The Beach Boys scored a Grammy nomination.

[Rocky Raccoon]

Best Historical Album - The Smile Sessions

This could be the first competitive Grammy the boys ever win as a group and in such an obscure category, they should have a pretty good chance.

Too bad none of their newer stuff was recognized though.

EDIT: Actually the nomination is technically for Brian Wilson, Mark Linett, Alan Boyd, and Dennis Wolfe but congratulations to them all the same.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Macca will win, simply because he's Macca, an ex-Beatle and therefore to be deified at every possible opportunity.

And that fucking sucks.

[The Shift]

S'hope not. Even Macca would likely vote for TSS - he'd be a Grammy then by default for his veggie-chomping turn on Vega-tables, right?

[rab2591]

Macca will win, simply because he's Macca, an ex-Beatle and therefore to be deified at every possible opportunity.

And that f***ing sucks.

I really hope that you're wrong

[SMiLE Brian]

Macca will win, simply because he's Macca, an ex-Beatle and therefore to be deified at every possible opportunity.

And that f***ing sucks.

I really hope that you're wrong

I think Brian would love to get a grammy for the smile sessions, maybe make him feel a little better about them.

[SufferingFools]

I could see the Woody Guthrie collection winning, actually. 

Hope not.

[rab2591]

Macca will win, simply because he's Macca, an ex-Beatle and therefore to be deified at every possible opportunity.

And that f***ing sucks.

I really hope that you're wrong

I think Brian would love to get a grammy for the smile sessions, maybe make him feel a little better about them.

Agreed. All those guys deserve a win for that set.
______

Are The Beach Boys or Van Dyke Parks included in this nomination? Or is it just the aforementioned names?

[Rocker]

Macca will win, simply because he's Macca, an ex-Beatle and therefore to be deified at every possible opportunity.

And that f***ing sucks.

Yep, it's always the same. Not unlike Ray Charles getting the Grammy over BWPS simply because he just died shortly before. Well, let's hope anyway...

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Should have gotten a nom for packaging. I don't think there's every been a more handsome box set.

Who closed the Grammy show last year? Oh yeah.

Paul will win.

No love for "TWGMTR", eh? You mean to tell me "Isn't It Time" isn't "song of the year"?

[monicker]

You mean to tell me "Isn't It Time" isn't "song of the year"?

I reckon From There To Back Again is a more right choice for "The Song of The Year" nom. It's like the only song that everybody agreed on to be the best track on TWGMTR record. Even there are some people who aren't fond of Summer's Gone & Pacific Coast Highway.

FTTBA is my second least favorite song on the album after Beaches In Mind. PCH is pretty low though too. But Summer's Gone is my second favorite after Isn't It Time.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

I reckon From There To Back Again is a more right choice for "The Song of The Year" nom. It's like the only song that everybody agreed on to be the best track on TWGMTR record.

I'm not agreeing.

[EgoHanger1966]

If you think The Beach Boys deserved a "song of the year" nomination, you're in a dreamland. Or I want whatever you're smoking.

Not saying there isn't quality stuff on the new album, but c'mon...

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

If you think The Beach Boys deserved a "song of the year" nomination, you're in a dreamland. Or I want whatever you're smoking.

"Deserve's got nothin' to do with it."

[Bicyclerider]

I could see the Woody Guthrie collection winning, actually. 

Hope not.

I agree, the Guthrie set is the real competition, not Ram - luckily the voters aren't British (sorry Andrew) and most of them are L.A. Based, that gives an edge to the Smile Sessions.

It's incomprehensible to me that the box didn't get a nomination for packaging - Tom Recchion deserves a Grammy fornthe job he did, the box, the book - what were they thinking?  Did the nominating committee see the version with the light in the Smile shop?  

[EgoHanger1966]

Um, there are plenty of people in LA who like the album Ram.

[rab2591]

If you think The Beach Boys deserved a "song of the year" nomination, you're in a dreamland.

Not saying there isn't quality stuff on the new album, but c'mon...

