Brian Wilson's 11th solo album announced today

[Mark H.]

C50 was great but in reality The Beach Boys died with Carl Wilson - the rest is academic BS.  Glad that Brian, Al, and David are touring and BW is releasing a solo LP.  I've been hanging around this for 40 years and anything is better than nothing.  Be happy with what you get.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

   
Brian Wilson's 11th solo album announced today

 

I knew if I stayed away from here for a week something would break. 

Yes!  And wouldn't it be just lovely if folks could take their pissing matches to the land of private messaging, and we could get back to the topic at hand? 

I mean, I know there's not much to say about the new album until we get more info, and I get that this was born of the topic - folks discussing the possibility of how a Brian Wilson could have been a Beach Boys album, and such - but I mean, just pages, upon pages of the same couple of people, holding steadfast to their own opinion, restating their views over and over again, trying to change the mind's of other people who are just as convinced that they are right.

"Boring, Sidney.  Boring"

Good idea, will do!

[KittyKat]

Joe Thomas! Woo hoo! More robo-Brian!

[Phoenix]

Indeed. Jeff Beck! And Brian Wilson!

Here's a Q and A with Jeff B., which was apparently moderated by Jeff F.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NFUKfXdcZM

I really, really tried but the "quality" of that made it unlistenable.   

[Andrew G. Doe]

I'm going to try to compartmentalize everything I feel on this issue into one succinct posting.  First and foremost I really did enjoy the C50 last year when The Beach Boys were a living, breathing entity in the world of pop music.  There isn't much I enjoy about pop music today and while I'm aware there are some decent acts buried under all the sludge given that music isn't necessarily affordable as it once was and I prefer hard copy as oppose to just "pulling mp3s", I mainly stick to the small handful of the bands I enjoy listening to.  So to have one of those bands release new product and tour last year was pretty cool at least I thought.

The fact that the members of The Beach Boys essentially reverted to what they were prior to the C50 at the end of the tour?  Um, I was disappointed to say the least but I understood it.  I've tried my best not to villainize anyone, I really have because I do understand Mike Love's position even if I don't necessarily agree with it myself.  One thing I do resent however and this is where some degree of anger comes in is I think there are a number of Beach Boys fans who were snookered in last year.  The Beach Boys gave a number of interviews last year where they were asked point blank about some of their past tiffs and hard feelings towards one another and essentially responded to these questions with a great deal of "that stuff is all in the past and we're playing happy families" now type responses.  It seemed they went out of their way to promote a great deal of good will publicly between all of the members of the group throughout the duration of the C50.  

Now I understand that it was important both to move TWGMTR and tickets to the C50 tour but at the end of the journey to have the group essentially revert back to being a bunch of sniping and backbiting individuals really was a true letdown and left me with a feeling in my stomach that didn't feel all that great.  Yeah I know that Al Jardine and David Marks are working with Brian Wilson on his new solo album but to me the main rift for years that hovered over the band had little to do with the relationship between Brian Wilson and Al Jardine and more to do with Wilson/Jardine vs. Camp Mike Love.  So at the end of the day to have Brian/Al/Dave over here on this side of the room and Love/Johnston on the other, well lets just say in the grand scheme of things from my vantage point little has changed.

Now in regards to this new solo record by Brian Wilson.  I can't say I'm excited for it but I'm not trying to put it down either.  First off since the press release that came out this week was merely an announcement that he's "working on the record" rather than the record is imminent, I'm assuming we are at least a decent way away from it appearing in shops where we can purchase it and see what it's all about for ourselves.  Also with the exception of a few bands I listen to, I'll likely do what I always do in regards to new releases which is decide whether or not I pick up this new solo album once we get closer to the release date and I've gotten to hear a couple of the tracks through whatever Brian Wilson releases through his website or on YouTube or whatever.  I'll also take the reviews of my fellow SSMB members into account.  If we start getting a copious amount of posts saying that the record is a must avoid rather than a must buy, I'll likely put my money towards something else.  But like I said all of this is pure speculation at this point in regards to how I'll feel about a project that is probably five-six months away from finding it's way into shops.

