It was their distance from the counterculture that held them back. It's like they are two bands: an oldies act and an alt-60s find like the Velvet Underground, another band that was not a hippie band
There are two post-1974 Beach Boys songs I stand ready to defend. One is "Good Timin'" from 1979's L.A. (Light Album). (That whole album is a guilty pleasure for me, but I won't bother to try defending the rest of it.)
The other is "It's Gettin' Late" from the band's self-titled album of 1985. If you don't mind the slick Eighties sound, it's another excellent piece of vocal harmony.
I grew up in a college town in Ohio and saw them there at age 15 in the spring of 1974.. They played their new stuff for the first half of the show to a tepid response. The last half was primarily the pre Pet Sounds material which was received with much enthusiasm, including many attendees leaving their seats going to the arena floor to dance. The band seemed both delighted and flabbergasted
You saw them at probably the best time to see them live, getting a mix of all their pre and post Pet Sounds music. I wish I could've seen that. It seems incredible. Right before their rebirth as an oldies act.
The 50th anniversary tour is probably the closest we'll ever get to the Beach Boys successfully reconciling all the various strands of their work into a cohesive whole.
Been looking forward to this piece and it didn't disappoint.
I wasn't planning on going but my brother mentioned off-hand about a week or two before the concert that we try to get tickets. We were able to and it was magical. I'm glad he brought it up or I would have missed it.
For this gen x hipster, it was all about Wild Honey and Beach Boys Love You, which you didn't even mention, although Johny Carson and Solar System were among their best songs. The first, campy wave of New York punk--NY Dolls, Ramones, Blondie--has the ghost of Beach Boys hovering.
Ross, I certainly agree that Brian was a genius and that the music and harmonies were ethereal. Your belief that The Beach Boys were better than the Beatles reminds me of a couple of friends who once argued that Lou Reed was a better singer than Frank Sinatra…
yeah, the only Beach Boy song I can think of not sung by a band member is the peculiar and fascinating "A Day in the Life of a Tree" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBAhT-_dLes
It was their distance from the counterculture that held them back. It's like they are two bands: an oldies act and an alt-60s find like the Velvet Underground, another band that was not a hippie band
There are two post-1974 Beach Boys songs I stand ready to defend. One is "Good Timin'" from 1979's L.A. (Light Album). (That whole album is a guilty pleasure for me, but I won't bother to try defending the rest of it.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKKNc4i1PQo
The other is "It's Gettin' Late" from the band's self-titled album of 1985. If you don't mind the slick Eighties sound, it's another excellent piece of vocal harmony.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfnf2yLUwyw
Thank you for the in-depth review and context on the band! 💚 🥃
A friend of mine says that The Beach Boys only made good records because of the Wrecking. Crew. I told him to eat a big dick.
I grew up in a college town in Ohio and saw them there at age 15 in the spring of 1974.. They played their new stuff for the first half of the show to a tepid response. The last half was primarily the pre Pet Sounds material which was received with much enthusiasm, including many attendees leaving their seats going to the arena floor to dance. The band seemed both delighted and flabbergasted
You saw them at probably the best time to see them live, getting a mix of all their pre and post Pet Sounds music. I wish I could've seen that. It seems incredible. Right before their rebirth as an oldies act.
The 50th anniversary tour is probably the closest we'll ever get to the Beach Boys successfully reconciling all the various strands of their work into a cohesive whole.
Been looking forward to this piece and it didn't disappoint.
One of my great laments is not being a fan in 2012 and enjoying the reunion tour!
I wasn't planning on going but my brother mentioned off-hand about a week or two before the concert that we try to get tickets. We were able to and it was magical. I'm glad he brought it up or I would have missed it.
For this gen x hipster, it was all about Wild Honey and Beach Boys Love You, which you didn't even mention, although Johny Carson and Solar System were among their best songs. The first, campy wave of New York punk--NY Dolls, Ramones, Blondie--has the ghost of Beach Boys hovering.
I've warmed up to Love You. It wasn't an original favorite but it's so oddball and fun, and maybe the last important music Brian ever created.
Ross, I certainly agree that Brian was a genius and that the music and harmonies were ethereal. Your belief that The Beach Boys were better than the Beatles reminds me of a couple of friends who once argued that Lou Reed was a better singer than Frank Sinatra…
:-)
This is a lengthy article... how the hell can you do it on a regular basis?
Ok, it’s back being one of my favorite Beach Boy songs. Sorry, Mr. Chaplin.
yeah, the only Beach Boy song I can think of not sung by a band member is the peculiar and fascinating "A Day in the Life of a Tree" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBAhT-_dLes
Sail on, Sailor was sung by a non Beach Boy. I’m destroyed.
It was sung by Blondie Chaplin, who was a full-fledged member of the band!