THIS PAST WEEK, we lost not one, but two music legends, who despite their genres being vastly different, nonetheless had much in common, from the decade they were popular, to the influences they had on other groups and artists. And that's not just artists starting out, but also affecting the direction of already popular bands like The Temptations and even The Beatles.
 |
| Brian Wilson (L), and Sly Stone, both significant recording artists, leading the bands The Beach Boys, and Sly and the Family Stone, respectively, passed away last week, both at age 82. |
We lost R&B/funk pioneer Sly Stone on June 9, and just two days later, Brian Wilson, the leaders of two important groups of the 1960's, Sly and the Family Stone, and The Beach Boys, respectively. In a sense, they, more or less, invented the genres that they excelled in.
Let's start with Brian Wilson, the creative genius behind The Beach Boys, a family band that consisted of Brian, his brothers Carl and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love and close friend and classmate Al Jardine. They were also managed early on by the brothers' father Murry Wilson. The group formed in 1961 in California, with their first single, "Surfin'", which essentially set the stage for the band's good-time, fun-in-the-sun image. The song, which reached #75 on the Billboard Hot 100, was sort of a mix of doo-wop, and rockabilly in the style of Chuck Berry, and even vocal groups from the standards era. More apparent on subsequent songs like "Surfin' Safari" and their first top 10, "Surfin' USA" (which was inspired by Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen"), they established a style that became "surf pop",or "the California Sound") a unique blend of harmony and instrumentation. You felt like you were right there on the beach. Jan and Dean, a duo which started out as doo wop, took notice, and they would switch to the surf pop sound, even beating the Beach Boys to the #1 spot in 1963, with "Surf City", which was co-written by Brian and the duo's Jan Berry.
While their earlier songs were about surfing (even though there was actually just one surfer in the band, Dennis), that soon expanded to include songs about cars, girls, and even school spirit ("Be True to Your School"). And while the arrival of The Beatles on American shores came about a year into their popularity, unlike other artists that were eclipsed by the British Invasion, the Beach Boys held their own, even getting their first #1 song, "I Get Around" in the middle of 1964. There was sort of a rivalry between the two groups; they were both on Capitol Records here in the U.S., and one that soon would come to a head in the middle of the decade. There was also sort of a West Coast-East Coast rivalry with another group, The Four Seasons, who were from New Jersey, and like the Beach Boys, would maintain their popularity through much of The Beatles' reign. Both groups actually recorded a song together in 1984, appropriately entitled "East Meets West".
But, as most artists do, The Beach Boys would soon evolve. By around 1965, the subjects of their songs were shifting from frivolous good times, to more introspective, personal themes. It was no secret that Brian Wilson was the mastermind of the band, writing most of the hits as well as being a producer. But it came with a price.
Brian suffered a nervous breakdown in late 1964, and stopped touring with the group to concentrate on his production and songwriting duties. Confining himself to just the studio, it enabled him to be the creator and expand the repertoire of the tools he had to work with, without the public pressure. In a sense, he sort of inspired The Beatles' similar move from care-free pop songs to more serious introspective themes and creativity of instruments within the studio. That resulted in the Fab Four's Rubber Soul, which brought the quartet from Liverpool more acclaim and transformed them into serious musicians which have brought them continued relevance to this day.
Using Rubber Soul as a blueprint, Brian masterminded his own project, which became Pet Sounds. It was a studio marvel, often bringing outside (to rock) instruments in the mix, and the songs became more personal and introspective. The Beach Boys continued to have hits in 1966 including "Sloop John B", and "Wouldn't It Be Nice". But by that time, The Beatles released Revolver, which spurred Brian Wilson to take things one step further.
"Good Vibrations" was the bands third number one song, but unlike "I Get Around" or their second #1, 1965's "Help Me Rhonda", "Vibrations" covered new ground. A total experimental effort, concocted only in the studio, with the other members just suppling the vocal harmonies, the song utilized instruments such as the cello, glockenspiel, and others associated with classic music. It was the groups foray into psychedelia, a masterpiece, all orchestrated by Brian.
