Sadly, I don't think he has the energy level to deliver such an album today, unless he is the producer with guest singers doing the leads. I'm sure Al could deliver the goods vocally.

Agreed. Also, I suspect that our idea of a Brian Rock n' Roll album and Brian's idea of a Brian Rock n' Roll album may be two very different things.

Speaking for myself, I would like/have liked it to be uptempo covers of 50's and 60's rock classics with some cool guitar solos, loud drums and some rock attitude. My guess is that Brian might rather bring to the table some tracks that rock no harder than The Man With All the Toys, along with a few nice Phil Spector and Four Freshmen covers. Which would probably be nice, but a little limp in the rawkin' stakes  .

Would love to be proved wrong 

Perhaps sacreligiously, but a few of Mike's rockier tracks from his recent solo albums actually rock pretty hard, for a Beach Boy in his late 70s, and he sings 'em like he means 'em  .

I think that's true, but Mike has taken much better care of himself physically through the years; it's really hard to rock AND roll when you are in constant pain. I saw Little Richard go through that. At the end, he just couldn't do it no more, so he retired.
No one was more shocked than me that Mike would cover a Ramones song. And he did it pretty well.

The "reunion" was (IMO) a failed opportunity.  It came as no surprise that it was crap, but still I had hopes they could be their ages and make real music as the old men they now are.  Instead we get the "Let's autotune and over produce this thing so we can capture 1965 again!"   Yay, only nope.  It's fake and sickening.  I love the BB's for what I love about them.  BW is one of the greatest musical entities of the 20th century - unfortunately saddled with the stupid marketing/image yoke that has continually suppressed and limited his scope.  He has done wondrous music, for which I am grateful, but allowed to simply be a creator without all the baggage, he might have done so much more.    Just look at what Dylan has been able to do in his elderly years - love him or not, he's been true to himself and done as he wished with no compunction to be the Bob of 1965.   

Bob is probably the only artists of his stature that has continued to move forward. The others that have been at it since the 60's long ago settled into being touring oldies acts, playing their greatest hits forever, and not trying to forge any new ground musically. in Brian's case, he had many years where the music just poured out of him, he was overflowing with musical ideas. It's been a long time since he was in that place, and it's probably best to not expect the inspiration to return.
As always, Bob is the exception.

You're never going to win on this board if you try to defend Mike.

From what I understand, these sort of performances in the early days of the Hall were pretty unrehearsed and spontaneous so I think they just started playing something simple that everyone could follow along with.  It wasn't the slick HBO production it is nowadays.

I liked it better this way. Now days, it's like they get inducted, then they're expected to show WHY they were inducted.
but the less said about that sorry institution, the better.

The Rock & Roll album would have been a good thing for Brian back in the 80's, when he was looking young and revitalized. Sadly, I don't think he has the energy level to deliver such an album today, unless he is the producer with guest singers doing the leads. I'm sure Al could deliver the goods vocally.

Interesting that Mike isn't particularly interested in actually writing *new* material (his three recent solo albums have, as I recall, around 10% actual possibly newly-written material on them). I don't think anybody involved with the BBs ever needs to do a FULL ALBUM of covers again.

And, while the singers Mike works with now are absolutely solid and professional, they're extremely anonymous-sounding. It's very much like the competent but uber-bland backing vocals on "Looking Back with Love."

I guess if he tosses this project into Totten's lap and Totten does most of the actual work doing new vocal arrangements, then it might be a step above straight covers. But Mike's description of this idea is pretty nebulous to begin with. What he's describing doesn't actually sound any different from what he already does. He has Totten (or whatever producer) layer knock-off BB harmonies behind either old Mike outtakes, an occasional new Mike song, a BB cover, or a cover of something else. Unless Mike's talking about a "a cappella" album, then what he's describing is more of the same.

I would describe most of the material on disc 1 of Unleash the Love as new original material - never mind that the project had started many years before, it had never been properly released.
I don't have any hope, though, that this album focused on vocals will evoke Smiley Smile. 

I was speaking more about Mike's current drive or ability (or lack thereof) to write new material. Out of the 25 tracks on "Unleash the Love", 13 are BB covers, and almost all of the remaining 12 "original" songs come from either the 1978 "First Love" era, or his early 2000s solo sessions (and in many cases both, as the early 2000s project was the same deal with reusing the '78 stuff). At least three of the 12 "originals" had literally already been released, as in, the exact same recordings (and possibly mixes).

