Should the Beach Boys play the Trump inauguration?

[Pretty Funky]

There comes a point when an act is passed it for politics be it campaign songs or inaugurations. The Beach Boys, Stones etc are long over that line IMO. They hardly send a 'hope for the future' message do they?

[Lonely Summer]

If it was the real Beach Boys - Carl, Dennis, Brian, Al and Mike - I'd say no, but it's the freaking Mike and Bruce show. I'm sure Mike wants to leer at Ivanka. Let her come out in a bikini while Mike sings "California Girls" and "Surfer Girl". And Bruce can show her how to wear a pair of shorts.

[jeffh]

Yeah, and both Mike's Beach Boys and Trump are
fake, so it would be a good fit for both. PLUS they both have hair issues

[NateRuvin]

If they played the Trump inauguration, that would be a bigger screw-up than Summer Of Love.

[Emily]

That about half of the responders would think it's a bad idea

3/4 to 4/5

[The Old Master Painter]

At least, I'd hope they'd perform "Endless Summer"-material! 

[marcella27]

Yes they should. it will be highly watched and by far more watched then any other the other inaugurations given all of the circumstances! Any why to get there name out is good!

I don't really understand this sentiment - the need to "get their name out there".  We're talking about the Beach Boys, for goodness' sake.  They're literally one of the most famous bands in the entire world (along with the Beatles and a few other groups).  EVERYONE and their dog knows of the Beach Boys!  Of course, probably 99% of people only know a couple of songs, but that's probably also the case with many other bands (I'd be willing to bet that a lot of people couldn't go beyond Satisfaction if asked to name Rolling Stones songs).

If Mike and Bruce played at the inauguration, they would undoubtedly play the biggest hits - California Girls, etc...  They'd hardly be up there playing Vegetables or any other obscure track.  In other words, if they play the inauguration it's unlikely to win them any new fans because everyone knows those songs already.  I just can't see anyone turning on the TV, watching Mike mime his way through Kokomo and going "wow, I really need to check these "Beach Boys" out!" and running out to buy a copy of Holland. 

Their name is already "out there" and playing the Trump inauguration is not going to increase the general public's awareness of the band.  What it might do, as others have pointed out, is tarnish their reputation among existing fans.   

[Lee Marshall]

Set List for Trump thingy...

1.  10 Little Indians
2.  Heads You Win...Tails I Lose
3.  Cuckoo Clock
4.  The Shift
5.  Shut Down
6.  Let's Go Trippin'
7.  No-Go Showboat
8.  We'll Run Away
9.  Don't Hurt My Little Sister
10.  Let Him Run Wild
11.  I Should Have Known Better
12.  That's Not Me
13.  Let's Go Away For Awhile
14.  I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
15.  Be Still

intermission

16.  Busy Doin' Nothing
17.  The Nearest Faraway Place
18.  Time to Get Alone
19.  Student Demonstration Time
20.  Lookin' At Tomorrow...A Welfare Song
21.  Leaving This Town
22.  Goin' South
23.  Livin' With a Heartache
24.  Maybe I Don't Know
25.  Wipeout
26.  Strange Things Happen
27.  Caroline No
28.  Shelter
29.  Strange World
30.  Summer's Gone.

[CenturyDeprived]

Set List for Trump thingy...

1.  10 Little Indians
2.  Heads You Win...Tails I Lose
3.  Cuckoo Clock
4.  The Shift
5.  Shut Down
6.  Let's Go Trippin'
7.  No-Go Showboat
8.  We'll Run Away
9.  Don't Hurt My Little Sister
10.  Let Him Run Wild
11.  I Should Have Known Better
12.  That's Not Me
13.  Let's Go Away For Awhile
14.  I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
15.  Be Still

intermission

16.  Busy Doin' Nothing
17.  The Nearest Faraway Place
18.  Time to Get Alone
19.  Student Demonstration Time
20.  Lookin' At Tomorrow...A Welfare Song
21.  Leaving This Town
22.  Goin' South
23.  Livin' With a Heartache
24.  Maybe I Don't Know
25.  Wipeout
26.  Strange Things Happen
27.  Caroline No
28.  Shelter
29.  Strange World
30.  Summer's Gone.

