you guys may be right but it sure is a shame

Yes it is. I mean, he's got years and years of solo material now that could be showcased onstage, but other than Love and Mercy, it's like Brian never had a solo career. I know people say that material would not sell tickets, but obviously record labels continue to believe that new songs from Brian will sell records; they keep signing him up to do albums like TLOS, NPP, etc. Heck, i'd enjoy hearing Al do some songs from his cd, too.

I would have a hard time putting any Surfin' Safari songs on an album of clinkers. It was their first album, they were just getting started. Is all of it brilliant? No, but I have a much harsher opinion of stuff they did later on. For example:
Transcendental Meditation - shouldn't a TM song be peaceful, melodic? This atonal s*** is anything but.
Take a Load Off Your Feet - who the h*** needs a song about feet? the song stinks as bad as the subject.
Make it Good - I love Dennis, but this song just goes nowhere
I Wanna Pick You Up - it's just creepy, as is
Hey Little Tomboy
Some of Your Love - musically, it's decent, but again, Mike is near forty and still singing about being in high school
Happy Endings - some beautiful group vocals, but Little Richard oversings his parts, and the song is worthless
Summer of Love - creepy again

They'll never dig up BW solo deep tracks. They do a couple of songs from whatever the new album happens to be - if there is one. Other than that, they stick to the BB's catalog. And this is true with other legacy artists, too. I don't see Ray Davies...or Dave Davies...digging deep into their solo material.

It would have been really weird to see a BB's concert with Carl just strumming an unamplified guitar. Even when he handed the lead over to someone else, his guitar was always in the mix.

So, this short documentary comes from 2015 and is about the CCR member's current relationship and of course includes the question about a possible reunion. There's a nice surprise at the end of the dosumentary sort of re-unite in "sound". Watch here:

https://au.tv.yahoo.com/plus7/sunday-night/features/a/29706004/the-true-and-sad-story-of-creedence-clearwater-revival/

After reading John's book, I'd think the chance of a reunion are pretty slim. 

The docu from above was filmed after the book came out. But of course that doesn't mean very much.
I guess a reunion would happen if Fogerty wants it. There's so much money in it that it would be hard for Stu and Cosmo to say no; that is of course if Clifford's health will improve - get well!

I haven't read the book. Can you recommend it?

Yeah, its a good book.  A little surprising as I though John had mellowed a bit and let go of some of his bitterness over the end of CCR, Saul Zauntz, etc

The only mellowing I see is towards his brother Tom. He does find some nice things to say about him - what a great rhythm guitarist he was, singer with a sweet voice like Richie Valens. He still can't find anything to say about Doug or Stu. Watching that video, though, I was struck at how weird John is starting to look - the hair dyed, the face looking slightly plastic. Doug and Stu both look their age - and that's a compliment. They look healthy - despite Cosmo battling the big C. Hope he is well.

Well, as one of the guys says in that clip, "if it was gonna happen, it would have happened by now".

I remember Dancin' in the Streets, too, sure would like to find audio or video of that. It was one of the small ways the touring band would shake up the setlist from time to time.

I think it must be nice to get around inconspicuously. Back in 1995, I went to the King County Fair to see Paul Revere and the Raiders, and several hours before the show, while we were munching on our corn dogs and curly fries, my brother and I saw Paul Revere walk over to one of the barns. Thought about going over to say something, but instead just waved, he waved back. He was just enjoying the fair like the rest of us. After the show, Paul and the band signed autographs and all that.

Too bad Carl never sang any George songs. With his beautiful voice, he could have done great versions of My Sweet Lord or Give Me Love; and I can imagine him rockin' really good on What is Life.
And some Harrison slide would have been nice on those 80's BB's records instead of the sax.

Both had drug problems that led to some embarrassing live performances.

I've never heard or read anything about embarrassing concerts from George because of drugs or alcohol. Could you give an example/source?

His voice was sh*t as the 74 tour wore on. I've always read/understood that to be a consequence of his heavy cocaine use.

George said he wore his voice out rehearsing for the tour.

Both had drug problems that led to some embarrassing live performances.

I've never heard or read anything about embarrassing concerts from George because of drugs or alcohol. Could you give an example/source?

