My day with the reunited Beach Boys

[pianotuner steveo]

I took my daughter to meet The Beach Boys for her college graduation gift a couple of weeks ago. I know they don't appeal to everyone, but I was raised on them and The Beatles,(my 2 favorite bands) and my kids were raised on them also through me. The piano store I tune for did this blog about our experience. And yes, the yellow arrow really is pointing to me....

www.artist-pianos.com/about/blog/?i=65

[Cormac Long]

Stevo,
   you might like this video from a recent Interview they did at Google..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9VY3zbCt24

[David Aubke]

I knew you were a Beach Boys fan but I didn't realize to what degree. Congratulations on taking advantage of that great opportunity.

[pianotuner steveo]

Thanks, guys!

I know a lot of people think of them as passe, or a nostalgia act or whatever, but if you are unfamiliar with ther music after Good Vibrations (1966) and before 15 Big Ones (1976) you may be surprised at how good most of that barely noticed music is.Smile, Friends, 20/20, Sunflower, Carl and the Passions,Surf's Up, Holland and a few other LPs   have some great material.  There are some lame cuts too, but I don't like every Beatles' song either. There are some stand out tracks on the new album too. I was ready to be let down, and I was wrong! Not even counting live, rare tracks,  and greatest hits collections, The Beach Boys have more than twice as many albums to listen to as The Beatles.
( Don't get me wrong, I am a huge Beatle fan too)

My only regret is that I never got to meet Carl Wilson, although I did get to see him ( and Dennis) many times in the 70's. Carl is the one I identify with the most on a few levels. I think if we ever met we would have gotten along quite well. I also understand that he was very kind to piano tuners... He
made everyone be quiet while the piano was being tuned!

[David Aubke]

I have a passing familiarity with Pet Shop Sounds since it seems to be considered an all-time classic album. I have Endless Summer all but memorized as my mom used to wear that one out. I guess that's a sort of Greatest Hits album set, isn't it?

[pianotuner steveo]

Endless Summer was a double greatest hits album that Capitol got the brilliant idea of releasing in 1974. It started their revival as kids (like me) who were too young to buy records in the early days of their career started buying their own albums at this time.  The album went platinum, if I remember correctly, then prompted the whole Brian is Back campaign. 1976 was their (official) 15th anniversary, so they released an album of mostly cover  tunes for that anniversary. Unfortunately, too many synths were used on that album, so it's pretty dated. This year's new release is much better.

As far as the 50 year anniversary goes, it technically was in 2011, but 2012 is 50 years since they signed with Capitol. They had a 45 on tiny label Candix records in 1961 (Surfin'),but 1962 is when they started to make it big.

Pet Shop Sounds...I like that.... ( it's Pet Sounds)
lol

Check out Smile too if you get a chance, it was finally released last year. Brian Wilson's 2004 version is more completed, but it is a whole new recreation of the original tracks.

[David Aubke]

Pet Shop Sounds...I like that.... ( it's Pet Sounds)
lol

I knew as I was typing that I should probably double-check that title but then neglected to. Forgive me, I've been baking in 100 degree heat with no electricity for a week. Power's back now but my brain's still getting up to speed.

[Alan Lenhoff]

I'm going to have to dig out my copy of Smiley Smile.  I wasn't a big BB fan, but I think I wore out that album.  Beyond "Good Vibrations" and "Heroes and Villains," there were all sorts of cool sounds/songs.  Quite innovative for the time -- and done with a great sense of humor.  "Vegetables."  "Getting Hungry." "The "Woody Woodpecker Symphony." 

I think I drove away every friend I had by making them listen -- endlessly --  to "Vegetables..."  ;-)

Alan

[pianotuner steveo]

Thats is funny that you like that album, Alan. it was a thrown together poor substitute/ contractual obligation filler for the Smile album. The versions of wind Chimes, Wonderful, and Vega-tabes are horrible compared to the Smile versions finally released last year.

interesting note: the vocals in The WOody Woodpecker Symphony are the same vocals from Mrs. o'Leary's cow ( commonly  called the ' Fire' track)

[Alan Lenhoff]

Thats is funny that you like that album, Alan. it was a thrown together poor substitute/ contractual obligation filler for the Smile album.

Well, it's not the first time, nor will it be the last, that I've been exposed for having sophomoric tastes.  (I truly believe that "Caddyshack" is one of the classics of the cinema, for example.)  ;-)

For those of you whose good taste kept you from bonding with this album, the lyrics for the Beach Boys' "Vegetables:"

I'm gonna be round my vegetables
I'm gonna chow down my vegetables
I love you most of all
My favorite vegetable

If you brought a big brown bag of them home
I'd jump up and down and hope you'd toss me a carrot

I'm gonna keep well my vegetables
Cart off and sell my vegetables
I love you most of all
My favorite vegetable
Oh oh, taba vega vegel

I tried to kick the ball but my tenny flew right off
I'm red as a beet 'cause I'm so embarrassed

I know that you'll feel better
When you send us in your letter
And tell us the name of your
Your favorite vegetable

[pianotuner steveo]

I agree with Caddyshack....

Remember the movie Meatballs?

The 'Stomach'... the winner of the hot dog eating contest was a local piano tuner.  i know his son, who is a great piano mover.

sadly, Peter ( the actor) passed away a few years back

But I digress....

[David Aubke]

Wudie the Wabbit the Winner!