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Author Topic: Being a Beach Boy fan pre-internet  (Read 11519 times)
leggo of my ego
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« Reply #25 on: October 17, 2013, 04:48:22 PM »

Sad to say that as a teenager the Beach Boys piqued hardly any interest in my musical vocabulary. The lack of enthusiasm from the DJs and music critics didn't help either and I was totally preoccupied with mostly British rockers emulating their American Blues heroes of the past decade and then riding the wave of Prog Rock until that crashed into a New Wave. The magnificence of the 70's came and went -- the 80s dragged on and left me, uninspired

but then the dawn of a new day, there was Kokomo.

Thank Mike.   Bow

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« Reply #26 on: October 17, 2013, 05:05:39 PM »

Yeah,  the best thing in the world was going in the record store the second they opened, and watching them open a box full of the Surf's Up album!  Taking it home and dropping that needle on side one! No leaked previews...
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Lonely Summer
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« Reply #27 on: October 17, 2013, 09:23:13 PM »

As much as I love online communication, it will never replace the good old days of hanging out at the record stores, and being surprised when there was a new release by the Beach Boys, Dylan, ex-Beatles, etc. It was nice when the person behind the counter turned out to be a fan of the same artists.
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J.G. Dev
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« Reply #28 on: October 18, 2013, 04:34:27 AM »

Pre internet meant I could actually score front row seats to the Beach Boys without spending $400 on a package. You had to wait a while in line at the box office or ticket outlet place, but it was worth it.
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Magic Transistor Radio
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« Reply #29 on: October 18, 2013, 06:03:48 AM »

I was born in 1977.  How did one find out about these things? You couldn't just google it Smiley 

I do miss some of the larger record stores, such as Tower and Virgin. Although, there are still some great indie record stores in the Dallas area. Shout out to Good Records!

I envy those who walked into a store to find the new release of Sunflower, Surfs Up, etc. I first became a Beach Boys record buyer around 1998. I was always excited to find a cd with a song or 2 that I had never heard before. Then the two fers came out. I was especially excited to get Smiley Smile, hoping to find Smile tracks only to be dissapointed. But I finally bought the Good Vibrations box around this time and of course was pleasantly surprised.

There was also an indie record store in the area that no longer exists that always had some obscure boot leg cd.

Now that I have heard most everything, going to the Beach Boys section is not nearly as adventurous, unless something new comes out (Smile Sessions, MIC, etc). But I still can't help to look.  Smiley
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"Over the years, I've been accused of not supporting our new music from this era (67-73) and just wanting to play our hits. That's complete b.s......I was also, as the front man, the one promoting these songs onstage and have the scars to show for it."
Mike Love autobiography (pg 242-243)
Steve Latshaw
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« Reply #30 on: October 18, 2013, 08:20:27 AM »

I have been looking for copies of David Leaf's PET SOUNDS newsletter; specifically the ones published between 1977 and 1980.  I am particularly interested in his review of ADULT/CHILD... coverage in 1977-78 about recording plans and how things eventually evolved into MIU ALBUM.  And - a very interesting interview from the fall of 1978 with Bruce Johnston about what was being considered for the L.A. Light Album.  I would be happy with internet links to these articles/interviews, or simple machine copies; don't need original issues.  I had these newsletters back in the late 70s and would simply like to read them again.  Thanks.
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WesB8302
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« Reply #31 on: October 18, 2013, 11:09:59 AM »

I guess this is a good thread to make my first post on (I've been reading/lurking for a while...).  I, too, became a Beach Boys fan in the 80s (born in '77).  My first real memories of the group are the Waikiki special from '86, and honestly the Sunkist "Good Vibrations" commercials.  Along the way I picked up several cassettes, mostly comps, (Concert Days, Surf's Up -- an early years comp, not THE Surf's Up from 71, among others).  Yes, being a child in the 80s, "Kokomo" was a thrill, I used to watch VH1 and MTV just to catch it and "Still Cruisin'" when they would air.  I called local record stores in Charleston, WV when the SC album came out looking for it.  My first CD I ever bought was BB '85, loved it then (late 80s/very early '90s) and still like it a lot today.  Got all of the original 1990 two-fers except Friends/20-20.  I was a member of BB FUN for a couple years, and couldn't wait to get the little single sheet newsletters in the mailbox every month (along with my Baseball Digest). 