Taking notice, were The Beatles, who were very inspired by Pet Sounds, and no doubt led them to create Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, as well as the double-A-sided single "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "Penny Lane". But what would that do to Brian to top that?
It was Brian's project Smile that attempted to take that one step further. But in doing so, it took a toll on Brian's mental health and emotional exhaustion. As a result the album was scrapped. Some of the finished tracks would appear on an album called Smiley Smile, including "Heroes and Villains", the first single released 9 months after "Good Vibrations", but the band was on a decline as more progressive bands surfaced. At that point, while the band remained together, Brian stepped back somewhat, and allowed the whole group to share song and production credits. And he still didn't tour with the group, save for briefly in 1970, despite releasing albums regularly into the early 1970's. During this time, he was pretty much an emotional wreck, no doubt influenced by drugs.
For much of the 1970's, Brian Wilson wasn't really a part of the band, until 1976 when he produced the band's comeback with 15 Big Ones. By them, he employed psychiatrist Eugene Landy to help him deal with his mental illness, but that soon became a bigger issue, with Landy trying to wrestle control from the Wilsons. 1977's Love You was the first album produced and written by Brian in almost ten years.
In the 1980's, Brian would make a few appearances with the band (in which member Dennis Wilson passed away, in 1983), but in 1987, he released a self-titled solo album, which did fairly well, with singles like "Love and Mercy", but the Landy controversy continued to rear its ugly head. Meanwhile, the Beach Boys, which charted throughout that decade, hit #1 in 1988---sans Brian---with "Kokomo". By then, he was totally estranged from the band.
In the 1990's, he finally was able to disassociate himself from Landy, and continued to record. He also was well enough to tour solo as well. In the 2000's, he went back and finished Smile as a solo venture, presenting it as it was originally to be heard.
In 2012, the surviving original and classic members of The Beach Boys reunited: Brian, Mike Love, Al Jardine, as well as David Marks, who was a brief member during the early years, and Bruce Johnston, who joined in 1965 (Carl Wilson passed in 1998). One song, "That's Why God Made the Radio" was released as a single, and hit #30 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, and #23 on the SNS 100. A follow-up, "Isn't It Time" got to #62 on my blog chart. In 2014, a biopic, Love and Mercy was released, with Brian being played by John Cusack.
In recent years, Brian continued to record solo, released several albums during the last decade of his life, but finally succumbed at age 82, as of this writing no cause of death was specified.
Brian Wilson's daughters, Carnie and Wendy Wilson, formed two-thirds of the group Wilson Phillips, which had success of their own in the early 1990's. Brian's granddaughter Lola, appeared on the recent season of American Idol. Brian Wilson was one of a kind and he definitely transcended the "legend" title.
Just two days before Wilson's death, another mastermind, Sly Stone, passed away. The leader of Sly and the Family Stone, he, too was innovative, combining traditional soul and R&B with more harder rhythms, mixed with psychedelic rock to created funk. Until then, R&B groups were more of the vocal variety, but by the middle part of the decade, artists became adding full instrumentation.
Sly, born Sylvester Stewart grew up playing several instruments, and was described as a musical prodigy. In the mid 1960's he was a disk jockey for a San Francisco soul station, but one that included white mainstream pop artists as well as the current artists of color of the day on the R&B charts. He had also started a band, while DJ'ing, as well as playing keyboards for several bands in the Bay Area.
Sly and the Family Stone was formed when Sly's band at the time merged with a couple others from the area. The result was a full piece band, but one with an integrated lineup, and one that included female members as well. And although there were other artists that were doing this in the late 1960's, like Love (with Arthur Lee), The Chambers Brothers, and most notably The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Sly and the Family Stone were unique in a way, creating a mix of rock, psychedelia and soul.
"Dance To the Music" was the band's first hit in the spring of 1968, and over the next two years, they had churned out several hits. Among my favorites were their #1 songs "Everyday People", "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Self Agin)", as well as "Stand", "Hot Fun in the Summertime", and "I Wanna Take You Higher". Another song of theirs, "Life", was played a lot by some of my classmates who were in bands, including one that played at our eight grade dance. The band performed at Woodstock in the summer of 1969, performing way late on Saturday night/Sunday morning between Janis Joplin and The Who.
