I really only have a Wikipedia-level knowledge of the Beach Boys and of the career ups and downs of Brian Wilson. However, I've read quite a bit about the history of "Saturday Night Live", including many of the highlights and lowlights of their musical guests--Kris Kristofferson was drunk, Elvis Costello started to play one song, then switched to another, Ashley Simpson was caught lip-synching, Sinead O'Connor tore up a photo of the pope, and so on and so forth.

But I was taken aback last night when I watched the episode of 11/27/76 from the Season Two DVD box set--Brian Wilson was the musical guest, and I know that maybe I'm nearly thirty-four years late in pointing this out (I was far too young to stay up to midnight back then) but his performance seemed to be pretty much of a trainwreck--he was stiff, his piano playing was halting, his voice was shot, and, most embarassing, he performed a solo version of "Good Vibrations" in a living room set with the floor covered with sand and beach toys. Obviously this occurred in an era unlike today, where Kanye West can grab a microphone from somebody and the news goes around the world in the next ten minutes, but at the time of this broadcast, did anybody even notice this uncomfortable deterioration of Wilson's talent? Again, I've not found a mention of it, even in passing, in any of the Season Two DVD review articles floating around.

Does anybody remember watching this live?

AMW, I remember watching that show. At the time Wilson was considered such a burnout that maybe any appearance at all was considered a success but I think the general consensus was that it was neither his nor SNL's finest hour. But you're right, the whole thing was forgotten a lot quicker than it would have been these days what with YouTube, blogs, etc.

You can immediately hear why Brian preferred to use session musicians for the studio recordings:



But I like this raw, proto-indie sound too.

The Red Cross had some big news for Beach Boys fans: Al Jardine unites band-mates Brian Wilson, Mike Love & Bruce Johnston, to release new music to aid Red Cross relief effort in Japan
In response to the devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster that struck Japan, March 11th, 2011, Al Jardine of the Beach Boys has asked his fellow Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame pals, Brian Wilson, Mike Love & Bruce Johnston to lend their name and voices to a new benefit release.

Two songs will be made available for the first time on a 7" vinyl single. The first one thousand records will be pressed on limited edition White vinyl, with a Red label (resembling the Japanese flag), with 100% of the proceeds going to the Red Cross aid to Japan. Fans that purchase the single, "will support disaster relief efforts to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific," according to the Red Cross.

After the first thousand records, the remaining discs will be pressed on limited edition black vinyl. About 90 of the first run will have sleeves signed by all four of the Beach Boys, which will be auctioned off.

The A-side of the record is "Don't Fight the Sea," composed by Al Jardine and Terry Jacks, a track from the new album A Postcard From California. The song features Jardine, Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Bruce Johnston and a vocal from the late Carl Wilson.

The flip side of the record is an unreleased Beach Boys a capella mix, from a 1968 recording of the song "Friends." "We felt that the song had a nice basic message of friendship," said Al Jardine. "I also like the idea of that song, because the vocals are a bit underappreciated. So this release was a perfect place to showcase the idea of harmony and friendship. Everybody is behind it 100%, that's the nice part."

The single will be available on Tuesday, April 19th. For more information on how to purchase "Don't Fight The Sea" / "Friends (a capella)" for Japan, please visit http://www.AlJardine.com or http://www.TheBeachBoys.com. For information on how to donate to the Red Cross, visit http://www.RedCross.org.

... says the man who apparently "still hears voices in his head constantly".

I'd really like to see the remaining BB do something in the studio. I sometimes forget just how good they were. Except for Pet Sounds they made great music for most of the 60's.

Brian must have read your comment:


http://www.nme.com/news/the-beach-boys/56941

I agree with Brian

The Beach Boys' first national television appearance, on The Red Skelton Show in 1963 -- David Marks is still in the band (Al Jardine hasn't replaced him yet), and dig those sailor bell bottoms!

Is that Murry Wilson dancing in the background?

It's on:

STAMOS!!!!

(TMZ) John Stamos wasn't even born when the Beach Boys first got together ... but the actor tells TMZ ... he's been invited to play with the band on their upcoming 50th Anniversary Reunion tour.

