Here's what I mean, hopefully some agree...1st Surfin Safari was their debut so there's nothin to compare it to, classic rock masterpiece in every way... Now- Surfin USA- it was their groundbreaker & it's great BUT it was essentially just a thrown-together collection to back the single which even tho a classic was partly a cover along w/ the 2 Dick Dales, honkey tonk etc. Surfer Girl - easily their 1st "essential". LDC was great but it's all recycled material etc. Shut Down vol2- gets a lotta flack but I say the bulk of the l.p was/is great. NOW- All Summer Long-Today-Summer Days-Pet Sounds::: ALL CLASSIC, ALL TIMELESS. Brings us to Smiley Smile- I always dug it but it was their 1st polarizing effort. Wild Honey- killer ,great album; last classic 60s BB l.p •°•. friends is for avid zealots, weak other than little bird. 20/20 has its moments but just like LDC it's covers, singles & outtakes. Sunflower is 2/3 a classic. Surfs up & Holland- the singles from both albums were it's best cuts. Love you- polarizing but it's their last masterpiece I don't care what anyone says. The 4 remaining albums of the 70s(15b1s,miu,light & ktsa) were all rehashings , recycled cuts & pieced together sh*t to pacify warners & columbia, period. Who concurs w/ this synopsis of the essentials ??¡?

ANYONE WHO DOESN'T THINK THEY PROGRESSED DOESN'T KNOW WHAT ITS SUPPOSED TO MEAN. all summer long is a progression from surfin safari, pet sounds from summer days, sunflower/surfs up ARE a HUGE progress from the lukewarm friends etc. So CMON

Wow, there are idiots on here who dont know who Watt is and I get called a nutcase. Who gives a fu¢k what she says on facebook or for that matter many seem to think its crucial whats said online...my thread asking a simple query about events in history gets nixed yet this bogus thread ensues.

Carol Kaye is the most substantial studio bassist like Mike Watt is the most substantial bassist/performer and she has every right to her thoughts on inconsistencies portrayed regarding her likeness; the woman was/is brilliant and her basslines are in the greatest songs in recorded history, so....who is anyone to question her validity?

If Brian is to be the sole lead vocalist on 12-14 rock and roll songs, it is not a good idea. Brian Wilson is not a good rock and roll singer. But, I can think of a couple of other guys who ARE good rock and roll singers - Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Blondie Chaplin. How about David Marks on guitar? How about Ricky Fataar on drums?

The Beach Boys do have management, right? Well, how about calling a meeting and discussing a Beach Boys' rock and roll album. I would think that Capitol Records would be interested in such a project. Yeah, yeah, I know - been there, done that. But that was 40 years ago, and it would be an understatement to say that the finished product (15 Big Ones) was a train wreck, for multiple reasons. And, yeah, yeah, I know that The Beach Boys consistently show that they haven't learned anything in 55 years. Still, I'd be interested in hearing what that combination/lineup could come up with. I know, not a chance in hell, but still I dream of it.

Lead Vocals:

Mike - 5
Brian - 4
Al - 3
Blondie - 2
Bruce - 1 (a ballad)

I don't want a covers album no matter who is singing.  I have a strong preference for new material.  Pretty sure nobody cares what I want, but hey, now it's out there on the www.

EoL

last time Brian produced a GOOD album of "new material" was the spring of '77- Love you.

I went to a thread I started that had many replies and now everything is gone and it says "error...or off limits to you" , Ive NEVER seen that message before.

I wonder if they knew in the mid 70s that holland would be their last substantial album.. california shoulda been a hit, yeah its real similar to california girls but I think it sounded more viable than sailor.

Very underrated engineer/producer thats for sure. My beach & locals only are killer albums.

Lil off topic but darryls brothee dennis led one of the most underrated groups of all time, the Surf Punks were bitchin!

Primary: surfin USA, surfer girl, lil deuce coupe, shut down vol 2, all summer long, today, summer days, pet sounds, smiley smile, wild honey, 20/20, sunflower, surfs up, holland,,,love you. Secondary: surfin safari, friends, xmas album, so tough, party, 15big ones, MIU, s/t, thats why god made the radio. Thirdly: light album, keepin the summer alive, still cruisin, summer in paradise... Ive got 62-72 (surfin safari thru holland & love you) on LP and everything on CD.After selling the post-holland vinyl, Id buy back 15bO and miu if theyre less than fivebucks...

yeah im going for it. ill be out-nerding all the freaks/hipsters at the concert with their "Black Flag" Beach Boys shirts. 

that BBs black.flag combo tee is awesome. You can't have a greatest albums list without pet sounds AND damaged.

