Finding the board

[The Shift]

Can't recall the sequence but this board has, in my view, naturally succeeded the Smile Shop and Male Ego boards as the place to be for in-depth discussion, for picking up news, for good natured banter, for bad natured banter, for banter… as it also seems to be the most active board (rivalled only, perhaps, by the Bloo, which seems to be more concerned with some battle of the bands thread than genuine BBs/BW music appreciation), it's the first website I look at every day.

[Steve Mayo]

arrived here after the male ego board shut down.....whenever that was

[smile-holland]

There was a "yellow board" where Bruce Johnston used to post, a lot, before people were required to register.

There still is - Beach Boys Britain: http://www.boards2go.com/boards/board.cgi?user=Bellagio

And as far as I know Bruce still visits the board frequently.

[myonlysunshine]

I found Smiley Smile through reading Brian Wilson's message board. I wanted to go to a Brian Wilson concert earlier this year when I was really getting into the Beach Boys. So I Googled "Brian Wilson" and found his website/message board. I started reading it pretty frequently, but I didn't really like it because it wasn't a Beach Boys message board per se, but a Brian Wilson message board with lots of worship of him. I like Brian, but wanted to post at a place that was more objective about his work and was more Beach Boys oriented.

One day earlier this year, someone on the blue board mentioned the Smiley Smile message board and I decided to check it out. I read this board for several months before joining. I didn't want to start posting without knowing the dynamics of how things go around here, who posts, how people get along, etc.

[Steve Mayo]

I found Smiley Smile through reading Brian Wilson's message board. I wanted to go to a Brian Wilson concert earlier this year when I was really getting into the Beach Boys. So I Googled "Brian Wilson" and found his website/message board. I started reading it pretty frequently, but I didn't really like it because it wasn't a Beach Boys message board per se, but a Brian Wilson message board with lots of worship of him. I like Brian, but wanted to post at a place that was more objective about his work and was more Beach Boys oriented.

One day earlier this year, someone on the blue board mentioned the Smiley Smile message board and I decided to check it out. I read this board for several months before joining. I didn't want to start posting without knowing the dynamics of how things go around here, who posts, how people get along, etc.

just post away...we are mostly equal here, we all get slammed by someone at some point   

[Autotune]

Knew about the Smile Shop/Smiley board, mainly through gossipy threads in the Male Ego board. Some of the issues were carried over there in order to be treated with ME etiquette. Diablo Cody and Laurie Arleen were two such issues I can remember right now.

Never cared to enter until ME exploded. Been here ever since loving it.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I like this board, I feel quite comfy here. It makes being a Beach Boys fan a bit less lonely, (I was a teenage Beach Boys fan in the 80's, you can't get lonelier than that)

Happy new year everyone, anyway. I sincerely hope it's good for you.

[Heysaboda]

I found Smiley Smile through reading Brian Wilson's message board. I wanted to go to a Brian Wilson concert earlier this year when I was really getting into the Beach Boys. So I Googled "Brian Wilson" and found his website/message board. I started reading it pretty frequently, but I didn't really like it because it wasn't a Beach Boys message board per se, but a Brian Wilson message board with lots of worship of him. I like Brian, but wanted to post at a place that was more objective about his work and was more Beach Boys oriented.

One day earlier this year, someone on the blue board mentioned the Smiley Smile message board and I decided to check it out. I read this board for several months before joining. I didn't want to start posting without knowing the dynamics of how things go around here, who posts, how people get along, etc.

just post away...we are mostly equal here, we all get slammed by someone at some point   

To paraphrase Bob Dylan, "you're nobody if you haven't been slammed".......

[I. Spaceman]

Honestly, this place didn't evolve from or succeed The Smile Shop, in any way, shape or form.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Honestly, this place didn't evolve from or succeed The Smile Shop, in any way, shape or form.

True, dat - memory is misty and watercolored, but I'm pretty sure it evolved from a Cabinessence MB fracas.

[Wirestone]

Honestly, this place didn't evolve from or succeed The Smile Shop, in any way, shape or form.

It's a direct descendent. Lots of bad feelings, but the Smile Shop imploded in a mess of unhappiness and secret message boards. Then this started up, complete with all of the prior user registrations. I'm pretty sure I've never registered for this board -- it's all held over.

And I understand that Mssrs. Hunt and Lane have issues with the existence of this place, but that doesn't mean it didn't come from what it comes from.

[Shady]

I went to The Beach Boys.com board first, that place is massive, like 45 thousand members, yet this place is a lot more active 

Somebody from there told me to come over here, never looked back 

[Jay]

I somehow found my way here after leaving bretw's board. I think that place has about...10 members.  One post every six months or so. 

[I. Spaceman]

Honestly, this place didn't evolve from or succeed The Smile Shop, in any way, shape or form.

It's a direct descendent. Lots of bad feelings, but the Smile Shop imploded in a mess of unhappiness and secret message boards. Then this started up

That isn't the history, man. Seriously.

