Any Beach Boy Fans Out There???????????????

[wileypickett]

First LP I ever owned:



I was in third grade when it came out and made my parent's live miserable until they bought it for me. Still have it and is still (barely) playable.

Was really miffed at my 'rents when they declined to send my third-grade self to The Beach Boys concert at the Sacramento Convention Center.

There are some beautiful Brian Wilson ballads on side 2 of this album:

As noted above, my first LP too. I think it holds up well. Nostalgia plays a part in my affection for it I have no doubt, but listening wth my "objective ears," it still strikes me as a strong album.

 

[gjmalcyon]

As noted above, my first LP too. I think it holds up well. Nostalgia plays a part in my affection for it I have no doubt, but listening wth my "objective ears," it still strikes me as a strong album.

As a callow 10 year old I couldn't stand that second side with all the goopy and mushy love songs.

Now side 2 is what I listen to.

 

[Midnight Toker]

one of my all time fav tunes. And to think this was recorded Jan 1st 64. (IMHO) Vocal composition wise, as advanced as what The Beatles would first achieve w/ "Because" in late 69.

 

[twocorgis]

one of my all time fav tunes. And to think this was recorded Jan 1st 64. (IMHO) Vocal composition wise, as advanced as what The Beatles would first achieve w/ "Because" in late 69.

One of my favorites, and I love Willie Nelson's version too.

 

[mavuser]

You likely already know this but if not, there is a Grammy tribute to the Beach Boys on Sunday ay8:00 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

 

[richardp69]

I really enjoyed this tribute. I got two important takeaways:

1.) I still am in love with Norah Jones

2.) I truly am an old man. Although I really liked nearly every version I heard of the old, great BB hits, I've got to admit that I had never even heard of quite a few of the performers or if I did, in name only and had never heard their material.

 

[Uke]

one of my all time fav tunes. And to think this was recorded Jan 1st 64. (IMHO) Vocal composition wise, as advanced as what The Beatles would first achieve w/ "Because" in late 69.

Never heard this song, but, wow, what a great one!

 

[twocorgis]

I really enjoyed this tribute. I got two important takeaways:

1.) I still am in love with Norah Jones

2.) I truly am an old man. Although I really liked nearly every version I heard of the old, great BB hits, I've got to admit that I had never even heard of quite a few of the performers or if I did, in name only and had never heard their material.

I watched it, and thought that in almost all the cases, I'd rather hear the beach Boys do it. Notable exception was LeAnn Rimes' version of "Caroline No". I'm not much of a fan of hers, but that was surprisingly good. Helps a lot that it's such a great song to begin with. Didn't make it to the end to see My Morning Jacket's contribution, but I'll bet that was good. I'll watch later.

 

[GGJaguar]

watched it, and thought that in almost all the cases, I'd rather hear the beach Boys do it.

Same for me, though I did like Beck and Jim James doing "Good Vibrations".

 

[rmoretti49]

Or Carol Kaye, Hal Blaine, Leon Russel, and the rest of the Wrecking Crew. For many of The Beach Boys greatest hits, it was all Brian and these studio ringers, w/ Mike, Carl, and Al coming in later just to provide some vocal tracks. In fact, there are a lot of Beach Boys classics that not one single Beach Boy played an instrument on. (Like ALL of Pet Sounds!)

Yes, this is an important part of the history that so many are not aware of. But frankly, this was also true of many other groups in the recording studios. They simply couldn't do it like the Wrecking Crew (talented studio musicians of the time) could. Imagine the bruised egos when group members were told they wouldn't play, but just sing.

Two different books about this are Kent Hartman's "The Wrecking Crew: The inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best Kept Secret," and William McKeen's "Everybody Had an Ocean: Music and Mayhem in 1960's Los Angeles." Like so many heroes we have, closeups on some of their personal lives are not flattering.

 

[Stuball48]

Yes, really good.

 

[twocorgis]

Same for me, though I did like Beck and Jim James doing "Good Vibrations".

