Classic acts celebrate golden anniversaries
Fifty years is听an impressive milestone in any context. But when golden anniversaries are being celebrated in popular music 鈥� once viewed as the disposable purview of youth 鈥� it鈥檚 even more impressive.
鈥淢usic up to that time had a life span of about ten years,鈥� bass guitar legend Carol Kaye recently told journalist Phoebe Reilly in a听. 鈥淲e鈥檙e shocked those lived on.鈥�
Kaye and her studio musician colleagues in the so-called听Wrecking Crew听were part of the marathon recording sessions for the Beach Boys鈥� 鈥淧et Sounds,鈥� which was released on May 16, 1966. Beach Boys architect听Brian Wilson听is marking the anniversary of 鈥淧et Sounds鈥� with an extensive world tour that includes North American legs in the summer and fall during which the seminal album (which included听鈥淲ouldn鈥檛 It Be Nice鈥澨齛nd听鈥淕od Only Knows鈥�) will be performed in its entirety. The stops in Britain in particular are almost all sold out.
Co-founding Beach Boy Al Jardine and longtime member Blondie Chapman are taking part in what's being billed as听"Brian Wilson presents听Pet Sounds: The 50th Anniversary celebration & final performance in its entirety along with rare cuts and greatest hits."
(Subsequent generations are honoring this rock & roll masterpiece album, too.听On May 15, The Echo听club in Los Angeles' Silver Lake neighborhood听hosted听a multi-artist 50th anniversary "Pet Sounds"听tribute concert. )
About five months after the release of 鈥淧et Sounds,鈥� the Monkees debuted with a听self-titled album听that boasted听鈥�(Theme from) The Monkees鈥澨齛nd听鈥淟ast Train to Clarksville.鈥澨齌he surviving three members begin听a North American tour听on May听18 in Fort Myers, Fla. that runs through late October.
Later this month, Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork are releasing the first new Monkees album in 20 years.听鈥淕ood Times!鈥澨齠eatures recordings of new songs written by the likes of听Rivers Cuomo听(Weezer);听Ben Gibbard听(Death Cab for Cutie);听Noel Gallagher听(formerly of听Oasis);听Paul Weller of The Jam;听and Andy Partridge听(XTC).听听
Golden anniversary celebrations also extend into popular international musical styles.听S茅rgio Mendes听debuted his听Brasil 鈥�66听band 50 years ago with听鈥淗erb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil 鈥�66鈥�. By combining Brazilian musical styles with hits such as听鈥淥ne-Note Samba/Spanish Flea鈥澨齛nd听the Beatles鈥櫶�淒ay Tripper,鈥澨齅endes was able to further popularize bossa nova and samba in the Northern Hemisphere.
The pianist/bandleader/composer will bring his 鈥淎 Celebration of 50 Years of Brasil 鈥�66鈥� show to various cities, including听Tel Aviv,听Los Angeles, and听Seattle听over the next few months. The tour will include a pair of听2016 Summer Olympics tie-in shows this August听at the Hollywood Bowl听in Los Angeles with听Alpert听and alumni of Mendes' bands, including vocalists听Lani Hall听and听Dianne Reeves.
