"Onionskin" is a song I originally recorded (partly) with an old band. I redid all guitars, vocals and other bits today, as well as some significant remixing. It is, at least compared to most of what I do, rock. Like, rock. Ladies and gentlemen, "Onionskin." http://myspace.com/thebeaumondes

Hell, it might be one of my three wishes if I ever meet the genie.

Don't wish for something that specific. Say "I wish every unreleased Beach Boys tape gets made public." Don't you want to hear Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again, too?

People, wish #1 is "I wish for unlimited wishes." Then the rest is irrelevant because you never run out. C'mon, folks, this is Genie Wishing 101.

I haven't heard them. But when you say you hear nothing of that [BW falsetto], do you mean they're failing at it, or just not doing it? If it's the latter, then you're thought that their voices would've been stronger 30 years ago seems out of place: that would be a matter of style decisions, not a matter of vocal strength.

I could imagine a melodramatic Wind Chimes.

Whoever's passing him the albums has good taste...

Van Dyke is an artist they have in common, so perhaps him.

I agree with pretty much all of that. Well, depending on whether you meant the BW88 production speaks for itself in a good way or in a bad way.

I don't think it's so easy to name the Wall-o-Brian as the obvious biggest flaw. First, I'd say that the decision to use all Brian is a production decision, so your "it's not just the production" isn't really true. But second, while I do dislike a bazillion Brians, I don't know that having the others would make up for the various other flaws in Brian's solo material more than fixing any of the other flaws. For you it might, but not for me. I'll agree that other voices help in every case where they were lacking. But not necessarily more than the horrible drum machines, cheesy nylon string guitar noodling, synth pad keys, etc.

In fact, there's a 6-page thread started on the topic earlier this month. See: http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,6467.0.html In the Beautiful Dreamer (Smile) DVD it is discussed some.

...if it never happens, it's not some sort of tragedy. Brian is doing his thing, quite successfully, and Mike and Bruce are doing theirs, also successfully. In their own way, each project is a reminder of the value of the Beach Boys sound.

Very true. It could be said this is the best time the Beach Boys world has had since ... the mid 70s? The Beach Boys band continues to tour, and with better reviews than I've seen since I've paid attention to such things (late 90s). People attending the shows REALLY speak up for them as good quality, which is awesome. Brian Wilson has a great band and seems as happy and healthy as Brian Wilson is likely to be, and has a good new album and quality touring show. David Marks's material--old and new--has been made available again, and when he joins the various live shows, everyone acknowledges his contributions, especially as a great guitarist (not to mention J. Stebbins's book got him a lot of his due credit, helping fight the myth of the Beach Boys being Brian, Carl, Dennis, Mike and Al). And Dennis's POB was rereleased, with Bambu material, no less. Al got good reviews when he toured with Brian a year or so ago, and presumably is nearing the release of his album (which does include contributions from David, Brian, Mike and Carl). To some that means a reunion should happen, and if it does, whatever--fine. Good. But regardless, these are pretty darn good times anyway. Sometimes it's good to just appreciate what we do have, rather than pine for what we don't.

[Smile]

In 1980, Alan had - and for all I know, still has - a goodly number of Smile-era acetates.

Might they be from when it was being revisited in the early 70s, though? It may be impossible to know, but Andrew, do you think he and/or the others had heard as much as there was reasonably available to hear at the time in '66/'67, or do you think they were blindly touching the snake, the tree trunk, etc. as opposed to the elephant?

If you haven't, check your PMs

Is it possible that back then, Brian never played them entire tracks? ... You can  see where they would think the album wasn't going anywhere.

That's a great question. I don't know if I have ever considered it. We've heard people like Vosse talk about getting rough mixes of songs pieced together, but what about the band? Without knowing otherwise, it would seem logical that he'd give them possible mixes of the album, or at least songs and groups of songs. But ... did he? I have no idea.

I don't get too much into ranking, considering a favorite today is a fourth-favorite tomorrow is a ninth-favorite the next day is a favorite the next. But I think it's wonderful. A very, very good song. All time classic? Ask in five or 10 years. But really good. I very much enjoy it. I've literally teared up listening to it. That can't be a bad sign.

What about the new Music Tapes album? Did you like that? As for Chocolate USA ... we'll be in touch.

I think grillo is right. It isn't a matter of how much material was finished, but how much work went into what was recorded. They did a lot of work, it's just that all that work didn't result in a finished album or as many finished songs.

I don't know. I am not sure if I'll be there. But I don't recall there being any special guests--not even sure if it's live, or even a new recorded show.

I don't want to sound like I'm criticizing anyone, here. But as MBE says, nobody in their mid-60s sounds like he did in his 20s. I'm not saying the guys lost the ability to hear or blend or sing in tune. But their ranges are reduced, especially on the upper end. I don't think that's me being particularly revelatory. And the voices--Brian in particular, but Al, too--lack the clarity and purity they once had. They don't suck. They aren't awful. That isn't (and wasn't) what I was saying. And if anyone else doesn't hear any changes in their voices (which I doubt), or likes the changes, that's cool. Some of you are more invested emotionally than me, I think, in seeing some live reunion. Cool. If it happens, enjoy it. I think I mostly agree 100% with MBE, at least, except for the end result of our own particular interest.