I am 99.9% sure I am going to purchase MIC.  My Beach Boys GV box set is a tattered mess after all these years and instead of ordering a new copy of that off of Amazon, I'll simply purchase MIC when it comes out and allow it to "replace" GV in my collection.  I don't plan on purchasing any tickets to either M&B or BAD this summer basically because I don't consider M&B to be "The Beach Boys" and I've seen Brian Wilson numerous times in concert before.  I'll admit that probably about 10% of the reason why I'm not as gung-ho about dropping money on Beach Boys-related concerts this summer is the aforementioned snookering but I'm not one to hold long grudges and I'm sure at some point in the possible near future I will go see Brian Wilson in concert again.

But beyond that it's just very hard for me to get really excited about any announcement about what these guys are doing right now in their solo careers.  It just feels like for me as if there is a dark cloud that is hovering over anything that has to do with the individual members of this group right now, including Brian and that is just the way it is right now.  I don't hate anybody, I don't blame anybody for feeling differently, I have no desire to harp on this any further unless approached or something genuinely piques my interest.  I've said what I needed to say and now I'll take pause and pass the forum over to those who still have more to say.

Outstanding.

[Nicko1234]

Despite your claim to know Brian's wishes, you are self admittedly no longer in contact with Brian and his people. You JM, Nickos claim Brian doesn't care about being a Beach Boy completely ignores Brian's most recent public statements on the issue.

Nice of you to misquote me there. Very classy. 

[Nicko1234]

Focusing on this album, I really hope that Al will not just make a token appearance on 1 song. I also trust that the guests will be better utilized than they were on GIOMH.

[Cam Mott]

Edit: deleted as redundant. I should have read through before posting.

[absinthe_boy]

So...Brian has been in the studio with some very talented and musically interesting people including two erstwhile Beach Boys....he's just announced it's for a new "solo" album....and some people aren't happy.

Jeez....if you had told me a few years ago that this would come to pass I'd have been wetting myself. Would I prefer that Mike & Bruce were on board too and this was a Beach Boys record? Maybe, though mindful that Brian apparently has dozens of songs some earmarked for the BB's and others for solo projects. If these songs he's recording with Dave & Al, and Jeff Beck et al are ones he deems best for non-BB's recordings then so be it.

I'm really excited by an album featuring the above mentioned people plus Vinnie Caulita and Tal Winklefield. Highly talented musicians and all able to bring something fresh and new to Brian's compositions.

And if you'd told me 15 years ago that the rest of the band would be "Brian's long time touring band" I'd have asked you to hand me whatever you were smoking.

Maybe I have this annoying habit of taking a step back and putting things in proportion but I am thrilled to hear this news. It's about the best we could possibly get.

Absinthe Boy (sitting in the garden enjoying mango)

I don't know why you can't understand that some of us are Beach Boys fans and not Beach Boy solo fans. We were teased with the possibility of a new Beach Boys "rock n roll" album last summer, and now we know that it's not going to happen. I am very happy for people who are excited about a new Brian Wilson album. Really I am. But why can't you can't extend the same courtesy and try to understand that some of us are disappointed after being told last year that there was going to be a new Beach Boys album? Again, happy for you and everyone else that a new BW solo record is on the way, but some of us aren't nearly as interested in that. I think you should be more understanding. This is a BEACH BOYS message board. It's not brianwilson.com.

Having said all that... I'm still holding out hope for one more BB album! BUT if it doesn't happen, I'll be ok. I DO think they went out on a high note with the tour and TWGMTR, dueling op-eds notwithstanding.

We weren't teased....we assumed....at least some of us did.

After the ultimately false assumption that Brian was working on a Beach Boys record you are disappointed. But nobody "in the know" ever said this was a Beach Boys record. You assumed it was.

If Joe Thomas speaks even a grain of truth, Brian has a lot of songs on tape/disc in some state of partial completion. Brian has clearly indicated that some are for the Beach Boys and some are for "solo" projects.

Brian has decided to do an album with some of those non-BB songs he's written. Am I upset? No.

