A BEACH BOYS REUNION?! [Important News]

[Rocker]

Back to the "who's band" question: I don't believe that Brian and Al would jut be added to Mike and Bruce's band. Melinda won't let that happen. And I also don't believe that brian wants to ork with those guys, after knowing what a great band he has. They are probably the highest held band in the whole business, so to use them could even make sense for Mike....

[Lorenschwartz]

Hopefully, Brian's band will be involved. If not, it will be a trainwreck.

AMEN...NOTTTT!!!!

[endofposts]

What does Melinda have to do with anything?  I don't think she's going to have the final say in anything.  Brian Wilson is Brian Wilson, Melinda is just his messenger (hopefully).  It's going to be up to Brian and his band members to negotiate among themselves and with the other parties as to what role they would play, since they are musicians and know how those things work.

There's no way you would have Brian's entire band touring in that situation.  There's too many of them, particularly singing members, and you're definitely adding three singers, minimum, with Al, Mike, and Bruce.  The current Beach Boys and Al's congregation of former Beach Boy members might deserve a bit of action, too, if they're good enough singers and musicians.  I'm not sure how many of Brian's band members are suited to being a back-up for that type of outfit, either.  Just in terms of their being able to swallow that, depending on how it shapes up.  It will be interesting if it comes to pass.

I'm tending to believe that this is in the works.  I read the BB Britain board today, since I've read that Bruce sometimes posts there.  Sure enough, he did post, but denied knowing anything about any reunion.  He did mention, however, that the Beach Boys have no plans in the forseeable future to tour England.  Since that's a prime market, maybe they're keeping it open just in case they do reunite there.

[Ron]

Blah.  Bruce is just reduced to a sideman for Mike @ this point (with the exception of Bruce's solo stuff which of course he controls himself).  I don't think when we're talking big business with the BB's ANYBODY picks up the phone to confer with Bruce (must as I love him).  The last  televised BB's performance I saw they didn't even show Bruce on camera although he was clearly sitting there playing and singing.

I doubt there will be a tour but I do believe they'll all get on stage even if they don't perform. 

[Wyndham]

Personally I think its inevitable. Its the only way they can command a significantly higher industry profile than the one they each have today. Like it or not...the novelty of a BB's reunion will get a lot of media attention. I can't see them resisting it...ego, payday, closure, just the instinct to reach for the maximum general appeal. I'm not saying its going to be pretty...but I'd bet it will happen sooner or later. I'd hope that Brian does it for the fun, and not because he feels obligated or pressured.

I'm not so sure about a reunion getting a lot of attention. If would have to be done extremely well for that to happen. I'd say there are two primary markets here in the UK. The first is the Mojo readers, i.e. the older generation who have grown up with the Beach Boys. Sure there will be media attention aimed at that target audience but I doubt anymore than a Brian Wilson tour. The second is the key one: my generation, the students/indie kids who's interest in the BBs is generally not for the surf/car/girl hits, but for Pet Sounds/Smile and after. If this market can be exploited (which it really has not been so far) then this could be a hit, because I am constantly amazed by the amount of people I see and talk to at uni who love the Beach Boys. But it would require serious good management which I'm not sure would happen. Mike and Bruce would have to be told to dress respectably. Brian's obvious discomfort in front of interviewers and cameras would have to either be played up (the mad genius) or he would have to be kept away from the exposure. And IMO Al would have to be the lead singer to give it any dignity because he still has the voice. There would be a fine line between this being quite 'cool', and it being a joke.

To me that seems to be a really difficult task, mainly because I can't see Mike and Bruce taking the risk. What's more likely is Mike whines through the hits, Bruce smiles and claps along in a pair of shorts, Al is left in the background, and Brian is made to look foolish and risks losing that young fanbase. And also, I don't think it will happen if it's on the condition Mike would have to retire the Beach Boys name.

[Daniel S.]

Hate to be a downer, but if it does happen it will be handled badly, look completely lame and probably suck. Just like all the other times.

Appearances on Full House, Baywatch, rapping with the Fat Boys. The more these guys get together the more they tarnish their own images. Everyone remembers how lame they can be. If Brian gets on stage with a bunch of guys in Hawaiian shirts, he's going to undo the "career renaissance" of the past 7 years.

[Surfer Joe]

Wyndham, very interesting take.  Heywood, worst-case scenario!  (and my concern is that you may be right, actually).

I think the key element is that Mike is never going to give up the name or retire.  Therefore anything he does here has to be something he can undo.  The key, as Wyndham hit on, is marketing.  I don't think they would market a reunion to any niche or take a maven approach to the college crowd- I think they'd be looking for the 100,000 people in Washington on the Fourth of July days, or as near as they can get.  BRI has probably got lots of research speculating on the financial value of a reunion.

So how do you sell the difference between these Beach Boys and Mike's (beach boys) without delegitimizing the latter act when they come back around next year?  This would be a momentary fling for Mike; the other bit is his answer to the musical question- what are you doing the rest of your life?

So anything would have to be done on his terms there, but even to work out what those terms would be is possibly a bit problematic.

[Daniel S.]

You have to figure that Brian is asking himself, "What's the point?"

[I. Spaceman]

You have to figure Brian is asking himself, "Where's my steak?".

[Daniel S.]

