sickening but not surprising. The made to feel unwelcome, well, ok….but isn’t that basically just taking your bat and ball and going home cause nobody agrees with you?  Not a single person was banned over a difference of opinion, and no matter how many times these lying pricks try to make it so, it won’t be cause it never happened

Here we go again. The stereo mix of Pet Sounds in 1996. The choice of using stereo mixes only with the 1990 CD releases. The duophonic mixes used anytime past 1969. And on and on and on.

I started listening to the Beach Boys fully in 1974 when I was 15. They weren't cool then, but ENDLESS SUMMER started their renewal, followed by SPIRIT OF AMERICA and GOOD VIBRATIONS-BEST OF THE BEACH BOYS a year later. 15 BIG ONES/BRIAN'S BACK pushed through 1976 with a bang. By 1977, all of that momentum had dissipated. MIU, LA and KTSA seemed to only stir the diehards like me. Long Beach July 5th 1981 finished any last hope for cool.

This group has always been out of the loop after about 1968. DO IT AGAIN was the last gasp for the surfer crowd. Since that time, there has been this absolute need for the group to try and be cool. Darian Sahanaja has spoken at length about being bullied for buying this group's records. I know I took a lot of sh*t for liking this group in my teens, but I will say MANY people I knew started having Beach Boy LPs in their collections after my ceaseless pushing. I snuck an advanced copy of IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY onto the playlist of the #2 rock station in Houston in 1979 by BS'ing a DJ doing a live remote. The people in the crowd liked the tune but I left the remote before getting caught. Don't tell me I look too young to be a CBS promo guy! I was 20!

So trying to make this group relevant is something each succeeding generation has tried, even the group itself. I will say the the Good Vibrations box was really a game changer in that battle. Other releases have also pushed their relevance back into the public's view. But one thing that some have forgotten is that the songs and performances themselves are what really matter. Yes, you want a legacy, your rightful place in history. But when you remix songs to where they no longer sound like the original releases, then the legacy you are trying to keep alive is a false reflection. Second guessing Brian, Carl or anyone else's notion of what was needed on a certain track at a certain time is not what is needed. It would be the same if you were making a movie of a well known novel but suddenly say THIS WAR NOVEL NEEDED ALIENS INSTEAD PEOPLE FIGHTING IN THE END. LET'S ADD THAT TO THE MOVIE SO IT WILL BE COOL.

My only real problem with the remixes is that THOSE remixes will be the only version of those tunes available. I saw that to a lesser extent when the stereo mix of PET SOUNDS came out in 1997. Hearing the stereo mix of WIBN with Brian's vocal in the bridge was not good. As a fan, it was marvelous. But it was not true to the original version nor to what Brian himself wanted. To hear songs only mixed in mono finally mixed to stereo is truly amazing and Mark needs so many thanks for that. They are eye openers. But to hear stereo mixes REDONE into new stereo mixes kind of misses the mark. And there seems no reason for those. My opinion.

I am in awe (no kidding) of all that Mark and Alan have done with this legacy they have been stewards of. I would NEVER second guess anyone. Way back in the late 1990s, I posted some thoughts on remasters done by Mark. He took issue with what I said, and I posted on my PetSite his remarks (which included my initial rantings) and my apologies for my suppositions. I learned to not make statements about situations without getting the full story. Mark said he had not had others do that for him. I replied they should have.

This whole "make them cool" mindset is not new for the group. As I said, my only issue is that THESE will now be THE versions of tunes available in the future. And they shouldn't be. If they can steer clear of that issue, I am fine. I can see radio (meaning satellite, podcasts etc) getting only these versions in the future. In 1987, George Martin pulled the multi-tracks for The Beatles HELP and RUBBER SOUL. He remixed both LPs for CD release. He was the original producer and the only one of the group that monitored the stereo mixes in 1965. These mixes are now the standard version and the original ones are only available in box sets. George Martin said he wished they would go back to the original mixes, but EMI keeps using the new ones, even when re-releasing the Beatles US box set. I am afraid such things will happen with the Beach Boys catalog.

What this old dude likes as his goto discs depends on where I am playing them. My base for the CAPITOL releases are the flat transferred PAST MASTER series. The WARNER tracks to me sound best now on the TEN YEARS OF HARMONY re-release out of Japan from 2019, again flat transfers, which means you are getting Carl's mastering of these tracks that he knew so well.