George didn't do many concerts after the Beatles. And I find it annoying how those 1978 Australian shows are always brought up - probably the only time in Carl's entire career that he gave a bad performance. Carl was the rock of the group, he was dependable, always came ready to play, respected the music and expected the other musicians to show the same respect.

I would say without a doubt Love You.

It stands on its own and nothing compares to it. I love every note of it and always thought of it as Brian's first solo album.

I can still remember the day I bought it shortly after release. The photographs of Brian and Dennis on the back cover really upset me and I didn't like the front cover at all.

I couldn't wait to get it home and spin the vinyl. It fascinated me endlessly. I played every day for two years.

You don't get many albums like that to the pound.

People either love it or hate it. I fall into the latter camp. Can't stand the amateurish production, the off-vocals, or the juvenine lyrics.
Smiley, on the other hand, has beautiful vocals, and some very won-wonderful musical ideas.

Finally got around to reading this....it was embarrassing.  Brian really does not have anything to say.  The excessive cursing made me wonder just how good his mental state really is at this point.  Brian used to say there was no such thing as bad publicity, but after reading this, yeah, I would say there is. 

I don't know why I even bother to read these articles anymore, it is always the same damned thing, "I'm depressed, I believe in spiritual love, hope Pet Sounds helped somebody out, wanna do a rock and roll album".  It was okay the first hundred times, but these articles really do seem like Groundhog's Day.  Didn't that Fine guy just do something really similar like a couple of years ago?  Heck, I'd rather hear what Mark Lindsey is up to nowadays, at least I have not read the same article about him over and over and over....

Really, unless he has something new and interesting to say, he really just ought to shun these types of situations, it's sending his mystique or what is left of it straight into the crapper....

My thoughts exactly. I think it's embarrassing to read about a 70-something Brian cussing like a teenager; don't believe the talk about "a rock and roll album". The great comeback everyone talks about is just Brian going out, doing what people criticized Mike and Co for doing all these years - touring endlessly, living off the past.

And for the record, Mark Lindsay hasn't done much since leaving Paul Revere and the Raiders in 1975. Occasionally he comes out with a new cd, as he did with Life Out Loud in 2013. He was supposed to have another one out last year titled Summer Of Love. Was selling pre-orders on his website, but fans never got the cd, and the website is down now. Not the first time Lindsay has fleeced his fans - not good business for a guy whose fan base is very small these days.

If Love You had the quality of vocals of Smiley, I might like it. They may have been higher than whatever while recording Smiley, but they could sing beautifully when high in 1967. Not so in 1977.

Neither.  And when you have to abbreviate the title... That's means it's a pretty bad title.

For a long time, I thought BWPS meant "Brian Wilson's Pet Sounds".

 

Even CATP might be a stretch for a physical re-release in anniversary form....

Unless they reissued it in its original form, as a double album with Pet Sounds.  Gives Capitol another reason to reissue Pet Sounds which they're always looking for. 

The CATP/PS 50th anniversary box set. Sure, I can see that. Cause we all need to buy PS just one more time. 

I wish Brian was in better physical condition.  Really, half the people on this thread have him "rounding third" as if death is very imminent but I don't believe that it need be.  With his financial resources he should be able to clean up his diet and alleviate many of his physical maladies through physical training.  The number of centenarians is going up all the time, even with his prior health and lifestyle issues, he could perhaps make it to a productive 90 years or more.....I'm certainly hoping that will happen!

I don't think he's been in great physical condition since Landy was forced out. I mean, Brian LOOKED great then. But that was only part of the picture.

Obviously, those late 70s/early 80s albums don't sell well even for back catalog items. But truly filling them each out with a second full disc of rarities would probably be a way to reinvigorate that stale portion of the catalog. Does anyone want to buy another "remastered" CD of MIU? Not even hardcore fans. But a 2-CD set with the first disc filled out and a second full disc of rarities from all of the guys would move a lot more units.

And, as many have pointed out, the BBs are one of the only bands left whose *unreleased* material (particularly from the 70s) can *still* be a game-changer for critical notices and attention and buzz and all of that.

