Middle of Nowhere, Waves of Love and Jenny Clover are available on Larry's Soundcloud page:

https://soundcloud.com/user-418742223

Anyone know if the “Middle Of Nowhere” is the same version that was released on an ESQ freebie CD of yesteryear?

Thanks for the context, HeyJude. Very interesting. Are there any books that have good coverage of this time period? I’m not super knowledgeable about this era beyond simply that there was a lot of drama. (Although, I suppose that could be said for any era of the BBs history.)

I should have checked Bellagio, this is already discussed on http://www.bellagio10452.com/unreleased.html. Hard for me to keep track of all of Al’s unreleased stuff…

[Beach Boy Al Jardine Teams With Sons, Matt And Adam On First Solo Effort]

Ended up on a Saturday night Wayback Machine bender and came across this press release from 1998 about Al teaming up with Matt and Adam to record an environmentally-themed album. Thought I’d pass it along in case anyone else isn’t familiar with this and finds it interesting. Obviously the project never came to fruition, but it sounds like they were getting relatively deep into the recording and planning of it. I think I’ve heard “Islands in the Sun” brought up here before, so apologies if I’m rehashing any old topics (or common fan knowledge).

http://web.archive.org/web/19990420040050/http://www.mindspring.com/%7Ebdpr/bbjardinesons.html

Beach Boy Al Jardine Teams
With Sons, Matt And Adam On First Solo Effort
Environmental Theme Includes
Benefit for the Manatee Foundation

Big Sur, CA (June 8, 1998) Al Jardine, of the legendary Beach Boys, is collaborating with his two oldest sons Matt, 31 and Adam, 27 to record an album that will encourage listeners to live in better harmony with their natural surroundings. The project, co-produced by the Jardine's and executive producer Michael Utley (who produced more than nine albums for Jimmy Buffett), has yet to be named. Although Matt has toured with The Beach Boys since 1988, singing Brian Wilson's falsetto parts and now the late Carl Wilson's vocals, this is the first time Al has formally recorded a solo project and also a first with his sons.

Looking to a Spring '99 release, 'The Jardines' album will include uniquely personal songs written and performed by all three men. The synergistic glue lies within their agreement on a harmonic focal point, which is punctuated with each of their unique musical influences. Al's love for folksy, classic rock ën roll mixed with Matt's adult contemporary light rock bent and youngest collaborator Adam's edgy angst-tinged writing flavor blend into a smoothly appealing artistic endeavor. All three will contribute their own penned songs and provide vocals. Several members of The Beach Boys band (Mike Kowalski, Mike Meros, Ed Carter, Billy Hinsche) are on stand by to begin recording late June or early July. Three members of the Buffett's Coral Reefer Band, Greg 'Fingers' Taylor, Robert Grinwich and Michael Utley will sweeten some of the tracks with their unique Caribbean flavored character sound.

Al was inspired to put the project together when last in Florida he saw a public service announcement on which Jimmy Buffett was speaking of the endangered Floridian manatee. During a visit in Key West with his family, the trio put down a few vocal tracks in Buffett's studio. The song, penned by The Jardines, is a 'Kokomo' flavored up-tempo ballad titled 'Islands in the Sun.' Matt's lead vocals not remind us of a romantic getaway to the Caribbean, but remind us that we need to 'live in harmony with the fishes in the deep blue sea.' The Jardine's have been discussing a possible benefit with Key West City officials and are looking to produce a concert for the Manatee Foundation, for which Jimmy Buffet serves as spokesperson.

Recording is currently underway at the Jardine's Big Sur ranch studio and some cuts will be produced in Buffet's Florida studio. The Jardine album will include a remake of Jimmy Buffet's 'Pirate Looks at 40,' which reminisces of a man's first encounter with the ocean. A new version of Al's 'California Saga' (The Beach Boys ëHolland,' 1970), which he originally wrote as an ode to author John Steinbeck whose classic stories took place in Jardine's native northern California, will also be recorded. 'Wish' is a cut that Larry D'Voskin and Al wrote together (D'Voskin's penning of 'Stop,' recorded by Meredith Brooks, is currently the #1 requested song on Top 40 radio). The ballad was inspired by Jardine's wish to fulfill the band's relationship with Brian when he decided to cease touring with the band in 1966.

