Why a reunion won't happen.....

[Sheriff John Stone]

Yeah, and let's not forget, pretty much 99% of the whole Wild Honey album was written by Brian with Mike. Most people seem to love Wild Honey and it even gets good marks outside of Beach Boys onsessed circles.

Good point. A post-fun fun fun effort that worked!

[TonyW]

Yes, it is subjective. I think I like about 95-99% of the songs that have a B. Wilson/M. Love credit. But, why don't you try it or think about it. Look at the entire list of songs and see if your favorable percentage isn't in the 95-99% category.

Something of a grandiose statement but one that ... blah, blah, blah ... None the less an interesting exercise.

Interesting personal perspective, but it has nothing to do with my post/statement/percentages. I didn't say that the B.Wilson/M.Love songs were the best. I didn't opine how they compared with other collaborations. And I didn't inform that they largely comprise the songs on my personal "best of" comp.

What I simply said was that I LIKE 'em. A very large percentage of them. Almost all of them. I was trying to make the point that, for the most part, when Brian and Mike worked together, something good usually came out of it. So, I'll ask again....Look at the entire list of B.Wilson/M.Love songs, and see if you do (or do not) like a large majority of them. I personally find very few that I don't like.

The problem with being so close to the BB music is there is too much to like and it is too easy to find elements of even poor to bad Beach Boy songs that you can hang on to ... so I could find enjoyment and be favorale to say 95%+ of Brian & Landy or Dennis & Manson or Mike & Al collaborations as extreme examples, additionally I might be favourable to a song Mike & Brian collaborated on because of a some element such as a riff, middle eight, a lyric, a phrase or whatever of Brian's doing that Mike didn't contribute to - so I'm cautious - what I'm really looking for are those songs that send off a "chemical"reaction inside me that move me emotionally and send me to another place - they are the songs I rate in life not just any list. It's about quality not quantity and I look at that list Mikey provided and I'm just not moved emotionally by the majority of it.

Perhaps my biggest problem with rating Mike is that my personal taste in BB music really kicks in from the Today album onwards and by then Mike's glory days were coming to an end and Brian's desire was to work with other people, post SMiLE Mike's contributions apart from some work around Wild Honey and Friends, for me, becomes laboured and degenerates post C&TP and Holland into the realms of embarrasment. 

I remain unfussed one way or another about a reunion, who's on stage and who's not, but the one thing the Beach Boys legacy does not need is further embarrasment. Sadly a screwed up reunion could be the full stop in the Beach Boys', Mike Love's and Brian Wilson's careers not the beginning of the next chapter. If its going to be done its got to be done right and are Mike or Brian's people really capable of doing that?

[Sheriff John Stone]

Yes, it is subjective. I think I like about 95-99% of the songs that have a B. Wilson/M. Love credit. But, why don't you try it or think about it. Look at the entire list of songs and see if your favorable percentage isn't in the 95-99% category.

Something of a grandiose statement but one that ... blah, blah, blah ... None the less an interesting exercise.

Interesting personal perspective, but it has nothing to do with my post/statement/percentages. I didn't say that the B.Wilson/M.Love songs were the best. I didn't opine how they compared with other collaborations. And I didn't inform that they largely comprise the songs on my personal "best of" comp.

What I simply said was that I LIKE 'em. A very large percentage of them. Almost all of them. I was trying to make the point that, for the most part, when Brian and Mike worked together, something good usually came out of it. So, I'll ask again....Look at the entire list of B.Wilson/M.Love songs, and see if you do (or do not) like a large majority of them. I personally find very few that I don't like.

The problem with being so close to the BB music is there is too much to like and it is too easy to find elements of even poor to bad Beach Boy songs that you can hang on to ... so I could find enjoyment and be favorale to say 95%+ of Brian & Landy or Dennis & Manson or Mike & Al collaborations as extreme examples, additionally I might be favourable to a song Mike & Brian collaborated on because of a some element such as a riff, middle eight, a lyric, a phrase or whatever of Brian's doing that Mike didn't contribute to - so I'm cautious - what I'm really looking for are those songs that send off a "chemical"reaction inside me that move me emotionally and send me to another place - they are the songs I rate in life not just any list. It's about quality not quantity and I look at that list Mikey provided and I'm just not moved emotionally by the majority of it.

