It's that time of year where you are destined to hear the Mariah Carey Christmas 'Classic' "All I Want For Christmas is You"

I believe, this song is responsible for Carey knocking off Cher as the artist with longest period of time between Number 1's

Got me thinking about other longevity "records"

Bruce Johnston appears on Dawn FM. The album hit Number 1 this year.

Bruce also appears on Elton John's Caribou, which went to Number 1 in '74

That's like 48 years! Now there may be a session player that has a longer stretch, anyone know?

BTW he appears on The Wall by Pink Floyd , which went to Number 1 in 79-80

One might be a fluke, Two a coincidence, Three??

And I'm just talking album appearances.... Go back to Good Vibes for a generic Number 1 involvement

Mike's comments in this interview are indefensible, he should apologize to Brian. Completely unprovoked.

I had hoped Mike was going to put this to bed with his 'setting the record straight' autobiography.

Then he seemed to decide that he was going to move forward, recording new material on his own, and sort of give up the Brian/ Mike songwriting reunion.

But these attempts obviously haven't had the desired effect for him...as someone mentioned earlier in the thread, this is something much deeper with Mike, that at his advanced age, won't be fixed. It's sad, and portrays him as a sad individual, in spite of decades of fame and extremely good fortune (and hard work)

Deep into the Beach Boys 60th Anniversary Tour, Mike takes a moment to explain how he wrote Good Vibrations, and reveal that drugs have ruined Brian to the point he has had to cancel his shows....

https://mynorthwest.com/3616424/dori-the-beach-boys-at-60-how-procrastination-led-to-one-of-the-best-songs-of-all-time/

It's crazy how Gene did have these little accomplishments in the music and mental health industries, that he was able to parlay into something much more grandiose.

I wonder if same sex marriage laws were on the books back then, if that would have been the solution to Landy's mounting problems. Could he have convinced Brian to marry him? Something makes he think he could have. Certainly Brian's comments at the time acknowledge he had drank Gene's Kool-Aid, in terms of the idea that family and other external forces were trying to bust them up. A well presented argument to Brian as to why marriage would be the ultimate security for both of them...I would imagine Brian would be somewhat resistant, but perhaps ultimately acquiesce?  Landy was on a collision course with ethics violations anyway, he could have stepped aside and, as Brian's husband, then been able to roll out the master plan for Brains and Genius (fantastic name btw)

My first thought upon reading this was "yuck, gross, no way!" - I don't think Brian ever went THAT way.

But dwelling upon it further, yes, this would be a Genius solution to the issues facing Gene Landy circa 1988-91. I wonder if anyone else ever thought of this?

Gene-ius

I wonder if  Landy  ever uttered "I'm a Genius too, Brian..."?

It's crazy how Gene did have these little accomplishments in the music and mental health industries, that he was able to parlay into something much more grandiose.

I wonder if same sex marriage laws were on the books back then, if that would have been the solution to Landy's mounting problems. Could he have convinced Brian to marry him? Something makes he think he could have. Certainly Brian's comments at the time acknowledge he had drank Gene's Kool-Aid, in terms of the idea that family and other external forces were trying to bust them up. A well presented argument to Brian as to why marriage would be the ultimate security for both of them...I would imagine Brian would be somewhat resistant, but perhaps ultimately acquiesce?  Landy was on a collision course with ethics violations anyway, he could have stepped aside and, as Brian's husband, then been able to roll out the master plan for Brains and Genius (fantastic name btw)

Truly, it is fascinating that both Mike and Bruce don't seem to have any interest in taking the sunset years of their lives and relaxing on a more extended basis and having more time to enjoy their large houses and gold plated toilets or whatever it is they've got going on. They seem happy to schlepp across the country (and around the world) and just take a few weeks here and there at home. They seem happy spending more time on airplanes and in hotel rooms than in those mansions and non-mansion mansions. I don't know that it's admirable per se, but it's interesting and fascinating.

I mean, we're not talking about retiring from the insurance industry, here! These are rock stars! Last month they played the Royal Albert Hall. So far as I can tell--and to Mike Love's credit--it just never got old for him. He wants to be out on stage singing his hits and doing his bits and signing autographs and hearing the crowd cheer, and I mean, I don't think I'd want to give that up either, if I were him!

