Really, really, really really bad BB videos

[Mike's Beard]

After discussing the video for California Dreamin' the other week I thought I'd check out the other videos the group made back at the dawn of the MTV age.
These are all hilariously bad. Maybe we should have a vote on which one's the worst. Enjoy!  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJDDzRG2UBk&feature=related                                           (Rock & Roll to the Resuce)        

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGYbvZ7OFX8&feature=related                                           (Crocodile Rock)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlET_XyiddQ                                                                     (Happy Endings)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EeSuuCwaQ4&feature=related                                         (Problem Child)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAZBbZ27xlM                                                                    (Getcha Back)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DwyYy3a_WY                                                                 (It's Gettin' Late)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAq0vvnjdJE&feature=related                                        (Hot Fun in the Summertime)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhUOvWxdb-s                                                                (Summer of Love)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt0LBlH3dAc                                                                   (Wipe Out!)

[Andrew G. Doe]

Odd, isn't it, that Stamos features in the really sucky ones ?

Actually, the "Summer Of Love" one is worth watching for Brian's permanent "WTF ?" expression.  

This one's pretty tasteful, to be fair:

Somewhere Near Japan (45 mix)

[Mike's Beard]

The Summer of Love video makes me laugh at all the (by California Beach standards) average looking bikini babes they crammed into it. I wonder how many Mike hit on and got shot down by?  

[lupinofan]

Are Carl's shades on the "Problem Child" video a homage to Roy Orbison, who had a hit with a song of the same name? Or did he just want to look like a prat?

[oldsurferdude]

All Myk Luhv inspired BS-totally embarrassing-anything for a buck all the while helping to make a mockery of the group.

[rab2591]

Whoa. Being very new to most of the Beach Boys catalogue, I never knew stuff like this existed....I knew about Summer in Paradise, but Jeesh, these videos are absolutely terrible, dreadful, and outright appalling.

Did I really just see The Beach Boys featured in a Fat Boys music video?  

[Curtis Leon]

All Myk Luhv inspired BS-totally embarrassing-anything for a buck all the while helping to make a mockery of the group.

'

Making a mockery? By that point, the Beach Boys were a huge parody of themselves to begin with!

[A Million Units In Jan!]

As a kid in the 80's, I watched a crap-load of Mtv, and I have to say that I only remember two of those videos-'Wipe Out' and "Getcha Back'. The others must have been played on video channels in 3rd world countries 

[Smilin Ed H]

I wonder who was responsible? Group decision based on whose advice?  Melcher's?

[Jon Stebbins]

The fact that the 1985 - 1995 period of Beach Boys history happened as documented in the videos above is one major reason why so many people think of the Beach Boys as a joke instead of as great artists who made a huge cultural impact. You know the look some people give you when you say the Beach Boys are your favorite band? The band in those videos are what has just popped into their mind. I look at that horrifically lame period knowing the one positive is that Dennis will never be associated with any of it.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Are Carl's shades on the "Problem Child" video a homage to Roy Orbison, who had a hit with a song of the same name? Or did he just want to look like a prat?

I think it was to mask the look of abject misery in his eyes.

[Mike's Beard]

Why is Carl not in the Wipe Out! video? Actually I can pretty much guess why but I'd like someone like AGD to confirm it! The highlight has to be Bruce's hotdogging throughout the entire thing esp that face he pulls to the doorman at the Havana. Oh and a blinged up Al and Mike on the turntables. And that wide camera lens that zooms right in on that woman's tits........ there's just too much to mention on this one!

Are Carl's shades on the "Problem Child" video a homage to Roy Orbison, who had a hit with a song of the same name? Or did he just want to look like a prat?

I think it's to cover the deep shame in his eyes at being involved in this tripe! At least Mike didn't punch that kid as we know he likes to do stuff like that.

The fact that the 1985 - 1995 period of Beach Boys history happened as documented in the videos above is one major reason why so many people think of the Beach Boys as a joke instead of as great artists who made a huge cultural impact. You know the look some people give you when you say the Beach Boys are your favorite band? The band in those videos are what has just popped into their mind. I look at that horrifically lame period knowing the one positive is that Dennis will never be associated with any of it.

Nope, but it didn't stop them from having a ghostly "Dennis like" figure appear from the surf in "It's Gettin Late" to show the nerd how to get the girl!

[filledeplage]

Whoa. Being very new to most of the Beach Boys catalogue, I never knew stuff like this existed....I knew about Summer in Paradise, but Jeesh, these videos are absolutely terrible, dreadful, and outright appalling.

Did I really just see The Beach Boys featured in a Fat Boys music video?  

The Fat Boys (who were pretty big no pun intended0 with the young kids (pre-teens) appearing and singing with the Beach Boys, made my life much easier...It was contemporaneous with Still Cruisin' (cassette) in the car while car pooling to school...Admittedly, a little goofy, but it seemed the Boys had young kids at about that same time, and I bet their kids found it pretty cool to sing with the Fat Boys!

We look back, through a different lensbut clearly all for fun.  It does not make them a joke but sort of mixed it up racially in such a way that there was probably an enjoyed crossover in terms of sales...

