I personally think "All I Wanna Do" might be a little tough for ol' Mike.

But here are my choices (staying within reason) for songs I'd like to see on this tour:

• "Please Let Me Wonder" (Brian)
• "This Whole World'" (Brian)
• "Vega-Tables" (Al)
• "Good Timin'" (Brian)
• "Sail on Sailor'" (Blondie/Brian?)

[they ARE NOT beach boys]

I don't mean to disrespect those guys, but I think their role would not be more than tangential in a reunion like this. They're great musicians, an important part of an obscure but musically satisfying period, and full-time members for a while (that, I still don't get).

But this is about Hawthorne, CA 1961 and taking it from there. This is not about feeding minutia-hungry hardcore fans. Those guys don't fit within the vibe that is presented in the promo vid, and they had no significant relationship to the band for, what? 30 years? When Carl passed, it was David on stage playing the late Wilson's licks. Not Blondie. David fits. Bruce does. Blondie and Ricky would only as a one-time gentle nod to History. Nothing more. I'm sure they're greatful to have their share of immortality thanks to the BBs, but they know they ARE NOT beach boys. I imagine they must be very nice guys, and it'd be alright to have them join the band onstage for something, but I won't sign.

Really? I have a few albums I'd like to show you. By your reasoning, Bruce isn't a Beach Boy either?

I think the real truth may lie in the fact that they are black. And not in a racist way from those that are excluding them. But from the fact that many in the public would be like "what the f***?" when seeing a seven man Beach Boys including two black guys. People would be confused. Because even though Carl and Dennis are gone, the public will see 5 white guys up there on stage, and they'll think "hey, The Beach Boys". Blondie and Ricky might make them confused.

[BULLSHIT]

I do think its totally BULLSHIT however, to put Blondie and Ricky in the same bracket as Daryl Dragon, Billy Hinsche, or any of these other sidemen.

Blondie and Ricky were expressly NOT hired as sidemen. They were actually in the band THE BEACH BOYS, as were Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks, and Bruce Johnston. So I don't like the whole, "ah, but there's so many people and some just might not make it" angle. These guys were actual members and played on classic fuckin' material. I think that's important enough for me.

I also feel though, The Beach Boys is ultimately Brian, Mike and Al's thing (as Carl and Dennis are no longer with us), so if they think it is appropriate that it is them three along with Bruce and David for this go-round, then so be it. But I have a feeling that if you asked Al Jardine or Brian Wilson why Blondie and Ricky aren't around for this project they probably say, "Well, gee, I guess they should be part of this! They were Beach Boys after all, weren't they! And Blondie sounded great on 'Sail On Sailor' and 'Funky Pretty'!"

You all could imagine that, couldn't you??

[Today!]

I'll be honest. I'm nervous that it will all happen too. But I'll say I'm confident that the new album and tour will definitely happen. And I'm nearly positive we'll get another hits package.

As far as reissues, I think it would be totally awesome to have all the albums with bonus material. But if not all, I think it would be cool if they at least gave us deluxe versions of some of their best: Today!, Sunflower and Surf's Up. That would be cool.

The box set does kinda seem unlikely, because their is already a comprehensive set out there that is only missing Summer in Paradise and Stars & Stripes. But if they do put it out, I'm sure they will put some interesting previously unreleased tracks on there, although I think I'd prefer previously unreleased stuff on an album by themselves, or added to deluxe versions of the albums, but I'll happy accept whatever they put out!

There's been very little discussion about the proposed box set and other archival releases, though as Mark Linett has said, whether they happen is up to EMI's new owner. Anyhow, we recently got a 5-CD "Smile" box, and many other archival releases(official & unofficial) over the years. If there are more archival releases in 2012, I'll buy 'em, but if EMI's new owner says "No", I won't get tormented. Promise.

YAY! Here comes the cloud on a sunny day, otherwise known as Phil Cohen! I bet you hope Mike doesn't like Brian's new songs either!

I believe it was just Ricky left when they got the RS accolade. Blondie quit after a show when Steve Love (after Reiley had quit, but before Guercio came aboard) called him the N-word.

Another instance where the true colors of the Love family truly shines through. Beating wives, racism, beating up family, suing your own family. Nice.

[Today!]

I'm not AGD, but I'm guessing they probably won't appear.

But it is important to remember that it seems The Beach Boys in this instance are seemingly being promoted as the "artists" that made not only those great early hits, but also great albums like Today!, Pet Sounds, Sunflower, Surf's Up and Holland. And as Ricky and Blondie are obviously a big part of Holland and the great "Sail On Sailor" they deserve to be honored also. Along with the fact that they were part of the band when they started to become a live attraction again warrants them getting some long deserved attention.

