Reading through the comments, I think it's fair to say that the general reaction is simply disgust at the utter pettiness and mean-spiritedness involved.   For some reason, it caused me to recall this quote from Murry Wilson's infamous "poison pen" letter from 1965:

"I am proud that my son, Dennis, reminded you all in front of Mike that I predicted he was trouble and would be disgracing all of us if he continued to go his way." 

Of course, Murry was no saint himself, and Mike was 24, I believe, when Murry made that statement about him.  And many young men in their 20s are "trouble" and conduct themselves less than honorably.   But what's actually pretty sad about ML is that at 81, he never really grew up.

“He hurt himself so badly with drugs that he’s not capable of doing much. He goes out and sometimes tours, but recently canceled all his future dates. It’s sad, but between the heroin, LSD, and cocaine – they had an effect."

This is Mike Love at his worst...  talking out of his a$$ and taking gratuitous shots at cousin Brian.  I'd honestly be surprised if Brian has used heroin, LSD or cocaine at any time since approx. 1982.  So we're talking about at least 40 years ago.  And in the case of LSD perhaps even longer.  During the last 40 years, Brian has  had some periods of great creativity and productivity that obviously weren't prevented by past use of "heroin, LSD, and cocaine" and Love knows it.  This is just him putting Brian down and nothing more than that.
 
 Brian's mental issues are complex, and there are likely many, many factors at play: Brian's predisposition to anxiety/depression, paranoia-inducing effects of drugs that Love doesn't mention such as hashish, extreme overmedication of prescription anti-psychotic meds by Gene Landy.  Does ML account for any of that?  No, of course not. He simply rattles off the names of some illegal drugs that are socially unacceptable (in most circies) as a putdown.

It's certainly possible that Jerry's absence didn't help the situation this summer.  But Brian is 80 now, and like the song says, "I know he's had his ups and downs."  As someone who observed him live this summer as well as a couple times in 2019, my hunch is that Brian's late-career touring act likely would have been winding down about now regardless of touring personnel or any other factor.  And that's okay.  The man has certainly given us all enough.

Fucking vile, on multiple levels. Shouldn’t have even been posted here in the first place.

I'm sorry that you feel that way.  

As I said, I was not and am not interested in a public policy debate as the social, economic and demographic issues surrounding my native state are complex and not on-topic here.

 I will leave it up to the mods here to decide whether to delete the link.  Love it or loathe it, it is relevant content, IMO.  A few-day-old parody version of one of Brian and the BBs' iconic songs has half a million views on YouTube.  That's a story in and of itself. "California Girls" is 57 years old, and it's an iconic anthem that has stood the test of time and is as relevant now, hell perhaps MORE relevant now, to the mass culture than it was in 1965. Wrap your head around that.  Imagine a song from 1908 having that cultural relevance in 1965.  I still have to shake my head at how utterly wrong Murry Wilson was in the '60s when he thought the group's success was a fad and that his sale of Sea of Tunes was a shrewd business move.

Why isn't anybody issuing "takedown notices" on THIS stuff? Geez.

Really tough to make a legit copyright claim against a total parody version, cf. Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. in which Roy Orbison's publisher took on 2 Live Crew for their parody of "Pretty Woman."     2 Live Crew's version lifted not only the melody but some of the lyrics from Orbison's original.   Publisher got smacked down 9-0 at the Supreme Court, with court ruling that the principle of obvious parody as "fair use" is essentially inviolate under the first amendment.

1994, 1995, still trying to sell this turkey. I never saw them give an album that much of a push before. Why?

The answer to that is actually quite easy.  "SIP" was released on the BRI's own "Brother Entertainment" label.  Navarre was merely a distributor.  BRI had a direct  financial stake in hawking unsold CDs in a way that they never did or have with Capitol, Reprise, CBS, etc.

