Yeah birthday shurmfday, you clown. Think, where the eff do you think you'd be right now if it wasn't for the guy you've made a career of tearing down? It wouldn't be pretty and you would have never seen the kind of life you lead, the house you live in, your portfolio, the skads of unearned money you've raked in. Hardest working Beach Boy?? I think not because you live, eat and breathe being on the road and on the stage. Without that you're stone cold dead so I don't want to hear that it's some kind of really hard "work"! Your managers do everything for you so all you have to do is walk on stage and be the clown you so rightfully are.  Nope, no birthday greetings for you Mike because you're the most hated, embarrassing clown the world of rock and roll has ever witnessed.

That you’ve posted a comedically deranged screed twice (once here, once at the Steve Hoffman forums, where you’re being laughed at) shows that you are a deeply unpleasant person.

I’ve seen your posts and either you have a massive hard-on for Mike Love that you can’t admit to yourself, or you’re a psychopath that the cops need to keep an eye on.

Just looking up Johnston Records on Discogs, the only other artist outside of Peter Noone/The Tremblers to have a release on the label was Susan Lynch - an album and a single. I've never heard of her - anyone familiar? I know Bruce was pretty good at keeping up to date with some new stuff that was surprising (High Llamas for example), but I wonder what compelled him to sign what sounds like fairly anonymous early 80s rock?

I don't have a problem with the Beach Boys 80's material. It was fun, commercial sounding stuff - not unlike what the reunited Monkees were doing in 86-87. IMO, that's where both groups fit in during the 80's - fun, frivolous pop music. There was an element of that throughout the 80's - catchy, pop songs with good melodies, lots of vocal harmonies, no heavy messages. If you were an older act, you could stick with a purist approach and be written off as stuck in the past; or you could embrace the changes in technology and at least have a chance of getting some radio play. So I don't fault the BB's at all for trying to stay contemporary.
Now, to continue with the Monkees comparison - in 1996, the four Monkees reunited to do an album that was a little rough around the edges; just the four of them in the studio, writing all the songs, playing all the instruments. The album, Justus, was not a big seller, but it did seem to give them a bit of artistic credibility. Imagine if Brian, Carl, Mike, Al and Bruce had regrouped to do an album like that. And I don't mean a Brian Wilson solo album with Beach Boy vocals; I mean an album with full involvement from each member.

I've said the same thing about The Association - after coming back with every surviving member in the early 80s and having a couple of minor hits, they tailed off from there onto the oldies circuit, and their only 90s album had two members on it and all the backing tracks make Summer In Paradise sound like Steely Dan.

It really breaks my heart because there wasn't any bad blood among them, and they really could have pulled together for a final album with all six of them writing and playing (which they were more than capable of doing). Trying it now, with most of them either in their 80s or retired (and Larry Ramos dying), it wouldn't be the same.

Much obliged!

Can someone briefly lay out the various versions of Waves Of Love?

I've got two, a 3:48 version (starting with sleighbells and organ) and a 3:35 version (starting with sax, which has been labelled 'Demo Version' which may or may not be accurate, I don't know).

Aside from this 2.0 version, what am I missing?

My own Still Cruisin' tracklist - it's nearly an hour long, so more than Wild Honey and Friends combined, but I guess it's an approximation of what would've happened if The Beach Boys had embraced the CD era, or used the album as a clearing house for all their stray tracks.

1. Still Crusin'
2. Rock N Roll To The Rescue
3. Chasin' The Sky
4. Problem Child
5. Island Girl
6. East Meets West
7. Somewhere Near Japan
8. Make It Big
9. Crocodile Rock
10. Kokomo
11. In My Car
12. Happy Endings
13. California Dreamin'
14. Wipe Out

I remember being slightly disappointed that this and Summer In Paradise weren't included in the 2000 twofer reissue program, if only for the sake of completeness.

Random question, but isn't the video the last time Bruce is seen playing bass? I've no idea if he was also playing it during gigs at the time (my immediate assumption is that he stuck to keyboards), but it's definitely an unusual sight.

My own CD single of Problem Child was one of the first things I ever bought on eBay back in the late 90s (along with a 7" of East Meets West and another of Happy Endings, plus the Up The Creek soundtrack). I must've sold it in the last ten years, but I have no idea when. Definitely wasn't for a significant amount though. I've added all four of those songs, plus Crocodile Rock to Still Cruisin' in place of the oldies make a more cohesive (if not actually better) album.

- at the 11:47 mark:

https://youtu.be/3NbQkyvbw18

I think this is the first time any of the guys have been referred to by name in a Dylan tune...unless he’s got one still on the cab discussing Mike’s Rock’n’roll Hall of Fame remarks....

This is the first time that Carl's name has been namechecked specifically in a song since Chug-a-Lug?
Amazing

The song I Love My Car by Belle & Sebastian has a line about 'I love my Carl' along with Brian, Dennis and Al, and the kiss-off 'I could even find it in my heart to love Mike Love'.

Honestly I have no idea, but I’ll ask around.

Appreciate it, Billy!

I'm a fan of what Bruce brought (and still brings) to the band. She Believes In Love Again is one of the better songs on the 85 album, but I'm pretty glad it didn't get reused on That's Why God Made The Radio as was hinted. Did he forget it had already been recorded or something?

Genuinely excited for this. If Made In California's trove of unreleased tracks was an hors d'oeuvre, I'm guessing this is two main courses and possibly dessert.

Feel a bit daft starting this topic, but I can't seem to see if there's a classifieds section here (maybe it's that I haven't had enough posts yet). I wonder if anyone knows of somewhere that I can get hold of this particular back issue of ESQ from 2008 and the CD that came with it? Been looking for ages and it's sold out on the ESQ site.

Any help much appreciated!

Welcome Jim! I remembered you from the old days (weren’t you at Cabinessence too?) so when I saw your name show up in the queue for member registrations, I smiled a bit.

Glad you joined us, and welcome aboard!

Hi Billy! Glad to see you here. I was indeed over at cab.com too - that's where I first started, I think! I remember you as a fellow Queen fan, right?

Hello random Beach Boys people. Am now fully signed up here, after spending many years (15?) posting at the old Shut Down II board and whatever one preceded that in the late 90s, all under this same name I made up half a lifetime ago.

Been reading through and recognise a few names posting on here that were on that board, but know a few of the old guys are no longer with us. Be nice to chat BB again - I spent some time at Steve Hoffman's forum and found it to be a very unpleasant place full of belligerent idiots. Hope this place is friendlier.