Perhaps my biggest problem with rating Mike is that my personal taste in BB music really kicks in from the Today album onwards and by then Mike's glory days were coming to an end and Brian's desire was to work with other people, post SMiLE Mike's contributions apart from some work around Wild Honey and Friends, for me, becomes laboured and degenerates post C&TP and Holland into the realms of embarrasment. 

I remain unfussed one way or another about a reunion, who's on stage and who's not, but the one thing the Beach Boys legacy does not need is further embarrasment. Sadly a screwed up reunion could be the full stop in the Beach Boys', Mike Love's and Brian Wilson's careers not the beginning of the next chapter. If its going to be done its got to be done right and are Mike or Brian's people really capable of doing that?

TonyW, good post, and I see where you're coming from. I'm with you on a lot of what you said; I also find SOMETHING in ALL BB/BW songs to embrace, regardless of who the collaborator is.

I guess the reason(s) I singled out the Brian/Mike songs was because of:

1) Let's face it, if there ever is a Beach Boys' reunion album, the chances are pretty good that Mike will want to write with Brian. And, that triggers an automatic negative reaction from some fans on this board. I was simply asking them to look at the record(s) before writing it off; I thought they might be surprised when they actually looked at the list.

2) Some of Brian's collaborators have passed away - Gary Usher, Roger Christian, Murry Wilson, Carl Wilson, and Gene Landy. Others are probably out of the picture - Jack Rieley, Bruce Johnston, and Al Jardine. Now we're into Imagination, GIOMH and TLOS territory - Joe Thomas, Andy Paley, Steve Kalinich, and Scott Bennett (admittedly Scott did some good things on TLOS).

3) I suppose Tony Asher and Van Dyke Parks will always be in the mix because of the same Mike Love issue, meaning they have a history of excellence. Unless somebody new surfaces, Mike Love isn't a bad alternative.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I could certainly see Mike, Al, and Bruce coming out for the encore of a BW show and doing the whole "hits" set! I don't think the Brian camp would have it any other way, and it's actually easier for me to see Mike, Bruce and Al having the humility to be "guests" at a BW show, rather than the other way around. And I'm not even talking about Brian's take on the whole thing.

But that would be cool and everyone would probably be happy. Brian's band would be there and all the Brian maniacs could talk about how rusty Mike, Bruce, and Al's vocals are compared to Brian's band's, and the rest of us could blather in adoration about that special "Beach Boys vocal magic"...... Ugh, why is this depressing me?

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Oops, I forgot to mention David in there too!

[DonnaK]

There must be something in the air...............this discussion is being brought up on the blooey now as well. Will it ever end??

[the captain]

There must be something in the air...............this discussion is being brought up on the blooey now as well. Will it ever end??

Well, considering the topic is probably brought up every two weeks on both boards, it isn't too surprising, is it?

[Jonas]

I honestly didnt think this post would reach up to 6 pages seeing that, as Luther said, theres one every few weeks. People don't use the Search function. ;(

[Sheriff John Stone]

I could certainly see Mike, Al, and Bruce coming out for the encore of a BW show and doing the whole "hits" set! I don't think the Brian camp would have it any other way, and it's actually easier for me to see Mike, Bruce and Al having the humility to be "guests" at a BW show, rather than the other way around.

I don't think Mike would ever agree to that. Actually, at this stage, I don't think Bruce would either. Al probably would, though.

I can't see one member "joining up" or showing up at another's concert for a reunion. While I believe (and have posted) that the guys could work through the various differences that a reunion brings, I don't think Mike & Bruce or Brian is willing to simply leave their respective bands behind to join the other one. I believe they would have to reunite TOGETHER AS ONE BAND. How they go about that is the big question....

[shelter]

I don't think Mike would ever agree to that.

Imagine Mike making a surprise appearance during a BW show... I bet the place would explode. So why wouldn't he agree to that if given the opportunity?

[Sheriff John Stone]

I don't think Mike would ever agree to that.

Imagine Mike making a surprise appearance during a BW show... I bet the place would explode. So why wouldn't he agree to that if given the opportunity?

The answer is too long! Seriously, while I agree, Mike showing up like that would cause a lot of excitement, and it would go a long way to the healing, well....there's a lot of reasons....

Mike's group IS the Beach Boys (like it or not), and I think he views it as Brian re-joining THEM. How many times has Mike said something like, "Brian's always welcome to sit in and join us...." I mean, I think Mike views his/this incarnation of The Beach Boys like those of the past - just without Dennis, Carl, and Brian. There's been so many different line-ups, almost all of them without Brian, that, this is business as usual. If and when Brian decides "to  come back" they'll welcome him with open arms. Well, almost!

