Diminutive former Beach Boy Al Jardine has called on his old bandmates Brian Wilson, Mike Love and Bruce Johnston to put together a special vinyl single in support of the victims of the Japan earthquake.
The release contains the song Don’t Fight The Sea, written by Jardine and famous Canadian singer-songwriter Terry Jacks (he who did Seasons In The Sun), and originally intended for Jardine’s solo album A Postcard From California. The song features Wilson, Love and Johnston as well as, impressively, some archive vocals from deceased Wilson brother Carl Wilson.
The other side of the single is what promises to be a lovely a capella version of 1968 Beach Boys track Friends.
Undercover.fm quotes Jardine as saying, “We felt that the song had a nice basic message of friendship. I also like the idea of that song, because the vocals are a bit under-appreciated. So this release was a perfect place to showcase the idea of harmony and friendship. Everybody is behind it 100%, that’s the nice part.”
The single is out tomorrow (Tuesday April 19), with 90 special copies of the single’s first run being signed by all four Beach Boys. All proceeds from the single go to the Red Cross’s efforts in Japan.
There is one Wilson brother missing on this recording, Dennis, so here is a wee tribute to him:
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