Mike and Bruce Tour 2015

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

No, but it doesn't have to be. Two different things. Apples and oranges. Same music (mostly), but two different approaches, and that's okay.
That said, I'm not a fan of the song itself!

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Is this better than BW's band? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iuBSWYoSPj4&spfreload=10

Hard to say since Brian's band doesn't play that song.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Is this better than BW's band? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iuBSWYoSPj4&spfreload=10

The myKe and br00th oldies tribute band don't qualify to be mentioned in the same sentence as Brian's band. If "Goin' To The Beach"    is the kind of crap myKe wants to bring with him to that "special" room he wants to occupy with
Brian Wilson, then let's pray and hope that never comes to be. GTTB is an awful, pitiful example of where the luhvster's musical head is at and always has been.  

[Cam Mott]

Brian and Mike make the distinction between promoter talk and group talk and make the claims that the group talk didn't happen, you're not arguing with me.

Nope, they have not made these distinctions clear whatsoever. The fact that Brian and Mike's LA Times letters in 2012 were so at odds, and that Mike's "interview" with David Beard completely contradicted what he said to Howie Edelson is evidence of that. I haven't seen anyone but you parse selective words into a "Brian and Mike agree!" argument. Even some staunch Mike Love defenders would agree the Beard and Edelson interviews are completely at odds.

Mike gave his reasons why the reunion line up didn't continue for the pre-booked 2012 shows. There were his practical/financial reasons but one of the reasons was he, Brian, and Al had agreed they wouldn't be in those shows.

Nope, not buying that failed string of logic again. Brian and Al didn’t agree to not be in shows post-C50 anymore than they have continually agreed year after year to not play in my backyard once per month. An agreement that lays out X, Y, and Z is not an agreement to NOT do something else after.

It would be fair to say nobody was under any contractual obligation to continue the C50 lineup. But it’s total crap to say Brian and Al “agreed” to not be a part of any further shows after the contract ran out. That’s like signing someone up to a one-year employment contract and then, instead of saying “you’re fired” or “we no longer need your services”, saying instead “you agreed to not be a part of this company after one year.” You can’t agree to something that hasn’t and may not happen. An agreement with an end date is an acknowledgment that anything could happen after that agreement. But Al could also catch a cold and race in the Indy 500 after the scheduled end of C50. It doesn’t mean he “agreed” to it.

So that post-C50 group discussion was something that Brian and Mike  both wagged their chin about being important but both say it didn't happen.  They should have gotten together for that group discussion that would have set in stone post-C50 things instead talking past each other and pointing fingers at each other in the press about all of the promoter talk.

Apparently the interested promoters themselves were the ones talking up the year delay to the group: “You’ve got to be careful not to get overexposed,” Love said. “There are promoters who are interested, but they’ve said, ‘Give it a rest for a year.’ “   Mike Love LA Times Sept. 27 2012

It's total BS to imply Brian and Mike both wanted to continue the reunion but the "group discussion" never happened; as if they just didn't logistically make arrangements for a little group sit-down; as if a "group discussion" would have led to more reunion shows. The evidence indicates Mike had his own shows booked before the reunion was over. You continue to ignore Mike's own words about the things he didn't like about C50. Everybody else had nothing but good things to say. It was Mike, and only Mike, saying the band was too big, too many voices completing for parts, that the songwriting setup was not optimal, downplaying the magnitude of a #3 album chart placement, and so on. One more time, all together now, Mike didn't want to continue with the reunion lineup the way things were set up. Nobody else seemed to have a problem with it.

As for promoters, we also have indications promoters were interested in immediately booking more shows. We also have anecdotal evidence that the BB's collectively became a laughing stock of the industry for ending the reunion before most of the big money was even made.

I’d like to find out what promoter suggested to Mike objectively that the reunion should immediately stop and “build up demand”, but that Mike should continue to tour under the exact same name during that “break.” Does anyone really think Mike was ready to do another reunion leg, but stopped when he was advised to “give it a rest” for a year? And if that was the case, I guess I missed the 2014 reunion tour; it must not have come to my area.

Nah, I’ve run into this a million times with people on any range of subjects. It’s a common pattern with some folks’ logic. They reach a decision, but don’t want to own the decision and/or explain the real reasons for the decision, so they search for a bunch of other plausible (and not so plausible) reasons. It’s like breaking up with someone because you simply don’t want to be with them anymore, but continually saying “no, no, it was just a timing thing, we just never discussed and fleshed out our feelings, and I’ve had some friends tell me that maybe we should just take a break for awhile”, instead of just owning it and saying “I don’t want to be with you anymore. I don’t like this, so even though you want to stay together, I’m leaving.” 