Mike carrying on with the group in these past ten years or so during hard times (deaths,departures), combined with the success of "Kokomo", combined with the continuing sales of some Capitol comps (Sounds Of Summer), combined with the way Brian's and (soon to be) Al's solo careers not exactly blossoming, in Mike's eyes, gives him some leverage. But, you never know, he might swallow his pride because, as I have stated ad nauseum, I believe working with Brian is a big priority for Mike.

[Cam Mott]

I don't think Mike would ever agree to that.

Imagine Mike making a surprise appearance during a BW show... I bet the place would explode. So why wouldn't he agree to that if given the opportunity?

The answer is too long! Seriously, while I agree, Mike showing up like that would cause a lot of excitement, and it would go a long way to the healing, well....there's a lot of reasons....

Mike's group IS the Beach Boys (like it or not), and I think he views it as Brian re-joining THEM. How many times has Mike said something like, "Brian's always welcome to sit in and join us...." I mean, I think Mike views his/this incarnation of The Beach Boys like those of the past - just without Dennis, Carl, and Brian. There's been so many different line-ups, almost all of them without Brian, that, this is business as usual. If and when Brian decides "to  come back" they'll welcome him with open arms. Well, almost!

Mike carrying on with the group in these past ten years or so during hard times (deaths,departures), combined with the success of "Kokomo", combined with the continuing sales of some Capitol comps (Sounds Of Summer), combined with the way Brian's and (soon to be) Al's solo careers not exactly blossoming, in Mike's eyes, gives him some leverage. But, you never know, he might swallow his pride because, as I have stated ad nauseum, I believe working with Brian is a big priority for Mike.

I agree, I think the other Boys' ego would allow them to appear at a Brian concert if it was convenient to their schedules. However, Brian wanted Mike to carry-on the Beach Boys in concert so if there is a re-union it should be getting together as the group not as guest stars to each other.

[TdHabib]

Yes, it is subjective. I think I like about 95-99% of the songs that have a B. Wilson/M. Love credit. But, why don't you try it or think about it. Look at the entire list of songs and see if your favorable percentage isn't in the 95-99% category.

Something of a grandiose statement but one that ... blah, blah, blah ... None the less an interesting exercise.

Interesting personal perspective, but it has nothing to do with my post/statement/percentages. I didn't say that the B.Wilson/M.Love songs were the best. I didn't opine how they compared with other collaborations. And I didn't inform that they largely comprise the songs on my personal "best of" comp.

What I simply said was that I LIKE 'em. A very large percentage of them. Almost all of them. I was trying to make the point that, for the most part, when Brian and Mike worked together, something good usually came out of it. So, I'll ask again....Look at the entire list of B.Wilson/M.Love songs, and see if you do (or do not) like a large majority of them. I personally find very few that I don't like.

The problem with being so close to the BB music is there is too much to like and it is too easy to find elements of even poor to bad Beach Boy songs that you can hang on to ... so I could find enjoyment and be favorale to say 95%+ of Brian & Landy or Dennis & Manson or Mike & Al collaborations as extreme examples, additionally I might be favourable to a song Mike & Brian collaborated on because of a some element such as a riff, middle eight, a lyric, a phrase or whatever of Brian's doing that Mike didn't contribute to - so I'm cautious - what I'm really looking for are those songs that send off a "chemical"reaction inside me that move me emotionally and send me to another place - they are the songs I rate in life not just any list. It's about quality not quantity and I look at that list Mikey provided and I'm just not moved emotionally by the majority of it.

Perhaps my biggest problem with rating Mike is that my personal taste in BB music really kicks in from the Today album onwards and by then Mike's glory days were coming to an end and Brian's desire was to work with other people, post SMiLE Mike's contributions apart from some work around Wild Honey and Friends, for me, becomes laboured and degenerates post C&TP and Holland into the realms of embarrasment. 

I remain unfussed one way or another about a reunion, who's on stage and who's not, but the one thing the Beach Boys legacy does not need is further embarrasment. Sadly a screwed up reunion could be the full stop in the Beach Boys', Mike Love's and Brian Wilson's careers not the beginning of the next chapter. If its going to be done its got to be done right and are Mike or Brian's people really capable of doing that?

TonyW, good post, and I see where you're coming from. I'm with you on a lot of what you said; I also find SOMETHING in ALL BB/BW songs to embrace, regardless of who the collaborator is.