I can't believe that, if a reunited Beach Boys came your way, you wouldn't buy a ticket.

I'm not a big fan of live shows in general, actually. While I used to get out a couple times a week, I've probably seen half a dozen shows in the past year. And I'm all but certain the TLOS show was my last Brian Wilson show. So I wouldn't be too sure, if I were you, what I'd be inclined to do. (But hey, who knows. My mind could change. It's just that usually those mind-changes lean toward inaction.)

I don't think I said David's voice wouldn't add authenticity, and if I did, I'd take that back. No question about that part. The primary point of my complaint about the guys' voices was actually more intended as a question about Brian's voice (and then the unstated lack of Carl). Mike's voice seems to me diminished. Al's is diminished less than the others, but it clearly is. So it comes down for me to Brian being incapable of doing his "real" parts, and then the guys who would traditionally cover for that absence being either losing some capability (Al) or dead (Carl). That's my issue. Anyway, I'm well aware that my opinion is moot. If the guys want to get together, go for it. If they don't, go for (not) it. It's not my thing: the albums are.

[Everyone, the Heartical Don already said something apparently similar to what I said. I don't know this for a fact because I have not yet read the post in question. But I have no reason to believe he'd make such a stupid thing up. Therefore, let's all believe him and offer him a hearty thanks for being so damn swell besides. Thank you. That is all.]

Luther! I wrote words to that extent already! Why didn't you credit me for that? I love you man!

Because I didn't get to (and thus read) your post. Got to Aegir's and clicked "quote." But I'll credit you now. Everyone, the Heartical Don already said something apparently similar to what I said. I don't know this for a fact because I have not yet read the post in question. But I have no reason to believe he'd make such a stupid thing up. Therefore, let's all believe him and offer him a hearty thanks for being so damn swell besides. Thank you. That is all. Good?  (Oh, and by the way, it's blizzarding here. There is one thing for me to do. And at 10:05 a.m., I'd say that's a good time to begin. My posts will become increasingly sarcastic, stupid and typo-ridden from here on out.)

Your argument is self-contradictory. You say Brian does the hits sets at his solo shows for the fans and doesn't appear to enjoy it, but he does it anyway "for the fans".

There isn't anything contradictory about that. The argument is that fans want Brian to do his old songs, so he does them (despite not enjoying it himself). That isn't a contradiction. So then it becomes a matter of whether he could not-enjoy himself with his new band (with whom he also gets to play his own, new music and presumably has a good time on a personal level) or not-enjoy himself with his old band (with whom he presumably would do less new music and has a checkered history on a personal level). Again, no contradiction involved. I don't know what he likes and doesn't like, in that I've never so much as met the guy. But AvanTodd's argument isn't self contradictory.

Actually David Marks has a fine singing voice that's really mellow,and laid-back. He did a great job singing "You And I" in Hawthorne at the dedication ceremony.  To say he wasn't ever a great singer is wrong, IMHO.

I don't like his voice at all. (Sorry if you're reading, Carrie. Just being honest.) But "wrong' is the wrong word, considering it's a subjective matter, I suppose.

Hendrix's Monterey take on "Like a Rolling Stone" is pretty damn fantastic. Eels' live take (from the ...With Strings tour) on "Girl From the North Country" was great. And how about a less known modern band doing one, Herman Dune (one of my favorite bands) doing "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues"? (Warning, you'll probably not like this. In fact, I don't even like this much. But I love the band overall.)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RABOjwmpJRU    (Why can't I embed this video? Obviously we can embed in the youtube thread in the media forum. Is it only allowed there?)

Ronnie James Dio is 67 and he still belts it out.  Recently saw 63 year old Brian Johnson of AC/DC and he sounded fresher than he has since the mid-eighties.  If these old timers can still perform their savage vocals, The Beach Boys would have no problems vocally, studio or otherwise.  A little rest from their busy touring schedules and it would shape up nicely....

The problem with that is that it's factually wrong. We KNOW the Beach Boys' vocals are nowhere near what they were. They WOULD have problems vocally. It's not an insult or a slight. It's a fact. Brian, Mike and Al (in descending order) have all suffered losses of their vocal abilities. Bruce, i'm not sure, but I'd guess he's not in his mid-20s form. And David, for his talents, wasn't ever such a great singer. I'm not saying a group around them live, or a good producer in the studio, couldn't make it a decent end-result product, but to think those guys with their current, true voices could "have no problems" is simply wrong.

I know. Like I said, I think he'd be for it. I don't know that the reasons I gave are all that different than the ones you gave, or at least not mutually exclusive.