Just wanted to give my OLD MAN 2 cents worth on all of these things transpiring. You can read it or pass it by. Now where is my pudding? I need a nap!

I completely understand this side of the argument, however there's little that the creators of these remixes can do to determine if these will become "the" preferred version of the song that is played the most, and whether that version takes a greater hold in the public consciousness more than the original version, or not.

So many of these elements are out of peoples' hands, whether a given version winds up on a playlist on Spotify by some popular influencer and winds up getting traction, etc.… The new 21st century methods by which music is shared and popularized are often dictated by fans and playlists, so it is a situation where things such as determining which version becomes "the" version will really ultimately be out of their hands.

Once again, the original versions are there for people who want to hear them. I really don't think those original albums/mixes are going to fall into some sort of deep obscurity. However, admittedly, the new mixes will probably for the short term gain more traction than the originals, but this attention level ebbs and flows.

But even if a new version winds up eclipsing the originals in the public consciousness, I think it's still absolutely worth it for those new versions to be made and released. It's still cool that the band has great folks working on new ways to revitalize the old catalog, and we should all consider ourselves very lucky that this is happening. And once again, anybody who dislikes a particular version can simply skip it with no harm done.

Ultimately the brand is not going to somehow be diminished/hurt, nor will the brand lose fans over these new mixes. At worst, things would stay stagnant. But in my opinion, in all likelihood the brand will just continue to grow in stature among young people in part helped by the media attention the mixes will probably bring to the brand, and that's a good thing.

The original mixes are still there. The new Marcella mix didn’t get inserted into So Tough. And both the mono mixes and stereo mixes are available, and usually on the same album …but I’m talking Spotify and Apple Music . I don’t have the finances to buy much physical media (I’m on disability and have a ; month old son to boot) but when I do I spend it on independent artists. So if it’s not available on physical media i stand corrected. Streaming wise, all the albums that had stereo remixes are also available in mono, including as 2fers on Spotify. Jaymie (my aforementioned keyboard and bass playing daughter) is a mono purist and says most of her friends are the same.

Oh and cassette tapes are making a comeback. It went from musicians using VST plugins to simulate tape hiss * to “regular “ people recording their music in to tapes to listen to them that way to sound better.


* which I’ve done. Funny I spent 2001-2008 recording to cassette but trying like hell to get the noise out to make it sound clean , and now people use programs to add that sound in.

I haven’t chimed in here at the board, so I’ll briefly place my thoughts on everything: It’s to hear more guitar (and a little organ) on “Marcella.” Also not a fan of Carl’s “ooh-ooh”s.  I do think there are some interesting track listing choices: I think Howie made some good choices, but it would’ve been nice if the “second disc” more closely followed The Warmth of the Sun compilation (especially a lack of California Dreamin’ IIRC in light of its recent use in Stranger Things).

As someone near the age being targeted, I think that is great, and I do think EH is a little harsh, to be kind about it.

As the board’s resident Metallica fan, the idea of this being compared to metal is freaking hilarious to me.

Yeah, I made the mistake of reading that thread over there. Two things… 1) The gene pool could use a bit more chlorine, and 2) typical boomer sh*t.

I got one thing to say to those “fans” bitching about how things have been since the sale (yeah I saw that too). I subscribe to ChartMetric (Artist tier)… the Beach Boys’ popularity on Spotify alone has sky rocketed since the sale. Compared to most of their peers, their stock is rising.  Is anyone else my age (almost 44) or older aware that the BB’s popularity has come close to surpassing the Beatles? Anyone else aware that the generations after mine revere them on a way nobody else has since 1966? So many of us are still bitter over sh*t that happened decades ago, and bear the scars of liking the group
when it was uncool to do so, to the point where few notice that hasn’t been an issue since around 2011. TSS did wonders for the group’s rep, as did the C50. That’s when I noticed a lot of early 20s kids getting into them.  Something funny happened, though…. they went from the 67-72 period being their most popular amongst the indie scene, to pretty much all of the 60s material being held in the same regard. The 20 somethings and under folks now don’t look at The Beach Boys as a group full of wasted potential, or as washed up has beens who got bitch slapped by the Beatles. Instead, they’re hailed as the fathers of indie rock and bedroom pop.

