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tatters

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Spodlumt
His touring band "The Beach Boys" is a disgrace to their legacy.

It's better than nothing.

If I want to see the Beach Boys catalog played live, I go see Brian Wilson, not the Beach Boys. Even though Brian's performance level has declined lately, his band is able to faithfully recreate his most complex instrumental and vocal arrangements.

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ab

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tatters

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Spodlumt
His touring band "The Beach Boys" is a disgrace to their legacy.

It's better than nothing.

If I want to see the Beach Boys catalog played live, I go see Brian Wilson, not the Beach Boys. Even though Brian's performance level has declined lately, his band is able to faithfully recreate his most complex instrumental and vocal arrangements.

I attended Brian's first-ever solo concert in 1999 and have seen him several times since then, even forcing myself to get out of bed when I was very sick because there was no way in hell I was going to miss seeing him do Smile. I last saw him in 2008, by which time the novelty had worn off and I actually found his physical presence, at his own concert, to be a distraction. From what I've read of his recent appearances, he seems miserable, like he doesn't even want to be there. They're just dragging him around at this point, propping him up at a piano he never actually plays. Even Jeff Foskett couldn't take it any more, and finally split, and now tours with Mike Love's band.

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tatters

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ab

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tatters

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Spodlumt
His touring band "The Beach Boys" is a disgrace to their legacy.

It's better than nothing.

If I want to see the Beach Boys catalog played live, I go see Brian Wilson, not the Beach Boys. Even though Brian's performance level has declined lately, his band is able to faithfully recreate his most complex instrumental and vocal arrangements.

I attended Brian's first-ever solo concert in 1999 and have seen him several times since then, even forcing myself to get out of bed when I was very sick because there was no way in hell I was going to miss seeing him do Smile. I last saw him in 2008, by which time the novelty had worn off and I actually found his physical presence, at his own concert, to be a distraction. From what I've read of his recent appearances, he seems miserable, like he doesn't even want to be there. They're just dragging him around at this point, propping him up at a piano he never actually plays. Even Jeff Foskett couldn't take it any more, and finally split, and now tours with Mike Love's band.

The Beach Boys with Mike Love are a joke. Nothing would be better.

Of course, Mike's speech at the RRHOF endeared him for all Stones fans!

[ultimateclassicrock.com]

The Mike Love version of the Beach Boys is a fun night out. You expect the hits, a few laughs, and a solid band performing them and thats what you get.

The Brian Wilson version ( with Al Jardine & Blondie) is a fun night out. You expect the "genius" Brian Wilson and you dont get that, you get a person who is basically a prop at his own show. His backing band is solid and terrific, the material digs deep, and when you get past the realization that Brian is actually doing very little, you have fun.

Both versions are a good time. The Mike Love version will cost you a lot less $$$ than the Brian Wilson one will as well.

I saw the 1981 tour when Brian was there in body (but not mind). It was still a thrill to see him.

I've seen Mike's version a couple of times - okay when Carl was still around, not so much lately.

I think, myself included, have such a soft spot for Brian that its hard to take anything else seriously. I mean its more than a soft spot, he was so responsible for the Beach Boys music. Of course so was Mike and Carl and Dennis and Al, but its Brian, and we all know this. He is very much there more in body than mind, which has only gotten moreso with age. I guess I try to look past it, because in the end the fact that he's even up there at all between everything in the 60s and 70s and Landy is nothing short of a miracle. I saw him do Smile live! At Carnegie Hall! I like to think I'm not giving him a pass but I guess I am. I thought it was worth it then and that he was present, if not still zombiefied. I can't say if its still worth it now.

Its really nothing against Mike either. He's still the voice of so many Beach Boys songs. Honestly, and I've never thought of it this way, I see it as very similar to Roger Waters and Floyd. Every guy in that band is important, but Roger is the "creative genius of Pink Floyd" (his tour ad, not mine) and I don't disagree with him, especially on Dark Side and later records. If I'm going to see someone play Floyd songs, I'd rather it be him over the other 3 members of Pink Floyd who I really couldn't have any interest in seeing. Even though I love David Gilmour, and he sings so much of their catalog, similar to Love. I still for some reason don't find it as legitimate without Roger, the same way I don't find the Beach Boys as legitimate without Brian. Not that I find Roger or Brian more legitimate as their respective bands either, but I guess they also tour as themselves and not as their former band, so while its just a technicality, I do see it as an important distinction.

Having said that, one of my bigger recent concert regrets is not seeing the Beach Boys 50th reunion tour. Brian seemed barely present, the ticket prices were exorbitant, but they played like 50 songs a night and I still feel I missed something pretty special there. It would have been worth it for one night to see what was really the last chance to see the legit Beach Boys.

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Elmo Lewis

I saw the 1981 tour when Brian was there in body (but not mind). It was still a thrill to see him.

Yeah, it's been that way with Brian for a long, long time. I remember interviewing Lindsey Buckingham in 1981. He talked at length about his love for the Beach Boys and the influence they've had on him, and even then, almost forty years ago, he made a comment about not liking the way "they're propping Brian up there at the piano" just so they can still put all five original members onstage.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2020-05-06 14:34 by tatters.

Mike Love has put out some good stuff though







jb



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2020-05-17 02:45 by jbwelda.

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kovach
Carl had the voice on the early hits.

I was lucky enough to catch them in the early 80s when all 3 Wilson Brothers were back in the band, was a night and day difference to the show I saw before that without them all (and I suspect shows after as well).

The first hit Carl sang lead on was "Good Vibrations," pretty much their last big hit until "Kokomo" (which is their last). The big streak of hits were lead sung by Mike and Brian, with Al and Dennis getting a couple.

I get that Mike Love bashing is the thing to do, I'm a big Beach Boys fan and Brian Wilson is my favorite musician ever. And there is no denying the guy has been a major jerk off many times over. But to dismiss him as talentless is wrong and like it or not his influence as front man and co-writer was to bring the Beach Boys the bulk of their popularity and thereby the bucks. Which Brian Wilson and the other Beach Boys are quite good with believe me.

Personally my favorite period is roughly '67 - '74 when they released albums like "Wild Honey," "Sunflower," and "Holland" which sold poorly for the most part. They also became a crackerjack live act during that period, particularly when Blondie (and Ricky Fataar) were in the band. It was the Mike Love influence that pulled them away from that artistically great/economically poor period to the greatest hits/jukebox shows that made them a household name and very well off again. That disappointed me no end but I have to speak up when Mike is slagged off as "useless" or "talentless." And I can't blame him for not enjoying watching his bandmates go down a road of self destruction.

[www.oleantimesherald.com]