[GuyOnTheBeach]

Had a bit of a disagreement with the moderater over at another forum, was banned for a few hundred million years (seriously), after that I just came to the board which I felt had the least sycophants.

[onkster]

I dunno if this board was deliberately an offshoot of Smile Shop, but I came here because Smile Shop had itself exploded. Weird game-playing, power trips, sexually-harassing BB experts, and all sorts of weird stuff! Then: boom. Gone. I recall people floating on an internet raft at LaurieArleen's place for a bit (not sure where she ended up--she was one of the harassment victims at SS, so she prob'ly went farrrrrrrrr away...), then this place appeared, with many familiar faces.

Or at least that's how it happened for me.

I was originally on the mailing list called either Pet Sounds or Smile...can't recall which. It was a pretty good thing for awhile--Dave Prokopy was much in evidence, and a good, friendly resource. I unsubscribed when a major expert began treating members like crap, and I couldn't stand to read it anymore. Then gravitated toward Smile Shop as a result of Googling.

And the rest is history!

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I met Pumkin Head, Andrew G Doe, and several other BB fans on myspace.com (remember that?). Somebody (Pumkin Head?) told me about this.

[I. Spaceman]

I recall people floating on an internet raft at LaurieArleen's place for a bit (not sure where she ended up--she was one of the harassment victims at SS, so she prob'ly went farrrrrrrrr away...)

Actually, Laurie has become a fairly successful artist, with a few CDs to her credit and some radio airplay. A friend of Domenic Priore and Rodney Bingenheimer.  She was one of the high-volume posters in the early days of this board who staged a mass walkout after it was revealed that someone in charge was reading private messages. Those folks, who included Jon Hunt, John Lane etc., moved permanently to the latter-day non-BB topic exclusive Smile Shop. After that ended, those folks moved over to The Record Room, which is run by me and Jon. Most of the folks one finds in older threads here, such as the What Are You Listening To Now? one in the off-topic section, can be found on that forum.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

She was one of the high-volume posters in the early days of this board who staged a mass walkout after it was revealed that someone in charge was reading private messages.

That would be the board owner, Charles LePage. He's not active anymore; in fact, it's been a couple of years since I myself have spoken with him.

True, dat - memory is misty and watercolored, but I'm pretty sure it evolved from a Cabinessence MB fracas.

Yep! That's how I heard about the board. I know Charles had an issue with a few people over there, and IIRC some of it had to do with the old Flux threads. I actually joined up here just to see what I thought would be an upcoming board war...morbid curiousity I guess. Thankfully that never happened. I became a mod right after the exodus.

[I. Spaceman]

She was one of the high-volume posters in the early days of this board who staged a mass walkout after it was revealed that someone in charge was reading private messages.

That would be the board owner, Charles LePage. He's not active anymore; in fact, it's been a couple of years since I myself have spoken with him.
 

Yeah, that's cool. I have a lot of respect for this board, in that it actually developed into something more membership-prominent and long-lasting than the Smile Shop actually was. I still would never want to talk Beach Boys 24/7 like in those days, but it does seem like a nice atmosphere. Good on ya'll!

[Andrew G. Doe]

She was one of the high-volume posters in the early days of this board who staged a mass walkout after it was revealed that someone in charge was reading private messages.

That would be the board owner, Charles LePage. He's not active anymore; in fact, it's been a couple of years since I myself have spoken with him.

I was in touch with Chuckie when the board was hacked recently. To be totally honest, he didn't seem too bothered about it.

[Dr. Tim]

My recall is similar - this board first sprang up when there was a temporary technical fail at the Smile Shop, and many people there joined up here until that site was up again.  The two co-existed (cordially) for a time with shared members until the blow-up described by others and the snark feast.

Ian's site is a fun lurk to stay on top of non-BB things, and they have their own section for the BB.  Much of the writing is very good indeed, excellent analysis, their Zappa series in particular was archive-worthy.  But the principal posters are a bit prickly sometimes.  Don't want to step on toes and rile anyone up, I get enough aggro at the office, so I don't seek it on the web.  Better I just sit at their feet and listen.

[I. Spaceman]

My recall is similar - this board first sprang up when there was a temporary technical fail at the Smile Shop, and many people there joined up here until that site was up again.  The two co-existed (cordially) for a time with shared members until the blow-up described by others and the snark feast.

Ian's site is a fun lurk to stay on top of non-BB things, and they have their own section for the BB.  Much of the writing is very good indeed, excellent analysis, their Zappa series in particular was archive-worthy.  But the principal posters are a bit prickly sometimes.  Don't want to step on toes and rile anyone up, I get enough aggro at the office, so I don't seek it on the web.  Better I just sit at their feet and listen.

Actually, it was the legendary "Professor" incident that caused the Shop to be temporarily shuttered, and LePage started this as a supposed "temporary" home for Shop patrons.
I'm sorry if you were offended by anything you may have encountered on the RR. Please drop by again and post sometime.

[Dave in KC]

This IS a truly wonderful place, but my heart broke when Male Ego got ditched. It was a 24/7 Beach Boys lover's soap opera.

[Jim V.]

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