The Catholic Message Board

Surprising, but not shocking, he is 82 and has been in poor health for years.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/br ... TobArticle

I never would have thought he'd live this long after what he put his body through. But he is one of my great musical heroes.

Saw him a few years ago here and the first half of the show was Pet Sounds and I was ecstatic.
Second half was best of the Beach Boys which was great fun as well.

Obi-Wan Kenobi wrote: ↑Wed Jun 11, 2025 10:24 pm I never would have thought he'd live this long after what he put his body through. But he is one of my great musical heroes.

His high vocals were the essence of The Beach Boys sound, which is one of the major reasons the records they made without him didn’t work, without those high vocals, it just doesn’t sound right. Well, that and he was the best songwriter and the rest of them couldn’t write anything decent without him.

Carl was okay at singing high ("God Only Knows") and writing too, but Brian was very much the key part of the band.

Absolutely. Carl was estential.

The Beach Boys were my all-time, without exception favorite band. Saw them live four or five times. So:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOsial01K0g

I have you beat. I might be close to a dozen times.

At one point, young and feckless, I could sing the background on all their songs. Better than drinking or surfing the net.

I can’t hit those high notes anymore

I never could, my singing voice is the reason deaf people are happy.

Doom wrote: ↑Sat Jun 14, 2025 4:31 pm I never could, my singing voice is the reason deaf people are happy.

My mother couldn't carry a tune either. I'm a little better, but not by much.

My wife is from Southern California. Dennis Wilson attended her school for a semester; Steve Love played basketball there. In her junior years Steve arranged, through Mike, for the Beach Boys to play a concert as a junior class fundraiser. They sold so many tickets that the BB played two back to back concerts. The class raised enough money to carry them through to graduation.

Highlander wrote: ↑Thu Jun 12, 2025 7:19 pm Absolutely. Carl was estential.

The Beach Boys were my all-time, without exception favorite band. Saw them live four or five times. So:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOsial01K0g

Carl might have been essential, however, Mike Love is a horrible person who I think all the other members came to loathe. He tried to fraudulently take credit for Brian's lyrics; he created a brand new band which he called "The Beach Boys" even though he was the only original member, he could have called it a Beach Boys tribute band that would have been more honest but it would have got his less money, he humiliated the band during their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by going off on a rant attacking the other inductees, and he was an advisor on the 2000 TV movie "The Beach Boys: An American Story" in which he minimized the creative influence of the Wilson brothers and portrayed himself as the real creative force in the band.

he created a brand new band which he called "The Beach Boys"

Not sure about that part. "The Beach Boys" trademark is owned by Brother Records, which is owned by Mike, Al, and the estates of Brian and Carl (Dennis had to sell his share back to the rest to pay off debts).

He was told not use the name and did it anyway

As much as I have read about the BB and as much as my wife resonates with the So Cal vibe, it comes down to their music. Which I love.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0so75T7GpI

Are you familiar with the Fendertones on YouTube? They're a Beach Boys cover band with professional musicians who really know what they're doing. Mike and Al have both taken part in some of their work.

Wow! They are more BBs than the BBs. Thanks.

P.S.

Listened to several songs. They are good. They do lack that really subtle "whine", as I hear it, that is part of the SoCal accent. And it was clear that on "God Only Knows" that Carl wasn't singing.

One tidbit. Wife and I went to a BB performance locally. Brian actually made it, but he was a bit of a mess when he wasn't playing/singing. I sang along with the lyrics. A nearby, younger woman asked if I knew all the lyrics. I said I did. DW rolled her eyes and said, "Of course he does."

I really enjoy seeing all the pieces that make up the completed song.

BB recordings often have double-tracked vocals (i.e., recorded twice). These guys just have two people sing the same part, especially the lead.