[Note To Mods]

Note To Mods: I wouldn't mind seeing this moved to "The Sandbox" if you feel if indeed it is off-topic.  However, it does relate in a roundabout way to The Beach Boys and I would be interested to know if anyone in The Beach Boys fan community remember this mystery.
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So this is going to be a bit off the beaten track and I'm not really even sure how many in The Beach Boys' community are aware of this story.  In 1974, a seventeen year old girl from Spokane, Washington with the rather ironic name (for the nineteen seventies anyhow) of Laurie Lynn Partridge disappeared rather mysteriously and her disappearance has ties to The Beach Boys.  On December 4, 1974, Laurie left her classes at Ferris High School and was last seen walking south on Havana Street near 37th Avenue.  She was allegedly being followed by a green Pinto station wagon, although the driver nor the vehicle itself has ever been identified.

Laurie never arrived home and was subsequently reported missing by her family.  Her father had purchased her tickets to an upcoming concert by The Beach Boys and the concert was staked out by local police to see if Laurie would turn up at the concert.  She did not. 

However, strangely it was later determined that the tickets that Laurie's father purchased for The Beach Boys' concert were in fact used at the show but authorities were unable to find out who used them.  While several suspects have been questioned in Laurie's case since her disappearance, she has never been located and no charges in her disappearance have ever been filed.

For more information please visit the following sites:
https://creativehomelife.com/the-1974-disappearance-of-my-aunt-laurie-partridge/
https://charleyproject.org/case/laurie-lynn-partridge
https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/cold-case-spotlight/more-questions-answers-nearly-42-years-after-washington-teen-vanishes-n688811

Disappointing for sure, but Brian's 73 years old. Sooner or later the man deserves to relax.

True and it seems as reasonable of a time as any to "say goodbye" next year with the 50th anniversary of "Pet Sounds" looming.  It really makes me wonder how much longer M&B are going to be out there as well?  I wonder if M&B try to stretch it to "Sixty years of..." or will they pack it in over the next couple years as well?  Summer's Gone.

The following words by Jon Stebbins have always rung truer to me than anything else as to why things are the way they are/why the C50 ended on a sour note/why Brian and Mike are working independently of one another now etc:

"“Since Carl died in the late ’90s, Mike has basically been the man.  He runs the operations, and he runs the show and I think for the 50th anniversary tour, he had to step back.  Night after night after night after night, Mike is making less money getting reminded that Brian is more popular than him and he has to answer to people instead of calling all the shots himself.”

[That isn't going to fly]

If Mike finally releases a new solo album, he needs to put the original 1970 version of Big Sur in pristine quality on there as a bonus track, much like Brian put the long – awaited 1975 ITBOMM on NPP. It may not make a sizable dent, but it certainly wouldn't hurt interest in the song collection. That song seems as though it's being saved for a reason, though I can't seem to figure out why.

No can do, it's a Beach Boys recording.

Well, what about Don't Fight the Sea? That was a BB recording too, and somehow Al was able to release it on an Al solo album. I figure that with some legal wrangling, the same could possibly be feasible for Mike, no? Also, the 1975 ITBOMM, while featuring just Brian on it (and no other BBs) was co-written by another BB (Mike). While each song probably has unique legal parameters for ability to be released, I'd think that Big Sur could be released as a ML bonus track if he wanted it to be badly enough.

The ends don't suit the means.  Brian's demo of IBOMM is grey area enough that it was feasible for him to release it as a solo endeavor.  Yes Mike Love has a co-writing credit on the song but that is not where the focus should be because what we are speaking of here is performance, not song authorship.  For example, Al Jardine recorded a cover of "California Feelin'" on "Postcards..." which is a Brian Wilson composition without issue.   As you mentioned Jardine also included "Don't Fight The Sea" on the same record but stated that due to legal issues, the song had to be credited to him and not The Beach Boys.  In addition he was able to obtain the services of Johnston, Wilson, Love and I'm assuming permission of the estate of Carl Wilson to bring the song to conclusion.  Quite a bit of a trot for Jardine to have to go through to see the song released but remember what made "Don't Fight The Sea" a unique circumstance is that it was an unfinished Beach Boys song that Jardine wanted to feature on his record.  In order to finish it, he had to reassemble The Beach Boys which he somehow miraculously managed to do.  In the case of "Big Sur" you merely have a finished Beach Boys track that would be released under Mike Love's name.  That isn't going to fly.  Not in this lifetime anyhow.