But I think it's tough enough getting these five guys in a room together, that I'm not sure Blondie and Ricky were even ever considered. I'm not sure Blondie and Ricky even consider themselves to be "Beach Boys" or guys that just played in The Beach Boys. To me, they definitely are, and made an indelible mark on the band.

I hope they're included.

[Sunflower]

This is absolutely fantastic news on all fronts, and then within hours we are picking the whole thing apart. I also lost my best buddy today, my 14 year old dog, Rocky. It was great having a reason to celebrate on such a sad day for me and the wife.

I'm sorry to hear about your dog.  My thoughts are with you drbeachboy.

About the reunion, I gotta say I'm most excited about the prospect of hearing "new" stuff from the '60s and '70s. I don't know if they'll do deluxe editions, but I think if we did get Sunflower and Surf's Up in deluxe packages, I think we would really be in for a treat. A box set sounds somewhat interesting, but I'm not sure if they could top the 1993 box, and do we really need it "updated" with songs from Summer in Paradise and Stars & Stripes? I suppose the box set is where they place new, unreleased songs, but I personally think a compilation containing about 20 to 30 of their top unreleased songs would be tops! I'm so excited to think that its possible I might be hearing songs like "Where Is She", "(Wouldn't It Be Nice) To Live Again" and the 1974 version of "California Feelin'." As long as I get to own copies of those three songs, anything else will just be icing on the cake.

The new studio album? Well, I'm excited for it, but I also can understand that it might not be very good. But I think having Brian on board with his team will ensure that it doesn't become a joke. I think this album will be the first since the L.A. Light Album that shows The Beach Boys as artists, and not surfin' goofs from the '60s.

I gotta admit, one thing really bugs me. And its not Mike Love. It's Bruce talking about singing "Mike Love's lyrics" or whatever. He always has to seem to kiss Mike's ass in these things. I just have this odd feeling that if they Mike & Bruce show did ever end, Bruce's tune would change quite quickly. He seems like a major kiss ass. And I'm not sure if he really brings anything that special to a reunion. I think Brian, Mike, Al and David, would have been fine with me. It's unfortunate the Blondie and Ricky aren't involved, but I'm not surprised. I do hope they get them at some point to do "Sail On Sailor" with them though on this tour.

[GIOMH]

I like his 1988 voice WAY more than his voice of the last 13 years.

The point of this thread is that his voice has improved over that time. 

Yeah, and I disagree totally with that "point". Kthxbye.

I can see why this fellow would say that. Even though his voice on the self-titled album is really shouty and not so much varied, it did have a certain kind of personality, which I find to be lacking in GIOMH, TLOS, and the Disney album. I felt BWPS and BWRG both largely sounded like Brian had a grip on the material and vocally was trying to give off a certain feeling, whereas on GIOMH he seemed like he was sleepwalking through a lot of the material. And especially on TLOS (where he was singing self-referential bullshit)* it kinda seemed at a lot of points like he was just reading lyrics off of a sheet a paper that Scott Bennett showed him for the first time before he stepped in the recording booth. Although I felt "Going Home" had personality, and a different kinda vocal from Brian.

*About the self referential b.s., I gotta say it's finally hit me that the sh*t about "turning off the light at 25" or whatever, and "hardly ever washing my face", blah blah blah, it seemed to be alluding to "the Brian Wilson story" which I think is lame, and I don't think Brian would have done otherwise. I think it's almost as lame as Mike still putting the words "fun fun fun" and "good vibrations" in Beach Boys songs from the '90s. It's cheesy and not clever. It's lame. And whoops, sorry for derailing, I just realized this is about vocals, not lyrics, hahah.

[Songs from Here & Back]

I don't think he sounded that bad on 'Drivin'.  You know what was an absolute abortion? The remake of 'The Spirit of Rock & Roll'.

You are right about "The Spirit of Rock & Roll" from Songs from Here & Back or whatever it's called. I remember when I bought that CD i was pleasantly surprised that he brought that one back, but yeah, it just didn't work out that well. Mike definitely had the best new song on that album. "Cool Head, Warm Heart" was surprisingly excellent, although I must say, the rest of his (never-released) recent album was almost uniform garbage.

And I think we will be able to tell how good Brian will sing on the new Beach Boys project after we hear the new "Do It Again" which I assume could possibly be released to go along with the Grammys maybe to stir up interest? Makes sense. Although since it makes sense, they probably won't do it. But anyways, I'm assuming he probably is singing the bridge that was by Carl on the original version, and I imagine he could really sound good on that if he wanted. So if he doesnt, uh oh.

