I confess I don't know all the ins and outs of the organization, but I thought it was more along the lines of the voting partners of BRI basically sided with Mike on having the touring license and kind of made him the captain of the brand. Neither Carl nor Brian were deeply invested in piloting the ship.

I think "Summer of Paradise" happened because it was something to do and there was no real resistance to putting out product, but it wasn't that Mike necessarily had complete control. But Landy's Brian was focused on solo work, Carl kind of lost motivation after the band went oldies (and especially after Dennis died). Al may have resisted elements of the situation, especially with live performances / cheerleaders, but he was the only one perhaps positioned to combat Mike. And however one looks at it, Mike has certainly been more of a face of the brand and IS a family member, so he has a bit more pull than Al.

Again, just my basic understanding, and I would not be at all surprised if I am wrong.

As for Carl, the Brian/Paley material, I've thought about this one a lot.

Here's where I land on it ...

I don't think Carl disliked the material. I don't even think he necessarily resented Brian being back in the big chair. And honestly, I don't believe he saw more value in Stars and Stripes, Vol. 1, or in Summer in Paradise, vs. the Paley material.

I think Carl saw a chance of history repeating itself, and this time he said, "That's enough."

From Brian's 1964 breakdown to the Smile meltdown to the 1968 mental disintegration to the Holland struggle to the Brian's Back circus to the "no really, Brian's really back this time" of KTSA, to the return of Landy ... all Carl ever heard was, "Why didn't the band do this, why didn't the band do that, why did Brian get rushed, why was Brian turned back into a performer, why was Brian forced to produce material, why didn't the family stop this, why didn't Carl do XYZ," etc.

Then there was the faux autobiography, the lawsuits, the press, and all anyone could agree on was that things were completely screwed up.

Carl may have seen renewed interest, a new collection of material, Brian at the center and he may have thought to himself, "What if this goes sideways like it has the last twenty years? What if he loses interest and I have to finish the product? What if Brian crashes even harder? What's Brian's mental state? Is he on the right meds? He's smoking again and he's gaining weight, are people going to compare this to 1980-82?"

I think Carl was in a no-win situation. And the only way to basically control the situation and deflect attention on a possible mess was to shut down the project.

I'm not saying this is 100 percent what happened. But I put myself in the place of the caring brother who has watched his sibling soar close to the sun, crash to earth and try to take flight again like a phoenix, only to burn again and again ... What would I do?

We also can look at release timelines. There was a 5-year span between KTSA and BB85 (granted, Dennis died in between), there were 4 years between BB85 and Still Cruisin' (and that wasn't even a full album of new material). So really there were 7 years between BB85 and SIP. Four years after SIP came Stars and Stripes Vol. 1 (which isn't a perfect album, nor even a particularly inspired project, but it didn't require much investment, it followed a similar project with the Eagles, and had the potential to grow into a new market). Less than 2 years after that, Carl was dead.

Maybe the Paley Sessions material would have blossomed after SAS after the band and Brian and Paley woodshedded the material more. Was, in the 50 Sides book, even takes the blame / falls on the sword for telling Carl and the band that he thought the group could come up with better material.

Carl got sick, Carl died, Brian went full into his solo career and that ended the Paley Sessions hopes for a Beach Boys project.

All I'm saying is that I don't think the decision was simple, I don't think the decision was even really made ... no final decree from Carl that this material would never be recorded. I think they were looking for a chance to try something and take the time to make a good original project, but then time ran out for Carl.

Maybe I'm trying to give Carl way too much freedom. But the dude was a beautiful voice, a true musician and had certainly led the group through rough waters ... I don't think he necessarily thought SIP was better than Paley, I think he was trying to be careful and avoid another exploitation circus and maybe actually buy the time for the band to really make something special. It's just that the special project never had the time to happen.

My two cents, worth much less than that in today's economy.

I end with a caveat: I am always wrong. So anyone who disagrees, I don't take it personally.