             

[Surfer Joe]

Agreed, that's about as far as we can go into Brian's thought processes with any real confidence.

[endofposts]

I don't think Brian is that indifferent.  The Beach Boys were his group, and he still feels that way.  He's very proud of what he/they accomplished.  What they became is something else.  But it could be a way for him to associate with the Beach Boys name without being sued for it, then collecting the financial and public relations capital that could flow from that, both within the project and for any solo work he undertakes in the future.  It's just a matter of him being able to control his negative emotions and asserting himself within the framework of a reunion.  For Mike, it doesn't matter if he goes back to a Brian-less and Al-less Beach Boys, unless, of course, he loses the license or just decides to retire for his own health.  He's already toured as the Beach Boys with and without Al, Carl, Dennis, and Brian.  It's the status quo for him.  As for Carl not being there, Brian is really his substitute.  He would do most, if not all, of Carl's leads.  He subbed for Carl in the early '80s when Carl didn't want to be there, so he can sub for Carl again.  Carl really was a sub for Brian in many ways, so it works.  If there is a reunion, of course.

I wonder if Capitol Records is providing any impetus behind this, if it is associated with the 40th anniversary of the release of "Pet Sounds."

[Ron]

The one thing I believe we can say for certainty is that there is no way in hell that the Beach Boys name is going to be 'retired'.  The minute Mike stopped using it or whatever (Like that would ever happen) Al or even Brian himself would take up the mantle.  The Beach Boys are like Batman. 

Anyways,  everybody keeps ignoring as well that Brian has said consistantly that he's happy that Mike still tours as the Beach Boys.  He's said that in countless interviews, because, oh, I don't know, BRIAN MAKES MONEY OFF OF IT!  Artistically, everyone knows the BB's are dead, Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson are gone.  It's impossible to go back.  Brian has no artistic interest in the name anymore, he has no interest in making Beach Boys music because he's "Brian Wilson" now and that's a good name in it's own right.  He obviously has no problem letting Mike pay him to use a name he no longer needs artistically. 

[I. Spaceman]

Personally, I hope that it happens and it's a total disaster and it makes it uncool to like The Beach Boys again. Might separate some of the wheat from the chaff.

[Dancing Bear]

Personally, I hope that it happens and it's a total disaster and it makes it uncool to like The Beach Boys again. Might separate some of the wheat from the chaff.

Good old days... "Now, seriously, you don't like that crap... C'mon, I don't believe you like those wussies..." then the guy would mock the high vocals from the coda of Fun Fun Fun.

Now all I get from people is "Yeah, Pet Sounds is great, I have a copy". I can't wait for the Pet Sounds backlash, in fact it's already started.

[I. Spaceman]

Exactly.

[Surfer Joe]

When is there going to be a backlash against backlashes?

[Jeff Mason]

You have to figure Brian is asking himself, "Where's my steak?".

No, I figure he's asking himself "Can I have birthday cake if it isn't my birthday?"

[Cam Mott]

When is there going to be a backlash against backlashes?

[tee hee]

[rb]

Brian's live solo shows have been generally well received and by most accounts very well done. By accident or design, he has consistently delivered quality shows to his fans. Past embarassments notwithstanding (and I'm talking 25 years ago, give or take), why would anyone assume that his committment to good musicianship and music would all of a sudden end with a renewed association with his ex-bandmates?

[Ron]

Personally, I hope that it happens and it's a total disaster and it makes it uncool to like The Beach Boys again. Might separate some of the wheat from the chaff.

So, in other words, you live your life concerned with what others think?  Gotcha!

[Wyndham]

Surfer Joe I think you're right about differentiating the current Beach Boys and a Beach Boys reunion. It seems to me the only way to get around that is to have Al keep touring with them afterwards. I don't think anybody would expect Brian to go back out on the road with them long term, but it seems to me that Al is still a keen Beach Boy. Plus if Al goes back maybe Matt would too. Maybe we could have a 1966 parallel on the 40th anniversary, the Beach Boys go out on tour and Brian sits at home writing a masterpiece   

[Lola Jane]

Can I just ask why the change in BB personnel is any different to any other band.  Take Fleetwood Mac for instance, who have changed band members more times than hairstyles.  They're still going, by the way...

Admittedly, Brian has had an intense amount of PR for his place in the group status (so it's not much of a reunion without him) and - well - he did write most of the songs, with help.  But it is quite possible for a viable, reasonably authentic group to exist with one or so original members as long as they are being true to the conceptual musical purpose and principle of the group (and they have a back catalogue to support it).   It's always nice to have as many surviving original members involved as possible, but not necessary.

A reunion wouldn't affect anything, even if I thought it would happen, and I'm slightly doubtful...
By the way, hello to the forum. 

[Jeff Mason]

In this case, personnel = musicians playing in the background.  Mike's standards of musicianship are definitely lower than Brian's and it shows in the performances.  All three surviving original members have their own bands.  Most of the long time BB backing band is with Al, Brian has Foskett and the Mints, and Mike has patched together a new crew of BB members.  If all three perform together, who is the band?  And how well do they play?  It DOES matter.

Just like with Fleetwood Mac.  I saw them with Lindsey and without Christine a few years ago and the show was a dud.  Extra musicians did a chunk of the work and it was fairly passionless.

[PongHit]

Bruce sez he hasn't heard any plans for a reunion.