Post by nater414 on Feb 13, 2024 18:20:16 GMT
Very excited to hear about this project. We've all wanted to hear this for years. I'm glad it's finally being finished and released.
I say this half jokingly and half seriously, but in a way, this might be BW's most Spector-ian release of his career thus far for two reasons.
1. He is just the producer, and not the main performer
2. He abandoned the project half way through, leaving others to finish. (Something Spector did on numerous occasions, handing production reigns over to Ike Turner, Bill Medley, George Harrison, Jeff Berry, John Lennon, when he couldn't or didn't want to finish a project)
[Again, I say that somewhat in jest. I understand that BW's involvement as Executive Producer and Guest Vocalist means he, to some degree, did in fact see the project through. And I think it's very awesome and special for him to be contributing to albums and projects in a way that is comfortable for him. I assume Guest Vocalist and Executive Production will be the majority of what we get moving forward, and I'm thankful for that.]
As BW fans, we've often wondered what an alternate timeline would've looked like had Brian become a Spector/George Martin type of producer, producing for other artists. Most of what BW produced for artists like The Honeys and Jan&Dean and those other various artists still have his signature 'Four Freshman meets Dick Dale meets Spector' kinda sound with those trademark harmonies and surfy wall of sound production. But in the 70's, when artists became more individualized, and not just interchangable vocalists on someone else's record, I wonder if Brian would've adapted his talents to different artists' sounds. Kinda like a Rick Rubin way, where the sound of the artist is more identifiable than the sound of the producer. Where the producer becomes a song-serving chameleon of sorts, as opposed to BW/Spector/Jan Berry type of producers who had instantly recognizable trademark styles apparent throughout their entire catalog. This album might be a cool way to examine what that alternate timeline may have looked like.
Hell, I can imagine, in that alternate timeline, if you will, fans of BW's immaculate backing tracks on Pet Sounds and Today would feasibly recruit him for his amazing instrumental production skills, but may have just wanted to track the vocals with their regular Vocal Engineer. This release gives an interesting peer into what that may have sounded like.
Very excited for that documentary/docu-series too. Fred has incredible stories and was around for (And Contributing To!!) some of the most pivotal moments in America's Band's career. I wonder what will premiere first, The BBs documentary/series that has been teased for years now, or Fred's? In the BBs' world, God Only Knows... Forgive me for that pun.
Now this also leads me to believe a strong argument can be made that Stars & Stripes was not Vol1 and was Vol3 of the band's country saga.
vol 1 - Cows In The Pasture (BW, Fred Vail & Guests / 1970, Completed in 2020's)
vol 2 - Country Love (Mike Love / 1978)
vol 3 - Stars & Stripes
and I guess that also leaves "Beach Boys" by Mike, Bruce & LOCASH as vol 4?
CATP and Holland also had a strong Country flavor. Tracks like Mess Of Help, Hold On Dear Brother, and the entire Cal Saga embrace that genre. I'd argue He Come Down fits in with those, as a song harkening back to a pre-RockNRoll genre, in this case Gospel.
Anyway, I kinda got into some tangents inspired by this news, much of which I say in a tongue and cheek fashion. But I am extremely genuine when I say I can't wait for this project to see the light of day, and my day was made so much happier by this cool news. The BBs & Friend's catalog really is a treasure trove and a gift that keeps on giving. So between these archival (and semi archival?) releases, plus with so many of their kids being musicians, I know we have a long and strong legacy of music to look forward to in the future.
I say this half jokingly and half seriously, but in a way, this might be BW's most Spector-ian release of his career thus far for two reasons.
1. He is just the producer, and not the main performer
2. He abandoned the project half way through, leaving others to finish. (Something Spector did on numerous occasions, handing production reigns over to Ike Turner, Bill Medley, George Harrison, Jeff Berry, John Lennon, when he couldn't or didn't want to finish a project)
[Again, I say that somewhat in jest. I understand that BW's involvement as Executive Producer and Guest Vocalist means he, to some degree, did in fact see the project through. And I think it's very awesome and special for him to be contributing to albums and projects in a way that is comfortable for him. I assume Guest Vocalist and Executive Production will be the majority of what we get moving forward, and I'm thankful for that.]
As BW fans, we've often wondered what an alternate timeline would've looked like had Brian become a Spector/George Martin type of producer, producing for other artists. Most of what BW produced for artists like The Honeys and Jan&Dean and those other various artists still have his signature 'Four Freshman meets Dick Dale meets Spector' kinda sound with those trademark harmonies and surfy wall of sound production. But in the 70's, when artists became more individualized, and not just interchangable vocalists on someone else's record, I wonder if Brian would've adapted his talents to different artists' sounds. Kinda like a Rick Rubin way, where the sound of the artist is more identifiable than the sound of the producer. Where the producer becomes a song-serving chameleon of sorts, as opposed to BW/Spector/Jan Berry type of producers who had instantly recognizable trademark styles apparent throughout their entire catalog. This album might be a cool way to examine what that alternate timeline may have looked like.
Hell, I can imagine, in that alternate timeline, if you will, fans of BW's immaculate backing tracks on Pet Sounds and Today would feasibly recruit him for his amazing instrumental production skills, but may have just wanted to track the vocals with their regular Vocal Engineer. This release gives an interesting peer into what that may have sounded like.
Very excited for that documentary/docu-series too. Fred has incredible stories and was around for (And Contributing To!!) some of the most pivotal moments in America's Band's career. I wonder what will premiere first, The BBs documentary/series that has been teased for years now, or Fred's? In the BBs' world, God Only Knows... Forgive me for that pun.
Now this also leads me to believe a strong argument can be made that Stars & Stripes was not Vol1 and was Vol3 of the band's country saga.
vol 1 - Cows In The Pasture (BW, Fred Vail & Guests / 1970, Completed in 2020's)
vol 2 - Country Love (Mike Love / 1978)
vol 3 - Stars & Stripes
and I guess that also leaves "Beach Boys" by Mike, Bruce & LOCASH as vol 4?
CATP and Holland also had a strong Country flavor. Tracks like Mess Of Help, Hold On Dear Brother, and the entire Cal Saga embrace that genre. I'd argue He Come Down fits in with those, as a song harkening back to a pre-RockNRoll genre, in this case Gospel.
Anyway, I kinda got into some tangents inspired by this news, much of which I say in a tongue and cheek fashion. But I am extremely genuine when I say I can't wait for this project to see the light of day, and my day was made so much happier by this cool news. The BBs & Friend's catalog really is a treasure trove and a gift that keeps on giving. So between these archival (and semi archival?) releases, plus with so many of their kids being musicians, I know we have a long and strong legacy of music to look forward to in the future.