God Only Knows Cover

I like the beat boxing noises she makes.

Pet Sounds Tribute 2

Another tribute to Pet Sounds has popped up! I think I should get in on this.

Pet Sounds Tribute

You should listen to this right now.

That's Why God Made The Radio Review

Hi everyone,

The Beach Boys' latest album, That's Why God Made The Radio, was released on June 5th, 2012 and I feel like I can write a really good review of the album now.

First of all, thank God! When I first started really loving the Beach Boys when I was in High School (2004ish) I never imagined that the Beach Boys would make a new album. Brian Wilson had just finished "Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE" and Brian's career was as hot as the sun.

Mike Love and Bruce Johnston had the Beach Boys touring band and Al Jardine was doing his own thing too. At that time almost all of the Beach Boys were involved in some sort of legal dispute about song writing credits or royalties and David Marks was writing "The Lost Beach Boy".

I don't think any of the Beach Boys were thinking about the year 2012 and how they were going to get together and make a new album and tour. In fact, I am positive none of the Beach Boys knew that would happen.

But look now! How dumb was I to think that the Boys didn't have it in them? Because they do have it in them to make great music.

The main things I want to impart about this album is 1. It might be the very last 2. Every member of the Beach Boys has an incredible voice (even at age 70) 3. It makes me feel very strongly.

I have always loved the Beach Boys' ballads the most and fortunately the album has plenty of moving ballads and even begins with a short ballad called "Think About The Days", a masterpiece conjuring up the vibes from the 1968 album "Friends" and the opener from that album, "Meant For You". The song has incredible vocal harmonies by all of the members of the band and instantly proves how incredible they still sound together. When I first heard this song I was finally able to breathe, thinking to myself - "This is going to be good!"

Second, the title track, "That's Why God Made The Radio" acts like a new anthem for the band. With trademarked vocal harmonies and key changes, it's easy to tell that this will go down in the list of best Beach Boys songs. Very upbeat. The music video for this song is also quite nice with a quick cameo by the Boys.

Third, the song "Isn't It Time" begins with some Ukelele chords and more uplifting vocal harmonies. I truly love the happiness of this song and hearing the Beach Boys perform it live during their tour lit up my life. This one is a really upbeat, fast-tempo tune.



The fourth song on the album is a huge stand out. "Spring Vacation" is an organ and guitar driven pop rocker that screams to have the late Carl Wilson singing it. When I hear Brian sing "Hallelujahhhh" I can hear Carl's voice. This song also has a great breakdown and solo at about 2:10 that brings me back to the solo in "I Get Around". This is A+ pop song writing, executed by the finest singing band America ever had.

The fifth song, "The Private Life of Bill and Sue" is unfortunately the weakest song on the album mainly because of the lyrical content and Parrothead influenced music (I hate Jimmy Buffett). I think re-writing the lyrics to "What would I be without me and you" would have made this song 50% better.

The next song, "Shelter" makes up for the previous song with its powerful chorus and early 60's influenced backing vocals. The chorus is sung by Jeffrey Foskett and gives me chills down my spine. This song reminds me a bit of "The Little Girl I Once Knew", with the way the song goes quiet for a second before the chorus begins. This one is a little bit more experimental in its structure than the rest of the songs on the album, so I give it extra points for being interesting.

The seventh song, "Daybreak Over The Ocean" starts with some very huge vocal harmonies and then moves into a verse that reminds me of "Kokomo" with Mike Love's singing and the percussion used. It's basically a nice island jam. However, this song is far superior to Kokomo and features a really nice guitar/marimba solo at 2:30!

The next song, "Beaches In Mind", begins with more HUGE vocal harmonies before a powerful drum beat arrives, similar to the beginning of "Do It Again". This is a really nice surf rock song and even has some cool talk box parts in it (remember Frampton Comes Alive?). Overall, this one isn't my favorite cut on the album, just because I don't like rockers, so ignore me.

The ninth song on the album, "Strange World" begins with some great Elton John inspired piano followed by Brian Wilson singing about how strange the world is. The vocal harmonies on this song are so fantastic. The music in this song feels like a really fantastic soft rock song from the 1970s (think Ambrosia's "How Much I Feel" mixed with "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John). This song is just a tiny bit slower than the last two songs and brings back that emotional feeling that I expect from the Beach Boys.

The last 3 songs on the album are considered part of a suite and they are EASILY the best 3 songs the Beach Boys have done since ...1971. It feels like I am listening to the B-side of "Today" or even "Sunflower" or "Pacific Ocean Blue" by Dennis Wilson. These 3 songs are just fantastic and will eternally be some of my favorite songs of all time.