"Carry Me Home" can get them a ton of new cred and attention, and then in turn it will *also* get people to reassess stuff like "Mess of Help" and "All This is That", and so on.

An "MIU" set with some weird cool Brian stuff will get people buzzing, and also lead them to solid tracks like "My Diane" and even "Pitter Patter."

An "LA" set with some cool Dennis stuff is a no-brainer.

I was recently watching that raw 1986 Carl interview on YouTube where he mentions writing with Robert White Johnson. I continue to have this weird feeling Carl's estate is sitting on a *BUNCH* of Carl demos and fragments and stuff of which we've never heard virtually *anything.* Throw some Carl demos on a BB '85 reissue.

Lavish deluxe sets for "Sunflower" and "Surf's Up" are no-brainers of course.

Meanwhile, some boxed sets would also work. A live boxed set. A boxed set of Brian's demos and curios.

Plus, if overheard costs don't allow for easy follow-through on lavish physical CD sets, then push this stuff digitally (downloads and streaming), and make it a big story that, out of nowhere, the Beach Boys have opened *THE MOST IMPRESSIVE ONLINE ARCHIVE* of any band ever. They have a friggin' library of congress-level list of live shows and studio material. They have 25 "Sunshine Tomorrows" without even getting near the bottom of the barrel.

Whatever they decide to share with us, I will eat it up. But if they are going to wait for the 50th anniversary of whatever, well, I don't know that I have that much time left! They need to get this stuff out now!
I heard rumours back in 86-87 that Carl was going to do another solo album, but nothing ever came of it. So yes, i'm sure the estate has stuff they are sitting on, waiting for us all to die before they release it. 

It's nuts. If you read that Jason Fine article from 2012, Brian heaps a TON of praise on "Daybreak Over the Ocean", yet is so off-put even thinking about working on Al's "Waves of Love" that he LITERALLY just ups and leaves the room to avoid working on it or even discussing it further with Al. Yet, how did things shake down after the reunion? It's Mike who is disenfranchised and feels marginalized creatively on the album, while it's Al who continues to work with Brian despite being almost comically rejected creatively by Brian during those same sessions. 

I don't really think of TWGMTR as a Beach Boys album anymore. It was basically a BW solo album with the BB's as guests. I would like to have heard a more collaborative album from the guys; Al should have had at least one tune on there. At least Mike got his song included. And there isn't any place in those songs for David to cut loose and really show us what he can do. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice album, but it's got more in common with Imagination than any record in the BB's catalog.

Brian needs Mike to tell him that a new song is a mother***er. Seriously.
And then we'll have world peace.

I am guessing most fans here did NOT grow up with the US albums. Rightly or not, those are still the albums I hear in my head when I think of Beatles songs.

Me too.  When I first heard the CD releases, I was shocked NOT to hear all of the reverb on I Feel Fine and She's a Woman, as well as the different intro to Money and the lack of additional harmonica on Thank You Girl.

Our local oldies station plays She's a Woman quite often - and it always sounds wrong to me without the reverb.

It was a band back them with Carl, not the  tribute act it has become with Love.

True. 

We could start a whole thread of songs that Brian introduces with a salty tongue.

"Here's a song I wrote in 1966 called 'God, who the f*!k Knows?' "

"Al Hard-on is going to sing a song called Help Me F***king Rhonda!" "Caroline, F***ing No!" "Surfin' the G***d*** USA" "F**k F**k F**k" 

The sad truth is, Brian has been very dry as a writer since TLOS. And when was the last album of all new material before that? Imagination? I'm not a fan of Macca's recent works, but he never stops cranking them out. I think Brian is more like a guy like John Fogerty or John Sebastian. He had one period where the musical ideas were just flowing out of him. Then there came a time when it just stopped. Most of his solo career has been re-recordings of older songs, or special projects like the Gershwin album. Record labels keep signing him up, hoping for a return of the 63-67 Brian. Then the collaborators are brought in, believing they can bring back the magic.

I thought it wouldn't be possible but after reading this I love the guy even more! sh*t, what a motherfucker.

Yes! BW is definitely a g**d*** f***ing m****f****er! His next f***ing album is going to f**k up this m****f**ing world big time! S**t! G**d***it!