PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN 
The Beach Boys soldiered on and became one of America’s most beloved rock bands, with President Ronald Reagan dubbing them “America’s band” in 1983. Over this period, some pieces of what would have been the SMiLE album – authorized and otherwise – began dribbling out. “Sail on, Sailor” was released in 1973 and was the only Beach Boys single to crack the Top 50 for nearly a decade (between 1968 and 1976).
(June 2013/2)
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In addition to Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heart, there are a host of Wilsons who have made popular music over the years. The Beach Boys – “America’s band” according to no less than President Ronald Reagan (whose middle name is Wilson, come to think of it) – was founded in 1961 by Brian Wilson, his brothers Dennis Wilson and Carl Wilson, and their cousin Mike Love; Al Jardine was the one original bandmember not in the family. Another Nancy Wilson is a top-notch jazz vocalist who started in the 1960’s and frequently crossed over to the R&B and rock charts. Mary Wilson was one of the founding members of the Supremes; the story of the other bandmembers being eclipsed by lead singer Diana Ross formed the main storyline for the Broadway musical Dreamgirls that later made Jennifer Hudson a star in the film version, Dreamgirls. Then there are R&B singers Jackie Wilson and Wilson Pickett, country star Gretchen Wilson, comedian and chef Justin Wilson, and many others. (November 2013) * * * Tommy Afterbirth has surprising connections to the Republican Party and actually served as an official delegate to the 1976 and 1980 Republican National Conventions. Although he and his family were on the receiving end of some of his band’s songs – such as “Ron and Nancy”, “Young Ron” and “Nancy Reagan on Crack” – Tommy Afterbirth boasted of having shaken hands with future President Ronald Reagan on two occasions; and, while at the 1976 Republican National Convention, he bought a beer for future President George H. W. Bush. The name of their third release, Kinder, Gentler Nation (1989) is taken from Bush’s acceptance speech at the 1988 Republican National Convention. For one album cover, they even went so far as to paste Nancy Reagan’s head on . . . oh, never mind. Then again, their feelings about the other party are apparent in their song, “Democrats Suck Donkey Dicks”. (June 2016) * * * The liner notes for the album that I have, High Tide (Big Noses & Pizza Faces) state: “There was never any intention to start a movement, influence local musical tastes or convert the masses – we were simply five young men who came together at the right time and place.” The Tell-Tale Hearts had a winning combination of strong musicianship – I particularly love the organ – and a raw sound that proved popular with local audiences. A tongue-in-cheek sidebar on the liner notes by drummer David Klowden says: “I don’t know why the band did as well as it did – couldn’t have been the music . . . Must have been the trousers. Yes, I think it was the trousers that endeared us to those handfuls of sweaty, alienated teenagers displaced from reality during the feverish height of Reaganism. There was even a band member (Mike [Stax]) who actually called pants ‘trousers’.” (September 2017) |