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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 11, 2019 15:34:00 GMT
Frankly, kds, I'm done giving these solo Beach Boys passes. Do you realize how long they've all been releasing various solo stuff? Think about it. And with very few exceptions, it's been one disappointment after another, mainly because of re-recordings, covers, and a lack of making meaningful new music. In the last few years, Mike had a chance to avoid all of that, and he only fed into it more. I'm not really giving a pass, but in all honesty, what should we expect from guys over a half century into their careers? Granted, I'd prefer original material to a covers album, but at this point it is what it is. Like I posted above, I expected all of the solo Beach Boys to leave that "Beach Boys formula" behind TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. I do get it that you are who you are, and that it's hard to totally abandon what you did/do well. I wouldn't expect the solo Beach Boys to totally ignore the harmonies, the basic rock and roll, and even the subject matter. Not totally. But, again, I think Brian, Al, and now Mike have done a poor job at...moving on. Again, just focusing on Mike's recent output, I am surprised that he finds recording these generic songs fulfilling, I am surprised if he expects it to sell, I am surprised that people (especially his family and his band) haven't been able to sway him away from it, and I definitely think he could've found a collaborator; easily actually.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 11, 2019 15:41:41 GMT
I’m with kds, I think, which isn’t to say thrilled with the idea by any means, or “giving passes,” but more just resignation. What does it mean to give or not give a pass to Mike Love? It’s not as if it affects him regardless. What I am referring to in "giving passes" - or not - in this situation is that I choose to NOT rationalize Mike's choices, or be sympathetic to his direction (or lack of), and to just say "Well, that's good old Mike." Frankly, I'm tired and frustrated with these disappointing solo albums due to a number of reasons which I have been stating ad nauseum. I've run out of excuses, at least good ones.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 11, 2019 15:48:40 GMT
I’m with kds, I think, which isn’t to say thrilled with the idea by any means, or “giving passes,” but more just resignation. What does it mean to give or not give a pass to Mike Love? It’s not as if it affects him regardless. I honestly think that Mike just got tired of waiting for Brian (or Brian's people??) to come around to the idea of another Beach Boys album, and Mike just wants to release new material. Unfortunately, Mike doesn't have a collaborator on par with Joe Thomas or Scott Bennett (both of whom were able to get some very solid late career material from Brian) at his disposal and Terry Melcher has passed on, so we have what we have. Oh, I'm sure Mike absolutely got tired of waiting for Brian. I also think approaching 80 years old had something to do with it, too. Those are reasons for recording and releasing new music. The quality is another thing. And having something to say musically.
I do believe Mike could've easily found a collaborator on par with Joe Thomas or Scott Bennett. Jeff Foskett, Scott Totten, and Bruce Johnston come to mind. Maybe even John Cowsill. How about his son, Christian? Mike has a lot of connections.
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 11, 2019 15:54:22 GMT
For any hope of actual collaboration that keeps Mike’s Mikeness in check, it should be someone outside of his employ. A Love-friendly Don Was type, for example. Someone who could and would say “enough with the “love” entendres and lyrics referencing good vibrations and fun fun fun. You sound like an idiot, and you’re better than that.”
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Post by kds on Jun 11, 2019 16:02:37 GMT
I'm not really giving a pass, but in all honesty, what should we expect from guys over a half century into their careers? Granted, I'd prefer original material to a covers album, but at this point it is what it is. Like I posted above, I expected all of the solo Beach Boys to leave that "Beach Boys formula" behind TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. I do get it that you are who you are, and that it's hard to totally abandon what you did/do well. I wouldn't expect the solo Beach Boys to totally ignore the harmonies, the basic rock and roll, and even the subject matter. Not totally. But, again, I think Brian, Al, and now Mike have done a poor job at...moving on. Again, just focusing on Mike's recent output, I am surprised that he finds recording these generic songs fulfilling, I am surprised if he expects it to sell, I am surprised that people (especially his family and his band) haven't been able to sway him away from it, and I definitely think he could've found a collaborator; easily actually. I think you might've seen Mike, Brian, and Al do solo material that differed from Beach Boys work if the Beach Boys still existed as a creative entity.
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Post by kds on Jun 11, 2019 16:04:16 GMT
I honestly think that Mike just got tired of waiting for Brian (or Brian's people??) to come around to the idea of another Beach Boys album, and Mike just wants to release new material. Unfortunately, Mike doesn't have a collaborator on par with Joe Thomas or Scott Bennett (both of whom were able to get some very solid late career material from Brian) at his disposal and Terry Melcher has passed on, so we have what we have. Oh, I'm sure Mike absolutely got tired of waiting for Brian. I also think approaching 80 years old had something to do with it, too. Those are reasons for recording and releasing new music. The quality is another thing. And having something to say musically.
I do believe Mike could've easily found a collaborator on par with Joe Thomas or Scott Bennett. Jeff Foskett, Scott Totten, and Bruce Johnston come to mind. Maybe even John Cowsill. How about his son, Christian? Mike has a lot of connections.