Does this mean there will never and can never be another BB record? Of course it doesn't. Brian has stated that he would still like to make another BB's album and, health of everyone permitting, I would bet he intends so to do. It might be 2013, 2014 or 2015. It might be the oft-mentioned "rock n roll" record or it might be something else.

But ask me if I am happy that Jeff Beck, Tal Winklefield, Vinnie Cauliuta, Al, Dave and Brian are recording? **** yes I am.

I am fully aware this isn't a Brian board. I'd be happy to hear that Mike Love was making a solo record with equally talented and interesting musicians as Beck, Winkelfield and Cauliuta.

Like you I hold out hope for a new Beach Boys record....but in the meantime I am not disappointed that Brian is making a new solo album.

[The Heartical Don]

So...Brian has been in the studio with some very talented and musically interesting people including two erstwhile Beach Boys....he's just announced it's for a new "solo" album....and some people aren't happy.

Jeez....if you had told me a few years ago that this would come to pass I'd have been wetting myself. Would I prefer that Mike & Bruce were on board too and this was a Beach Boys record? Maybe, though mindful that Brian apparently has dozens of songs some earmarked for the BB's and others for solo projects. If these songs he's recording with Dave & Al, and Jeff Beck et al are ones he deems best for non-BB's recordings then so be it.

I'm really excited by an album featuring the above mentioned people plus Vinnie Caulita and Tal Winklefield. Highly talented musicians and all able to bring something fresh and new to Brian's compositions.

And if you'd told me 15 years ago that the rest of the band would be "Brian's long time touring band" I'd have asked you to hand me whatever you were smoking.

Maybe I have this annoying habit of taking a step back and putting things in proportion but I am thrilled to hear this news. It's about the best we could possibly get.

Absinthe Boy (sitting in the garden enjoying mango)

I don't know why you can't understand that some of us are Beach Boys fans and not Beach Boy solo fans. We were teased with the possibility of a new Beach Boys "rock n roll" album last summer, and now we know that it's not going to happen. I am very happy for people who are excited about a new Brian Wilson album. Really I am. But why can't you can't extend the same courtesy and try to understand that some of us are disappointed after being told last year that there was going to be a new Beach Boys album? Again, happy for you and everyone else that a new BW solo record is on the way, but some of us aren't nearly as interested in that. I think you should be more understanding. This is a BEACH BOYS message board. It's not brianwilson.com.

Having said all that... I'm still holding out hope for one more BB album! BUT if it doesn't happen, I'll be ok. I DO think they went out on a high note with the tour and TWGMTR, dueling op-eds notwithstanding.

We weren't teased....we assumed....at least some of us did.

After the ultimately false assumption that Brian was working on a Beach Boys record you are disappointed. But nobody "in the know" ever said this was a Beach Boys record. You assumed it was.

If Joe Thomas speaks even a grain of truth, Brian has a lot of songs on tape/disc in some state of partial completion. Brian has clearly indicated that some are for the Beach Boys and some are for "solo" projects.

Brian has decided to do an album with some of those non-BB songs he's written. Am I upset? No.

Does this mean there will never and can never be another BB record? Of course it doesn't. Brian has stated that he would still like to make another BB's album and, health of everyone permitting, I would bet he intends so to do. It might be 2013, 2014 or 2015. It might be the oft-mentioned "rock n roll" record or it might be something else.

But ask me if I am happy that Jeff Beck, Tal Winklefield, Vinnie Cauliuta, Al, Dave and Brian are recording? **** yes I am.

I am fully aware this isn't a Brian board. I'd be happy to hear that Mike Love was making a solo record with equally talented and interesting musicians as Beck, Winkelfield and Cauliuta.

Like you I hold out hope for a new Beach Boys record....but in the meantime I am not disappointed that Brian is making a new solo album.

Good call. In theory, he's working with a fantastic line-up of musicians, probably the best ever in his solo career. Yours truly is hoping that the Buddy Love factor won't have too much impact, production-wise.

[Micha]

I don't understand why this keeps needing to be repeated. A business plan was put in place for 2012. Only 2012!

If Mike had said he wanted to keep the C50 going into 2013 and Brian had said "Can't do as I'm recording my new solo album" would we still get the same bitching?