I've heard that some rock stars hit rock-bottom when their tours end - they go from this "high" of sorts (being around crowds that cheer for them, being on the road, partying, etc), to the complete boredom of home. And it drives them crazy.

While Mike owns the giant mansion, I'm sure in his latter years he realizes how fruitless those material luxuries are and probably gets far more satisfaction bringing beautiful music to people night after night than watching his 90" flat screen alone at home.

It's probably why Brian (who clearly dislikes performing) likes to be on the road....it's not boring, it's not quiet, it's not routine. Touring means getting to try new food each night, seeing friends around the country, it means hearing people cheer for your hard work. When you're elderly, I'm sure that hanging onto a life full of living vibrancy is much more appealing than being around the material goods you have acquired over the years.

There is definitely something to that, I think. I remember reading about Micheal Jordan going a bit nuts after he retired, from a lack of action. So much so, that he took up with a bunch of guys who would meet in the middle of the night and drag race cars through the deserted streets of Chicago.

Mike probably has the bug, and Bruce as well. And it's a hard thing to just turn off. And they have probably been in a 'it can't last much longer so do it while we can' philosophy for the last 30 years, lol.

When Bruce used to post on the BBBritain board, he said he lived in a house on the beach in Montecito. The year the bad fire hit Montecito, Bruce's garage got literally wiped out by a subsequent landslide that went from the burn area down to the sea.

Is that when he lost his vintage longboard, that was found and 'repurposed' by a local artist?

On the old Beach Boys Britain board, I recall Bruce would obnoxiously go on and on about living down the street from Oprah.

Tell me about "Sunflower" Bruce. Because I have to be honest that I don't care particularly about your mansion or your kids marrying into other even richer families. 

To be honest, Bruce's spot in Montecito was pretty modest, by rock star standards...and he was pretty much right behind Oprah's massive estate.

Well, re 25th, I do like me some 80's cheese, especially 80's beach cheese...loud shirts, OP, Vuarnet, Windsurfers...

And, Ray Charles, The Everly Brothers, Glen Campbell, those are solid guests in my book!

Really though, my comment is more that as a format, it would seem like a doable option. Probably right up Joe Thomas' alley, and Irving and Jerry's involvement could bring out some heavy hitters!

And you can control the end product. I've seen some cringe worthy live appearances over the years!

There isn't much between Al's place and Pfeiffer Beach, which makes it a pretty envious address! Any idea what year Al moved up there?

I know Bruce sold his home in Montecito, some years back, but I believe he still lives in the area?

I watched the 25th television show recently and really like that format for a band that could do well to have other artists involved ( hopefully above the Stamos, McGrath food chain) a little editing, a high energy crowd, a nice backdrop like Hawaii...December slot...why not?

A long and interesting life!

Being a lifelong Neil Young fan, Mo was someone whose name popped up a lot over the years.

Those guys were real pioneers, Ostin, Ertegun....

RIP

I was curious on the various homes of the boys over the years. Brian, Mike and Dennis, are fairly traceable in terms of the spots they have lived, I'm a little vague on the others....

Bruce, pre Montecito, anyone know where he lived in and around LA? I'm especially interested in where he was living during the time Terry was at Cielo.

What year did Al move up to Big Sur? Was he familiar with the area, prior?

Carl's last residence was a rental, I believe? I always wondered about that, and whether he owned property at the time of his passing?

Any info appreciated!!!

Al does like to stir it up from time to time. Good point that he's probably the only guy who cares.

There was an interesting interview a few weeks back, where Al, kinda reached out to Iconic Artists , to exert some influence to push the idea of a Beach Boys reunion. Al referred to M&B as "a bit of a cheat...that works for them"

Begs the question, what type of power does Iconic have, now that they control the catalogue? Is touring affected at all by this arrangement?

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

The worlds most expensive Cameo lol.
Happy Birthday Brian!
I had the great fortune of attending Brian's 70 th birthday party backstage in Montreal. Crazy to think that was 10 years ago!

Totally fascinating, and the video stuff is a bit disturbing but makes sense. The tapes were almost secured by the fact nobody had players to watch them with.

These little bits of info that aren't directly related to the murders, but make you question things. Like Olivia Hussey was living at Cielo, a month after the murders, and claims Terry was pretty much back living there as well....huh? Might mean nothing on its own, other than seeming like an odd choice, but then if you start to look at this whole Vince-Rudi-Terry triangle, you wonder.

