Track talk #12: Wipeout!

[buddhahat]

I spend a lot of time thinking about the Beach Boys but had largely forgotten about this song until it popped into my head this weekend as a result of trying surfing for the first time. Why this song and not one of the band's more respectable surf standards I'll never know but there you go. Maybe something to do with my paunch and complete inability to surf!

As one of of those evil smiley smilers who snobbily never ventures beyond BB85 in the catalogue I didn't even realise this track was on Still Cruisin'. Ironically, despite turning my nose up at most of the BB post 70s output, I have a bit of a soft spot for this one.

My head tells me it marks a very special nadir for the band. Firstly, jumping on the emerging 80s hip hop bandwagon was ill-judged but one can understand why this rap + surf collaboration made sense in light of Walk This Way's massive success. But Wipeout isn't even an original Beach Boys song! Talk about a half-baked concept. It's not as if the band were short of good surf songs after all. What's the background to this collaboration? It has to be a Bruce idea, right? He certainly features heavily in the video and seems the most comfortable in front of the camera. Were the Fat Boys well known before this or were they sort of created Monkees style for this one hit?

As a Beach Boys fan erring on the snobby side, therefore, I can see so many things wrong with the song. However as an 11 year old that was just getting in to the BBs and Run DMC/Beastie Boys etc. in 1987, Wipeout seemed like a marriage made in heaven. I loved everything about it from the wa wa was to the rapping, the hilarious fat guys, the whole 'comedy' narrative. Listening now, it still brings a smile to my face.

http://youtu.be/r-kAnNgqN9o

It's funny wtaching the video too and seeing Mike, Bruce, Al (On decks!) and Brian all clowning around. Brian looks pretty good in this. And is that all Brian I can hear in the background vocals? He certainly seems pretty prominent in the mix. Somebody's now going to tell me there are NO Beach Boys vocals in this song and my last remaining childhood illusion will be shattered.

But no Carl. What's the story there? Just too horrified by the whole thing, perhaps?

[c-man]

Artistic merits of the rest of it aside, I remember how great it was to hear Brian Wilson's voice in a NEW song all over the radio in the summer of '87. That middle bit where he goes "Wa-a-wa-a-wa, Wa-wa-wa-OOO-a" is priceless!

[buddhahat]

Artistic merits of the rest of it aside, I remember how great it was to hear Brian Wilson's voice in a NEW song all over the radio in the summer of '87. That middle bit where he goes "Wa-a-wa-a-wa, Wa-wa-wa-OOO-a" is priceless!

Yeah - I hadn't listened to this song properly in years, probably since I was a kid. So it was funny to hear Brian's vocals so clearly in those familiar 'Wa-wa-was'.

[bossaroo]

Were the Fat Boys well known before this or were they sort of created Monkees style for this one hit?

the Fat Boys were trailblazers in hip hop. just ask the Beastie Boys. and they put beatboxing on the map. and to be clear, the Beach Boys were guests on the Fat Boys single, not the other way around. they also did a remake of The Twist with Chubby Checker around the same time.

it might be a guilty pleasure but I always liked this song too. considering all the other things the guys were willing to do to tarnish their image, this tune really doesn't seem so bad. it has a sense of humor in addition to a really catchy hook (I wonder who was responsible for that? they really transformed the original instrumental). as stated, it's great to hear Brian so prominently. kind of odd that Brian had nothing to do with Kokomo considering Wipeout was done in basically the same period.

given the choice, i'll take Wipeout over Kokomo any day.

[Nicko1234]

This is just a fun, never to be taken seriously, song. Nothing more, nothing less. I`ve always enjoyed it and give it the occasional listen.

[pixletwin]

Fun summer fluff.

Where was Carl during filming? 

[southbay]

Artistic merits of the rest of it aside, I remember how great it was to hear Brian Wilson's voice in a NEW song all over the radio in the summer of '87. That middle bit where he goes "Wa-a-wa-a-wa, Wa-wa-wa-OOO-a" is priceless!

