So the reunion might be announced today? *fingers crossed*

[guitarfool2002]

Getting back to the Grammy show - was this to be a full performance? Maybe they couldn't agree on a backing band, or they didn't have the time to rehearse something to pull off on live TV? I know we joked about this months ago, but the reality of it is that Mike, Al, and Brian each have their own bands who they are comfortable with - maybe they couldn't agree on who to play with? I'm just guessing like everyone else until the official word comes out.

[Justin]

I'm betting Brian pulled out after it dawned on him what he was about to do.

[Rocker]

I'm going to bed now and listen to Jan & Dean's Liberty singles.....

[guitarfool2002]

I'm betting Brian pulled out after it dawned on him what he was about to do.

I wonder if any of them knew what they were about to do...not joking when I say that. Maybe the original plan was to show up on stage and present something, then they found out it was a live performance. I'd back out too in that case, hypothetically.

[SMiLE Brian]

But the thing is Brian does what he's told. If they said, "Hey Brian, get ready were going to the grammys", he would get ready and go

Do you really think that's true?

Come to think of it, wasn't everyone just saying that Brian should be allowed to do what he wants? So isn't Melinda doing what everyone was just saying should be done -- letting Brian make up his own mind?

Or is the problem that he seems to be deciding differently than we would like?

Could be.

Food for thought.. what would Brian actually do at a reunion show?

It's one thing to sit in front of a muted keyboard and only have to sing the leads in his range. At a BB show, his leads would be extremely minimal. At this point, his falsetto is pretty much shot in the studio. No way it's happening live. The chances of him learning a lower harmony part for an entire set are slim at best. And... it seems that his live instrument chops aren't really there anymore.

Maybe he just doesn't see where he'd fit in.

Or.. maybe he's been working hard at getting his sh*t together, and needs a little more time. One can only hope.

Hope he plays some bass or keyboards on the early hits, then splits leads with Mike as the show goes on. I want to see him try to do the falsetto live one last time with everything he has left.

[Jon Stebbins]

Getting back to the Grammy show - was this to be a full performance? Maybe they couldn't agree on a backing band, or they didn't have the time to rehearse something to pull off on live TV? I know we joked about this months ago, but the reality of it is that Mike, Al, and Brian each have their own bands who they are comfortable with - maybe they couldn't agree on who to play with? I'm just guessing like everyone else until the official word comes out.

This was never billed as a performance...all it was supposed to be was an "announcement".

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/11/grammys-is-a-beach-boys-reunion-in-the-works-.html

Obviously they have plenty of time to rehearse and choose a backing band should they perform on the February telecast.

[seltaeb1012002]

I want to see him try to do the falsetto live one last time with everything he has left.

+1.

His most recent vocals on ITKOD are great for the most part. It's weird, unexpected, and incredible that it seems he's slowly returning to his vintage 60's voice. I bet if he puts in the time, he can pull it off. He can't just go up there and wing it though. That would be an event that requires training, just like he did in his garage as a teenager.

[Runaways]

i'm not big into hip hop, but i think kanye can be pretty great.  He at least goes out and does new things, he's a complete drama queen, but that's ok.  And yeah i remember seeing a tweet or blog post by him in capital letters praising pet sounds.

i wouldn't be surprised if the band couldn't get brian to do it and the grammys said no thanks without him

[Andrew G. Doe]

I have to agree it's possible he couldn't stand up.  He doesn't stand up in his stage show.  It's either fatigue, age, or anxiety.  That was a big crowd of people to sing with, just like when he sings in front of a crowd now, he has to sit down.  It might have been easier to stand for an insert shot because there were less people in the room and it was quicker to do than standing around as long as the initial shoot was.

All it means is Brian is one of the laziest people on planet Earth: sees a chair, sits in it. People who know him far better than any of us here have told me that.

Like Jon said, the only mention of a performance at the Grammy noms was here, on this forum. Regard:

"Here is what the Recording Academy promised in its press releases leading up to the nomination concert: "In addition to unveiling nominations for the 54th GRAMMY Awards, 'The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live!!' will feature a special live announcement from a truly iconic group regarding their historic band reunion set to take place on the GRAMMY stage on Feb. 12, 2012."

So, clear the evening of 2/12/12. As to what happened to make it not happen... could be anyone's guess: them as know are understandably not talking, but Brian realising he couldn't pull a live show with the BB off isn't the reason .

[hypehat]

I can't believe we're discussing the fact that Brian Wilson can't stand up in this thread, tbh 

[Andrew G. Doe]

I can't believe we're discussing the fact that Brian Wilson can't stand up in this thread, tbh 

Not can't - won't. 

[harrisonjon]

I hate that part of every concert where they make him stand up and strap the guitar on. What's the point? He obviously hates doing it.

[The Shift]

I hate that part of every concert where they make him stand up and strap the guitar on. What's the point? He obviously hates doing it.

I guess if was to sit through those encores he'd look like a party pooper – but you're right, it's a tad painful to watch.