[do]

It really, really should've been this way. I'm sure it was considered at one point, but likely shot down by a certain person who I shall refer to as "Welinda Milson".

You really think they maybe considered it at one point? Hmm. I don't know. I really don't consider myself a Brianista but I gotta say, maybe it was good that he conquered this one away from The Beach Boys, with the assistance of Van Dyke and Darian. For some reason, even in 2003-2004, I couldn't see the presence of Mike Love being something that would help Brian emotionally.

What I do wonder is if Brian and co. ever considered going back to the original tapes for when they decided to make BWPS. I guess that was the intention during the Landy years. They were apparently really going to have Brian and whoever else sing over the tracks from the '60s. How odd that woulda been, hearing the Brian of 1988/1989 doing the verse of "Do You Like Worms" and then reverting to his '60s voice for "wa-ha-la-lu-lay". I wonder if there was any way they really could have made it work, even this year for The SMiLE Sessions. I don't think they could have done any solo leads convincingly to sit along their 1966-1971 work, but I think they possibly could have done a group vocal for "Worms", and maybe something for "Look" and "Child Is Father Of The Man". But they didn't. And uh....yep.

[BWPS]

For some reason before I fell asleep last night, I was thinking about how it would have sounded if they were on BWPS. Not how the group would have sounded like in 1966 and 1967. We can easily imagine that. But this different. The Beach Boys in 2004 doing SMiLE. I even imagined what leads they would sing.

I could imagine Mike on "Child Is Father Of The Man" singing the verse parts of each, in his soft "Kokomo" style voice that he usually uses these days. Plug him in singing "easy my child...." and whatnot, and I see it fit that vibe perfectly. Not that I'd prefer that, but I could see it.

I think on "I'm In Great Shape/I Wanna Be Around/Workshop" you would have "Fresh clean air around my head" by Bruce, "morning tumble out of bed" by Mike, and the last lead by Brian, just like the BWPS version.

Then I think Al could really work with "On A Holiday" on the verse. The rap, I don't know. Let whoever it was keep it.

I also thinks Al's "aw-schucks" delivery could really work on "In Blue Hawaii", both on the beginning "chant", and on the regular body of the song.

And of course, everybody would have the same leads they were originally assigned, so Al would get "Vega-Tables" and Mike would get, well, nothing, besides these.  And Brian would take over "You Are My Sunshine", "Cabin Essence", "Wind Chimes", and "Good Vibrations".

And yes, I know this is a ridiculous thread. But I think the presence of the other current Beach Boys members on BWPS would have been interesting, and if it had been released as a Beach Boys album in 2004, albeit a re-recorded one, I wonder if The SMiLE Sessions still woulda happened.

Lastly, one has to wonder what leads Mike would have sang on SMiLE , because, if one listens to The SMiLE Sessions, his only real standout parts are at the end of "Cabin Essence" and the chorus of "Good Vibrations". Maybe that is why he wasn't so excited about the album. If we go by the 12-track rule, what would Mike have sung? Most likely not "I'm In Great Shape". That sounded just too perfect for Brian's range back then. Maybe the verse of "Child Is Father Of The Man"? Maybe a verse of "Worms"? I could see him doing the "Barnyard" lead, but who even knows if that was even still in contention by 1967.

[OCA]

I think the 1988 voice was good in parts, but I think it would have been better if he used his softer tone in more places. He shouted nearly everything back then. That would be like him using his "Heroes And Villains" voice on "Surf's Up" in 1966/1967. It just wouldn't work the right way. I think using the softer tone on stuff like "Love & Mercy" and "Melt Away" might have helped them do better commercial.

On his self titled album, I feel like that's the last time he sounded "younger" though. I think his vocals on OCA were just bad. He was the wrong singer for that album. And on IJWMFTT I liked his energetic approach on "This Whole World" and oddly enough he really kinda sounded like the 1971 BW on the lead for "'Til I Die", because his voice had that weird, Mickey Mouse-ish nasal quality that it had Sunflower and Surf's Up. On Imagination he just sounded, well, older (which he obviously was). He didn't have that youthful sound that I feel he retained even through the gruff 70's and the whiney/nasal '80s. But he did finally sound smooth again, which especially enjoyable on "Your Imagination", "She Said She Needs Me" and "Lay Down Burden".

His vocals on the "California Feelin'" remake from 2002 was horrendous. He just sounded so bad. I don't know why. I even like Rocky Pamplin on that song. But hopefully we'll hear a 1974 take on from him reasonably soon. 