Now, of course as we all know, the BBs mining old projects for new albums is nothing new, both group and solo. But when we're talking about writing new material, Mike seems to not have the drive or ability. When it *is* presumably new, we get something like "This Too Shall Pass" that is musically heavily derivative, and has cringe-worthy lyrics.

I'd be fine with Mike using old material if it was material we hadn't heard before and/or was material that hadn't already been released.

I tend to cut these guys plenty of slack. *None* of them are as prolific or driven as they were 50/40/30 years ago. Al has his own studio for 40+ years and can only muster *one* solo album. Brian's albums have often reused old material, and/or had plenty of guidance from collaborators.

Mike doing another covers album reminds me of news several years back when Tom Scholz released his once-per-decade Boston album, and it used tracks from the *previous* Boston album that even diehard fans largely seemed to hate.

I remember Al a few years back saying he wanted to re-record "Runaway!" Nooo!

All these guys should just let an engineer go through and pick and album's worth of outtakes we've never heard, then polish them up, and put that out. I know Brian and Al have *tons* of material they could put out. I'd wager even Mike does too.

Okay, I must have missed something. Other than the oldies remade on disc 2 of UTL, what songs on that album had been released before?
Getcha Back, Brian is Back, Daybreak Over the Ocean, Cool Head, Warm Heart....that still lives a good chunk of material that was new to the general public.

Dennis... we know he had be stockpiling songs. And been getting songs rejected. But I also think him pulling his songs off of Surf's Up (not just because the supposed argument with Carl about the track list) but because he knew he had amassed enough songs to make a solo album. I think he almost had a slight motivation or incentive to take his songs back.

I kind of disagree with the 'doesn't fit the format of the Beach Boys'. Other than Holland/Love You - I feel like most Beach Boys albums are kind of a hodge podge as is. Look at 20/20. Even Surf's Up. And don't even get me started on Light Album and MIU.... They're all over the place. So I don't think that the songs 'don't fit a format'. I doubt that had very little influence.

We know Dennis was told either be a Beach Boy or be solo. Then.. merely years later..  Mike and Carl are doing the same thing and with way less repercussions or threats. I find that interesting. I wonder what Dennis thought of that.

He did supposedly 'chicken out' of a mini tour, or opening act with the Boys. But Carl was doing that and it didn't seem to be as big of a deal as when Dennis proposed it.

Dennis eventually offered his songs on LA. So if he was worried about songs 'not fitting in' - here he is offering songs to fulfill an album.


Where as Mike and Carl had some good songs (IMO) on their solo albums that could have only lifted the Beach Boys contemporary albums... But didn't.

Just seems a relatively selfish act - especially from Mike who rarely pitched up songs; Carl, too, in the later 70's and beyond barely contributing songs. Relegating the Beach Boys to covers to pad out their albums and Culture Club giveaways.

Well, in Carl's case, the rest of the group had made it quite clear to him in the latter part of 1980 that they did not want to record an album, so he took that break to do his own album. I'm glad he did. At the end of 81, the idea of a group album was brought up again - and the BB's once again did not care to bother with it, so Carl recorded a second album.
But it does seem that upon his return to the group in spring 1982, they were at least trying a little harder with their live shows.

I don't understand the negativity toward John Fogerty here.  I think most people would be bitter if they lost ownership of hit songs they wrote an people can be bitter for years before they put it behind them.  I know that's happened with me anyway so I wouldn't assume he is faking anything.  Anyway, a very nice performance by him today of City of New Orleans:

https://youtu.be/7zmNs6sWTD8

I don't think there's any negativity towards him, at least not from my side, and that is all I can talk about. I'm just saying that his way of acting in interviews and such seems kinda faked to my eyes. I know that I've acted similarly when I was trying to hold down certain things. It's just my interpretation. I also think that he seemed more real in earlier years.

I don't think anyone is denying that he was ripped off; I don't see anyone putting him down as a songwriter, singer, or guitarist. There were three other guys that helped him achieve his dream of rock and roll immortality, but to hear him tell it today, they impeded him instead of helping him. I don't believe that is true. With rock bands, there is a tendency to always focus on the frontman or lead singer, main songwriter, but a great singer and songwriter needs a good band backing him up. How great would Elvis been at Sun Records without Scotty and Bill there to play those songs? How good would The Beatles have been minus George and Ringo? Give credit where credit is due, that's all i'm asking.

