I’ve just finished the very first of the Pet Sounds episodes and really loved it. The context is so fascinating and despite being a fan since I was about 4, there’s things in that first episode I didn’t know and hadn’t every really thought about. Thank you for making it!

I had the same thoughts about that interview, quite strange in tone and perspective. He didn’t sound particularly enthusiastic about his role, which is perhaps understandable if you’ve been in its orbit via family for so long. I think there’s more evident joy and enthusiasm from (for example) Wendy and Carnie playing with Al, or from some of the non-family band members of previous eras.

Perhaps more disturbing was hearing John Cowsill’s comments (from a different podcast) on being let go from the band last year (which I only heard today):

“I got the call that they’re going in a new direction and its basically Stamos’ Beach Boys, and he found a new drummer for the band that he likes”

I know what the touring band is and what Mike values, I think, but it’s pretty disturbing and depressing to hear that phrase (Stamos’ Beach Boys) from someone pretty close to it all. I fear what happens to the license when Mike finally retires!

I don't know if this was covered elsewhere, but I was just listening recently to an episode of the "Surf's Up" podcast with an interview with Christian Love, and they ask Christian about the departure of Totten and Cowsill.

I was surprised that Christian was relatively direct about it. He said Scott Totten had started having trouble singing, and that's why he stepped down. As for Cowsill, Christian said something along the lines of "sometimes he can be a nice guy, and sometimes he can be difficult."

Obviously not firm answers to all the questions one might have, but there's some more context for you. I'm not sure if he was saying Totten had trouble singing and volunteered to step down, or if it was still Mike's decision. I'd still think the latter is more likely, as Totten and Cowsill both played their last show on the same night. Either that, or Totten chose to step down and Mike used that as the moment to also let Cowsill go.

The Christian Love interview was, erm, interesting. The guy has a really particular demeanor, I'll say that. He might be the least enthusiastic interview I've ever heard regarding someone in or around the Beach Boys that *isn't* angry or grumpy or grinding any axe. His answers are all just kind of neutral and matter of fact. He just really doesn't have much to say, and doesn't sound bored, but doesn't really sound like he has a lot of passion for being in the band either. It's just kind the thing he does, and he's generally content about it.

I appreciate the moments where he's just very straighforward and forthcoming, though. Like, he's asked about Brian, and he just flat out says he's *never* really had a conversation with Brian. He said Brian has been nice to him, but they don't actually really talk.

Does he like the other Beach Boys children? Sure, he's got nothing bad to say about them. He works with some of them, he'd be fine working with any of them. Is he excited to do so? I dunno, not really? Does he have anything else to say about working with Matt Jardine other than he did work with him? Naw, not really. Does he get along with Al? Sure, Al's always been nice to him. Is being friendly with people his Dad doesn't get along with a problem?  No, I guess. He just stays out of it.

One of the most boring, flatline, yet interesting interviews.

I'm sure part of it is just his personality; he's a reserved dude and it's hard to tell sometimes where "reserved" ends and "bored" begins.

I think it's fair to say that the story of the Beach Boys is contested, to some extent, so a comprehensive narrative isn't necessarily a straightforward thing. But this doc has completely missed so much of the story however, with huge portions of the timeline not discussed, ignoring major events, covering others with narrow/warped perspectives etc. T

here are things that I enjoyed, such as the interviews with Marilyn, Al, David, Mike and Don Randi, but it seems a huge shame to have had the opportunity to make this and the availability of masses of content to have then used it so poorly in this doc. There were some interesting things from Don Was, Ryan Tedder and Lindsey Buckingham, but some of the Josh Kun segments didn't resonate with me quite so well.

