place for compiling any new information on a next BB album

[Andrew G. Doe]

Say it again, while a new album is always possible, I personally don't want to see one: everything aligned for TWGMTR and while far from perfect, it was easily 1000% better than I was reasonably expecting. I don't see that happening twice in a row. A lot of the best tracks had history, and I'd much rather remember it as twilight's last gleaming as opposed to the 2nd last album preceding a half-assed farewell that satisfied no-one. So I'm greedy: hate me. I love this band and for once, they did it something close to right.

[The Shift]

Say it again, while a new album is always possible, I personally don't want to see one: everything aligned for TWGMTR and while far from perfect, it was easily 1000% better than I was reasonably expecting. I don't see that happening twice in a row. A lot of the best tracks had history, and I'd much rather remember it as twilight's last gleaming as opposed to the 2nd last album preceding a half-assed farewell that satisfied no-one. So I'm greedy: hate me. I love this band and for once, they did it something close to right.

Appreciate what you're saying. But I hope lightning can strike twice (or that I win the lotto twice… even once!).

[Cabinessenceking]

I don't want this to sound like a math equation, but...

I figure that Mike Love, over the last 50 years, has at least 50 songs written, demoed, and in the can. Maybe Bruce also has 50. Same with David Marks. Maybe Al has 3.

I have to think that you could take the single best song of the lot from each guy, and it would be at least as good, if not better, than the worst that Brian is bringing to the table. "Daybreak Over The Ocean" is a good example of this, although I thought they could've picked a better Mike song. "The Private Life Of Bill And Sue" and "Beaches In Mind" are OK, but do you think Bruce and/or David didn't have one song - one song! - that couldn't rival those two. I do.

Maybe they (Bruce, David, and Al) could even give Brian a credit to keep his wifeandmanagers happy.

Imo I think the Beach Boys as a whole must be one of the least proficient bands out there of such fame when it comes to songwriting material. Brian wrote very much, but these other guys have just been jumping on the band wagon for 50 years. Al is a professional musician, yet he writes close to no material despite being perfectly capable of making some great tunes. Are they really just lazy? Bruce too? Did the endless touring of the 80's turn them off songwriting? why did they write so little in the 70's?

[AndrewHickey]

I don't want this to sound like a math equation, but...

I figure that Mike Love, over the last 50 years, has at least 50 songs written, demoed, and in the can. Maybe Bruce also has 50. Same with David Marks. Maybe Al has 3.

I have to think that you could take the single best song of the lot from each guy, and it would be at least as good, if not better, than the worst that Brian is bringing to the table. "Daybreak Over The Ocean" is a good example of this, although I thought they could've picked a better Mike song. "The Private Life Of Bill And Sue" and "Beaches In Mind" are OK, but do you think Bruce and/or David didn't have one song - one song! - that couldn't rival those two. I do.

Maybe they (Bruce, David, and Al) could even give Brian a credit to keep his wifeandmanagers happy.

Imo I think the Beach Boys as a whole must be one of the least proficient bands out there of such fame when it comes to songwriting material. Brian wrote very much, but these other guys have just been jumping on the band wagon for 50 years. Al is a professional musician, yet he writes close to no material despite being perfectly capable of making some great tunes. Are they really just lazy? Bruce too? Did the endless touring of the 80's turn them off songwriting? why did they write so little in the 70's?

Doesn't mean they're lazy. Songwriting and musical performance are two very different skills, and there's no reason at all to think that being good at one means you'll be good at the other. There are plenty of people who are very, very good performers who have little or no songwriting ability (for example Sinatra, Elvis, Aretha Franklin) or whose songwriting ability is much lower than their other skills. And equally, there are many great songwriters who have poor or nonexistent instrumental or vocal skills (you don't hear about those so much these days because there's an expectation that songwriters will perform their own material, but for example I have a recording of Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin performing some of their songs together. No-one could argue that they weren't great songwriters, but it's very far from the best performance I've ever heard).

Division of labour is not bandwagon-jumping or lazy. If the Beach Boys were lazy people they'd have played *far* fewer shows than they did/do every year.

[Jim V.]

Say it again, while a new album is always possible, I personally don't want to see one: everything aligned for TWGMTR and while far from perfect, it was easily 1000% better than I was reasonably expecting. I don't see that happening twice in a row. A lot of the best tracks had history, and I'd much rather remember it as twilight's last gleaming as opposed to the 2nd last album preceding a half-assed farewell that satisfied no-one. So I'm greedy: hate me. I love this band and for once, they did it something close to right.

