How would history remember The Beach Boys if

[Love Thang]

Brian had quit/had his big breakdown after Summer Days and Pet Sounds-GV-Smile had never even existed?

[KDS]

Brian had quit/had his big breakdown after Summer Days and Pet Sounds-GV-Smile had never even existed?

I think they wouldve broken up.  they'd likely be remembered as a great "oldies" act. 

Had Brian quit at that time, he might have attained Syd Barrett type status.

[Lee Marshall]

Brian had quit/had his big breakdown after Summer Days and Pet Sounds-GV-Smile had never even existed?

They'd be in with The Mamas and Papas, Grass Roots, Turtles, Association, Rascals, and The Union Gap,...but not anywhere near as cool as The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, the Doors or CCR.  Certainly, though, better than the Cowsills, Jay and the Americans, the Vogues and Jan and Dean.

They'd be 1/2 of what they are...and 1/4 of what they could have and should have been...if it weren't for mental illness combined with 2 entirely stupid idiots [in particular] impacting negatively on the creative growth patterns and on the heights never really achieved with anything approaching a true level of consistency.

[Jcc]

The better question is how the Beach Boys would be remembered if BW had finished SMiLE in early 1967, the Beach Boys had played Monterey, and then BW had his breakdown in the Fall in the midst of the Wild Honey sessions.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

myKe luHv had been fired in 1966.

[Love Thang]

myKe luHv had been fired in 1966.

Lovester has always been the anchor pulling the group down.

[Lee Marshall]

myKe luHv had been fired in 1966.

Lovester has always been the anchor pulling the group down.

Maybe not...way back when.  Quite the opposite really.  But THESE days?  He's an engine block laying on the floor of the ocean...the one the poor old beached boys are attached to with a metal chain.  You know...the one ocean...which IF everybody had one...would see the whole world Surfin' U.S.A.  [except, OF COURSE, Muslims...thank you D. Trump Senior...you arse]