Personally, I'm quite happy to hear Mike tell his story from his perspective - but not without other perspectives giving balance. I think Mike tells us something about things that happened but a lot more about himself and his attitude etc. I'm left thinking that he's a man who has achieved so much and should be rightfully proud of his life and career but doesn't seem content to stand on that record and focuses instead on things that others are credited with etc. Brian is a master collaborator who great songs with many other writers and lyricists and Mike should be proud to be one of the more prominent ones - yet he doesn't seem content with that at all. Brian's talent need not diminish Mike's, but he seems to see it as a zero-sum thing. The main point is that if Mike is giving his perspective, it should be balanced by other perspectives and that doesn't really happen here.

Al continues to shine as a true friend of Brian's and a man of extraordinary grace and dignity - I'm reminded of one of Brian's slightly odder interviews from the past (amidst the rancour of the Paley era) where he said “Al’s cool, man. He’s not too good a singer, but he’s a pretty nice man.” A pretty odd perspective on Al's singing ability but I think the appreciation for Al as a true friend is clear. I think it's a genuine friendship that has just about survived all of the difficulties and came full circle in Brian's later years where he needed Al's voice and support - I think that's a wonderful part of the story that's left untold in this doc.

The doc misses so much after Smile. Leaving out the deaths of Dennis and Carl is really an astonishing failure - a band of brothers, cousins and friends, founded on a harmony made special by genetics and familial bonds, but no reference to the passing of two of those brothers? What about Brian's resilience throughout some much trauma? Despite everything he continued on, endured beyond so many family members and continued to make special music through decades.

What about C50? That was a triumphant reunion no matter how it ended - a Brian's back tour and album that demonstrated just how extraordinary his role in the band was, even in his later years. When Brian is there, the magic happens.

What about the creative explosion running through the band after Smile? Where is the story of a band pressing on in the increasing absence of their 'genius' leader yet still making some extraordinary music with outstanding vocal sounds etc? To me, the incredible music made during the period from Wild Honey through Holland and that fact it was so often ignored, and the emerging pressure to run the oldies act is a massive part of the Beach Boys story. If you want people to know about the band, tell that story too because it's the bit that is still lesser known.

What about the tensions between the band members, the fights and the arguments, the disputes, the fallings out etc? What about the setting aside of so much of that to still play on stage together night after night? What of Carl the mediator? What of Dennis the tormented creator, bursting with music against the odds?

I don't think it would be possible to cover it all in one doc of this length, so choices have to be made - but I disagree fundamentally with the validity of the choices evident in this doc. Much has been said already, but if you can't tell the story of the band post-67, don't try to squeeze it into 15 minutes or so and fail so badly with it. If you want to talk about some of the darker moment, do it in context and talk about the impact - covering Manson in the way it was covered here just seemed odd. If you want to finish the story with a no.1 hit in Kokomo, fine - but otherwise don't end the doc with a pretty unrepresentative song that is pretty atypical as a piece in both sound and construct. If you can't tell the story, perhaps stick to the music, or if you can't cover the music maybe tell the story of the people instead - I don't really know what the intent with this was, but it fails on both counts.

I was surprised how much it leant on content from Endless Harmony (still the best doc yet, in my opinion) - but I think some segments were slightly extended, so I appreciated that a little I suppose. Why it used so much interview content from Mike/Al from Endless Harmony when they also conducted contemporary interviews is a mystery, but perhaps says something about the quality of those modern interviews.

All of that said, I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing overall - there will be people who watch and learn something about the band and Brian beyond Surfin' USA and that's not a bad thing. If the music hooks people they'll explore and find out more and will find their own way to the story, I think. I wish this had done a better job and I regret that it didn't, but somewhere in it there is still perhaps some good.

A great mix and another good example of using AI well. Personally, I think this mix is a dramatic improvement on the official stereo mixes released so far. Past stereo attempts of GV have remained quite muddy and have limited separation (all for very obvious reasons), but this is both clearer and has better width and separation throughout - great work Dae Lims!

In what sense is it “fake music”? It’s most definitely real music, whatever your opinions of it. Particularly the stuff that’s mostly discussed in this thread, which has a skilled musician/producer using their own voice, engineering skills, arrangements and AI technology to create, amend or “finish” music that sounds pretty much exactly like the Beach Boys music that we all love so much.

