Van Dyke Parks - Los Angeles, 1976

[llenllenllenl]

1970's time capsule!. The cars in the background... Awesome.

[gittahfiend]

Van dyke acts like he got some sugar in his tank in this clip

[runnersdialzero333]

@dumbangel21 Naw.

[JuxtaposeMystery]

0 people are ding woodie pearl hang ten

[planetraptor420]

acid alliteration psychedelic crap

[donnyoh]

Had it not been for VDP, Brian Wilson might have been inspired to take another path thus his omage to Aaron Copland would have never happened.

[crossjohn]

This clip is from the film, "The Beach Boys, An American Band" which now comes combined with a Brian Wilson bio film, "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" on DVD. Both are wonderful films about The Beach Boys and Brian, respectfully. Also, don't miss the "Endless Hamony" DVD too. Another great film. BTW, VDP tells it like it is. It was a "strange" time for everyone! But they all loved each other, I'm sure. Give the ML hatred a rest and enjoy the fact we have such great music to enjoy! SMILE!

[JoshSitar]

A couple questions arise from this clip.

One: is Van Dyke a little light in his loafers or what? Not that it matters, I'm just wondering since I don't think anyone's brought it up (and yeah, I KNOW he's been married... that's meaningless).

The second question: is his shirt painted on here?

Also, he seems like he might be high because his voice is harsh. Not that it matters. Usually that's a sign of opiates.

Also, Mike is forgiven because of "All I Wanna Do" and "Big Sur" (original version).

[tatelabianca]

@JoshSitar I'll just speak to your last point: I've often said the same thing about Mike Love...He sort of gets a pass, for "All I Wanna Do", and I guess "Big Sur", too... though Al weighed-in heavily there, I believe. In my book, the former serves as proof that even the worst, most vile, short-sighted, money-hungry, greedy humans are sometimes capable of creating unimaginable beauty. cheers.

[jwild611]

Mike Love may have been a bit of an ass but he's a great singer. Just like VDP may be a bit of a pretentious dweeb but he writes nice words. Don't forget he himself walked out of the project as well. Noone's perfect

[thatsoundsdelicious]

"ding witty pearl hang ten". What is that all about?

[PashtarStew]

Netflix has it, I believe...

[foodstamp7007]

I think we have staked out a middle ground, nice talking to you. More power to VDP, and let Mike Love fade into a beautiful California sunset with his politics and too-large ego.

[foodstamp7007]

Don't confuse what people do with who they are. Greatly irritating cases like Mike Love or John Wayne can be appreciated for their work and criticized for their politics. Or you can happily keep your one dimensional world view, it's a free country. With all due respect to the eminently lovable (pardon my adjective) VDP, the reason Pet Sounds is better than Smile is because the lyrics are not about the genius of the writer, but real human emotion.

[PashtarStew]

@foodstamp7007

LOL, I don't like Mike Love because his lyrics are terrible, his melodic ideas are pedestrian, total middle-of-the-road boring hack who sings through his nose and seems to have a disappointingly unsophisticated approach to life; all "spiritualized" but where's the love? Obsessed w/the fact that he hit #1 w/"Kokomo," but he pulled VDP's strings to recruit the session musicians for that sweet faux-Caribbean vibe...whatever, M.L. sux 4 eva!! ANOK RULEZ!!

[tatelabianca]

@PashtarStew summed it up rather nicely, mate. amen!

[red35rob]

@PashtarStew

Instead they released an even wierder album called Smiley Smile. For some reason, I think Mike would've prefered Smile. I don't think he had as much power as people say. He had reservations about Pet Sounds and that came out. The reason Smile didn't come out is because of insecurities in Brian's head that weren't there before 1967.

[JayMalone]

ding witty pearl hang ten -- i didn't know that language! hahaha

[foodstamp7007]

You don't have to like Mike Love's politics to dig his lyrics. I'll take them for what they are — a perfect expression of a crazy little subculture. So what does it matter what kind of human he is? It's what he did. Apply that rule to Jerry Lee and you miss some of the greatest music ever. I love VDP too, but the Smile lyrics range from silly to inscrutable.

[PashtarStew]

@foodstamp7007

U R dum dumb

[slownoman]

@foodstamp7007 Mike Love is an excellent singer who hasn't written anything of note. and Van Dyke Parks is a genius. Oh, and Love's an asshole; what an unfortunate coincidence, his name and all.