Yes, I did like the Beck, too, and there was a Guild sighting during Fall Out Boy’s rendition of "Do You Want to Dance". I think it was an S60. Didn't make it Jim James, will watch later.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

This was my first (and only) Beach Boys album.

I loved how they built up "Little Deuce Coupe" instrument by instrument!

(Di I ever mention my Father was big into Hot Rodding?)

 

[Westerly Wood]

My dad had endless summer on tape. We listened to it all the time. I could sing all their greatest hits. It’s the earliest music I have memory of.

 

[richardp69]

I watched it, and thought that in almost all the cases, I'd rather hear the beach Boys do it. Notable exception was LeAnn Rimes' version of "Caroline No". I'm not much of a fan of hers, but that was surprisingly good. Helps a lot that it's such a great song to begin with. Didn't make it to the end to see My Morning Jacket's contribution, but I'll bet that was good. I'll watch later.

For me at least, that's nearly always the case.. Can't beat the original artists usually. But, I really do like to hear other (usually younger) artists versions as well. It's refreshing to me anyway.

 

[silverfox103]

As Sandy said "I'd rather hear the Beach Boys do it". I recorded the show, watched it later, filtering out all the crap. What I did like, as Richard said, Nora Jones (Warmth of the Sun). How can you not like her. The Hanson Brothers (Barbara Ann), Foster the People (Do It Again) and Lady A (Surfer Girl).

What I didn't like was John Stamos, could you stop pretending your a Beach Boy, your not and you're a looser. Your career has done nothing for 30 years. Leah Ann Rimes, I like her singing, but could you put some clothes on.

I was a young teen when they hit the scene in 1962, I believe, with Surfer Girl. Brian was the genius behind the BB, but Brian was only an active BB for a short time. If it wasn't for Carl Wilson, the BB wouldn't have been around after the 60's. Carl became the leader of the band, making the decisions and singing Brian's parts. Brian was out of the band for at least 25 years, maybe 30.

Luckily Brian was able to rid himself of his demons thanks to his wife, family and professionals. He made it back to touring. I have seen him 3 times in the past 7 or 8 years. Brian is still the genius and has put together a band of about 12. If you closed your eyes, you would think your listening to the Vintage Beach Boys. Al Jardine, his loyal friend and bandmate also performs with Brian, as well as Al's son Matt.

Noticed on the show, when the camera panned on the boys, Brian sat on one end an Mike on the other end. I'm guessing Brian has no love (no pun intended) for Mike, as he tried to wrestle control of the Beach Boy name from Brian. Didn't work too good as Brian plays for full houses and Mike, about 10 people show up.

Enough said

Tom

 

[DrumBob]

I never liked their car and surf music and still don't. Most of it sounded shallow and silly to me as a teenager and still does, but with Pet Sounds, I realized they were on to something, As a kid in suburban New Jersey, I couldn't relate at all to their idealized depiction of sun, sand, dragsters, and blonde beach bunnies. But I now regard Brian Wilson as a genius composer and arranger. Their records always sounded good though, because they had the Wrecking Crew playing on them. We didn't know that at the time, of course.

I don't know if The Beach Boys are still active or not, but they've turned into an oldies act at this point. I'll play "God Only Knows," "Sloop John B," and "Good Vibrations" on my radio show occasionally.

 

[bobouz]

Turning 16 in 1967 and growing up in the LA area (Pasadena), I can say with some confidence that the Beach Boys truly captured the times. As soon as I could drive that year, my buddy Mark & I were off to Hermosa, Manhattan, or Redondo Beach in the summer. I didn't like every Beach Boys song, but certain songs fit the scene to a tee. The instrumental intro to California Girls seemed to somehow capture exactly what it felt like to be driving to the beach with the sun shining, and not a care in the world. I still love that intro, because I loved that feeling. The rest of the song didn't do much for me, but a number of their other tunes did, and they're still a treat to listen to today.