2. music
  3. 123214-2454

The Beach Boys

I'm a huge fan of classic rock, and music in general, listening to almost all genres from classical to jazz to rock to contemporary pop (very selectively). Don't care much for country and reggae. I've been reading in the latest issue of Stereophile about Acoustic Sounds reissuing The Beach Boys catalog, and the article compelled me to express my opinion on this forum. I'm simply completely, utterly, and overwhelmingly at a loss to understand the acclaim for this band. The fact that "Pet Sounds" is considered one of the greatest albums of all time leaves me speechless. I always considered their music a bit of a joke, good for background when you're in a beach bar in Southern California, in the same vein reggae or mariachi music are tolerable in Jamaica or Mexico, respectively, when one's on vacation. I then heard about them being compared to The Beatles and have been confused ever since. Perhaps a comparison to The Beatles early songs as they were evolving as musicians and songwriters would make sense, but comparing the genius of The Beatles to the "genius" of Brian Wilson is just preposterous, in my opinion.

I would like to hear from those who like or love The Beach Boys what it is about their music that they think warrants the acclaim and their presence in the upper echelon of music. I realize my post may generate quite a bit of controversy and angry responses, but I don't mean to offend or put down anyone's musical tastes. I'm posting as a music lover who is truly perplexed. 

    
actusreus
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,947 posts
 
There have been more versions of Pet Sounds on LP and CD than any other album I can think of. Enough already! How much more deluxe can it get?!
tostadosunidos's avatar
tostadosunidos
1,197 posts
 
bdp, it will no doubt end with a virtual reality experience which will allow anyone to see and hear exactly what Brian, Carol Kay, Hal Blaine, or any other of the participants heard and saw during every moment of the recording process.  You'll be able to have a chat with holograms of Carl Wilson and Tommy Tedesco.  Smell Glenn Campbell's leather boots.  I can guarantee it won't be cheap but, you know, if you're a true fan then money is no object...order today!
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,947 posts
 
Ha! I got the boxset of Smile and, as much of a fan of Smile as I am, for me it was a listen-to-once kinda thing. Listening to every partial take, every snippet of every rehearsal of every part of every song, is not something I want to do again. It just reminds me of what a shame it is Smile wasn't finished and released in it's own time. It would really have blown some minds, The Beach Boys being held in such low regard as they were in 1967. It was surreal to me in 1967 after hearing Smiley Smile, realizing Brian Wilson was THE musical leader of his generation, miles ahead of what anyone else was doing, yet looking around and seeing most people still thinking of him in terms of surf & sun songs.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Bdp,

You ask an interesting question.  Here's another one:. What might The Beatles have wrought had they heard it?  They were still paying attention to Mr Wilson (and taking inspiration from him).  And....Given the influence of The Beatles, how might that never made record have rippled thru the pop music world?   I think it's actually a pretty interesting alternate universe scenario.  Then again, that's just me.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,947 posts
 

I too have pondered that very scenario, Marty. Of course, there WERE people who were hearing the Smile recordings as they transpired, creating an intense buzz via the underground reporting on the album (as chronicled at the time by Paul Williams in Crawdaddy Magazine (those articles later collected in his book "Outlaw Blues").

Another thing that could have happened was for TBB to appear at The Newport Pop Festival in '67 as they were originally scheduled to. Maybe that would have changed the hippies perception of them. Unfortunately they for some reason cancelled. The only time they were sort of referenced around that time was when Hendrix offhandedly said "Aw, we'll never have to listen to surf music again" during a song on his first album. He was not talking about them, but rather Dick Dale, a guitarist he actually admired and was influenced by.

More to discover