Dennis Wilson in Billboard

[Jon Stebbins]

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003701480

[DJ M]

And Rolling Stone:

http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2008/01/24/dennis-wilsons-pacific-ocean-blue-finally-reissued-after-fifteen-year-disappearance/

[donald]

I notice Jon is mentioned as a contributor to the liner notes.    So, Jon, have you written them yet?  The release date is said to be this coming May.   Can you give us an insiders scoop on the packaging and liner notes?

[Jon Stebbins]

I notice Jon is mentioned as a contributor to the liner notes.    So, Jon, have you written them yet?  The release date is said to be this coming May.   Can you give us an insiders scoop on the packaging and liner notes?

Sorry, I've said all I can for now.

[DJ M]

From THE JOPLIN GLOBE (JOPLIN, Mo.)


http://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/cnhientertainment/cnhinsentertainment_story_031172448.html?keyword=topstory

Dennis Wilson, best known as the drummer for the Beach Boys, younger brother to Brian and older brother to Carl, was a renowned womanizer and consumed as much drugs and booze as anyone in the ‘70s.

He hung with Charles Manson (before the whole mass-murder business) and partied so hard he frightened his then girlfriend Christine McVie and the rest of Fleetwood Mac — a considerable feat. By the time he released “Pacific Ocean Blue” in 1977, his only solo album, his voice was a bit ragged, and he was well on his way to being so burnt out that he would eventually die in an alcohol-related drowning in December 1983 at the age of 39.

I bought “Pacific Ocean Blue” on vinyl over the summer for a $1 at a church garage sale, attracted as much by the name “Wilson” as Dennis’ craggy, bearded face on the cover. The album has been out of print for almost 17 years now, but in May it’s being re-released in a re-mastered, double-disc set that’s rumored to include tracks from Wilson’s never-released follow-up “Bamboo.” I got around to listening to “Pacific Ocean Blue” a few months ago while reading the Brian Wilson biography “Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall and Redemption of the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson.” The author, Peter Ames Carlin, praised the album and Dennis Wilson.

At the time of its release, “Pacific Ocean Blue” received strong reviews and Brian Wilson enthusiastically endorsed it. Since then the album has only grown in esteem, even though Dennis Wilson distanced himself from it. Dennis was a truly underrated member of the Beach Boys as, it could be argued, was nearly every member who wasn’t Brian Wilson. (Except Mike Love.) Dennis’ crowning achievement was probably the sublime “Forever,” a song he wrote for the 1970s Beach Boys’ album “Sunflower,” and was ruined for me in the ‘90s by John Stamos.

“Pacific Ocean Blue” demonstrates flashes of brilliance but fails to be the singular, shining artistic statement fans want it to be. For one, there are too many banal excursions into rote ‘70s rock — “Friday Night,” the bumbling “Dreamer.” But the man is a Wilson and therefore it is his birthright to conjure beguiling, effortless melodies. One of my favorite songs on the album is “Moonshine,” a track that is little more than pure melody in search of an idea. “Thoughts of You” is a ragged love song that begins small and pretty with Dennis at the piano, passes into a druggy, claustrophobic middle section, and like a weary traveler returns to the beginning again with Dennis coaxing succor from the piano.

Considering that the last decade of Dennis Wilson’s life seemed to be about squandering talent, it’s easy to understand why people would want this album to be better than it is. Nothing is truly odious, but there’s little to make the argument for it being some kind of forgotten masterpiece. Perhaps the best song on the album is “Farewell My Friend”, a piercing, understated song that is both sad and uplifting: “Farewell my friend, I love you in a funny way.” It was played at his funeral.

[Mahalo]

“Pacific Ocean Blue” demonstrates flashes of brilliance but fails to be the singular, shining artistic statement fans want it to be.

Wrong.

For one, there are too many banal excursions into rote ‘70s rock — “Friday Night,” the bumbling “Dreamer.”

Those two songs are incredible, perhaps my favorite on the record. Those songs would beat the crap out of most any BB song of the 70's or 80's in a wrestling match.

Nothing is truly odious, but there’s little to make the argument for it being some kind of forgotten masterpiece.

