Cynical Mikee. I'm a student in England and there's massive enthusiasm for the BBs and particularly Brian Wilson. It's now cool to be a fan. It's never going to have the same following as those who liked the band originally but it's pretty amazing for a band who 'hit their peak' around 40 years ago. See you in London.

Brian's current band has a very muddy, thick sound which I don't really like. True, they recreate studio vocals live far better than the Beach Boys, but thats because there's about 11 of them or something. I truly find some of their voices quite annoying, whoever sings the second low God Only Knows tag part on Pet Sounds live, Jeff Foskett's falsetto really grates after a while. Singing isn't just about the ability to learn a part and stay in tune, its about the tone and expression in your voice.

Tell me that the Beach Boys who recorded the vocals to Wouldn't It Be Nice were not as technically good as Brian's band. Yeah they're better musicians, but I really can't believe that these guys are better vocalists than the Beach Boys, widely regarded as one of the greatest vocal groups of all time.

Summer of Love is really horrendous.

I kind of like Crocodile Rock, but I've got to say Carl looked really creepy with that big grey beard, the shades and the hat.

[surviving]

I did say any of the surviving Beach Boys. I agree Dennis was capable of a great album, although I'm not sure POB was it. By the way Smilin Ed what is the 'Song of the Whale' you refer to?

I  read about Al working on or doing part of some sort of ecological based concept allbum many years ago.  Could this be his attempt to finish that album?

He did Santa Ana winds, the California Saga stuff and some other related pieces.
And he did live out at Phifer Beach foer a while....or maintained a residence there.  Same place Bobby Darin retreated to in his folkie period.  I believe that is where he is seen with the horses on one of the Bios...and that is where the footage of the water shooting through the rocks on the  wendy beach was filmed.

I can see this as a viable project inspired by the rugged natural beauty of central California.  It would make for some great video as well.  Question: are ANY of the BB's at this point capable of  one last really great album ?  

I don't think any of the surviving BBs besides BW were ever capable of a really great album, let alone now. If you want anything approaching that you still have to look towards Brian, and no matter how much optimism you have the chances of that are almost non existent.

On the prospect of an Al solo album, it may be interesting to hear as it would with any other of the BBs, but I doubt in his ability to produce anything of real substance.

Really amazing mix, thanks a lot. I love the With Me Tonight/Good Vibrations combination.

Mike wasn't too bad on California Girls, but he was truly shocking on Cool Head, Warm Heart. However, on the tag at the end of Cal Girls Bruce sounded great.

On Orange Crate Art there is some fantastic falsetto singing, especially in San Francisco.

I don't believe that's true. I think you can always have a Beach Boys if Mike and Brian are there. Unless it's going to be a post-Pet Sounds focused concert that is, which is extremely unlikely. I consider Carl to be more in the George level. If George had died before Lennon nobody would have quibbled about Lennon and McCartney being the Beatles.

Dear Alan: I would be happy to spend hundreds of dollars on the new Beach Boys site, if you let me. I'm certain I'm not alone!!

(also, apropos of nothing: I really want to hear "Cool Head, Warm Heart." I couldn't tell ya why, but I've been inordinately curious about the Mike album since it started being chatted about.)

I have to say from what I have heard of Mike's album (which was circulating quite freely on the BBB board a while ago) it is quite significantly better that GIOMH (I am far more a Brian fan than Mike fan btw). It has better songs, better vocals, and superb background vocals.

The backing vocals on the second section of TRADER are Carl and Marilyn.... and Marilyn's all over 15 BIG ONES. I really hear her on "Rock and Roll Music," "That Same Song" and "It's OK."

I think Gerry Beckley is on SAIL ON SAILOR....

I can hear Jack Reiley on the tag to MARCELLA....

I never really listened that hard to the background vocals for the second part of the Trader before, but they are so good. It's also Carl's best lead IMO

Donald when you list it like that, with five undisputed real Beach Boys there they would have every right to be a strong lineup of the REAL Beach Boys IMO. Sure Carl isn't there but Brian would be, which he hasn't really been for a good 30 years. Throw in Blondie and Ricky and it would be a fantastic lineup. For a Pet Sounds concert, the only song where the original singer would not be present is God Only Knows. I think people are forgetting that Carl is not SO necessary because Brian would be there. 