I can totally see why some people don’t like it or are left feeling cold when hearing it, but it’s really easy to leave it where it is and not listen to it if that’s how people feel about it.

I have a lifelong enthusiasm for Beach Boys music and particularly the vocal sound, so if there’s high quality AI recreations of that then there’s a good chance I’ll enjoy it for what it is. The examples I enjoy most are those that complete something that was left unfinished for whatever reason, giving me the chance to hear a version of what might have been and enjoy it if it’s good. That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the original Don’t Worry Baby mix this afternoon, or countless other examples - there really is plenty of time to keep enjoying what was and sampling some fan-created AI stuff too.

Personally, I’m a little less excited at the prospect of hearing “young Brian” sing something he already sang as an older Brian, but I can still enjoy it if it sounds good. There’s quite a lot of examples that I don’t like, where (for example) it’s a pretty rudimentary software-based attempt to replace one vocal with another and they’re often a bit more random in their intended targets, but the good stuff is really good to my ears and I’m just thrilled to have heard what Desert Drive might have sounded like had those 90’s sessions panned out differently.

I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind here, just giving my perspective as someone who has enjoyed so much of this. It’s real music, whether you agree with the intent or quality of the execution or whatever - it may not be the real Beach Boys as such, but if it sounds very much like them (and not just in vocal sound) I’ll be here listening and enjoying it whatever.

Hats off to Dae Lims, the tunes he is doing are phenomenal and fascinating.

Like most people I am terribly afraid of AI for so many reasons, but that doesn't mean I can't compartmentalize part of my brain and completely enjoy this for what it is.

It's essentially somewhere between a cover version and BBs music from an alternate future universe.

It's a rather indescribable experience listening to these songs. But it's very very cool. To me there's only any moral and ethical quandary if he is trying to pass them off as the real thing, or anything like that. I see/hear nothing of the sort here so I have no problem enjoying this alternate version of reality.

 I'm very grateful to listen to them and I greatly appreciate the work that went into them. Bravo.

But undeniably this is uncharted territory for all people. I had a long in person discussion with a friend of mine yesterday who is a fellow superfan of this band, but he has a problem getting emotional enjoyment out of these types of AI versions. I find that fascinating, and understandable, and honestly somebody should write a thesis or a book about this new phenomenon. Different strokes for different folks.

I get an uncanny valley repulsion when I see a humanoid robot, but for some reason these versions don't give me those same negative vibes at all.

This is interesting and it is clear that people react differently to these sorts of things. I have no difficulty at all connecting emotionally with these works (when the models and application of them are as good as Daelims manages), and actually find that listening to something like the AI Holy Man, or Ol' Man River / Are You There to be incredibly emotional experiences.  I'm also someone who gets nothing whatsoever from a poorly executed AI cover, or a fan-completed mix etc. I can't even enjoy the 'updated' You're Still a Mystery with Brian's later vocal overdub, because it sounds inauthentic to me (nothing at all logical about these feelings).

I agree that when it's transparent and not intended for monetary gain from someone else's voice, I don't have a problem with it, but there are potentially huge problems down the line if the legal and ethical boundaries aren't established firmly sometime soon. Imagine a young talented singer signing a contract early on in their career that (unknowingly) gives away the rights to an AI version of their voice? Artist is then dropped a little later but the record company can churn out tracks with their voice at will (a modern day version of the Spector / He's a Rebel scenario).