Well, I dare say there wasn't quality stuff on The Beatles' SPLHCB but it won 4 nominations, including "The Record of The Year". And to me, the album didn't even deserve to be nominated. What will you say to this? Plus, there are so many artists now who make utterly horrendous records & oddly enough get Grammy & not single. So why not The BBs? Reality - not dreamland, mind you - shows that The BBs deserve "The Song of The Year" nomination, because, you know, after so many accolades given to them, after being inducted to The R&RHOF in 1988 & recording the new album after many years, what do you think would logically be the next award they get? Grammy, obviously. Sorry for being rough, but I had to respond like this because it's unfair towards such a great band as The Beach Boys.

Um, so because other bands with horrendous albums get Album of the Year the Beach Boys should too?

I'm not saying that TWGMTR was a bad record, but it's certainly not Album of the Year. Personally I'd rather The Beach Boys be remembered for SMiLE and Pet Sounds, not TWGMTR.

Edit: There are great songs on TWGMTR, but nothing artistically revolutionary. They really don't deserve Song of the Year or Album of the Year, imo.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

If you think The Beach Boys deserved a "song of the year" nomination, you're in a dreamland.

Not saying there isn't quality stuff on the new album, but c'mon...

Well, I dare say there wasn't quality stuff on The Beatles' SPLHCB but it won 4 nominations, including "The Record of The Year".

Well, Pepper was made by a contemporay group, not a bunch of 70 year olds. How'd you feel if Pepper lost in '67 to an album by Gene Austin?

Not that I feel age should be reason for disqualification. If Chuck Berry suddenly recorded the greatest album in history next year I don't think he should automatically get trumped just because Black Eyed Peas topped the charts.


btw, my original statement regarding "song of the year" was made in jest. Not because I don't love it, just because I know it's silly.

Everybody knows Joey Ramones' "Rock N Roll Is The Answer" is song of the year.

[SMiLE Brian]

I am still waiting for MBV's loveless to get album of the year so Kevin Shields can reveal to the world the follow up album.

[EgoHanger1966]

If you think The Beach Boys deserved a "song of the year" nomination, you're in a dreamland.

Not saying there isn't quality stuff on the new album, but c'mon...

Well, I dare say there wasn't quality stuff on The Beatles' SPLHCB but it won 4 nominations, including "The Record of The Year". And to me, the album didn't even deserve to be nominated. What will you say to this?

I say that is a highly opionated response and that Sgt Pepper is one of the most highly regarded albums of all time. Groundbreaking, revolutionary (for 1967), mindblowing stuff. Great songs on that album. Not my favorite, but you've at least got to see that it has quality material on it. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's sh*t....

People took their first trips to that album (and probably still are!).

But...yeah. The Beach Boys new album is super great, a blessing for fans, and has a few of the best tracks they've ever recorded. Still, it wouldn't make sense for them to have a song of the year nomination.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

Well, I dare say there wasn't quality stuff on The Beatles' SPLHCB but it won 4 nominations, including "The Record of The Year". And to me, the album didn't even deserve to be nominated. What will you say to this?

I would say that you're now no longer in a position to speak on this issue with any degree of credibility.

[Alex]

If you think The Beach Boys deserved a "song of the year" nomination, you're in a dreamland.

Not saying there isn't quality stuff on the new album, but c'mon...

Well, I dare say there wasn't quality stuff on The Beatles' SPLHCB but it won 4 nominations, including "The Record of The Year". And to me, the album didn't even deserve to be nominated. What will you say to this? Plus, there are so many artists now who make utterly horrendous records & oddly enough get Grammy & not single. So why not The BBs? Reality - not dreamland, mind you - shows that The BBs deserve "The Song of The Year" nomination, because, you know, after so many accolades given to them, after being inducted to The R&RHOF in 1988 & recording the new album after many years, what do you think would logically be the next award they get? Grammy, obviously. Sorry for being rough, but I had to respond like this because it's unfair towards such a great band as The Beach Boys.

Um, so because other bands with horrendous albums get Album of the Year the Beach Boys should too?