I respect you quite a bit Andrew. But I can't get on board with this way of thinking. If Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce, and Dave are still active, why not have them together making new music. Some of it might be not so great. But who cares? If we got new any new songs as great as uplifting as "Isn't It Time" or as powerful as "From There To Back Again" then its worth it. Honestly, if we get anything like the quirky "Private Life of Bill and Sue" I'll be happy. Its Brian Wilson with Mike Love and Al Jardine. It's pretty much worked for the past 50 years, why wouldn't it work again?

[TimmyC]

If they release a new album in 2013, I think my head will collapse in on itself from excitement. So for that reason, the prudent thing for me to do would be to root AGAINST a new release. I have kids, man!

Seriously though, I don't care what the songs sound like, who's playing, or who's producing, so long as we have Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce and (maybe) David's vocals and the songs are written or co-written by a Beach Boy. I mean, yeah, in an ideal world, I like the notion of a Sunflower-type record. But they're over 70 for God's sake, and we already got in 2012 way more than we possibly had any right to expect. At this point, I'll take almost anything I can get from them and will love it. Guaranteed.

[Bean Bag]

or Nigel Godrich...

Interesting...  I'm familiar with Nigel Godrich from all the albums he produced for Beck.  I think that's a fantastic idea.  Godrich has a way of making the music sound immediate, a little glossy and simple sounding at first, but there's always a lot more going on in -- revealing itself over time.

Nigel Godrich/Beach Boys = a fully rich, deep and somewhat introspective album -- yet still an accessible and pleasant album, with high replay value... as well as the potential to add in NEW sounds and technology!!  

Rick Rubin/Beach Boys = a stark, edgy and honestly raw album... black and white and very immediate, with a lot of tightly focused, honest detail.  Bye, bye bloat -- hello lean and mean.  

I think either one of those options would be a fascinating view of the Beach Boys... and pleasant change.  I'm f*$%ing ready for it!!!  As of now... I don't expect anything "interesting" from a Beach Boys production.  Sadly.  The songs, the song writing and the contributions we can debate all day... but the production has become relatively predictable.  They need to mix it up.

There I said it.  

[I. Spaceman]

I don't want this to sound like a math equation, but...

I figure that Mike Love, over the last 50 years, has at least 50 songs written, demoed, and in the can. Maybe Bruce also has 50. Same with David Marks. Maybe Al has 3.

I have to think that you could take the single best song of the lot from each guy, and it would be at least as good, if not better, than the worst that Brian is bringing to the table. "Daybreak Over The Ocean" is a good example of this, although I thought they could've picked a better Mike song. "The Private Life Of Bill And Sue" and "Beaches In Mind" are OK, but do you think Bruce and/or David didn't have one song - one song! - that couldn't rival those two. I do.

Maybe they (Bruce, David, and Al) could even give Brian a credit to keep his wifeandmanagers happy.

Imo I think the Beach Boys as a whole must be one of the least proficient bands out there of such fame when it comes to songwriting material. Brian wrote very much, but these other guys have just been jumping on the band wagon for 50 years. Al is a professional musician, yet he writes close to no material despite being perfectly capable of making some great tunes. Are they really just lazy? Bruce too? Did the endless touring of the 80's turn them off songwriting? why did they write so little in the 70's?

Doesn't mean they're lazy. Songwriting and musical performance are two very different skills, and there's no reason at all to think that being good at one means you'll be good at the other. There are plenty of people who are very, very good performers who have little or no songwriting ability (for example Sinatra, Elvis, Aretha Franklin) or whose songwriting ability is much lower than their other skills. And equally, there are many great songwriters who have poor or nonexistent instrumental or vocal skills (you don't hear about those so much these days because there's an expectation that songwriters will perform their own material, but for example I have a recording of Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin performing some of their songs together. No-one could argue that they weren't great songwriters, but it's very far from the best performance I've ever heard).

Division of labour is not bandwagon-jumping or lazy. If the Beach Boys were lazy people they'd have played *far* fewer shows than they did/do every year.

Aretha cowrote some of her greatest recordings.

[Alex]

or Nigel Godrich...

 Sadly.  The songs, the song writing and the contributions we can debate all day... but the production has become relatively predictable.  They need to mix it up.

There I said it.  

Seems like they've been going for the big, slick, mainstream AC/MOR sound since my parents were in high school. Not counting solo records, we haven't had a raw and/or organic sounding Beach Boys album since Love You. IMO Postcard from California sounds better than TWGMTR. (And even has a couple of better songs. I've even made a playlist with DFTS, California Feeling, Looking Down the Coast, Drivin', and Waves of Love-plus I Sail Away, 10000 Years, and Glow Crescent Glow-augmenting TWGMTR, even replacing Spring Vacation, Beaches in Mind, and the title track.)

