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Author Topic: Lowest point in the BB career?  (Read 41164 times)
oldsurferdude
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« Reply #225 on: July 24, 2008, 08:48:37 PM »

-That, and Brian quitting the road.
That's closer to a high point in my eyes. He created what is by far my favorite of his work after quitting the road. Those songs almost certainly would not have come out in the form they did had Brian continued to tour. Considering Pet Sounds and the Smile material are what got me interested in the Beach Boys, and that I didn't even like anything previous (and hadn't heard anything after), there's a good chance I wouldn't be a fan at all if that hadn't happened.
You are correct, but I was probably thinking more on the selfish side of things-I would have enjoyed seeing Brian live before he retired from the road when he was writing, producing, arranging, and recording. First saw them live in Johnstown, Pa. in 1966-it  was a good show, but without Brian's voice, it didn't live up to expectations. Uh, sorry-the show was in '67.  : )
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Foster's Freeze
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« Reply #226 on: July 20, 2009, 12:30:17 PM »

Problem Child?
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« Reply #227 on: July 20, 2009, 08:26:29 PM »

You know what? I can't call Smiley Smile the lowest point in their career. Commercially, it hurt them big time, but even if SMiLE had come out, it still would've bombed at that point. It was too late by then.

I'll go into more detail on the album discussion forum later, but Smiley Smile was the first Beach Boys album I ever bought, in 1995. At that point, all I heard besides the oldies on the radio (which I didn't care for at the time!) was BW 1988 (bought the tape for 99 cents), IJWMFTT, and Pet Sounds (at a Blockbuster Music listening booth!). I knew very little about their history, and I thought it *was* Smile. I...thought it was the coolest album I ever heard.

Meh.

"Problem Child"...yeesh. That was pretty bad. Really, any thing post-Kokomo.
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MBE
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« Reply #228 on: July 20, 2009, 08:40:13 PM »

Somewhere Near Japan was good post Kokomo and so were the 93 tour and the Was sessions. 

The last ten to fifteen years of the band proper (before Carl died) were pretty bad though. The ultimate low for me was the country album. I love classic country (which this certainly wasn't) so it's not the genre so much as the exicution. It was such a waste. They got Brian back and did that!
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« Reply #229 on: July 20, 2009, 10:49:10 PM »

Yeah, Somewhere Near Japan was a great song, and Strange Things Happen was pretty nifty too.
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« Reply #230 on: July 20, 2009, 10:50:56 PM »

Low point, Beach Boys concert in Long Beach at the Queen Mary.  It was on television and Brian was fried and Carl had quit the group.
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« Reply #231 on: July 21, 2009, 12:32:57 AM »

I like my Beach Boys partly because of the low points. For me they not only are the greatest band that ever existed, but also the silliest, the most tragic, the most litigious, and the most honest. That does not mean that I don't regret SMiLE being left unfinished in 1967, mind, or the major health issues that hit the Wilson brothers. But somehow it's a mirror image of how any family functions, with lots of inexplicable stuff, disillusions, bad periods, and so on. The genius and the low points are inseparable.

Just my three cents.
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MBE
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« Reply #232 on: July 21, 2009, 06:05:21 AM »

I like my Beach Boys partly because of the low points. For me they not only are the greatest band that ever existed, but also the silliest, the most tragic, the most litigious, and the most honest. That does not mean that I don't regret SMiLE being left unfinished in 1967, mind, or the major health issues that hit the Wilson brothers. But somehow it's a mirror image of how any family functions, with lots of inexplicable stuff, disillusions, bad periods, and so on. The genius and the low points are inseparable.

Just my three cents.
Agreed
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« Reply #233 on: July 21, 2009, 06:23:53 AM »

Low point, Beach Boys concert in Long Beach at the Queen Mary.  It was on television and Brian was fried and Carl had quit the group.

I watched that concert on TV in a room filled with relatives (at a 4th Of July weekend gathering), and the response of the people watching the show wasn't bad; I think a serious fan is more critical of that performance than a casual one.

