Brian Wilson was on another level from his Pop contemporaries

[parker]

The Beach Boys are an American institution, and still around (minus Carl and Dennis) for a season, they do deserve all the accolades.. The new album is wonderful!

[mouzer]

Originally Posted by DanR

I saw them live last Saturday.

I was there, at DTE! Great show. First band I ever cared about and listened to on a regular basis as a kid. It was really interesting to revisit everything now that I'm older and have a better appreciation for the subtle sophistication.

[DCAddy]

I always liked Wild Honey and Friends m'self. Brian was pretty freakin' great when he was "on". I'll have to dig up the interview with Hendrix where the interviewer plays him some current (1968ish) singles. Supposedly, Jimi asked him politely to turn off the Beach Boys track, and called it "f***ing barbershop". "YOU'LL NEVER HEAR SURF MUSIC AGAIN"... In the late sixties, the Beach Boys were anything but "hip"--All the more reason to love 'em. And I do..

[newking70]

Originally Posted by DCAddy

Supposedly, Jimi asked him politely to turn off the Beach Boys track, and called it "f***ing barbershop". "YOU'LL NEVER HEAR SURF MUSIC AGAIN"... In the late sixties, the Beach Boys were anything but "hip"--All the more reason to love 'em. And I do..

hendrix NEVER said that about the beach boys, it's a quote taken out of context about dick dale:
http://www.surfermag.com/features/ki...-jimi-hendrix/

[DGTCrazy]

My favorite is "Sail on Sailor". The first time I heard that...it struck me very hard, as my grandfather was lost at sea. Somehow that song helped me understand why my gramps loved the ocean so much............

[hotraman]

BB have some great songs... being a singer I appreciate their harmonies. Their latest release proves that they can still bring it after all of these years.

[DCAddy]

The direct Jimi quote in all caps was just a line from "Third Stone..."-The Beach Boys thing was something else entirely. I've been looking for it all afternoon! I've got a few books on both artists so it may take a while. But he certainly DID razz them a little. I know nothing about Dick Dale, but listen to "Third Stone...". Jimi obviously LOVED Surf Music. Yeah, right...

[mark norwine]

all this talk about the BB's greatness..........

....and no mention of the wrecking crew?

Who do you think played all of the parts on these great songs?

[taez555]

Good stuff for sure, and easily in the top 10 greatest artists and works of musical art out there.

But...

I think we can all agree Chuck Mangione's "Feels So Good" is the great musical acomplishment a man has every offered this planet and/or our known universe.

[Jon C]

Originally Posted by Neer

Wilson had plenty of peers.

Laura Nyro, Paul Simon, Bachrach/David, Lennon/McCartney and others.

Not saying he didn't have his moments of greatness--he did.

Much as I love you & your consistently great commentaries & posts, and much as I agree that you've named a pantheon of 20th Century greatness there (all of whom I love & revere), on a compositional level, I would put Brian Wilson a notch above all the others (which means we're talking maybe the top .1%, the creme de la creme of the top 1% of late 20th C. popular composers) ...

cheers,
Jon

[KHAN]

This is wonderful!

[Jon C]

Originally Posted by mark norwine

all this talk about the BB's greatness..........

....and no mention of the wrecking crew?

Who do you think played all of the parts on these great songs?

fair point, Mark, but even in all I've read of the commentary and descriptions of/from Hal Blaine, Barney Kessel, Carol Kaye and other Wrecking Crew stalwarts, what so blew them away was that Brian Wilson came in with a well formed view of what their parts should be and even they didn't see at times how it would all fit together to create such a compositional genius when fully assembled.

Nevertheless, hat's off to the entire Wrecking Crew for their magic.

[Jon C]

Originally Posted by KHAN

This is wonderful!

I saw this show live at the Warner Theatre in DC in '05 (?) and it was magnificent. My wife, a Beach Boys/BW casual fan, told me after seeing that show that she finally understood my reverence for Brian Wilson's genius and how deep much of the Beach Boys'/ Brian's work is.

And no amount of kudos could every thank Darian Sahanaja and the Wondermints, Jeffery Foskett, and the others in this fabulous ensemble, for bringing to life "Smile" and other great BW/Beach Boys hits the way they have.

[lhallam]

Originally Posted by Jon C

Much as I love you & your consistently great commentaries & posts, and much as I agree that you've named a pantheon of 20th Century greatness there (all of whom I love & revere), on a compositional level, I would put Brian Wilson a notch above all the others (which means we're talking maybe the top .1%, the creme de la creme of the top 1% of late 20th C. popular composers) ...

cheers,
Jon

"Bookends" and "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" are masterpieces. I put Paul right up there.

[bjjp2]

Originally Posted by willyboy

agreed, the Beach Boys, Dylan and the Beatles were the greatest and most forward thinking songwriters of their generation. They fundamentally changed how musicians approached rock/pop songwriting and their influence is still heard today.

I'd put Pete Townshend up there. "A Quick One" "The Who Sell Out" and "Tommy" were released in the 60s and not too shabby.