Imho the level of vocal creativity in those '30-'40s groups is unparalleled.

Anti-academic, Captain. It's not the same. And "knee-jerk response" is a classic straw man, used for responses one does not like.

I wonder why the author didn't target the Beatles. They aren't just white, they are Un-american, which is even worse.

Well said!

Here is a rare document of my favourite singer ever, the falsetto tenor "Highpockets" William Langford, best known for his alas too short period as a founding member of the Golden Gate Quartet. William is the crazy falsetto which seems always about to morph into a trumpet or a train call:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lD3bZZ4xjtI

And, speaking of voice trumpets and train calls, here is William with the Goldens:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj0SuysaPWw

In the following video there is a photo of the early Goldens. From left to right: Henry Owens lead tenor, Orlandus Wilson bass, Willie Johnson baritone and narratives, "Highpockets" falsetto tenor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRSDzqFJnp8

I don't think there is a real Marxist alive.

I am   

Ahah, nice one. I love the Marx brothers. ALL of them...

Moved to general music discussion.

Yes, I remember Bill Tobelman. His take on Smile was (is) very original and interesting.
Hey, he has a very nice site!

http://www.goodhumorsmile.com/

So, they specifically train people to write pretentious (and absurd) academic drivel. No wonder they keep on doing that for the whole of their academic lives...

Personally, I hate the term "whites" for white people and "blacks" for black people. Sounds derogatory. Actually, I long for the day when it will be just "people"....

More than derogatory, I consider them wildly inaccurate. Nobody is really white or black. Nor yellow, nor red.

I don't think there is a real Marxist alive.

It all depends on whether our species is really only a big bunch of self-important idiots, or not.
If it is, in a couple centuries we will be extinct (or back in the caves), so no Beach Boys legacy, or any other. Sorry.
If it isn't, then the Boys and Brian will be still widely known, loved and performed 200 years from now, just like Beethoven, Mozart etc.
For a series of reasons including the Internet, I'm not overly optimistic. "Sapiens sapiens"... oh yeah, sure.

Lee, the excerpts I read were more than enough for me. Not going to touch the actual book with a pole, not even for free.

On the other hand, I read some excerpts of Brian's book on Amazon. It looks much better than I was expecting: it's uncanny how you hear Brian's unmistakable "voice" in the narrative. That's great work by Ben Greenman in channeling it so well. I also like the constant temporal shifting.

[e]

And see for me, I HATE the short version, just like I hate the single version of Cool Cool Water.

lol...spellcheck said "short venison". Oh deer...

Oh deer... That's brilliant!

To stay on topic, the song titles are the bee's knees.

My only comment on that article is: a -1 for the HUMAN race (like it was needed!).
But I know there's a hamster...

[Cinderella]

Every song on Ezra Furman's Perpetual Motion People album.

I've got it linked for future listening. Always pleased to broaden my musical horizons. ;=)

I did a little horizon broadening myself and listened to your cantata. Very powerful.

Yes, Mr P could deliver. (The conductor Valery Gergiev rates him the number one 20th-century composer.)

I suppose he's like Tchaikowsky in some ways----he could write a luminous ballet like Cinderella (which my daughter danced in many years ago) and something as grim (but ultimately uplifting) as Alexander Nevsky...  

John, I think you mean Prokofiev. However, what you said holds even better for Tchaikowsky, who composed an even more luminous ballet like "The Sleeping Beauty", and also the sublime but harrowing Sixth Symphony.

I wasn't expressing myself properly (happens often). I meant that Prokofiev was a lot like old Tch.. Thanks for pulling me up on that. :=)

Oh sorry, you were expressing yourself more than properly! Totally my bad, my reading skills were at one of their frequent lows...
By the way, I abolutely agree about Prokofiev. The Russian musicians had a great 19th century, but in the 20th they blew everybody else out of the water in the "classical" field, with Prokofiev, Shostakovich and Stravinskij.

In any case, a great feel-good thread, thanks wilsonart1 for starting it. About my "OSD" response: I decided on a half-joke (half because I'd really like to meet the Legendary OSD!), because my real answer would have included many people, starting rather obviously from Debbie and Ray.
About meeting Brian himself... I confess feeling unworthy. I'd be even more transfixed than when I met the living legend of celtic music, Alan Stivell.

P.S.
And this thread confirms my theory that the board is healthier and friendlier than ever!

I wouldn't be so sure. There are things like absolute values in art, independent of times and the fashions of the moment. Homer is still considered a great genius after about 3000 years. And If you think that Homer is semi-mythological, Virgil is not, and he's stil considered a genius after 2000 years.
If we talk music, sadly we have no samples of the music of thousands of years ago, but Claudio Monteverdi is still considered a genius after 400 years.
The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson are in this category, like the Beatles and several others.

Great thread idea!
The Beach Boys, and Brian Wilson, will be remembered and cherished as long as there are real human beings around. And yes, Brian will always have his place among the greatest. No Pier Pressure will be recognised as the masterpiece it is.

And let's hope Solar System, and finding wives (and husbands) on Mars, becomes a reality!

The Legendary OSD, of course!

[Cinderella]

Every song on Ezra Furman's Perpetual Motion People album.

I've got it linked for future listening. Always pleased to broaden my musical horizons. ;=)

I did a little horizon broadening myself and listened to your cantata. Very powerful.

Yes, Mr P could deliver. (The conductor Valery Gergiev rates him the number one 20th-century composer.)

I suppose he's like Tchaikowsky in some ways----he could write a luminous ballet like Cinderella (which my daughter danced in many years ago) and something as grim (but ultimately uplifting) as Alexander Nevsky... 

John, I think you mean Prokofiev. However, what you said holds even better for Tchaikowsky, who composed an even more luminous ballet like "The Sleeping Beauty", and also the sublime but harrowing Sixth Symphony.

John, do you know Bo Hansson? Will all respect for Mike (not Love this time!), I think of him as a better Mike Oldfield.

But this time, not forgetting Bob Dylan and Elton John!

Scandinavian music is way underrated. Most people just know the ABBA, and that's it.
But...

Classical:
Carl Nielsen
Edvard Grieg
Johan Sibelius

Jazz:
Jan Garbarek
Terje Rypdal
Jonas Hellborg

Pop/rock:
Bo Hansson
Bjork (ok, Iceland - same origins)
Yngwie Malmsteen

So, this thread if for anyone who has any liking for Scandinavian music (including ABBA!).