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Post by Kapitan on Mar 23, 2020 21:54:37 GMT
I think it's worth noting that 15 Big Ones spent 26 weeks on the charts - 10 of which were top 25. Wanna guess how many total weeks Beach Boys' studio albums spent up there since Pet Sounds? Only 2 ( Wild Honey; #24 in consecutive weeks). That's along the lines of why I was thinking it was good for their (short term) career, if not the legacy. There were some minor hits there, and it was modestly successful (as bizarre as that might seem to us as we listen to some of the albums that preceded it and weren't hits).
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 23, 2020 22:30:16 GMT
I think it's worth noting that 15 Big Ones spent 26 weeks on the charts - 10 of which were top 25. Wanna guess how many total weeks Beach Boys' studio albums spent up there since Pet Sounds? Only 2 ( Wild Honey; #24 in consecutive weeks). That's along the lines of why I was thinking it was good for their (short term) career, if not the legacy. There were some minor hits there, and it was modestly successful (as bizarre as that might seem to us as we listen to some of the albums that preceded it and weren't hits). 15 Big Ones benefited substantially from the success of Endless and Spirit Of America, not on its own merits, though I'm sure the single, "Rock And Roll Music" did help album sales.
The "Brian Is Back" campaign was more of a feel good story. It was a human interest story, and it STILL is fascinating. It gave the press something to write about. I think the fans who were curious if Brian was really "back", and were hoping for more timeless music from him, would've bought the album anyway. The rest of the fans, they might've thought "Brian who?" They just wanted (hoped?) to hear more Endless Summer, more "Surfin' U.S.A." (which I think was actually re-released as a single around that time).
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Post by B.E. on Mar 23, 2020 22:51:13 GMT
Yeah, 15 Big Ones cashed in on an epic amount of goodwill. No doubt about it. From the comps, to the concerts, to the campaign. Still, it was a commercial success either way.
"Surfin' USA" went top 40 in 1974. I was just reading about that a few days ago when we were digging into that era in another thread. That must have been a surreal time for the group. They were lucky if their contemporary singles charted at all.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 23, 2020 23:13:48 GMT
I think about that time period, 1975-76, a lot because that's when I first became a fan of the group. And I sometimes wonder what the Beach Boys think about that "Brian Is Back" era and specifically 15 Big Ones. If Carl and Dennis were alive, it would fascinating to know what each member would do differently. I'm not talking about what they thought in 1976, but today with 20/20 hindsight and knowing what they know now.
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Post by B.E. on Mar 23, 2020 23:24:32 GMT
In hindsight maybe they'd realize that they should have backed Dennis during those years. That he was the only other Beach Boy with enough quality material, and motivation, to forge another path. Unfortunately, I think Al is the only one who might've agreed. Even after all these years. Maybe Bruce, too.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 23, 2020 23:40:55 GMT
I can't quite agree, in that I don't think Dennis had enough quality material to carry the band, either. But he did have some quality material, which was much needed.
The problem in those years, I think, was that nobody was capable of being the milk-cow; they all needed one another's contributions. But nobody at that time was particularly good at collaborating across the various stylistic approaches, to say nothing of lifestyles or personal relationships.
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Post by B.E. on Mar 23, 2020 23:54:39 GMT
I get that. And, I meant more along the lines of backing him to a greater extent, not that he'd be the sole leader.
Another change could have been bringing in an outside producer. I just don't think Brian would have gone along with that in 1976.
As a fan, though, I like 15BO and love LY and POB as they are, so I'm hesitant to change anything!
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 24, 2020 0:08:25 GMT
As a fan, though, I like 15BO and love LY and POB as they are, so I'm hesitant to change anything! As a fan, I'd change A LOT. Even though I love LY and like the others. I have to admit, I have spent innumerable hours trying to put together perfect what-if situations of the band moving from the Holland world into a sustained period of success both commercially and artistically/critically. As have many of us, I suspect. (SJS, I'm lookin' at you. Though your solutions would have likely been different from mine.)
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 24, 2020 0:17:06 GMT
The problem in those years, I think, was that nobody was capable of being the milk-cow; they all needed one another's contributions. But nobody at that time was particularly good at collaborating across the various stylistic approaches, to say nothing of lifestyles or personal relationships.
I agree with that, and that's why I think they should've continued with the 20/20, Sunflower, Surf's Up, and to some extent Holland model - have each member contributing a song or two or three. I don't want to be hypocritical - The Beach Boys Love You is one of my favorite albums - but that's an exception. Due to circumstances, and we all know what they were, you couldn't depend on any Beach Boy to carry an album. But I think you could've realistically asked each one to contribute a few quality songs or even just one good song. And that would've been my wish for 15 Big Ones. Take the best of Brian's and Dennis's songs at that time and that would've given you half an album. Then add a Mike song, a Carl song, an Al song, and an oldie or two. To me, quality is what I would've targeted, not expecting just one Beach Boy to carry the load, and that includes Brian.
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Post by goodvibes33 on Mar 24, 2020 1:14:49 GMT
I'm gonna go basic with this answer, but Murry scoring the record deal with Capitol.
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Post by kds on Mar 24, 2020 12:10:58 GMT
It does seem like there's an interesting duality in things that helped their careers and their legacies. It seems most things mentioned did one, but not the other. There's probably a life lesson in there that the things giving immediate satisfaction aren't necessarily those that last or age well. This is true for the most part, especially with the 1976 era.
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Post by kds on Mar 24, 2020 12:14:16 GMT
Speaking of events that gave the band a short, immediate shot in the arm, but didn't really last or move the needle with their legacy.....the 2012 reunion.
The Beach Boys released their first album in 20 years, and played to their biggest audiences in decades. But, we all know what happened (or believe we know what happened). At the end of the day, I'm not sure how the TWGMTR album will be remembered.
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bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 727
Likes: 201
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Post by bellbottoms on Mar 24, 2020 12:20:10 GMT
The Christmas Album! I think it might be a good example of a decision that helped them commercially and also has done wonders for their legacy. Every holiday season, reliably, the Beach Boys are back on the airwaves again, to be heard while out shopping or what have you. And the album graces the merchandising window of every record store for a solid month at least. Little St. Nick is such a Christmas staple that it's hard to imagine the season existing without it.
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Post by kds on Mar 24, 2020 12:22:05 GMT
The Christmas Album! I think it might be a good example of a decision that helped them commercially and also has done wonders for their legacy. Every holiday season, reliably, the Beach Boys are back on the airwaves again, to be heard while out shopping or what have you. And the album graces the merchandising window of every record store for a solid month at least. Little St. Nick is such a Christmas staple that it's hard to imagine the season existing without it. Good one. I hadn't really thought of the Christmas album, but in the last 20 years or so (at least in the MD area), the Beach Boys Christmas material gets far more play on FM radio than anything.
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bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 727
Likes: 201
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Post by bellbottoms on Mar 24, 2020 13:09:02 GMT
Speaking of events that gave the band a short, immediate shot in the arm, but didn't really last or move the needle with their legacy.....the 2012 reunion. The Beach Boys released their first album in 20 years, and played to their biggest audiences in decades. But, we all know what happened (or believe we know what happened). At the end of the day, I'm not sure how the TWGMTR album will be remembered. It would help if any incarnation of the Beach Boys would play the TWGMTR songs at their concerts. But this is supposed to be how they didn't screw up, lol. I'm not sure that album will be remembered much, but the reunion in general will be. It may not be apparent now but I think that reunion will be an important milestone in the band's legacy in the future.
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