Al Jardine Not Interested In A One-Off Beach Boys Reunion

[Dave in KC]

Que Sera Sera

[JR]

Ya know I didnt get one point first time through but it seems to be that  Al wants Mike to acknowledge him as a Beach Boy or include him full fledged  in the band with him playing a leadership role. Meaning that while law suits are settled and there is peace, they are not to the point where they are going to work together. Although. even if Al did join Mike, there's the problem of leads. Mike's son sings a number of Al leads and that may be a sore spot taking Then I Kissed Her, You're So Good To Me away from him.  Sloop John B is another story, that's one thing I've noticed about Mike and Bruce's band is a weaknesss on that vocal no matter who sings it

Maybe Totten or others could point me in the right direction on this one (or not--perfectly understandable), but I get the impression Mike and Bruce don't want Al on tour with them, if, for no other reason, the fact it would mean less money for them.  If you have an extra Beach Boy, that means another guy they've got to pay as much as they get per concert.  Which really is a shame, that it's come to that.  As good as Cowsill is, it just seems wrong when he sings lead on "Rhonda" to me, especially knowing Al's still alive and of great voice.  I say, if things are all good between everyone like Mike says they are, Al should be back in the fold. Otherwise, it just seems like lip service in order to look like the good guy. The current Beach Boys touring band is excellent, IMO...Totten, Kirsch, Cowsill, Bonhomme and Love are all great. I think having Al and/or Dave in the fold would go a long way in terms of getting them the exposure and recognition they deserve from some of the diehards.

Also, as far as taking leads away from Christian...how long is Christian even going to tour?  From talking to him at Hampton Beach, I kinda got the feeling he's still got the itch to do his own thing.

[Carrie Marks]

I heard Dave Marks was not invited, I could swear that I remember him being asked to not participate in some group activity. Was it the "official" picture of the Capitol event? Yes, I think so, now that I think of it. If not, it's something that I remember reading in Catch A Wave.

David was asked to step aside for the official Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary photo...but Al and Mike both objected and brought David back in for the shot even though he wasn't even on that album!!! 

Capitol ended up using one of the shots that was snapped during the 30 seconds or so he was out of the group pose (for the Pet Sounds promo shot) but the support he got from his band mates that day meant way more to him than any minor dissing he may have gotten from Capitol's newbie hire-of-the-month that happen to be in charge of organizing an event to honor a band that he couldn't even be bothered to learn who original members were.

[Steve Mayo]

  On the other hand, the last BB show I attended at an art center was heavily attended by geritol set.   

ouch... 

[TonyW]

Away from this board the outside world must be clamouring for a reunion ... at least as far as the writers of "The United States Of Tara" are concerned ... I was watching an episode last night and one character said, "Let's go down to (insert name of some unknown town) and see the Beach Boys, even if there aren't any real Beach Boys in them these days" ... see - you can't fool the intelligencia!!

[Andrew G. Doe]

I heard Dave Marks was not invited, I could swear that I remember him being asked to not participate in some group activity. Was it the "official" picture of the Capitol event? Yes, I think so, now that I think of it. If not, it's something that I remember reading in Catch A Wave.

David was asked to step aside for the official Pet Sounds 40th Anniversary photo...but Al and Mike both objected and brought David back in for the shot even though he wasn't even on that album!!! 

Which was clearly audible on the footage shown later - "Where's Dave ?  Get him over here !"

[Andrew G. Doe]

Away from this board the outside world must be clamouring for a reunion ... at least as far as the writers of "The United States Of Tara" are concerned ... I was watching an episode last night and one character said, "Let's go down to (insert name of some unknown town) and see the Beach Boys, even if there aren't any real Beach Boys in them these days" ... see - you can't fool the intelligencia!!

Cody strikes again...

[Sheriff John Stone]

But that day i saw them acting like old friends, not really performing or posing for the press, but joking around, interacting, being silly, showing good will towards each other...in a way, acting like a family, a group, a clique. it blew my mind because i never expected to see that. Maybe it was a mirage...but they actually seemed like a group that day.

As long as there are threads going, I'm gonna keep repeating it...Most of our thoughts on the Beach Boys' personal relationships are based on unfortunate things that happened years ago - the money problems, the drugs, the failed albums, the lawsuits, the marriage/family problems, and deaths. I truly believe it is possible for them to put those unfortunate issues behind them and get along the way Jon Stebbins described. People do grow up, learn from their mistakes, sense their mortality, heal, and forgive.

[Dove Nested Towers]

But that day i saw them acting like old friends, not really performing or posing for the press, but joking around, interacting, being silly, showing good will towards each other...in a way, acting like a family, a group, a clique. it blew my mind because i never expected to see that. Maybe it was a mirage...but they actually seemed like a group that day.

