Are the Beach Boys prog?

If the Beach Boys are prog then so are Jan and Dean, especially for their song "The Anaheim Azusa and Cucamonga Sewing Circle, Book Review and Timing Association."  I can't tell you how embarassing it is to admit that I can remember that song title.  Kinda like remembering Dave, Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tish.  Jeez....

Thyme Traveler wrote: Moogtron III wrote: The Beach Boys influenced the Beatles a bit, and vice versa, so maybe they're proto-proto-prog or something like that . They're prog-related because of the intricate song structures and some epics. Maybe they're distant relatives, prog and the Beach Boys, but their is a relationship. Brian Wilson's Smile is very much prog related. The album consists more or less of three long epics. Many prog fans will like this, highly recommended! It's the best new album I heard in the last three years.   I was about to say Pet Sounds was "proto-proto-prog" until I saw your post. The question is , is there enough "there" to consider it prog, and I think the answer is no. Perhaps the Beach Boys were "Proto-Progressive Pop". I think the Proto-Prog category is a little bit dangerous. Did Chuck Berry influence prog ? Certainly, just as he influenced all Rock music. Buddy Holly ?  Les Paul ?  Beethoven ? Pythagoras ? I think the Beatles are as far down that road as we want to go (and should go). Some of us didn't even want to go that far.

I do think the Beach Boys with their subtle harmonies and adventurous production were an influence that can easily be underrated. You're right, though, with your Chuck Berry-remark. The Beach Boys weren't prog rock, but maybe proto-proto-prog pop.

Still, many prog fans would like Brian Wilson's Smile, I still mean that. Many would hate it too  , but it's also true that many would love it.

Please let it stop.

Moogtron III wrote: The Beach Boys influenced the Beatles a bit, and vice versa, so maybe they're proto-proto-prog or something like that . They're prog-related because of the intricate song structures and some epics. Maybe they're distant relatives, prog and the Beach Boys, but their is a relationship. Brian Wilson's Smile is very much prog related. The album consists more or less of three long epics. Many prog fans will like this, highly recommended! It's the best new album I heard in the last three years.

 

I was about to say Pet Sounds was "proto-proto-prog" until I saw your post. The question is , is there enough "there" to consider it prog, and I think the answer is no.

Perhaps the Beach Boys were "Proto-Progressive Pop".

I think the Proto-Prog category is a little bit dangerous. Did Chuck Berry influence prog ? Certainly, just as he influenced all Rock music. Buddy Holly ?  Les Paul ?  Beethoven ? Pythagoras ? I think the Beatles are as far down that road as we want to go (and should go). Some of us didn't even want to go that far.

Yes, nice coincidence!

Kid-A wrote: in a word, <FONT size=7>NO I think that if the beach boys go on here the site will loose all credibility

It will loose really much credibily than with Queen and Radiohead's inclusion?

Edited by oliverstoned

No

The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson in particular are brilliant, one of the highlights of last year for me was buying Brian Wilsons - Smile concived in 1969's and finally released in 2005 a work of genius but not what I would call progressive

aprusso wrote: marktheshark wrote: ginnyman wrote: WHAT ARE YOU F$#KING CRAZY I was wondering when someone was going to come up with an opinion like that! Proto maybe on the later stuff, but Surfin USA? Forget it! Listen to the first side of "Friends" or some songs or "Sunflower" and then tell me this isn't experimental music. And always remember that Yes did "The rhtyhm of love", Genesis did "That's all" and Pink Floyd did "One slip"

Vocally the BBs were well ahead of the game. 3,4 or 5 part harmony were no doubt even ahead of the Beatles. But the Beatles had a compositional edge over the BBs. Bob Dylan's folk influence to take their lyrics more seriously kept the Beatles in a more serious and thoughtful limelight. Writing something as auto biographical as Help by Lennon didn't come from any influence by the BBs.

And while Paul may shoot his mouth off about Sgt Pepper influenced by Pet Sounds, we seem to forget that there were 2 other parties involved in that album too. John, George and Paul too ackowledged Frank's Freak Out as a contributor as well.

This business of Pet Sounds influencing Sgt Pepper has been so overplayed. No doubt it has had "some" influence. But John has always maintained that his songs, Lucy, Mr Kite, Good Morning, Day In the Life have had no connection whats-so-ever on it. They were just good songs that just happened to click with the whole thing.

Sgt Pepper has always been looked at in 2 ways for me in the 39 years I've listened to album. Great song writing and production. And a great coincidence! Fate played a great part in that album as well.

Pet Sounds may have contributed to the "color" of the album, but not the substance.



















Edited by marktheshark

ANDREW wrote: dralan wrote:  I wouldnt classify them as prog, but their arsty tendencies did indeed influence alot of our favorite artists. Paul McCartney openly cites Pet Sounds as a major influence on Sgt Pepper. Prog or not they still have some of the best vocal harmonies ever recorded. It's true, "Pet Sounds" influenced BEATLES's "Sgt. Pepper", it could be classify as a proto-prog album, but they were famous to be a surf-pop band. Anyway Brian Wilson is a genius

"Pet Sounds" influenced the Beatles conceptually - the music is otherwise unrelated to Sgt Pepper.

It's progressive in its use of "homely" or "pet" items to make sounds, and use of the Theremin, but the songwriting itself is above average to excellent - and not really progressive in that the structures break no boundaries, there's not a lot that's progressive about the beautifully catchy melodies, those infectious surfing rhythms are more restrained on the whole - but there's no real interest in the rhythmic interplay.

The harmonies (as always with the BBs) are superlative though - I'll give it that.

So maybe Prog-Related at a distance... but I wouldn't include them here if it was my choice.

Edited by Certif1ed

Prog???          ;     NO.

But Wilson was/is a musical genius,and his talent for harmonies is unbelievable.