Stamos In Reunion

[bossaroo]

obviously Mike is to blame for the inclusion of John Stamos. it's a great honor to be asked and it would be hard to say no.

but wouldn't it be nice if Stamos gracefully and graciously declined the offer? that would earn him heaps of respect in my book.

i'll take cheerleaders over Stamos anytime, anywhere.

I'll probably never understand that.

well aside from being a heterosexual male... there's no danger of a cheerleader strapping on a guitar and trying really hard to be a rock star in a band where she simply doesn't belong. but i'd still prefer that to Stamos doing it.

[SBonilla]

If Stamos is there the whole time, might as well have the bamd wear the striped shirts and khaki pants.

I like the idea of the striped shirts.  That would be totally boss!

Or... I could see Dave in a Pendleton, Bruce in a white suit, Brian in striped shirt and khakis, Mike in one of his Captain or Turban get ups, and Al in overalls and cowboy hat.

I just want them all to be in good voice and have a blast. They'll wear what they wear.

I'll be happy to see them.

[Justin]

i'll take cheerleaders over Stamos anytime, anywhere.

I'll probably never understand that.

It's called "Stamos Envy".

That's definitely a part of it.  Stamos, to me, is harmless.  I doubt any fan who's attending the shows are going to walk away saying...."Eh, the songs were alright...but man, John Stamos really rocked!!"  His highest moments will be when he walks out on stage and when he steps up to sing "Forever."  Hardly earth-shattering stuff, here.  

[Justin]

i'll take cheerleaders over Stamos anytime, anywhere.

I'll probably never understand that.

well aside from being a heterosexual male... there's no danger of a cheerleader strapping on a guitar and trying really hard to be a rock star in a band where she simply doesn't belong. but i'd still prefer that to Stamos doing it.

To me, the cheerleaders represent straight up Vegas cheese act, girls with pom-poms, ponytails, looking like they stepped out of a 50's magazine, chanting school songs...bleh.  How something like this could be viewed as less harmful than Stamos on stage...I don't get.

[Wirestone]

The full-on Stamos would make me reconsider going to a reunion show. Seriously.

The inclusion of this guy suggests an approach to the reunion that's more commercial than artistic, more crowd-pleasing than ear-pleasing, and more about Mike's vision of the band than Brian's.

And that's okay! I don't begrudge anyone enjoying that sort of thing. I might even enjoy it if I'm in the right mood. But it's certainly not what I would have hoped for from the reunion shows. And it's therefore my right -- and everyone else's -- to not go if it seems like something we'll hate.

I want a concert band when I attend a concert. Except for the Smile Tour, I could have stayed home and listened to the records instead of hearing Brian's band.

I have to say, this doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Why see any music live, then? Why would you go see a symphony orchestra, when there are so many CDs of the music played perfectly? It's not like most conductors or orchestras actually dance around or shoot confetti cannons.

The point is, live music is its own justification. Some people like it with a lot of showmanship, some don't. I mean, I've enjoyed the Flaming Lips shows I've attended, but they've made that showmanship an integral part of their shows. Brian's band performs in the orchestral tradition -- it's not about onstage tomfoolery, it's about making cool vibrations in the air. It makes its own case.

Adding John Stamos -- a wanna-be rock star and washed-up actor -- to the entirety of a tour does not count as showmanship. It's not creating a touring band. It's simply dumb.

Because rock concerts are supposed to rock and have energy. Brian's band is too clean. They sound almost as good as the record. They are almost too good. I don't care about Stamos. His presence will not be the difference whether it is a good show or not.

There are a bundle of false premises there.

1.) That a "rock concert" is supposed to be any one thing. There are lots of forms for rock shows, some of which are laid-back, and some of which are punk. So what?

2.) That Brian's concerts lack energy. You've already stated that you only attended one. I've been to several, and I have never experienced a lack of energy on any front.

3.) That the BBs or BW are "rock" to begin with.

[Jon Stebbins]

I'd hope they think about what Dennis might prefer...and allow his old buddy David to sing Forever...as he did in 2008 with the BB's here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsZ5NSatN8A

[Justin]

David has done a fine job with the song and I would definitely prefer him having a go at it.  Knowing Mike though, he might go with the more obvious and easy route and have Uncle Jesse John Stamos sing it...after all Stamos has had more public exposure with the song than David has.

[bossaroo]

Stamos is straight up cheesy in every instance I've seen him performing with the Boys.

a cheerleader is at least more pleasing to the eye, and not trying to play or sing with my favorite band. a cheerleader knows her place on that stage.

I would have much less of a problem with Stamos as a cheerleader, come to think of it.