I didn't realize that Dylan wasn't the only one commenting on Mike's Hall of Fame speech. See 3:08:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-1DDZjTagY

"Happy ending, Mike"

I hadn't seen that before. Sad that Ms. Ross couldn't be bothered to show up. Maybe she was having dinner with Paul.

Obviously Dennis, Mike, and Carl released solo albums back in the day. Rumor has it that the 'Boys' even told Dennis to pick and choose between a solo artist or a Beach Boy. Then, following suite, Mike and Carl released solo albums.

Dennis had been spurred - according to rumor - he pulled his tracks off of Surf's Up (1971) and didn't have a single track for the album..
Mike released his debut shortly after - and the Carl after that.


Obviously Dennis was getting kind of spurred - and he was kind of 'big headed' to want his songs to close the Surf's Up album. But Dennis conclusions would have only helped the Surf's Up album. (IMO)

Likewise, both Mike and Carl burned good songs on their solo albums. Carl was barely coming up with songs on Beach Boys albums but had enough material for 2 solo albums. Mike has numerous solo albums and some weaker Beach Boys albums in the late 70’s and 80’s could have used more tracks. But he burned them on solo releases.

Just seems like the better solo songs would have helped Beach Boys albums and gotten their song’s noticed more in a Beach Boys album.

Well Dennis hated the direction the BBs were going in the late 70s, Carl was working more and more on music for the BBs with diminishing returns, and Mike Love was Mike Love.

I would guess that both Dennis and Carl were writing songs they felt did not fit into the style of the group. Nothing wrong with getting out on your own, and spreading your musical wings.

Interesting that Mike isn't particularly interested in actually writing *new* material (his three recent solo albums have, as I recall, around 10% actual possibly newly-written material on them). I don't think anybody involved with the BBs ever needs to do a FULL ALBUM of covers again.

And, while the singers Mike works with now are absolutely solid and professional, they're extremely anonymous-sounding. It's very much like the competent but uber-bland backing vocals on "Looking Back with Love."

I guess if he tosses this project into Totten's lap and Totten does most of the actual work doing new vocal arrangements, then it might be a step above straight covers. But Mike's description of this idea is pretty nebulous to begin with. What he's describing doesn't actually sound any different from what he already does. He has Totten (or whatever producer) layer knock-off BB harmonies behind either old Mike outtakes, an occasional new Mike song, a BB cover, or a cover of something else. Unless Mike's talking about a "a cappella" album, then what he's describing is more of the same.

I would describe most of the material on disc 1 of Unleash the Love as new original material - never mind that the project had started many years before, it had never been properly released.
I don't have any hope, though, that this album focused on vocals will evoke Smiley Smile. 

If the circulating version of the video don't have the typical VH1 or MTV chyron, it's probably because I can't imagine this was played much if at all, even back in the mid-80s, even when other BB stuff, even pre-Kokomo, was occasionally getting played.

"Happy Endings" was a similar deal to "East Meets West"; a collaboration between artists that nobody cared about anymore (as far as hearing new music). And both singles tanked, often with respective fanbases not even having heard of the tracks.

And yes, "Happy Endings" isn't a great track; it's like C-list Bruce material.

The band did stuff like "Happy Endings" because, apparently, Terry Melcher was good at getting the guys gigs for soundtracks, which was and is a very lucrative endeavor even when the movie and/or song bomb.

Richard was doing the same thing at that time in his career. After his comeback album, Lifetime Friend, in 1986, he recorded exactly one more album - Shake it All About, for Disney. But he had dozens of songs included in films and tv.

I remember that Mike Love said that Brian went downhill after Heroes and Villains, his productions were never the same after that.  The drugs were taking him over and his ability to write and produce were compromised.

That's kind of what I'm challenging. Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, and Friends sort of prove that wrong IMO. I think he made a conscious, intentional artistic change for the '67-'68 era. After that, I think he lost interest in completing tracks.

I too think that he made a conscious decision around that time to go for a somewhat minimalist, less passionate approach. At the same time I feel he kind of made a virtue out of necessity. It's obvious he was feeling exhausted and that feeling is all over those records (which I think are all fantastic). His singing style also mirrored that feeling, especially on Friends.