What is both ironic and amazing about this video is he's talking about California and the impression that a lot people have of California was cultivated by the man who is speaking about it in the video.  Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys breathed a new type of existence into California and shaped what it was to become or to mean to a whole lot of different people.  Time passes and things change obviously but it's hard to deny the truth in this matter and that is California is as much of a part of Brian Wilson as he is a part of it.

Just wondering if there have ever been any people, online or otherwise, who have ardently defended Murry or Landy's actions? I'd imagine if these exist, they would be people best suited for an insane asylum... but perhaps there are actually people (non-trolls) who actually feel this way in their hearts.

And I'm not talking about people who just defend a few, select things that Murry or Landy did, but generally defend their actions and characters on the whole? Maybe is this akin to trying to find the yeti... 

I think it will be harder for the Landy defenders to rally to his side after the film comes out.  The film will put it into the public consciousness that Landy was an unsavory character and then he will be harder to defend in the public forum.  Most of the people who defend Landy these days are of the opinion that Brian Wilson's life could've not be salvaged from the dire straits it was in without some desperate measures being taken.  Enter Landy...

Are some of you people serious!?  This show is done elegantly, as is appropriate to PBS.  But then, I'm a little more interested in the music than a Barbara Ann rah-rah routine.  Christ, and people call me a cheerleader.

Absolutely serious. That show has no excitement whatsoever.

So not an essential piece for the collection?  I was on the fence about this one given the fact that I can't order it through the usual online outlets.

Congratulations Brian!

Not when I've spoken with him since summer 2011. But hey, I would say that, wouldn't I, being on his payroll and all. 

You have no idea what an utter fool you look with such posts. I pity you.

Hey, we thought you were gonna "save your breath". Try doing what you promised us, and please, save the pity for yourself.  

If we are throwing a "pity party" maybe we can make it a group affair and bring salsa and chips? 

The agenda continues...

So every site that gave it a bad review has an agenda?  Right...

Well, yes they ALL have an agenda.  Selling magazines, newspapers, getting hits, re-tweets, etc.  Editors' jobs are focused on those factors more than actually editing a piece for good content at this point - or at least the manager above them has that job.  An attention grabbing headline and in the case of the internet, enough words in the body of the piece that will bring it up in Google and other searches is the focus.  And everyone is on the internet now, so...

Often, if not always, there is a "style-guide" for writers, as well. Interestingly, Aaron Sorkin's the "Newsroom" portrayed this in a segment of one of the last season's episodes (I think the one just before the final episode).  The "10 Worst" whatever gets more hits than the "10 Best" with most media - films, music, celebrities.  Anyone who thinks that there isn't an agenda behind most reviews is mistaken, I'm afraid.  

And this isn't an easy album to review.  Brian is again challenging the listener, so take that into account.  Good reviewers will at least give it a thoughtful listen and have some foundation for their opinions.  Those are few and far between.  I don't agree with the idea that someone reciting Brian's history and then giving a brief review is giving Brian "a break" of some sort.  It's just easy to go to Wikipedia, then Google Brian and quotes about the record for other opinions.  A lazy reviewer, or someone who doesn't know what to make of what he's heard will do that.  It's about selling their own product and re-tweets, folks.

I also agree that most of the reviews aren't negative.  I see a lot of confused reviewers who don't quite know what to make of it, though.  Should that really surprise us?

I don't disagree, but I think we all know that's not the agenda he is talking about. 

But if you think about my 3rd paragraph, it really is part of an agenda, if these reviewers are Googling and getting negative comments from places that could likely include SS - it comes up in searches regularly - they're influenced by it.  As far as the agenda here, well - I don't spend much time here these days because the consistent, and often contrived nastiness toward Brian and his work is downright toxic.  I don't find it anywhere else like this place.

I have to agree.  I'll admit on the onset when it was reported that Brian Wilson was collaborating with artists with whom he hadn't previously worked with and whose styles differed (at least in my opinion) greatly from his, I took a wait and see approach on the project.  But once the songs started to materialize, I implicitly understood what Brian was trying to do with this record.  He was doing exactly what he's been doing his entire career and that is find the best means of casting his songs so that they are pleasing to the ear and spirit, if that doesn't sound too corny.  But that is essentially what he does and continues to do here.

