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Brian Wilson - Beach Boys
Can anyone tell me how he is these days? I've seen a youtube vid from 2004 and he looked great. Is he still performing and have his demons all gone?
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Hi Neti - following on from Dot's post, if you scroll down this link, it gives you the latest up until Sep 07.
Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys really take me back to being a carefree teenager! ^8^
Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys really take me back to being a carefree teenager! ^8^
oh it was the induction to the uk hall of fame show i watched,
http://www.brianwilson.com/tour/index.html
http://www.brianwilson.com/tour/index.html
As the world biggest Beach Boys fan, I am sorry I missed this earlier.
Brian Wilson is still quite mad and fairly reclusive off the stage. His demons have disappeared, but I am afraid years of drug and alcohol abuse marrred with some illegal psycho-therapeutic practices carried out by Eugene Landy, have left is brilliant mind in an addled state of paranoia and insecurity.
As said he is touring regulary and making new music.
The living Beach Boys did reunite last year for the first time in over a decade, but there are still legal wranglings over the whole outfit.
The Beach Boys are still touring and are coming to England this April. I have a ticket for Brighton and Cardiff. They consist of Mike Love (Brians cousin) and Bruce Johnston who joined when Brian first went mad in 1965/6 and after Glen Campbell left.
Al Jardine (the monkey looking one) tours with Carnie and Wendy Wilson (Brians daughters) and Carl Wilsons son.
As you know Carl and Dennis Wilson are both dead.
There is a small, and I state small chance that one day the surving Beach Boys may play together.
Any Beach Boys or Brian Wilson facts you want to know, then I am the man.
Brian Wilson is still quite mad and fairly reclusive off the stage. His demons have disappeared, but I am afraid years of drug and alcohol abuse marrred with some illegal psycho-therapeutic practices carried out by Eugene Landy, have left is brilliant mind in an addled state of paranoia and insecurity.
As said he is touring regulary and making new music.
The living Beach Boys did reunite last year for the first time in over a decade, but there are still legal wranglings over the whole outfit.
The Beach Boys are still touring and are coming to England this April. I have a ticket for Brighton and Cardiff. They consist of Mike Love (Brians cousin) and Bruce Johnston who joined when Brian first went mad in 1965/6 and after Glen Campbell left.
Al Jardine (the monkey looking one) tours with Carnie and Wendy Wilson (Brians daughters) and Carl Wilsons son.
As you know Carl and Dennis Wilson are both dead.
There is a small, and I state small chance that one day the surving Beach Boys may play together.
Any Beach Boys or Brian Wilson facts you want to know, then I am the man.
Thanks one and all - yes, he is an absolute genius, not too bothered about Mike Love, in fact always thought he was the w***** of thegroup, fancy stuffing sox down one's trousers!! (see Concert at Knebworth) looking ridiculous. I like Brian Johnston and wish he'd leave Mike Love. I just love the youtube vids of when they were young.
While not as big a fan as Bewlay Bros seems to be, I have done a lot of reading and studying of the Beach Boys in the last few years.
I was not a great fan of the Beach Boys during the 1960s as I was more into the Beatles, Dylan plus rock bands like Cream, Hendrix etc.
But having read a lot about the band (and Brian) since, it is a facinating story.
First I have to say that the Brain Wilson WAS the Beach Boys. I know they had their harmony, but without his songs they would have had almost no success.
Their father, Murray, was an amateur musician, and did write some songs that were recorded by some Country and Western singers.
He also gave them a great musical grounding, and did set them on their way. But he was a bully, and often hit Brian round the head, which may have caused his deafness in one ear.
He was their manager at first, but once the group got going he could not let go and began to interfere in the recording of the songs which caused rows between him and the group members (mainly Brian and Dennis).
Eventually they sacked him as manager, and when he died Brian and Dennis refused to go to his funeral.
more......
I was not a great fan of the Beach Boys during the 1960s as I was more into the Beatles, Dylan plus rock bands like Cream, Hendrix etc.
