When did The Beach Boys die?

[Wilsonista]

Still touring is not the same thing as being "alive".

[Cam Mott]

Still touring is not the same thing as being "alive".

..and not touring is not the same thing as being "dead", soooooo.....Ian?

[Peter Ames Carlin]

Interesting existential questions. What is a rock group? How do you define its spirit? When does it cease to exist? According to Cam Mott, the Beach Boys are alive and well. And yet, with 80 percent of the original band missing, including its two most valuable musical players and the one guy whose artistic, spiritual and musical vision is at the heart of virtually everything they did in their prime, what are they?

Let's say we're talking about the Beatles. John, Paul, George and Ringo. The Fab Four. That breathtaking combination of talents, personalities and abilities. Do they exist without the creative brilliance/tension sparked by John and Paul? Or the dry wit and spirituality of George? When Ringo sits in on drums for one of Paul's albums, are the Beatles back together again? And if those two guys decided to get back on the road together with a couple of other guys, would you go around telling your heirs, "Yes, I saw the Beatles perform"?

Or let's say Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor go out as the Rolling Stones. Still the world's greatest rock band? You might say that Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey can do a better job as the Who -- Pete being the main composer and guitar player and Roger the lead singer. But compare them and their session guys to the Who in "The Kids Are Alright" and tell me you're seeing the same thing.

What you're seeing is an amazing simulation, plus also a corporate trademark. Which isn't to say the music isn't great, or that it's not performed well. But is it the actual band? I mean....really?

[Cam Mott]

The Beatles died in 1960 when Tommy Moore quit.

[Surfer Joe]

Still touring is not the same thing as being "alive".

..and not touring is not the same thing as being "dead", soooooo.....Ian?

Don't go in there, Ian.  It's a trap.  Cam will make you his bee-yotch. Just walk away. Don't do it!

[Paul Childs]

When 'Carl And The Passions - So Tough' came out.

[Rocker]

When 'Carl And The Passions - So Tough' came out.

Interesting. Why do you think that?

[Paul Childs]

A dissapointment after SURFS UP.
They were nothing like the Beach Boys, Holland was an improvement on certain tracks,California Saga was good.

[Rocker]

But do you think that a "dissapointment" is enough to say the band died? I mean every band releases dissapointments at one point or another.



(btw I like So tough)

[Paul Childs]

It's just my opinion. I remember waiting for it to be released back in 1972 thinking it would be another great album after Surfs Up only to find the band had changed their line up (news didn't travel so fast back then with fans as there was no internet) Bruce had left and with Blondie & ricky joining it only sounded half Beach Boys, apart from that I didn't go much on it.
The best time for the Beach Boy's music was the sixties, that is what they play mostly at live shows whether it's Mike & Bruce, Al or Brian.
My personal view is the best thing since the sixties is Brian's comeback in recent years with the band he has now.

But do you think that a "dissapointment" is enough to say the band died? I mean every band releases dissapointments at one point or another.



(btw I like So tough)

[Daniel S.]

The Beach Boys died when David Leaf entered the picture.

Explain, please.

[MBE]

The Beach Boys died when David Leaf entered the picture.


Explain, please.

Does "Brian and the five assholes" ring a bell

[Daniel S.]

You mean singling Brian out as the only talented one in the band and writing a book about how the other guys are jerks? You think that helped kill the band? No sarcasm in my question, I'm really asking.

[Dancing Bear]

You mean singling Brian out as the only talented one in the band and writing a book about how the other guys are jerks? You think that helped kill the band? No sarcasm in my question, I'm really asking.

Exactly. Brian is also a jerk and the others are also talented. Creating the myth that "one day Brian will be free from the parasites and will do the music he always wanted to do" helped kill the band.

[the captain]

It's funny in a way to assign such relevance or importance to pop music so as to make bands living beings themselves, and to distinguish somehow between their product as being alive or dead, important or unimportant, somehow philanthropic or parasitic. In some ways, I can see why many major artists such as John Lennon, Bob Dylan and Freddie Mercury at various times tried to remove their crosses from their backs, saying, "Hey, these are only pop songs. Don't make such a big deal about them--take them, listen to them, throw them away and wait for new ones." And in some ways, Brian did the same thing after Smile, of course.

I think that kind of pressure to "matter" is just too much to ask of an artist to knowingly live up to. We're the ones who make them--artists--be alive or dead. They, in some ways, just keep doing whatever it is they're trying to do, which is generally to make a living by making their music.

So when did the Beach Boys die? I suppose they've been losing limbs since about '66, but haven't quite died yet. After all, people still go to see the band called the Beach Boys, not to mention its former members on their projects.

But from my heart, and for my taste in music, they died with Dennis (after a decade-long, near paralyzing illness that began after Holland). From then on, there were good days (Love You) and bad (most of the rest of it).

[Lorenschwartz]

It's funny in a way to assign such relevance or importance to pop music so as to make bands living beings themselves, and to distinguish somehow between their product as being alive or dead, important or unimportant, somehow philanthropic or parasitic. In some ways, I can see why many major artists such as John Lennon, Bob Dylan and Freddie Mercury at various times tried to remove their crosses from their backs, saying, "Hey, these are only pop songs. Don't make such a big deal about them--take them, listen to them, throw them away and wait for new ones." And in some ways, Brian did the same thing after Smile, of course.

I think that kind of pressure to "matter" is just too much to ask of an artist to knowingly live up to. We're the ones who make them--artists--be alive or dead. They, in some ways, just keep doing whatever it is they're trying to do, which is generally to make a living by making their music.

So when did the Beach Boys die? I suppose they've been losing limbs since about '66, but haven't quite died yet. After all, people still go to see the band called the Beach Boys, not to mention its former members on their projects.

But from my heart, and for my taste in music, they died with Dennis (after a decade-long, near paralyzing illness that began after Holland). From then on, there were good days (Love You) and bad (most of the rest of it).

Very Eloquent...Luther, You're the Top.