Both Jardine sons have not only grown up around the business, but have been musically creative in their own rights. Matt claims that his younger brother is an undiscovered talent. 'He's just beginning to step into his own style of creativity. We made music in different ways. He stayed home and wrote songs; I was on the road and interacting with other musicians. He' s got incredible songwriting ideas. He has the potential to really be a force in the future of music. We both do.' Adam's original contemporary songs include 'Tell Me,' 'Shooting Star' and 'Beauty Day.' Each are up-tempo ballads, which his dad explains are 'written with a mix of teenage angst and tortured lyrics that make you remember all you went through in high school.'

Aside from touring with The Beach Boys, Matt has an ongoing collaboration with Beach Boys sax player Ritchie Canata. The duo have been recording what Matt describes as some 'pretty edgy stuff,' although they have never put it together into an album. 'One of songs from those sessions, 'Middle of Nowhere' is a persona favorite of mine,' says Al, 'it could be a real hit recorded as a Jardine-family project.' Matt is an accomplished percussionist who says that his memories of being a five-year old banging a tambourine on the stage with his dad is what gave him the performance bug. 'My mother told me that when I got on the stage to sing 'Barbara Ann' with the guys, I would purposely ignore her frantic gesturing stage-side to come back. There's something about the energy I really loved. It was just magical. '

Al Jardine met Brian Wilson at Hawthorne High School in Southern California in 1961, when together with brothers Carl, Dennis and cousin Mike Love, they formed The Beach Boys. One of the world's most loved and popular rock ën roll bands in history, the band has toured consistently for 36 years, through the passing of drummer Dennis and recently his brother Carl. Today, the Beach Boys songs receive more airplay than even The Beatles. Coincidentally, Paul McCartney claimed that The Beach Boys' 'Pet Sounds' album inspired them to record 'Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.' Al Jardine has communicated his concern for the environment throughout his career through his song writing and alignment with organizations that include GreenPeace, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Pfeiffer Beach Defense Fund, the Natural Resource Defense Fund and Robert Redford's 'Save the Redwoods.' Both Adam and Matt are graduates of Carmel High School the classes of '89 and '85, respectively.
# # #

Looks like Rob Bonfiglio is filling in for Ike...

That’s cool, wouldn’t have expected Rob to be fluid between the different camps.

Looks like Orange Crate Art lost out to With These Hands by Alejandro Escovedo in the Run Out Groove poll. Good news for VDP’s planned reissue I suppose.

I find it weird that on the CD they’re really diligent listing all the instrumental/technical credits but forget to mention any of the songwriting credits. I think this was the case for Reason For The Season too. Not claiming any sort of grand conspiracy or anything, just seems like a weird oversight.

I switched the settings on Spotify so that I use the Australian version. 

Smart move. I’m just going to wait till midnight my time to be disappointed

Anyone overseas enjoying 12SOS yet?

Anyone know if 12 Sides of Summer will be released on vinyl?

The ad for the album on the back of the latest issue of ESQ says “CD/DIGITAL/VINYL,” but I haven’t seen any pre-order links anywhere for a vinyl version.

http://www.runoutgroovevinyl.com

Run Out Groove is a vinyl reissue label (a division of Rhino/Warner) that lets fans vote among 3 titles to decide their next release. Orange Crate Art is one of this month’s candidates. Vote away folks! The website says it would be the first time the album would be available on vinyl.

I can’t help but think this album would have been a great opportunity for Mike to reclaim “Almost Summer” and bring it back into setlists. Not that a 2019 recording of “Almost Summer” would be particularly revelatory, but it would at least be more interesting than another remake of “Surfin’” and could have introduced casual fans to the song.