I actually write a blog focusing on Christian music, but the one secular album I have reviewed on the blog was TWGMTR.  Waiting for that release date reminded me of being an 11 or 12 year old kid calling the Tape World in the mall about every week just waiting for Still Cruisin' to be available.

Ahhh...the good ol' days!
« Last Edit: October 18, 2013, 11:13:42 AM by WesB8302 » Logged

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celticsurfer
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« Reply #32 on: October 18, 2013, 11:46:03 AM »

in the pre internet there were 2 periods:
the first before 15 Big Ones, I only got news about the BBs from the english excellent rock press (NME, Melody Maker, Record Mirror) and some US mags (Rolling Stone, Phonograph record Mag and Creem).
Then after 15 Big Ones I had access to many fanzines and record lists , see Mikie list plus all the european/world fanzines :
From Germany (Gene), Holland (Eddy Feiken), Sweden (Goran's Surfer's Rule and Ragnhild's Good Vibrations), Japan (Susumu Ogata) and Australia (Stephen J mc Parland informative Ca Music and BBaustralia).
Beach Boys Stomp conventions were an excellent place to pick the real information. That period was rich in exchanges (letters/parcels of records; you waited for them during long weeks!) and as a result I got many friends all around the world.
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Andrew G. Doe
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« Reply #33 on: October 18, 2013, 02:18:04 PM »

I have been looking for copies of David Leaf's PET SOUNDS newsletter; specifically the ones published between 1977 and 1980.  I am particularly interested in his review of ADULT/CHILD... coverage in 1977-78 about recording plans and how things eventually evolved into MIU ALBUM.  And - a very interesting interview from the fall of 1978 with Bruce Johnston about what was being considered for the L.A. Light Album.  I would be happy with internet links to these articles/interviews, or simple machine copies; don't need original issues.  I had these newsletters back in the late 70s and would simply like to read them again.  Thanks.

There were only four or five, last one in 1978.
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Andrew G. Doe
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« Reply #34 on: October 18, 2013, 02:24:39 PM »

Here's the craziest thing - over the years, I've met just about all the people I used to read about back then and some of them - Stevie K., to name one - yes, I regard them as friends. And if you'd told me that back in 1975, I'd have laughed in your face, loud and long. A long strange trip indeed.

And the truly heartwarming thing is, I'm far from being alone in this. It's hard to think of a more accessible band.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2013, 02:28:49 PM by A. Grayham Doe » Logged

The four sweetest words in my vocabulary: "This poster is ignored".
Steve Latshaw
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« Reply #35 on: October 18, 2013, 03:31:52 PM »

Thank you, AGD.  Any help would be appreciated.  I've got the BEACH BOYS LOVE YOU issue.... but would love to access the ones from later in 1977 and 1978.  As I recall, the Bruce Johnston interview went into a considerable amount of detail on which tracks were being considered for LA Light... including some tracks that would have made it a very different album, indeed.
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bgas
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« Reply #36 on: October 18, 2013, 05:12:58 PM »

Thank you, AGD.  Any help would be appreciated.  I've got the BEACH BOYS LOVE YOU issue.... but would love to access the ones from later in 1977 and 1978.  As I recall, the Bruce Johnston interview went into a considerable amount of detail on which tracks were being considered for LA Light... including some tracks that would have made it a very different album, indeed.

I've got them, but theyre buried. if I can dig them out, I'll put them in the Media section
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« Reply #37 on: October 18, 2013, 05:16:10 PM »

It continues to be a real pleasure to write about the members of the Beach Boys and their extended families and friends. 