Tl;Dr version… the group’s legacy has been handled marvelously since the sale, and at just the right time too.

Billy C, I have a couple questions regarding this post. Is that really since the sale, or is that just since Feel Flows? I understand they happened at similar times but I don’t know if IAG has really done that much yet for the group, if we’re not counting getting FF released. This might be a stupid complaint from me, but I prefer the 1976 logo to the current one, and that’s really all I can think that Azoff has done. Definitely excited for a good documentary, which I will admit only Azoff can get done.  In addition, (IMO) the band is much better than anything ever classified as indie, indie rock, or bedroom pop, even if they are the forerunners of those genres. And I’m not sure the band has surpassed The Beatles yet - I think the most we can hope for is a tie in the next couple years.

Prior to Feel Flows. The way they’re being marketed , and how they are described by the music media, has certainly changed.

This stuff doesn’t happen in a vacuum. I know a lot of people think of Fleetwood Mac’s popularity being mainly due to the Tik Tok thing with Dreams are missing the boat… same with the Kate Bush song being on Stranger Things and is currently #4 on the Hot 100…. these are legacy artists that were already starting to get traction amongst a younger fan base (and in the Mac’s case it’s the Bob Welch period that has gained a lot of traction; conversely the Peter Green era has lost a lot of steam) .
There are songs charting that sound retro; not “manufactured major label artists” but artists from mid sized indies who write and play their own music.

As far as the Beatles goes, I’m mostly  referring to raw numbers, along with how they’re viewed in comparison by the younger set overall, musicians , media and general public alike . Hell look at music discussions on YouTube or browse non beach boys sites that deal with music that aren’t Hoffman (too old of a crowd). My daughter’s 15 next month and she can pretty much spot trends right before they happen. Hindsight and the lack of cultural bias is an amazing eye opener . We are too close to the action. I’ve been on these boards for over 26 years . I was a younger fan of 17 but the world has changed immensely since . Imagine hearing the band now as a new fan and having SO much available legally and easily be able to put things in context with bias.

This really deserves its own thread but for the first time ever things are lining up perfectly for The Beach Boys, and this time it’s past the point of being able to screw things up.

The problem with some segments of fandom only starts with the pedantry. It’s a symptom of a larger problem, of not being able to see the big picture and contextualize everything.

I don’t want to belabor any of this, but even the person who weirdly nearly transcribed the friggin’ podcast interview, they listened to it (presumably *more* than once), and *still* didn’t actually absorb it or understand it. And it’s not difficult to understand. There are many examples, but I’ll pick one out. The poster over there said Howie’s interview indicates he things AM and FM matter for the Beach Boys in 2022. That’s ENTIRELY missing the point. It’s the opposite! They’re not a presence on radio much, and haven’t been for quite some time. The point isn’t that remixing “Baby Blue” is going to get them on the radio in 2022. The point is that the BBs not existing in the “classic rock” realm alongside other peers is a *symptom* of a long string of unfortunate things that injured their cred/image/legacy over the years. The point is now to right those wrongs the best they can be. Not by trying to get radio to play “Marcella” or “Baby Blue” now, but rather to talk the band up in media and venues that will give them some of that cred, and will make both their music and the ability to discover and enjoy their music something that is relatable and tangible and plausible for a 20-year-old in 2022. There are a myriad of ways to go about this, and more is being done now in this realm by the current team than has ever been done in the past.

It wasn’t that long ago that we had to be excited about stuff like that meager “Songs from Here and Back” CD at Hallmark. Oooh, “PT Cruiser” again, but this time I can buy it at Hallmark? Be still my heart….

Exactly!

One thing though… “radio” doesn’t matter. It’s all about the streaming services. Stuff like this is perfect… the original is just a click away. Let’s be real…Spotify is music on demand, and a band with such a huge output of released and previously unreleased stuff would thrive in this day and age…and has. The elimination of storage limitations plus cost efficiency means eventually whether or not it would sell enough to offset cost would be a thing of the past:

One day I imagine liner notes being able to be viewed as the music plays, where you just maneuver around like a Kindle and flip through. That would be amazing.