While perhaps not directly related, the band had an effect on other established bands, in particular The Temptations. The legendary Motown vocal group, which already had a repertoire of classic soul ballads, shifted gears, thanks to its producer Norman Whitfield and churned out new uptempo, psychedelic soul gems like "Cloud Nine", "I Can't Get Next to You", "Ball of Confusion" and many others, no doubt due to the success of Sly and the Family Stone. Another group, The Parliaments, from Plainfield NJ had a vocal hit in 1967, "I Wanna Testify", but the influence of Sly Stone resulted in a change in direction, with its leader George Clinton morphing the Parlaments into the "Parliament/Funkadelic" funk powerhouses that prevails during the 1970's and which Stone would collaborate with later on.
The band was definitely socially aware, with many of their songs dealing with social issues, including racial equality and tolerance, in keeping with the times of the day, such as the Vietnam War and civil rights.
After a couple years of inactivity, the band returned in late 1971 and scored their third and final #1 single, "Family Affair". However, the subsequent output wasn't as well received, and dissention occured within the band, and they were in a decline, with their final top 40 hit, "Time for Livin'" in 1974. And Sly, like Brian Wilson, started going through personal issues. Friction within the band started, drugs became more prevalent, and Sly's behavior became more erratic. Sly Stone released a solo album in 1975, High on You, and a few other albums in the late 70's, but none of them were successful. Sly Stone also co-hosted the American Music Awards in 1975.
Sly recorded an album with George Clinton in the early 1980's, but it never got released.In 1983 he was arrested for cocaine possession. He recorded a few 80's soundtrack songs, and contributed songs on other artist's albums.
Sly was the subject of some tributes in the 2000's, including one at the 2006 Grammy's, and a tribute album, Different Strokes by Different Folks (with other artists covering his music). Sly's last recorded release was 2011's I'm Back! Family and Friends. Aside from funk bands, and icons like Prince and Rick James, many artists in hip-hop were influenced by Sly's music.
On June 9, Sly passed away, also at age 82, with the cause being chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
HOT 100: It's pretty much the same this week, with "Ordinary" by Alex Warren #1 for a second week, and except for "Luther" exchanging places with "I'm The Problem", it's the exact same as last week. 94th week for "Lose Control", 71st for "Beautiful Things", and 60th for "A Bar Song". Give me a break already!
SNS 100: Actually, my top ten this week is the same as last as well, except for some jostling for position, but there are no bullets on there, either. But Deb Browning's "Does Your Baby Got Your Back" is #1 for second week, with The Jay Vons' "Days Undone" inching up from 3 to 2, and Jerry Powell's "Dance With Me" moving 4-3. Beach music has four of the top five as The Mac Daddy's Band and The Tonez round out the top five.
While it is quiet in the top 10, the second ten has a lot of action with bullets from positions 11 to 15. And three entries into the top 20: Seth Storer becomes the latest act to hit the top 20 as a solo act and part of a group, as "Insomnia" grabs the Impact award (21-18); his band Whiskey-Chitto Ramblers hit the top 10 earlier this year. The Cure finally cracks the region in its 18th week as "A Fragile Thing" moves 26-19. And Jackie Gore and Terri Gore's take on "Unforgettable" enters at #20.
Mover of the Week goes to The Black Keys' title track from their No Rain, No Flowers (54-24); the duo's other new one, "Babygirl" goes 65-43. Other key movers include Suki Waterhouse's "Dream Woman" (38-29), The Tonez and Sylvia Johns Ritchie's "Ladies Man" (50-35), Steve Cheek's "Beach Walkin'" (59-38), and last week's Top Debut, Rhonda McDaniel's "Sad Girl" (69-46).