[MJP]

Just my opinion, but I feel it will be the reunited Rolling Stones with Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor in tow to celebrate the Stones 50th anniversary.

[guitarfool2002]

The only thing the announcement accomplished was getting more people than would normally watch a show like this to sit through a bunch of music-biz pap. I'm glad I was working and couldn't watch.

That was my confusion about what it was going to be if it were the BB's, thanks for clearing it up: It felt like a lot of hype to announce with such secrecy the act of three or four men walking on stage to plug an upcoming performance rather than actually perform, so my signals got crossed.

[Jon Stebbins]

The only thing the announcement accomplished was getting more people than would normally watch a show like this to sit through a bunch of music-biz pap. I'm glad I was working and couldn't watch.

That was my confusion about what it was going to be if it were the BB's, thanks for clearing it up: It felt like a lot of hype to announce with such secrecy the act of three or four men walking on stage to plug an upcoming performance rather than actually perform, so my signals got crossed.

You're right...it was a lot of hype, and they couldn't manage to get their sh*t together to take advantage of it. I hope something good comes out of it all. Potential still has a pulse from what I hear.

[guitarfool2002]

The only thing the announcement accomplished was getting more people than would normally watch a show like this to sit through a bunch of music-biz pap. I'm glad I was working and couldn't watch.

That was my confusion about what it was going to be if it were the BB's, thanks for clearing it up: It felt like a lot of hype to announce with such secrecy the act of three or four men walking on stage to plug an upcoming performance rather than actually perform, so my signals got crossed.

You're right...it was a lot of hype, and they couldn't manage to get their sh*t together to take advantage of it. I hope something good comes out of it all. Potential still has a pulse from what I hear.

I do hope something develops from the potential, especially since they are very much in the news riding a bit of a critical recognition wave with the Smile set, and it's kind of hard to imagine what could have derailed this if it were just them showing up at the podium.

[Emdeeh]

Doesn't this sound all too familiar?
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/why-van-halen-wasnt-at-the-grammy-nominations-broadcast/

Reuters reports that Recording Academy president Neil Portnow — that’s who puts on these shows — seems to explain, in a thinly veiled response to fan inquiries about Van Halen’s absence, how the rumors started and why the appearance didn’t happen.

Here’s Portnow’s statement: "In the world of creativity, everything is fluid. In the process of discussions that we had been having with an expectation that perhaps we would be at a point tonight where the artist involved and we, moving forward, would be ready to announce [a reunion], they weren’t quite at that point. So it’s live television, we go on to the next act. It’s rock and roll and so on. That being said, we were genuine about the intention and we are genuine about the discussion."

Wow. He did it. He made the imminent return of Van Halen seem boring.

Here's the link to Reuters' story:
http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/12/01/usa-music-vanhalen-idINDEE7B006Y20111201

[SurfRiderHawaii]

Doesn't this sound all too familiar?
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/why-van-halen-wasnt-at-the-grammy-nominations-broadcast/

Reuters reports that Recording Academy president Neil Portnow — that’s who puts on these shows — seems to explain, in a thinly veiled response to fan inquiries about Van Halen’s absence, how the rumors started and why the appearance didn’t happen.

Here’s Portnow’s statement: "In the world of creativity, everything is fluid. In the process of discussions that we had been having with an expectation that perhaps we would be at a point tonight where the artist involved and we, moving forward, would be ready to announce [a reunion], they weren’t quite at that point. So it’s live television, we go on to the next act. It’s rock and roll and so on. That being said, we were genuine about the intention and we are genuine about the discussion."

Wow. He did it. He made the imminent return of Van Halen seem boring.

Here's the link to Reuters' story:
http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/12/01/usa-music-vanhalen-idINDEE7B006Y20111201

This was already posted  in the thread

[Wirestone]

I hate that part of every concert where they make him stand up and strap the guitar on.

They don't "make him" do anything. And it's a bass.

What's the point?

He was the touring bassist for his band in the 1960s and 70s. often played bass in the band when he played with them in the 60s and 70s.

He obviously hates doing it.

Not in the shows I've seen.

[Jon Stebbins]

I hate that part of every concert where they make him stand up and strap the guitar on.

They don't "make him" do anything. And it's a bass.

What's the point?

He was the touring bassist for his band in the 1960s and 70s.

That's a stretch. He was the "touring" bassist in 1962, about 1/2 of 1963 or less, all of 1964, a few shows in '65, a little of '76, some of '77, a little of '78, not much if anything in '79...and that's about it.

[Wirestone]

Okay, how about this. In the 60s and 70s, when Brian toured with the group, he often played bass.

[Mikie]

That's a stretch.

[Wirestone]

How many more modifiers do you need thrown in there?

My point is that the version of the band with the striped shirts on Ed Sullivan -- the lineup with Brian, Carl, Dennis, Mike and Al -- the one that made the band's first live record -- features Brian on bass. It's the classic lineup.

And when Brian returned to play shows in the late 70s, he did play bass for some of / part of the shows.

Sheesh.

[Mikie]