[AndrewHickey]

I don't want this to sound like a math equation, but...

I figure that Mike Love, over the last 50 years, has at least 50 songs written, demoed, and in the can. Maybe Bruce also has 50. Same with David Marks. Maybe Al has 3.

I have to think that you could take the single best song of the lot from each guy, and it would be at least as good, if not better, than the worst that Brian is bringing to the table. "Daybreak Over The Ocean" is a good example of this, although I thought they could've picked a better Mike song. "The Private Life Of Bill And Sue" and "Beaches In Mind" are OK, but do you think Bruce and/or David didn't have one song - one song! - that couldn't rival those two. I do.

Maybe they (Bruce, David, and Al) could even give Brian a credit to keep his wifeandmanagers happy.

Imo I think the Beach Boys as a whole must be one of the least proficient bands out there of such fame when it comes to songwriting material. Brian wrote very much, but these other guys have just been jumping on the band wagon for 50 years. Al is a professional musician, yet he writes close to no material despite being perfectly capable of making some great tunes. Are they really just lazy? Bruce too? Did the endless touring of the 80's turn them off songwriting? why did they write so little in the 70's?

Doesn't mean they're lazy. Songwriting and musical performance are two very different skills, and there's no reason at all to think that being good at one means you'll be good at the other. There are plenty of people who are very, very good performers who have little or no songwriting ability (for example Sinatra, Elvis, Aretha Franklin) or whose songwriting ability is much lower than their other skills. And equally, there are many great songwriters who have poor or nonexistent instrumental or vocal skills (you don't hear about those so much these days because there's an expectation that songwriters will perform their own material, but for example I have a recording of Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin performing some of their songs together. No-one could argue that they weren't great songwriters, but it's very far from the best performance I've ever heard).

Division of labour is not bandwagon-jumping or lazy. If the Beach Boys were lazy people they'd have played *far* fewer shows than they did/do every year.

Aretha cowrote some of her greatest recordings.

I was possibly over-hasty saying she had little or no songwriting ability, but she only wrote or co-wrote a couple of songs per album, and I'd argue that if she'd never written and recorded Daydreamin', Rock Steady, Call Me or Think (for example -- to take some of the most successful songs she wrote) her artistic reputation and career would be pretty much the same as it is now, while if she'd not recorded, say, Respect, I Say A Little Prayer, Chain Of Fools or Natural Woman, it would be much diminished.

[I. Spaceman]

Yeah, that's why I said greatest, not most popular. The best song she cowrote was Dr. Feelgood, possibly the most intense, fiery performance she ever gave. The best of the hits she cowrote was the blazingly funky (Since You've Been Gone) Sweet Sweet Baby.

[bgas]

 I've never really paid any attention to Aretha other than her hits, certainly not enough to know she has co-writing credits; but is it possible that , as with  Elvis, Spector, some others probably, that she gets the writing credit so the songs can be recorded by her and released?  Half of something  Aretha, is a lot better than all of a song that never gets played at all

[I. Spaceman]

No. Aretha is not just a singer, she is also a great musician. Her very distinctive piano sound is the bedrock of all her recordings. She worked with lyricists.

[the professor]

In terms of writing, I would feel much better about TWGMTR as a final BB album if Mike and even Al and Bruce, had co-written the final three songs. What a renaissance of lyrical prowess it would have been for Mike to have written Summer's Gone. That he did not must be personally unsatisfying for him as well. The status of the song/album as a "final statement" would be much stronger if that were a BB exclusive composition.  Mike quotes it lovingly in the LA Times. All this is part of why I am such a "what can they still come up with together" advocate.

[EgoHanger1966]

In terms of writing, I would feel much better about TWGMTR as a final BB album if Mike and even Al and Bruce, had co-written the final three songs. What a renaissance of lyrical prowess it would have been for Mike to have written Summer's Gone. That he did not must be personally unsatisfying for him as well. The status of the song/album as a "final statement" would be much stronger if that were a BB exclusive composition.  Mike quotes it lovingly in the LA Times. All this is part of why I am such a "what can they still come up with together" advocate.

If Mike had written the lyrics to Summer's Gone, they would have included lyrics about surfing at the beach and at least one lyrical reference to a previous Beach Boys hit.

