Cousins, Friends, and Brothers - lost album?

[TheLazenby]

I saw a mention on some forum of an unreleased 1982 album called "Cousins Friends and Brothers", many songs from which were re-used elsewhere...

Anyone have more information about this?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Brothers, Cousins & Friends was the title of KTSA for, oh, all of maybe a week.

The 1982 album project never got past the talking stage: as I heard it, they were going to have a slew of guest producers. Barry Gibb & Val Garay were among the names bandied about. Then again, the original version of "California Calling" made it to tape around this time.

Where did you see this, and what were the recycled songs ? I'm intrigued.

[Rocker]

Wasn't this also a working title for the '85 album ?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Not as I recall - in fact, when I got to sit in on the last mixing (or as I later discovered, remixing) session in March 1985, I specifically asked what the album was called, and was told by all present - Bruce, Carl, Alan, Steve Levine and later Brian - that it didn't have a title yet. Flippantly, I later said to Bruce "just call it The Beach Boys, then". Had a small smile when it came out a few months later...

[Sheriff John Stone]

I thought Brothers, Cousins & Friends was an early title for MIU.

[c-man]

Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder were other potential producers, but Paul reportedly declined because in his opinion "Only Brian Wilson produces Beach Boys albums", and Stevie of course went on to work with the Boys on one track from the eventual '85 album.

I'm saddened that this album never reached fruition...just imagine the lineup:  "Stevie", "Sweetie", "Night Blooming Jasmine", "City Blues", "I'm A Man", and something called "Dancin' U.S.A." (all from Brian, most in collaboration with Dennis), Mike's "Bucks" and "Children of the Night", Al's cover of "Don't Fight The Sea", and probably a couple of cuts from Carl.  Would've been nice...

Craig

[c-man]

Not as I recall - in fact, when I got to sit in on the last mixing (or as I later discovered, remixing) session in March 1985, I specifically asked what the album was called, and was told by all present - Bruce, Carl, Alan, Steve Levine and later Brian - that it didn't have a title yet. Flippantly, I later said to Bruce "just call it The Beach Boys, then". Had a small smile when it came out a few months later...

AGD -

Maybe you should sue them for not giving you credit for composing the album title.

[Roger Ryan]

The title would be from a lyric in Johnston's song "Endless Harmony", right? In that case, it's logical for it to have been considered for "Keepin' The Summer Alive", although generic enough to be applied to any Beach Boys album (provided said album actually featured at least one cousin, friend and brother).

[Malc]

I vivedly recall reading back in 1980 that the then 'new' album was to be given this title, in fact, I wrote it down on my calender as a reminder (!!) ... only for it to appear a short while later under the "KTSA" label ... just can't recall WHERE I recall it from ...

[petsite]

Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder were other potential producers, but Paul reportedly declined because in his opinion "Only Brian Wilson produces Beach Boys albums", and Stevie of course went on to work with the Boys on one track from the eventual '85 album.

I'm saddened that this album never reached fruition...just imagine the lineup:  "Stevie", "Sweetie", "Night Blooming Jasmine", "City Blues", "I'm A Man", and something called "Dancin' U.S.A." (all from Brian, most in collaboration with Dennis), Mike's "Bucks" and "Children of the Night", Al's cover of "Don't Fight The Sea", and probably a couple of cuts from Carl.  Would've been nice...

Craig

Also cut at this time was California Calling (this version was recently found in the vaults as well as Sweetie with a Mike/Brian/Al lead vocal as Carl was still absent from the group at the time of recording), California Dreamin', and the live version of Runaway from Cleveland cut on 6/11/82.

I talked to Steve Enzig (hope that's right) at the time (late '82) and he said that the group had dropped plans for Cousins Friends And  Brothers waiting for Brian to rally. He also told me that Runaway was not released because a.) there wouldn't be a LP coming behind it and b.) CBS really didn't want to release ANOTHER oldie so close to the release of Come Go With Me. While I understand that feeling, CGWM did go top 20 so releasing another oldie might have worked! Hell, the BB medley had also just gone top 20!

I still remember MTV's "Breaking News" segment about the forth coming release of Runaway by the end of the summer of '82. Marc (I forget his last name) introduced the piece and a short clip of the group in concert in Cleveland followed.

Bob Flory

[Andrew G. Doe]

I thought Brothers, Cousins & Friends was an early title for MIU.

California Feelin' -> Winds Of Change -> M.I.U.Album

[Andrew G. Doe]

He also told me that Runaway was not released because a.) there wouldn't be a LP coming behind it and b.) CBS really didn't want to release ANOTHER oldie so close to the release of Come Go With Me. While I understand that feeling, CGWM did go top 20 so releasing another oldie might have worked! Hell, the BB medley had also just gone top 20!
Bob Flory

"Come Go..." was released purely to hitch a ride on the coat-tails of the medley. In that respect it was entirely successful !

[Rocker]

Not as I recall - in fact, when I got to sit in on the last mixing (or as I later discovered, remixing) session in March 1985, I specifically asked what the album was called, and was told by all present - Bruce, Carl, Alan, Steve Levine and later Brian - that it didn't have a title yet. Flippantly, I later said to Bruce "just call it The Beach Boys, then". Had a small smile when it came out a few months later...

