1978 WINDS OF CHANGE

Side A

1. Match Point Of Our Love (alternate mix)
2. It Could Be Anything
3. He's A Bum (alternate mix)

4. Pitter Patter (alternate mix) 

5. Wontcha Come Out Tonight (alternate mix)

6. Sweet Sunday Kind Of Love (alternate mix) 

7. 10 000 Years Ago (Scott G mix)

 
Side B

8. She's Got Rhythm (alternate mix)

9. Go And Get That Girl (alternate mix)

10. How's About A Little Bit Of Your Sweet Lovin' (Scott G mix)

11. Why

12. Our Team

13. My Diane  (alternate mix)

14. Winds Of Change (alternate mix)

Continuing this series of reimagining of The Beach Boys' 70s albums.

Note: The various alternate mixes from this fanedit come from bootlegs, hence the poorer sound quality through the LP. I wish those could be available in top notch quality!

Winds of Change is the 23rd studio album by The Beach Boys, released on July 16, 1978 on Brother/Reprise. Recorded during a fraught time for the band, only Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Brian Wilson appear consistently throughout the album, with Carl and Dennis Wilson contributing only a few tracks. Produced by Al Jardine and songwriter Ron Altbach, the album's title stems from the final track on the album with was written by Ron Altbach and Ed Tuleja of King Harvest fame.

After the release of both Brian and Dennis' solo albums in 1977, The Beach Boys fell into dispute over the direction of the band, and were close to breaking up. Brian Wilson began regressing back into drug use and mental illness after abandoning his therapy. Dennis was  still reeling from the success of his debut solo album, Freckles. Mike was busy contributing songs to the soundtrack of the movie Almost Summer with side project Celebration (a with little help from Brian).

Mike, Al and Brian wanted the next record to follow the now popular disco trend by introducing this particular sound into The Beach Boys' blend and mixing it with a "retro" feel heard on Group Therapy. Dennis was largely unavailable for the new project, being on tour for his solo album. Brother Carl soldiered on even if he wasn't inspired by the band's new direction. The group was to record the new album once again at Brother Studios. When the sessions started in September 1977, only Love, Jardine and Brian Wilson showed up. The original intention was for Brian Wilson to produce the album, but it soon became clear he was unable to function in that role. The production credit on the album was given to Al Jardine and songwriting partner Ron Altbach, with Brian billed as "executive producer", though the exact nature of this role was never clarified.

Intended as a follow-up to Group Therapy featuring a brand-new sound , sessions and mixing for a new album called Winds Of Change were completed and mastered by The Beach Boys in late June 1978. Dennis submitted two songs: the lyrically controversial "He's A Bum" and the disco-fueled instrumental "10 000 Years Ago". He also sang lead vocal for Brian's "My Diane" during one of his rare studio appearances. Carl submitted his lovely soft-rock ballad "It Could Be Anything" and sang on Brian's "Sweet Sunday Kind Of Love" and Ed Tuleja and Ron Altbach's soulful "Go and Get That Girl". The rest of the songs would be contributions from Brian, Al and Mike with a few lyrical assistance from Altbach and Tuleja. The LP opens with Brian Wilson's "Matchpoint Of Our Love". Released as a single it charted at No. 59 in the United States. The follow-up single, "Pitter Patter", went surprisingly to become a top 20 hit in late 1978 when it was released.

 
Although the album peaked at only #51 in the US, and became their first since 60s to be in the UK top 10 album chart. The resulting album was deemed by the musical press "the Wild Honey of the 70s"
Upon its initial release, Rolling Stone stated: " The tracks recapture early soulful energy of the Beach Boys' earlier "Wild Honey", and the mix of retro and disco doesn't always gel but it's a pleasant albeit very commercial-sounding listen. Some concepts are dated and throughout, the playing and singing has a melancholy edge, almost as if the Beach Boys are fully aware that they've outgrown this kind of teen fantasy, but can't think of anyplace else to go."

When asked about the album in the British press, Dennis Wilson said that he "[doesn't] believe in that album". Carl said that "the album was something the band had to get out of its system." Reflecting on the album in 1992, Mike Love noted, "It was too democratic. Everybody coming into it with their song, which is okay. It's like if you have an album and have a hit song on it, and it's very commercially viable. Doesn't it make sense to have another song that would also be commercially viable? And a third and a fourth." In 1995, Brian said that he could not remember making the album, claiming that he had gone through a "mental blank-out" during this period.

At the end of the year, the band recorded a seasonal set of songs released as a EP a few weeks before Chistmas Day. Tracks on the EP were Mike's "Alone On Christmas Day", Dennis' "Holy Evening" b/w Brian's "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa" and "The Beach Boys family Xmas Carol Medley".