As long as there are threads going, I'm gonna keep repeating it...Most of our thoughts on the Beach Boys' personal relationships are based on unfortunate things that happened years ago - the money problems, the drugs, the failed albums, the lawsuits, the marriage/family problems, and deaths. I truly believe it is possible for them to put those unfortunate issues behind them and get along the way Jon Stebbins described. People do grow up, learn from their mistakes, sense their mortality, heal, and forgive.

Amen. It may not happen in this case, but that's a profound general truth.

[The infamous Baldwin Organ]

It's my opinion, but I see that it many of the most recent interviews with Mike Love. Everybody is getting up there.

[Ed Roach]

"I am not a fan of the BB's post 1980, I respect the individuals, but I don't like what they have done since then(other than a couple of Brian's songs, oh and I love some of David's too), and I especially hate what they've done to their legacy. But that day i saw them acting like old friends, not really performing or posing for the press, but joking around, interacting, being silly, showing good will towards each other...in a way, acting like a family, a group, a clique. it blew my mind because i never expected to see that. Maybe it was a mirage...but they actually seemed like a group that day."

That was so often the way with them 'back in the day', particularly as it neared showtime.  They might fly in separate planes, travel in different limos, and avoid each other like the plague backstage.  But the closer it got to 'being a Beach Boy' time, the closer they would become.  Heck, you can often see that "old friends" spark between them, even with Dennis & Mike, when Dennis would share a mike with him.  (OK, not all the time, but often.)  Sadly, those days were long gone when Dennis last took the stage with them in Pomona...

[Awesoman]

Jardine is gearing up for the release of his long-delayed first solo album, called A Postcard From California. Apart from cameos by Brian Wilson and David Marks, the album also includes contributions from David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, America, Flea, and Steve Miller. No release date has been announced for the set.

Oh well, so much for the 9/4 street date, then.

Al is a great procrastinator.  What could possibly be holding this thing up??

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I'm still thinking perhaps a "couple of nights at Carnegie Hall" type of thing. This way no one will have to go into hysterics about paying Al's way for a whole tour, as some have intimated Mike ect. would do.

Btw, why on earth would Brian want to go out on an extended "timebomb" of a tour when he has such a good thing going as "Brian Wilson"? And would his camp even allow such a thing?

Therefore, a nice couple nights somewhere with special guests and whatnot, would really serve their legacy well!

[Awesoman]

I'm still thinking perhaps a "couple of nights at Carnegie Hall" type of thing. This way no one will have to go into hysterics about paying Al's way for a whole tour, as some have intimated Mike ect. would do.

Btw, why on earth would Brian want to go out on an extended "timebomb" of a tour when he has such a good thing going as "Brian Wilson"? And would his camp even allow such a thing?

Therefore, a nice couple nights somewhere with special guests and whatnot, would really serve their legacy well!

With the exception of SMiLE, Brian Wilson's solo career has been negligble at best.  It would certainly be more "marketable" for him to reunite with his fellow bandmates if anything else.  Now, would it be any GOOD?  That's a completely different story...

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I think I'm more concerned with Brian's camp allowing it!!!

They're the ones with something to lose, not Brian!

[Wilsonista]

I would hardly call Brian's solo career "nelgligible".  How many CDs has he released since 1998? I would agree with inconsistent. Regardless of quality, the fact that he can always find a label to release most of his projects shows some level of sucess.

[DonnaK]

Well that's every ex memeber not interested in a reunion now

I knew I wasn't hearing things when he said "No way" at Mayfest!!!!! I'm with Al here too!!!! Without Dennis and Carl, there IS no reunion.......

I will not attend any type of scham like this.

I totally agree. As far as I'm concerned The Beach Boys as a live entity, touring and recording, and the possibility of ever having a reunion ceased when Denny died. I always thought of the group that toured after that as Carl Wilson & his backup band with occasional appearances by Brian Wilson. I just honestly don't see how any group can legitimately be called the Beach Boys without all three Wilsons. I do think if Brian, Al, David, Carl B, Justyn, Blondie, & Ricky all got together with the old backup band it would definitely be something special, even if it was only for one night. Something to "celebrate" 50 years, rather than do something solely for a buck and call it a reunion. As unfortunate as it may be, I'm afraid the other two would bring an "undesired element" and bad vibrations to an event like that, and who would want to get sued for the financial losses suffered by Mike for taking time away from his never ending tour anyway?

I'm sorry, but that's pathetic, and it's taking every fiber of my being to not call you the same. Ever since Denny died? Seriously? Come on.  The guy was hardly even around the last few years he was alive. Carl Wilson and his backup band? Please. What a ridiculous, biased, insane knock on the other band members. How many hits did Carl co-write? None? And that's coming from a guy whose favorite Beach Boy is Carl. This is so ridiculous, even for an internet message board. How much of a Brianista are you? Go back over to the cult board where you belong. Without all three Wilsons. Yeah, maybe if one didn't quit and the other managed to sober up, you'd have something.

