Yep - being hidden in the the sauna was pretty funny.  It gave me a lot of time to see what was in the recording "vault" (meaning sauna).  Some of the fan mail had been sitting there for 6 years.  I felt badly when I saw all the fan club membership checks, money orders, etc...then I found my own payment from when I was 11 years old.

It was great fun to work at Ivar.  On a good day, I'd be making deliveries to the studio and get to hear "Sunflower" being recorded (mostly at Wally Heider then, around the corner from the offices).  Carl would always ask my (or any fan's) opinion on a mix.  They were like that...

Debbie

Mrs. Debbie,

I appreciate you posting & setting the record straight.  I've got a question or three for you:  what years were you with Brian?  I assume sometime beginning in the late '70s, but knowing exactly when gives me a better perspective.  I know it's possible that you could have stayed in touch as friends over the years with Brian, too. 

Does a story come to mind about how you came to meet Brian?  Was he working on a particular record?  Again, thanks for being here,

Jeremy

I think "You Need A Mess of Help To Stand Alone" is one of the best opening cuts on a BB album, period.  That came out of left field to me.  I have a feeling a lot of folks back then didn't think the BB were capable of such a rocking, powerful song.  They're a rock band on that one.  It deserves more attention than it gets, but that's my opinion.  That's one I'd play to people, & I'd tell them the band's identity after they heard it.

I love Marcella, obviously.  Shoulda been a comeback hit single, we all know.  I also enjoy All This Is That.  They really create a tranquil feeling & vibe on that one.  I even like "Here She Comes."  Maybe that's because it sounds so different to most any song they recorded.  The drums are way up front, with a good guitar solo.  It makes me appreciate the contributions of Blondie & Ricky.

 Hold On, Dear Brother's country flavor & the gospel vocals/organ on He Come Down are a plus, too.  Basically, to sum up, a lot of the songs are enjoyable because the boys were stretching their musical boundaries.  This unfortunately didn't happen very often after Holland.

One thing I don't like about the album are the slower songs.  I disagree with their choice of putting them all together on the 2nd side.  An earlier reviewer mentioned this, too.  The first few times I heard the album, it was hard for me to resist moving on to another track.  I believe in spreading them out.  I love Dennis, but I liked his song variety more on Sunflower.  This may sound terrible, but he sounded too over-wrought & dramatic to me on CATPST.  Regardless, Cuddle Up is better than Make It Good.  You've gotta say this, Dennis's voice was excellent on this album.

I'm not good at ranking albums, but I'd put it in my Top 5 BB albums, along with any from 1968--1973.  I first heard CATPST on the 2 for 1 cd with Holland, & I think of those 2 albums as a whole.  So, they both rank high on my list.  Here's my attempt at ranking, in no particular order:


Carl & The Passions
Holland
Sunflower
Friends
20/20
Surf's Up
In Concert from 1973
L.A. Light Album
Pet Sounds



.....Still got to hear the pre-Pet Sounds albums (some of the 1965 LPs would get into the Top 10 no doubt) in their entirety along with their post 1979 stuff...........

I really enjoyed that "Runaway" video from 1983.  Brian's having a good time, definitely.  I didn't know they performed this song.  Also, the 1st time I've seen Brian share a mic like that.  The performance didn't seem too rehearsed, just on the fly, which I like.  Watching Brian dance & clap along, what can I say?  Awkward, fun, quirky, but quintessential Brian.  Another reason why I love the BB & Brian.

Going back to some of the earlier posts, this clip is something I kinda wish "Joe Public" could watch instead of all the tv appearances Brian's made since the late '90s where he just sits at the keyboard & sings here & there.  I know, because if I watched Brian on tv without knowing his history & the BB, I would wonder what's all the fuss about.  Even though I'm glad he's physically better today, it's still pretty cool to see clips like "Runaway" where he's happy to be onstage & having a ball, &  the audience knows it, too.

I haven't listened to KTSA or BB'85 yet, & it looks like I haven't missed much.  On the other hand, I know I'll buy it eventually, so maybe going into it with no expectations of greatness will make it somewhat better.  At least that's what I hope.  By the way, I love the L.A. album from the year before, too.

This is kinda off-topic, but I always wondered why the BB didn't put more guitar solos on their albums, or guitars for that matter.  I'm mainly talking about their albums once Blondie & Ricky left. 

I've seen video of Carl playing solos, yet once he was in the studio, I guess he concentrated on vocals & didn't worry about his playing too much, which was a shame in my opinion.   The same pretty much applies to his solo albums.

Yeah, I agree.  The Elvis channel has been around since 2004.   It would really compliment their approaching 50th anniversary.  I wish the BB had someone who could guide their recorded legacy into the 21st century & its technological advancements. 