I have been fortunate to get to know them all too…so much so, that I produced an entire CD with a handful of them for the Bamboo Trading Company.

Very cool stuff. 

The reason I do it?

The pure joy of the music.
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In Music,
David
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« Reply #38 on: October 18, 2013, 05:16:42 PM »

bgas, that would be great
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In Music,
David
mtaber
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« Reply #39 on: October 18, 2013, 06:32:39 PM »

Someone mentioned hanging out in the record store... I remember going in the store nearest me (Main Street Records, long gone) when Ricci Martin's Beached album was due out. Now, that was a very obscure album to be looking for, so as I'm looking around, the owner (and only one in the store) asks if he can help me.  I told him I was looking for the Ricci Martin album, expecting a puzzled look. Instead, the guy's eyes lit up and he knew all about the album. Turns out he was a huge Beach Boys fan,  and we became fast friends. I spent many hours at the store, talking with Bill. Over the years I gradually lost touch, having a family of my own by then. I found out a couple of years ago that Bill had passed away. I think back on those days every now and then and it brings back lots of good memories..
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Gabo
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« Reply #40 on: October 18, 2013, 06:36:12 PM »

Being a Beach Boy fan is hard now because most don't see them as a serious band. I'm mocked all the time for it.
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bluesno1fann
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« Reply #41 on: October 18, 2013, 06:40:57 PM »

Being a Beach Boy fan is hard now because most don't see them as a serious band. I'm mocked all the time for it.
Agreed, they mostly see them as a bubblegum surf band despite the fact that Pet Sounds and Smile are quite well-known.
I wonder what people's opinion on them would be like if they successfully overcame their crappy image.
More importantly, I wonder if there's anything we can do to help change their image?  Huh
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Sheriff John Stone
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« Reply #42 on: October 18, 2013, 06:44:25 PM »

Another quick record store story....At my local record store, they had a stack of Billboard magazines on a counter (past editions and the current one). So I would go in there every week like clockwork, and stand at that counter paging through the latest Billboard magazine. I would go meticulously through all the charts to see if any Beach Boys' albums or singles were on there, and how they were doing. I literally lived and died by those charts, hoping the current releases would make some noise. As a bonus, sometimes there would be a blurb or a paragraph on an upcoming release. It was usually just something like "The Beach Boys are in the studio in L.A....Brian Wilson is recording with the group....one of titles is "Our Team"....the album should be out in the spring...." It's funny how some of those record store moments were highlights of your day, week, life!
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« Reply #43 on: October 18, 2013, 06:51:59 PM »

Being a Beach Boy fan is hard now because most don't see them as a serious band. I'm mocked all the time for it.
Agreed, they mostly see them as a bubblegum surf band despite the fact that Pet Sounds and Smile are quite well-known.
I wonder what people's opinion on them would be like if they successfully overcame their crappy image.
More importantly, I wonder if there's anything we can do to help change their image?  Huh

Hmmm, that's exactly what Jack Rieley was thinking and set out to do back in the latter part of 1970.

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mtaber
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« Reply #44 on: October 18, 2013, 07:13:30 PM »

The Beach Boys are cursed primarily by the simple fact that they pre-date the Beatles. This is especially true of American FM radio. The Beach Boys took a little more effort in order to be appreciated. They are kind of like this girl ( or guy) in high school. This person never quite fit in - maybe they didn't wear cool clothes or hang out with the cool kids. Nobody made the effort to give this person a chance, because everyone was too busy trying to look cool themselves.  But, if you spent some time with this person, you found out how amazing they were. That's how it is, was and always will be with the Beach Boys...
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« Reply #45 on: October 18, 2013, 07:14:15 PM »

I have a few collecting stories of my own.

