I really love the "Little Deuce Coupe" album, and give it a strong 4/5. It's a pure car-themed album with some really solid songs. My favourites on the album, other than the hit singles are "Custom Machine", "No-Go Showboat" and "Cherry, Cherry Coupe".

Mark

This popped up on my Facebook page, a great little article and the full "Help Me Rhonda" from New Jersey 1972.

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/08/14/listen-to-an-unreleased-track-of-help-me-rhonda-by-the-beach-boys/

I rather like this version of the song too!

Mark

I only listen to the SMiLE box-set now, the bootlegs are redundant as far as I am concerned.

Mark

Good to see the Made In California box-set has dropped below £100 here in the UK.

Mark

Sucks that this crap is on the box instead of "Carry Me Home".

But one mans crap is another mans treasure. We all have different tastes, even in the Beach Boys songs we like. I for one can't wait for this on the Made In California box-set, even more-so now I've heard that live version.

Mark

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5y98Zr1Vco

Goin to the beach

Really enjoyed that, had a nice summery vibe to it. Thank you Mike for digging it out for us, made my day.

Mark

For years I tried to love this album, after all, with "Heroes And Villains" and "Good Vibrations" on it (and of course "Vegetables") it had to be a good album. It grew on me over the decades of listening, and then I bought the Stereo re-release on CD and it's become an all-together different monster and I just can't stop playing it. A 4/5 for me now, so much has opened up now it's in stereo.

Mark

[Surfer Girl (Early Version)]

Surfer Girl (Early Version): This may be the Candix version (If there is such a thing), but with its echo drenched vocals and slower, more mellow feel, it's almost better than the officially released take.

This was the very first version I ever heard as it seemed to be released on a lot of cheap compilation LPs back in the early 80's over here in the UK. And you're right, there's something about this record that is special and I feel is better than the later released version. It's spine-tingling and haunting, love it.

Mark

"God Only Knows" would be my first choice, I'd love to participate in the acapella fade as found on the alternate version. I'd also like to sing "Hushabye", "Don't worry baby", "Little Honda" and "When I Grow Up To Be A Man".

Mark

The Byrds "Untitled" re-release.

Mark

"Rubber Soul" has always been my favourite Beatles album, there's just something about it that blows my mind compared to the earlier and later albums. My second and third favourites would be the "Magical Mystery Tour" CD  and "A Hard Days Night".

Mark

Wow, never thought I'd see The Beach Boys play on the same set as any of these other acts. That said, I'd love to go there just too see those Saturdays... Mmmm... And they make great pop records!

Mark

Only the Germans can make decent beer/larger. The rest pale in comparison 

I drink Becks Vier, or other varients of Becks.

I do however also drink other beers when there's no Becks available.

Mark

Most of POB. Actually, almost all of it except for River Song really.

Dennis' voice ruins it. Like Randy Newman drinking 10 bottles of tequila a day.  Sometimes his voice from this era does work (River Song, Baby Blue, etc...) but ugh, here it really is not great at all.

I think it's Dennis voice that actually makes Pacific Ocean Blue work as an album. It's raw, its powerful, its full of emotion, and it's this combination that makes the album a beautiful thing.

Mark

I actually think this album doesn't get the praise it deserves. It's fun and has some good songs. So, The Boys weren't "hip" at this time, but I think there are some genuinely great songs on this album.

01. Kokomo
02. Somewhere Near Japan
03. Island Girl
04. Still Cruisin'
05. Make It Big
06. In My Car
07. Wipe Out

Mark

Definitely one of my favourite albums.

01. Time To Get Alone
02. Cabinessence
03. Bluebirds Over The Mountain
04. Do It Again
05. I Can Hear Music
06. Cottonfields
07. Our Prayer
08. All I Want To Do
09. Never Learn Not To Love
10. The Nearest Faraway Place
11. Be With Me
12. I Went To Sleep

Mark

Here we go...

01. God Only Knows
02. I Know There's an Answer
03. Wouldn't it be Nice
04. Here Today
05. That's Not Me
06. Sloop John B
07. Caroline, No
08. I'm Waiting for the Day
09. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
10. You Still Believe in Me
11. Don't Talk
12. Let's Go Away for Awhile
13. Pet Sounds

Mark

The Byrds are one of those bands, like The Beach Boys, who I simply can't get enough of. For all of their awesomeness, I still return to the "Untitled" CD when I want a blast of some seriously mind-blowing tunes. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy all their albums, but that one in particular is just fantastic.

Mark

One of the first Beach Boys albums I picked up after getting all the early surf/hot rod era stuff, and an album I picked up around the same time as Pet Sounds. For me, 20/20 is an album full of great songs, and worth the price of entry just to hear the awesome "Time To Get Alone". There's not a song on this album I don't like, and in my early years I actually preferred this to Pet Sounds.

Mark

I've been listening to Pet Sounds now since I was around 14 years old. At first I was disappointed at the lack of "Surf Music" sound, but over the years, as I matured, I learned to listen and enjoy what to me represents one of the greatest albums of all time.

For me though, it's not the really well known tracks that steal the show, but songs such as "I Know There's An Answer", "Here Today", "That's Not Me" and of course the ever wonderful "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times".

Mark

Since you were 14? Was that last year or 47 years ago. I can't get a sense of how long you have been listening to Pet Sounds.

Well, a quick look at my profile would have shown that I am now 43, so around 29 years

Mark

Essential Beach Boys listening.

Mark

An interesting note on "Save For A Rainy Day". Quite a lot of us Jan & Dean fans like this album, however on the numerous times I've spoken to Dean for interviews etc, he dismisses the album as "...just a collection of old songs", and he seems to have no love for it at all. I think it's a great album, but I guess it's because I'm a huge fan of Dean's work.

Mark

Hello guys (and gals),

I just want to introduce myself. Most of you will know me from the Jan & Dean forums/websites and other Beach Boys sites. I've been a long time viewer of this forum but never signed up until now. Hopefully I can share my knowledge and opinions with you all. I look forward to posting whenever I get a chance.

Mark aka Scooby1970

1. "School Is A/Gas" - The Wheelmen
2. Jan & Dean - Dead Man's Curve
3. The Super Stocks - Hot Rod High
4. The Rip Chords - Hot Rod USA
5. The Beach Boys - Shut Down

Mark

I've always been a fan of "Student Demonstration Time". I think it ends side one of the Surf's Up album nicely, and brings a nice hard-core edge to an otherwise dark album.

Mark