|
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 30, 2019 13:45:40 GMT
This subject is a thread within itself. For people who like to talk/write/read about their favorite artists, The Beach Boys are a gift that keeps giving. From their very inception - how many groups didn't choose their own name, had their name chosen by a perfect stranger, weren't even consulted, and only found out after the fact - they have been a victim of, or instigated, their own problems. You would think that after a while, um, maybe after 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 58 years, they would learn their lesson and...stop...making controversial or flat-out bad decisions. But they didn't. And not just business decisions but life decisions. And there has never been another band that even approaches this fact. None.
Can we, the fans, separate fact from fiction? Hell no! But it can be fun trying. Well, sometimes. Most of the time. I think there is a good, or preferable way to approach it. Or simply opine about it. And we keep trying, with mixed results.
That's why I'd love to see a warts and all massive anthology project (doc, book, or both) involving all living bandmembers, managers, wifes, experts, producers, associates, etc etc offering their perspective on the story. The truth would be somewhere in the middle. I think it will come eventually. Unfortunately, most of the original participants will have passed away and you'll end up with interviews from the surviving family members. Then you run the risk of agendas. But you know what...how many interviews have we seen with The Beach Boys? In my opinion, they rarely have anything to say anyway. Very disappointing interviews. And talk about not telling the facts. How many loopy things have Al and Bruce said over the years.
|
|
|
Post by kds on Aug 30, 2019 13:50:02 GMT
God, yes. That would be amazing. But I also would bet my house it'll never happen: anything marketed as such will end up being the same old kind of negotiated "settlement" with the same old stories. Conversely, once they're gone, we might get some former associates telling their stories ... but unfortunately, at that point, the primary sources are (by definition) gone and you can't get their rebuttals. I'm afraid the story will never be clear. Yep. I remember during the summer of 2012, there was talk about a new documentary on the Boys' history, but I guess the thin Doin' It Again was the end result.
|
|
|
Post by kds on Aug 30, 2019 13:51:20 GMT
That's why I'd love to see a warts and all massive anthology project (doc, book, or both) involving all living bandmembers, managers, wifes, experts, producers, associates, etc etc offering their perspective on the story. The truth would be somewhere in the middle. I think it will come eventually. Unfortunately, most of the original participants will have passed away and you'll end up with interviews from the surviving family members. Then you run the risk of agendas. But you know what...how many interviews have we seen with The Beach Boys? In my opinion, they rarely have anything to say anyway. Very disappointing interviews. And talk about not telling the facts. How many loopy things have Al and Bruce said over the years. They rarely have anything new to say. Even Mike and Brian's recent autobiographies didn't really uncover anything new IMO.
|
|
|
Post by kds on Aug 30, 2019 13:52:20 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 30, 2019 13:59:37 GMT
God, yes. That would be amazing. But I also would bet my house it'll never happen: anything marketed as such will end up being the same old kind of negotiated "settlement" with the same old stories. Conversely, once they're gone, we might get some former associates telling their stories ... but unfortunately, at that point, the primary sources are (by definition) gone and you can't get their rebuttals. I'm afraid the story will never be clear. I think some new, hot, young(?) filmmaker will come along and secure the funding. The Beach Boys' catalogue is too great and the backstory, especially the tragedy aspect, can't keep people away. It sucks you in.
|
|
|
Post by kds on Aug 30, 2019 14:08:15 GMT
God, yes. That would be amazing. But I also would bet my house it'll never happen: anything marketed as such will end up being the same old kind of negotiated "settlement" with the same old stories. Conversely, once they're gone, we might get some former associates telling their stories ... but unfortunately, at that point, the primary sources are (by definition) gone and you can't get their rebuttals. I'm afraid the story will never be clear. I think some new, hot, young(?) filmmaker will come along and secure the funding. The Beach Boys' catalogue is too great and the backstory, especially the tragedy aspect, can't keep people away. It sucks you in. That's the only way it gets done, and even then, I think the chances are remote at this point. I think Scorcese did docs on the Stones and George Harrison. And how much of a demand is there really? I mean most recent Beach Boys archival releases aren't even getting physical releases.
|
|
|
Post by Kapitan on Aug 30, 2019 14:38:28 GMT
I'm not saying a project marketed as "the definitive documentary" won't happen. And with the Boys getting up there, they may even see the (ahem, financial) value in participating. I'm just saying the result will be more of what we've already had as long as they are alive, for obvious reasons.
|
|
|
Post by kds on Aug 30, 2019 15:13:29 GMT
I'm not saying a project marketed as "the definitive documentary" won't happen. And with the Boys getting up there, they may even see the (ahem, financial) value in participating. I'm just saying the result will be more of what we've already had as long as they are alive, for obvious reasons. Speaking of docs, has anyone heard anything about the status of the Long Promised Road doc?
|
|
|
Post by Kapitan on Aug 30, 2019 15:20:27 GMT
Not a word since it was announced.
|
|
|
Post by kds on Aug 30, 2019 15:23:54 GMT
Not a word since it was announced. I wonder if that one is going to go the way of the 2012 doc. Although, I didn't really have high hopes for the LPR doc. It sounded like it was going to be a two hour EPK for Brian's Tour.
|
|
|
Post by Kapitan on Aug 30, 2019 15:30:01 GMT
Not a word since it was announced. I wonder if that one is going to go the way of the 2012 doc. Although, I didn't really have high hopes for the LPR doc. It sounded like it was going to be a two hour EPK for Brian's Tour. Two hours if we were lucky ... I was thinking more like 65 minutes.
But yes, I'd imagine we were in for more "behind the scenes" shots of Brian "teaching" the band this or that part, them faking amazement at it, maybe a faux-inspirational speech a la Foskett in Smile.
|
|
|
Post by kds on Aug 30, 2019 15:35:03 GMT
I wonder if that one is going to go the way of the 2012 doc. Although, I didn't really have high hopes for the LPR doc. It sounded like it was going to be a two hour EPK for Brian's Tour. Two hours if we were lucky ... I was thinking more like 65 minutes.
But yes, I'd imagine we were in for more "behind the scenes" shots of Brian "teaching" the band this or that part, them faking amazement at it, maybe a faux-inspirational speech a la Foskett in Smile.
And probably a whole lot of "I love being on stage," or "this is the best band in the world" from Brian along with some praise from various other musicians. Basically, a slightly updated version of the "Brian Wilson On Tour" doc.
|
|
|
Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 30, 2019 15:42:47 GMT
I'm not saying a project marketed as "the definitive documentary" won't happen. And with the Boys getting up there, they may even see the (ahem, financial) value in participating. I'm just saying the result will be more of what we've already had as long as they are alive, for obvious reasons. Speaking of docs, has anyone heard anything about the status of the Long Promised Road doc? Is that the one where Brian is driving around California in a car with Larry Fine or somebody and making off-the-cuff comments about old Beach Boys' songs?
|
|
|
Post by kds on Aug 30, 2019 15:44:10 GMT
Speaking of docs, has anyone heard anything about the status of the Long Promised Road doc? Is that the one where Brian is driving around California in a car with Larry Fine or somebody and making off-the-cuff comments about old Beach Boys' songs? I don't recall anything like that. The description I remember was the story of Brian becoming a prolific touring artist in the last two decades.
|
|
|
Post by Kapitan on Aug 30, 2019 15:44:29 GMT
Yeah, I believe it was to include the driving-around recollections, etc.
|
|