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The Beach Boys


Hatchetaxe&saw
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I checked and couldn't find a Beach Boys Appreciation thread.

Any fans out there?

From their inception 'til the mid-70's I thought their stuff was amazing.

Most people plump for Pet Sounds as the apogee of their career, but I prefer Surf's Up. It's almost perfect, apart from Mike Love's embarrassing re-writing of Riot in Cell Block 9, Student Demonstration Time.

It's actually worth getting for Bruce Johnston's gorgeous Disney Girls(1957) alone. That song is pop music at it's finest, simple, but beautiful.

 

It's a shame what they became, recording with The Fat Boys and Status Quo being two crimes, but Brian Wilson's rehabilitation has been very poignant and dignified.

 

Anyway, remember them as they were, buy Surf's Up today! Actually you can get Sunflower and Surf's Up on a single budget-priced CD. Well worth checking out.

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QUOTE (deadwing2112 @ Aug 28 2007, 06:20 PM)
Is Pet Sounds really a musical masterpiece?

Yes!

 

The Beach Boys have so many great albums, they are very underrated. It sucks, because most people only know of their "surfer hits" from their early career. They had a bunch of great albums and songs many will never hear. sad.gif

 

It seems to me they were overshadowed by The Beatles. IMO tho, Brian Wilson was more of a Genius.

 

"God Only Knows" "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "Good Vibrations" are 3 of my all time fav songs hands down.

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QUOTE (Mr. Henry Gale @ Aug 28 2007, 11:39 PM)
QUOTE (deadwing2112 @ Aug 28 2007, 06:20 PM)
Is Pet Sounds really a musical masterpiece?

Yes!

 

The Beach Boys have so many great albums, they are very underrated. It sucks, because most people only know of their "surfer hits" from their early career. They had a bunch of great albums and songs many will never hear. sad.gif

 

It seems to me they were overshadowed by The Beatles. IMO tho, Brian Wilson was more of a Genius.

 

"God Only Knows" "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "Good Vibrations" are 3 of my all time fav songs hands down.

Really? I like The Beach Boys as much as the next guy, but I just don't understand the praise heeped on Pet Sounds. It's very good, but, excluding the obvious masterpieces, it sounds very dated to my ears. Especially the actual music. A lot of it sounds like soundtrack music to a forgotten 60's movie. Also, it's so mid-tempo it starts to eventually bore me. I can't listen to it in one sitting. And those harmonies wear out pretty quickly. But I have to say "God Only Knows" really is one of those special songs.

 

Brian Wilson is very talented. But a genius? confused13.gif He burned out on drugs and low self-esteem before he hit his peak and as a result the world never heard Smile the way it was intended. He's Chuck Berry meets the Everly Brothers meets Phil Spector. I guess that's genius. confused13.gif

 

Anyway, it's not my intention to bash The Beach Boys. I like them. I just think Pet Sounds is overrated.

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Guess not everyone agrees with me.

 

I could go on about why I think what I think..but im too f***ing tired. Too much school work, college sucks! All i'll say, I think Pet Sound is great. Doesn't sound dated to me at all, and IMO it's better then some of the Beatles records people claim to be "untouchable".

 

Sorry for the half assed answer. sad.gif

Edited by Mr. Henry Gale
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To me Pet Sounds suffers in the same way Sergeant Pepper does.

To some present day ears, considering what they've heard in the past 30 years, these two albums don't sound like anything special.

However, when you look at pop music pre-these two albums, it was evolving, slowly(Revolver aside). Things happened much faster after these two releases. They helped turn pop music into an art form. Pop music started to be taken seriously after these releases. The expression according to aesthetic principles of what is beautiful, this is the finest description of art I could find, and Pet Sounds is exactly that. I think Pet Sounds raised the bar for everyone. I still love it.

Pet Sounds was a key influence on The Beatles when they were recording Sergeant Pepper.

Paul McCartney also said of Pet Sounds "I figure no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album".

 

Too many people unfortunately remember The Beach Boys for the "surf" era tunes, which is a real shame. It's like remembering The Beatles for their 62-64 stuff, of God forbid Rush for their first 3 efforts.

Listen to Surf's Up, Holland, Sunflower, 20/20, Carl and the Passions.

 

And as for Brian Wilson not being a genius? He's come back from some very dark places, but listen to 2004's "Smile". If it doesn't turn a frown upside down, then I'm a lettuce. Legend. Genius. Master.