I'm not perplexed at all by the agenda talk.  It's just a term.  What speaks to me more than any particular term is that some people are willing to move forward with Brian Wilson and his music while others want him to create music that revisits his past glories.  Neither camp is necessarily wrong but to criticize the man for wanting to think forward, yeah that is where I can agree with you that the "nastiness factor" comes in.  It's not like NPP is wholly uncommercial either.  I watched Billy's video the other day where he's watching "Runaway Dancer" and the excitement in his voice when he's enthusing about this track is palpable.  The track is certainly something you can term as being "out of left field" for Brian Wilson but Billy's reaction was probably the same as someone back in 1966 who gave a freshly minted copy of "Pet Sounds" a spin.  It's different, it's not something you'd expect as a listener and from there whether you like it or not is just your reaction to the song.

Yeah I like this record.  I like it a lot.

Everything on "Our Special Love" is a capella. No programmed drums or bass or whatever people claim to be hearing. Been a fan of Peter Hollens since first hearing he would be collaborating with Brian. Check out his YouTube page. The guy is incredible.

Yeah he is and I thoroughly admit that with a bit of egg on my face.  Just based on the samples I thought "Wow I'm really going to hate this Hollens song" but it's honestly one of my firm favorites on the record now.  I was reading through some of the reviews and one of them mentioned how Brian used a lot of these new artists to recreate the classic Beach Boys harmonies and I couldn't agree more.  Brian managed to replicate the magic that he has brought out in the past with The Beach Boys with these new artists.  Kacey, Peter, Sebu and Nate all do fantastic jobs on this record.  Almost make me wish they were part of Brian's band permanently.  The only one I haven't warmed up to is Zooey who is a decent actress but I don't think she gave Brian much to work with in terms of raw material in comparison with the others.

Craig got mad though, Billy. I don't wanna piss Craig off. You guys and Klass are the besteses.

Maybe you should give him his Cadberry Eggs back?  That could cheer him up?

how come no one ever talks about Home Improvement

We will if/when they have a reunion.

They've actually had several cast reunions but no full fledged reunion show to my knowledge.  Basically aside from Tim Allen and Pat Richardson most of the actors on "Home Improvement" are no longer in the entertainment industry.  I guess the same could be argued for "Full House" but as far as "Home Improvement" goes the actor who played Wilson passed on several years ago and Richard Karn who portrayed Al Borland did host "Family Feud" for awhile.  As for the younger actors, all three of them never made the transition from child actors to having careers in the industry as adults.  One of the boys, Taran Smith made headlines around a decade ago when he revealed that his parents had over the years apparently taken and spent all the money he had earned on the show.  

[Robbie McIntosh]

Two of the more interesting personages that are name checked in the NPP liner notes.  Robbie McIntosh is obviously the former Pretenders and McCartney guitarist.  Does anyone know what he contributed to the production of the record?  As for Nikki Cox, the only Nikki Cox I'm aware of is the actress who is married to Jay Mohr and starred in the television series "Las Vegas" with James Caan.  One in the same here? 

Someone more knowledgeable than me on such matters must have the answers!

Truth be told I don't think M&B are relevant enough to appear on the new Full House.  Remember back when the made their original appearance on the series, they were riding high with "Kokomo" and being a favorite of John Stamos, he brought them in and kept bringing them back time and time again.  From what that article states, Stamos is going to be in the category of a "guest performer" himself on the new series so I can't imagine him having as much creative pull with the new show as he did with it's predecessor. 

I understand this is a piece on Brian Wilson but I bristle at anyone genuflecting towards Landy.  Brian is a gentleman who wouldn't deride anyone publicly but the stuff about Landy serving his purpose by putting him on a diet?  The immediate thought that comes to mind is that dieticians can do the same thing without the Ft. Knox type lockdown.  From everything I've read and granted I haven't read reviews from all of his celebrity clients but Landy really never seemed to help anyone in the end.

Now why can't we get a nice review like that from one of the major outlets?  The entire album grows on you the more you listen to it.  For example I thought I was going to flat out hate the Hollens track but to be quite honest, I can't get enough of it now. 