But having read a lot about the band (and Brian) since, it is a facinating story.
First I have to say that the Brain Wilson WAS the Beach Boys. I know they had their harmony, but without his songs they would have had almost no success.
Their father, Murray, was an amateur musician, and did write some songs that were recorded by some Country and Western singers.
He also gave them a great musical grounding, and did set them on their way. But he was a bully, and often hit Brian round the head, which may have caused his deafness in one ear.
He was their manager at first, but once the group got going he could not let go and began to interfere in the recording of the songs which caused rows between him and the group members (mainly Brian and Dennis).
Eventually they sacked him as manager, and when he died Brian and Dennis refused to go to his funeral.
more......
continued.....
I think Brian has always had trouble coping with people and the big wide world, even before he started taking drugs.
If you listen to his song "In My Room" you can hear how he liked to retreat to "his room" when things got to much for him, and that was quite an early song in his career.
I do think Capitol records have a lot to answer for with Brian's health and mental state.
They were the Beach Boys record label in the 1960s and it seems to me that they were just interetsed in getting records out as quickly as possible rather than allowing Brian time to write and create a strong set of songs.
The Beatles label, Parlophone, allowed the Beatles time to create great albums full of great songs. Albums like Rubber Soul and Revolver each have 16 powerful songs and just sound "finished".
Of course the Beatles had both John AND Paul writing songs, AND George Martin producing. But Brian was trying to do ALL the writing AND producing. There was just no one around him at his creative level.
If he had had another member of the band who he could share writing with (I dont count Mike Love), or a producer like George Martin, then maybe Brain would not have felt the strain.
Of course he was also trying to match what the Beatles were doing, and that put a great strain on him. Every time he thought he had caught up with them they would bring out another great album which would knock him back a bit.
Almost all the mid 60s Beach Boys albums have SOME great songs, but one or two fillers that tend to bring down the quality of the whole album.
If Brian had been given a bit longer by Capitol he could have produced some classic Beach Boys albums (as opposed to singles) that may have stood up better.
I know he did Pet Sounds, but this to me is more a Brian Wilson album that other group members happen to
I think Brian has always had trouble coping with people and the big wide world, even before he started taking drugs.
If you listen to his song "In My Room" you can hear how he liked to retreat to "his room" when things got to much for him, and that was quite an early song in his career.
I do think Capitol records have a lot to answer for with Brian's health and mental state.
They were the Beach Boys record label in the 1960s and it seems to me that they were just interetsed in getting records out as quickly as possible rather than allowing Brian time to write and create a strong set of songs.
The Beatles label, Parlophone, allowed the Beatles time to create great albums full of great songs. Albums like Rubber Soul and Revolver each have 16 powerful songs and just sound "finished".
Of course the Beatles had both John AND Paul writing songs, AND George Martin producing. But Brian was trying to do ALL the writing AND producing. There was just no one around him at his creative level.
If he had had another member of the band who he could share writing with (I dont count Mike Love), or a producer like George Martin, then maybe Brain would not have felt the strain.
Of course he was also trying to match what the Beatles were doing, and that put a great strain on him. Every time he thought he had caught up with them they would bring out another great album which would knock him back a bit.
Almost all the mid 60s Beach Boys albums have SOME great songs, but one or two fillers that tend to bring down the quality of the whole album.
If Brian had been given a bit longer by Capitol he could have produced some classic Beach Boys albums (as opposed to singles) that may have stood up better.
I know he did Pet Sounds, but this to me is more a Brian Wilson album that other group members happen to
Chopped the bottom of my last append off.
more.....
I know he did Pet Sounds, but this to me is more a Brian Wilson album that other group members happen to sing on.
And I know it may be sacrilige to say it, but to me that album does not sound finished, I think Brain would have liked another few months to work on it finish it (I know he had plans to put Good Vibrations on it that would have beefed it up a bit). Again, pressure from Capitol.
I have to say that the Beach Boys (compared to other groups at the time) had a terrible image problem.