People look at it as appalling but thinking about where and when it happened, almost in the Kokomo warp it is not that bad and kept them "out there" as it were.  If the intent was to make the Beach Boys "cool again" with the kids the effect was brilliant.

Let's not get too pompous here!  It is for fun!  Wah- Wah- Waahhh!      

[Mike's Beard]

1980's was the decade for cheese and the 'Boys weren't the only or worse culprits by far.

[the captain]

The Wipeout video (and song) was very successful, I thought. It isn't cool in the least, but it was very fun. It got a lot of airplay. It crossed audiences. I can see why older fans who had first-hand memories of where the band had been (and ideas about where they still could be), not to mention who maybe weren't quick to embrace hip-hop, might hate it. But as a child of the '80s, I had no problem with it whatsoever. Still don't. If you were wanting another Pet Sounds--or even Holland ... or even LA--you were going to be disappointed. But if you were 12 and liked a catchy song and silly video, it was great.

[Rocker]

1980's was the decade for cheese and the 'Boys weren't the only or worse culprits by far.

You may be right, but afaik they were the only major rock-act that inspired countless other artists, that was once being hailed as one of the greatest groups in the world with a legacy second to none, that got down to that level of cheese. Of course I could be wrong but I don't know of another act of that caliber to go down this way and f*** with it's own legacy.

I wonder how a major act as the Beach Boys couldn't get a decent music video done. Still good to see them in high quality during those years. There's not too much other stuff...

[Fall Breaks]

Why is Carl not in the Wipe Out! video? Actually I can pretty much guess why but I'd like someone like AGD to confirm it!

I asked Bruce that very question this summer and he said it was because Carl thought the whole idea was silly.

[Mike's Beard]

No arguments there! But as Luther pointed out good fun!

[summerinparadise.flac]

The Wipeout video (and song) was very successful, I thought.

Yep. #12 Stateside and #2 in the UK according to Mr. Doe.

[Myk Luhv]

The fact that the 1985 - 1995 period of Beach Boys history happened as documented in the videos above is one major reason why so many people think of the Beach Boys as a joke instead of as great artists who made a huge cultural impact. You know the look some people give you when you say the Beach Boys are your favorite band? The band in those videos are what has just popped into their mind. I look at that horrifically lame period knowing the one positive is that Dennis will never be associated with any of it.

I think you could extend this back to 1978 or so without much argument (from me, at least ). It was, without pause, all downhill from thereon out seems to me. Luckily Dennis also had enough sensibility to abstain from much of that while he was still alive too, and the contributions he did made were not unlike those he provided The Beach Boys with in the late 1960s and '70s: about the only thing keeping the Boys compelling during those times.

[the captain]

1980's was the decade for cheese and the 'Boys weren't the only or worse culprits by far.

You may be right, but afaik they were the only major rock-act that inspired countless other artists, that was once being hailed as one of the greatest groups in the world with a legacy second to none, that got down to that level of cheese. Of course I could be wrong but I don't know of another act of that caliber to go down this way and foder with it's own legacy.

I wonder how a major act as the Beach Boys couldn't get a decent music video done. Still good to see them in high quality during those years. There's not too much other stuff...

Part of the reason was simply that most of those other acts that fit that category either ceased to exist (Beatles) or weren't being played in mtv (Dylan).

[Jay]

Looking through this topic makes me wonder, did the group do any music videos for KTSA? Other than the footage from the documentary, I mean. Did they make any videos for any of the songs that were shown on tv?

[Curtis Leon]

The fact that the 1985 - 1995 period of Beach Boys history happened as documented in the videos above is one major reason why so many people think of the Beach Boys as a joke instead of as great artists who made a huge cultural impact. You know the look some people give you when you say the Beach Boys are your favorite band? The band in those videos are what has just popped into their mind. I look at that horrifically lame period knowing the one positive is that Dennis will never be associated with any of it.

I think you could extend this back to 1978 or so without much argument (from me, at least ). It was, without pause, all downhill from thereon out seems to me. Luckily Dennis also had enough sensibility to abstain from much of that while he was still alive too, and the contributions he did made were not unlike those he provided The Beach Boys with in the late 1960s and '70s: about the only thing keeping the Boys compelling during those times.

You could, I suppose. But MIU and LA were much gentler blows to the reputation than Kokomo ever was. At least the previous two had the sensibility to flop, sparing anyone but die-hards like us, or reviewers, from actually listening to it. The 80's disasters were everywhere, and you couldn't escape hearing it unless you didn't go out in public.

[Myk Luhv]

Please don't libel me by suggesting I've listened to any of The Beach Boys' albums in their entirety beyond Love You. (I admit that I've tried but... I just can't do it!) I guess this doesn't make me enough of a hardcore fan. I'm sorry y'all.

[Ron]

Whoa. Being very new to most of the Beach Boys catalogue, I never knew stuff like this existed....I knew about Summer in Paradise, but Jeesh, these videos are absolutely terrible, dreadful, and outright appalling.

Did I really just see The Beach Boys featured in a Fat Boys music video?  

I gotta take up for that one.  They're just having some fun, they made a rediculous video to go with the equally rediculous song.  I love it.  The background vocals (It sounds like a wall of Brian production) are so god awful that it's great.