You forgot the ultimate encore: Back in the USSR

[SMiLE Brian]

Will addsome MC this show?

[marcella27]

Set List for Trump thingy...

1.  10 Little Indians
2.  Heads You Win...Tails I Lose
3.  Cuckoo Clock
4.  The Shift
5.  Shut Down
6.  Let's Go Trippin'
7.  No-Go Showboat
8.  We'll Run Away
9.  Don't Hurt My Little Sister
10.  Let Him Run Wild
11.  I Should Have Known Better
12.  That's Not Me
13.  Let's Go Away For Awhile
14.  I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
15.  Be Still

intermission

16.  Busy Doin' Nothing
17.  The Nearest Faraway Place
18.  Time to Get Alone
19.  Student Demonstration Time
20.  Lookin' At Tomorrow...A Welfare Song
21.  Leaving This Town
22.  Goin' South
23.  Livin' With a Heartache
24.  Maybe I Don't Know
25.  Wipeout
26.  Strange Things Happen
27.  Caroline No
28.  Shelter
29.  Strange World
30.  Summer's Gone.

You forgot the ultimate encore: Back in the USSR

Also: 

Better Get Back in Bed
California Dreamin
Hang on to Your Ego

[CenturyDeprived]

Set List for Trump thingy...

1.  10 Little Indians
2.  Heads You Win...Tails I Lose
3.  Cuckoo Clock
4.  The Shift
5.  Shut Down
6.  Let's Go Trippin'
7.  No-Go Showboat
8.  We'll Run Away
9.  Don't Hurt My Little Sister
10.  Let Him Run Wild
11.  I Should Have Known Better
12.  That's Not Me
13.  Let's Go Away For Awhile
14.  I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
15.  Be Still

intermission

16.  Busy Doin' Nothing
17.  The Nearest Faraway Place
18.  Time to Get Alone
19.  Student Demonstration Time
20.  Lookin' At Tomorrow...A Welfare Song
21.  Leaving This Town
22.  Goin' South
23.  Livin' With a Heartache
24.  Maybe I Don't Know
25.  Wipeout
26.  Strange Things Happen
27.  Caroline No
28.  Shelter
29.  Strange World
30.  Summer's Gone.

You forgot the ultimate encore: Back in the USSR

Also:  

Better Get Back in Bed
California Dreamin
Hang on to Your Ego

Forgot to add:

A Thing Orange Idiot Two
David Duke of Earl
Internment Camp California
  
Paging "Mr. Positivity": please don't play the show, Mike... please. Playing a show for a candidate endorsed by the KKK, for a band that has historically had persons of color as members, and LGBT people as managers and songwriting collaborators, is just not cool in the slightest.

[SMiLE Brian]

David Duke of earl!

[CenturyDeprived]

David Duke of earl!

If only it weren't so on the nose.

[The_Beach]

Yes they should. it will be highly watched and by far more watched then any other the other inaugurations given all of the circumstances! Any why to get there name out is good!

I don't really understand this sentiment - the need to "get their name out there".  We're talking about the Beach Boys, for goodness' sake.  They're literally one of the most famous bands in the entire world (along with the Beatles and a few other groups).  EVERYONE and their dog knows of the Beach Boys!  Of course, probably 99% of people only know a couple of songs, but that's probably also the case with many other bands (I'd be willing to bet that a lot of people couldn't go beyond Satisfaction if asked to name Rolling Stones songs).

If Mike and Bruce played at the inauguration, they would undoubtedly play the biggest hits - California Girls, etc...  They'd hardly be up there playing Vegetables or any other obscure track.  In other words, if they play the inauguration it's unlikely to win them any new fans because everyone knows those songs already.  I just can't see anyone turning on the TV, watching Mike mime his way through Kokomo and going "wow, I really need to check these "Beach Boys" out!" and running out to buy a copy of Holland. 

Their name is already "out there" and playing the Trump inauguration is not going to increase the general public's awareness of the band.  What it might do, as others have pointed out, is tarnish their reputation among existing fans.   

