An update on the Beach Boys, in case anyone's interested...
Brian recently signed a two album deal with Walt Disney Records, for an album of George & Ira Gershwin compositions (including two previously unreleased ones given to him by the Gershwin estate) and an album of Disney classics. The Gershwin album is currently being recorded. It's a well-know fact that if Brian's not really into doing something, he'll do it but badly and he'll be a pain in the ass. If he is into something, he's still one of the fastest working and most inspiring people in the business. Word is that so far, the sessions are a breeze. The Disney album should be good too cause Brian seems to really like that stuff. After all, 'Surfer Girl' was based on 'When You Wish Upon A Star'.
Al Jardine's first solo album 'Postcard From California' is starting to become a 'Chinese Democracy' type of thing. Tracklist, cover art and song samples were already posted on his website (
www.aljardine.com) a few years ago, but release details are still "coming soon". Should be interesting though. Al's the only Beach Boy who's voice still sounds exactly like it used to, and the album has a lot of really cool guests: 3/4 of CSNY (C, N and Y, to be exact), 2/3 of America (the band, not the continents), Steve Miller, Flea and... Brian Wilson and Mike Love!
The Beach Boys' 50th anniversary is coming up in 2011 and especially Mike seems to be very eager to make the anniversary something special. For the first time in many years there are currently no lawsuits between band members going on and everyone seems to be on speaking therms, so the time seems to be right for the three surviving original Beach Boys (plus David Marks and Bruce Johnston) to share a stage again for the first time since 1997. Only Brian could be a problem, his management (a.k.a. his wife) is a bit over-protective of him and since Mike and Brian have a pretty complex love/hate relationship she seems a bit reluctant to let them work together.
And the long-awaited Smile sessions box set (originally sceduled for 1997)... It's anyone's guess when/if that'll ever come out...