[Justin]

What if they got the girls from Full House to be part of the cheerleader troupe?  Now there's your show...

[bossaroo]

or how about no cheerleaders and no Full House cast members? there's my show.

[Justin]

What a wet blanket.

[Andrew G. Doe]

or how about no cheerleaders and no Full House cast members? there's my show.

Works for me.

[Mikie]

I'd hope they think about what Dennis might prefer...and allow his old buddy David sing Forever...as he did in 2008 with the BB's here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsZ5NSatN8A

Jon, that's gotta be a done deal right there.  Dave has to do that song on the 50th tour.  That whole band did all the parts wonderfully.  I don't dislike Stamo's version, he did it fine, but I think Dave has this one in the bag.

The main thing is that 'Forever' be included in the set.  Top shelf Dennis Wilson material right there.

[drbeachboy]

The full-on Stamos would make me reconsider going to a reunion show. Seriously.

The inclusion of this guy suggests an approach to the reunion that's more commercial than artistic, more crowd-pleasing than ear-pleasing, and more about Mike's vision of the band than Brian's.

And that's okay! I don't begrudge anyone enjoying that sort of thing. I might even enjoy it if I'm in the right mood. But it's certainly not what I would have hoped for from the reunion shows. And it's therefore my right -- and everyone else's -- to not go if it seems like something we'll hate.

I want a concert band when I attend a concert. Except for the Smile Tour, I could have stayed home and listened to the records instead of hearing Brian's band.

I have to say, this doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Why see any music live, then? Why would you go see a symphony orchestra, when there are so many CDs of the music played perfectly? It's not like most conductors or orchestras actually dance around or shoot confetti cannons.

The point is, live music is its own justification. Some people like it with a lot of showmanship, some don't. I mean, I've enjoyed the Flaming Lips shows I've attended, but they've made that showmanship an integral part of their shows. Brian's band performs in the orchestral tradition -- it's not about onstage tomfoolery, it's about making cool vibrations in the air. It makes its own case.

Adding John Stamos -- a wanna-be rock star and washed-up actor -- to the entirety of a tour does not count as showmanship. It's not creating a touring band. It's simply dumb.

Because rock concerts are supposed to rock and have energy. Brian's band is too clean. They sound almost as good as the record. They are almost too good. I don't care about Stamos. His presence will not be the difference whether it is a good show or not.

There are a bundle of false premises there.

1.) That a "rock concert" is supposed to be any one thing. There are lots of forms for rock shows, some of which are laid-back, and some of which are punk. So what?

2.) That Brian's concerts lack energy. You've already stated that you only attended one. I've been to several, and I have never experienced a lack of energy on any front.

3.) That the BBs or BW are "rock" to begin with.

I think you are getting too technical here. My point is that I saw the Boys' close to 30 times between 69 to 97 and except for maybe the 93 Box set tour, those shows rocked and had energy. Most of the performances did not sound like their studio versions. Brian's shows on the other hand, sound musically, almost identical to the studio versions. I guess it is just something that you feel when you are there while it is happening. Just my preference, I suppose. Btw, I used the Smile Tour as an example, not as the only show that I attended. I have seen Brian live 6 times.

[Mike's Beard]

I'd hope they think about what Dennis might prefer...and allow his old buddy David to sing Forever...as he did in 2008 with the BB's here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsZ5NSatN8A

And to think they weren't initially going to invite this guy.

[Wirestone]

or how about no cheerleaders and no Full House cast members? there's my show.

Works for me.

Give the man a medal!

[Wirestone]

I would assume on this tour he will mainly be a percussionist, but I'm sure he'll be up front for a few numbers.

Why - there'll be two drummers plus Nelson. Don't need another any more than they need another guitarist. Hopefully he'll only 'play' a very few gigs. Less than one would suit me just fine.

Andrew -- Has it actually been confirmed that all of Brian's band is coming on these shows? My assumption, and that's all it was, has been that a couple of members of the BW band wouldn't be included. In other words, Mikey would be subbed out by Cowsill. And it doesn't seem like Darian's scene, does it?

Would be thrilled to be wrong, but it would lead to some redundancy, no?

I'm a tad confused - my initial reading of the reports was Brian's band plus Scott T & John C... but now I'm not so sure. I think I need to ask the legendary "someone who would know". 

I asked because of Mike's quote to Rolling Stone --

What will the backing band look like?

Brian Wilson has an incredible band. We're using most of his band. And we've got [current Beach Boys touring] drummer John Cowsill and our guitarist, Scott Totten. We're kind of blending things together.  I think, musically, it's going to be incredible.

That makes me wonder if the DiA lineup might end up being the touring lineup.