Crazy thing a few months ago i was talking to a 24 year old and brought up the song Help Me Rhonda and he never heard of it. I asked what he knew about them and said he only knows they sang about surfing but couldnt name any of their songs. Never heard of Pet Sounds before. Sadly I think that is a majority of people under 30. Only a few like me under 30 knows at least a little something about the Boys and know some of there songs.

[Marty Castillo]

Honest question, besides Mike getting his photo taken with Donald Trump at a Rolling Thunder Rally, did any of the Beach Boys publicly endorse Trump or Clinton? I went on www.opensecrets.org and couldn't find any contributions from Mike, Brian, Al or Bruce. It wasn't exactly unpopular to back Hillary Clinton if you are in the entertainment industry.

[KDS]

I haven't heard anything from either of their Facebook pages about which candidate they preferred.  But, at the end of the day, that's their choice. 

This election has been ugly on both sides.  I've never seen so many people attacked (verbally and physically) for a candidate they support.  I voted for Trump, and I've been called all kinds of names.   I even lost a Facebook "friend" after I posted a picture on November 9th with the caption "President Trump."  But, that's their problem, not mine. 

Whichever candidate one supports is their own business, and nobody should be attacked for it. 

Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, and Jimmy Buffett were pro Hillary, but I'm still listening to their music. 

For those on here who voted Hillary, who still support the touring version of The Beach Boys, would their appearance at Trump's inauguration sway you to not buy tickets for a BB concert in 2017? 

[marcella27]

Yes they should. it will be highly watched and by far more watched then any other the other inaugurations given all of the circumstances! Any why to get there name out is good!

I don't really understand this sentiment - the need to "get their name out there".  We're talking about the Beach Boys, for goodness' sake.  They're literally one of the most famous bands in the entire world (along with the Beatles and a few other groups).  EVERYONE and their dog knows of the Beach Boys!  Of course, probably 99% of people only know a couple of songs, but that's probably also the case with many other bands (I'd be willing to bet that a lot of people couldn't go beyond Satisfaction if asked to name Rolling Stones songs).

If Mike and Bruce played at the inauguration, they would undoubtedly play the biggest hits - California Girls, etc...  They'd hardly be up there playing Vegetables or any other obscure track.  In other words, if they play the inauguration it's unlikely to win them any new fans because everyone knows those songs already.  I just can't see anyone turning on the TV, watching Mike mime his way through Kokomo and going "wow, I really need to check these "Beach Boys" out!" and running out to buy a copy of Holland. 

Their name is already "out there" and playing the Trump inauguration is not going to increase the general public's awareness of the band.  What it might do, as others have pointed out, is tarnish their reputation among existing fans.   

Crazy thing a few months ago i was talking to a 24 year old and brought up the song Help Me Rhonda and he never heard of it. I asked what he knew about them and said he only knows they sang about surfing but couldnt name any of their songs. Never heard of Pet Sounds before. Sadly I think that is a majority of people under 30. Only a few like me under 30 knows at least a little something about the Boys and know some of there songs.

I totally understand what you mean.  But this 24-year-old at least knew of the BBs and surf music.  It's a very shallow knowledge of the band, but at the end of the day it's still knowledge and awareness of the band's existence.  I don't think it's just an age thing.  I'm in my 40s and when I tell people I'm going to see Brian they assume it's going to be about the surfing songs - absolutely no awareness of the late 60s stuff and beyond.  My mom, who is of the same age as the BBs, says that she likes them.  But she only really knows their earlier stuff. 

It's just the way it goes.  The vast majority of people tend to be casual listeners/fans - regardless of the band.  Few people feel compelled to really dig in the way those of us here do.  It doesn't bother me in the slightest. 

[CenturyDeprived]

Whichever candidate one supports is their own business, and nobody should be attacked for it.  
 

If Mike had posed with a pic of KKK Imperial Wizard David Duke when Duke ran for president (and took the additional step of proudly posting the pic on social media, had it existed back then), would this be an exception to the rule? You'd take issue with a person of color attacking Mike for posing with Duke? What if that person was Blondie?