They just hit EVERYTHING right with the last 3 songs. The vocals, the tempo, the melodies, the subject matter and they sung it from the heart (Murry Wilson would be so proud!).

"From There To Back Again" begins with a piano playing quarter notes (like Surf's Up) with Al Jardine singing and a flute riff reminiscent of "She Says That She Needs Me" off of Brian's second solo album. The vocal harmonies remind me of the sorrow of "Warmth of the Sun" but so much more tender. The song is about asking your loved one to just forget about the arguments and sit down at a nice Pacific Coast getaway and listen to your favorite songs. The ending of this song also has this OUTRAGEOUS whistling solo and a beautiful string ending.

The next song, "Pacific Coast Highway" begins immediately with some perfect 4 part harmonies and more piano quarter notes and flute riffs with Brian singing the lead. This song is a pure ballad and they do it big with a string section, similar to the song "Golden Slumbers" by the Beatles. This song is really just a quick transition into the highlight of the album.



"Summer's Gone" is the 12th and final song from "That's Why God Made the Radio" and the obvious emotional centerpiece of the album. When Mike Love "fired" Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and David Marks from the Beach Boys a couple weeks ago he quoted Summer's Gone as proof that he loved his band mates, but I just can't be sure. The song can only be compared to "Caroline, No" because of its extreme beauty, tempo and woodwind sections. There are also brilliant vocal harmonies and string moments that give me chills. The song remembers the old days of the Beach Boys, almost wordlessly paying tribute to Carl and Dennis and evoking the magical feeling of when they were still around to entertain us. It's very clear that this might be the very final moment that this legendary band ever shares with us and its hard not to feel sad.

"Summer's Gone" is emotional, chilling, sorrowful and beautiful. I don't know if it will ever be possible to top this moment and the many factors that went into creating it. The first album with all of the surviving Beach Boys together in 27 years, the first GREAT album in 35 years, the first reunion in decades, the band breaking up again, an uncertain future, an unforgettable past. It all feels so alive on this record; Brian, Al, David, Mike and Bruce.

I don't know if "That's Why God Made The Radio" will make me laugh or cry in 10 years, but I do know it will always make me feel passionately. Thank you to the Beach Boys and everyone involved for making this record. It truly means a lot to me.


1. "Think About the Days"
2. "That's Why God Made the Radio"
3. "Isn't It Time"
4. "Spring Vacation"
5. "The Private Life of Bill and Sue
6. "Shelter"
7. "Daybreak Over the Ocean"
8. "Beaches in Mind"
9. "Strange World"
10. "From There to Back Again"
11. "Pacific Coast Highway"
12. "Summer's Gone"


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Reupload!

Hey everyone, I am working on re-uploading all the files that got removed. As I add more files to my server in the following days, you can find them HERE. So keep checking in the following weeks and eventually it will all be done. Also, I seem to be getting attacked by a spam robot, so if you are spamming my blog - CUT IT OUT.

Apology

I want to apologize because almost every link on the blog is dead right now. I have all of the files, but I have to rebuild my server (where the files are located) because I accidentally locked myself out of my last server.

Right now I am building a big website for my day job; building another website for a start-up company; running my own start-up company; I got engaged on Friday; trying to get my car fixed and these things have all taken away from my time to fix my Beach Boys blog.

The problem is, I have to create a new server. Install Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP on it. Set up a subdirectory for my Beach Boys files. Then FTP transfer hundreds and hundreds of files onto the server (which can take a couple days). Give me a few days and I will do all that.

I even made a note on my calendar to do it! SEE! I'm serious. =]

Mike Love did not fire Brian, Al and David

The following is an essay written by Mike Love about the recent controversy saying that Mike Love and Bruce Johnston have fired Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and David Marks.

"It’s the last show of the Beach Boys’ 50th anniversary tour, at the tail end of our triumphant stand in London, first at Royal Albert Hall and then Wembley Arena, and we’re in the final moments of "Fun, Fun, Fun…"

Looking at the beaming faces, I’m filled with an enormous sense of pride for my bandmates and our fans. We didn’t just show up for this tour like some museum act. We sang well. We played well. We moved people and we touched a lot of hearts. And it was beautiful. That’s not easy for any band, let alone one with our history.

Then I get on the plane buzzing with excitement, and I start reading a lot of nasty gossip and I’m heartbroken. I didn’t want the divisive and ugly rumors of the last week to tarnish the experience of fans and the high note we ended the tour on. So, this is my attempt to set the record straight on the recent stories regarding the family I love and the music that has been my life for 50 years.

