One of the bands that my father listened to when I was growing up that used to drive me nuts was the Beach Boys. Growing up in the 1980's and 1990's the Beach Boys had grown into a sad nostalgia act lead by the band's lead singer Mike Love (who is one of the great rock and roll assholes..google the stories about him) and that sad nostalgia act is what I thought of anytime I thought of the Beach Boys.
As I grew older I discovered and grew to totally respect the genius of Brian Wilson and albums like "Pet Sounds" and the impact that album had on modern rock. In reading about Brian Wilson, I read about this mythical Beach Boys album called "Smile", "Smile" was supposed to be the Beach Boys' answer to the Beatles "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". Brian Wilson then in throws of drug addiction and mental illness got so frustrated that he scrapped the entire project.
The recording of "Smile" was a strange time in the personal lives of the Beach Boys, besides Brian Wilson's drug addiction and mental illness, his brother drummer Dennis had befriended Charles Manson and his family (The Beach Boys' recorded Manson's song "Cease to Exist" which they retitled "Never Learn Not To Love" you can find that on their "20/20" album) and singer and the Wilson's cousin Mike Love didn't quite understand Brian Wilson's new vision for the band which lead to a lot of tension for many years.
Fast forward some 42 years and The Beach Boys have released "The Smile Sessions". "The Smile Sessions" are pretty much all the songs that would have been on the album "Smile" and alternative takes of well known Beach Boys songs that appeared on other albums such as "Good Vibrations".
You can find "The Smile Sessions" on Spotify. But you need to go out and spend the money on the set because the sound can't be beat plus it has vinyl for all you vinyl enthusiasts and some of the cd's contain interviews with the members of the Beach Boys. Listening to the vinyl and the cds in the set bring the listening experience to a whole other level.. a good investment for sure.
Posted below is the new animated video for one of my very favorite Beach Boys songs "Heroes and Villains" which appears on "The Smile Sessions"...enjoy!
As I grew older I discovered and grew to totally respect the genius of Brian Wilson and albums like "Pet Sounds" and the impact that album had on modern rock. In reading about Brian Wilson, I read about this mythical Beach Boys album called "Smile", "Smile" was supposed to be the Beach Boys' answer to the Beatles "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". Brian Wilson then in throws of drug addiction and mental illness got so frustrated that he scrapped the entire project.
The recording of "Smile" was a strange time in the personal lives of the Beach Boys, besides Brian Wilson's drug addiction and mental illness, his brother drummer Dennis had befriended Charles Manson and his family (The Beach Boys' recorded Manson's song "Cease to Exist" which they retitled "Never Learn Not To Love" you can find that on their "20/20" album) and singer and the Wilson's cousin Mike Love didn't quite understand Brian Wilson's new vision for the band which lead to a lot of tension for many years.
Fast forward some 42 years and The Beach Boys have released "The Smile Sessions". "The Smile Sessions" are pretty much all the songs that would have been on the album "Smile" and alternative takes of well known Beach Boys songs that appeared on other albums such as "Good Vibrations".
You can find "The Smile Sessions" on Spotify. But you need to go out and spend the money on the set because the sound can't be beat plus it has vinyl for all you vinyl enthusiasts and some of the cd's contain interviews with the members of the Beach Boys. Listening to the vinyl and the cds in the set bring the listening experience to a whole other level.. a good investment for sure.
Posted below is the new animated video for one of my very favorite Beach Boys songs "Heroes and Villains" which appears on "The Smile Sessions"...enjoy!
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