Youtube fan covers/edits are different territory, but there are unethical examples on their already. Daelims has been more than transparent and is clear that he does what he enjoys doing, is very respectful of the material, usually do a high level of technical skill, this stuff can really work. It means that the vocal can contain emotion in the delivery as well as sound very close (sometimes indistinguishably so) to a contemporaneous take by the actual artist. I can't not be moved when hearing AI Dennis sing Holy Man with the rest of the boys filling out the sound via AI - it sounds incredible and goes much further in demonstrating what Dennis might have done with it had he been able to complete it than the backing track does, or the Taylor Hawkins track does. On that point, if it's ok to have a Taylor Hawkins vocal version released to showcase the song, is it worse to have Dennis' own voice on it, reconstructed carefully and respectfully via AI to do the same job?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDcJKC5RWpI

Wanted to post a link to my AI-enhanced version of Worms. I tired to keep it a little more minimalistic -- my verse vocal is a little bit like a stripped down version of Dae Lims' version, that was pretty much where I was heading too. Also added in the "East or West Indes" vocal at the end. I think maybe it's a little more historically accurate than his but less fanciful? If that makes sense?

I am working on the others!

Love the East or West Indies bit! Good work! Also just picked up on your Smiley Smiley remix - great to listen to.

The Daelims AI Smile is my favourite ever Smile listening experience, without a doubt. Smiley Smile, GV box Smile tracks, bootlegs, the H&V demo from Endless Harmony, BWPS, Smile Sessions etc - I love it all, but I've never enjoyed a fully formed mix as much as I've enjoyed this Daelims one. Given where things are with the development of AI and how quickly this was created, I'm stunned at how good the vocals are, and the Q&A youtube stuff was really illuminating in terms of choices and why AI vocals were used in certain places. The expansion of the backing tracks to enhance etc is just as impressive to me.

I'm not a purist, but I can enjoy the integrity of the Pet Sounds mono mix (Wouldn't It Be Nice in mono is as good as pop music ever gets) and the Stereo, and the sessions etc. BWPS is stunning as a completed album, but the vocals will never compete with the Beach Boys own voices, no matter how well executed. I have always found any blend of BWPS vocals with original tracks jarring and distracting in a way that I simply don't find with this AI mix. There is no historically accurate final Smile mix by the Beach Boys and there never will be, but my own view is that this is the closest anyone has come to a full-album mix that is cohesive and not hampered by loads of missing vocals or varying fidelity/sonic issues etc. This mix is an extraordinary piece of work and I love every second of it.

There is no perfection possible with this sort of thing - we'll all differ in how we experience it and what we prefer, and I'm still working out what I think about the ethics of AI in general etc, but for anyone who might want to hear the Beach Boys sing In Blue Hawaii, then what's not to like about this? Or a version of You Were My Sunshine without Dennis being squashed in the mix - listen here for that too.

I don't disagree particularly with views of those that aren't so keen (different perspectives etc) or who simply prefer to hear the original voices rather than AI recreations etc - but this whole topic (smile, this board etc) was always very much based around a celebration of a lost album, missing pieces and the many "what if" scenarios and this mix responds to so much of that with an incredible sounding response. I have literally woken from dreams in which I'd heard rediscovered original Beach Boys vocals on some of these tracks that were either never recorded or lost, but in this mix I can hear them and they're just as amazing as the things I heard in my dreams. To someone like me, this mix is an extraordinary gift and I am beyond grateful that someone took so much time and effort to make something so wonderful.

Can I ask whether the idea of using an isolated BWPS vocal is possible, desirable, or effective as the input for processing? I have to admit that reading the steps required for this tech left me no closer to understanding how it works or how to use it, so I have absolutely no idea if using a modern era Brian lead would work, but I’d be interested to know whether that’s beneficial at all.

Similarly, replacing an isolated Carl vocal with AI Brian etc, is that an option and does it work in aiming for a Brian-like sound?

I’m currently thinking of this technology as another step on from other advancements in the recording industry. Maybe that’s wrong, maybe this is fundamentally different somehow, but so many technological changes have left people feeling uneasy, or concerned that the music they’re hearing isn’t ‘real’, that I see that as a (currently) more extreme end of a spectrum.

Personally, I love the examples so far and ver much look forward to new ones. There’s clearly a lot of work involved and the results are very impressive and great listening, in my opinion. I love Brian’s voice and a lot of these examples sound very much like it.