No, because he would be working on a solo project. As far as I know, Mike did not end the reunion to tour under his own name or record a solo album.

And if Brian had said "Can't do as I'm recording my new solo album" and Mike had said "OK, I'm going to tour with Bruce until you're done."?

[Micha]

I think it is a fact that it was Mike who pulled the plug on the reunion. I'm unhappy with that like most here are. But I just can't understand why some people on this board get angry at those who don't villainize Mike for that. I mean, there's this point for instance:

He and Brian both have good bands they head, and why should either break them up for good?

Didn't Mike agree to have more members of Brian's band than of his own in the C50 touring group? That left the others basically out of work.

So you say a Brian album wouldn't sell amazing better if called a Beach Boys album? And the C50 didn't earn vastly more money for Brian that he will draw now? Or Brian, Al and David, called the Beach Boys, wouldn't be highly successful?

You're laying words in their mouth. That's not a good thing. Reminds me when I was 13 or so when a guy who didn't like me said to me "You like Rick Astley, don't you?" Are you 13 years old, Oregon?

Like this one 7 months ago, "I'm disappointed and can't understand why Love doesn't want to tour with Al, David and me.

Maybe Mike explained that to Brian in the meantime? No, wait, let's not get back in the press release issue...

at least we won't have that ridiculously cheesy nostalgia that seems to be absolutely mandatory whenever we're talking about The Beach Boys.

Don't be too sure about that...

But Brian made compromises, too. He accepted Mike's subpar lyrics for several songs on the album

Wasn't it rather that Brian commissioned Mike to write lyrics like that? It certainly wasn't like "OK Mike, if you agree that we tour together, I'll leave those crappy lyrics on the album", I assume. I have no idea if Mike has still the ability to pen good non-beach-nostalgia lyrics, but it would be worth a try challenging him to do so. Good thing Mike didn't get in the way with putting Summer's Gone on the album.

You know which Beach Boy I really really hate? Carl, because he pulled the plug on the Paley sessions! No, that's a lie, I don't hate Carl, I'm just unhappy with that decision (if that is a fact at all) as with Mike's not to continue touring and recording with BAD.

[Shady]

Some people just can't grasp that Mike Love decided to end a real Beach Boys tour and return to his Mike and Bruce version effectively leaving Brian Wilson on the streets. Yes I know Brian may have been able to do something legally etc but who really wants that.

The power was in Mike's hands one way or another and poor Al suffered the consequences.

Screw that though, we're getting a new Brian solo album minus any Mike input, sounds good to me.,

[Micha]

So you say a Brian album wouldn't sell amazing better if called a Beach Boys album? And the C50 didn't earn vastly more money for Brian that he will draw now? Or Brian, Al and David, called the Beach Boys, wouldn't be highly successful?

Respectively, yes, of course it would... yes, of course it did... and no, I very much doubt they would.

Andrew, what makes you think so? I would think if Mike&Bruce retired or took a break and Brian, Al, and David toured as "The Beach Boys", they would be exactly as successful as the other two.

[Micha]

I could post dozens of links documenting Mike sacking Brain, butI will quote just one. The truth is if Mike hadn't dumped the other three, we would have a new BB album and tour this summer.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2208817/Youre-fired-Three-Beach-Boys-founding-members-dumped-bands-frontman-Mike-Love.html

"Three of the founding members of the Beach Boys have been unceremoniously dumped midway through their UK tour. Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and David Marks were informed of the news via a statement issued by Mike Love - the band's frontman and Wilson's cousin - that the tour would be continuing without them."

So there was a UK tour and Mike played the second half of the dates without BAD?
 
"Their places will be filled by Bruce Johnston - a second generation member - and a selection of session musicians."

So Bruce was not part of the first half of the tour?

I think this twists the facts more than a bit. And that's the "proof" you rely on?

The only fact you are 100% right is that if Mike had wanted to go on in the C50 configuration they could have done so and most certainly would have. But it isn't certainly so that he dumped them and they are now lying helplessly out there on the street. He unfortunately decided not to tour with them anymore, kind of like Brian decided not to tour with them in 1965. Granted: unfortunately Mike uses the Beach Boys' name, unlike Brian in 1965.