Let me get right to it: I did not fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I cannot fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I am not his employer. I do not have such authority. And even if I did, I would never fire Brian Wilson from the Beach Boys. I love Brian Wilson. We are partners. He’s my cousin by birth and my brother in music.

We grew up together. We sang Everly Brothers’ songs together at Aunt Audrey’s piano. We played football together. We formed a band together. We wrote songs together that have been woven into the fabric of this nation.

Our songs are in the DNA of America. Our imagery of the coast, surfing, cars and teenage freedom helped make our country the envy of the world.

There’s a tremendous amount of personal history between Brian and me… family gatherings, holidays, birthdays, graduation trips, and most importantly, a deep, shared love of the music we created together.

Brian composed, arranged, structured and sang harmonies that will be studied, analyzed, copied and revered hundreds of years from now. Writing songs with Brian and performing them with Al Jardine, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, David Marks, Bruce Johnston and many other brilliant musicians over the years is my legacy, and something of which I am very proud and protective.

If you ask any couple who have been married 50 years or longer, they will tell you they’ve experienced it all. The same is true of the Beach Boys. We caught a romantic wave of success, the likes of which few have ever known. And since that time, we have collectively experienced profound joy, love, heartbreak, betrayal, anger, bitterness, pride and eventually resolve.

And it is that resolve (and some prodding from Capitol Records) that brought us all back together for the 50th anniversary concert tour and the release of our first album in 16 years, "That’s Why God Made the Radio."

What began as three brothers, a cousin and a friend jamming in a living room in Hawthorne, is now a major enterprise, complete with lawyers, managers, agents, children and wives ironing out every little last detail, months before we hit the road.

This tour was always envisioned as a limited run. None of us wanted to do a 50th anniversary tour that lasted 10 years. It was meant to be special. In fact, very early on, Brian was just going to join the tour for a few dates in big cities. We finally settled on 50 dates in 50 major markets.

Brian, Al and I signed an agreement outlining the beginning and end of the tour. Then, thanks to glowing reviews, the support of our loyal fans (and the prodding of promoters), we amended our agreement to add 25 more dates. As the year went on, Brian and Al wanted to keep the 50th anniversary tour going beyond the 75 dates.

Like any good party, no one wanted it to end. However, that was impossible, given that we had already set up shows in smaller cities with a different configuration of the band -- the configuration that had been touring together every year for the last 13 years. Brian and Al would not be joining for these small market dates, as was long agreed upon.

It is not feasible, both logistically and economically, for the 50th anniversary tour to play these markets. It’s vitally important for the smaller markets to experience our live shows, as this is how we’ve maintained a loyal fan base for 50 years. You can’t sustain a fan base on a great catalog alone. You must take your music directly to the people.

Initially, there was to be plenty of space between the two tours, but then we added 25 more dates and the two tours bumped up against each other. To avoid public confusion, and at the request of Brian’s representative, we had a press release sent out detailing the differences between the two Beach Boys tours and its varying lineups. I was surprised that Brian and Al said they were surprised by this announcement. Some media outlets interpreted all of this as me firing the band.

The plan was always to go back to our respective lives post the 50th anniversary run. Brian is writing a new album. Al often tours with his band -- they are terrific. And my job hasn’t changed in 50 years. I’m the lead singer of the Beach Boys and an ambassador of this amazing music that touched a generation. I’ve made it my mission to bring these marvelous harmonies to absolutely every corner of the globe, where people, no matter who they are, how much money they make and where they come from, are united in the pursuit of happiness and good vibrations.

This approach is not new for our band. Brian first stopped touring with the Beach Boys in 1964. Over the years, he’d sporadically join us on the road when he could. In ’65, Brian left our tour and went on to write and compose one of the greatest albums ever known to mankind, "Pet Sounds." And to clarify another misconception, I was enormously proud of "Pet Sounds" back in ’66, and I am even prouder of it today. I sang on "Pet Sounds," I wrote songs for the album and I even named it. I personally walked the album up to Capitol Records with Brian to encourage the A&R guys to get behind it. They didn’t know what to do with it at the time and asked us to write some more songs about cars and girls…

In the 40 or so years since “Pet Sounds,” many different incarnations of The Beach Boys played for crowds big and small— averaging 150+ shows a year. Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters, county fairs: You name it, we’ve played it. We did a Fourth of July show at the Washington D.C. mall in front of 750,000 people, and in a week we’re doing a couple nights at the 1,500 seat Beau Rivage Theater in Biloxi. Regardless of the venue or the size of the crowd, the mission of the band remains the same: to move you to a joyous warm place somewhere just east of the sun.