Anyway, a few months after that concert, The Beach Boys had two Top 20 singles with "The Beach Boys Medley" and "Come Go With Me".
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« Reply #234 on: July 21, 2009, 07:39:36 AM »

I like my Beach Boys partly because of the low points. For me they not only are the greatest band that ever existed, but also the silliest, the most tragic, the most litigious, and the most honest. That does not mean that I don't regret SMiLE being left unfinished in 1967, mind, or the major health issues that hit the Wilson brothers. But somehow it's a mirror image of how any family functions, with lots of inexplicable stuff, disillusions, bad periods, and so on. The genius and the low points are inseparable.

Just my three cents.

I agree. I try to explain to friends my age why it is that I am so interested in this band. The Beach Boys story has it all, success, murder, drug use, divorce, theft, abuse, hair-brained concepts, and a ton of excellent music. It's like a rock 'n' roll soap opera.
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« Reply #235 on: July 21, 2009, 07:51:54 AM »

Low point, Beach Boys concert in Long Beach at the Queen Mary.  It was on television and Brian was fried and Carl had quit the group.

Every time I go back and watch that show I get a different vibe.  Sometimes good, sometimes aghast.  I remember watching it live and I thought "what the hell?"
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« Reply #236 on: July 21, 2009, 08:03:35 AM »

I mean even the Beatles had a low point, the last few years of their career but you never hear anyone talk about that.

 Huh

In their 'last few years' the Beatles made The White Album, Abbey Road and Let It Be (and Yellow Submarine, but that doesn't really count)... Just where exactly is the low point?

Jan. 1969 Get Back sessions are a low point for sure.  Most of the tracks are very sloppy, the group hates each other, and the whole thing was filmed.  Billy Preston saves the day.  The later revamping of the sessions by Spector (Let It Be) also have some rough moments (Long and Winding Road with sappy strings and choir etc).  Also, 2 years earlier, Magical Mystery Tour has to be a low point.  I love that film for what it is, but it is a big mess.  And if you take away the stand-alone singles from earlier in the year, the sound track album (save for I Am The Walrus) is pretty lack luster.  Your Mother Should Know--what awful song!  Fool on the Hill--not much better.
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« Reply #237 on: July 21, 2009, 04:54:26 PM »

Not finishing SMiLE in 67 defintley...

They could have a thousand low points and it still couldnt compare to their million amazingly awesome points:) I will forever love them no matter what.
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« Reply #238 on: July 22, 2009, 02:42:31 AM »

How about The Beach Boys recording and releasing a Culture Club leftover...?  Lips Sealed
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« Reply #239 on: July 22, 2009, 03:10:07 AM »

How about The Beach Boys recording and releasing a Culture Club leftover...?  Lips Sealed

Now that you mention it: Culture Club's 'Time (Clock Of The Heart)' is one of the greatest songs ever, IMHO.
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« Reply #240 on: July 22, 2009, 05:17:31 AM »

From my own experience, the low point in their career was roughly mid 1969 to mid 1971, when you couldn't even look at their records in the record store without hipper than thou derision from the staff.  It was so uncool to like them it wasn't funny.  I heard "Breakaway" only a couple of times on a car radio and thought at first it was the Four Seasons!  Never once heard "Cottonfields".   The "Add Some Music" 45 got a little airplay probably due to the promo push by WB but died quickly.  I did see copies in the stores though. I bought "Sunflower" in early 1971 and I might as well have been buying the new Andy Williams album from the looks on their faces. It wasn't until they played the May Day rally in DC in 1971 that I heard anything positive about them.  "Long Promised Road" was played a little on the underground stations in my area when it was a 45 prior to the lp- I liked it a lot and couldn't wait for the lp which I bought first day of release- my journal says Aug 31, 1971.  I saw them 11/7/71 at Georgetown University and it was indeed an amazing show (no opening act and Jack Reiley came out beforehand to ask that the crowd not call out oldies until the very end.  Didn't stop one very high guy from yelling out "Don't Back Down" throughout, though) .  I clipped out the ad in the Washington Post and kept it for years (no longer have it).  It had a photo of their faces and an obvious Jack Reiley  declaration "They've changed more than you!" It got better after that, but it took a while and a lot of touring- I saw them five times in 1972 alone.
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« Reply #241 on: July 22, 2009, 06:23:04 AM »

From my own experience, the low point in their career was roughly mid 1969 to mid 1971, when you couldn't even look at their records in the record store without hipper than thou derision from the staff.  It was so uncool to like them it wasn't funny.