Wrong Again.

This album is a forgotten masterpiece in every sense of the thought......."Forgotten"..........

I can't wait for this to be on the market again. Not just as a Beach Boy fan, but as a fan of Rock and Roll. This album deserves to be recognized as a pure Rock and Roll album.......no fronts whatsoever (as the album cover conveys).....just what the doctor ordered ROCK AND ROLL!!!!!  That is the charm of this record.....

Listen to Dreamer with the bass up and the volume cranked high and feel the power of that backbeat..........unreal....

[the captain]

I've got to say, I actually agreed with a lot of what that writer said. (I do like "Dreamer," though.)

[Aegir]

“Pacific Ocean Blue” demonstrates flashes of brilliance but fails to be the singular, shining artistic statement fans want it to be.

Wrong.

For one, there are too many banal excursions into rote ‘70s rock — “Friday Night,” the bumbling “Dreamer.”

Those two songs are incredible, perhaps my favorite on the record. Those songs would beat the crap out of most any BB song of the 70's or 80's in a wrestling match.

Nothing is truly odious, but there’s little to make the argument for it being some kind of forgotten masterpiece.

Wrong Again.

I'm pretty sure opinions can't be wrong.

[the captain]

I'm pretty sure opinions can't be wrong.

And that opinion is right. Except that if opinions can't be wrong, they can't be right either. So ... oh, damnit, I've confused myself!

(I really do amuse myself sometimes.)

[Mr. Wilson]

While i do not think its a masterpiece.. It is a fine record that Dennis could be proud of.. The music is strong + arraingments strong....But i do agree that sometimes lyrics wander in search of a stronger idea.. That said it deserves a wide loving audience..In this day + age i dont expect a huge seller but between cd sales + downloads Dennis"s music will now be available + live on Legit..As it should be..!!!!!!.. IT will sell.. Just get the word out + do some advertising.. Next is CW solo disks.. + live disk from 81 + 83

[Mahalo]

I'm pretty sure opinions can't be wrong.

yes they can............for instance, it is my opinion that Milli Vanilli is the greatest band ever............... jk


listen, the author didn't once say, "It is my opinion..."

However, POB is a shining singular artistic statement, it is not "banal", and it may not be a "masterpiece" relative to some other releases,  but it is within the BB catalogue when compared to some of the dreck they put out........

[the captain]

listen, the author didn't once say, "It is my opinion..."

However, POB is a shining singular artistic statement, it is not "banal", and it may not be a "masterpiece" relative to some other releases,  but it is within the BB catalogue when compared to some of the dreck they put out........

On the former, writers don't say such things because it's obvious that's what they mean. Judgments of artistic merit can rarely or never be absolutely factual or objective--they're pretty much all opinion. But can you imagine how tedious stories would be if they were loaded with "I think that .... It's my opinion that... and so I also conclude that..." Journalists are taught to just say it. (As someone whose degree is journalism, I can vouch for that fact.)

On the latter, it is a masterpiece when compared to the BB catalogue of the time. But overall? Nah. It's a good record. One that deserves to be heard and back in print. But masterpiece is the sort of word that ought to be used on, say, a couple dozen albums total. POB, if it were a Beach Boys record, would be among their top half dozen or so.

[Mahalo]

On the former, writers don't say such things because it's obvious that's what they mean.

Understood.....and agreed....I thought that it was also understood that what I initially posted was my opinion too.....but, it is moot by now.

So can we at least agree that All For Nothing Milli Vanilli's debut album is a masterpiece??? Just Kidding, back to the topic of Dennis Wilson.....

Can't wait for this record to be re-released with some new material...the more people write about it the more intense the anticipation.......and it is only February........

[Aegir]

I could go on and on about Milli Vanilli (how do you even KNOW the name of their first album), but my opinion about POB probably would've been alot better had I never read this board. Sure, it's a pretty good album, but MY GOODNESS people treat it like the second coming of Christ. The first song I heard on the album (besides River Song, in which I tried to imagine the Beach Boys singing on it and it sounded much better in my head) was Thoughts of You, which really does live up to the hype everyone's given it. Then I heard the rest of the album and I was kind of disappointed.