[Andrew G. Doe]

So you say a Brian album wouldn't sell amazing better if called a Beach Boys album? And the C50 didn't earn vastly more money for Brian that he will draw now? Or Brian, Al and David, called the Beach Boys, wouldn't be highly successful?

Respectively, yes, of course it would... yes, of course it did... and no, I very much doubt they would.

Andrew, what makes you think so? I would think if Mike&Bruce retired or took a break and Brian, Al, and David toured as "The Beach Boys", they would be exactly as successful as the other two.

I don't see those three either staying together too long (vide. the Pet Sounds 40th anniversary tour, and if you're not up to speed on exactly why ACJ stopped touring with Brian, ask around..    ) or doing about 100 gigs a year. Anyway, academic as 1) it'll never happen and 2) Brian doesn't have a license to tour as The Beach Boys.

[JohnMill]

Some people just can't grasp that Mike Love decided to end a real Beach Boys tour and return to his Mike and Bruce version effectively leaving Brian Wilson on the streets. Yes I know Brian may have been able to do something legally etc but who really wants that.

I felt that way too when Mike Love first announced that the C50 wasn't going to continue.  There were a lot of posts on here in the vein of "Mike Love, that jerk really knows how to ruin a good time" or "Now Brian is going to feel abandoned".  Look I get where you're coming from and I don't agree with Mike's decision to revert back to the M&B incarnation of "The Beach Boys" instead of continuing with the C50 lineup.  However, the guy does have the right to do what he wants with his life and his career and the more accounts we've gotten about the C50 is that Mike Love didn't really enjoy the experience.  That's not to say he hated the experience but it certainly didn't seem like "every night was a new celebration" for him so to speak.  Some people have attributed this to the fact that there was allegedly some disconnect between Mike Love and Brian's entourage.  Who knows?  

The one thing I hope didn't happen is that this C50 tour didn't spell the end for the relationship be it personal or professional between Wilson and Love.  Remember Joe Thomas mentioned that all of those years that we all assumed they were feuding with each other, that they would actually occasionally take in basketball games together so perhaps the rift wasn't as deep as we thought?  Is it now?  Does Brian Wilson deeply resent the fact that he's not out on the road with M&B?  He seems to be moving on well with his life and career and certainly isn't crying into any pillows.  Still one could make an argument that there were bitter seeds sown last fall between all members of the group and they wouldn't be wrong for feeling that way given some of the news that has come out particularly from Camp Wilson since last fall.  

Look if you are a fan of conspiracy theories or reading the tea leaves or however you want to put that, there isn't much right now to get you excited if you are still championing the C50 lineup.  The latest example would be only days after we were all speculating that possibly The Beach Boys were working on a new record, Brian Wilson's website squashed that rumor and revealed that Brian is working on a new solo record inclusive of Al Jardine and David Marks but not the others.  I don't think that is a coincidence as no doubt this board is read by the same people who facilitated that announcement on Brian's website.  The clear message being: Brian Wilson has moved on from the C50, there is no more C50 related plans at the moment and here is what he's working on right now.  I guess if you are a champion of the C50 lineup, the only thing you can hang your hat on at the moment is Brian Wilson's plans change with the weather and the rest of the group hasn't necessarily (to my knowledge) squashed the idea of ever working together again as an inclusive unit period.

[filledeplage]

John Mill - there seems to be a lot of good analysis in your posts.  This reminds me a lot of history when
Gorbachev met with Pope John Paul II in 1989 behind closed doors, when the Pope kicked out all the interpreters, and what I would call "diplomatic hangers-on," showing a sort of stealth that is usually not seen in diplomacy. He spoke about 12 languages, certainly Russian, so he did not require an interpreter.  

And, an insistence in galvanizing a one-on-one rapport with each other, looking eye-to-eye, and yet an "commonality of essence" as Eastern Europeans looking to get to a common ground.  They had to find that they had more to gain than lose in opening the door to communication, "without all the hangers-on and the interpreters." And, history, has benefitted from that holy or unholy alliance, face-to-face.  