JR....EXCUSE ME??

[DonnaK]

"I am not a fan of the BB's post 1980, I respect the individuals, but I don't like what they have done since then(other than a couple of Brian's songs, oh and I love some of David's too), and I especially hate what they've done to their legacy. But that day i saw them acting like old friends, not really performing or posing for the press, but joking around, interacting, being silly, showing good will towards each other...in a way, acting like a family, a group, a clique. it blew my mind because i never expected to see that. Maybe it was a mirage...but they actually seemed like a group that day."

That was so often the way with them 'back in the day', particularly as it neared showtime.  They might fly in separate planes, travel in different limos, and avoid each other like the plague backstage.  But the closer it got to 'being a Beach Boy' time, the closer they would become.  Heck, you can often see that "old friends" spark between them, even with Dennis & Mike, when Dennis would share a mike with him.  (OK, not all the time, but often.)  Sadly, those days were long gone when Dennis last took the stage with them in Pomona...

I'm with Jon and Ed on this. I think the magic would never be the same as it was back then. Without Carl and Dennis it just wouldn't FEEL right. No matter how they try to "include" Denny and Carl in the "reunion", it just will never be magical again. Too much water has passed under the bridge.

Who exactly would be their target audience??? Us life-long fans since the conception, or middle of the road folk, or the newbies?? I would HOPE they'd do it for us lifers since it would mean the most to US! If Dennis and Carl were still with us.........................well, we can't go there.

I will admit I was a bit harsh about saying I'd refuse to attend, when I know damn well I would, but I would be wondering the whole time when the shoe was going to drop and what the ramifications of this "reunion" , legacy tour, whatever you want to call it, would be to all members. No matter what happens, I hope it will be well done, and non of the "players" get hurt or sued.

I'll tell you what, though.....I SURE as hell wouldn't want to be one of the many people it would take to get this off the ground!!!!!!

[the captain]

I wasn't there at Capitol, were you? I saw the videotape. When you have Al Jardine saying any kind of reunion would have to be approved by "this guy" meaning Mike, and Mike sneers back, and that's not "stilted.?" Of course there were smiles for the camera and then get me off this blazing rooftop! And they asked Dave  not to attend. Someone who thinks this was a positive advancement to the goal of re-uniting in a harmonious manner is stilted. And that includes you Luther. Get your facts straight before attempting to pile on.

You're so cute when you're angry and wrong. Apology accepted, darling.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Who exactly would be their target audience???

Anybody who might like the Beach Boys' music.

Those PBS (or A&E, or MTV Classic, or National TV) specials are seen by a lot of people, especially when they are repeated over and over. We all agree that the Beach Boys' music is infectious and will hook you - whether you want to be hooked or not. All it would take is for some of those classic Brian songs to be seen and heard on TV and it will mushroom. That's why I think Capitol would be very interested.

This could be the next The Last Waltz!

[the captain]

I'm with SJS here. Regardless of what I think should or will happen, I think that a hits-based reunion that is well produced and well marketed has as big a potential audience as is possible from an American pop band. That audience is the U.S., the U.K., and pieces of the rest of the world. It is a limited number of kids and teens; it is more young adults; and it is a huge number of Boomers. A lot of different crowds like different aspects of the Beach Boys for different reasons. Harnessing even a decent portion of them would be a huge draw.

Or, badly done, an enormous embarrassment .

[Dave in KC]

I wasn't there at Capitol, were you? I saw the videotape. When you have Al Jardine saying any kind of reunion would have to be approved by "this guy" meaning Mike, and Mike sneers back, and that's not "stilted.?" Of course there were smiles for the camera and then get me off this blazing rooftop! And they asked Dave  not to attend. Someone who thinks this was a positive advancement to the goal of re-uniting in a harmonious manner is stilted. And that includes you Luther. Get your facts straight before attempting to pile on.

You're so cute when you're angry and wrong. Apology accepted, darling.

If you could read intelligently you'd see Jon ended up agreeing with my assessment as viewed from an outsider such as myself. And agreed on both points.  FYI any sort of apology certainly was NOT directed at you. But I tell  you what SS Board policeman, IF the BB ever reunite, I'll be the first one to nominate you for some sort of hall of fame. Until then, go blow smoke up somebody elses rear end.

[the captain]

I love you, too.

[adamghost]

I think Al is making a lot of sense here.

And once again, I tend to value what the Beach Boys themselves want or say they want, over what we say we want, or say they should want.

[TdHabib]

And once again, I tend to value what the Beach Boys themselves want or say they want, over what we say we want, or say they should want.

Why can't everyone else think like you?