Least Essential Beach Boy?

[harrisonjon]

Obviously the subtraction of any member from that peak 1964-71 period would be a big loss, but which would be the least damaging to the group's abilities?

[Loaf]

Ricky and Blondie

[Myk Luhv]

Al...

[ontor pertawst]

Zeppo Wilson.

[Shady]

Bruce

[Emdeeh]

None of them.

[Jim V.]

Gosh. Least essential?? Hmm...

I'd probably say Dave or Ricky, as you don't really hear all that much of either, and neither sang lead on any essential songs, although to be honest, I really dig "Here She Comes", and I like Ricky's voice a lot. Yes, in reply to a future

However, if it was up to me that one member of the band had to go, that's an easy one. Bruce Johnston. He's the king of schlock and for a while it's seemed like he's tried to play up their lame "oldies cheeseball" image. Plus, he's probably the worst writer in the band, even worse than Al. He has a few nice things, but I would take material written by Brian, Dennis, Carl, Mike, Al, Blondie, Ricky, or Dave over his most of the time.

[LostArt]

Obviously the subtraction of any member from that peak 1964-71 period would be a big loss, but which would be the least damaging to the group's abilities?

Would have to say Bruce, given the parameters that you set up.  They would've needed another guy for the touring band to play bass/keys/sing falsetto early on.  Once they started to augment the touring band, then Bruce was expendable.

[Reddiwhip]

I almost wrote Stamos, but then I noticed you said 1964-71.  Damn.   

[harrisonjon]

At what point did Dennis become irreplaceable: Friends, Sunflower, or back in 1964?

[I. Spaceman]

At what point did Dennis become irreplaceable: Friends, Sunflower, or back in 1964?

When he came up with the idea to write a song about surfing.

[Jason]

I almost wrote Stamos, but then I noticed you said 1964-71.  Damn.   

Stamos isn't a Beach Boy, so your point would have been invalid to begin with.

[Reddiwhip]

I almost wrote Stamos, but then I noticed you said 1964-71.  Damn.   

Stamos isn't a Beach Boy, so your point would have been invalid to begin with.

I'd have to say Bruce then.  Nearest Faraway Place, Tears in the Morning and Disney Girls (1957) do not qualify him as essential.

[I. Spaceman]

Bruce's vocals on California Girls and God Only Knows alone qualify him as essential, in my book.

[runnersdialzero]

Brian Wilson. Fuckin' fatty layabout birthday cake disposal coke fiend, abdicating his responsibileries within the band JUST when they needed him the most because he was "sad" or some shit. It's like... quit yer daydreamin', melonhead.

Have you seen that photo of him wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt? Can you believe he'd support such a company? Brian needs to learn more about the responsibileries within the consternation camps before he starts funding Nazis. More like Brian "I luv Nazis because I'm such a fuckin' fatty layabout birthday cake disposal coke fiend, abdicating his responsibileries within the band JUST when they needed him the most because he was "sad" or some shit" Wilson IMFO.

[Wah Wah Wah Ooooo]

Brian Wilson. f***in' fatty layabout birthday cake disposal coke fiend, abdicating his responsibileries within the band JUST when they needed him the most because he was "sad" or some shit. It's like... quit yer daydreamin', melonhead.

Have you seen that photo of him wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt? Can you believe he'd support such a company? Brian needs to learn more about the responsibileries within the consternation camps before he starts funding Nazis. More like Brian "I luv Nazis because I'm such a f***in' fatty layabout birthday cake disposal coke fiend, abdicating his responsibileries within the band JUST when they needed him the most because he was "sad" or some shit" Wilson IMFO.

This is the funniest post. Maybe ever.

To answer the question: Bruce Johnston, though it's tough because as previously mentioned, his vocals, especially on California Girls and God Only Knows among others, are pretty great.

[BB Universe]

Probably Rickey.
But, if you're looking only to the "core" members, which voice was needed least in the harmonies during that time? Dennis perhaps?

[STE]

Zeppo Wilson.

[runnersdialzero]

As Mr.Spaceman alluded to, imagine a world without Dennis Wilson. The guys go in to sing "Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring". It tanks. The people say they want to hear something original. Brian is ready to turn tail and run (again abdicating responsibileries). Suddenly, Al Jardine steps forward.

"Hey! We got an original song... it's just not quite finished yet."
"Oh yeah? What's it about?"
"It's about... dentistry."

[Jukka]

Keep in mind that Bruce did leave the band in the early 70's, and it didn't affect the band one bit (at least negatively), so I'd say he was the least essential one. Even though I love his 65-71 contributions.

[Jon Stebbins]

At what point did Dennis become irreplaceable: Friends, Sunflower, or back in 1964?

Dennis was easily the most popular member of the band with the girls who filled their concerts beginning in '63, and the numbers of his fans grew and grew while they kept screaming for him through '64 and '65. If you took him away you'd have lost a major part of the band's magnetism...right from the beginning. As the band became less popular, '67 - '72 Dennis' magnetism was still there but not such an important factor. The BB's teen-girl fan base had dwindled, and having a teen-idol type of figure in their ranks was part of their yesterday, like so many other things about them. But by that point Dennis had become a prolific songwriter so he was still important, just not as important as he was in '64/'65.

[Mikie]

Plus.........Dennis had by far the largest schwantz, so that made him one of the essential members of the group.

[I. Spaceman]

Keep in mind that Bruce did leave the band in the early 70's, and it didn't affect the band one bit (at least negatively), so I'd say he was the least essential one. Even though I love his 65-71 contributions.

Well, Passions kinda sucks in comparison to the one before it. But Ten Years' Harmony certainly wouldn't have made it a better album.

[Reddiwhip]

Brian Wilson. f***in' fatty layabout birthday cake disposal coke fiend, abdicating his responsibileries within the band JUST when they needed him the most because he was "sad" or some shit. It's like... quit yer daydreamin', melonhead.

Have you seen that photo of him wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt? Can you believe he'd support such a company? Brian needs to learn more about the responsibileries within the consternation camps before he starts funding Nazis. More like Brian "I luv Nazis because I'm such a f***in' fatty layabout birthday cake disposal coke fiend, abdicating his responsibileries within the band JUST when they needed him the most because he was "sad" or some shit" Wilson IMFO.

For some reason all I hear in my head as I'm reading this is the Adult Child version of Shortnin' Bread.

[EgoHanger1966]

At what point did Dennis become irreplaceable: Friends, Sunflower, or back in 1964?

When he came up with the idea to write a song about surfing.

Zing! This kind of makes him the most essential Beach Boy.