Bruce Johnston seems incredible ...
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Then why are his solo albums almost unlistenable?
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I can't answer that, but, from his Wiki page:
Arranged and played a Billboard top 10 song while in high school; started a record production career
one year later, and wound up producing a million seller "Hey Little Cobra"; wrote Billboard #1 song "I Write the Songs", covered by Barry Manilow, Frank Sinatra, and has sold 25 million records of it; wrote backing vocals and sang on recording of Elton John "Don't Let the Son go Down on Me" and Pink Floyd's "The Wall"; only Beach Boy with a Song of the Year Grammy.
He's shown he's got the writing chops, and the producing chops, why do you think he's dropped the ball on his solo work, Joost? Anyway, I'll definitely try before I buy when it comes to his solo stuff - thanks!