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Who remembers when James Watt banned then from playing on July 4th in DC?

 

"In 1983, Watt banned the Beach Boys from playing a Fourth of July concert on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., saying that rock concerts drew "an undesirable element" (the group had played the Mall each Fourth of July since 1980). This drew howls of outrage from the many of the Beach Boys' fans, who stated that the Beach Boys sound was a very desirable part of the American cultural fabric. First Lady Nancy Reagan later apologized, and in 1984 the group appeared on the Mall again."

 

 

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QUOTE (Hatchetaxe&saw @ Aug 29 2007, 07:13 AM)
Pet Sounds was a key influence on The Beatles when they were recording Sergeant Pepper.
Paul McCartney also said of Pet Sounds "I figure no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album".

I ask, what was a key influence on Brian Wilson when he wrote Pet Sounds? cool.gif

 

Anyway, I don't want to start any arguments. I like The Beach Boys. I like Brian Wilson. I like Pet Sounds. I just think they are a tad bit overrated. It's not my intention to change anyone's mind who feels the contrary. I just want to add a different perspective to the discussion. But more importantly, I don't want this thread to degenerate into another flame war. It's no big deal. trink39.gif

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QUOTE (ReRushed @ Aug 29 2007, 05:24 AM)
QUOTE (Hatchetaxe&saw @ Aug 29 2007, 07:13 AM)
Pet Sounds was a key influence on The Beatles when they were recording Sergeant Pepper.
Paul McCartney also said of Pet Sounds "I figure no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album".

I ask, what was a key influence on Brian Wilson when he wrote Pet Sounds? cool.gif

 

Anyway, I don't want to start any arguments. I like The Beach Boys. I like Brian Wilson. I like Pet Sounds. I just think they are a tad bit overrated. It's not my intention to change anyone's mind who feels the contrary. I just want to add a different perspective to the discussion. But more importantly, I don't want this thread to degenerate into another flame war. It's no big deal. trink39.gif

Overrated? By whom? The only album I would say that gets any attention is Pet Sounds. I never hear anything about them, except their "surfer hits"..which are meh.

 

I hear way more hype/praise for the Beatles or Stones.

 

Maybe we just come from different areas, but no one around me knows or likes The Beach Boys, except again, for the "surfer hits".

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QUOTE (Mr. Henry Gale @ Aug 29 2007, 10:40 AM)
QUOTE (ReRushed @ Aug 29 2007, 05:24 AM)
QUOTE (Hatchetaxe&saw @ Aug 29 2007, 07:13 AM)
Pet Sounds was a key influence on The Beatles when they were recording Sergeant Pepper.
Paul McCartney also said of Pet Sounds "I figure no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album".

I ask, what was a key influence on Brian Wilson when he wrote Pet Sounds? cool.gif

 

Anyway, I don't want to start any arguments. I like The Beach Boys. I like Brian Wilson. I like Pet Sounds. I just think they are a tad bit overrated. It's not my intention to change anyone's mind who feels the contrary. I just want to add a different perspective to the discussion. But more importantly, I don't want this thread to degenerate into another flame war. It's no big deal. trink39.gif

Overrated? By whom? The only album I would say that gets any attention is Pet Sounds. I never hear anything about them, except their "surfer hits"..which are meh.

 

I hear way more hype/praise for the Beatles or Stones.

 

Maybe we just come from different areas, but no one around me knows or likes The Beach Boys, except again, for the "surfer hits".

You haven't been paying attention! laugh.gif

 

Pet Sounds is gushed over by critics and musicians and fans beyond belief!

 

Brian Wilson and the word "genius" are paired off in almost everything written about the guy!

 

They are apart of American pop culture! The fact that you know about them more than 40 years after their inception proves their status!

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QUOTE (Mr. Henry Gale @ Aug 29 2007, 10:40 AM)
QUOTE (ReRushed @ Aug 29 2007, 05:24 AM)
QUOTE (Hatchetaxe&saw @ Aug 29 2007, 07:13 AM)
Pet Sounds was a key influence on The Beatles when they were recording Sergeant Pepper.
Paul McCartney also said of Pet Sounds "I figure no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album".

