Oh, no...... I'm running for the hills and staying clear away from this thread 

Leaving This Town on "In Concert" makes me tear up. Not sure why! Amazing!

I have a boot from 71 or 72 that has Bruce doing Disney Girls and, though there are no BBs backing vocals (I'm sure this song was an excuse for a smoke break for the other guys) the full band arrangement with horns is simply gorgeous!!!! I far prefer it over the Surf's Up version.

Speaking of the tempo on the record version of Marcella: I've always thought the drums in general on that track are weak sounding and plodding. Ricky kills it on the "In Concert" version. Are we sure it's even him on the CATP track?

Actually, Stephen, you answered my question perfectly! It was Do It Again and the drums at the beginning (with the effect) that I was most curious about! 

This just further points out how Dennis was the PERFECT drummer for The Beach Boys! Simple, sure, but he HIT the drums and played with great feeling!

Ok, specifically on his own songs on 20/20-Sunflower! Did he play anything on those songs? Drums? Keyboards? And on Do it Again! I've always wondered what the lineup was on that track!!!

Dennis Dragon also played extra percussion onstage too, right?

It's certainly him on congas in that clip of Wild Honey from, I think, 72? 73? with Keith Moon and Elton John on Help Me Rhonda.

Any tidbits on Dennis in the studio? I'm very curious about certain songs he might have drummed on!

You've probably been asked this countless of millions of times, Stephen, but we eat this stuff up and can't get enough!

you're right, but it certainly goes both ways. though historically speaking has usually gone just one way!

we really are into uncharted territories here. but we'll all find our feet! 

Why does defending Mike still cause such compu-violence? We ALL love Brian! I think the sociopath comments are intended to be humorous though provoking, but I doubt anyone here actually considers Brian a villian! I mean, "villian" is something of a serious word. Stating that Brian made some bad decisions that had consequences is, at worst, accusing him of being a mere human! All bets are off with Mike, of course. He's free to be accused of everything under the sun, but Brian? We all love him!

Does this happen on Beatles boards with John worshippers vs. Paul worshippers? (I'll bet it does) And the comparison IS intended!

Said Global Moderator has just the same right to his opinion as anyone else.

Yes, Brian has mental issues. But it seems he's conveniently either: too crazy to be held accountable for his actions, when it suits some people, or completely on top of his game mentally (or at least crazy but not stupid), when it suits some people.

Brian doesn't own the copyright on mental illness. There was a bit of it going around in The Beach Boys camp, from all accounts.

This ponderous argument isn't even about Brian or his mental condition. It's about those who've chosen to paint Mike Love as the central boogeyman in his life.

Well, I should have said "cult material (in Dennis' case)" BEFORE all the good work of you, John, Jim Guercio, The BBC, and others! 

I personally have long known a lot of "friend's Moms" who love love love Dennis but couldn't care less about the Beach Boys, btw. 

Ok, who's gonna have the balls to write it?

You think David Leaf and Priore get vilified: just wait and see what happens to the sucker who writes "Mike Love And The California Myth" or "Look, Listen, Vibrate, Love"

Btw, each time I've seen Brian singing Fun Fun Fun, he's come off like a guy at a karaoke bar who's not quite drunk enough! Mike simply owns that song!!!!!!

The Sheriff is right. Only Brian can be considered a well known household name. I mean, non Beach Boys fans even know who he is and worship him 

Dennis and the other guys are strictly cult material!

SJS - Yes, that is my opinion.  Al's voice, BTW says California every bit as Mike's

My central point, though, is that in the vast majority of the songs that he sang lead on the lead vocal was the least interesting part of the song.  He was part of the sound but not the key element.  

I would also dispute that he was the voice of the Beach Boys.  The thing that set the Beach Boys apart in the early days were the harmonies and the quality of the tune.  As Brian progressed as producer the arrangements also set the songs apart.

Mike was/is a good singer (although not as good as pre 1974 Brian, Carl or Al) but his voice is not what made the Beach Boys the Beach Boys.

There is a reason that Mike did not sing lead on Brian's more emotional songs - he didn't have the voice for it.  To prove my point think about this question: Let's say that Carl and Mike switched leads on the following songs - "California Girls" & "God Only Knows", "Good Vibrations" & "I Get Around", and "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "Girl Don't Tell Me - Which songs lose the most with the switch in lead singer?  In each case it is the song sung by Carl.

This came to me after listening to "Live at the Roxy".  On the "Mike" songs I did not is his voice even a scintilla as much as I missed Carl's voice on his songs.

Depends on what one considers "having a voice for emotional songs" to be!

I think Mike's finest lead is on That's Not Me. It's a very emotional lead. Who better could portray a cocky adolescent/young adult striking out on their own and missing the comforts fo home better than Mike? He nails it! Some of his distinct "parts" on songs are very emotional too. His reading of "waited for you girl" on Let Him Run Wild, is the emotional anchor of the song, in my opinion. Uh, Kiss Me Baby! All I Wanna Do! Sumahama! His part on In My Room! Meant For You! Everyone's In Love With You! to name a mere few.... all emotional vocals!


Oh yeah, and please thank Surfer Joe for my re-christening!!  

Surfer Joe: you bring a tear of joy to my eye!

Yup: it's time the other Beach Boys get tossed into the fire:

AL!!!!!? What the hell can explain him? Who's fault is it? Are all the drugs he DIDN'T take to blame?

Man, "correct perspective"

In my caveman opinion, there is enough (pun warning) Love to go around!

To me it's all just one big Beach Boys concert from the 70's: everyone loves the merda out of the music, the harmonies are killer, we all love Dennis! Carl sings like an angel. Al is Al, Bruce is Bruce. The crowd loves Mike. He has them in the palm of his hand. They worship Brian through the music. And if Brian happens to be there, the crowd goes insane!!!!!

Koko-mo-fos?

Ok, Kokomites is grand!!!!!!!!!!! Done deal! 

Victims Of Love is great, but Don Henley might sue!

I don't subscribe to any theory other than what I can discern by examining The Beach Boys recorded and live work. David Leaf, Dominic Priore, and others have ammased lovely tomes that worship (correctly) at the feet of Brian but at the expense of the others who have greatly contributed to the wonder that is The Beach Boys. Now, I'm an odd case perhaps because I love EVERTYTHING The Beach Boys have ever done (or everything not entitled "Problem Child") ... Puts me in a weird camp, I know. But I almost innocently can't understand and the bile spewed in Mike's direction. I love the guy and his talent, his voice, his lyrics, him as a frontman. Even his awful fashion. He's about 40% of why The Beach Boys are my favorite band. Brian is the other 40%. Carl, Dennis, Al and (yes) Bruce share the remaining 20%. Carl gets more love as simply being my favorite singer of all time.

This is all just one fan's perspective! But this board is for all of us!  

Ok, so, being one of the guilty myself, can we please come up with an official term for us Love Lovers, Lovers Of Love, Lovesters, Make Mike-Not-Love-ers, Mike Love-Not-Brian-ers?

This "Mike Love-rs" rewriting The Beach Boys history" argument makes me laugh considering how "unbiased" the "official" Beach Boys history has been for the past 40+ years!

Brian chose to take drugs...... by the boatload

Guess what? Drug use doesn't cause mental illness.

Tell that to my friend Keith's family. He rode home on a bike from a Grateful Dead concert in 90 degree weather, saw some cops and decided to hide his sheets of acid between his sock and his bare leg...... He's been in a mental ward ever since.

Brian chose to take drugs...... by the boatload