It's interesting to me that a Beach Boys LP cost $2.50 in 1963.  Doesn't sound like much now, but considering what other things cost during the period, well, records were actually pretty damned expensive.  When a typical new car cost around $2,500, an LP was 1/1000th of that.  With new vehicles in 2022 averaging around $40K, 1/1000th would be $40.  No wonder the Boys were buying houses in Beverly Hills at age 23.

A friend who's a fellow Californian, and knows that I'm a BB fan, sent me this funny/sad parody video:

"I Wish We All Could Leave California"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApfBvkql0lI

p.s., I don't intend this as a political thread and I'm not interested in a debate on public policy, but I do find it sad that the "California myth" created and celebrated by Brian and the BBs in the '60s has indeed died to some extent. The U-hauls are indeed mainly headed outbound.

The James Murphy book "Becoming the Beach Boys" mentions Brian having an actual office in the 1963-64 period. The office was at 6290 West Sunset Blvd, Hollywood.

The building was called the "Sunset Vine Tower," and was apparently brand-new in 1963 when Brian leased his office.
https://calisphere.org/item/22f29f84a7bf4adfd1877c498c4b67a7/

Rolling Stone obit...
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/bill-pitman-wrecking-crew-guitarist-dead-obit-1396651/

102 is a hell of an age, but it's sad to see Bill go.  We've all seen the photos of the Smile-era sessions, and it seems like the man was there all the time.   Though I haven't reviewed the session logs extensively, it wouldn't surprise me if Bill was the Smile tracks' most prolific musician, perhaps even more so than Carol Kaye.  Brian absolutely loved the man's musicianship, for good reason.

 I always found it charming that Bill downplayed the importance of his work.  In interview after interview, he always made it clear that it was just a job to him. He didn't think the music he played on was particularly good, but the gig paid well and allowed him to spend time on the golf course during the day as guys like Brian worked at night.  The fact that the music has absolutely stood the test of time indicates that Bill was "wrong" about it, but it's always healthy to have a contrarian around who rejects the dominant narrative.  RIP, Bill.

Fascinating to hear the man talk up his plans for a "Gene Landy Presents Smile" TV special for HBO or similar.   

I told this anecdote here 3 years ago, but I'll repeat it.  Around Sept. 2019, David Leaf held a fundraiser at and for UCLA music school where he is or was an adjunct instructor.  Brian was the guest of honor, and a film of the 2004 London Smile debut was screened.  I attended in person, and Leaf held a brief Q & A with Brian at the end of the event.  Leaf mentioned how Mo Ostin was a great benefactor of the school, and that Brian and the Beach Boys had a long association with Ostin.  Brian deadpanned, as only Brian can do, "Is Mo Ostin still alive?"   The audience burst out laughing because it did sound funny the way Brian said it.  Of course, what Brian knew that probably most of the audience didn't know is that Mo Ostin was a very old man.   95 is a heck of an age.  R.I.P., Mo.

Seems funny to be talking about Dom's 1995 edition as "the more current one," but that's exactly what it is.

I remember when the "Last Gasp" edition came out, i.e., May 1995, because I spent a weekend reading the damned book cover to cover instead of studying for a big examination.    

I don't think anyone really thought that a 60th anniversary tour on par with the 50th was in the cards.  Too much bad blood from the 50th.  The guys are 10 years older, 10 years crankier, 10 years less likely to do things they don't want to do.  But it's pretty sad if they do *nothing*.  A one-off show at the Hollywood Bowl or similar would have been nice.

Really enjoyed this.  Certainly the longest interview with Annie and Justyn I think I've ever seen.  Seem like very nice, down-to-earth people.  For decades, I had heard  that Billy was one of the nicest people -- if not THE nicest -- in the Beach Boys' orbit. The stories in this interview confirm that.

Apologies to all for first mentioning the VDP comment and derailing the thread.... but since it's too late to undo that, here's the VDP tweet for posterity;;

Brian Wilson was born June 20, 1942. So I wrote heroes and villains one day.

He followed that with a link to a Google search of the song.