Surfer Joe I think you're right about differentiating the current Beach Boys and a Beach Boys reunion. It seems to me the only way to get around that is to have Al keep touring with them afterwards. I don't think anybody would expect Brian to go back out on the road with them long term, but it seems to me that Al is still a keen Beach Boy. Plus if Al goes back maybe Matt would too. Maybe we could have a 1966 parallel on the 40th anniversary, the Beach Boys go out on tour and Brian sits at home writing a masterpiece   

Personally I think its inevitable. Its the only way they can command a significantly higher industry profile than the one they each have today. Like it or not...the novelty of a BB's reunion will get a lot of media attention. I can't see them resisting it...ego, payday, closure, just the instinct to reach for the maximum general appeal. I'm not saying its going to be pretty...but I'd bet it will happen sooner or later. I'd hope that Brian does it for the fun, and not because he feels obligated or pressured.

I'm not so sure about a reunion getting a lot of attention. If would have to be done extremely well for that to happen. I'd say there are two primary markets here in the UK. The first is the Mojo readers, i.e. the older generation who have grown up with the Beach Boys. Sure there will be media attention aimed at that target audience but I doubt anymore than a Brian Wilson tour. The second is the key one: my generation, the students/indie kids who's interest in the BBs is generally not for the surf/car/girl hits, but for Pet Sounds/Smile and after. If this market can be exploited (which it really has not been so far) then this could be a hit, because I am constantly amazed by the amount of people I see and talk to at uni who love the Beach Boys. But it would require serious good management which I'm not sure would happen. Mike and Bruce would have to be told to dress respectably. Brian's obvious discomfort in front of interviewers and cameras would have to either be played up (the mad genius) or he would have to be kept away from the exposure. And IMO Al would have to be the lead singer to give it any dignity because he still has the voice. There would be a fine line between this being quite 'cool', and it being a joke.

To me that seems to be a really difficult task, mainly because I can't see Mike and Bruce taking the risk. What's more likely is Mike whines through the hits, Bruce smiles and claps along in a pair of shorts, Al is left in the background, and Brian is made to look foolish and risks losing that young fanbase. And also, I don't think it will happen if it's on the condition Mike would have to retire the Beach Boys name.

I'm really not sure about doing Pet Sounds. Brian's already done it anyway so what's the point, are you going to take away his leads (which he sang originally anyway) and give them to Al? I suppose getting Mike doing his bits is kind of cool but apart from that it seems stupid to do an album mainly sung by Brian, and which the most famous song was sung by Carl.  Why not put together a nice setlist that incorporates some a capella stuff that the group could still pull off, and then focus on the Mike Al Brian Bruce leads with a tribute each to Carl and Dennis. 

I think in some ways you are right, but also production plays a big factor in terms of the more recent stuff. I've noticed that recently, in particular on 'WIRWFC' there seems to be a lot of autotuning done with Brian's voice. That is, running it through pro-tools or similar to achieve that perfect pitch. If you've heard the new duet with Carnie it's EXTREMELY prevalent there.

On Back Home on the Roxy album, I actually think that Brian is a little flat when he goes up for the chorus.

I think that more than his pitching being more accurate, it's simply his tone that is clearer/coarser than that of his band members. I've always thought that the BW band produce a very thick sound when harmonizing, in particular Foskett on the falsetto, which Brian's voice cuts through.

I'm with Mr Love.

Well, seeing how many times people talk seriously about this topic, I have to ask: How likely is it, that a reunion will happen? Are there any quotes from the guys that would make it seem possible?

On the homepage of this site there's a whole timeline dedicated to the prospect of a reunion. All of the surviving members have said they'd like to see it happen (except David Marks as far as I know). I'm not so sure, I think the revival in popularity is fading...

If it did, I'd have Matt Jardine doing the high parts instead of Jeff Foskett, and you would have to have Blondie to sing the Carl parts. I don't see why they would have to use any of the current 'touring groups' except for the old guys: Billy Hinsche, Hal Blaine, Fataar. Kowalski etc. Chuck in some of the 'family': the Wilson sons and daughters etc. Plus a Jack Rieley walk on for 'Day In A Life of a Tree' ( if he's still alive that is, I just don't know).

Also the obvious place for it is... The Royal Festival Hall. Tasteful, would easily sell out, and most importantly miles from the nearest Hawaiin shirt shop..