Ethically, I’d have a problem if someone was exploiting someone using this, and the industry definitely has form in exploiting talented people, so I can see the potential for all sorts of problems there. I’d also have a problem with ‘new’ material using an AI voice, but purporting to be the original artist etc.

But the potential for using this to fix, complete or as part of a suite of tech in production could add real value, I think. E.g. as a fix for Carl’s “shunshine” flub, or to present what Dennis might have intended for some of his music when his voice had given out etc (e.g. AI Dennis plugged in to the Taylor Hawkins vocal might make the listening experience of that track amongst other Dennis tracks much smoother and more enjoyable).

What better way to test the capabilities of the tech than with the greatest unfinished album of all time? Vey much looking forward to whatever Seltaeb and others can create with AI.

Worth also keeping in mind that the possible quality of this sort of thing will likely develop rapidly. You might imagine a scenario in years to come where AI voices are licensed out for all sorts of purposes, with the theoretical possibility of having AI Elvis “sing” whatever you choose. All sorts of problematic issues here, but I also can’t help but imagine hearing lost vocals, unfinished work completed etc.

Personally, I’ve always struggled to listen properly to “alternate” track listings, lost albums etc, possibly because they’re just not what the artist intended. That’s not me being a purist, I’ve tried many times to construct those sorts of tack lists, but I always come back to the original albums. I can enjoy stereo remixes and not feel the same, including those with digital extraction used. So I don’t know how I’ll feel about a partially AI Smile, for example. Nonetheless, I very much hope to hear more of this and would dearly love to hear an AI construct of some of those things I’ve only ever heard in my head (Sail on Sailor with Carl’s vocal, Holy Man with Dennis etc). We’ll never know how Carl might have phrased his take on Sail on Sailor, but maybe an AI version would be worth it just to hear an approximation.

I can see a reasonable use case for finishing things that weren’t completed, but I think there are debates to be had about widespread use in commercial releases using AI vocals.

[here]

Hey all,

I came across some new technology and decided to have a little fun with it!

Here's one to test the waters:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13ICunDuIcg&ab_channel=DaeLims

I've been debating posting, but it was too overwhelming to think I'm the only who has heard any of this stuff.  

The technology is here. Should we have some fun before all the sh*t takes start popping up?  

PS - Lots more where this came from, if people are interested!

VERY interested to hear more. It’s a strange experience listening, knowing it’s AI and still hearing some very clear Brian in tone etc. Very impressive work!

My first thought on hearing the recent Kanye examples was what an AI Dennis singing Holy Man could sound like. There are so many ethical issues with AI and art/music (and AI in general), but the technological developments are extraordinary and the possibilities are becoming both incredible and quite frightening.

Does a really solid AI voice model require lots of isolated vocal tracks?

Slightly off topic, but it sounds like a lovely version of “I Wish For You” playing in the background. Is it just Carl performing live for this organisation (i.e. the audio from the short shots of Carl with guitar in the video)?

Of all the box sets, digital releases and outtake releases we’ve had over the years, I have to say that this set really is the most extraordinary release of them all. The alternate mixes, backing track + vocals, and vocals only versions really do show this period to be something of a group vocal peak for the boys. Can any other era compare with the outstanding group vocals during this period?

I sometimes think that I’ve listened to the Beach Boys so much over the years that maybe there isn’t much more for the music to give, but this really is like hearing the music again for the first time. I’m hearing layer upon layer of beautiful new detail in tracks I’ve heard many hundreds of times before - things that were barely audible to me in their full mix presented here and standing up as highlights in their own right.

As a teenager growing up listening to capitol era CD twofers, with everything after 20/20 out of print, I can remember the thrill of hearing a snippet of “All I Wanna Do” whilst watching Endless Harmony and imaging what treasures those 70’s records might hold. I have the exact same feeling hearing the vocals only version of All I Wanna Do here - it is spine tingling. Maybe Pet Sounds represents a peak for Brian as a songwriter, producer, singer and arranger,  but I think this set makes it clear that for the group as a whole this period is their absolute peak (did any other group reach collective highs such as this?)