Not trying to veer into sandbox territory, but just pointing out that some candidates are THAT divisive, and there's a reason why there's so much opposition to the very idea of the band playing for Trump. There's a reason why it's BAD for the brand. I'm not equating Duke and Trump, but I still would like to know your answer to the question.

[KDS]

Whichever candidate one supports is their own business, and nobody should be attacked for it.  
 

If Mike had posed with a pic of KKK Imperial Wizard David Duke when Duke ran for president (and took the additional step of proudly posting the pic on social media, had it existed back then), would this be an exception to the rule? You'd take issue with a person of color attacking Mike for posing with Duke? What if that person was Blondie?

Not trying to veer into sandbox territory, but just pointing out that some candidates are THAT divisive, and there's a reason why there's so much opposition to the very idea of the band playing for Trump. There's a reason why it's BAD for the brand. I'm not equating Duke and Trump, but I still would like to know your answer to the question.

In the hypothetical situation that Mike would've been photographed next to D. Duke, it's one thing to criticize his choice of candidate.  I wouldn't have a problem with that.  But, if one attacked Mike as a person, I would have a problem with it.  And that's because you don't know why somebody chooses their candidate.  Say, Duke had a specific policy that Mike agreed with that had nothing to do with his associate with the KKK. 

Because Trump is a divisive candidate, I do think it would be a bad business decision to play his inauguration.  Just as I think supporting Hillary is a bad business decision for other celebrities.  More than any other election, this has easily been the most divisive and ugly.  Why risk pi$$ing off half your fanbase?

Alice Cooper did it right.  He performed "Elected" on Jimmy Kimmel on Halloween night, and skewed both candidates. 

[CenturyDeprived]

Whichever candidate one supports is their own business, and nobody should be attacked for it.  
 

If Mike had posed with a pic of KKK Imperial Wizard David Duke when Duke ran for president (and took the additional step of proudly posting the pic on social media, had it existed back then), would this be an exception to the rule? You'd take issue with a person of color attacking Mike for posing with Duke? What if that person was Blondie?

Not trying to veer into sandbox territory, but just pointing out that some candidates are THAT divisive, and there's a reason why there's so much opposition to the very idea of the band playing for Trump. There's a reason why it's BAD for the brand. I'm not equating Duke and Trump, but I still would like to know your answer to the question.

In the hypothetical situation that Mike would've been photographed next to D. Duke, it's one thing to criticize his choice of candidate.  I wouldn't have a problem with that.  But, if one attacked Mike as a person, I would have a problem with it.  And that's because you don't know why somebody chooses their candidate.  Say, Duke had a specific policy that Mike agreed with that had nothing to do with his associate with the KKK.  
 

If a person of color was DEEPLY offended by the association with Duke, let's just say because of the fact that they might have had to use colored bathrooms earlier in life, or continue to deal with many other horrors of discrimination, I think it's fair to say that the offended person has no such obligation to avoid attacking a celeb personally for associating with Duke.

An unapologetic KKK Imperial Wizard who might hypothetically "happen" to have some policy view on a random subject which was agreeable would not just garner a free pass for gaining celeb soft endorsements. Their ugly views would trump (pun not intended) all else, and for good reason. Racist douche nozzle Strom Thurmond might have had a good policy on noise ordinances by senior centers past 10pm; that doesn't mean that a celeb who posed with him wouldn't rightfully be shamed.

[KDS]

Whichever candidate one supports is their own business, and nobody should be attacked for it.  
 

If Mike had posed with a pic of KKK Imperial Wizard David Duke when Duke ran for president (and took the additional step of proudly posting the pic on social media, had it existed back then), would this be an exception to the rule? You'd take issue with a person of color attacking Mike for posing with Duke? What if that person was Blondie?

Not trying to veer into sandbox territory, but just pointing out that some candidates are THAT divisive, and there's a reason why there's so much opposition to the very idea of the band playing for Trump. There's a reason why it's BAD for the brand. I'm not equating Duke and Trump, but I still would like to know your answer to the question.