Better than 15 Big Ones? Of course.
Better than Love You? It's certainly smarter than Love You, but nowhere near as catchy.
As good as Pet Sounds and Smile? Not even close.

[Mahalo]

As good as Pet Sounds and Smile? Not even close.

I agree. POB is just a great Rock album that somehow has slipped the radar and is greatly anticipated by many in a rock market that has produced corporate crapola Rock music.....not that I'm a music snob....


To answer the Milli Vaniili question.........Wikipedia!!!!

[Dancing Bear]

Dennis wasn't the best at finishing things. Maybe his mastework is the whole which will be included in this release, all the material he was working on between '76 and '79.

[Andrew G. Doe]

In the strict (original) meaning of the word, yes, Pacific Ocean Blue is most definitely Dennis' masterpiece.

[Jon Stebbins]

I could go on and on about Milli Vanilli (how do you even KNOW the name of their first album), but my opinion about POB probably would've been alot better had I never read this board. Sure, it's a pretty good album, but MY GOODNESS people treat it like the second coming of Christ. The first song I heard on the album (besides River Song, in which I tried to imagine the Beach Boys singing on it and it sounded much better in my head) was Thoughts of You, which really does live up to the hype everyone's given it. Then I heard the rest of the album and I was kind of disappointed.

Better than 15 Big Ones? Of course.
Better than Love You? It's certainly smarter than Love You, but nowhere near as catchy.
As good as Pet Sounds and Smile? Not even close.

The hype? Man...that's a new one for POB. This LP has constantly been overlooked, even by most Brian Wilson aficionados. David Leaf gave MIU a better review than POB when it came out. Except for a core of us diehards who have been ranting on for decades...POB was ignored by Beach Boys fans in general. In fact, more people who cannot stand the typical Mike Love lead vocal BB's sound are the ones who embraced POB as a giant surprise and a very mature statement for the BB's. The normal comment was... wow, it sure doesn't sound as wimpy as most BB's music. POB appealed to an entirely different audience than the BB's, and no it was never really hyped. It did convert a lot of people into Dennis Wilson fans, but not enough to compete with Brian by a long shot. Now there's some hype on the BW front for sure. If River Song, or Moonshine, or Thoughts of You, or You and I, or Time or Rainbows had been written and produced by Brian Wilson people would be messing in their pants about it every day...forever. But they're just as happy to write it off as "okay but not great" because its Dennis and not Brian. Come on...the '88 BW LP got so much damn hype...even Imagination...and now Lucky Old Sun...such anticipation. These are all minor league statements compared to most of the songs and productions on POB. Talk about not even close.

[Jonas]

Thanks for your opinion, Jon.

[Awesoman]

While i do not think its a masterpiece.. It is a fine record that Dennis could be proud of.. The music is strong + arraingments strong....But i do agree that sometimes lyrics wander in search of a stronger idea.. That said it deserves a wide loving audience..In this day + age i dont expect a huge seller but between cd sales + downloads Dennis"s music will now be available + live on Legit..As it should be..!!!!!!.. IT will sell.. Just get the word out + do some advertising.. Next is CW solo disks.. + live disk from 81 + 83

I always felt that Dennis' songwriting talents were never fully utilized.  Even in his best songs like "Forever" and "River Song" it always seemed like he didn't know where to go with it.  Much of his music tended to meander a bit.  I wonder what would have happened had he been able to get past the abuses in his life and focus on his music? 

[the captain]

The hype? Man...that's a new one for POB. This LP has constantly been overlooked, even by most Brian Wilson aficionados.

Jon, while I can't speak on this subject regarding the long-term (having only become a Beach Boys fan about a decade ago, and not really getting deep into the material until maybe seven years ago), I have to disagree with the above, at least from my experience. Since I began checking out the blueboard, then this board's predecessor, then this, then whatever else, virtually everyone whose opinions I've ever seen have been of the "POB is the best Beach Boys-related album after Pet Sounds" variety. Obviously, there hasn't been hype of the corporate variety, but as far as in this little world, it seems to me that POB gets a lot of it.

