THE ENDLESS SUMMER WILL CONTINUE AFTER THE BEACH BOYS 50TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR WRAP

[oldsurferdude]

Mike, just stop touring and take a break for a while until the rest of the group is ready to tour. I can see so many things going wrong this winter with people confused about the BBs touring groups.

It's no use with him. Myke Luhv is delusional-he thinks he really is the Beach Boys. He and bruce can barely sing anymore so they have imposters who hardly sound authentic when they could have Al and David but no, they cost too much for the Lovester. Bottom line? No Wilsons, no Beach Boys.

[drbeachboy]

Mike, just stop touring and take a break for a while until the rest of the group is ready to tour. I can see so many things going wrong this winter with people confused about the BBs touring groups.

It's no use with him. Myke Luhv is delusional-he thinks he really is the Beach Boys. He and bruce can barely sing anymore so they have imposters who hardly sound authentic when they could have Al and David but no, they cost too much for the Lovester. Bottom line? No Wilsons, no Beach Boys.

While I understand your "No Wilson's, no Beach Boys" line, I think Mike & Bruce, as well as Brian, Al and David have proved beyond a doubt that they can more than barely sing. Give credit where credit is due.

[Emdeeh]

Brian, Al, Mike, David, and Bruce can always decide to reunite for another tour after the 50th tour ends. Stranger things have happened.  

[Rocky Raccoon]

It's not just the loss of Brian, Al, and Dave though.  Brian's band which made up the majority of the people onstage is gone too and let's face it, the guys Mike and Bruce have with them do not have the same kind of musicianship and even though it should be seen as a separate entity than the 50th anniversary tour, it will pale in comparison anyways.  They're not a bad band, don't get me wrong, but this past year, the Beach Boys have been a completely different group, giving the music a live experience that it hasn't seen in years (except for Brian's solo tours) and now all of the sudden, we're back to the casual and painfully irrelevant fun time band just like that?  It just doesn't feel right and while I respect Mike for wanting to keep it going, it will always seem like it's not enough now that we've witnessed what it could be under the right circumstances.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

It's not just the loss of Brian, Al, and Dave though.  Brian's band which made up the majority of the people onstage is gone too and let's face it, the guys Mike and Bruce have with them do not have the same kind of musicianship and even though it should be seen as a separate entity than the 50th anniversary tour, it will pale in comparison anyways.  They're not a bad band, don't get me wrong, but this past year, the Beach Boys have been a completely different group, giving the music a live experience that it hasn't seen in years (except for Brian's solo tours) and now all of the sudden, we're back to the casual and painfully irrelevant fun time band just like that?  It just doesn't feel right and while I respect Mike for wanting to keep it going, it will always seem like it's not enough now that we've witnessed what it could be under the right circumstances.

I agree with you, with the exception of Scott Totten and John Cowsill...they are badass.

[Rocky Raccoon]

Yeah I like them too.  Cowsill especially is great on drums.  But I'm not a huge fan of Totten when he sings lead vocals.

[TimmyC]

Don't care if it was to be expected. Still really sad and depressing. Nevertheless it's been an awesome year to be a Beach Boys fan. Even though I would kill for one more studio album, TWGMTR ranks as one of my favorite albums of all time, and the concert I saw in May was the best I've seen. So, really I couldn't have asked for more, and what we got I never thought would ever happen.

[Mikie]

For Smelly Armpits:

Cowsill's a badass.  No doubt about it at all.  And Totten held all the 50th reunion rehearsals together and directed the band with the same demanding pickiness and attention to detail as Brian use to exemplify as a producer in the 60's. So he's an effing badass too. Give those guys some credit, eh?

[Jay]

Smelly Armpits. 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

My username came from an offhand comment I made to another member here.

[Doo Dah]

I dunno. It's still a mystery to me. The three shows I saw online are mid October shows - one in Waco (at a 5K seater) and two gigs in Biloxi. And mid October to boot. I just don't understand why the chinese fire drill to get back on the road, when you could easily do it in mid to late November. Heck, call 'em Christmas shows. Doing it on the heels of London, with greatest hits, a DVD and a boxset in the offing seem mercenary.

And I know it's all PR rah-rah, but these press releases that speak of how these shows will prove 'the music lives on' are just jive. Of course the music lives on...it lived and breathed this summer as it hasn't in decades.

[Wirestone]

Guh.

[Andrew G. Doe]

This pseudo-press release about Mike continuing with Bruce and without the other seems much less like a happy announcement, and more like a warning, basically saying "Hey, if you buy Beach Boys tickets for shows after 9/28, this is what you'll be getting."

Excellent management. Now, if anyone bitches about Alan/Brian/David not being there, Mike can point to Rolling Stone - and the 'net - and say "can't say we didn't tell ya". And rightly too.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Brian, Al, Mike, David, and Bruce can always decide to reunite for another tour after the 50th tour ends. Stranger things have happened.  

Yup... 60th... 75th... 100th.

[Nicko1234]

As long it doesn`t interfere with the possibility of the group doing more recording in future, I don`t see this as being a big deal. In recent years the Mike and Bruce shows have been excellent and musically similar to the recent reunion tour. If they were to pass through my town (they won`t) then I wouldn`t hesitate to go to see them.