I guess the reason(s) I singled out the Brian/Mike songs was because of:

1) Let's face it, if there ever is a Beach Boys' reunion album, the chances are pretty good that Mike will want to write with Brian. And, that triggers an automatic negative reaction from some fans on this board. I was simply asking them to look at the record(s) before writing it off; I thought they might be surprised when they actually looked at the list.

2) Some of Brian's collaborators have passed away - Gary Usher, Roger Christian, Murry Wilson, Carl Wilson, and Gene Landy. Others are probably out of the picture - Jack Rieley, Bruce Johnston, and Al Jardine. Now we're into Imagination, GIOMH and TLOS territory - Joe Thomas, Andy Paley, Steve Kalinich, and Scott Bennett (admittedly Scott did some good things on TLOS).

3) I suppose Tony Asher and Van Dyke Parks will always be in the mix because of the same Mike Love issue, meaning they have a history of excellence. Unless somebody new surfaces, Mike Love isn't a bad alternative.

Woah, woah, woah wait a minute...Andy Paley and Bennett are two of Brian's best collaborators since the 70s...they have (had) done superb work in all departments...both enthused Brian during rough patches and got him excited enough to make new music in dry patches. Hell, his stuff with Paley is the best stuff he did in nearly twenty years! Bennett also got Brian writing new, fresh stuff when I (and many others) thought he couldn't do it anymore...I love Mike too but we can't gloss over their contributions...

[Wilsonista]

You're trying to reason with someone who hates solo Brian simple because it's not the Beach Boys. And he thinks his opinion on solo Brian is THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS AND IS THE MAJORITY OPINION (never mind the fact that his opinion is actually in the minority).

[Sheriff John Stone]

Yes, it is subjective. I think I like about 95-99% of the songs that have a B. Wilson/M. Love credit. But, why don't you try it or think about it. Look at the entire list of songs and see if your favorable percentage isn't in the 95-99% category.

Something of a grandiose statement but one that ... blah, blah, blah ... None the less an interesting exercise.

Interesting personal perspective, but it has nothing to do with my post/statement/percentages. I didn't say that the B.Wilson/M.Love songs were the best. I didn't opine how they compared with other collaborations. And I didn't inform that they largely comprise the songs on my personal "best of" comp.

What I simply said was that I LIKE 'em. A very large percentage of them. Almost all of them. I was trying to make the point that, for the most part, when Brian and Mike worked together, something good usually came out of it. So, I'll ask again....Look at the entire list of B.Wilson/M.Love songs, and see if you do (or do not) like a large majority of them. I personally find very few that I don't like.

The problem with being so close to the BB music is there is too much to like and it is too easy to find elements of even poor to bad Beach Boy songs that you can hang on to ... so I could find enjoyment and be favorale to say 95%+ of Brian & Landy or Dennis & Manson or Mike & Al collaborations as extreme examples, additionally I might be favourable to a song Mike & Brian collaborated on because of a some element such as a riff, middle eight, a lyric, a phrase or whatever of Brian's doing that Mike didn't contribute to - so I'm cautious - what I'm really looking for are those songs that send off a "chemical"reaction inside me that move me emotionally and send me to another place - they are the songs I rate in life not just any list. It's about quality not quantity and I look at that list Mikey provided and I'm just not moved emotionally by the majority of it.

Perhaps my biggest problem with rating Mike is that my personal taste in BB music really kicks in from the Today album onwards and by then Mike's glory days were coming to an end and Brian's desire was to work with other people, post SMiLE Mike's contributions apart from some work around Wild Honey and Friends, for me, becomes laboured and degenerates post C&TP and Holland into the realms of embarrasment. 

I remain unfussed one way or another about a reunion, who's on stage and who's not, but the one thing the Beach Boys legacy does not need is further embarrasment. Sadly a screwed up reunion could be the full stop in the Beach Boys', Mike Love's and Brian Wilson's careers not the beginning of the next chapter. If its going to be done its got to be done right and are Mike or Brian's people really capable of doing that?

TonyW, good post, and I see where you're coming from. I'm with you on a lot of what you said; I also find SOMETHING in ALL BB/BW songs to embrace, regardless of who the collaborator is.

I guess the reason(s) I singled out the Brian/Mike songs was because of:

1) Let's face it, if there ever is a Beach Boys' reunion album, the chances are pretty good that Mike will want to write with Brian. And, that triggers an automatic negative reaction from some fans on this board. I was simply asking them to look at the record(s) before writing it off; I thought they might be surprised when they actually looked at the list.