If River Song, or Moonshine, or Thoughts of You, or You and I, or Time or Rainbows had been written and produced by Brian Wilson people would be messing in their pants about it every day...forever. But they're just as happy to write it off as "okay but not great" because its Dennis and not Brian.

Honestly, sometimes I think that's how they treat them because Dennis Wilson wrote them. I wonder what they'd say if John Doe (no relation, Andrew!) wrote them. My personal guess is that they'd say, "wow, some of these songs are really good! This is a good album!" (But not a great one...) Would they love it if the songs weren't from "the handsome one" who was tough but had the sensitive image, too? I doubt it. Now I can't prove that anymore than anyone else can prove otherwise (unless we finance an anonymous release in some parallel universe, which I'd be happy to look into, but not to finance).

Come on...the '88 BW LP got so much damn hype...even Imagination...and now Lucky Old Sun...such anticipation. These are all minor league statements compared to most of the songs and productions on POB. Talk about not even close.

I actually agree on two out of three. But TLOS is better (for my taste, anyway) than POB. And that's what it comes down to--taste.

[Wilsonista]

Luther is being a little hard on Dennis' work.  But that's OK. Mike Wheeler hated Dennis' stuff too.

POB overlooked? Come on, Jon you know that's not true.

[the captain]

Luther is being a little hard on Dennis' work.  But that's OK. Mike Wheeler hated Dennis' stuff too.

Am I supposed to know who Mike Wheeler is? I know of these Mikes: Love, Jordan, Skinner, Richards, Huckabee...but Wheeler doesn't ring a bell.

Don't much care, just good to know when one is being insulted or complimented or whatever.

[Wilsonista]

Whoops.  pardon the history lesson, but here goes.

Mike Wheeler created the website that is now http://www.surfermoon.com

It was one of the first (datiing back to 1995) and for a long time the best Brian/Beach Boys website.  Wheeler was also an unapologetic Brianista, though I think he would bristle at the Blueboard mentality.  Wheeler hated Dennis' stiuff likening the ballads to the manipulative musings of a stud planning his next female conquest. Anyway, He got into working in the computer industry and his interest in Brian waned around the time of Stars and Stripes and Imagination. To him, Brian was so far above the BB as artists of integrity and seeing that Brian was as much of a sell out as the BB were might have disappointed him. He kept up payments for the url while turning over the operation of the message board to yours truly for a very brief period of time (I remember a certain Extremely Sexy Moderator being the cab.com whipping boy!)  and then Susan Lang with Andrew Gladwin for the various writings and imformational content. 

[MBE]

As someone who is a fan of the whole group I think I can be objective here. Brian and Dennis are my two favorites, but I guess that makes it easier for me to understand the devotion some people have to them.

 If I was to appraise the work from 1975 on, P.O.B. would have to be the best overall LP and most mature. I don't think it's Dennis at his very best because I like his performances better before his voice was damaged in 1974, but he made the gruffness work to a large extent-certainly far better then Brian. On the other hand it remains a brilliant LP, and I can't compare to anything else I ever heard period. That alone is a huge achievement. So do I think it's a little overhyped? Well I think some of it's shortcomings are overlooked, but all in all it deserves it's high standing.

Brian's post 1975 work on the other hand is WAY overhyped. I actually do think Smile was excellent, and did live up o what I hoped it would be but he never became a great singer again. Sometimes nice, sometimes professional, but not exceptional. I don't like his synth based productions from 76-97 much  Not that I am writing off all that material, but perhaps only a third of it is truly magnificent to me. I like about an albums worth of stuff he did in 76-77 but I think the good songs were spread far to thin on what was released. Love You is just not my thing, though the 88 LP is half great. The 94-95 stuff had a lot of potential, but once again what actually came out then (Orange Crate and Stars and Stripes) was very disappointing to me.

What does all this mean? Well obviously that I like 61-74 better, but beyond that they both have their respective camps who are gonna love anything has their names on it. I expect the new Dennis reissue to be very entertaining and I know some of it will knock me out, I also think the studio L.O.S. will have moments that I treasure. That said I also  know there will be moments on both where I will truly miss their unfettered voices.