Friends was the one weak BBs album in the 60s and their last official lp of the decade, Little bird was THE song on it in my opinion.

Whats funny bout the Ramones passing? Just like dennis & carl passing is depressing, losing any treasured great is a downer.

Brian used his thumb at bottom of fret board,

Damn straight.

Well hes on the early records in 63 and here&there 64/5, hardly on pet sounds, off&on in the late 60s, not so sure bout surfs up and holland but he did most of the instrumentation on love you, and probably here&there on MIU and KTSA, probably not so much from the 80s to now.

See everyone knows what I mean, comparing years ending in the same #.

1966,- brian composes and writes what was his most personal piece Pet sounds; 1976 brian comes back w Love you. 1969- 20/20 lp album of odds; 1979- Light album same thing. 1964- I get around and Concert lp put the BBs at the top; 1974- Endless summer likewise..

I never said pet sounds was their last good album; smiley smile, wild honey, 20/20 are GREAT albums/ dennis's songs on sunflower are awesome, and surfs up and holland are good too, I never said they weren't.

I think Kook requested that Capitol pull them out of circulation.

cmon...the light album is NOT good album, and made no mark whatsoever in the world of rock and offered nothing memorable to the BBs output. Yeah dennis's cuts from bambu are its saving grace, baby blue is a very pretty song....now MIU isn't all bad; half of it is utter garbage BUT the fast songs are fun- pitter patter and shes got rhythm are rockin, their renditions of come go w me & peggy sue (15bO) are solid and the remake of hawaii (kona coast) is fun ,lame but fun. Even though a third of MIU is re-records and/or year old cuts Id rather jam it instead of the BBs parodying themselves while attempting disco (here comes the night) yknow¿

I get the sarcasm of undermining the Ramones but they did essentially save rockNroll and drew alot from the BBs mid 60s sound.

<<I never called Summer Days a hodgepodge...its a great album! And just because side 2 of Today is the mellow side vs the fast songs on side 1 doesnt make it a lesser album. And I never said post67 BBs is crap, just hit&miss..wild honey is a solid lp I dont care what anyone says, same w 20/20; sunflower's strengths is in dennis's songs rather than brian's for the first and only time; surfs up & holland have some great songs and somw mediocre as well, agreed? 15bO is a solid sounding lp it just bummed some people out because it was all outtakes and covers. >>

Kook - would ya say MIU, LA and KTSA are all out-takes and covers, too?  And maybe Holland is the last real Beach Boys album?

Sign me curious.

I just say Holland was their last essential lp. I like 15bO but I understand why it gets flack. LA and KTSA get flack for obvious reasons.

I never called Summer Days a hodgepodge...its a great album! And just because side 2 of Today is the mellow side vs the fast songs on side 1 doesnt make it a lesser album. And I never said post67 BBs is crap, just hit&miss..wild honey is a solid lp I dont care what anyone says, same w 20/20; sunflower's strengths is in dennis's songs rather than brian's for the first and only time; surfs up & holland have some great songs and somw mediocre as well, agreed? 15bO is a solid sounding lp it just bummed some people out because it was all outtakes and covers.

Ok instead of new threads ill just reply to ones someone else posted cuz apparently the piss poor elitism on here is key.

Starting with Surfer Girl the BBs put out a dozen albums to the end of the 60s, SG being their first solid one, I personally love Little Deuce Couple but its been considered an album that was rushed out being that four of the cuts were reissued, same w Shut Down vol2, but then we have All Summer Long, Today, Summer Days and Pet Sounds- ALL solid...Smiley Smile gets undermined cuz it wasn't was expected but its a good lp, same w Wild Honey. Then we have Friends, without Little bird its a weak lp...I love 20/20 even if its more of a collection than proper album; Sunflower shines due to Dennis's efforts which I think outshined Brian's but just the one time, Surfs Up & Holland are hit&miss but I think are good, not great but good. Not trying to be a "broken" record or use lazy grammar, just putting in perspective.