Let's Do It Again

Let's take a quick break from HVAC news to celebrate some amazing music...

Sometime during the summer of 1975 would have been when I became a life long Beach Boys Fan. At fourteen, I was introduced to the West Coast Boys of Rock and Roll by a great friend who has travelled with me through these thirty seven years. Oh, I had heard the Beach Boys before on the radio, but I had never heard whole albums repetitively like I did during that summer. Over the years I have seen them half a dozen times in concert and purchased twice as many albums (yes, the big round disc that we old timers love), CDs and (slightly ashamed to admit it) 8 Track Tapes (big bulky tape five times the size of a cassette tape, and yes I had an 8 Track Tape player in my 71’ Firebird).

Not in my wildest imaginations did I ever think that fifty years after they started rockin’ the world they would release another great CD with all new music. That’s Why God Made the Radio is the Beach Boys newest release, spring 2012. Of course I went out and bought a copy after seeing Brian Wilson and Mike Love in an interesting interview with Bill O’Reilly. What the heck, at the least I had heard That’s Why God Made the Radio and thought it to be pretty good for a bunch of guys pushing seventy. Wow, was I surprised.

There is not a single song on the CD that I do not like, but there are a half dozen I Love! Maybe my initial expectations were low, but I can tell you for certain, it is some of the best I have heard from these guys. Crank the volume and they will take you back to the days when you first heard them, only with all new songs. There is no doubt that these are the Beach Boys, if you are a fan you will recognize the wonderful harmonies and the snappy rhythm of the tunes. To top it all off, they are touring the World this summer.

Say what you will, but the Beach Boys are an American Icon. Granted, during their fifty year history they have had some questionable moments and personal tragedy, as in the case of the drowning death of Dennis Wilson in 1983. Yet, through the years they have cranked out some awesome tunes. Their music sticks with you like a great friend. Spin Help Me Rhonda or Do It Again on the turntable - sorry, pop in the CD and hit the correct track, and the memories will flood in. The feeling, the mood, sounds of the beach, a great party, they all come to the surface once again.

The amazing thing about this new CD is that you get the same feel but with never before heard music. My favorite tunes on That’s Why God Made the Radio are The Private Life of Bill and Sue and Shelter. The Private Life of Bill and Sue is a nonsensical tune about two characters from a reality show and how the public love to follow their lives; it is a fun tune. Shelter is more of a mellow love song, but still has a good beat. The whole CD is worth listening to, whether you are a lifelong Beach Boys Fan, or have never heard them before.

Brian Wilson celebrated his seventieth birthday on June 20th of this year. It is unfortunate that, brothers Carl and Dennis did not make it to that occasion, but the fact that Brian did is a great accomplishment. Not only did he make it, but he arrived in style with Mike Love, Al Jardine and fifty years of great writing, singing and entertaining. I can’t wait to hear what’s next.

- Jim