2) Some of Brian's collaborators have passed away - Gary Usher, Roger Christian, Murry Wilson, Carl Wilson, and Gene Landy. Others are probably out of the picture - Jack Rieley, Bruce Johnston, and Al Jardine. Now we're into Imagination, GIOMH and TLOS territory - Joe Thomas, Andy Paley, Steve Kalinich, and Scott Bennett (admittedly Scott did some good things on TLOS).

3) I suppose Tony Asher and Van Dyke Parks will always be in the mix because of the same Mike Love issue, meaning they have a history of excellence. Unless somebody new surfaces, Mike Love isn't a bad alternative.

Woah, woah, woah wait a minute...Andy Paley and Bennett are two of Brian's best collaborators since the 70s...they have (had) done superb work in all departments...both enthused Brian during rough patches and got him excited enough to make new music in dry patches. Hell, his stuff with Paley is the best stuff he did in nearly twenty years! Bennett also got Brian writing new, fresh stuff when I (and many others) thought he couldn't do it anymore...I love Mike too but we can't gloss over their contributions...

I'm not as fond of the Wilson/Paley sessions as some are. The songs are OK, a couple are really good, but I wouldn't put it on a par with Brian's prior stuff.

Scott did an excellent job writing songs for, er, with Brian. I like a couple of the TLOS songs, which ARE on a par with Brian's previous stuff, at least his previous solo work. It will be interesting to see if Brian writes with Scott again (Brian has used a lot of different collaborators in his solo career); it would be even more interesting if there is a reunion album of any sort and Brian chooses Scott!

[the captain]

If there were a product marketed as a reunion album or show that incorporates "new" material, there is no way it would be Wilson/Paley, Wilson/Bennett, or anything else, unless it were Wilson/Love/Paley, Wilson/Love/Bennett, etc. And it has nothing to do with the quality of the product. If they are going to market something as a reunion, they are going to go all-out about it. Real feel-good, mushy stuff that nobody (except the people who believe Leaf films are objective documentaries) would believe.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I think that if there is any kind of 50th Reunion thing it will be a one off (or 2-3 nights) stand in LA filmed for a DVD and live album. (No tour)  Even Bruce says he'd do that.
The only thing that would stop it is Brian and his management.

Some kind of new release would have to happen to  go along with the Reunion show and make the whole thing a big event. "Reunion Show/New Album - then DVD/Live album" - Bingo:  The Beach Boys  at 50.

As to an album of all new BB material - never going to happen.

But I can see something like one new "Love/Wilson" penned song done by the five members (Bruce, David, Mike, Al and Brian) along with tracks from the vault (1996 sessions, etc.)
or a new song plus solo tracks along the lines of my "Solo Sampler" thread.

See:

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,4721.0.html

[TonyW]

I don't think Mike would ever agree to that.

Imagine Mike making a surprise appearance during a BW show... I bet the place would explode. So why wouldn't he agree to that if given the opportunity?

Mike's group IS the Beach Boys (like it or not), and I think he views it as Brian re-joining THEM.

Wow that statement gets my mind flowing – particularly in two directions:

Thought Stream 1#: Mike does not own the Beach Boys name, it is owned by BRI and Mike licenses the name and the right to do live shows under the Beach Boys name, the licence also excludes Mike from releasing recordings under the Beach Boys name. It’s a licensor (BRI) and licensee (Mike Love) relationship and as a licensee you KNOW you do not own the name ... you pay royalties to the licensor at regular intervals, you’re limited in the use of the name, you must comply with the terms and conditions of the license and you know the agreement has a fixed termination date. Mike’s a litigious bastard and knows very well every dotted “i”, crossed “t” and punctuation mark on that license agreement. That said, until the licence agreement terminates, anybody - former Beach Boy, BRI principle, former band side kick, etc would be Mike’s “guest” on stage.   

Thought Stream #2: So when does the Term of the existing licence expire (date on which the licence ceases to apply and all rights return to BRI)?  Does it expire before the 50th anniversary? If not have any special provisions been built into the licence to cover an important occurrence such as the anniversary?

As much as we could speculate over what Mike feels, what Brian’s people want or don’t want, if Bruce will sit in the 5th row and watches the show, if Al is on the bus yet and if anybody has remembered to tell David it’s on - the really important issue in all of this might be none of them but might in fact be the piece of paper know as the licence agreement.