Four producers: Courtesey of new ESQ

Michael Lloyd: It's OK
Sam Hollander: California Beach, Over and Over, On and On and On, Surfin', Surfin' Safari
Scott Totten: Here Comes The Sun, Rockaway Beach, Keepin' The Summer Alive, California Sun, Summertime Blues
Paul Fauerso: The Girl From Ipanema


I'm hoping that since Surfin' Safari and Surfin' are by Hollander and not Lloyd, they might be a bit more listenable than the UTL remakes...

That’s awesome that Mike and Paul Fauerso are still collaborating, even if it’s not on an original.

Download/streaming services appear to be using the album artwork for this single (instead of the single artwork from Mike’s video). If anyone sees a version for sale on a download service using the single artwork, let me know. (I have a problem.)

The Big Beat 1963 now appears to be unavailable for downloading/streaming on any service as far as I can tell. Has this been the case for a while? Wonder why was it taken down?

I had the same question about Holland about a year ago and I asked around on this or another board and I was told that although “We Got Love” doesn’t appear on the track listing, it appears on the actual disc. I went ahead and got a copy and lo and behold, “We Got Love” appeared as an extra hidden track. So I believe you can still get a copy with “We Got Love” on it. (It’s possible I just got lucky I suppose.) Like you, I remember back when AP originally advertised “We Got Love” appearing on the CD, not sure why they removed all references to it and turned it into some sort of mystery later on.

This is no longer mentioned on Al’s website. Hope it’s still coming despite this…

Just saw the film, pretty solid watch. As noted, there is a nice segment of the film dedicated to The Beach Boys/Brian, and they include a couple of clips from an interview Jakob did with Brian. They also brought Brian into the studio to play piano on “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” with Jakob and his backing band, although it’s unclear if any of the recording was used in the movie or the soundtrack, they quickly cut to different footage that didn’t have Brian there. If anyone picked up the soundtrack please report back if Brian is credited as playing on that version. Also, oddly enough, the film includes Roger McGuinn briefly recounting the story of “Ding Dang” which was pretty funny. Not sure it was an essential inclusion in the film but I appreciated it. Also at one point, Lou Adler takes credit for bringing an acetate of Pet Sounds to England and playing it to Andrew Loog-Oldham and Paul McCartney, which I don’t think I have heard offered up before.

As folks here helped to document, after initially releasing "Unleash the Love" with a sticker that used the BB trademark logo and referred to Mike as "lyricist of the Beach Boys", when it hit vinyl the sticker was redesigned without the logo and changed the reference to "a lyricist of...":

happy to see my photography live on

Mike’s covering GIRL FROM IPANEMA?

Did you notice that the song exists in 2 different lengths ?

My EU version plays 5:15, a friends version in the USA is 30 seconds shorter.

Was anyone else able to confirm the existence of the shorter edit? My US vinyl copy runs 5:18 so presumably the same edit as Manfred’s EU copy.

According to Rolling Stone, Neil Young is featured on a recording of “I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times” for the film’s soundtrack. No Brian involvement is mentioned though. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/jakob-dylan-jade-castrinos-cover-mamas-and-the-papas-go-where-you-wanna-go-826578/

They made a quick little promo video for social media: https://www.facebook.com/16821421682/posts/10157237040596683?sfns=mo

The hosts should feel right at home, as Rocky and Ron don't seem to know much about the band either...

Exactly The interview was not a great listen by any stretch of the imagination, although a highlight was when Ron said his favorite Beach Boys song was “Heaven Only Knows What I’d Do Without You.” (Thankfully, Rocky and the hosts corrected him.)

Glad I have a Google alert for Rocky. Otherwise, I might have missed this: Rocky and Ron were interviewed recently on a radio show: https://wwdbam.com/episodes/the-brian-and-lee-show-interview-with-rocky-pamplin-and-ron-hamady-authors-of-the-book-the-beach-boys-endless-wave/

Just starting to listen, the hosts don’t really seem like they know anything about the Beach Boys, so things aren’t looking too good for the quality of the interview…