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Post by Kapitan on Feb 24, 2022 17:32:03 GMT
Not just surprisingly evenly spread, but widely spread! We've got a 10 and we've got a 2, and neither really seems like an outlier because of the spread in between. It almost could not have more diverse views. Plus, we already have 11 votes/voters. That might be a record! Wipin' out, wipe out, wipin' out, wah wah,wah... I guess when in the presence of greatness, the people come out...
I haven't tracked vote totals for singles, but in a quick review, I see "Long Promised Road" had 11 voters, as well. About half a dozen I've seen had 10. It's great seeing higher counts, which can only add the the accuracy of the average. Thanks to all who chime in--and while we appreciate your votes, we'd also love your comments, if you haven't spoken up outside of your vote.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 24, 2022 17:37:02 GMT
Plus, we already have 11 votes/voters. That might be a record! Wipin' out, wipe out, wipin' out, wah wah,wah... I guess when in the presence of greatness, the people come out...
I haven't tracked vote totals for singles, but in a quick review, I see "Long Promised Road" had 11 voters, as well. About half a dozen I've seen had 10. It's great seeing higher counts, which can only add the the accuracy of the average. Thanks to all who chime in--and while we appreciate your votes, we'd also love your comments, if you haven't spoken up outside of your vote.
I want a dozen!
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Post by kds on Feb 24, 2022 17:48:40 GMT
I want to see a song hit for the cycle.
Come on, we need a one, a five, and a nine.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 24, 2022 17:52:26 GMT
The lack of a 5 is most surprising to me. A 1 is usually hard to come by in a professional, hitmaking band's recording, and a 9, well, I wouldn't have expected a 9 out of this (though hell, we got a 10...). But a 5? That seems like the sweet spot! We're at a 5.6 as of now, yet not a single 5!
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Post by kds on Feb 24, 2022 18:00:08 GMT
The lack of a 5 is most surprising to me. A 1 is usually hard to come by in a professional, hitmaking band's recording, and a 9, well, I wouldn't have expected a 9 out of this (though hell, we got a 10...). But a 5? That seems like the sweet spot! We're at a 5.6 as of now, yet not a single 5! I guess that shows that nobody's really indifferent on this one.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 24, 2022 18:04:23 GMT
The lack of a 5 is most surprising to me. A 1 is usually hard to come by in a professional, hitmaking band's recording, and a 9, well, I wouldn't have expected a 9 out of this (though hell, we got a 10...). But a 5? That seems like the sweet spot! We're at a 5.6 as of now, yet not a single 5! I guess that shows that nobody's really indifferent on this one. I don't know, 4s and 6s are pretty indifferent.
Anyway it has been a more interesting SotW than I'd have guessed, that's for sure. We had some great ones barely get a mention or vote, probably because they were just so obvious as not to be that interesting. And then along comes Wipeout...
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Post by kds on Feb 24, 2022 18:07:50 GMT
I guess that shows that nobody's really indifferent on this one. I don't know, 4s and 6s are pretty indifferent.
Anyway it has been a more interesting SotW than I'd have guessed, that's for sure. We had some great ones barely get a mention or vote, probably because they were just so obvious as not to be that interesting. And then along comes Wipeout...
Its funny how that works.
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Post by lonelysummer on Feb 25, 2022 2:46:29 GMT
I don't know that there was really a resurgence in the band's popularity because of Wipeout and Kokomo. They were drawing large crowds basically from the time James Watt called them out as attracting the wrong element. Their popularity in the 80's had little to do with the sales of their recent records. I do think the success - and they were successes - of "Getcha Back", "California Dreamin'", and "Wipeout" led to a resurgence for the band. They were being heard AND seen, something which gradually but consistently disappeared after 15 Big Ones and the "Brian Is Back" campaign. Also, don't underestimate the importance of Live Aid and other random TV appearances. However, "Kokomo" was bigger, much bigger. That damn song was everywhere! And, you had the movie and the soundtrack and the video and John Stamos and Full House. I've never seen the statistics but I'm sure there was a serious bump in record sales (look at the commercial success of Still Cruisin' which was a joke), and I know the live shows now had an added attraction which was a NEW No. 1 song (do I sound like Mike). Yeah, the band was drawing large crowds pre-Kokomo; I attended many of them. But you got the feeling that they were riding and were gonna ride the success of that No. 1 record for at least a few more years. I don't know how the guys felt about the artistic merit of "Kokomo" and "Wipeout" (well, I do with Mike) but I'm sure they were laughing all the way to the bank. That just brings me back to how sad it is that they couldn't follow up the success of these records with something meaningful, like a full studio album. Instead, we got another compilation; and by the time Mike put out Summer in Paradise, the momentum had faded.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 25, 2022 11:28:22 GMT
It'll probably remain a mystery (not that many care) why Carl Wilson didn't participate in the "Wipeout" video, but there was an interesting coda. The Beach Boys used to perform "Wipeout" live, with Billy Hinsche putting on this gaudy outfit and providing the rapping while the band played the track and provided backing vocals. Carl played a prominent part in this live presentation, playing the guitar solo. I guess he could've left the stage (like Brian and Dennis used to do), though that would've been awkward and...non-supporting...since it was his ex-brother-in-law who was out in front trying to make the thing work. My point (and there is a point) is that, I guess, Carl was not boycotting the song.