[Shady]

or how about no cheerleaders and no Full House cast members? there's my show.

Is it so much to ask?

[SMiLE Brian]

or how about no cheerleaders and no Full House cast members? there's my show.

Is it so much to ask?

Agreed, Mike Love has always had a weird concept of what makes the Beach Boys popular. Its Brian's music(with some lyrics by Mike), not any other tacky distractions in the live show.

[Shady]

or how about no cheerleaders and no Full House cast members? there's my show.

Is it so much to ask?

Ditto, Mike Love has always had a weird concept of what makes the Beach Boys popular. Its Brian's music(with some lyrics by Mike), not any other tacky distractions in the live show.

I like Mike, a genius in my book.

But the man is corny, always has been, always will be. Actually I think he's more insane than Brian..

I've seen interviews where he's asked "what can the fans expect" and he answers with his cheesy "some 'fun, fun, fun' and some 'good vibrations'.

Could the guy be any more uncool, he's one of the living legends, he should act like one

[metal flake paint]

Did Stamos ever play a show outside of the US with the boys ? Since I'm going to Berlin, I hope he won't be there. It's not against him as a person or drummer, but like others said he represents all that cheesiness and that should be forgotten. Every time he is part of a show they act like it's the biggest thing in the world but let's be honest, even he is a somewhat "part of a time long gone" and nothing more but a novelty.
And I wouldn't want him to do "Forever" when there's Brian and David on stage. Don't let this last chande the Beach Boys will ever have become such a cheesy, freaky show. Before adding some non-Beach Boy, get Blondie and Ricky

Stamos was present when I saw The Beach Boys play at Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia in 1992. Referring to my contemporaneous notes, I noted that he was an unwelcome distraction and that Carl seemed to get increasingly annoyed by him as the concert progressed.

Did Carl give him "That Look"? That was always the best way to tell with Carl.

Couldn't tell as he was wearing sunnies but he seemed less than impressed.

[oldsurferdude]

or how about no cheerleaders and no Full House cast members? there's my show.

Is it so much to ask?

Ditto, Mike Love has always had a weird concept of what makes the Beach Boys popular. Its Brian's music(with some lyrics by Mike), not any other tacky distractions in the live show.

I like Mike, a genius in my book.

But the man is corny, always has been, always will be. Actually I think he's more insane than Brian..

I've seen interviews where he's asked "what can the fans expect" and he answers with his cheesy "some 'fun, fun, fun' and some 'good vibrations'.

Could the guy be any more uncool, he's one of the living legends, he should act like one

A legend in who's mind? His? Your's? Your book? Better check your Funk & Wagnel's-Genius-"Extraordinary intelligence surpassing that of most intellectually superior individuals...". Not in this life.

[SMiLE]

I would assume on this tour he will mainly be a percussionist, but I'm sure he'll be up front for a few numbers.

Why - there'll be two drummers plus Nelson. Don't need another any more than they need another guitarist. Hopefully he'll only 'play' a very few gigs. Less than one would suit me just fine.

Wait, two drummers, D'Amico's involved?

[Ron]

Who are you guys kidding?  Stamos will be there, AND Cheerleaders will be there.  There is no one or the other.  Also Beach Balls.  Also most of the songs will NOT be from Smile or Pet Sounds.  Also Mike will be the focus, not Brian.  Mike's the frontman. 

If you want to see the artsy fartsy genius music that only you fully understand because we're all too stupid, go see Brian's show.   He and his band (god bless them) are all too eager to give you what you're looking for.

If you want to go see THE BEACH BOYS, though, you're going to get stupid sh*t like John Stamos, Cheerleaders, songs about surfing, beach balls, hawaian shirts and a bunch of corny jokes from Mike Love, who will be standing front and center the enitre tour. 

Can't Wait, personally!

[Zach95]

Who are you guys kidding?  Stamos will be there, AND Cheerleaders will be there.  There is no one or the other.  Also Beach Balls.  Also most of the songs will NOT be from Smile or Pet Sounds.  Also Mike will be the focus, not Brian.  Mike's the frontman. 

If you want to see the artsy fartsy genius music that only you fully understand because we're all too stupid, go see Brian's show.   He and his band (god bless them) are all too eager to give you what you're looking for.

If you want to go see THE BEACH BOYS, though, you're going to get stupid sh*t like John Stamos, Cheerleaders, songs about surfing, beach balls, hawaian shirts and a bunch of corny jokes from Mike Love, who will be standing front and center the enitre tour. 

Can't Wait, personally!

See...I REALLY don't think this will be the case.  I have no real reasons to believe this, other than pure intuition. But I REALLY don't think so.