And, to think it was just 3-4 years since Pet Sounds and being voted the world's Top Group (in some major poll). And, on top of that, to be dropped by your record company. Hard to believe, actually....
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« Reply #242 on: July 22, 2009, 09:45:47 AM »

But for some reason the Europeans seemed to LOOOOOVE them!!
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« Reply #243 on: July 22, 2009, 11:19:30 AM »

But for some reason the Europeans seemed to LOOOOOVE them!!

Here in the Netherlands the Beach Boys actually had their commercial peak after Pet Sounds came out. Before Sloop John B (four weeks on #1 and the best-selling record of 1966) they had just a handful of minor hit singles. After that they did quite well on the charts until 1972. Then I Kissed Her went to #2, Heroes And Villains #11, Wild Honey #26, Darlin' #21, Do It Again #5, Bluebirds #9, I Can Hear Music #6, Break Away #17, Cottonfields #12, Tears In The Morning #6 (!), Student Demonstration Time #21, Mess Of Help #31, Marcella #20...
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« Reply #244 on: July 22, 2009, 04:34:44 PM »

From my own experience, the low point in their career was roughly mid 1969 to mid 1971, when you couldn't even look at their records in the record store without hipper than thou derision from the staff.  It was so uncool to like them it wasn't funny.  I heard "Breakaway" only a couple of times on a car radio and thought at first it was the Four Seasons!  Never once heard "Cottonfields".   The "Add Some Music" 45 got a little airplay probably due to the promo push by WB but died quickly.  I did see copies in the stores though. I bought "Sunflower" in early 1971 and I might as well have been buying the new Andy Williams album from the looks on their faces. It wasn't until they played the May Day rally in DC in 1971 that I heard anything positive about them.  "Long Promised Road" was played a little on the underground stations in my area when it was a 45 prior to the lp- I liked it a lot and couldn't wait for the lp which I bought first day of release- my journal says Aug 31, 1971.  I saw them 11/7/71 at Georgetown University and it was indeed an amazing show (no opening act and Jack Reiley came out beforehand to ask that the crowd not call out oldies until the very end.  Didn't stop one very high guy from yelling out "Don't Back Down" throughout, though) .  I clipped out the ad in the Washington Post and kept it for years (no longer have it).  It had a photo of their faces and an obvious Jack Reiley  declaration "They've changed more than you!" It got better after that, but it took a while and a lot of touring- I saw them five times in 1972 alone.

You were really fortunate to be one of the enlightened few during that time period (not to sound elitist about it). I didn't become a serious fan until much later
and would give a lot to have been at the shows you went to. Cry
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« Reply #245 on: July 23, 2009, 12:31:41 AM »

But for some reason the Europeans seemed to LOOOOOVE them!!

Here in the Netherlands the Beach Boys actually had their commercial peak after Pet Sounds came out. Before Sloop John B (four weeks on #1 and the best-selling record of 1966) they had just a handful of minor hit singles. After that they did quite well on the charts until 1972. Then I Kissed Her went to #2, Heroes And Villains #11, Wild Honey #26, Darlin' #21, Do It Again #5, Bluebirds #9, I Can Hear Music #6, Break Away #17, Cottonfields #12, Tears In The Morning #6 (!), Student Demonstration Time #21, Mess Of Help #31, Marcella #20...

Is that why we got 'Definite Album' numbers 1 and 2? Because these were my particular introductions to the Boys, and they were really nice samples... on the EMI/Bovema imprint.
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