If Brian and Mike aren't making a distinction between talk of offers and discussion of offers in the group, if they mean them as equivalent, then their statements make no sense to me. Mike would be saying there was discussion of offers within the group, we never discussed offers within the group. Brian would be saying we discussed as a band what we were going to do with all the offers, we hadn't even discussed as a band what we were going to do with all the offers.

The rest of it you seem to be arguing with Mike and Brian, so I'll stay out of it.

[CenturyDeprived]

Is this better than BW's band? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iuBSWYoSPj4&spfreload=10

The myKe and br00th oldies tribute band don't qualify to be mentioned in the same sentence as Brian's band. If "Goin' To The Beach"    is the kind of crap myKe wants to bring with him to that "special" room he wants to occupy with
Brian Wilson, then let's pray and hope that never comes to be. GTTB is an awful, pitiful example of where the luhvster's musical head is at and always has been.  

Agreed that GTTB is a pretty half-baked tune for Mike to be so proud of that it would inexplicably become a regular presence in the setlist, at the expense of other deep cuts that are far more worthy. It's pretty meh. Maybe it's acceptably good by 1980 KTSA standards, but it would be like Brian adding Lazy Lizzie to his set today. In all seriousness, I guess it's because GTTB must (or Mike must think it does/will) get a good response from the audience. I think it's pretty mediocre.

Mike should try to do a collaboration with rapper Too $hort, called "Going to the Beyotch".  It could make up for the almost-but-not-quite Mike Love/Bart Simpson 1992 missed rap duet opportunity (no, that's not a joke in case anyone thinks it is).

[Mayoman]

Recent performance of "You're So Good To Me": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA3-QFEUMCc

[Mendota Heights]

Recent performance of "You're So Good To Me": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA3-QFEUMCc

They nailed it.

Yes actually I have my dear Douche of Earl...and I strongly believe that for the majority of The Beach Boys musical catalog, Mike and Bruce's band do a better job.

RubberSoul13, YSGTM must be in the minority then.

[filledeplage]

Recent performance of "You're So Good To Me": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA3-QFEUMCc

They nailed it.

Yes actually I have my dear Douche of Earl...and I strongly believe that for the majority of The Beach Boys musical catalog, Mike and Bruce's band do a better job.

RubberSoul13, YSGTM must be in the minority then.

Maybe not. 

And BB/BW fans should not be forced to take sides. 

It is not a contest. They are on different paths and have a different performing style. Both great!

Glad to see that in the set list.   

[bgas]

Recent performance of "You're So Good To Me": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA3-QFEUMCc

They nailed it.

Yes actually I have my dear Douche of Earl...and I strongly believe that for the majority of The Beach Boys musical catalog, Mike and Bruce's band do a better job.

RubberSoul13, YSGTM must be in the minority then.

Maybe not. 

And BB/BW fans should not be forced to take sides. 

It is not a contest. They are on different paths and have a different performing style. Both great!

Glad to see that in the set list.   

and yet the conversations are so boring when nobody takes sides

[filledeplage]

Recent performance of "You're So Good To Me": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA3-QFEUMCc

They nailed it.

Yes actually I have my dear Douche of Earl...and I strongly believe that for the majority of The Beach Boys musical catalog, Mike and Bruce's band do a better job.

RubberSoul13, YSGTM must be in the minority then.

Maybe not. 

And BB/BW fans should not be forced to take sides. 

It is not a contest. They are on different paths and have a different performing style. Both great!

Glad to see that in the set list.   

and yet the conversations are so boring when nobody takes sides

Bgas - people can disagree without being disagreeable without being hostile and making personal attacks.

The music comes from the same roots.  Suggesting that someone is "in the minority" disregards that person's opinion.  It tells them their point of view is stupid, in a sense and not in the purported "in crowd."

It's called "bullying." No one likes being on the end of that.
And I seem to remember that David Marks is on the record for not appreciating his band mates trashed, regardless of which group he is with. 

[Mendota Heights]

I did not say RubberSoul13 was in the minority. RS13 said Mike's band handles a majority of the Beach Boys catalogue better than Brian's band. Since they mistreated YSGTM I said YSGTM is probably not one of them "majority songs".

[filledeplage]

I did not say RubberSoul13 was in the minority. RS13 said Mike's band handles a majority of the Beach Boys catalogue better than Brian's band. Since they mistreated YSGTM I said YSGTM is probably not one of them "majority songs".

RS 13 said that he believed that for the majority of the catalog they do a better job.  That could be true or not.  The two bands "interpret" the music a little differently.  WH with Blondie seemed slightly slower than The Touring Band.  Doesn't make it better or worse.  Just different in approaches. 

They "have to" handle it well and in the style of the BB's. That is their job.  Brian's hands are not tied, and he seems to have a freer license (no pun intended) on the arrangements.   

It was your position that that song from YouTube was not "handled well" putting it in the "minority."  Sure looks like disparagement to me.  "YSGTM must be in the minority then."