Hi all,

Just found this new interview with Brian from the "Independent" UK newspaper.  It didn't paint the best picture of Brian, but maybe that's not surprising.  It's entitled "Lost In Music:  The Peculiar Life of Brian Wilson."


http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/lost-in-music-the-peculiar-life-of-brian-wilson-1739844.html

I agree with you, Jay.  "Constant Companion" would have turned many a critic's head if it had been released by Dennis or even the Beach Boys.  It's such a shame that it stayed unreleased for 30 years.  It's a song like this that should have seen release after "Holland" in 1973.  "Companion" looked to the future, unlike most Beach Boys' singles from the mid '70s onward.  I'd love to hear this song in a live setting.

Great job, Craig.  You made me feel like I was there, which should always be the goal of a review.  I've never seen any of the BBs, solo or otherwise, in concert, but hopefully that will change by next year.

Thanks, Andrew.

We've talked about Dennis solo during his last few years.  Does anyone know the last time (approx. date would be great) Dennis was in the studio for a Beach Boys' session?  Wasn't he on one song or so on "Keepin' The Summer Alive" from 1980? 

Lastly, was this Dennis's decision to quit appearing in the studio with them?

Ed,

Thanks for your recollections.  You sound like a cool guy who I'd enjoy sitting down & talking with one of these days.

To Jon Stebbins:  I'm waiting for your book on Dennis to be reissued this year with updates (then I'll finally get it), so forgive me for asking questions that everyone probably already knows.

Thanks for all the discussion so far.

To Ed or someone else who knows,

Who is Garby Leon?  A friend of Dennis's?

Hi everyone,

Can you believe it, it's almost been a year since Legacy re-released Pacific Ocean Blue & Bambu.

After Dennis finished his tracks for the BB's "LA" in 1979, did he give up studio sessions?  I know Brother Studios was sold.  I've read about the "Cocaine Sessions" he did with Brian in 1981; is there any promise or spark to any of these recordings?  I've also read that he recorded with Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, perhaps in late 1979.  I wonder if Dennis's creative juices had been diminished by his vices at that time.

Here's a thought:  did Dennis have the equipment available to work on home recordings during his final years, maybe with just vocal/piano?

I'd also like to get some insight into the possibility of more Dennis circa 1976--1983 ever finding an official release, or has it virtually been all released on the POB/Bambu Legacy Reissue?

 I haven't been a fan for very many years, so there's a lot I can learn.  Any discussion about those last 4 or 5 years of Dennis's life would be greatly appreciated.

I wanted to go back a second & mention the live EP that's the subject of this thread.  Funny, but the sound is low on the iTunes download compared to other songs I download from there.  Don't know about Amazon, etc.  Also, you don't hear any applause or any comments from the band, just the music, which sounds note-for-note like the studio recordings.

I'd never heard that concert before, but it was neat to hear them doing "Okie From Muskogee" along with the guitar of Jerry Garcia.  It's rough around the edges, which is why they'll probably never release it, but it's concerts like this (early '70s) that can only add to their legacy.

I've been by Brian's site frequently this week, & there's been no mention of the live EP, which makes no sense.  Seems his management is giving the impression that they don't care about it.  With current record sales, you'd figure they'd milk/promote his EP relentlessly.  Oh well.


A question:  Does anyone have a date for when the EP was recorded?  Thanks,

Jeremy

Hey Loaf,

That was a good one.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/stories.nsf/music/story/D4DA363BA6A500A9862575AE0052FB4A?OpenDocument



Saw this on Brian's messageboard.Check the above link for a short article on an upcoming Beach Boys' gig.

 Mike Love is quoted, & he talks about  the band "stockpiling new material for a new album as well as a double symphonic album," whatever that means.  I wouldn't take that quote to the bank as they say.

He also says they didn't have much to do with the new compilation that's coming out soon.

You did, that's Danny Hutton of Three Dog Night (AKA Redwood) on background vocals for "Message Man."

It's not Lori Morgan.  Brian is singing background vocals.  The song can only be purchased by getting the complete album on iTunes; that's why I haven't purchased it.

I was searching through all of Brian's songs available on iTunes.  I came to the "Gettin' In Over My Head" album from 2004.  "Don't Worry, Baby" was listed as a bonus track.  On the 30-second preview, the lead is a female voice, & I'm assuming it's Taylor Mills.

I'm wondering: was this song cut in 2004?  Is it only available on that album?

I'm 25, & I'd buy that Urban Outfitters "Smile" shirt in a heartbeat.  Though I don't know if it being exclusive to Urban is the best idea.  I'm in Georgia, & there's only 1 store in the state in Atlanta.

 Maybe someone will wise up & start offering BB shirts, etc. in malls/outlets, because as another poster previously compared them to the Beatles, there's much room for improvement.  You'd think the 1966--1973 era would be more exploited.

 I can't say I'd buy their surfin', car memorabilia, but then again, that's the era the public remembers, for better or worse.

I'm about to conclude, but has any Dennis Wilson merchandise been made available since POB's reissue?  Jim Morrison's face has been plastered on many a tee, & someone with enough savvy could market Dennis along similar lines (late '70s image preferably).