Was December 1980 One Of The Worst Months In Music History?

Sitting here thinking about how early December 1980 was an awful time for music. Earlier when I was listening to the radio I heard people calling in requesting John Lennon tracks, as it is the 31st anniversary of his passing today.

He passed on the 8th. Just three days earlier on the 5th, The Beach Boys appeared on Good Morning America, and it's a tough one.

"Dennis, ya know, has been out for days on end partying and he can't hold himself up on the couch. He's falling into Carl's lap and he's smoking. And the smoke from his cigarette is wafting across the table and right up under Mike Love's face. And when they pan over to Mike, you can just see him seething."

- Jon Stebbins, author of Dennis Wilson: The Real Beach Boy

Here's the full interview, unfortunately in much lesser quality -

Maybe a lot of good things happened in December 1980 too. Technically I haven't done any research aside from view one Beach Boys youtube video and hear John Lennon songs on the radio today. Let me find out Blondie's Rapture came out that month.

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Brian Wilson Reveals Light Up Smile Box Set

Here's Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys showing the amateurs how it's done. Gotta love the virtual handshake at the end.

"I think it lights up..."

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For the love of god somebody find this as funny as I do. Possibly the worst lip synching ever by the dude with the red hair and beard. fuck it i'm n

... ot going to lie, I know his name. Mike Love. He definitely doesn't know his lyrics here at 1:22 in.

It just looks like he's zoning out during the entire song above. Just zoning out through the Seventies or something, as the once teen-sensation Beach Boys grew into grown ass men who needed to try new song topics aside from surfing and cars. I just find seeing the Beach Boys at the height of their commercial success juxtaposed with the low points of their popularity to be the funniest juxtaposition possible.

And seeing / hearing how many times Mike Love screws up something also cracks me up, so it usually winds up being an incredibly entertaining experience.

Exhibit A (height) :

2:39 in...

Interview guy: "Surfing... uh, what is surfing? Is it a sport or a kind of music?

Mike Love: "Ohhh, I don't know, it's kinda, well-

(shoots dude a puzzled and uncomfortable glance)

WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Surfing's a sport (stated with now complete clarity and certainty)!"

to

Exhibit B (still pretty high up there) :

Second ever live performance of "Good Vibrations." From the beginning, you can tell they're all pissed at Mike Love and that Mike Love doesn't know what the hell is going on. Are you surprised at this point?

Mike Love: "What's the right note?"

Another member: "Play it this time!"

Mike Love: "Easy, I haven't learned it yet!

(to crowd) -

They want me to play this woo-oo machine" (referring to a Theremin).* This is ridiculous!"

Another member: Yeah it is...

Exhibit C (lowwww):

The crazy part is every song is incredible. But I digress...

2:13 in on the left... Mike Love clearly not knowing the lines here too.

Oh yeah, and check it out at 1:37 - saying his lyric then "hamming it up" and loving it.

If you noticed an asterisk above, then what is below will make sense. If you didn't, then you're screwed.

* As seen here:

Son of a gun, I may have just spoiled my whole post, because the above performance of "Video Killed the Radio Star" on a Theremin may be the funniest / most amazing thing I've ever seen in my life.

Also, is that a botched "clap along" at 2:39 or a premature applause as if the song was over?

That's all, for now.

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Aboard A Tidal Wave

My last post featured the Beach Boys in what I considered to NOT be their prime. I suppose it isn't right that my only post about them so far is of that nature. So, to compliment my previous entry, here's Brian Wilson at his pinnacle, debuting Surf's Up on CBS News' Inside Pop - The Rock Revolution in November 1966.

Click HERE to view (embedding was disabled by Youtube User)

There is a new song, too complex to get all of first time around. It could come only out of the ferment that characterizes today's pop music scene. Brian Wilson, leader of the famous Beach Boys, and one of today's most important musicians, sings his own 'Surf's Up.' Poetic, beautiful even in its obscurity, 'Surf's Up' is one aspect of new things happening in pop music today. As such, it is a symbol of the change many of these young musicians see in our future.

Originally intended for the aborted SMiLE album, Surf's Up wouldn't find it's way onto a Beach Boys offering until 1971. There's not much to say about all of this that hasn't been thoroughly documented on the internet. If you're wondering why the above image doesn't match the aesthetic of a title like "Surf's Up," or why SMiLE was aborted, feel free to delve into the back story one of the greatest tales in pop music history.

BONUS: peep the intensity of Brian Wilson's stare when one of his newer musicians messes up at the end of a rehearsal for I Just Wasn't Made For These Times. Bastards -

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The Beach Boys

I've been on a major Beach Boys kick lately. Here they are when they are not in their prime.

Things get rocky early when at 20 seconds in, Dennis Wilson says "blew his dad" instead of "blew his mind."

A minute in, the coughing starts. Rockin' it!

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