I'm not saying that TWGMTR was a bad record, but it's certainly not Album of the Year. Personally I'd rather The Beach Boys be remembered for SMiLE and Pet Sounds, not TWGMTR.

Edit: There are great songs on TWGMTR, but nothing artistically revolutionary. They really don't deserve Song of the Year or Album of the Year, imo.

Even so, I'd rather see the Boys get it than Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, or any of the other manufactured crap that they try pushing down the public's throat every year.

[Ron]

Macca will win, simply because he's Macca, an ex-Beatle and therefore to be deified at every possible opportunity.

And that f***ing sucks.

Andrew eventually though it comes down to the point where you have to decide if you even want an award that's ... awarded... so haphazardly.  Really, what company will they be in?  Do we really need the approval of the people that vote for the grammys? 

They ought to no-show. 

[guitarfool2002]

Go to this link and see the full listing of all nominees:

http://www.grammy.com/nominees

Scroll three-quarters down the page, and you'll get to the "historical" listings.

It actually made me mad to see The Smile Sessions nominated for *only one* award. I'm biased toward the subject matter, I'll wear that proudly on my sleeve. But stepping back from that bias, the deluxe box was a pretty amazing package. It could have been nominated in several more categories, as you'll see.

I mean, seriously, it's at least as deserving as the "Some Girls" deluxe box set, a release which didn't do much at all mostly because the original album itself is a few singles strong as hell but overall a fairly standard Stones release...which is still good, but you get the point...

And again, in the "REALLY?" department, you'll see under "Best Boxed Package..." a selection of boxed sets including Ben Kweller (WTF?), McCartney and Ram, the aformentioned Some Girls box, Trent Reznor for Girl W. The Dragon Tattoo soundtrack, and the old stalwart Woody Guthrie on the umpteenth reissue or compilation or remastering or discovery of his recordings (ducks for cover...but f*** all, it's true, it's been done...)

Someone convince me that The Smile Sessions deluxe edition didn't qualify for that list...any reasons why it was left off, other than the "Grammy board" going for the hip (Reznor), the new (Kweller), the revered (Sir Paul), the Baby Boomers who can afford to buy expensive vintage guitars and box sets because they had a good year in sales (The Stones), and the automatic vote (Guthrie)?

Seriously...

Oh, and also I browsed the categories where some would suggest the new Beach Boys album would have been qualified...at first looking for reasons why they shouldn't be...and in light of the competition judged by those nominees, nothing really strong stands out in any of those categories. I can almost say who will win, although none is head-and-shoulders above the rest, and nothing was truly special in any of the categories. So on my standards - and yes, I have heard and in most cases played those songs this past year - the BB's *could* have been there.

But I'm glad they were not. Because it would/could have turned against them if they won over some younger critical darling or some faddish song that media types love to name-check and praise. The "Jethro Tull" syndrome would have kicked in. I don't think Tull deserved the kind of drubbing they got in the aftermath of winning that hard rock award. I just have a feeling The Beach Boys would have been on that same hook.

And they don't deserve that.   Well, maybe some of them.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

If I were a successful musician, I would hate to be nominated for or win a Grammy since it so often seems to be the mark of mediocrity. Every so often something wins that I like but a broken clock is right twice a day as well. Who cares if the Beach Boys win or don't win a Grammy?

[guitarfool2002]

Rather than watch the Grammy telecast, I plan to don my smoking jacket, matching slippers, fill my pipe with my own personal blend of exotic flavors from my tobacconist in Harvard Square, light it with my 1930's vintage Zippo, sip my Cognac, and enjoy a back-to-back listening session of those P.D.Q. Bach albums which won consecutive Grammys in the 90's. And short of outright belly laughs, I can anticipate a series of hearty guffaws and enthusiastic chuckles as I enjoy the comedy of Peter Schickele.

After that, I might consider illegally downloading the nominees from the "Spoken Word" category from a rogue file-share site, loading them up on an old iPod with half-broken earbuds attached, pressing "play", and throwing it onto a major highway during morning rush hour...watching from the bridge above while chugging from the bottle of Cognac I didn't finish during the PDQ Bach listening sesh.