Never ever gonna convince me that Charlie and the family weren't terrible humans.... But you could definitely convince me that Charlie got screwed when it comes to the justice system.

The last sentence is, I think, very important to consider. When discussing these topics, bringing out new points or evidence, or even disputing the official Bugliosi narrative (and challenging the court case and transcripts of the case directly), some try to equate that with defending or even championing Charles Manson himself, and that's simply not the case. It's already been discussed earlier in this particular thread, but why do you think there is such a strong reaction to either challenging the official narrative or even discussing lesser-known elements of the case overall? Right away there are reactions like calling people conspiracy nuts, writing off the entire history by saying Manson was a nutcase and a piece of garbage and that's the final word, and even calling the topic overall "toxic" and trying to avoid it entirely.

Just consider why that's the case. It's too much to go into, or maybe not, but that reaction on a broader level well beyond the Beach Boys gets into some pretty high level agencies, distraction and disinformation tactics, and public relations campaigns to sell certain ideas or conclusions over others. How many reasons can be considered for totally ignoring a pretty strong case for prosecutorial misconduct at the very least, where witnesses were coached and lied in testimony, and where evidence was withheld in order to make stronger case for conviction (and later a national narrative about the scenario overall), and outright criminal activity at worst among those involved in these intertwining court cases. It's easy to make Manson the ultimate boogeyman or manifestation of all evil in the 60's, and of course he was a terrible human along with those around him, but that doesn't excuse such blatant attempts to twist the justice system however is necessary to win convictions and promote a narrative, especially when there were so many moving parts involved in these cases.

In various school of law, an exercise is often done where landmark trials or cases are revisited and retried in the classroom. Has anyone in that capacity ever reopened and re-enacted the State versus Charles Manson trial? If so, I find it hard to believe the same inconsistencies or outright misconduct would not come out in the process.

But that's getting too deep into the purely legal aspects. The fascination for many music fans of the 60's and 60's culture in general is how this guy, a classic con-artist and hustler, managed to enter and navigate what some might consider a few of the more elite circles of 60's rock stardom and celebrity, and how he managed to do so while not bathing, and literally being fresh out of prison where he had spent the majority of his life since his teen years. It's still mind-blowing to consider who he really was and how he got an all-access pass to some very elite circles. And all of the threads that led to and from Charlie into those circles are some of the same points that got left out of the trials, and which exist only in books like O'Neill's Chaos book, and then O'Neill gets tagged as a conspiracy nut for bringing them up.

So discussing the case or finding inconsistencies is not the equivalent to defending or championing Manson. And people are not tinfoil hat wearing conspiracy nuts for taking a scholarly interest in the details. That's basic logic that gets sadly lost too often.

And maybe that's what made me raise an eyebrow when one of the Beach Boys Talk hosts mentioned in Tuesday's webcast that they had been warned or advised not to tackle the Manson topic. What's happening with that, and why is a topic relevant to the band's history being tagged as a topic to avoid?

Rock Solid, Guitarfool...

Yes a really interesting concept about a mock retrial...wouldn't this be television gold? Everything Manson related seems to draw ratings. It would be a great way to introduce a lot of the O'Neill findings into 'evidence'

And yes, that bigger question about Charlie in Hollywood. I think maybe Charlie (and Terry) answer it for us...girls and sex, as simple as that. Charlie makes a point in his letter, (and it's telling when you read the interviews of many of the girls as to why they were attracted to Charlie) as to his ability to bring out feelings and dispel fears in these girls(carefully targeted ones, no doubt)

Neil Young said it, the girls were totally into Charlie, over whatever Rock Stars or Actors were present. Terry protested and said why would he want those girls when he could have Models and Actresses....we know why.

Totally fascinating, and the video stuff is a bit disturbing but makes sense. The tapes were almost secured by the fact nobody had players to watch them with.

These little bits of info that aren't directly related to the murders, but make you question things. Like Olivia Hussey was living at Cielo, a month after the murders, and claims Terry was pretty much back living there as well....huh? Might mean nothing on its own, other than seeming like an odd choice, but then if you start to look at this whole Vince-Rudi-Terry triangle, you wonder.