Before his non-participation with the Smile Sessions box, did anyone know he was angry/bitter toward Brian?  I don't remember noticing anything before that.  Hard to believe the box was 11 years ago.  It's a long time to carry a grudge.  Kinda sad. 

A few familiar faces wishing Happy Birthday to Brian:

01 - https://youtu.be/FWH93dDnfcI
02 - https://player.vimeo.com/video/721986824?h=098aecfecf&app_id=122963&autoplay=1

It's utterly fantastic to see so many of the Tony Ashers and Andy Paleys and Danny Huttons et al. of Brian's orbit participate in this.   And to his credit, Mike Love wrote some very nice words on twitter.

And speaking of twitter, very interesting to see Van Dyke Parks mark the occasion by tweeting about how HE wrote Heroes and Villains.     VDP is a great talent, and I'm a huge fan of his music and lyrics, but ....  Well, I'll shut up now.

The one with Jason Fine.? Just fabulous. Waited years for something like this.

Yes, correct.   I just rewatched on the PBS app, which, by the way, indicates that it's the #4 most watched PBS show of the week after the PBS Newshour, Masterpiece Theatre-Endeavor and Nova.

Having the Brent Wilson doc playing on PBS is huge in terms of explaining the Brian Wilson story to the general public. 

--Love and Mercy was touching with sparse instruments that showcased the band's angelic harmonies. It was the only song I felt Brian made a legit attempt at...

That's interesting.  On Saturday in Concord, I thought his strongest, most enthusiastic vocal was on "Be My Baby."

Brian is a legendary giant of popular music in a way that the Chicago guys really aren't, so on one level it seems a little weird, on paper, for him to be the opening act.  Having seen the show, though, it makes total sense.  By playing first, Brian obviously can call it a night much earlier than if he played 2nd.  And let's face it, in 2022, more of the audience is there to see Chicago than  the Brian-Al-Blondie act.  Ultimately, though, ignoring everything else, it makes sense for Chicago to go 2nd just on the basis that their act is much more of an extravaganza than the Brian-Al-Blondie act.  And I mean, MUCH MORE.  They've got video montages and flashing lights and special effects. And it's quite the spectacle.  For the average person in the audience, the Brian-Al-Blondie act would seem like an anticlimax just on the basis of presentation. With respect to Brian's show, I'm very much reminded of Dennis Wilson's famous quote, "The music is the superstar of the group."  And that's still the case. The focus is on doing justice to the songs rather than being showmen.  

I was at the Concord Pavilion show last evening (June 11).
I arrived a bit late and certainly missed at least a couple songs.  This is what I heard, from memory, probably slightly out of order....

...
Don't Worry Baby
Wild Honey
Long Promised Road
Wouldn't It Be Nice
Sloop John B
God Only Knows
Darlin (with guest horns from Chicago)
Be My Baby
Heroes & Villains (with cantinq section)
I Can Hear Music
Sail On Sailor
Good Vibrations
Help Me Rhonda
Surfin USA
Love & Mercy


A few comments...  God bless Brian.  Things appear to have gotten a bit more difficult for him than when I last saw him & Al & Blondie live in 2019, and I'd be lying if I said that Brian's vocals are what they were 5 or 10 years ago, but hey the man is a week shy of 80, and he's still out there doing his thing. And as long as he wants to do it, I'm more than happy to support him and his great band.  The crowd was generally more Chicago-oriented than Beach Boys-oriented, but for the most part the crowd was very respectful and warm toward Brian. And it's always nice to be among a few hardcore BB/BW fans here and there in the audience (e.g., to the guy in sitting up front in a Smile shop t-shirt, well-played... ).

The kiddie wallpaper is also interesting... and consistent with the childhood themes that seemed to have Brian's attention in the Pet Sounds/Smile era.

"11 “Do It Again” (Feat. Brian Wilson)"

Whoa. Very cool. 
(Though now I'm disappointed that Brian won't be meandering over to Hollywood to reprise that with them at The Ford in June, as he'll be on his own tour w/ Chicago that day).