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Author Topic: When did The Beach Boys die?  (Read 13345 times)
MBE
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« on: April 10, 2006, 06:16:57 PM »

I posted this on another board and wanted to see the reaction here.
When The Beach Boys died is interesting. Some say 1967 but I totally disagree. The stuff I like best (even Brian's) comes from the 67-72 period. 1997 is technically when it happened but few would argue that their creativity had all but deserted them. . I think the creative death happened in three stages. The first strike came in 1975. The tour with Chicago was superb, but Dennis and Brian vocally nose-dived. To me what made The Beach Boys great were their harmonies. After the vocal decline began Beach Boys records never sounded as good. 1977 marked the decline of the live shows. As early as the 1-77 tour, all three of the Wilson's brothers performance was chemically affected, Carl cleaned up fast but as Brian and Dennis got worse so did the band. They did break up for a few weeks that year. In truth, they never again functioned as a collaborative group. After Charles Lloyd left in 1978 the setlist became a travesty. At least they were still recording regularly and did actually perform their new songs, but from 1981 on the studio was not a focus. This caused Carl to leave for about 18 months making for The Beach Boys worst shows up to that point. What When Carl returned in 1982 and Brian in 1983 they performed with a lot of enthusiasm. The shows weren’t great per se but it was only after Dennis passed away that I truly think The Beach Boys were truly over. It wasn’t as much Dennis’ recent drunken performances that were missed; it was more how his brothers reacted. Brian never was as comfortable working with the others again, and Carl became increasingly complacent. While their 1993 fall tour was great, there is very little post 83 to celebrate
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« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2006, 07:38:42 PM »

I would say they died around 85ish or so, or just after "Getcha Back" came out, whenever time period that was.  Even without Dennis, and Brian's mental health, I'd say they still were a good representation of what the band once was.  In the next few years with Brian's solo stuff and the BB's capping their career with "Kokomo", they drastically changed the direction of the band and the propsects for future music from them.  So I'd say they died in the mid 80's.  "Getcha Back" was pure BB's gold, though. 
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« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2006, 07:39:58 PM »

December 28, 1983, for me- plain and simple.  In other words, I agree with you, MBE.  But it's a subjective question.
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« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2006, 08:40:07 PM »

I think the BB85 album, regardless of how you feel about the quality of music on it, was the last gasp from the real Beach Boys. It is the last time where they felt like an actual band . From Kokomo onwards, it was the Mike Love show.
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« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2006, 08:55:42 PM »

The Beach Boys are immortal.  They'll never die.
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« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2006, 09:08:21 PM »

1974

Endless Summer
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« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2006, 09:13:58 PM »

The Beach Boys are immortal.  They'll never die.

I like that.

I think I'll have to agree! Brian, Dennis, & Carl
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MBE
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« Reply #7 on: April 10, 2006, 10:06:09 PM »

Very interesting answers. You know Brian was around more in 84-5 and I have seen 3 TV shows from around that time where they (even Brian) sound great. They do Their Hearts on one, and Graduation Day on another. If the 1985 LP had not had such a poor producer, and such mediocre songs (save Getcha Back) maybe they would have been able to forge a new collective sound. I think 1985 and 1995 offered them a chance to have life beyond Dennis but they blew it both times. So I have to stick to 1983. I am glad this subject creates so much intelligent commentary.
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« Reply #8 on: April 10, 2006, 10:08:33 PM »

The Beach Boys have always been their own worst enemy.
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MBE
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« Reply #9 on: April 10, 2006, 10:17:49 PM »

"The Beach Boys have always been their own worst enemy"
I agree. Your 1974 date is pretty valid. To me that marks the start of a real decline, but  I see the end as a gradual decay over the next decade.
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« Reply #10 on: April 10, 2006, 11:19:04 PM »

I must be a real wimp, because I agree with every damn one of these answers.  They died more times than Kathy Bates at the end of "Misery"...and I'll throw in May of 1967.
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« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2006, 12:48:15 AM »

1998, with the passing of you know who...
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« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2006, 03:54:44 AM »

I would think any date before their biggest #1 hit in 1988 would be off the table by definition and it's hard for me to consider a band dead that still sells enough albums each year to put it on a Billboard chart while the majority of the members are still alive.  I would say they are only between new music albums [hopefully] but I also agree with "H".

Edit: I guess anything before 1995 would be off the table, anyway....  Maybe the thread should be retitled, "When did you quit liking the Beach Boys' new albums"?
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« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2006, 04:08:04 AM »

I guess you could say they're still alive, but their life-flame has been seriously flickering for many years now.

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« Reply #14 on: April 11, 2006, 06:02:38 AM »

February 6, 1998.

Since then it's been kind of like Weekend At Bernie's.
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« Reply #15 on: April 11, 2006, 06:16:43 AM »

However, they got there - hasn't The Beatles' early 'death' as a group been one of the best things for their status and legacy in the long run?   As the old show business adage has it:  "Always leave 'em wanting more!"  As with any death you've got to learn to let go.  Of course, the great music of The Beach Boys will always live on (as much as any other 'rock' act of the last 50 years anyway).
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« Reply #16 on: April 11, 2006, 07:05:07 AM »

The Beach Boys have always been their own worst enemy.

I agree.