DEBUTS: A good crop of new entries this week, spearheaded by the latest from Thee Sacred Souls, coming off a number one with "My Heart Is Drowning", which stayed there for five weeks and its currently #60 with "We Don't Have To Be Alone", at #54. But if that one was classic soul, the trio outdoes this one with this smooth soulful retro effort. Listening to this automatically takes you back even though this is current. I have been touting this band for beach music stations to play, but so far it's on deaf ears. Yes, it's a ballad, but wouldn't that qualify as a "smooth" beach music ballad. And why hasn't Triple-A, which introduced me to this band a couple years ago, hasn't played their recent releases? Well, here on SNS, it's another hit!
Next is the new one from Lainey Wilson, "Somewhere Over Laredo". This one is a ballad and Lainey's voice is in great form, singing from the heart. As for the title, it's definitely a play on "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and sung like that, but other than that, it's an entirely original song. Should be a big hit here for Lainey, it's her best since I've followed her music. It enters at #72.
There are some great ballads this week, and another is the latest from Lana Del Rey. Not as somber as her other songs, this one is more folksy, soulful and bluesy despite the slow tempo. She is in full control here, and this one hits the heart. Sort of a change of pace for her, but it works.
When I added Rhonda McDaniel's "Sad Girl", I remembered that there was an artist with that name which scored a few years back with "Little Queenie", a song which sounded a bit like John Lennon. SadGirl's latest is "Santeria", and yes, it's a cover of the Sublime classic. But this rendition is an instrumental that takes you back to the surf-rock sounds of Dick Dale or The Ventures. Very unique, especially taking the original ska/punk roots, speeding it up somewhat and reinventing the song.
Completing the debuts, we have Lord Huron's "Nothing I Need", definitely in an indie-folk mode, Bad Suns' blog debut, a California band that has been around since 2010, with "Communicating", sort of in the alt-indie pop lane that could click, and finally beach artist Nadia Shutkovski's latest "Slow It Down", the follow-up to last year's top 20 "Top Down". This one is pure blues and jazzy overtones and should score in the beach community.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
June 8, 2025
|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
1 |
NUMBER ONE:  "Does Your Baby Got Your Back" (Single Release) (2 Weeks at #1) |
8 |
|
2 |
3 |
12 |
|
|
3 |
4 |
8 |
|
|
4 |
2 |
10 |
|
|
5 |
6 |
12 |
|
|
6 |
9 |
17 |
|
|
7 |
8 |
13 |
|
|
8 |
7 |
12 |
|
|
9 |
5 |
15 |
|
|
10 |
10 |
13 |
|
|
11 |
12 |
7 |
|
|
12 |
14 |
7 |
|
|
13 |
18 |
5 |
|
|
14 |
16 |
7 |
|
|
15 |
19 |
6 |
|
|
16 |
13 |
13 |
|
|
17 |
15 |
11 |
|
|
18 |
21 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  "Insomnia" Album: Chapter I |
9 |
|
19 |
26 |
18 |
|
|
20 |
22 |
8 |
|
|
21 |
24 |
5 |
|
|
22 |
27 |
7 |
|
|
23 |
29 |
7 |
|
|
24 |
54 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: No Rain, No Flowers |
2 |
|
25 |
25 |
9 |
|
|
26 |
28 |
7 |
|
|
27 |
11 |
16 |
|
|
28 |
23 |
13 |
|
|
29 |
38 |
4 |
|
|
30 |
31 |
The Six Piece
Suits ft. Nina Starsong - Lovers Into
Strangers |
18 |
|
31 |
17 |
12 |
|
|
32 |
20 |
15 |
|
|