I've heard he's been walking round everywhere, looking for some answers...

[it's just trolling garbage]

isn't it interesting that Brian's best vocals occur when Joe is co-producing.  

It's a thousand times more interesting that the only track that has no identifiable ottotune, 'One Kind of Love', is the only song without a Joe Thomas credit.

You're so right.  What an amazing observation and conspiracy theory!  Maybe while Thomas was away autotuning the other 16 tracks, Brian snuck this one past him.  I'll bet he's gonna be really pissed when he finds out that no OTTOtune was used.  

It seems to me, as a relatively new poster that every time the positive comments start rolling in, these negative comments follow shortly after.  This is a great sounding album with great songs and from reading Brian's interviews, seems like Brian had a great time making it.  Can't we just leave it at that?

A-freakin-men.

I'm sure a lot of people won't like the album, and that's okay, but it's just funny to see all these new posters dive bomb into these threads with nothing but negativity (even some with a post history of solid BW negativity) - and it's not even interesting negativity - it's just trolling garbage....especially the tool who thinks Brian was better off with Landy than Joe. smh.

I have to agree with you there unfortunately.  From what I've read on the NPP related threads most of the negative comments are people with agendas.  Agendas against Brian, agendas against his management team, agendas against Joe Thomas, agendas against the fact that Brian Wilson's current music doesn't sound like a rehash of his nineteen sixties glories.  Agendas, agendas, agendas.  Very little said about the music except: "I don't like it and by the way I also have something against __________ (take your pick from one or more of the topics I listed above)".

The mix is way off, but Brian seems more into it than his usual tv performances.

Sound mix really sucks though.  Way too dry.

Yeah something was definitely off.  "Sail Away" was decent.  The other two not so much.  Could be the mix like Billy suggested but it could also be just the constraints of such a performance.  Not sure.

From listening to the lyrics on the released NPP songs, I have noticed something very important to my ears. The lyrics with BW's collaborators are both mature and youthful at the same. It seems BW has really created an album that relates to everybody without harking back to the past or cheesy.

Which was my sole gripe with TWGMTR.  For me it is really what stopped it from being a "perfect album" all the way through but the other aspects of TWGMTR are so strong that it's almost a quibbling point.  For my money, "Spring Vacation" worked, "Daybreak Over The Ocean" and especially "Beaches In Mind" didn't.  Songs like that shouldn't been bumped from that record in exchange for something more substantial. 

[X1000]

On the Island lyric video:

http://hellogiggles.com/brian-wilson-on-the-island-she-him/

You see what they did for "no food, no pets"?    X1000

Indeed, AGD. It's easily read as a song about a troubled romantic relationship. I do think, though, in this case the multiple readings make it stronger. Who really wants an explicit account of backstage contention?

There is another possible interpretation that the listener could draw as well.  It could easily be a song about the process of grieving, of losing someone.  You always hear people say when someone close to them passes, that "if only I could speak to that person one last time, what would I say to them...what would they say to me".  There is certainly elements of that in "The Last Song".

Different link. I did that too.  

Meghan Trainor... entirely talent free, and that's her plus point.  

If she's "entirely talent free" then what are you? Written any worldwide hits lately?

*delete...I don't want to derail this thread, getting into an age old debate that has no end.

Hold on tight
And everything will be all right
I never really felt this way before

Don't let go
There's still time for us
So let's take it slow
I wish that I could give you so much more

La la la la, etc.
La la la la, etc.

Far away
And maybe we'll be coming back someday
Together in the end
To sing with you again

Ah ah ah
Da da da

I never really felt this way before
Don't be sad
There was a time and place for what we had
If there was just another chance for me to sing to you

La la la la, etc.
La la la la, etc.

There's never enough time for the ones that you love
There's never enough time for the ones that you love
There's never enough time for the ones that you love

Wow really sad and touching.  When all is said and done ultimately it doesn't matter which side of the fence you fall on.  Laid bare, the fact that two friends who were once so close have spent so many years battling various guises of estrangement is nothing short of tragic.  The silver lining of course is that they both have family and friends around them and seem to both be leading genuinely happy lives.  But still this song is to Mike Love what "Lay Down Burden" was to Carl and what "Like A Brother" was to Brian.