Still Cruisin'

Still Cruisin is the last studio album release by The Beach Boys in the 1980s, and their thirty-fifth official album (counting compilations and live packages). It is also the last album of new material released during a brief return to Capitol Records, which was mainly compiled in the wake of "Kokomo"'s unexpected success.

Related Topics:
Album - The Beach Boys - 1980s - Capitol Records

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In Autumn 1988, after releasing a few film songs, their contribution to the film Cocktail went all the way to number one in the United States, the first time The Beach Boys had been there since 1966's "Good Vibrations". It was a satisfying triumph for the band, but cold comfort for Brian Wilson who never got to take part in the recording (although he does sing on the later Spanish language version). At the time, he was in a relationship with his self-professed svengali, Dr. Eugene Landy, who – while treating Wilson's mental illness – was overmedicating and brainwashing the former Beach Boys leader into staying away from his family and band. Landy had complete control of Wilson's doings, and his name began featuring on all of Wilson's current songs, alarming Brian's old colleagues. After allegedly signing his assets over to Landy in the event of his death, Wilson became the subject of a conservatorship lawsuit, brought by Carl Wilson, one that would see Brian ultimately extracted from Landy's care and returned back to a sense of normalcy. This wouldn't occur until late 1991, so until then, Wilson had very little contact with anyone outside Landy's circle. Thus, his contribution to Still Cruisin, with the aforementioned compromised songcredits, was only "In My Car", almost self-performed (exept for Carl Wilson's harmony overdub).

Related Topics:
1988 - Cocktail - United States - 1966 - Brian Wilson - Spanish language - Svengali - Eugene Landy - Mental illness - Carl Wilson - 1991

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With a few unrelated songs thrown into the mix (including the unlikely 1987 Fat Boys alliance on "Wipe Out"), the rest of the album was loosely centered on the theme of songs that featured in films. The title track was featured in Lethal Weapon 2 and "Make It Big" was part of Troop Beverly Hills. Deciding to add some commercial insurance to the package, Capitol went back to "I Get Around", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", and "California Girls", listing the films they had all recently been heard in.

Related Topics:
1987 - Fat Boys - Lethal Weapon 2 - Troop Beverly Hills - Capitol

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Despite the presence of the last truly great Beach Boys track "Somewhere Near Japan", it was a bit of hodge-podge, but it worked. Riding on "Kokomo"'s steam, Still Cruisin' went gold in the U.S., and gave The Beach Boys their best chart showing since 1976. However, during Capitol's Beach Boys re-issue campaign in 2000 and 2001, Still Cruisin' was left behind and allowed to go out of print.

Related Topics:
Gold - 1976 - Capitol - 2000 - 2001

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