Selfishly, ( or not) I look at Brian and Mike as the historic giants of inspiration, whether one composes, and the other verbalizes concepts, that people can understand and embrace.  And, look upon other lyricists (especially non BB's) as "independent contractors" (in a legal context) working on special projects (many with whom we've seen with agendas (Landy) ) but who have not had the BB vision and loyalty that the Mike and Brian dynamic duo embodied.  And, whether they ever collaborate in unison remains to be seen, but it will never be denied, historically, that only "Brian and Mike" created and carved out this essence and dream which became our Boys.  They have a "language all their own" - which I would imagine is still there, and is a place for those two guys to work out, that goes back to childhood.  

One can't "hire or aspire" to that level to that "synergy of creativity" they grew as between them as young people.  Only, when those guys who "made music history" (as Gorbachev and Karol Wojtila did in 1989)  get in the room "without the interpreters." And, blood is still thicker than water. They have that great Cal Saga band with their kids and opportunities for such an event/s.

They've both developed first-rate bands, to their great credit. (Al, too!)  And, if anything, my impression was that their synergy among them individually, was on fire and as between them; and, as two bands, they brought out the best in one another, and the performances are proof enough. Both great bands!

JMHO - as always  

[LostArt]

I'm excited for any new Brian Wilson music.  This album sounds like it'll be quite different, though, doesn't it?  I mean Don Was and Jim Keltner doing some track(s)...Jeff Beck, Tal Wilkenfeld, and Vinnie Colaiuta doing some track(s)...Al Jardine and David Marks doing some track(s).  I'm excited.  Keltner is one of my favorite drummers, and Colaiuta is incredible, but how different their playing styles are!  Jeff Beck is perhaps the only '60s 'guitar god' who has continued to innovate and explore new avenues for his entire career, and I love his playing, but how different his style is to David Marks' (although I am not familiar with much of David's solo work), not to mention Brian Wilson's.  When I try to imagine what type of music Brain could make with Jeff Beck and Company, my head explodes.  What the hell is this music going to sound like?  How could anyone who is a fan of Brian Wilson's music not be super excited about the possibilities?


P.S.  Anyone who mentions Joe Thomas, Jeff Foskett, or Mike Love in response to my post is missing my point.   

[The Shift]

I could post dozens of links documenting Mike sacking Brain, butI will quote just one. The truth is if Mike hadn't dumped the other three, we would have a new BB album and tour this summer.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2208817/Youre-fired-Three-Beach-Boys-founding-members-dumped-bands-frontman-Mike-Love.html

"Three of the founding members of the Beach Boys have been unceremoniously dumped midway through their UK tour. Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and David Marks were informed of the news via a statement issued by Mike Love - the band's frontman and Wilson's cousin - that the tour would be continuing without them."

So there was a UK tour and Mike played the second half of the dates without BAD?
 
"Their places will be filled by Bruce Johnston - a second generation member - and a selection of session musicians."

So Bruce was not part of the first half of the tour?

I think this twists the facts more than a bit. And that's the "proof" you rely on?

The only fact you are 100% right is that if Mike had wanted to go on in the C50 configuration they could have done so and most certainly would have. But it isn't certainly so that he dumped them and they are now lying helplessly out there on the street. He unfortunately decided not to tour with them anymore, kind of like Brian decided not to tour with them in 1965. Granted: unfortunately Mike uses the Beach Boys' name, unlike Brian in 1965.

As stated before, beware relying on the Daily Mail for facts! This is the rag that deplores paedophilia yet splatters semi-clad underage celebrity daughters and C-listers all over its website. This is the rag that declares a new ice age if the sun isn't seen for a week then rages about global warming when the weathermen predict a heat wave.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I quite agree John. Toilet paper. I'd personally take anything they print with a very large pinch of proverbial.

[The Heartical Don]

I quite agree John. Toilet paper. I'd personally take anything they print with a very large pinch of proverbial.

Alternatively, you could construct in your head the opposite of what they print and take that as the truth and nothing but.