I'd say they ended either with Dennis' or Carl's death.
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« Reply #17 on: April 11, 2006, 07:42:53 AM »

I would say they died around 85ish or so, or just after "Getcha Back" came out, whenever time period that was.  Even without Dennis, and Brian's mental health, I'd say they still were a good representation of what the band once was.  In the next few years with Brian's solo stuff and the BB's capping their career with "Kokomo", they drastically changed the direction of the band and the propsects for future music from them.  So I'd say they died in the mid 80's.  "Getcha Back" was pure BB's gold, though. 

I agree with this post.  Excellent analysis.

Very interesting answers. You know Brian was around more in 84-5 and I have seen 3 TV shows from around that time where they (even Brian) sound great. They do Their Hearts on one, and Graduation Day on another. If the 1985 LP had not had such a poor producer, and such mediocre songs (save Getcha Back) maybe they would have been able to forge a new collective sound. I think 1985 and 1995 offered them a chance to have life beyond Dennis but they blew it both times. So I have to stick to 1983. I am glad this subject creates so much intelligent commentary.

Interesting.  I agree that Levine was the wrong producer for the '85 album, and I would have to say that for the first time ever Carl really mailed it in that time.  However, for my money there are still a couple of magical Brian songs on '85 -- "Crack at Your Love," "I'm So Lonely," and "Male Ego."  After '85 Brian was never again a Beach Boy.  And without Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys simply do not exist (much as I love the others, even Mike).

The Beach Boys are immortal. They'll never die.

Absolutely true, and I second the sentiment.  However, one could also say the same thing about the Beatles, and no one would dispute that as a functioning, presently existing group, the Beatles died in 1970.  As for the Beach Boys, I think they "died" in that sense in 1985.  And I for one am sure glad they lasted 15 years longer than the Fab Four, because they gave us some absolutely extraordinary music in those 15 years. 
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« Reply #18 on: April 11, 2006, 07:47:09 AM »

However, they got there - hasn't The Beatles' early 'death' as a group been one of the best things for their status and legacy in the long run?

Oh, absolutely. Dying young is great for your PR. That's why James Dean in more popular than Marlon Brando, why Marilyn Monroe is more popular than Brigitte Bardot, why John Lennon is more popular than Paul McCartney...

If the Beach Boys would've called it quits in 1967, their current reputation would no doubt have been much better.
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« Reply #19 on: April 11, 2006, 07:47:47 AM »

it ended when they thought putting a Culture Club outtake on an album was a good idea
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« Reply #20 on: April 11, 2006, 07:56:41 AM »

However, one could also say the same thing about the Beatles, and no one would dispute that as a functioning, presently existing group, the Beatles died in 1970.  As for the Beach Boys, I think they "died" in that sense in 1985.  And I for one am sure glad they lasted 15 years longer than the Fab Four, because they gave us some absolutely extraordinary music in those 15 years. 

You could say that the Beatles as a functioning group died in 1968, but that's another story. To me, the Beach Boys represent, in a way, a geographical area and a lifestyle. The Beatles represent the four personalities contained therein. The Beach Boys touring today still mean something, I think. Once John was gone, like on the anthology, I recall hearing the rest described not as the Beatles, but as the 'Remaining' Beatles.
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« Reply #21 on: April 11, 2006, 08:12:51 AM »

Too many points in the group's history which could all equally be interpreted as the death of the group. I'd say that when Brian Wilson dies it's time to stop touring his music so like they do. After that their should be huge tribute concerts, with a vast set list of all the lesser known songs.
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« Reply #22 on: April 11, 2006, 08:28:37 AM »

All interesting and correct answers earlier in this thread.  The Beach Boys in my mind have died multiple deaths.

1961 when they took the name "The Beach Boys".  The name of the band reinforces their stereotype as a fun-n-sun band
1967 with the non-release of SMiLE and the start of Brian's decline
1974 with Endless Summer
1983 with the premature death of Denny (tho honestly can you picture a 60 year old Dennis?  I can't...)

and of course the nail in the coffin so to speak was February 6, 1998   Sad  Sad  Sad

Then there is the Mike and Bruce Endless Sounds of Summer Travelling Jukebox show which refuses to die!!   Grin
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« Reply #23 on: April 11, 2006, 08:43:52 AM »

There have been many versions of the Beach Boys. The group dies when nobody wants to or needs to use the name anymore, or when the name ceases to mean anything.

I'd say the first version of the group died the minute Brian quit touring with them (the first time around).
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« Reply #24 on: April 11, 2006, 08:55:18 AM »

"1961 when they took the name "The Beach Boys".  The name of the band reinforces their stereotype as a fun-n-sun band"

Aha!  This old chestnut rears its head once again.

Next thing you know someone will suggest that Jefferson Airplane wasn't entirely made up of former cabin crew personnel, that Seals and Crofts weren't cute Arctic Creatures, that the High Llamas aren't intoxicated alpacas or that the Raspberries weren't a bunch of fruits.

No, the real reason why the Beach Boys are perceived by the massess as a fun'n'sun band is because the bulk of their most popular and enduring songs (e.g. Surfin' USA, Fun Fun Fun, I Get Around, California Girls, Do It Again etc.) is themed accordingly.  Leaving aside the oddities that are Good Vibrations and Heroes and Villains, the typical broad-based festival audience (i.e. Glastonbury 2005) is most at ease with those time-honored hits from 1963-1966.

Even if the group was called Doctor Jeremy Simpson's Fetid Underpants, they'd still be characterised more by the great music that they made during that era than by the name per se.  It's the music that's the critical factor at play here.  Not the name.

We (that's us here on these boards) understand the bigger picture.  But we're the minority.

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