I now know where I thought I'd read it. In your liner notes to KTSA/BB85 you write :
"Arguably this shock provided the catalyst for The Beach Boys to attempt another studio album, a project in 1982- again tentatively tagged Brothers, Cousins and Friends- with such producers as Val Garay and barry gibb having foundered at the prenegotiating stage."

So, that was another one, not for the BB85....

[Smilin Ed H]

I remember reading in NME that the new album was going to be called Cousins, Friends and Brothers - or maybe Brothers, Cousins and Friends - and then it turned out to be KTSA, which, if I remember correctly, received a Nick Kent review in which he claimed it was their best since Sunflower...     or maybe I mean:  .


How much of this stuff ("Stevie", "Sweetie", "Night Blooming Jasmine", "City Blues", "I'm A Man", and something called "Dancin' U.S.A." (all from Brian, most in collaboration with Dennis), Mike's "Bucks" and "Children of the Night", Al's cover of "Don't Fight The Sea")   was actually recorded for the album?  I thought they were just demos.

Was the version of California Dreamin' an earlier version again or was it the Radioshack 83 one - or was this recorded earlier than that, if you see what I mean?

[petsite]

Was the version of California Dreamin' an earlier version again or was it the Radioshack 83 one - or was this recorded earlier than that, if you see what I mean?

It is the same version as the Radio Shack tape. It was one of a series of tracks they were working on.

The group was under EXTREME pressure in 1982  from the record company. They had been given a $2 million advance from CBS and had delivered just 2 new LPs in 5 years.  Ten Years Of Harmony was a project  that  was to be delivered to CBS in the spring of 1981 with a new LP to be delivered no later than the fall (summer  was better).

The group informed CBS in February 1981 that no new LP would be forthcoming that year and also Ten Years Of Harmony wouldn't deliver until late fall at the earlierest as the group was playing some 200+ concert dates and didn't have time to work on any project. CBS pulled their  touring funds from the group for the remainder of the year. Carl walked out around the same time.

So the begining of 1982 was a nadir for the group except for the fact that they were pulling in a buttload of cash from touring.

[MBE]

It really ended the group as we loved them.

[petsite]

It really ended the group as we loved them.

AMEN!

PS - Carl got "What You Do To Me" from Val Garay as a possible track for the new BB LP. He decided to use it for himself.

[c-man]

I
How much of this stuff ("Stevie", "Sweetie", "Night Blooming Jasmine", "City Blues", "I'm A Man", and something called "Dancin' U.S.A." (all from Brian, most in collaboration with Dennis), Mike's "Bucks" and "Children of the Night", Al's cover of "Don't Fight The Sea")   was actually recorded for the album?  I thought they were just demos.

Yes, most didn't make it beyond the demo (or basic track) stage, if that.  "Stevie" was the farthest-along...the only thing really missing is the Beach Boys' backup vocals.  The Brian/Dennis stuff from that era seems to have all been done with the Beach Boys in mind, but since they weren't really interested (except Bruce Johnston, who was quoted as praising both "Stevie" and "I'm A Man"), the alternative would've been a Brian/Dennis project away from the band...but the plug was pulled on those sessions because of their drug intake, so it became a moot point.

Craig 

[Smilin Ed H]

Seems odd that they didn't have time to work on a group project around this time.  Mike seems to have been pretty productive in the early 80s, even if a lot of it is el stinko.

[MBE]

Read this with interest. I have an old Add Some Music where I think Brad (send the money in advance) Elliot talks about the LP. It may have just been a news item at the front of the issue.

[Smilin Ed H]

Wasn't Bruce's Ten Years of Harmony originally considered for LA?

[c-man]

Wasn't Bruce's Ten Years of Harmony originally considered for LA?

According to David Leaf's "Pet Sounds" fanzine of the time, yes it was a contender briefly.

Nice to see this thread picked back up again, so that I can mention this:  "City Blues" was apparently not composed by Brian alone, but rather in conjunction with Dennis.  Despite what Brian said three years ago when it came out on "GIOMH" (he said Dennis didn't help write it).  In the infamous "hotel" interview (San Carlos, December 1981) which was covertly taped by a couple of fans,  Brian specifically said he wrote that song WITH Dennis.  Since that statement was made probably within a month of two of the song's composition, I tend to believe what Brian said  then rather than what he said nearly 25 years later.

[Smilin Ed H]

I'd always assumed it was a BW/DW song - until I saw the credits on GIOMH!

Back to Bruce - do you know if a version of Ten Years of Harmony was recorded for LA?  Was it Endless Harmony at the time and was this album an earlier contender for the title Cousins, Friends and Brothers?

[the captain]

Regarding the last couple of posts (referencing whether City Blues was a Dennis-and-Brian or just a Brian composition), it could be both. Dennis may have contributed something that was intended to be a part of an earlier version--such as lyrics, for example--that didn't make the eventually released version. It's possible Brian was correct both when talking to the fans in '82 and in '04.

Of course, it's just as possible he doesn't remember whether Dennis co-wrote it. Or that he mistakenly said Dennis co-wrote it back then. Or any other number of possibilities we probably can't speak accurately about now.

[punkinhead]

somehow, i figure they would have just taken bruce's ten years that he recorded for So Tough and just stuck it on there...