I always feel that, after the demise of Smile, Brian had a short attention span in the studio. He would go in with the group and whoever, and produce something that sounded nice enough, but as Mike says, he became more passive. He'd do enough, and then Carl or the others would come in and try to take it to the level of Brian's earlier productions. This, I think, has remained true for the last 50 years. 15 BO and Love You are Brian working without anyone else stepping in to "complete" his productions; where, for the most part, what we have gotten as far as released albums have been "a little initial inspiration from Brian", and then someone else - Andy Paley, Joe Thomas, Don Was,etc - stepping in to "complete" the recording.
Brian loses interest in things real fast now, which is why someone else always has to take over on co-writing and production. Is this a result of drugs he took in the 60's and 70's? A result of drugs Landy prescribed for him in the 80's and 90's? Or just natural aging? Your guess is as good as mine.

I've been playing harmonica in the Bob Dylan style for many years - neck brace with harmonica while I strum the guitar. Only recently have I dabbled in blues harp. I don't have a clue about the kind of harmonica playing used on Beach Boys records.

I don't believe the technology was the problem with Smile. Time was. Look at how long it took to complete Good Vibrations to Brian's satisfaction. That's 3 minutes and 36 seconds of music. Now you want him to do a full half hour of music in the same style?
If Capitol had been willing to wait until 1972 for a completed Smile album, then yes, it could have been done.
But what do the Beach Boys do in the meantime? Crank out a few more Party albums? Tour as an oldies act?
The business was not going to support such a venture in 1966/67. And the group would have been left even further behind than they were releasing stuff like Wild Honey and Friends.
It's two worlds fighting against each other; the creative, artistic side, which only cares about making the best music possible; and the business side, which says you have to have a new single out every 3 or 4 months, and a new album at least twice a year.

Anyway, since Brian himself considers it part of the Holland album, that’s good enough for me:

"I kind of like The Beach Boys Love You, 15 Big Ones, and Holland," he notes. "Those are the three albums I think were the best."

Although 1973's Holland received solid reviews and went Top 40, recording the album in Holland nearly bankrupted the band.

"I can't tell you exactly why I like Holland so much, but I think the fairy tale made the whole album for me," says Wilson, referring to "Mt. Vernon & Fairway," the autobiographical fairy tale that came with Holland on a 7-inch EP. "That was a great fairy tale."

https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-07-21/77984/

Brian likes 15 Big Ones. Interesting, seeing as in 1976 he gave several interviews saying that it wasn’t that great.

His answers change from year to year...or day to day.

If you ask him on the right day, he’ll put SIP as the cream of the crop

I would love to see an interviewer as Mike about that "giant turkey of an album" (I believe those were his words for Brian's 1988 album).

2015, someone did ask Mike about it.
He refused to talk about the actual album, but he did mention that he loves the title track, and called it something like “an anthem for the environment.”

so maybe he does recognize it as the colossal failure it was?
The title track is the one song from SIP that the guys continued to play long past the expiration date. It's not a bad song, really.....<can't believe i'm saying this> <gag>..the live version on the MIC is olay, despite the visions of Stamos and bikini-clad 18 year olds it conjures <gag>.

I predict we will see a package tour in 2022, featuring the reunited Beach Boys, reunited Kinks, and a Beatles tribute band.

Anyway, since Brian himself considers it part of the Holland album, that’s good enough for me:

"I kind of like The Beach Boys Love You, 15 Big Ones, and Holland," he notes. "Those are the three albums I think were the best."

Although 1973's Holland received solid reviews and went Top 40, recording the album in Holland nearly bankrupted the band.

"I can't tell you exactly why I like Holland so much, but I think the fairy tale made the whole album for me," says Wilson, referring to "Mt. Vernon & Fairway," the autobiographical fairy tale that came with Holland on a 7-inch EP. "That was a great fairy tale."

https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-07-21/77984/

Brian likes 15 Big Ones. Interesting, seeing as in 1976 he gave several interviews saying that it wasn’t that great.

His answers change from year to year...or day to day.

If you ask him on the right day, he’ll put SIP as the cream of the crop

I would love to see an interviewer as Mike about that "giant turkey of an album" (I believe those were his words for Brian's 1988 album).

When this came out, a friend of ours said, "So, have you listened to The Beach Boys Through a Vocoder yet?" I thought she meant there was another silly Beach Boys video on YouTube with the same idea of "The Beach Boys shred 'I Get Around'" -- like, someone piped the Beach Boys through a vocoder or something...I didn't know she was talking about the Autotune festival that is this CD. After I listened, I totally understood.