[Cloudsandsteps]

Which documentary is this from?

VDP sure got style

[PashtarStew]

@Cloudsandsteps

I think this is from "I Just Wasn"t Made for These Times" from early 1990s.

[Cloudsandsteps]

@PashtarStew Thanks, I've been looking for the documentary for ever, but haven't found it yet..

[Cloudsandsteps]

@PashtarStew Thanks (: I've been looking for that one for ever, but haven't found it yet..

[PashtarStew]

@Cloudsandsteps

I think I found this on Netflix...

[Mozart1220]

@Cloudsandsteps The interview with VDP is from "The Beach Boys An American Band" which is available on DVD.

[thatsoundsdelicious]

@PashtarStew have you got that documentary? I can't find it online anywhere

[ingsve]

@Cloudsandsteps It's not from I just wasn't made for these times. It's actually from The Beach Boys: An American Band from 1985.

[MarkFartman]

@Cloudsandsteps

This sequence is also part of the "American Band" documentary produced in the early 80s.

[theprophet20]

Google the photo of him as he is now where he is wearing a bow-tie.

He looks just like President Theodore Roosevelt!

The man has aged gracefully...

[pmoyer50]

When it comes to lyrical contributions to music, VDP deserves the MVP as far as I'm concerned. And he's a talented musician too. I agree that he showed off his style like the true gentleman that he is and restrained himself from lambasting Mike Love. I'm not saying Mike Love didn't deserve it. He did. Big time.

[tayloreh]

canvas the town and brush the backdrop. Are you sleeping?

A blind class aristrocracy

Back thru the opra' glass you see

The pin and the pendulum drawn. By god, by god...

[RoyFive]

Mike didn't always have the best judgment. He kept Redwood (later Three Dog Night) from premiering on the original Brother label (Dunhill's gain), and he embarrasses himself and the other BB's at the Hall Of Fame ceremony by lambasting Paul McCartney, Billy Joel and others, then has the gall to criticize Van Dyke and Brian.

[11jupitercowboy8]

That's such a bummer. "Over and over the crow cries uncover the cornfield". Maybe by itself it doesn't mean much, but in the context the song "Cabinessence" it helps to illustrate the feeling of western expansion and the idea of the beauty of living on the plains. Like with the line "I'll give you a home on the range". It's looking back at a time when that was looked at as a kind of utopia. I wish they would've really defended themselves against that bastard Mike Love!

[caraphyllis]

@11jupitercowboy8 - re: defending themselves against Mike Love -- it wasn't so much "they" as it was Brian. The band was ambivalent about SMiLE, Mike Love was adamant, and Brian caved. He was thoroughly demoralized by their lack of support for what he felt was going to be his masterpiece. Yes, it was a bummer. Took another 40 years before the thing got its proper due. But it did! For this, we can be glad. Van Dyke and Brian are kindred spirits who have made beautiful music together.

[Archerist]

What is this clip from?

[iantm]

he's been married twice and has kids, that's a lot of work just to stay closeted if you ask me

[iantm]

yeah, no offense but you see like a complete retard

[caitbrennan]

Wonderful, wonderful clip. Thanks.

[Huddiethegreat]

Darn mike love

[psmtheman]

WOW ITS SO CRAZY TO SEE HIM SAY THIS SAME SHIT ONLY 10 Years AFTER HE Said it. I'm used to seeing a fucking old VAN DYKE say it.

[truckdriverbenson]

Aaaaaaaah, he's just great. Ahead of his time (absolute contrast to Mike Love), but with a nostalgic charming style - he's just THE MAN. I'm going to see him live again in Berlin in november 2009, yippie!

[stargate121]

Tower Records...sigh...

[Noiseferatu]

Looks a bit like Weird Al.

[ALK95]

He is awesome.. such a great person. He was a great writer, probably still is, and really in my mind the only thing he ever did wrong was leave Brian in 1967 during SMiLE. Maybe it was the right choice, but who knows. Anyways, this video is wonderful! Like Concatelli said, Terrific! 5 stars *****

[0ldfinger]

He da Man! I love VDP. I don't understand him, but I GET him. That clip is pure joy!

[larecord]

We love van dyke parks!

[shame69]

Downhome deadpan waggery. Love the Nilsson vest!

[Concatelli]

Terrific!