[Lowbacca]

Mike, just stop touring and take a break for a while until the rest of the group is ready to tour. I can see so many things going wrong this winter with people confused about the BBs touring groups.

It's no use with him. Myke Luhv is delusional-he thinks he really is the Beach Boys. He and bruce can barely sing anymore so they have imposters who hardly sound authentic when they could have Al and David but no, they cost too much for the Lovester. Bottom line? No Wilsons, no Beach Boys.

Er.. have you been to one of the reunion shows? Mike's voice is in top shape.  And regarding Bruce - his voice is naturally getting thinner with age when it comes to the range he's known for (see his rather weak "Wendy" this year). But apart from that... he too is in good form. ASMTYD, DG ('57), FFF, etc..

[Autotune]

Mike and Bruce's band does not include Jeff Foskett. That would get people on this board interested if we were in like March 2012.

[Jaco]

Last reunion tour was probably better then the Beach Boys with Ricky & Blondie. If you listen to live recordings from the early 70's, you'll hear the band takes their time to tune guitars, talk at lenght in between, often play too long intros, I mean they could play tight and heavy, but they probably forgot to make a coherent show.  
This year's reunion band played very well, and - like never before - could use so many different instruments from the backing band. Also: no idle waiting between songs, except for good music it was also a good show, I mean like in a good movie, just keep the listener being amazed and entertained.

Now this is artistic GOLD, but now Mike & Bruce are going their way: probably make more money with a smaller band?

[runnersdialzero]

Tuning instruments mid-show just happens. Not sure why you'd fault a band for doing so.

[Jaco]

'Fault a band' is a bit of an exaggeration. But you don't wanna loose your audience, maybe they gonna buy some drink or just leave?
You could use sidemen. And I saw sideman handle over brand new tuned guitars between songs.

[The infamous Baldwin Organ]

If you listen to live recordings from the early 70's, you'll hear the band takes their time to tune guitars, talk at lenght in between, often play too long intros, I mean they could play tight and heavy, but they probably forgot to make a coherent show.

I wasn't alive for it, but from what I've been told, that was most bands in the 70's! haha

[Aegir]

that's just because it was the 70s, not that they were like, irresponsible or something. bands back then didn't have like 15 guitars that could be switched in and out at every available moment.

[hypehat]

What a strange thing to pick up on - Would you rather they played increasingly out of tune?

[Rocker]

For the whole reunion tour I often wondered if the tour was put together very quickly (and thankfully very, very well) because of the bookings that Mike & Bruce already had for October (and didn't they also have to cancel some shows earlier this year?). So contracts were already signed for the Mike&Bruce show to play after the Beach Boys tour. I'm not surprised that Brian didn't know this (see Rolling Stone) as this is Brian. Plus no one ever said that it would be certain they'd continue together.

Personally I hoped for (and I mentioned this in this thread) that this would be the last Beach Boys tour. You know, go out on a high note. I'm not very fond of Mike&Bruce going out as "The Beach Boys" no matter how good their band is.
I'd rather have them billed as "Mike Love & Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys" or something to that effect but of course it wouldn't work very well.
One thing though is that the Beach Boys have done fantastic shows that exceeded our expectations and was so good that it'll be hard for Mike&Bruce to get on this level again - no matter how good their band is; the Beach Boys are missing (same goes of course for Brian's tours).
The setlists on the Beach Boys tour were great but I don't think Mike&Bruce will go this way and play the setlists they have done in the last years (which were cool of course); dunno about TWGMTR being included.

After the whole media and press attention the Beach Boys got, it is certain that Mike&Bruce will have some more sales and attention at least for a while because people will believe this is the Beach Boys with Brian (as someone else already mentioned, Brian reuniting with the others is the reason it was/is such a success and not the reunion of the other members). It's not like it wasn't announced but those are not hardcore fans as we are and probably have heard about Brian and the boys being back together, maybe even bought the new album but don't know about the business side and wouldn't think of reading up on that topic. All they know is "Beach Boys reunited with Brian to celebrate their 50th this year, have a new album with Brian and they are giving a concert here".

Music critics and magazines of course will also be on the roll dismissing Mike&Bruce's show. And although I don't think it is fair from a musical point, the criticism of using the Beach Boys' name I share.

[filledeplage]

Status quo ante.  Andrew is correct.

Much greatness poured forth from this tour.

First, they still "got it." (Never a doubt in my mind!)

Second, musicians from each of the bands worked together!  Wow! 

Third, resurgence of interest and appreciation for the music.  Win-win!

But, many who don't access to the regional areas of the tour were disappointed not to see the Touring Band in their more "local" community event venues.  One season won't be all that bad.  And, the music got to more far-flung areas with the Touring Band.  What is really cool is the creativity during the long separation.  Al put out a great album, Brian released work as well, and the younger guys are working on their own cool stuff as well and seem less "in the shadows" than their predecessors.

Lastly, they appeared genuinely delighted working in front of very appreciative fans.  Now, it is time for a breather.  My instinct tells me that we have not seen the last of them touring as group.  Brian looks as if he is more than delighted to be Mr. Beach Boy!  Stay tuned.

To all you wonderful British-based fans: Just rock out next week!  At "this year's" grand finale!