When a poster is perceived to say anything good about the touring band, it becomes target practice around here...for no reason.

[Mendota Heights]

YSGTM was clearly not handled well. If that opinion is disparagement I am proudly guilty of disparagement.

And one more thing. When Bruce's voice sounds like this he should not sing at all. It is embarrassing and it ruins the Beach Boys legacy. The touring band makes the Beach Boys look like a joke when they let a guy with no voice "sing" in concert.

Don't mean maybe, oh yeah.

[filledeplage]

YSGTM was clearly not handled well. If that opinion is disparagement I am proudly guilty of disparagement.

And one more thing. When Bruce's voice sounds like this he should not sing at all. It is embarrassing and it ruins the Beach Boys legacy. The touring band makes the Beach Boys look like a joke when they let a guy with no voice sing in concert.

GTTB and YSGTM are probably not the strongest songs in the catalog.  I'm not sure "handling them" has much to do with it, regardless of who does the lead. I'll wait until I see them do that, live next time I see them and reserve judgment until then. Sometime YouTube is great (like the recent Brian clips) and some times it doesn't fairly represent the performance.

GTTB was slammed above, which made me wonder whether it has been used more, because it was older but unreleased, (as far as I know) until MIC.  As I remember, YSGTM was the flip side of Sloop.  Some side B songs (GOK) for one just take off like wildfire.  It may be that GTTB could have been tied into some promo for MIC to maintain interest for sales, and the reason for its inclusion in the setlist.

[Autotune]

The touring band makes the Beach Boys look like a joke when they let a guy with no voice "sing" in concert.

Don't mean maybe, oh yeah.

http://youtu.be/2TRnAdSJoA4


I know, I know. I forgive him too.

[ontor pertawst]

That was a great show, bad cellphone quality aside. Really terrific to hear Al harmonize with Brian... loved "I Know There's An Answer" with the two of them swapping verses. He seemed to be in a good mood and having fun too... I'll take the composer of "God Only Knows" singing it with a fragile voice any time over a bunch of backing band guys playing to a video while Mike Love bangs a tambourine out of rhythm. I dunno, maybe you had to be there or something! It was pretty special. Until Jeff Beck started playing on and on and on, anyway...

[filledeplage]

The touring band makes the Beach Boys look like a joke when they let a guy with no voice "sing" in concert.

Don't mean maybe, oh yeah.

http://youtu.be/2TRnAdSJoA4

I know, I know. I forgive him too.

Handsomest guys (all of them) on the planet...not if they are in perfect pitch, but because they give it their all, and keep the music alive!  

And, I don't expect perfection from them any more than my kids...only show up and do their best!  

[Mendota Heights]

The touring band makes the Beach Boys look like a joke when they let a guy with no voice "sing" in concert.

Don't mean maybe, oh yeah.

http://youtu.be/2TRnAdSJoA4


I know, I know. I forgive him too.

You don't have to. People don't see Brian as a joke. I don't think you can find 50 people who think Brian is a joke. Up for the challenge?

Brian is consolidating his reputation: a great album is coming up (with no autotune, how about that), a critically acclaimed biopic has been hailed in North America and Europe, his Venetian show with an ace ensemble makes people drop their jaws and he just announced a 2015 tour that we all (?) look forward to. Would a joke be able to pull all of these things off?

Brian is on the rise. You better get used to it.

Instead of using a BW video as a red herring, do you think Bruce's YSGTM performance makes the Beach Boys look good or bad?

[filledeplage]

The touring band makes the Beach Boys look like a joke when they let a guy with no voice "sing" in concert.

Don't mean maybe, oh yeah.

http://youtu.be/2TRnAdSJoA4
I know, I know. I forgive him too.

You don't have to. People don't see Brian as a joke. I don't think you can find 50 people who think Brian is a joke. Up for the challenge?

Brian is consolidating his reputation: a great album is coming up (with no autotune, how about that), a critically acclaimed biopic has been hailed in North America and Europe, his Venetian show with an ace ensemble makes people drop their jaws and he just announced a 2015 tour that we all (?) look forward to. Would a joke be able to pull all of these things off?

Brian is on the rise. You better get used to it.

Why are you offering a challenge, Swedish Frog? This isn't a duel at dawn. 

Brian had a story, apart from the band, that needed to be told.  It is one of survival and determination.  I hope I can see the film soon.

Who is calling this out as a joke? I don't hear anyone doing this. There is no fight here. 

[Mendota Heights]

Why are you offering a challenge, Swedish Frog? This isn't a duel at dawn.  

Brian had a story, apart from the band, that needed to be told.  It is one of survival and determination.  I hope I can see the film soon.

Who is calling this out as a joke? I don't hear anyone doing this. There is no fight here.  

