Another disciple joins the ranks!

[Banana]

Wow!  I can't believe it's taken me so long to find this forum!  It's nirvana for a fanatic like myself.  My name is Chris and I was born, raised and still live in Greendale, Wisconsin (a suburb of Milwaukee).  I'm 35-years-old.  I've been what you could call a music "geek" for nearly as long as I can remember...and when you're a music geek you will eventually cross paths with the Cult of Brian Wilson.  It's unavoidable.  Some of us pass by...some of us are casually sucked in and some of us become full-on disciples.  That would be me.  I quickly discovered that Brian's music struck a major chord in my head...it really got to me.  It was unlike anything I'd experienced to that point.  I heard so much of myself in his music: the sensitivity, the fear and uncertainty...the hope and love.  Like many of you, I first got into the "classic period" exploring each LP one at a time.  Through those repeated listens I learned that the band was more than just Brian.  I learned that Mike was an incredible lead singer and that he had an uncanny knack for capturing the life of an American teenager in his lyrics.  I learned that Denny was more than a pretty face...that he had an incredible, primal feel for the drums.  I learned that Carl's voice came straight from heaven and that he and Dave were a great one-two garage rock punch on guitar and I learned that Al had perhaps the most versatile (and strongest) voice in a group made up of great voices!

I soon moved beyond the "Endless Summer" Capitol years and into the more mysterious regions beyond "Good Vibrations" that nobody but the fanatics really explore.  I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of music made from "Wild Honey" through "Holland".  Here was a band still trying to push forward...still trying to make artistic statements and succeeding far more than they failed. 

I've even found things to love in the later Mike Love run years. 

I've been fortunate to see Brian live several times...including his Milwaukee show in 1999 which was one of his first solo dates.  I've seen The Beach Boys on the county fair circuit and was incredibly lucky to see their 50th Anniversary show in Milwaukee on July 1st.

I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite song (I mean, how does one do that) but some that really blow my mind: "Please Let Me Wonder", "Girls On the Beach", "Salt Lake City - great backing track!", "God Only Knows - my wedding song", "This Whole World", "Cuddle Up".

I love Mike and Al's "California Saga" from Holland!

How about my least favorite songs: "Student Demonstration Song", "Take A Load Off Your Feet", most of 15 Big Ones, "Oh Darlin'".

I hold a special place of hatred for "Livin' With A Heartache" which I've always felt sounds like a bad Kenny Rogers/Alabama outtake.

What's my greatest "wish" as a fan?  I want to hear "Wouldn't It Be Nice To Live Again" released sooner than later!  Does it live up to the hype?  Then I could program my own version of "Surf's Up" before they hacked it up.  I've always had a fondness for Dennis.  Such an underrated songwriter who never got the credit he deserved...and who was treated quite badly by some his bandmates. 

Most bizarre Beach Boys recording: so many to choose from...but I was just listening to Brian's "Drip Drop (Teardrops on My Head" and it's absolute insanity!  I cannot even imagine the amount of blow ingested before he recorded that one!  "Let's go, mf's!"

Anyway, I'm typing this from a hospital room.  Our third child, a daughter, was born yesterday and I was just holding her and playing some of my favorite compositions from the Boys!  I'm glad that the first music she ever heard was by The Beach Boys "Summer's Gone", btw!

I look forward to hanging out and discussing the more arcane and more importantly learning stuff I don't already know!

[Banana]

I should add that my two-and-a-half year old son took in a Brian Wilson concert in utero!  Hopefully, some good vibrations made it into the womb!  The other day he was down in the basement with me and he came across an old LP and was curious about it...so I showed him the record player and to demonstrate to him how it worked I very carefully took down an original 1966 copy of "Pet Sounds" and cued it up.  They can remix and remaster and repackage the heck out of that album.  They can release it in stereo or whatever...but nothing beats the sound of the original vinyl!  That opening "WHOMP" of "Wouldn't It Be Nice" just blows me away whenever I hear it!  As I was putting it away...I looked down at my son and told him that this LP is a family heirloom and that it would belong to him someday and that I hoped he'd enjoy it and cherish it as much as I have.

[Heysaboda]

Welcome!

That is, welcome to the insane asylum!   

Based on your note, you'll fit in nicely here!

[Banana]

I figured as much.  I was turned onto the site by the guy sitting next to me at their Milwaukee show on the 1st.  We found ourselves discussing Brian's work on the Spring LP...so I knew I was in good company and he asked if I'd ever been on this forum.  I signed up the very next day.