This, a thousand times this.  And the collaberation was a Mike Love idea.  Originally supposed to be with Run DMC if I remember correctly, then Love pulled it from them and hooked up with the Fat Boys because they had the offer for the movie soundtrack tie in.  A lot of good discussion about the recording and arranging of this song in the Wilson Project.  Although Brian (and maybe Mike on the low end) is all you can hear, according to Gary Usher Mike, Bruce and Al were in fact at the recording session laying down BGV's that Brian had himself arranged. I cannot recall if he indicated Carl was there at the session or not. According to Usher's account, he was in fact impressed by Brian's on the spot vocal arranging that day in the studio, particularly in contrast to other things going on at the time in Brian's world.

[Rocky Raccoon]

Where was Carl during filming? 

He was busy spending time with his dignity. 

[bonnevillemariner]

I still think it's a match made in heaven.  Ok, maybe just for that one song.  Still Cruisin' wasn't my first exposure to The Beach Boys, but it was my first album.  A birthday gift when I was 14.  I listened to that cassette over and over and loved Wipe Out.  Still do.

[Nicko1234]

Now the ultimate question...

How would people feel if this were added to the live show again?

[Rocky Raccoon]

Now the ultimate question...

How would people feel if this were added to the live show again?

Who would do the rapping?

[Gertie J.]

b. hinsche ?

[wantsomecorn]

Now the ultimate question...

How would people feel if this were added to the live show again?

Who would do the rapping?

Stamos.

[bringahorseinhere?]

Johnston for sure! 

Rb

[guitarfool2002]

According to Usher's account, he was in fact impressed by Brian's on the spot vocal arranging that day in the studio, particularly in contrast to other things going on at the time in Brian's world.

The words in bold...I'll just say I think this is one of Brian's true gifts and unique talents, one which has always and continues to set him apart in the music world from the time he was in his teens. And I have also never heard or read reports that haven't expressed nearly the same sense of awe at watching the man in his element working out an arrangement seemingly out of thin air, from a variety of very well known musicians and observers who have witnessed this in person.

[bossaroo]

i find Wipeout so much more enjoyable than most of their 80s output.

STICKEMSTICKEMSTICKEMSTICKEMBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[RangeRoverA1]

Love "Wipe Out", Fat Boys + Brian outdid the Surfaris BIG TIME. Surf guitar & beatboxing? Groovy! Only The BBs could follow any trend & still sound cool (but not w/o idiosyncracy, ofc). Thanks for this track talk, buddhahat, your choices are very unpredictable, I enjoy them.

[Foster's Freeze]

Talking about it may force me to go listen to it now.

[buddhahat]

Love "Wipe Out", Fat Boys + Brian outdid the Surfaris BIG TIME. Surf guitar & beatboxing? Groovy! Only The BBs could follow any trend & still sound cool (but not w/o idiosyncracy, ofc). Thanks for this track talk, buddhahat, your choices are very unpredictable, I enjoy them.

You're welcome, RangeRover. Glad you enjoy the selections!

[Foster's Freeze]

Was it really offered to Run DMC first? 

[buddhahat]

Artistic merits of the rest of it aside, I remember how great it was to hear Brian Wilson's voice in a NEW song all over the radio in the summer of '87. That middle bit where he goes "Wa-a-wa-a-wa, Wa-wa-wa-OOO-a" is priceless!

This, a thousand times this.  And the collaberation was a Mike Love idea.  Originally supposed to be with Run DMC if I remember correctly, then Love pulled it from them and hooked up with the Fat Boys because they had the offer for the movie soundtrack tie in.  A lot of good discussion about the recording and arranging of this song in the Wilson Project.  Although Brian (and maybe Mike on the low end) is all you can hear, according to Gary Usher Mike, Bruce and Al were in fact at the recording session laying down BGV's that Brian had himself arranged. I cannot recall if he indicated Carl was there at the session or not. According to Usher's account, he was in fact impressed by Brian's on the spot vocal arranging that day in the studio, particularly in contrast to other things going on at the time in Brian's world.

Thanks for the info.

[southbay]

Was it really offered to Run DMC first?  