Do you have a favorite football team or a favorite basketball team? Teams have fans. When the team performs well their fans are happy and satisfied. When the team underperforms the fans get upset and dissatisfied. It is very natural and happens all the time. The Beach Boys is a team, these days with a lineup that differs a lot from the original lineup. This may upset some of the fans - not all - but when this new lineup is far worse than the original lineup and on top of that underperforms some of the fans will find that unacceptable.

Just like the fans of a football team would.

[bgas]

You don't have to. People don't see Brian as a joke. I don't think you can find 50 people who think Brian is a joke. Up for the challenge?

I hear Robin Gibb claimed to have started the Brian is a joke campaign. As a tribute to Robin, we should be able to get at least 50 votes, right? 
 here's the first, everyone join together now..... 

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

The touring band makes the Beach Boys look like a joke when they let a guy with no voice "sing" in concert.

Don't mean maybe, oh yeah.

http://youtu.be/2TRnAdSJoA4


I know, I know. I forgive him too.

You don't have to. People don't see Brian as a joke. I don't think you can find 50 people who think Brian is a joke. Up for the challenge?

Brian is consolidating his reputation: a great album is coming up (with no autotune, how about that), a critically acclaimed biopic has been hailed in North America and Europe, his Venetian show with an ace ensemble makes people drop their jaws and he just announced a 2015 tour that we all (?) look forward to. Would a joke be able to pull all of these things off?

Brian is on the rise. You better get used to it.

Instead of using a BW video as a red herring, do you think Bruce's YSGTM performance makes the Beach Boys look like a joke?

 

[filledeplage]

Why are you offering a challenge, Swedish Frog? This isn't a duel at dawn.  

Brian had a story, apart from the band, that needed to be told.  It is one of survival and determination.  I hope I can see the film soon.

Who is calling this out as a joke? I don't hear anyone doing this. There is no fight here.  

Do you have a favorite football team or a favorite basketball team? Teams have fans. When the team performs well their fans are happy and satisfied. When the team underperforms the fans get upset and dissatisfied. It is very natural and happens all the time. The Beach Boys is a team, these days with a lineup that differs a lot from the original lineup. This may upset some of the fans - not all - but when this new lineup is far worse than the original lineup and on top of that underperforms some of the fans will find that unacceptable.

Just like the fans of a football team would.

Swedish Frog - what you might not grasp is that many of those 50 year plus fans do not "divide the team" in Solomon-like fashion.  We still see the members and take them "as a whole" regardless of their respective function, right now.  We listen to MIC, for example and don't think of Brian's band or the Touring Band.  Most of us never even saw Brian because he didn't tour for decades, so we took it "on faith" that he was still creating, even if we didn't see him perform, live.  It was twenty years that I waited to see a "cameo" of Brian with Landy in the wings.

And if the Touring Band "underperformed" as you allege, they' would not be booking shows a year out.  They would be out of business.  A lot of people run their mouths and rely on YouTube to judge that the Touring Band is no good.  And yet, won't even give them a chance to see them perform.

Brian and Bruce are a week apart in terms of age.  They both have 70 year old vocal cords.  But, they get up in front of big audiences and do their best.  Neither of them has to sound twenty, and I'd just as soon they not sound contrived.  They've lived their lives, just like everyone else their ages and owe us nothing.  Why do they perform? People love to hear the music live.  I've heard Brian do the lead on YSGTM and his voice was a little "tired," too.  But it was awesome because Brian was a Beach Boy singing a Beach Boy song!

Someone in their fifties or sixties or even seventies gets to let that music wash over them and they get to be in their teens again, at the prom (that high school cotillion) or even that football game.  And appreciate that we had some the greatest music of all time, thanks to the composition AND the lyrics.

But a double standard is so inequitable.  And, in my opinion so unbecoming for any of their fans. And David Marks is on the record saying as much.

[Mendota Heights]

Playing all these small venues IS underperforming. Look at the Rolling Stones for example, a band that emerged at the same time as the Beach Boys. Look at their tours, look at the number of people attending their shows. The Rolling Stones aim a lot higher than the Beach Boys. They are not underperforming.

The Beach Boys:



The Rolling Stones:

[filledeplage]

Playing all these small venues IS underperforming. Look at the Rolling Stones for example, a band that emerged at the same time as the Beach Boys. Look at their tours, look at the number of people attending their shows. The Rolling Stones aim a lot higher than the Beach Boys. They are not underperforming.

Here is the difference.  The Stones are largely "inaccessible" to their fans. They don't tour as often.  The Beach Boys are "accessible."

And it is apples and oranges to compare them. 

That is judging a book by its cover.  "Communities" make up this country.  The Stones are not community based.

It's what happens when the band takes the stage, at what ever venue they play in.  I've seen some mighty interesting venues, full of history, seeing the Touring Band, as well as Brian. He has played in plenty of funky old dumps, too! Around since Vaudeville, with great acoustics before there were sound systems.