Never ever gonna convince me that Charlie and the family weren't terrible humans.... But you could definitely convince me that Charlie got screwed when it comes to the justice system.

We'll never get the real truth of course, but I do find it interesting to chip away at little parts of the story to draw ones own conclusion.

Regarding the Manson letter mentioned earlier in this thread, it's so rambling, but in all these references, there would be some you can pull out as 'truths'

Curious, Manson mentions a French girl that was chasing Dennis and involved with Jimi Hendrix?
Manson says something along the lines that Dennis and Manson are at Elvis' place (assuming) and they have all these girls and Priscilla  comes home, and it sounds like Elvis kinda puts an end to the party.

Just to me , if these are ramblings of a lunatic, there is some odd references and specifics...

Old news , when the board was dark, but post worthy nonetheless, with Bruce and Christian appearing on The Weeknd's new monster album.

Another chaper in the fascinating journey of Bruce Johnston!

Looks like The Beach Boys will be on stage at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, on Sat, April 2, at 8PM

Any beach boys thing with the word ‘summer’ in it never seems to turn out well

Lol, like Endless Summer, Sounds of Summer!!!

I have been thinking about Manson's trip to Esalen, and how it could be a key factor in the murders. It also leads me to speculate that one true motive may not exist. It may be an accumulation of events leading up to the murders that all contributed...perhaps Esalen among them.

So, if Charlie makes the trip up there to audition, presumably for Big Sur Folk Festival,1969, who set it up? Terry,Gregg, Mama Cass?? It does make sense based on the concept of the festival, combining established acts with unknown performers. At this point, maybe Terry and Gregg have exhausted options, in terms of trying to record Charlie, and see this audition as a way of still doing their part to try and get his music career going, while also hoping to pass the buck, somewhat, if things go south.

It certainly is funny timing, and if Stephanie Schramm is to be believed, Charlie ain't happy with the results of the meeting. Does it go deeper, with Folgers connections to the Institute? Who knows.

But I think it shines light on something that is somewhat overlooked in this entire narrative. There was likely a huge disconnect in philosophy between guys like Manson and those who were immersed in the world of Hollywood entertainment, be it the music or film industries.

I spent some time with guys who were affiliated with Biker gangs and had done some pretty significant stretches in jail. Everything they did, in business, especially was completely governed by two main ideologies: never ever lie, and always follow through if you give your word on something. Failure to do either meant any retribution was justifiable. It wouldn't surprise me if Charlie adopted that same code, I think it is a theme throughout his many ramblings. In juxtaposition, and I don't mean to generalize, but I think the Universe that guys like Terry lived in, is one filled with broken promises. A casting couch mentality where people and their hopes of stardom are cast aside on a regular basis. While Terry, and others might not think twice of stringing Charlie along, while partaking in the girls, for Charlie, the moment someone says they are gonna make him a star, that's it. Follow through is absolutely expected.

So maybe Charlie loses it after the humiliation and rejection of Esalen....

Were they working on some covers? Stephen Stills, Change Partners? Steve Winwood, Gimme Some Lovin'?

Seems like Dennis was the most prolific writer in this era.

I always thought Mikes story about taking a shower at Dennis' house didnt add up. Who goes to a party and takes a shower? Especially after manson had already been weirding them out, supposedly...That he was with some chick in there makes it make a lot more sense.

I saw some of the Joe Rogan interview with the author pretty crazy. I will read the book probably...One thing that hasnt been mentioned in this thread is that quote from Dennis from the 70s when he says something like "i know everything about why manson did it and what happened... as long as I live, I'll never talk about that" or something similar....If it was more than just Helter Skelter BS then that makes a lot more sense. Especially if he was possibly protecting Gregg or Terry for some reason. Didnt want to say that Terrys story in court was BS or something?

I was just watching neil young old interview with howard stern and he mentions hanging with Manson a few times at Dennis' house. Didnt go into much detail tho just how much it impressed him that manson could just make up songs non stop on the fly.

One more comment on the Mike shower story. I was reading an interview with Bobby Beausoleil, discussing the arrangements at Spahn. He said that Squeaky was assigned to George Spahn, partly because she was very loyal to Charlie and did not like to engage in sex with other people.

Again the shower thing undoubtedly  happened, just not the way Mike claims.