This whole thing is an utter joy and it is a privilege to be receiving this as a fan. Sometimes the hype and the waiting for releases can eventually lead to anticipated releases being something of an anti-climax, but this surpasses every expectation I held, by a considerable distance. It feels insufficient to say it, but all I can offer is the biggest “thank you” to Alan, Mark, Howie and anyone else involved in this for all that you’ve done to make something so incredible for us. You have presented this outstanding group at their absolute finest here and have created the most incredible showcase for their music. Thank you!

I enjoy NPP a lot and think it's one of the better albums in Brian's solo career. I think it's good but not great and my main issue is that it does sound a little like two (or three) projects compiled into one single album. There are the the guest appearances that work well together, the songs featuring Al that sound like they could be from a TWGMTR follow up and the songs that sound like a BW solo album in with a TLOS vibe. Along these lines:


Duets:
"Runaway Dancer" (featuring Sebu Simonian)
"On the Island" (featuring She & Him)
"Half Moon Bay" (featuring Mark Isham)
"Our Special Love" (featuring Peter Hollens)
"Guess You Had to Be There" (featuring Kacey Musgraves)
"Saturday Night" (featuring Nate Ruess)

Beach Boys album:
"This Beautiful Day"  
"What Ever Happened" (featuring Al Jardine and David Marks)
"The Right Time" (featuring Jardine and Marks)
"Tell Me Why" (featuring Jardine)
"Sail Away" (featuring Blondie Chaplin and Jardine)
"The Last Song"  
"Somewhere Quiet" 

BW solo:
"One Kind of Love"  
"Don't Worry"  
"I'm Feeling Sad"

In some ways the tracks work fine together and I can enjoy the album as whole piece, but can't help thinking that perhaps this was more than one single cohesive project. A Beach Boys album of the above tracks featuring Al, extended with similar material could have been killer. The duet songs are great, but sit better alongside each other. Again, a full album of duets could have been excellent. From a marketing point of view, either a new Beach Boys album or a set of duets/guest songs would probably have been an easier sell. The 'solo' sounding songs might have formed part of a Love and Mercy companion album, that might also have been a better selling point.

I'll probably end up listening to my alternate track listing and the TWGMTR/NPP blend I've playlisted. The Al tracks work brilliantly with the TWGMTR stuff.

I would however say that "Sail Away" it's absolutely outstanding. To me it will be a latter day Beach Boys classic, regardless of the named artist. Even now when I hear Al sing "Try and imagine how our life would be, if you could sail away with me", I'm floored.

it's Brian's last ever European tour, the 50th Anniversary of Pet Sounds and Good Vibrations, so stop messing around and just make it a Beach Boys tour.

I would love that to happen, more than you could imagine. Alas, the indications of the last few years argue strongly against any such thing happening.

However...

These are The Beach Boys:anything is possible.

There's no disputing that of course. But then I'd never have pictured the C50 tour happening, let alone a new studio album that was actually good!

I won't be getting my hopes up but if the right person in the right place and time was able to start making the right noises with Mike and Brian, you just never know. Joe Thomas did the impossible for 2012 and it seems beyond unlikely that he'd have enough favour left to do it again.  But money talks and if C50 showed one thing it's that a full Beach Boys tour with Brian and Mike has huge potential in financial terms. We know that there were significant potential offers for more shows back in 2012 and maybe there are people who could start getting those sorts of offers back on the table, even if pulling all parties together again seems like a task beyond mere mortals. But if the money was right............

I'm pretty gutted too. I was especially looking forward to seeing Brian with Al, Blondie and Matt there too, so I hope they'll be part of whatever happens next year.

But seriously - it's Brian's last ever European tour, the 50th Anniversary of Pet Sounds and Good Vibrations, so stop messing around and just make it a Beach Boys tour. Leaving aside what we know of the personal differences, the frictions and differences of opinion, take this last ever chance and do it right. The last one proved to be the biggest success they'd had in decades and the reasons for not doing it get less compelling with each and every day.