The name was a bit "naff" but they could not do much about that.
But again, Capitol did them no favours with their album design.
Groups like Pink Floyd, Beatles, Yes, Byrds etc were getting graphic artists in to design really arty covers. The album covers looked cool and help sell the album.
But most of the Beach Boys covers had little or no design and just looked terrible. Look at Pet Sounds, what an AWFUL cover.
Still it is always about the music, and I have to say I am a sucker for a Brian Wilson balled sung with great Beach Boys harmonies.
Remind yourself and listen to God Only Knows, In My Room, Lonely Sea, Dont Worry Baby, Spirit of America, Girls on the Beach, Betsy, The Warmth of the Sun, Please Let Me wonder, Surfer Girl, Wouldnt it be nice and so on.
more.....
I know he did Pet Sounds, but this to me is more a Brian Wilson album that other group members happen to sing on.
And I know it may be sacrilige to say it, but to me that album does not sound finished, I think Brain would have liked another few months to work on it finish it (I know he had plans to put Good Vibrations on it that would have beefed it up a bit). Again, pressure from Capitol.
I have to say that the Beach Boys (compared to other groups at the time) had a terrible image problem.
The name was a bit "naff" but they could not do much about that.
But again, Capitol did them no favours with their album design.
Groups like Pink Floyd, Beatles, Yes, Byrds etc were getting graphic artists in to design really arty covers. The album covers looked cool and help sell the album.
But most of the Beach Boys covers had little or no design and just looked terrible. Look at Pet Sounds, what an AWFUL cover.
Still it is always about the music, and I have to say I am a sucker for a Brian Wilson balled sung with great Beach Boys harmonies.
Remind yourself and listen to God Only Knows, In My Room, Lonely Sea, Dont Worry Baby, Spirit of America, Girls on the Beach, Betsy, The Warmth of the Sun, Please Let Me wonder, Surfer Girl, Wouldnt it be nice and so on.
One final thing. I happen to hate Mike Love.
A few years ago he sued Brain for co-writing credits on some of the Beach Boys hits, and won millions of back royalities.
Although he may have contributed the odd word or phrase to songs, to claim co-writing credit was a scandal. I am sure other group members also contributed but did not claim writing credit.
Anyway, how many decent songs has Mike written without Brian, about NONE I would say, so you can see where the talent lies.
I think for this reason alone Brain is unlikely to appear on stage again with Mike (and I hope he doesn't)
A few years ago he sued Brain for co-writing credits on some of the Beach Boys hits, and won millions of back royalities.
Although he may have contributed the odd word or phrase to songs, to claim co-writing credit was a scandal. I am sure other group members also contributed but did not claim writing credit.
Anyway, how many decent songs has Mike written without Brian, about NONE I would say, so you can see where the talent lies.
I think for this reason alone Brain is unlikely to appear on stage again with Mike (and I hope he doesn't)
Very knowledgable VHG.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=99pgXBv33kI
I think this sums up Brians sentiments about old Murray. Also Brian in his maddest and certainly unfittest best. Great stuff.
I agree that Mike Love had very little musicianship (he played the saxophone rather poorly, and that was that) but I have no dislike for him.
He maintains that all the sueing business was a result of various record companies bullying Brian and using his mental instability to their own ends. Also Love, did have the best voice and was (IS) a great front man. But like you I seriously doubt a 50/50 written credential with Brian. He did write the middle eight to Good Vibrations though (exitations bit!!)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=99pgXBv33kI
I think this sums up Brians sentiments about old Murray. Also Brian in his maddest and certainly unfittest best. Great stuff.
I agree that Mike Love had very little musicianship (he played the saxophone rather poorly, and that was that) but I have no dislike for him.
He maintains that all the sueing business was a result of various record companies bullying Brian and using his mental instability to their own ends. Also Love, did have the best voice and was (IS) a great front man. But like you I seriously doubt a 50/50 written credential with Brian. He did write the middle eight to Good Vibrations though (exitations bit!!)
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