So let’s get this thing going. Up next, The Comeback Period (1972-76). I call this the Comeback period because it was during this time that (with Brian not available) they added Carl’s friends, drummer Ricky Farrar and guitarist Blondie Chapman to the band and developed into a world class live act. They were now playing the largest stadiums/arenas in the world, probably made more money during this time than all the rest of the periods put together. Locally, they packed out Angels Stadium several times. I saw them at Long Beach Arena New Years Night 1972/73. I almost got blown up by a firecracker/bomb, but it was one of the greatest shows/riots/parties I ever saw. As much as it hurts me to admit it, Mike ruled the stage, though of course Carl sang like an angel. They could play a three hour show during this time and not play one song that the audience didn’t know by heart. They recorded some okay albums during this period. A double Live album (pictured) which captured their shows from this time well, though what Dennis is doing holding the microphone into the audience on the cover is any body’s guess).  The album “So Tough” (72) (released under the name Carl & The Passions for some truly unexplainable reason) included the hit and crowd favorite “Marcella” and the song, “All This And That” which despite the new age lyrics contains some of Carl’s greatest high-harmonies (and hence some of the greatest high-harmonies of all-time). 1973’s Holland was a big budget release that included the hit “Sail On Sailor” (a Brian throwaway sung by Blondie Chapman?!!?). Holland tried to show the whole spectrum of the band’s talents and is better than the critics like to admit. Carl’s “The Trader” is a mini masterpiece IMO. Everybody contributes and the only really embarrassing bit is Brian’s fairly tale suite that was included as a separate single with the record. (Oh how I wish I still had my original copy as I suspect a mint condition copy of that single might be a very valuable item on ebay. And mine would have been mint because I never played it). The album 15 Big Ones was lame oldies cover album (Mike’s idea?) and was an obvious attempt to jump on the success of the earlier greatest hits album “Endless Harmony.” Which leaves us with Brian’s supposed return to form, 1977’s “Love You” which is a record which has divided listeners since the day it came out. Some raved as to its greatness. I much prefer Holland to this, but I suppose this is the second best recording from this period. Though it has always stuck me as the work of some kind of child-like madman. I suppose I can see the strength of some of its songs, “The Night Was So Young” but the production seems flat, thin and rushed. And songs about Johnny Carson, Roller staking and the solar system are just plain weird. One can’t help but wish that Brian could have pulled it together during this period, but it simply wasn’t to be. The sixties were still taking their toll. In 1978, one would have been able to get really good odds that Brian would not outlive both of his brothers, but with the Beach Boys, one needed to learn to expect the unexpected. So to re-cap, this period was certainly a very mixed bag. Their records didn’t really sell (except Endless Harmony) and the great recordings/songs were few and far between. The band was bigger than ever as a live act, but Brian’s continued missing-in-action was really hurting their chances to make great music. How many points does this period add to the Beach Boys being my number one pick? (15 points) which leaves us at (-30) overall, very complicated and clear as mud I’m sure.

Let’s start with the bad stuff, the last period, The Oldies/Las Vegas Period (77-98). This period starts after the release (and somewhat failure) of the “Love You” album in 1977 which Brian resurfaced to write and record (but more on that record later). The band was now divided between the Wilson brothers (Carl & Dennis) and Mike Love (and Al). Brian was around, but pretty much was MIA. The fact that their next album was recorded at the Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa (hence the name, MIU) that Mike was the main writer on the album and Al is listed as the producer should give you an idea of who was winning the battle. Sadly, MIU (1978) was the beginning of a slide from which the band never recovered. The album still contained a few moments of their world class harmonies, but the songs go from bad to horrible to really really really horrible (Mike’s “Match Point Of Our Love”). The next album, the 1979 legendarily horrendous “The Light Album” includes one good song (Brian’s six year old song, “Good Timin’), a few moments with Carl and Dennis, but the rest is as bad as any major rock band ever recorded, including a DISCO version of a ten year old song! This stuff gives schlock a bad name. Unfortunately things only got worse from here. Dennis and Carl leave the band and Dennis’ tentative hold on reality and his huge drugs/alcohol habit sends him spinning into a downward spiral to which there is no recovery. By 1982 Dennis is completely broke, bar hopping and panhandling in Redondo Beach. Until one night in 1983 when it becomes all too clear to him that what he should do is dive in the Maria del Rey harbor where he once docked his yacht to receive some items that he threw over the side years earlier during a fight with his then supermodel girlfriend, with the intention of pawning them for a few bucks. Even after years of alcohol and drug abuse, the great athlete which was Dennis Wilson was able to dive the 20 feet to the ocean bottom (at night) and actually came to the surface with some items! Not listening to those begging him not to try it again, he dove again. He never resurfaced. His body was found on the beach days later. After this Carl rejoins the band and Mike leads them into the Vegas oldies circuit and the Beach Boys become completely irrelevant. They record some more albums which are so bad I don’t even want to talk about them, (including the HORRIBLE hit single Kokomo). In the early 90s Mike sues Brian for back royalties and songwriting credit. Mike had always been listed with songwriting credit where he actually wrote lyrics, but now he drags the somewhat incoherent and child-like Brian into a court room to be added to dozens of 30 year old songs that the other lyricists can’t remember him working on, other than adding a line or two here and there. Sadly Mike won the judgment. The Vegas schlock continued until the glorious classy and angel-voiced Carl passed away from cancer in 1998. This date, to anyone with any knowledge of the band, must be considered the official end of the Beach Boys. The fact that Mike and Al and Bruce still tour under the Beach Boys name is shameful. So, to re-cap, how many points does this period add to the Beach Boys being my number one pick? (minus 45 poiunts).