Flex's Takes: The Beach Boys

[Flex]

Is 15 Big Ones the one with that ballad where Brian sounds like death? That's next on my list. Haven't even done Surf's Up yet. That biography just flew through the 70s when they were still cranking out an album a year, so it was hard to keep up.

The singing on 15 Big Ones is generally poor. Brian sounds like he's smoked 1,000 cartons of Marlboros.

15 Big Ones was the beginning of the end.

They start out the 1970's still trying to sound relevant: Sunflower, Surf's Up, So Tough, Holland.

American Graffiti comes out in 1973, featuring several vintage Beach Boys tunes. Capitol smelling some $$$ releases the Endless Summer comp and a worn out, nostalgia wanting America laps it up.

That was it. It was no longer about being a working band, it was all about trying to recapture the nostalgia with album after album of crap with Michael Edward Love happily leading the way. He was suddenly "cool" again and there was no way he was letting go of that.

Except for the wonderful, mad detour through Love You, of course.

Yeah, but I also think like his work on 15 Big Ones, Brian wasn't committed to following through on those tracks. He had ideas, but lacked focus. Carl had to do quite a bit of work getting Love You to being acceptable for release.

Sure, I'd just say it was the last time the band didn't just try to make Endless Summer as a new studio album.

[WestwayKid]

Is 15 Big Ones the one with that ballad where Brian sounds like death? That's next on my list. Haven't even done Surf's Up yet. That biography just flew through the 70s when they were still cranking out an album a year, so it was hard to keep up.

The singing on 15 Big Ones is generally poor. Brian sounds like he's smoked 1,000 cartons of Marlboros.

15 Big Ones was the beginning of the end.

They start out the 1970's still trying to sound relevant: Sunflower, Surf's Up, So Tough, Holland.

American Graffiti comes out in 1973, featuring several vintage Beach Boys tunes. Capitol smelling some $$$ releases the Endless Summer comp and a worn out, nostalgia wanting America laps it up.

That was it. It was no longer about being a working band, it was all about trying to recapture the nostalgia with album after album of crap with Michael Edward Love happily leading the way. He was suddenly "cool" again and there was no way he was letting go of that.

Except for the wonderful, mad detour through Love You, of course.

Yeah, but I also think like his work on 15 Big Ones, Brian wasn't committed to following through on those tracks. He had ideas, but lacked focus. Carl had to do quite a bit of work getting Love You to being acceptable for release.

Sure, I'd just say it was the last time the band didn't just try to make Endless Summer as a new studio album.

That's a great way to look at it.

[Dr. Medulla]

Been watching clips of the band from the early 60s. I swear, Mike Love just seems like a fucking creeper, hunched over and to the side of the rest of the band. I shudder to think that there were teenage girls who picked him as their favourite.

[matedog]

Been watching clips of the band from the early 60s. I swear, Mike Love just seems like a fucking creeper, hunched over and to the side of the rest of the band. I shudder to think that there were teenage girls who picked him as their favourite.

At least we now know the ones that picked Brian were ass girls.

[Dr. Medulla]

Been watching clips of the band from the early 60s. I swear, Mike Love just seems like a fucking creeper, hunched over and to the side of the rest of the band. I shudder to think that there were teenage girls who picked him as their favourite.

At least we now know the ones that picked Brian were ass girls.

I'm guessing Carl was a wideload back then, too.

[matedog]

Been watching clips of the band from the early 60s. I swear, Mike Love just seems like a fucking creeper, hunched over and to the side of the rest of the band. I shudder to think that there were teenage girls who picked him as their favourite.

At least we now know the ones that picked Brian were ass girls.

I'm guessing Carl was a wideload back then, too.

“Damn those Wilson boys is THICC.” - female teenage fan ca. 1964 small town, Indiana.

[Dr. Medulla]

Been watching clips of the band from the early 60s. I swear, Mike Love just seems like a fucking creeper, hunched over and to the side of the rest of the band. I shudder to think that there were teenage girls who picked him as their favourite.

At least we now know the ones that picked Brian were ass girls.

I'm guessing Carl was a wideload back then, too.

“Damn those Wilson boys is THICC.” - female teenage fan ca. 1964 small town, Indiana.

"I prefer their uncle Mike," said Wanda, who had a thing for much older men.

[WestwayKid]

When Mike does the band intros on the Beach Boys Concert LP you get a sense for who was popular with the young girls and who was not so popular. Denny and Brian get the loudest shrieks, Al gets almost no shrieks, Carl gets a few. We never quite hear how many Mike would have gotten because he doesn't intro himself (shockingly).

[WestwayKid]

God bless Carl for trying to keep this train wreck of an interview on track. Dennis is completely wasted. Brian is appearing as Mr. Roboto. Mike & Al look deflated, though Mike is also wearing the World's Shiniest Jacket.

[Dr. Medulla]

When Mike does the band intros on the Beach Boys Concert LP you get a sense for who was popular with the young girls and who was not so popular. Denny and Brian get the loudest shrieks, Al gets almost no shrieks, Carl gets a few. We never quite hear how many Mike would have gotten because he doesn't intro himself (shockingly).

Lawn gnome is a very distinct fetish.

[Dr. Medulla]

God bless Carl for trying to keep this train wreck of an interview on track. Dennis is completely wasted. Brian is appearing as Mr. Roboto. Mike & Al look deflated, though Mike is also wearing the World's Shiniest Jacket.

Wow, that rivals the PiL-Tom Snyder interview for trainwreckery.

[WestwayKid]

God bless Carl for trying to keep this train wreck of an interview on track. Dennis is completely wasted. Brian is appearing as Mr. Roboto. Mike & Al look deflated, though Mike is also wearing the World's Shiniest Jacket.

Wow, that rivals the PiL-Tom Snyder interview for trainwreckery.

It's understandable that Carl left a few months later.

[matedog]

When Mike does the band intros on the Beach Boys Concert LP you get a sense for who was popular with the young girls and who was not so popular. Denny and Brian get the loudest shrieks, Al gets almost no shrieks, Carl gets a few. We never quite hear how many Mike would have gotten because he doesn't intro himself (shockingly).

It took awhile for Carl to perfect his zaddy look as the kids say:

[matedog]

Except for the wonderful, mad detour through Love You, of course.

The way Beach Boys fans are, I have no idea if you are serious or not.

[matedog]

The singing on 15 Big Ones is generally poor. Brian sounds like he's smoked 1,000 cartons of Marlboros.

15 Big Ones was the beginning of the end.

They start out the 1970's still trying to sound relevant: Sunflower, Surf's Up, So Tough, Holland.

American Graffiti comes out in 1973, featuring several vintage Beach Boys tunes. Capitol smelling some $$$ releases the Endless Summer comp and a worn out, nostalgia wanting America laps it up.

That was it. It was no longer about being a working band, it was all about trying to recapture the nostalgia with album after album of crap with Michael Edward Love happily leading the way. He was suddenly "cool" again and there was no way he was letting go of that.

I actually think Brian had some interesting ideas on 15 Big Ones, but he lacked the focus (or maybe desire) to bring them to life. "Had To Phone Ya" could have been a good song, but it feels unfinished.

Listened this morning and yeah, lots and lots of covers. Bad covers. I keep thinking Dennis is singing everything, but Brian sounds like Dennis at this point. He sounds legit scary hoarsely telling some poor girl, "come on and answer the phone" over and over again. "Back Home" is alright I guess.