Ringo. hands down. Charlie was a jazz guy and played really well. But when I hear his drumming I hear nothing that says (Wow... Now that is a Charlie Watts riff"... Ringo on the other hand had such a distinctive ringo-ness that I have to choose him. Charlie's the better technically. But Ringo was a more interesting drummer.

Happy Birthday to the greatest living songwriter in the US....

I couldn't have said it better. Happy Birthday Brian!!!! 

I chalk it up to fate.....

exactly. Sort of like Mozart's Requiem. I think it was destined to be imcomplete. In the end, maybe SMiLE was destined to be incomplete until BWPS.

ha ha. Just got back today from Cali. It went well. I took the 405 N. It was really easy to find. I was at the intersection of Hawthorne and 120th st. when the car in front of me burst into flames and as soon as a police car came the fine fellow who was driving it ran away as fast as he could. there was an on-foot police chase and everything.  Quite weird when you have a mental picture of Hawthorne c. 1950's to see where its at today. It is definitely a rough area. But everyone I talked to was really nice and helpful.

I will post pics later for your perusal (yes, I got a picture of the burning car).

I don't believe it would have mattered at all. The LP was so late in arriving that the opportunity had come and gone. That and the fact that the LPs graphics and musical content were so untypical for the group that most of us were "confused". I still don't understand the controversy within the group about releasing SMILE and then kicking out SMILEY SMILE instead. I just don't see where SMILEY is any more accessable. I think the years have been kind to SMILEY but it was kind of difficult to like it a lot at first after the HEROES/GOOD VIBRATIONS teasers that had preceeded it.

You'll find the answer when you look at the difference in song writing credits from SMiLE to Smiley Smile... Notice any differences? That would be why the BB could stomach SS more than SMiLE.

Ultimately I agree with what has been said by a few others. Had Brian finished it-to a successful end or otherwise-I don't think he would be alive today. SMiLE could really have benefited from a nice cartoon ala  Yellow Submarine.

So I am here in L.A. for the week and thought I'd visit Hawthorne to see the BB monuments. Can anyone recommend a good route to get from Disneyland to hawthorne, without having to go through Compton?

Muchas Gracias.

 

I think my most brilliant Brian song would have to be a toss up between either Surf's Up or A Day In The Life Of A Tree. I just wish there was a version out there with Brian singing it all the way through instead of Jack Reiley (tho' I think his vocals are appropriate for the song).

Cool. In light of the BW/VDP rennaissance that has been going on it will be really interesting to see how it works out.

I like it too. It is really funny and I love that weird organ part (Brian?) and the banjo too. Is that Brian singing the hi on "glory gloy hallelujah"? It sounds kind of like a record for kindergardeners.

I always thought it was Brian. I could see why a person would think it was Carl... I dunno...

1/2? Not even 1/3.

Even if it was only 1/9, my point was that those older songs make the album a little easier to swallow, IMO.

Yes, I get it but I'm a nitpicker.   

Actually though, there are some bright non-60's moments on this album. The only song that really makes me cringe is Make It Big... Sounds so much like a crappy Van Halen knock off that it makes me laugh... Wait, I guess I am entertained by it so.. who knows? I'm confused now. 

I think your lyrics are good Luther. Certainly ALOT better than about 97% of the stuff thats making $$$$.

1/2? Not even 1/3.

Even if it was only 1/9, my point was that those older songs make the album a little easier to swallow, IMO.

I hate to say that alot of the lines I thought were Carl's on SNJ do sound alot like Terry Melcher. I don't know what he sounded like in the 80s, though; I'm basing this on the Bruce and Terry/Rip Chords stuff I've heard.

I have to admit I gave Still Cruisin a 3. It makes it a bit easier to swallow when I realised that 1/2 the songs on it are from the 60's.

If it's any indication, I'm a HUGE fan of Solar System.....

You must have tons of wisdom then. 

I could never get rid of I'm Bugged. But Sherry would be a nice 13th track. It would even be a nice "Caroline, No"-ish ending.

why harp on the behavior of Brian's camp and let it ruin the few performing years we have left with Brian?

God, thats a depressing thought. 

Good point Luther... But it seems like things were so much more together in 65 that they would have finished it. Its obviously a great song. We need this stuff released. They should release an album called Beach Combing and release all this great stuff thats just sitting there doing nothing....


OK that is a dumb title, but you get the idea, right? 

I have heard that he treated Alice Cooper.

Thanks folks. Listening to the track it really amazes me how passable Brians Falsetto still was. I agree with John, this song could easily have made Summer Days (which is allready a great album) a really really great album.

Why didni't they ever finish it?

John Stamos- the 10th replacement

Best one yet! 

Anyone know the story behind this track? The backing track sounds like it was recorded in 65 or 66 but Brian's vocals are obviously around 76 or so, but his voice sounds so sweet.

I don't understand why folk feel Brian would be so diminished if he wasn't playing keyboards live (you don't need a balcony video to see that) or if he uses pitch correction in the studio. Brian is one of the greatest living composers and when he sings live he sounds great considering the abuse his voice has undergone over the years.

Does it diminish Pet Sounds to know that most of the tracks were played by non-beach boy musicians?

Of course not. Neither does it diminish Brian that he operates things the he does, live and in the studio.

I watched the last one with the sound off just watch Mike get hit and I'll be darned if that isn't the most surreal thing to watch with no sound....