One of them is when I found a tall stack of "The Making of Holland" books sitting on the front counter near the register at Tower Records in Berkeley. They were free and I took two. Guy behind the counter told me to take more, so I did. Like other records and paraphernalia, I didn't know they'd be collectible. Down the road years later, I used a few for trading collateral and gave away a couple. Coincidently, Tower in Berkeley, along with 3 or 4 other used record shops I use to frequent around there, was just around the corner and up the block from People's Park (Student Demonstration Time).
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I, I love the colorful clothes she wears, and she's already working on my brain. I only looked in her eyes, but I picked up something I just can't explain. I, I bet I know what she’s like, and I can feel how right she’d be for me. It’s weird how she comes in so strong, and I wonder what she’s picking up from me. I hope it’s good, good, good, good vibrations, yeah!!
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« Reply #46 on: October 18, 2013, 07:22:59 PM »

Hey Marty, I was just kidding about cancelling my subscription to your 'Friends Of The Beach Boys' fanzine after the first issue. Been awhile since I looked through my paper items, but I'm sure I still have a few of them. How many did you publish? The thing that I remember most about 'Friends Of The Beach Boys' was that it was folded in half and held together with just one staple! About 5-10 pages if I remember right....
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I, I love the colorful clothes she wears, and she's already working on my brain. I only looked in her eyes, but I picked up something I just can't explain. I, I bet I know what she’s like, and I can feel how right she’d be for me. It’s weird how she comes in so strong, and I wonder what she’s picking up from me. I hope it’s good, good, good, good vibrations, yeah!!
mtaber
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« Reply #47 on: October 18, 2013, 07:46:05 PM »

I did seven issues,  each one larger than the one before. Started out 3-4 pages and issue 7 was about 40 or so. I created a monster! Lots of fun, though, and made a lot of friends...
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« Reply #48 on: October 18, 2013, 08:38:49 PM »

The Beach Boys are cursed primarily by the simple fact that they pre-date the Beatles. This is especially true of American FM radio. The Beach Boys took a little more effort in order to be appreciated. They are kind of like this girl ( or guy) in high school. This person never quite fit in - maybe they didn't wear cool clothes or hang out with the cool kids. Nobody made the effort to give this person a chance, because everyone was too busy trying to look cool themselves.  But, if you spent some time with this person, you found out how amazing they were. That's how it is, was and always will be with the Beach Boys...

Well, you may be correct to a certain extent post-Beatles, and certainly by 1968 for sure, but in the pre-Beatles pre-British Invasion years (before 1964 in the US), nobody, and I mean absolutely nobody in the music industry was cooler than the Beach Boys.  And in the US, despite the British Invasion, they were still considered totally cool through 1965.  Around 1966 things started to change, but I totally agree that if you spent some time with they you found out how amazing they were.
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« Reply #49 on: October 18, 2013, 08:48:52 PM »

Another quick record store story....At my local record store, they had a stack of Billboard magazines on a counter (past editions and the current one). So I would go in there every week like clockwork, and stand at that counter paging through the latest Billboard magazine. I would go meticulously through all the charts to see if any Beach Boys' albums or singles were on there, and how they were doing. I literally lived and died by those charts, hoping the current releases would make some noise. As a bonus, sometimes there would be a blurb or a paragraph on an upcoming release. It was usually just something like "The Beach Boys are in the studio in L.A....Brian Wilson is recording with the group....one of titles is "Our Team"....the album should be out in the spring...." It's funny how some of those record store moments were highlights of your day, week, life!

And then there was the PhonoLog, this absolutely massive "book" listing every album and single in print in the US, both by artist and title.  Not sure how often it was updated, maybe monthly, but for sure at least four times a year.  Each PhonoLog page was removable, so when the updates arrived in the mail a record store was charged with the task of junking any pages with old info and replacing them with an updated page.  Not only would the PhonoLog alert you to any new releases you might be unaware of (assuming you went to the trouble of looking up the artist in question), but you also became aware of albums and singles no longer in print when you no longer saw them listed (for example the great Capitol Records Beach Boys album purge when they initially went to Brother/Reprise, although a some of the deleted albums soon became available once again in truncated 10 songs per album two-fer form).

It's funny how some of those record store moments were highlights of your day, week, life!

Yeah, totally agree!


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