Maybe, but when was the last time Bruce Johnston actually wrote a song? I know Foskett's done with stuff in the not too distant past. Totten, I have no idea what he could bring to the table as a writer.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 11, 2019 16:05:19 GMT
For any hope of actual collaboration that keeps Mike’s Mikeness in check, it should be someone outside of his employ. A Love-friendly Don Was type, for example. Someone who could and would say “enough with the “love” entendres and lyrics referencing good vibrations and fun fun fun. You sound like an idiot, and you’re better than that.” Absolutely. That's exactly what I am talking about.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 11, 2019 16:12:29 GMT
Oh, I'm sure Mike absolutely got tired of waiting for Brian. I also think approaching 80 years old had something to do with it, too. Those are reasons for recording and releasing new music. The quality is another thing. And having something to say musically.
I do believe Mike could've easily found a collaborator on par with Joe Thomas or Scott Bennett. Jeff Foskett, Scott Totten, and Bruce Johnston come to mind. Maybe even John Cowsill. How about his son, Christian? Mike has a lot of connections.
Maybe, but when was the last time Bruce Johnston actually wrote a song? When was the last time he was asked to? I'm not trying to be flippant. Maybe Bruce has a lot of songs stockpiled (hopefully not "Pipeline Part 6"). Maybe like Mike waiting for Brian, Bruce has been waiting a long time for the right opportunity. And, also like Mike, by approaching 80 years of age, maybe Bruce might like one final shot at recording/releasing new music. I have been surprised at Bruce's lack of involvement on Mike's recent albums. Bruce is an enigma. I have no idea what's on his mind!
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Post by kds on Jun 11, 2019 16:33:29 GMT
Maybe, but when was the last time Bruce Johnston actually wrote a song? When was the last time he was asked to? I'm not trying to be flippant. Maybe Bruce has a lot of songs stockpiled (hopefully not "Pipeline Part 6"). Maybe like Mike waiting for Brian, Bruce has been waiting a long time for the right opportunity. And, also like Mike, by approaching 80 years of age, maybe Bruce might like one final shot at recording/releasing new music. I have been surprised at Bruce's lack of involvement on Mike's recent albums. Bruce is an enigma. I have no idea what's on his mind! Yeah, Bruce is a tough one to figure out. He's a good musician who basically uses a keyboard as a prop in concert. An accomplished writer, who seems to have given up writing.
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Post by The Cincinnati Kid on Jun 11, 2019 23:58:54 GMT
How many Mike/Bruce co-writes are there? I always got the feeling that their styles never meshed well for whatever reason.
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Post by Kapitan on Jun 12, 2019 0:59:19 GMT
Without actually looking: not many!
For the two who have been joined at the hip at least since Bruce’s late ‘70s rejoining, Bruce has been shockingly absent from his champion’s artistic output. Hell, Bruce was on Brian’s Imagination DVD “concert,” but he’s absent from Mike’s creative output!
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 12, 2019 1:40:39 GMT
How many Mike/Bruce co-writes are there? I always got the feeling that their styles never meshed well for whatever reason. I have no idea where Bruce Johnston is at - musically - in 2019. He's probably done as a songwriter, unless again, he has some stuff/ideas/demos stockpiled somewhere. But just as important, is he even motivated to...work? He's pushing 80, and he's had his own health issues, too.
Does Mike and Bruce mesh well musically today? Heck if I know, but don't forget, Bruce's resume includes being in a band with Phil Spector, The Rip Chords, and Bruce & Terry. That's up Mike's alley isn't it?
To be clear, I don't expect Mike and Bruce to collaborate. I was just listing his name as a candidate if Mike would ever look for one. It does make you wonder, though, why they didn't work together more as songwriting partners considering how much they toured together.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Jun 25, 2019 23:45:45 GMT
We were discussing timing, specifically the (poor) timing of past Beach Boys' releases, in another thread. Here we go again. Mike Love has a new album called 12 Sides Of Summer, which is full of summer songs. It's June 25th, it's already summer, it's hot weather, it's past time for new summer releases. Why is Mike only releasing his album after the 4th Of July, tentatively scheduled for July 19th?
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Post by kds on Jun 26, 2019 12:26:35 GMT
We were discussing timing, specifically the (poor) timing of past Beach Boys' releases, in another thread. Here we go again. Mike Love has a new album called 12 Sides Of Summer, which is full of summer songs. It's June 25th, it's already summer, it's hot weather, it's past time for new summer releases. Why is Mike only releasing his album after the 4th Of July, tentatively scheduled for July 19th? Considering some of the songs are already in the M&B setlists, one would think the album would've been released sooner. He didn't release Reason for the Season on Dec 18.
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Post by The Cincinnati Kid on Jun 28, 2019 0:31:13 GMT
The second single, "California Beach" has been released.
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