I gotta say though, I don't believe that his vocals on BWPS are anything special. It especially bums me out on "Surf's Up", because that is where it's really apparent. But the album is still enjoyable to me.

I do think a turning point, vocally was, "What Love Can Do" and "God Only Knows", which I think were recorded in either '06 or '07. His best vocals since Imagination, nice and smooth. I felt like his vocals on TLOS weren't that great. I felt they were kinda rough. I thought his songwriting was at its strongest since his self titled album, and I thought the vocals on "Midnight's Another Day" was cool, but I thought the song was a weak attempt by his co-writer to try turn something that was originally an up tempo thing into "'Til I Die Part Deux".

BWRG he really stepped it up though, especially on the lighter, jazzy tunes. He sounded just as good, if not better than his Imagination days. But also around that time, he sounded like absolute horseshit on "Drivin'" from Al's solo album. You can tell when Brian doesn't give a sh*t about a vocal these days and I hear it on that song and "California Sun".

I feel like his vocals on the new Disney album are alright, but not half as good as the Gershwin album, and once again, I chalk this up to material. Because his cover of "Listen to Me" by Buddy Holly that was released recently is such a nice pure vocal that reminds me of the guy that sang "Please Let Me Wonder" (once again).

I think on this new Beach Boys album, it should be interesting. It likely will be mostly original material except for "Do It Again", and if really wants this album to be great, I think he will give some great performances. But if he is being pushed into it, and Mike and Bruce are annoying him, we might hear some half-ass stuff. However, with Joe Thomas at the boards, I gotta say I'm expecting vocals at least as good as Imagination's, if not better, along with some lovely Beach Boys harmonies. Maybe even have Al double some of Brian's lead and "thicken" them. Might sound cool. I just hope the music sounds more organic than Imagination.

[BWRG]

I agree with those who say the Gershwin album is the point where Brian really started to sound like his younger self again. A lot of the stuff on BWRG definitely sounds like the guy that sang "Please Let Me Wonder", just over 40 years older. Honestly, this is another reason why I want Brian to do a new Beach Boys album. Not to make Mike Love or Bruce Johnston happy, but to show to the world Brian Wilson is still a great singer. And lets be honest, the best way to get a lot of people to hear a new Brian Wilson vocal would be to release them via a new Beach Boys album, which I would bet probably would have much more commercial impact than BWRG or ITKOD.

As far as his '80s voice, well....its weird. Because he sounds really good on the verses "Heavenly Bodies", which I think is from '86 (?). Because he is singing in the calm tone he used on a lot of his better Beach Boys vocals. It's obvious that

And I've said this before, but I think it was the lack of the "classic Brian vocals" that hurt the group after Endless Summer. If he would have still had his "classic" voice on 15 Big Ones and Love You and so on, I think the band would have been much more commercially successful.  It's no coincidence that "Good Timin'" was a hit (with great Brian-type vocals by Carl or Bruce), along with "Getcha Back", which had Brian sounding like in the '60s and the early '70s.

I think its the not very believable Brian vocal that does it for me.

[The Beach Boys]

If this is the same take as the "Cocaine Session", there's part where he freaks the f*ck out and says something like, "I JUST CAME UP WITH THAT, JUST NOW!" and is obviously pretty impressed with himself.

I hear a lot of really good beginnings of songs on this tape - shame not a damn thing made it past that point, it seems.

"City Blues" came from this period, which in my opinion, really sucks.

"Oh Lord" was apparently recorded for The Beach Boys '85, and it's hard for me to imagine what it would have sounded like with that album's sound.

I don't understand. Is this guy serious? Because this seems like he's being purposefully ridiculous just to get a rise from all of us.

[something]

I think we will get something

Like a five disc box set dedicated to one of their most famous works, albeit an unreleased one?

= )

Well yes, haha.....buuuuuuuuuuut we must remember that in a press release for The SMiLE Sessions it said this:

"The Beach Boys and Capitol/EMI will celebrate the band’s 50th Anniversary in 2012. Plans for commemorative releases and other anniversary activities will be announced."

So I'm cautiously optimistic. First off, I can't imagine just another standard hits compilation, and secondly, SMiLE has done so well that I'm sure Capitol and the Boys would like to follow up on that success with something else similar (like more awesome unreleased material).

[Imagination]

"Dream Angel".

Yuck.

I figured it'd be something from Imagination

[Sunflower]

And what's next in the reissue program?

So we still don't know. There was some interesting stuff mentioned though by them though. Expanded, deluxe versions of Sunflower and Surf's Up, stereo versions of Today! and Wild Honey.