I ask, what was a key influence on Brian Wilson when he wrote Pet Sounds? cool.gif

 

Anyway, I don't want to start any arguments. I like The Beach Boys. I like Brian Wilson. I like Pet Sounds. I just think they are a tad bit overrated. It's not my intention to change anyone's mind who feels the contrary. I just want to add a different perspective to the discussion. But more importantly, I don't want this thread to degenerate into another flame war. It's no big deal. trink39.gif

Overrated? By whom? The only album I would say that gets any attention is Pet Sounds. I never hear anything about them, except their "surfer hits"..which are meh.

 

I hear way more hype/praise for the Beatles or Stones.

 

Maybe we just come from different areas, but no one around me knows or likes The Beach Boys, except again, for the "surfer hits".

In the northeast, to my knowledge, in the 60s, 70s and 80's, the BB were a big deal, very very popular.

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QUOTE (ReRushed @ Aug 29 2007, 01:24 PM)
QUOTE (Hatchetaxe&saw @ Aug 29 2007, 07:13 AM)
Pet Sounds was a key influence on The Beatles when they were recording Sergeant Pepper.
Paul McCartney also said of Pet Sounds "I figure no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album".

I ask, what was a key influence on Brian Wilson when he wrote Pet Sounds? cool.gif

Oh Rubber Soul, for sure, he said so. It stopped the surfing tunes immediately. According to his website, Pet Sounds was his answer to Rubber Soul.

I mean, the McCartney/Wilson Appreciation Society is 40 years old!!

 

Good discussion.

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QUOTE (Hatchetaxe&saw @ Aug 29 2007, 11:22 AM)
QUOTE (ReRushed @ Aug 29 2007, 01:24 PM)
QUOTE (Hatchetaxe&saw @ Aug 29 2007, 07:13 AM)
Pet Sounds was a key influence on The Beatles when they were recording Sergeant Pepper.
Paul McCartney also said of Pet Sounds "I figure no one is educated musically 'til they've heard that album".

I ask, what was a key influence on Brian Wilson when he wrote Pet Sounds? cool.gif

Oh Rubber Soul, for sure, he said so. It stopped the surfing tunes immediately. According to his website, Pet Sounds was his answer to Rubber Soul.

I mean, the McCartney/Wilson Appreciation Society is 40 years old!!

 

Good discussion.

Oddly enough, Rubber Soul is my favorite Beatles album.

Earlier, Mr. Henry Gale (can I just call you Henry?) mentioned:

"God Only Knows" "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "Good Vibrations" are 3 of my all time fav songs hands down. I couldn't agree more. These are awesome. If you listen to these and don't get Brian then you aren't going to and that's ok. I don't get Bob Dylan for what it's worth.

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I get that critics gushed about Pet Sounds, but as a whole, I don't ever hear too much Praise for the Beach Boys like The Beatles or the Stones get.

 

Im just talking to a wall tho, because I seem to be one of the few that think they are underrated, and Brian is a Genius.

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QUOTE (Mr. Henry Gale @ Aug 29 2007, 04:18 PM)
I get that critics gushed about Pet Sounds, but as a whole, I don't ever hear too much Praise for the Beach Boys like The Beatles or the Stones get.

Im just talking to a wall tho, because I seem to be one of the few that think they are underrated, and Brian is a Genius.

Maybe it's because The Stones and The Beatles are better bands? tongue.gif

 

Anyway, you're not taking to a wall!

 

I like The Beach Boys! But seriously, they just couldn't sustain the level of creativity that The Stones and The Beatles did. Is Pet Sounds comparable to the best The Stones and The Beatles had to offer? Yes. I just don't think it's better, hence I think it's overrated. Obviously, you disagree. Fine. I have no intention of changing your mind. I'm glad you appreciate it as much as you do.

 

Anyway, if Brian Wilson didn't self destruct and went on to properly record Smile and one or two other potential masterpieces, I believe The Beach Boys would be thought of on the same level today as The Stones and The Beatles. yes.gif

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Sorry if I sounded overwhelmed. I'm not usually like this, just got a lot of shit going on right now. Hope you understand. smile.gif

 

When it comes down to it, it's all about personal opinion. I have always appreciated this band more then the Stones, and even the Beatles (to some extent, I love them too). Maybe it's because I grew up with their music?

 

Who knows, I just love their music. Like I said, 3 of their songs are in my list of fav songs of all time.

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CLASSIC American pop band. In 60's/70's Southern California,

They were on the radio ALL the time. My favorites were the surf

and car songs. I can hear music and Don't worry,baby were

excellent vocal songs, among many others.

 

The Beach Boys will never be forgotten,atleast here in so. cal.

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