The Beach Boys

barefooter · 01-05-2003, 10:34 PM

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The Beach Boys are one of the greatest pop groups ever.

I just want to hear a defense of this assertion. Aside from releasing one good album (Pet Sounds) among....scads of albums, they didn't do much.

In my opinion, the music released after Pet Sounds isn't any different from the music before. Seems that the rest of the Boys didn't like Brian Wilson's "*messing* with the formula".

It's a given that Pet Sounds is a shining example of when music goes right and is one of the best pop albums ever, but one of the best albums =/= one of the best groups because they continued in their surf pop fodder after that one album. Such wasted potential.

Nathanael · 01-05-2003, 10:56 PM

Er, I don't know much about their work, but they are a guilty pleasure of mine, along with Chicago.

Metropolis04 · 01-06-2003, 12:59 AM

The Beach Boys were the pop superstar boy band of their time. Not only were they talented aesthetically, but they had great technical ability with their voices. Many people enjoyed their music, and their vocal harmonies were comparable to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, though not on the same level. The Beach Boys are now commonly misunderstood as a bunch of high-pitched little boys that no one likes.

***Art*** · 01-06-2003, 01:04 AM

My only defense for them is that they wrote some of the most beloved American music of their time. Heck, of any time.

Metropolis04 · 01-06-2003, 01:11 AM

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My only defense for them is that they wrote some of the most beloved American music of their time. Heck, of any time.

If anything, they brought a style of music that was perfect for the time period. It gave the American people a style of music that they could surf to. It was a happy style, and America needed this music with the war in Vietnam and JFK's death. Tragedy was all over America, and the Beach Boys changed the mood.

Zooropa · 01-06-2003, 02:15 AM

I'll tell you why: Brian Wilson was magic. Even before Pet Sounds he was writing music with magic choruses - well not just choruses, the whole song was incredible. Granted, they had a lot of filler material, but when Brian wrote a great song, he wrote a GREAT song. Like Metropolis said, their strengths lied in their melodies and vocal harmonies.

Also, they were hugely influential. Paul McCartney has been quoted as saying that Pet Sounds is one of the things that inspired him to take The Beatles music to a higher level with Sgt. Peppers. The Beach Boys are immortalized in rock history for Pet Sounds alone, but their earlier work will not be forgotten either. They had incredible musical minds and made beautiful music.

Metropolis04 · 01-06-2003, 08:17 AM

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Granted, they had a lot of filler material, but when Brian wrote a great song, he wrote a GREAT song.

Can you deny that their music was good? I don't think so. Ask yourself how many times you have caught yourself humming or singing "Surfin' USA" or the song about her daddy taking her T-Bird away. At the very least, their music was catchy, but they really did have talent in their vocals. It was a polyphonic experience for anyone who appreciates music.

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Also, they were hugely influential. Paul McCartney has been quotes as saying that Pet Sounds is one of the things that inspired him to take The Beatles music to a higher level with Sgt. Peppers.

I didn't know that. Since the Beatles were a great band, I guess the Beach Boys did some good here.

Samwise · 01-06-2003, 01:47 PM

I'd defend them, but I don't like to lie.

froggee501 · 01-06-2003, 04:13 PM

When I was in elementry, I almost asked this guy if his daddy was a Beach Boy, because he looked so much like one of them.

I do like the Beach Boys though.

**slap_j** · 01-06-2003, 04:15 PM

The Beach Boys are pretty cool. Califonia Dreamin'

mdbarnes85 · 01-06-2003, 05:07 PM

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Originally posted by slap_j
The Beach Boys are pretty cool. Califonia Dreamin'

Actually, I think that was the Mama'a and the Papa's, but still a good song.

Man, where to start with the beach boys! Awesome group. Yes, Pet Sounds is sometimes regarded as the only good thing they did, and while I agree it's the coolest thing they (or most oterh bands) ever did, I prefer to think of their body of work up till then as a steady incline to that pinnacle. I heard California Girls in the car one day, and was blown away. I forgot what an awesome arrangement and melody it was. Admittedly, you don't usually have to dig too deep to grasp the meaning of the lyrics (though I find Pet sounds to take a more layered approach), so I might concede on that point. Still, I enjoy their music a lot, and I'd tell anyone who doesn't own Pet Sounds to go out and buy it. THere's an edition of it which has the original mono mix, followed by a stereo mix, so you can listen to whichever one suits you.

On a somewhat related note, While I'm writing this post, I'm listening to Silent Planet Records' tribute to Brian Wilson, called Making God Smile. I picked it up at C-Stone this year, and I love it. Check it out.

barefooter · 01-06-2003, 09:59 PM

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Originally posted by Zooropa
I'll tell you why: Brian Wilson was magic.

That sums up what I thought that you would say. While their surf-pop fodder is not something that I listen to, I certainy respect Brian Wilson's work as a writer and producer.

But could we take that one step further and say that Brian Wilson was one of the best pop-producers instead of labeling the entire group as one of the best groups (am I making sense)? From what I understand (and correct me if I'm wrong, PLEASE), the rest of them were just singing heads.

Zooropa · 01-06-2003, 11:27 PM

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Originally posted by barefooter
But could we take that one step further and say that Brian Wilson was one of the best pop-producers instead of labeling the entire group as one of the best groups (am I making sense)? From what I understand (and correct me if I'm wrong, PLEASE), the rest of them were just singing heads.

There's one problem with doing that. Brian wasn't a solo act. I think it's necesary to include the rest of the band due to their parts in the vocal harmonies. "God Only Knows" would not be the same without the rest of them. I think they all contributed to the chemistry that helped Brian come up with that magic. They were not important to the songwriting, but they were important to the details.

**slap_j** · 01-06-2003, 11:41 PM

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Originally posted by mdbarnes85
Actually, I think that was the Mama'a and the Papa's, but still a good song.

I guess the Beach Boys just did a cover then.

Scott · 01-07-2003, 03:48 PM

Actually, the other members contributed to writing songs, especially when Brian wasn't writing.

They were far more important than most think.

Before I defend the Beach Boys, who's going to attack them? I don't see how you could.....