33 |
35 |
16 |
|
|
34 |
42 |
5 |
|
|
35 |
50 |
4 |
|
|
36 |
47 |
5 |
|
|
37 |
49 |
4 |
|
|
38 |
59 |
3 |
|
|
39 |
46 |
7 |
|
|
40 |
30 |
14 |
|
|
41 |
41 |
18 |
|
|
42 |
45 |
20 |
|
|
43 |
65 |
2 |
|
|
44 |
32 |
10 |
|
|
45 |
48 |
9 |
|
|
46 |
69 |
2 |
|
|
47 |
56 |
6 |
|
|
48 |
55 |
6 |
|
|
49 |
64 |
3 |
|
|
50 |
51 |
12 |
|
|
51 |
57 |
5 |
|
|
52 |
68 |
3 |
|
|
53 |
74 |
2 |
|
|
54 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  (Single Release) |
1 |
|
55 |
40 |
10 |
|
|
56 |
36 |
9 |
|
|
57 |
34 |
12 |
|
|
58 |
62 |
4 |
|
|
59 |
33 |
14 |
|
|
60 |
53 |
20 |
|
|
61 |
37 |
11 |
|
|
62 |
60 |
8 |
|
|
63 |
63 |
5 |
|
|
64 |
39 |
15 |
|
|
65 |
43 |
8 |
|
|
66 |
71 |
4 |
|
|
67 |
67 |
7 |
|
|
68 |
52 |
18 |
|
|
69 |
44 |
11 |
|
|
70 |
75 |
4 |
|
|
71 |
70 |
5 |
|
|
72 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
73 |
66 |
6 |
|
|
74 |
79 |
4 |
|
|
75 |
73 |
9 |
|
|
76 |
84 |
3 |
|
|
77 |
91 |
2 |
|
|
78 |
82 |
3 |
|
|
79 |
88 |
2 |
|
|
80 |
77 |
6 |
|
|
81 |
86 |
3 |
|
|
82 |
72 |
6 |
|
|
83 |
81 |
4 |
|
|
84 |
61 |
18 |
|
|
85 |
58 |
12 |
|
|
86 |
92 |
2 |
|
|
87 |
98 |
2 |
|
|
88 |
99 |
2 |
|
|
89 |
89 |
20 |
|
|
90 |
101 |
1 |
|
|
91 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
92 |
97 |
2 |
|
|
93 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
94 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
95 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
96 |
78 |
17 |
|
|
97 |
87 |
5 |
|
|
98 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
99 |
80 |
10 |
|
|
100 |
76 |
19 |
Tremors:
101. John Foster, Tell That Angel That I Love Her
Tremors: Songs which have steady
or increasing points but not enough to chart on the SNS 100.
Murmurs:
Michael Nau - Montrose Tape
MT Jones - Punching
Suki Waterhouse - On This Love
Moon Soul - Call
Shaboozey and Jelly Roll - Amen
Balu Brigada - The Question
Grace Bowers and the Hodge Podge - Going to California
Roger Smith, Just Give Me a Beach
Ed Sheeran - Sapphire
Orbis Max and Tim izzard - Summerville
Orbis Max - Nowhereland
My Morning Jacket - Everyday Magic
Wednesday - Elderberry Wine
Jalen Ngonda -Just As Long As We're Together
Lana Del Rey, Bluebird/Sad Girl
Lola Young - One Thing
Anna Lavigne -Night Dreams
Good Neighbours - Ripple
Psychic Air - Phase Disintergrate
Easha - Stunning
Kathleen Turner Overdrive - Love At the End of the Line
The Doobie Brothers - Angels and Mercy/Call Me/New Orleans
The Swinging Medallions - Hit Me With Those Horns
Starbuck - Ocean Drive Nights
Goose - Give It Time
The Big Takeover - Where Did I Go Wrong
Gordi - Peripheral Lover
Murmurs: Songs which are in the
queue for future adds onto the Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist.
|
|
Songs
with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week
●Songs garnering 25 plays
on Spotify (“Scrobbles”) according to Last.Fm (effective October 2024) ▲ Songs garnering 50 plays.
Songs
on the SNS 100 are included on the following public Spotify playlists
Scenes
‘n’ Soundwaves Top 40: Contains songs in positions 1-40 on the SNS
100
Scenes
Up and Coming: Songs From 41-100 that are moving up the
chart that have not reached the top 40
Scenes
Down and Going: Song formerly in the top 40 that are
descending but still on the SNS 100.
Scenes
Recurrents: Songs which had been in
the top 20 and/or songs on the chart 25 weeks or more, that have dropped off
the SNS 100.