Favorite: Love You. I can play it in any mood and get the highs and the comforts and the excitement and the "what the durka?" moments from all the best Beach Boys records on this one LP.
Least favorite: Still Cruisin' (cop out, perhaps, but I'll stick with it). Reusing the old songs and the mixed quality of the "new" songs makes it the album I play least.
Overrated: hmm, this one hurts ... um ... I'll go with 20/20. I like the outtakes and B-sides more than most of the "new" material on it. Always felt like a hodge-podge album to me.
Underrated: I'll go Holland. I know it tends to be hit or miss with fans (and several already have it in their overrated pile) but it was nice to see the Beach Boys try to be progressive and stretch out a bit. It also felt like the logical progression from Sunflower, Surf's Up and Carl and the Passions - So Tough. It's the best distillation of the Blondie and Ricky years in terms of weaving their songs and vocal / instrumental contributions into the sound, Carl and Dennis are providing top-notch material, Al and Mike challenge themselves and Brian's material still packs a wallop and shows inventiveness and spark (how much of that is Brian and how much of it is Carl / the rest of the band, well ...)

I'll even do an honorable mention for "least necessary" album, with the Royal Philharmonic album. I want to love it. I promise I do. I want to enjoy it. I just find it so underwhelming and even occasionally aggravating. I love remixes, alternate takes, live versions, demos ... but letting others slather orchestral arrangements over classic recordings definitely blunted a lot of my emotional energy for these recordings.

Like many of you, I am not sure I could ever go so far as to say I hate a Beach Boys album ... even "Summer in Paradise" has a few good vocals and a couple songs that could be salvaged with better production. I figure a least favorite can still be a favorite, even if it's in the bottom 10 instead of the top 10.

I know this is going to sound like an anti-Mike thing, and I don't really intend for that kind of impression, per se ...

But hey, whatever. Eff it.

Says a lot that Brian contributes to a program that recognizes the current situation and still provides entertainment for fans who need it (and for a good cause, as it looks like these "In My Room" events also allow for donations to charities and to help support musicians).

Whereas Mike's touring vehicle performed for a group that glorifies trophy hunting.

Again, I'm not trying to start anything. It just says a lot about the heart, soul and outlook presented by different members of a group that is so important to all of us for myriad reasons.

I enjoyed Brian's performance, I'm glad to see him looking so relaxed and with it. In these stressful times, it has a calming and reassuring sense about it. Lord knows we all could use it.

And just so no one thinks I'm a Mike hater or bashing him without any regard, I also listened to "All I Wanna Do" three or four times this morning just to find some quiet within myself. The dude can sing and write and contribute to great things. I have respect for his abilities.

Just not his choices in venues / events / affiliations.

Bless you, Brian. The peace we need. Love and mercy, right on.

Hmmm ... I guess I'm not aware of set release dates. Obviously the radio advertisement said January of 1967, and when that date got missed I know there were projections for March ...

But I can't recall reading anything that was like, "Coming on January XX, the new Beach Boys release: Smile!" or anything like that. But I don't have many magazines from that period, so maybe Teen Beat or other periodicals from that period would have had that information.

Occasionally I come across cool advertisements and displays when I do Google image searches. Could be fun to do some "spelunking" for release dates.

** EDITED ** because I realize my venting really doesn't add anything constructive or productive ...

but hey, you're all groovy.

I remind myself one key fact: The music will outlast the rough waters. The music is what matters.

I'll let karma land where it may. Those who want to make the world a better place should reap the happiness they are due.

But boy, that ESQ "editorial" definitely rubbed me the wrong way ...

(Shakes his head and puts on some tunes to ease his mind.)

I have been looking for a legitimate copy, myself. I am hopeful Mr. Desper will put out another edition, as I would love to put my money in his pocket for the good work he has done.

From everything I've read and heard from other fans, it's an essential addition to any music lover's library.

This sounds like a real nightmare.

Thank you for the information, sir. I hadn't heard it put in that kind of context.