In the hypothetical situation that Mike would've been photographed next to D. Duke, it's one thing to criticize his choice of candidate.  I wouldn't have a problem with that.  But, if one attacked Mike as a person, I would have a problem with it.  And that's because you don't know why somebody chooses their candidate.  Say, Duke had a specific policy that Mike agreed with that had nothing to do with his associate with the KKK.  
 

If a person of color was DEEPLY offended by the association with Duke, let's just say because of the fact that they might have had to use colored bathrooms earlier in life, or continue to deal with many other horrors of discrimination, I think it's fair to say that the offended person has no such obligation to avoid attacking a celeb personally for associating with Duke.

An unapologetic KKK Imperial Wizard who might hypothetically "happen" to have some policy view on a random subject which was agreeable would not just garner a free pass for gaining celeb soft endorsements. Their ugly views would trump (pun not intended) all else, and for good reason. Strom Thurmond might have had a good policy on noise ordinances past 10pm; that doesn't mean that someone who poses with him wouldn't rightfully be shamed.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. 

And you're kinda getting away from the initial point of people getting attacked for supporting Trump. 

[CenturyDeprived]

Whichever candidate one supports is their own business, and nobody should be attacked for it.  
 

If Mike had posed with a pic of KKK Imperial Wizard David Duke when Duke ran for president (and took the additional step of proudly posting the pic on social media, had it existed back then), would this be an exception to the rule? You'd take issue with a person of color attacking Mike for posing with Duke? What if that person was Blondie?

Not trying to veer into sandbox territory, but just pointing out that some candidates are THAT divisive, and there's a reason why there's so much opposition to the very idea of the band playing for Trump. There's a reason why it's BAD for the brand. I'm not equating Duke and Trump, but I still would like to know your answer to the question.

In the hypothetical situation that Mike would've been photographed next to D. Duke, it's one thing to criticize his choice of candidate.  I wouldn't have a problem with that.  But, if one attacked Mike as a person, I would have a problem with it.  And that's because you don't know why somebody chooses their candidate.  Say, Duke had a specific policy that Mike agreed with that had nothing to do with his associate with the KKK.  
 

If a person of color was DEEPLY offended by the association with Duke, let's just say because of the fact that they might have had to use colored bathrooms earlier in life, or continue to deal with many other horrors of discrimination, I think it's fair to say that the offended person has no such obligation to avoid attacking a celeb personally for associating with Duke.

An unapologetic KKK Imperial Wizard who might hypothetically "happen" to have some policy view on a random subject which was agreeable would not just garner a free pass for gaining celeb soft endorsements. Their ugly views would trump (pun not intended) all else, and for good reason. Strom Thurmond might have had a good policy on noise ordinances past 10pm; that doesn't mean that someone who poses with him wouldn't rightfully be shamed.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one.  

And you're kinda getting away from the initial point of people getting attacked for supporting Trump.  

Really, the point of the convo is if a celeb soft endorsement of a politician, who appoints folks like Bannon (who casually + proudly called lesbians "dykes" in radio interviews - not secretly-recorded decades-earlier tapes, mind you), would rightfully cause the celeb to be shamed and attacked... and why that association would unquestionably be bad for the brand name.

I'm glad we can agree on the latter.

[joshferrell]

If they want to perform for his inauguration then they should, it's their choice and they have the right to do so, however I think the whole "Trump will ruin your rep if you perform for him and everyone will hate you" is blown WAY out of proportion, in fact the whole reaction to him getting elected is blown WAY out of proportion.. people are just being way TOO overemotional over it ,, if they perform for him I think that people who watch it will enjoy the songs, those who don't watch it won't care or may not even know they are performing, it's not going to ruin their image or anything, it's not like they are performing a concert for the leader of Iran or North Korea or are singing at Castro's funeral...people will hink about it the same way they think of an awards show or something..

[urbanite]

I went to the show on January 19, 1981 at Constitution Hall when the group played at Ronald Reagan's inauguration.  Carl, Bruce, Alan and Mike, don't remember if Dennis was there, but Mike played a wailing saxophone.  It was one of the best BBs shows I ever went to.  If they feel like they want to be involved, go.