[AndrewHickey]

In terms of writing, I would feel much better about TWGMTR as a final BB album if Mike and even Al and Bruce, had co-written the final three songs. What a renaissance of lyrical prowess it would have been for Mike to have written Summer's Gone. That he did not must be personally unsatisfying for him as well. The status of the song/album as a "final statement" would be much stronger if that were a BB exclusive composition.  Mike quotes it lovingly in the LA Times. All this is part of why I am such a "what can they still come up with together" advocate.

This makes no sense to me at all, I'm afraid. You seem to be arguing simultaneously that Summer's Gone is good as it is, and yet that the other band members should have messed with it.

If the stuff that Brian's been coming up with with outside collaborators was noticeably weaker than the material he'd been doing with other band members, then I could see the argument -- but I've seen nobody say that Beaches In Mind, Daybreak Over The Ocean and Spring Vacation were among the better tracks on the album. (Isn't It Time is, but I don't think that's particularly down to Mike's lyrics -- or indeed to whatever contribution Brian made).

I actually think the reason That's Why God Made The Radio was as good as it was (and while I'm not a fan of the album, it's still far, far better than I was expecting) is precisely *because* egos seem to have been left outside the recording studio for the most part, and everyone allowed to get on with what they do well -- for Brian, songwriting and arrangement, for Mike, adding the odd lyric and singing, for Al and Bruce singing, and for David playing guitar.

That formula seemed to work pretty well, and as a wise man once said, "don't f*** with the formula"...

[the professor]

No, my friends, you misunderstand me--and quite completely, I am afraid.  I did not say that Mike should have re-written or "messed with" the song but rather that I wish was capable, still, of that kind of artistry.  That is, I wish that he had written SG as it; I wish that it were his and Brian's song.  It would have been satisfying to me to hear that as one in a long series of lovely songs (WOTS, KMB, etc.)  that display Mike and Brian at their best together. Let me put it another way. Summer's Gone is a great song (all three in suite are really), and I wish Mike hadda thunk of it himself.   Best to all.

[Bean Bag]

Say it again, while a new album is always possible, I personally don't want to see one: everything aligned for TWGMTR and while far from perfect, it was easily 1000% better than I was reasonably expecting. I don't see that happening twice in a row. A lot of the best tracks had history, and I'd much rather remember it as twilight's last gleaming as opposed to the 2nd last album preceding a half-assed farewell that satisfied no-one. So I'm greedy: hate me. I love this band and for once, they did it something close to right.

Well... since you posted in another thread that you "very, very rarely listen to the Beach Boys" ... let me speak for those who listen to the Beach Boys ad nasuem -- and whom drive our significant others batty with Beach Boys....

While I understand the noble desire to go out on a high note -- I want more!

To me, TWGMTR, represented -- if nothing -- a promising start.  It showed me they could do it.  I saw TWGMTR, not as a finale, but as the beginning of their autumn years.  I mean, they f*cked around for years!!... since Dennis died!!  Just a few dribbles here and there.  Brian, who everyone thought was a goner, cranked out album after album (eventually) -- while the Beach Boys, whomever was left driving the boat, became amusement park fodder (at worst).

So ... I disagree.  I hope this is just the beginning.

[Paul J B]

Say it again, while a new album is always possible, I personally don't want to see one: everything aligned for TWGMTR and while far from perfect, it was easily 1000% better than I was reasonably expecting. I don't see that happening twice in a row.

I would love another album, but feel you are very likely correct. I've noticed a lot more comments about TWGMTR being just OK as of late. I feel people are not on the same planet as me. I just listened to it a week or two ago, after a long break, and it is great on many levels. Strange World gets better and better for me. The suite is outstanding. These are 70 year old men here. If Brian and company could have just turned out great stuff because "it's Brian and the boys" over the last 30 years don't you think they would have?

Not saying they can't or won't try.......but TWGMTR, the tour and all the rest was already a dream come true.

[the professor]

Yes, Amen beanbag; you are on holy fire. That is just how I see it.

[Bean Bag]

woooooooooohooooooooo!!!!!

[Quzi]

Say it again, while a new album is always possible, I personally don't want to see one: everything aligned for TWGMTR and while far from perfect, it was easily 1000% better than I was reasonably expecting. I don't see that happening twice in a row. A lot of the best tracks had history, and I'd much rather remember it as twilight's last gleaming as opposed to the 2nd last album preceding a half-assed farewell that satisfied no-one. So I'm greedy: hate me. I love this band and for once, they did it something close to right.