Can this please not become a "we hate Mike Love" board

It's not news that Mike does bullshit things but he's a massive part of the reason we are all here and has given us an endless amount of incrdible songs to listen to.

These guys are getting on,  let's appreciate them all while they are around. Nothing wrong with critiscing but it's getting a little personal.

Totally get what you're saying, but all I want to do is to be able to listen to the classic recordings of my favorite band without thinking about the actual reality that the guy singing on the songs promotes killing animals for fun, and is fine with a massively powerful person in the United States publicly humiliating his family member and bandmate, with a power imbalance to end all power imbalances in the mix too. Like Billy said, I'm angry as hell.

And I'm gonna forever have a hard time doing that. If you have any suggestions on how to simply block out those factual pieces of information, I'm all ears. Truthfully. I want to not know this stuff. I want to be oblivious.

For reals, I'm especially gonna have a hard time listening to the song Pacific Ocean Blue, and of course the actual album it's on, this wonderful personal Pet Sounds-level heartfelt album by Dennis Wilson, is named after that song, with lyrics that are essentially meaningless now. So yeah, it's tainted even that. It's a huge, huge bummer, man. Dennis should reach down from heaven and punch Mike in the face for shitting on his album.  

I realize I and many others are a broken record about it, but it really hurts. Mike should be stuck in an elevator and forced to a Q&A and answer to this awful hypocrisy, because that's the only way it'd ever happen. Considering his media blackout, he'll probably make it part of any contract for all future reviews in perpetuity that no questions about this show or Don Jr. can ever be asked of him.

I'm sorta surprised this classic photo hasn't been repurposed yet. https://images.app.goo.gl/JXRYkdRFA9rPNF297

I was watching "Boston Legal" last night on Amazon Prime. An episode in season two featured a story about a man who was sexually involved with a cow.

The cow's name was Wendy.

At the end, he says he's breaking off relations with the cow and will never see the cow again.

Then "Wendy" by the Beach Boys starts to play ... "Wendy / Wendy, what went wrong?"

Made me laugh.

[I feel a sense of beautiful disintegration happening on that song. They're still giving it their all, or all they can give at the time, and to me it works.]

The ropey vocals on (most of) 15BO and this album are, I think, the real stumbling block for a lot of fans, or even non-fans who are potentially well-disposed to the Beach Boys. I couldn't hear past those the first time I listened to Love You, and I still can't bear a lot of 15BO for that same reason ('Just Once In My Life'... AWESOME cover, instrumentally speaking, but the vocals... my ears!!! the pain!!!!).

Totally disagree on that one - I think the vocals on Just Once In My Life are great, because it's a bit of the Wilson brothers bleeding on tape. (Maybe the vocals are not "Classic Beach Boys®" type of great, but they're still great in their own way).

Especially because it was Brian covering his (then already sort of fallen) idol, and both Carl and Brian singing really heartfelt lyrics, it totally, completely works for me. It's a weird little insight into the mind of Brian at the time. Stuck in his bedroom in a dated time warp, trying to interject some modern keyboard flavor in the best way he can, while futzing around with some new keyboard technology, even though he himself was somewhat of a fallen star at the time too. It's a little messed up and warped, but I feel a sense of beautiful disintegration happening on that song. They're still giving it their all, or all they can give at the time, and to me it works. I have to think that it was placed at the end because Brian thought it was a great capper to the album.

Yet I also totally dig the Denny vocals on In the Still of the Night too, maybe it's part of the sadness that is simultaneously beautiful to my ears. It's guys who are messed up, but are really trying to get some form of emotional release on tape at the same time.

I quite agree. Right on.

The good Carl Wilson himself delivers the part, to my humble ears. Puts a little fun swing into it, but it has his tone / timber.

Happy to stand corrected if I'm leading you astray.

I was in a gift shop in Fredericksburg, TX that sells salsas and pickles and stuff like that.  The live version of Funky Pretty was playing!  I got excited and asked the clerk, and she said it was the owner's playlist and they didn't have any control over it.  He wasn't there.