[Jason]

You're trying to reason with someone who hates solo Brian simple because it's not the Beach Boys. And he thinks his opinion on solo Brian is THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS AND IS THE MAJORITY OPINION (never mind the fact that his opinion is actually in the minority).

Never mind the fact too that Brian's spent his whole solo career basically milking off of the Beach Boys' formula. Yes, I know he created it, but still. Old dogs, new tricks, that kinda thing. Maybe Brian will one day give us that album of jazz standards.

[the captain]

[
Never mind the fact too that Brian's spent his whole solo career basically milking off of the Beach Boys' formula. Yes, I know he created it, but still. Old dogs, new tricks, that kinda thing.

But what else would you expect of him? Once he stopped recording with the band, would you have expected death metal?

That kind of music is what he is good at. It's what he likes, presumably. And it's what, historically, he has been able to sell. There isn't any (believable) evidence that Brian had major musical problems with the Beach Boys, that he had to abandon them because he was itching to bring 12-tone rows into their sound. They didn't get along. So when he left, he made the same music he had been making, only without them.  And they kept making the same music they had been making, only without him.

[Wilsonista]

You're trying to reason with someone who hates solo Brian simple because it's not the Beach Boys. And he thinks his opinion on solo Brian is THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS AND IS THE MAJORITY OPINION (never mind the fact that his opinion is actually in the minority).

Never mind the fact too that Brian's spent his whole solo career basically milking off of the Beach Boys' formula. Yes, I know he created it, but still. Old dogs, new tricks, that kinda thing. Maybe Brian will one day give us that album of jazz standards.

I think of it as Brian making BB records without the BB. John Fogerty not only gets a free pass but gets tons of critcal acclaim for "milking off of ther CCR formula" which could also be interpeted as making CCR records without Doug and Stu. In fact I said exactly the same thing about solo John to some CCR fans on Susan's board and got shut down (no pun intended). If anybody deserves to milk the BB formula, it's Brian simply because he created it. Same with Fogerty and CCR's.

[Dancing Bear]

You're trying to reason with someone who hates solo Brian simple because it's not the Beach Boys. And he thinks his opinion on solo Brian is THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS AND IS THE MAJORITY OPINION (never mind the fact that his opinion is actually in the minority).

Never mind the fact too that Brian's spent his whole solo career basically milking off of the Beach Boys' formula. Yes, I know he created it, but still. Old dogs, new tricks, that kinda thing. Maybe Brian will one day give us that album of jazz standards.

Brian's solo career will be a footnote in his bio 5 minutes after he passes away. No need to get all fussed up about peanuts.

[the captain]

Brian's solo career will be a footnote in his bio 5 minutes after he passes away. No need to get all fussed up about peanuts.

I think "footnote" is overstating it, although artistically it isn't a bad term. But if we're talking literally about his bio, it will always be a significant piece of "the Brian Wilson story" because of the state he had been in and the personal-professional re-emergence as an almost-functional human being and professional musician, however propped up he may have been through it all. That, and of course the performance of Pet Sounds and performance and recording of Smile. Those facts will keep it a significant piece of the story, if not its songs, the canon.

[Jason]

[
Never mind the fact too that Brian's spent his whole solo career basically milking off of the Beach Boys' formula. Yes, I know he created it, but still. Old dogs, new tricks, that kinda thing.

But what else would you expect of him? Once he stopped recording with the band, would you have expected death metal?

Brian's 1980 bark comes close.

[TdHabib]

Scott did an excellent job writing songs for, er, with Brian.

Simply not true. Scott and Brian had one very productive month in 2006 and I have NEVER heard ANYONE say that they were doing anything less than PURE collaboration, not even the skeptics. Yes, Scott wrote lyrics for Brian, but no more so than a role that Tony Asher, Van Dyke Parks, or even your soon to be fiance Mike Love. Brian was composing pure melodies, albeit with a few leftovers; certainly every song (not narrative or segue) but "Live Let Live" and "California Role," was composed in a traditional way. Yes, Brian took a few concessions with the released album (I know that he acquiesced to having a verse of "Live Let Live" cut and that "Mexican Girl" was recorded more than once), but it was a pure collaboration in the writing stage.

I'm sorry if I come across harsh in this, but I just can't stand when people say something to the effect of "Oh yeah, Brian wrote songs on TLOS" all sarcastically. It's just a launch button and patently not true.