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Post by kds on Feb 25, 2022 14:32:47 GMT
It was very considerate of the 1995 era Beach Boys to provide that built in bathroom break.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 25, 2022 14:46:10 GMT
It was very considerate of the 1995 era Beach Boys to provide that built in bathroom break. As I recall - and I stand to be corrected - the performance of "Wipeout" was at the beginning of the encores. The band, which had left the stage, came back and the Beach Boys' Cheerleaders were introduced. The band, led by Carl, played a brief instrumental rendition of Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" as the cheerleaders took the stage. Billy Hinsche then appeared with costume and "Wipeout" began which was followed by the usual encores. I know I'm in the minority but I enjoyed the cheerleaders (as I retreat to the basement ).
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Post by kds on Feb 25, 2022 15:25:37 GMT
It was very considerate of the 1995 era Beach Boys to provide that built in bathroom break. As I recall - and I stand to be corrected - the performance of "Wipeout" was at the beginning of the encores. The band, which had left the stage, came back and the Beach Boys' Cheerleaders were introduced. The band, led by Carl, played a brief instrumental rendition of Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" as the cheerleaders took the stage. Billy Hinsche then appeared with costume and "Wipeout" began which was followed by the usual encores. I know I'm in the minority but I enjoyed the cheerleaders (as I retreat to the basement ). The Cheerleaders? My stars, where's my fainting couch. For the life of me, I never got the angst about the cheerleaders bit.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 25, 2022 15:48:43 GMT
As I recall - and I stand to be corrected - the performance of "Wipeout" was at the beginning of the encores. The band, which had left the stage, came back and the Beach Boys' Cheerleaders were introduced. The band, led by Carl, played a brief instrumental rendition of Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman" as the cheerleaders took the stage. Billy Hinsche then appeared with costume and "Wipeout" began which was followed by the usual encores. I know I'm in the minority but I enjoyed the cheerleaders (as I retreat to the basement ). The Cheerleaders? My stars, where's my fainting couch. For the life of me, I never got the angst about the cheerleaders bit. I understand it, though I'm not about to get worked up over it.
If you want/expect your rock bands to be serious, then bringing out dancing girls who also call to mind the old high school/surf/car subject matter of the band's early days is bound to be seen as shallow, cheap, gaudy ... generally lame. When you want to sit/stand there and thoughtfully nod your head to the insights of the modern-day philosopher-poet singers, cheerleaders are sacrilegious.
But the Beach Boys, of course, were almost never a "serious" band, and their attempts at it were some of their least successful albums ever. We've been praising the Feel Flows material, but let's remember how it all sold the first time around.
There is something about men their age bringing out gorgeous young women that is a little creepy (at least for the women!). I know when I see the women in the "Still Cruisin" video dancing in front of Mike, well, there is an ick factor. Not against the women, but at Mike. As a heterosexual man, it's not like I don't understand the appeal. Gorgeous women are not exactly a turn-off. It's more the obvious mismatch.
But I think the first explanation is more what turned people off: people seem to think there should be some dignity in rock and roll. More Bob Dylan, less KISS.
Me, I don't know that there needs to be a whole lot of dignity in rock and roll. (Though as people age, I do think it is a better look to try to show some. It's just my opinion, though.)
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Post by kds on Feb 25, 2022 16:18:59 GMT
The Cheerleaders? My stars, where's my fainting couch. For the life of me, I never got the angst about the cheerleaders bit. I understand it, though I'm not about to get worked up over it.
If you want/expect your rock bands to be serious, then bringing out dancing girls who also call to mind the old high school/surf/car subject matter of the band's early days is bound to be seen as shallow, cheap, gaudy ... generally lame. When you want to sit/stand there and thoughtfully nod your head to the insights of the modern-day philosopher-poet singers, cheerleaders are sacrilegious.
But the Beach Boys, of course, were almost never a "serious" band, and their attempts at it were some of their least successful albums ever. We've been praising the Feel Flows material, but let's remember how it all sold the first time around.
There is something about men their age bringing out gorgeous young women that is a little creepy (at least for the women!). I know when I see the women in the "Still Cruisin" video dancing in front of Mike, well, there is an ick factor. Not against the women, but at Mike. As a heterosexual man, it's not like I don't understand the appeal. Gorgeous women are not exactly a turn-off. It's more the obvious mismatch.
But I think the first explanation is more what turned people off: people seem to think there should be some dignity in rock and roll. More Bob Dylan, less KISS.
Me, I don't know that there needs to be a whole lot of dignity in rock and roll. (Though as people age, I do think it is a better look to try to show some. It's just my opinion, though.)
This is specifically why I don't get the angst. But, there is that weird (to me anyway) internet narrative to try to paint The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson as these avant garde artists where that's just simply not true. I'm realizing my comments might seem a little ironic, considering I've given Wipeout the lowest rating so far.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 25, 2022 16:22:35 GMT
I'm realizing my comments might seem a little ironic, considering I've given Wipeout the lowest rating so far. At the same time, your comments make it not that big a deal to give "Wipeout" the lowest rating so far. Just because you think the band isn't high art, and think people are wrong for trying to shoehorn them into that category, doesn't mean you have to personally like every (low art) thing they ever did. Pop art is really, almost by definition, disposable. It's meant to consist of trends, to come and go like the seasons. You like it? Cool. You don't? Good thing something else will come by in six weeks.
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