Owner has some good taste. I'd be a regular shopper there if that's what he's putting on playlists.

I had a scheduled colonoscopy and as I entered the hospital they were playing Mikey’s new Do it Again in the lobby. So basically I got it twice that day.

Wow. That's ... That's not a good day.

I hope they had candles and a therapy dog there for you afterward. That's a hard one-two combination to walk away from.

I was picking up some licensing paperwork at the local courthouse.

One of the office doors was open and the person working inside must have been streaming music or listening to a CD, because I can't imagine any radio station in my area playing what I heard.

What I heard was:


https://youtu.be/p4S120pl8Uo

Happy SMiLE Day, everyone.

11 years ago today, BWPS was released.

Thank you for reading my article and sharing it here.

AND here it is:  It appears that anyone needing a copy can order it from the website for $16.98 each plus shipping including most countries 

http://omnivorerecordings.com/music/sessions-64/

Thank you

really lovely, thank you

Perfect.

I didn't receive my copy here in Omaha. I'm such a spazz that I saw some kid walking up the street with a plain brown envelope of sorts and now I'm worried he robbed my mailbox as it is right on the street. Once in a while, it does happen around here, sadly...

Like I said, I am a spazz, I am sure it is on the way. My post office typically runs a day late on delivering packages for some reason.

I hope yours arrives, I too know the pain (and thus, the paranoia) of having stuff lifted from my stoop.

Omaha? Nice! Does Homer's do anything for RSD? One of my favorite record stores when I'm in the area. My folks used to live in Council Bluffs, so I spent quite a bit of time playing around in Omaha.

Did anyone get this yet? Mine just came about an hour ago. Brian's signature is there in a separate card tucked in a special slot in the sleeve just for it. The CD is the 13-track version.

I got mine in the mail today. I didn't see any signatures on the outsides of either the CD or the DVD, and both still looked sealed. Were yours sealed?

Hoping the answer is a yes, so that if I open mine, I'll find a signed card (or cards, if there are signatures with both items ... figured it was just DVD).

Yes, mine was sealed, and had I not opened it I would have seen no visual evidence of a signature. So you can breathe easy on that front.

Oh, that is such good news! Thank you!

Did anyone get this yet? Mine just came about an hour ago. Brian's signature is there in a separate card tucked in a special slot in the sleeve just for it. The CD is the 13-track version.

I got mine in the mail today. I didn't see any signatures on the outsides of either the CD or the DVD, and both still looked sealed. Were yours sealed?

Hoping the answer is a yes, so that if I open mine, I'll find a signed card (or cards, if there are signatures with both items ... figured it was just DVD).

I'd have loved to see Uncle Jesse do "Got to Know the Woman" ... "C'mon, c'mon and do the chicken!"

Seriously.

I'd YouTube that all day long.

A bit more perspective, just for kicks.

If No Pier Pressure were a Beach Boys album, it would be their third-highest charting non-compilation album since Pet Sounds in 1966, behind only TWGMTR (#3) and 15 Big Ones (#8).

I misread that as "just for kids." It spent a while trying to figure out why that fact was especially for the kids until I realized I'm apparently not great with, you know, reading words.

Good news on the chart position.

Now, how many of those 16k purchases are by board members? I'm in for two so far and I'm sure some of you have that beat... 

3 Target deluxes, 2 "regular" deluxes, 2 standard versions, 1 LP and 1 iTunes. And I've got the DVD bundle coming (which comes with the CD). And after I get paid Friday, I'll be buying a few to give away as gifts.

My wallet is pretty ticked at me. Ah well. It'll live.

I'm an ignorant about all this. I saw the link Wirestone provided. Are those physical copies? Does that include downloads?

I regret to say I have no clue as to who the top 3 are.

No. 3, Kendrick Lamar, that's a dang good album.

I'll probably not see the movie for which No. 2 is a soundtrack, so unlikely I'll hear the album either.

I've heard of No. 1 All Time Low, but have heard none of  the music.