[leggo of my ego]

I'm excited for any new Brian Wilson music.  This album sounds like it'll be quite different, though, doesn't it?  I mean Don Was and Jim Keltner doing some track(s)...Jeff Beck, Tal Wilkenfeld, and Vinnie Colaiuta doing some track(s)...Al Jardine and David Marks doing some track(s).  I'm excited.  Keltner is one of my favorite drummers, and Colaiuta is incredible, but how different their playing styles are!  Jeff Beck is perhaps the only '60s 'guitar god' who has continued to innovate and explore new avenues for his entire career, and I love his playing, but how different his style is to David Marks' (although I am not familiar with much of David's solo work), not to mention Brian Wilson's.  When I try to imagine what type of music Brain could make with Jeff Beck and Company, my head explodes.  What the hell is this music going to sound like?  How could anyone who is a fan of Brian Wilson's music not be super excited about the possibilities?


P.S.  Anyone who mentions Joe Thomas, Jeff Foskett, or Mike Love in response to my post is missing my point.   

+ 1 

I am grateful because the man is seventy years old and still keep on keeping on. We do not know how much longer Brian
will be with us. Hard to see him retiring but health issues or anything could move him in that direction.

Music is his work, I know I want to retire from my daily toil soon...just sayin. 

[Micha]

So you say a Brian album wouldn't sell amazing better if called a Beach Boys album? And the C50 didn't earn vastly more money for Brian that he will draw now? Or Brian, Al and David, called the Beach Boys, wouldn't be highly successful?

Respectively, yes, of course it would... yes, of course it did... and no, I very much doubt they would.

Andrew, what makes you think so? I would think if Mike&Bruce retired or took a break and Brian, Al, and David toured as "The Beach Boys", they would be exactly as successful as the other two.

I don't see those three either staying together too long (vide. the Pet Sounds 40th anniversary tour, and if you're not up to speed on exactly why ACJ stopped touring with Brian, ask around..    ) or doing about 100 gigs a year. Anyway, academic as 1) it'll never happen and 2) Brian doesn't have a license to tour as The Beach Boys.

Of course the question is academic whether BAD touring as the BBswould be as succesful as M&B. Still you gave your opinion on it in an earlier post. You chose not to answer my question what makes you think so. And I don't know what happenings on a tour years ago have to do with the academic premises of BAD touring as the BBs nowadays. I agree with you that it won't happen ever but they did manage to do the whole C50 tour together. So what if BAD would do a M&B-like tour as the BBs, don't you think they'd sell as many tickets as the other two guys do?

[filledeplage]

So you say a Brian album wouldn't sell amazing better if called a Beach Boys album? And the C50 didn't earn vastly more money for Brian that he will draw now? Or Brian, Al and David, called the Beach Boys, wouldn't be highly successful?

Respectively, yes, of course it would... yes, of course it did... and no, I very much doubt they would.

Andrew, what makes you think so? I would think if Mike&Bruce retired or took a break and Brian, Al, and David toured as "The Beach Boys", they would be exactly as successful as the other two.

I don't see those three either staying together too long (vide. the Pet Sounds 40th anniversary tour, and if you're not up to speed on exactly why ACJ stopped touring with Brian, ask around..    ) or doing about 100 gigs a year. Anyway, academic as 1) it'll never happen and 2) Brian doesn't have a license to tour as The Beach Boys.

Of course the question is academic whether BAD touring as the BBswould be as succesful as M&B. Still you gave your opinion on it in an earlier post. You chose not to answer my question what makes you think so. And I don't know what happenings on a tour years ago have to do with the academic premises of BAD touring as the BBs nowadays. I agree with you that it won't happen ever but they did manage to do the whole C50 tour together. So what if BAD would do a M&B-like tour as the BBs, don't you think they'd sell as many tickets as the other two guys do?

Point is...how does one measure success?  C50 was over-the-top successful, (and I truly LOVED every show) but, one question might be whether all that drama is necessary and whether the "Touring Band style" of simply bringing the music "to the people" without the drama is so appealing at this point? 

They seem to be so "grounded" in what they've been doing, and yet, are still on a learning curve, (WH) that this way of life, while physically taxing in a way, might be a very fulfilling way to deliver the music, after years of building global contacts up. Aren't we all looking to live life more simply?