AGD may have more details.  My recollection is that it wasn't offered TO Run DMC but, rather, Run DMC came to the Beach Boys with the pitch and the group (again, with Love as the spearhead) had agreed. Then the producers of the "Back to the Beach" movie approached the group with the idea of them doing the song with the Fat Boys for the movie and Love (with, one would presume, the backing of his corporate partners)backed out of the "deal" with Run DMC.  I haven't read the account in several years now, however.  

[Ron]

I spend a lot of time thinking about the Beach Boys but had largely forgotten about this song until it popped into my head this weekend as a result of trying surfing for the first time. Why this song and not one of the band's more respectable surf standards I'll never know but there you go. Maybe something to do with my paunch and complete inability to surf!

As one of of those evil smiley smilers who snobbily never ventures beyond BB85 in the catalogue I didn't even realise this track was on Still Cruisin'. Ironically, despite turning my nose up at most of the BB post 70s output, I have a bit of a soft spot for this one.

My head tells me it marks a very special nadir for the band. Firstly, jumping on the emerging 80s hip hop bandwagon was ill-judged but one can understand why this rap + surf collaboration made sense in light of Walk This Way's massive success. But Wipeout isn't even an original Beach Boys song! Talk about a half-baked concept. It's not as if the band were short of good surf songs after all. What's the background to this collaboration? It has to be a Bruce idea, right? He certainly features heavily in the video and seems the most comfortable in front of the camera. Were the Fat Boys well known before this or were they sort of created Monkees style for this one hit?

As a Beach Boys fan erring on the snobby side, therefore, I can see so many things wrong with the song. However as an 11 year old that was just getting in to the BBs and Run DMC/Beastie Boys etc. in 1987, Wipeout seemed like a marriage made in heaven. I loved everything about it from the wa wa was to the rapping, the hilarious fat guys, the whole 'comedy' narrative. Listening now, it still brings a smile to my face.

http://youtu.be/r-kAnNgqN9o

It's funny wtaching the video too and seeing Mike, Bruce, Al (On decks!) and Brian all clowning around. Brian looks pretty good in this. And is that all Brian I can hear in the background vocals? He certainly seems pretty prominent in the mix. Somebody's now going to tell me there are NO Beach Boys vocals in this song and my last remaining childhood illusion will be shattered.

But no Carl. What's the story there? Just too horrified by the whole thing, perhaps?

I've told this story several times, but I'll repeat it here because your post is so spot on.

When I was about 9 or 10 this song had just came out.  I was a big fan of oldies because that was all I had listened to when I was a kid... so basically i'm at school one day (new school) and I was a scrawny, shy little thing.  All these kids are picking on me, and teasing me, and the thing that day was they were asking me who my favorite band was... so I wouldn't answer them , then finally said "well, they're initials are B.B."... so the main bully says "The Beastie Boys?" and I said no... then he said "The BEACH BOYS???" and I meekly said "yeah".... ... and the kid said "Oh.  Well.  They're cool."

To LONG term fans, I'm sure they hated stuff like Wipeout, and looking back, it's hilariously bad... but at the time, to a kid, like me or even the bullies in my class... the song was cool, the Fat Boys were cool, and the Beach Boys were cool.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Was it really offered to Run DMC first?  

AGD may have more details.  My recollection is that it wasn't offered TO Run DMC but, rather, Run DMC came to the Beach Boys with the pitch and the group (again, with Love as the spearhead) had agreed. Then the producers of the "Back to the Beach" movie approached the group with the idea of them doing the song with the Fat Boys for the movie and Love (with, one would presume, the backing of his corporate partners)backed out of the "deal" with Run DMC.  I haven't read the account in several years now, however.  

And then began the little known feud between RUN DMC and the Beach Boys, which culminated in the fatal shooting of Jam Master Jay.

To this day the culprit has never been caught.




But seriously, the fact that Brian arranged the vocals certainly gives this record a slice of authenticity.

[RangeRoverA1]

Curse you for reposting that picture, Mr. Newcombe. It's a real nightmare.