The name "The Beach Boys" is controlled by Brother Records Inc., which was founded by the original members of the Beach Boys and whose sole shareholders voted over a decade ago to grant me an exclusive license to tour as "The Beach Boys." With it, I’ve felt a great responsibility to uphold, honor and further our legacy. For better or worse, I’ve been a constant link to the history of the Beach Boys through every live performance -- bar none. And during the lean years, when the world had moved on from the sounds of the California surf, we kept playing.

And every night, I always remembered why I was on that stage -- because a group of guys (my family) got together to form a band. Despite all the baggage that comes with harmonizing with family members for 50 years, I carry these gifted artists and their remarkable contributions in my heart every time I draw a breath to sing.

During this last anniversary year, I’ve experienced many magical moments. Night after night, I’d marvel at Al Jardine’s fantastic voice as he sang "Help Me, Rhonda" with all the fervor he did in the 1960s. We got to honor and "reunite" with Carl and Dennis, in a moving tribute as we performed under footage of them singing. But the most rewarding part about getting back together was standing in the studio, listening to playbacks of the new album and hearing all of our voices together. And Brian said it best: "Wow, it sounds like 1965 all over again."

The great thing about getting older is that you get a chance to tell the people in your life who matter what they mean to you. Throughout the course of the tour, Brian said some really kind things to me about how my early songs gave him the freedom to go deeper musically. His words meant so much to me and I returned the praise every chance I could.

Near the end of the very last show in London, right as Brian started singing "Summer’s Gone" off the new album, I started thinking about our journey together. I’m wondering if we’ll all get to do this again or if this is it. I’m standing proud that we came together, put our differences aside and made this tour happen. I listen:


Summer’s gone,

Summer’s gone away…

Old friends have gone

They’ve gone their separate ways

Our dreams hold on

For those who still have more to say

And at the end of the song, I have an epiphany: The Beach Boys are bigger than those who created it. When all of us remaining founders have turned to dust, the band will live on in the hearts of those who relish the sounds of summer. So you see, summer’s never really gone. And neither are the Beach Boys."

Mike Love is a founding member of the Beach Boys.

Linux Help

Hello all, I seem to have encrypted my way out of my server that I use to host my BB files. Can any Linux geniuses help me? Ericwarncke@gmail.com

Surf School Dropouts - Summer is a State of Mind

The Surf School Dropouts are a surf pop band from Denmark who have released a new album called "Summer is a State of Mind". The band has 4 members, Andreas Jacobsen: vocals, keyboard, guitar, bass and drums; Christian Bendix: vocals, guitar and bass; Jari Nielsen: vocals; Martin Jensen; vocals.

The album is heavily inspired by 60s surf groups like Jan and Dean, the Sun Rays and the Beach Boys from 1962 after being visited by the Beach Boys from 2012.

The Dropouts are committed to trying to recapture the sound that the Beach Boys invented in 1961 and perfected until 1965, only to abandon it in 1966. They are trapped in that 5 years between 1961-1966, but the only problem is that it is 2012 and they are from Denmark and not California. Having said that, the musicianship on the album is purely fantastic, but the vocals, despite being always completely in key are often underwhelming.

Bands that rely on vocal harmonies like Queen, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Explorers Club or The Carpenters would overdub their vocals sometimes up to 80 times to create a very thick and lush sound, but it appears like the Dropouts are lacking in the vocal department on this album. They hit all the right notes, but the vocals just appear "thin". Despite this one drawback, the album is a nostalgic trip and picks up where Shut Down Volume 2 left off.



The album begins with the epic "Summer is a State of Mind". The song sounds almost exactly like "Don't Worry Baby" in the first couple seconds with clean guitar strumming, mid tempo drums and 4 part vocal harmonies before shifting into something more unique. The song has a typical verse-chorus-verse-chorus beginning but gets very interesting in the middle of the song with an organ breakdown with wood blocks serving as percussion. This middle section has great vocals and has a very interesting shift back into the chorus before finally ending with an A Cappella coda. This first song sets the mood for what the rest of the album will deliver.



Key standouts on the album are Follow The Sun, with its harpsichord background and Turtles-esque vocals, Beach Bound, with its ukelele chords and busy vocal harmonies and The Road Ahead of Me, a heart-felt ballad with a great theremin riff in it.

I would highly recommend this album if you want to hear the Beach Boys from 1962 after meeting the Beach Boys from 2012.

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Wouldn't It Be Nice BBC Documentary

In 2004 the BBC did a documentary about the Beach Boys called Wouldn't It Be Nice. This one is particularly eye opening. You can download it as an .AVI file and play with VLC player.

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