Alongside their glory, the band will always be remembered for their monumental fuckups, missed opportunities and everything of the sort, TWGMTR hasn't erased three and a half decades worth of missteps. For that reason, I doubt if they do end on a half-assed farewell it would affect their legacy/anyone would really care in the long run, I mean, it's not like they're trying to maintain a perfect discography. I'm even greedier than you are Andrew, I say if there's a chance we can get more great music out of this band, fantastic, I'm ready for it, even if there's a chance it could be Skrillex Reimagines Wrinkles ft. The Beach Boys.

[Doo Dah]

I'm convinced that another album would be warmly received by the fans (as well as many pop journalists) simply because I believe Brian has hit his stride in the past 8 years. You only have to listen to the Bacharach experiment, the TLOS outtakes ala Message Man etc. to determine that that flow led to the quality of TWGMTR.

Having said that, unfortunately the whole corporate nature of BRI is about as convenient as parallel parking a Buick; every full-on BAND release would need the proper amount of marketing and yeah, touring to do it proper. We most certainly saw that in 2012.

A noble question; would you be disappointed to hear a new Beach Boys album as emotionally satisfying (and yes, rocking) as TLOS which only hits the mid forties on Billboard? That's the new reality in today's marketplace. Asking them to reconfigure for a new set of big band tours (while satisfying to us) may be asking a lot of the boys. And THAT is why recording a new album is tricky for me. Not the album per say (it'll be killer) but all the bells and whistles that have to go into it.

Speaking as a selfish fan, I'm comfortable with a rocking album that doesn't necessarily set the charts on fire. In our own personal top ten, it'll be just fine. And what's wrong with that? I'd like to know...'cause here (they) go...again!

[Sheriff John Stone]

In my opinion, there are two main reasons why I don't view TWGMTR as being the end of the Beach Boys' recording career. Nor should it be.

First, did you or do you now expect The Beach Boys - when they as individuals reached age 70 - to call it a (recording) career? I know it's a cliche', but these days 70 is the new 60, or maybe the new 55. There are many artists who are breaking new ground in this area - Simon & Garfunkel, Clapton, The Stones, Dylan, McCartney, soon Neil Young, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder - and the list goes on. Other than Brian, who is unquestionably the key to any further recording, the guys are healthy, and have proven as recently as last year that they can still do it at a respectable level. While they may be close, and they're certainly getting there, I wouldn't characterize them yet as simply "hanging on".

Secondly, Brian has been fortunate, with the help of his wifeandmanagers, to surround himself with people who have SIGNIFICANTLY helped him in continuing his career, and his life. Without Jeff and Darian, there is no way he could've had the solo career he did, both on tour and in the studio. Brian now has an emotionally supportive wife and family which can assist in coping with other stresses. Apparently Brian's team of doctors and new medications are effective in helping him cope with his illness and addictions. Maybe Brian also came across a combination in the studio that can assist in producing albums the quality of a TWGMTR. Few people have been as critical as me in questioning HOW MUCH Brian actually contributes to his recordings, but TWGMTR (of which I still have some of those doubts) SOUNDS like it works. It took Brian this long to finally get to this place, why stop now...

So, hey, I say, health permitting, if they wanna do more stuff together, go for it!

[rab2591]

A noble question; would you be disappointed to hear a new Beach Boys album as emotionally satisfying (and yes, rocking) as TLOS which only hits the mid forties on Billboard? That's the new reality in today's marketplace. Asking them to reconfigure for a new set of big band tours (while satisfying to us) may be asking a lot of the boys. And THAT is why recording a new album is tricky for me. Not the album per say (it'll be killer) but all the bells and whistles that have to go into it.

Speaking as a selfish fan, I'm comfortable with a rocking album that doesn't necessarily set the charts on fire. In our own personal top ten, it'll be just fine. And what's wrong with that? I'd like to know...'cause here (they) go...again!

I think a TLOS-esque album with the name "The Beach Boys" slapped on the front would be a top 5 album....even if it weren't, I'd still love it: I'd love songs that had great transitions (even if they weren't written by Brian), songs that had meaning, a cohesive theme that binds it all together.

It would be amazing (and would probably garner a lot of press) if they tried to tackle this album with mid-60s wall-of-sound techniques. All the players in one room recording to a 4 track analog machine. I'd love to hear a modern album that sounded vintage 60s again....and who better to try this than The Beach Boys?

And perhaps they'd only have to do a few shows in select cities to promote the album. The Beach Boys with Brian Wilson is still a huge thing - even if they only did 5 shows it would still grab a lot of attention.