I just found this thread, which might have been referring to the same vocal snippet:

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,17201.0.html

(I think the soundcloud link is dead now, so can't verify either way).

Interesting!

I'm not certain but the vocals sound like they could be from Turning Point - does that sound right? If so, could that mean that the multi-tracks are where they should be (and that someone is listening to them)?

Thanks for this, just managed to catch it. The vocals were excellent and Mike's voice seemed stronger and fuller than on some of the audio I've heard in recent years and Bruce sounded way better than I expected. It's cool seeing Dave there and the band vocals were great too. I could be totally wrong but I'm pretty sure I could hear an organ/keyboard but couldn't see one, which seems a bit odd to me.

Mike told me about this Saturday - they pre-recorded the track, live vocals.

Thanks for the clarification. Probably the only way to really do it under the circumstances. The vocals were spot on in my opinion.

Thanks for this, just managed to catch it. The vocals were excellent and Mike's voice seemed stronger and fuller than on some of the audio I've heard in recent years and Bruce sounded way better than I expected. It's cool seeing Dave there and the band vocals were great too. I could be totally wrong but I'm pretty sure I could hear an organ/keyboard but couldn't see one, which seems a bit odd to me.

The set list from Manchester looks absolutely fantastic and I seriously wish I'd been there. On All I Wanna do I get the comments about Mike's vocals but he just about gets away with it and deserves huge credit for having given it a go. Fortunately the band seems to have done a fantastic job with performing it and the rest of the vocals are outstanding. I can't help but think it would would really suit Bruce's voice these days though, so maybe that's an option for the future.

Well done to all involved for performing a show that covers such a broad range of the catalogue and doing it so well. One of the criticisms I have of the touring band (which can be extended back to the days when Brian, Carl and Dennis still toured) is that the full depth of the Beach Boys music isn't often explored. This is exactly the sort of set set list that I think gives a better impression of what the Beach Boys are, beyond the well known hits.

I think the live shows to Mike are very simply a case of giving people what he thinks they want and he's probably in a better position to judge what that is than most of us are (and it looks like Brian judges things in a pretty similar way). I'd love it if the live shows had always presented what I think is the best side of the band, but that's totally unrealistic. Almost all big acts return to the songs that people know, and why wouldn't they? If I'd been at a show in 1992 and Wouldn't It Be Nice and Don't Worry Baby had been cut so that they could play the Summer in Paradise album in full I'd have been pretty upset, and that same feeling would probably apply to some people attending and not hearing Barbara Ann. The point about failing to generate new hits to add into the mix seems pretty crucial to me, as it's pretty impossible to generate interest in oldie that few in the crowd know just through playing it at live shows (where all but the die-hards will probably hear it once). It's a shame they didn't get lucky with an deeper cut making it into a big film at some point (which could have had a similar effect to the Stamos-forever thing, only without Stamos).

Bruce is a class act in many ways. He's one of Brian's biggest cheerleaders and clearly hugely appreciative of Brian's talents and grateful for the opportunity to work with him. Bruce as a Beach Boy doesn't quite work for my after his return and he sometimes appears not to be making the most of his talents but he clearly loves the music and manages to keep out of the politics pretty well considering. Bruce has been there for Brian when he's needed him on many occasions over the years. He was there in the sixties when they needed someone to tour, there in the studio when Brian needed a reliable voice, there as a PR guy when Pet Sounds was coming out, there in the late 70's when Brian needed someone he could trust to come in, there when Brian began his return to live performances in the late 90's etc etc. In my book he's a true supporter of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys and appears to be as big an admirer of them as many of us are.

We can joke about shorts and mic stands but to me he seems like a solid guy who enjoys what he does and doesn't pretend to be something he's not. He's pretty self-deprecating for a guy with his CV. I don't know about Mike and Bruce being friends but to me it looks like Bruce has been a true friend to Brian over the years.