Expanded versions of Sunflower and Surf's Up sound exquisite to me. We'd probably get "Where Is She" and "(Wouldn't It Be Nice) To Live Again", which are things I reallllllly wanna hear. And I'm sure there's a lot of other interesting stuff from these sessions, such as "Burlesque", which I'm pretty sure is a Surf's Up outtake (maybe Carl & The Passions, I'm not sure).

Stereo Today! would be pretty sweet too, but I gotta admit stuff like "Please Let Me Wonder" sounds a lot better to me in mono than it does in stereo.

I'm verrrrrry hesitant to start anticipating any of this. Or even anticipate anticipating, really. We know archiving etc. is going on, stereo mixes for possible (not definite) future releases are possibly being prepared without any specific intent. It really sounded more like he was throwing out possible ideas for future releases, not "We're working on an expanded version of Sunflower." Also, hate to say it, but I don't think anyone in this world hears "expanded Sunflower" and suddenly gets dollar signs in their eyes.

Isn't Hawthorne out of print solely due to sales not justifying productions? That kind of nixes chances for a follow-up anytime soon

I think we will get something. It's the 50th anniversary. I'm not so sure we'll get a catalog overhaul, but I think we will hear some new, unreleased stuff. I'm pretty sure Mark and Alan pretty much have everything ready to go, and just need the go ahead. So I think we'll hear the cream of the crop. Most of the best, honestly has been released. But as I said, "Where Is She?" and "(Wouldn't It Be Nice) To Live Again", which Alan Boyd has cited as being two of the best unreleased songs, would probably be released along with some other really good stuff, whether they do expanded versions of those albums, a new rarities compilation, or (for some weird reason) a box set.

The stereo versions on the other hand, might not be as likely. But I think for Sunflower and Surf's Up, we got a good chance of seeing those, especially since they are looked at very highly in critical corners. And yes, they aren't the Boys highest selling efforts, but many other albums by many less popular bands have gotten deluxe treatment.

[REUBENS]

Pee Wee is Paul REUBENS! Sorry guys.

[Sunflower]

And what's next in the reissue program?

So we still don't know. There was some interesting stuff mentioned though by them though. Expanded, deluxe versions of Sunflower and Surf's Up, stereo versions of Today! and Wild Honey.

Expanded versions of Sunflower and Surf's Up sound exquisite to me. We'd probably get "Where Is She" and "(Wouldn't It Be Nice) To Live Again", which are things I reallllllly wanna hear. And I'm sure there's a lot of other interesting stuff from these sessions, such as "Burlesque", which I'm pretty sure is a Surf's Up outtake (maybe Carl & The Passions, I'm not sure).

Stereo Today! would be pretty sweet too, but I gotta admit stuff like "Please Let Me Wonder" sounds a lot better to me in mono than it does in stereo.

It wouldn't have worked. Bruce doesn't have a commandeering type of personality. He could never have successfully pushed his vision on the group. In fact, Bruce was sole producer of Keepin' The Summer Alive, and look at how THAT turned out.  It has touches of Bruce, but it ends up becoming a weird hodgepodge between Bruce ideas and Beach Boys ideas.

We got "Endless Harmony" from Bruce, which is a decent song, but it has less genuine emotion than the songs he wrote earlier in his career had.

He also was the one that insisted that "When Girls Get Together" be released. I personally like that song, but most Beach Boys fans seem to hate it.

However, I do really like Bruce's work on "Santa Ana Winds", though. I can't prove it, but those strings sound like Bruce to me.

"Goin' On" is a travesty, though. He took a song about lost love and hopelessness, and gave a super saccharine sound that seems disconnected emotionally from the lyrics and main melody.

I agree with most of what you said, but I think the production of "Goin' On" works precisely because it juxtaposes the slick, 1980 pop sound with a heartbroken love song.

Then again, I have never heard the allegedly superb early version of "Goin' On."  If anyone can describe it to me in great, evocative detail almost akin to actually hearing the track, please Private Message me.

I'm not sure if this is the one you are talking about, but there is something called "Why Didn't I Tell You" which is an early version of "Goin' On" with cool dream breaks that aren't featured in the final song. Is that the supposed "superior" version?

Yeah I don't wanna start the same old sh*t either, but it's just weird. And for the record, I think "I'm In Great Shape" works great. It sounds complete to me. And "Barnyard" doesn't sound horrible to me, but I think it could have really worked, and I'm just not sure why they didn't try.

I know this has been brought up countless times, but why didn't they remove the piano from "Barnyard"? It has obviously been proven possible. They obviously didn't have any problem manipulating the vocals on other parts of the album. I just don't get it. And I think maybe the question wasn't asked on Icon Fetch because Mark and Alan know they should have.