I still contest that McCartney's Good Evening New York City sounds way worse than this. 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTay8qCDybrNpgvmMFNDQ-jVQwEjl84WP

Not only does poor Sir Paul sound even more so like a robot, but the mix is garbage too.  The mix on the Beach Boys' 50th is at least clean. 

Never listened to that one. Paul has so many live albums out, I've lost count.

CCR had a great sound, definitely! Tony Joe White said that he always wondered why Fogerty let the others go, as they were such a good rhythm section. I guess in the end it was just personal issues. You listen to CCR today and they still sound as fresh as ever. Now, there are not many drummers who come close to Aronoff, but they don't nedd to, if the outcome is right.

Anyway, yes, Fogerty was/is one hell of a songwriter and musician. It's unbelievable what he put out during those couple of years. It's not unlike what Brian Wilson put out in '63-'64 (Beach Boys albums and singles, outside productions, co-writes) while touring at the same time. Talent, pure talent!
I must admit though, looking at Fogerty today, I liked him better when he was still bitter.

He still seems pretty bitter towards Cook and Clifford. He's a little kinder towards his brother Tom, probably because he's dead.

You're totally right. What I meant was this exaggerated happiness and positivity he shows nowadays. It really goes on my nerves because it seems so fake. And all that stupid hippie-stuff on his tour with the VW camper. Have you seen the Red Rocks show (I think it's called "My 50 year trip" or something to that effect) with all those cheap hippie wigs and lava lamps and the corny antics on stage? It just looks so ridiculous and in the mid of all is John Fogerty. The one person I never thought would go clownish.
 
No question he's still bitter toward Doug and Stu, but he was not as much opposed to a reunion as he once was and they now have a LLC and can approve new releases. That's good and if they ever can make peace with each other, than that's a great thing. It wasn't so much this bitterness that I was talking about. Even if they never play ttogether anymore, it would be nice to at least have some kind of conciliation now that they are all in their 70s

I agree about the fake happiness. Don't get him started about Julie. He still seems bitter underneath the fake smile; get him started about his former bandmates, and it's back to the bs about "Tom played one string guitar" and "I had to teach Stu how to play the bass".

[Remembering Little Richard’s Kind Heart and One-of-a-Kind Soul]

Remembering Little Richard’s Kind Heart and One-of-a-Kind Soul

Peter Guralnick recalls two encounters with the rock & roll legend


https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/little-richard-peter-guralnick-tribute-1000420/?fbclid=IwAR2XpvvAnZAx-8mIg6hyn4UrOxKrXkDeAu6KyWrJVxbiQgEqm3o0O4EoCuU

This is the way I would like to remember him.

Well that restricts the 20-30 gig ‘reunion’ Al mentioned.

Nothing to stop them doing it in 2022 though; 10 years after the last

And again in 2032.

Anyway, since Brian himself considers it part of the Holland album, that’s good enough for me:

"I kind of like The Beach Boys Love You, 15 Big Ones, and Holland," he notes. "Those are the three albums I think were the best."

Although 1973's Holland received solid reviews and went Top 40, recording the album in Holland nearly bankrupted the band.

"I can't tell you exactly why I like Holland so much, but I think the fairy tale made the whole album for me," says Wilson, referring to "Mt. Vernon & Fairway," the autobiographical fairy tale that came with Holland on a 7-inch EP. "That was a great fairy tale."

https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2000-07-21/77984/

Brian likes 15 Big Ones. Interesting, seeing as in 1976 he gave several interviews saying that it wasn’t that great.

His answers change from year to year...or day to day.

Surfin' USA is kind of underrated among some of the hardcore fans who seem to focus much more on the later stuff. Look at how young they were and it has the title track, Lonely Sea (!), Farmer's Daughter, and Shut Down, all top notch material - and the instrumentals are fun. Also, there's that amazing instrumental interlude in Noble Surfer. I play this one a lot!

I appreciate it more now than I did when I first got it in the early 80's. Back then, I thought there were too many instrumentals on the album. Now I love hearing Carl and David flex their guitar playing chops!
Lonely Sea is Brian's first great ballad.

There was a time in the cd era where I thought it was great that artists could put out longer albums, but I have changed my mind. There were very few times when longer meant better. I love the Kinks Phobia album from 93, which clocks in at something like 70 minutes; and I love all 70 minutes of it. Generally, though, I prefer short, concise statements. How long was Meet the Beatles? I had Here's Little Richard on last night, and that clocked in easily under 30 minutes.
Quality, not quantity. People are busy, we don't have endless hours to sit and listen to music.