Seems he was celebrating last night ... 'cause a boozy Stamos (but not boozy in a bad way) was hangin' at the Comedy Store on Sunset Blvd. when he revealed, "[The Beach Boys] asked me to be a part of the show ... I feel very honored."

The former "Full House" star performed with the band on a pretty regular basis during the '90s ... and participated in a few gigs in the past couple of years.

The band is reportedly set to kick things off at the Grammys next month ... followed by a 50-date tour.

So, how do good things keep happening to Stamos? Jesus loves the guy ...

Beach Boys at the Beacon Theater, May 8 & 9. Maybe I can talk JohnG into going.

Here are all the announced tour dates so far:

April 24—Anselmo Valencia Amphitheater—Tucson, Arizona
April 26—Verizon Theatre—Grand Prairie, Texas
April 27—New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival—New Orleans, Louisiana
April 28—Chastain Park Amphitheater—Atlanta, Georgia
April 29—Raleigh Amphitheater—Raleigh, North Carolina
May 2—St. Augustine Amphitheater—St. Augustine, Florida
May 4—Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino—Hollywood, Florida
May 5—Stratz Center For The Performing Arts—Tampa, Florida
May 8—Beacon Theater—New York, New York
May 9—Beacon Theater—New York, New York
May 11—Benedum Hall—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
May 12—Mohegan Sun Arena—Uncasville, Connecticut (sold out)
May 13—Mohegan Sun Arena—Uncasville, Connecticut
May 15—Westchester County Center—White Plains, New York
May 17—Sands Bethlehem Events Center—Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
May 19—The Borgata Hotel Casino—Atlantic City, New Jersey
May 21—Chicago Theatre—Chicago, Illinois
May 27—Red Rock Casino—Las Vegas, Nevada
June 1—The Greek Theatre—Berkeley, California
June 2—Hollywood Bowl—Los Angeles, California
June 8—Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion—The Woodlands, Texas
June 10—Bonnaroo Music And Arts Festival—Manchester, Tennessee
June 13—Blossom Music Center—Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
June 15—Merriweather Post Pavilion—Columbia, Maryland
June 16—Sasquahanna Bank Center—Camden, New Jersey
June 17—Bethel Woods Center For The Arts—Bethel, New York
June 19—Molson Amphitheater—Toronto, Ontario
June 20—Bell Centre—Montreal, Quebec
June 22—Waterfront Park—Bangor, Maine
June 23—Saratoga Performing Arts Center—Saratoga Springs, New York
June 26—Bank Of America Pavilion—Boston, Massachusetts
June 29—Darien Lakes Performing Arts Center—Darien Lakes, New York
June 30—DTE Energy Music Theatre—Clarkston, Michigan
July 1—Marcus Amphitheater—Milwaukee, Wisconsin
July 3—Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach—Virginia Beach, Virginia
July 10—Red Rocks Amphitheater—Morrison, Colorado
July 13—Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery—Woodinville, Washington
July 14—Cuthbert Amphitheater—Eugene, Oregon
July 15—Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Amphitheater—Stateline, New York
July 26—Capannelle—Rome, Italy
July 27—Civic Arena—Milan, Italy
July 29—Tradgaardsforeningen—Gothenburg, Sweden
July 31—Spektrum—Olso, Norway
Aug. 1—Amfiscenen—Aarhus, Denmark
Aug. 3—02 Arena—Berlin, Germany
Aug. 4—Schleyerhalle—Stuttgart, Germany
Aug. 5—Hockey Park—Monchengladbach, Germany
Aug. 7—Lokerse Festival—Lokeren, Belgium

Anyone watch Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys on the Grammys? It was quite a performance. They looked great for their age & can still sing and play!

they're set to play bonneroo fest this year

I didn't but I was told there were a ton of people on stage and it was hard to tell what they really sounded like with all of the singers up there. Is that accurate or not?
No Philly, but Camden and AC. I'm not a fan, but my Dad is. I took him to see Brian Wilson on Father's Day in 1999 which was a great show. Maybe I'll "do it again" depending on prices, performance and Depends!

They did most of Good Vibrations themselves, but the guest singers (who had done their own Beach Boys tributes earlier in the show) joined in for some of the choruses.