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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 12, 2021 15:26:31 GMT
Another '91 BW interview passed through my recommended videos. A lot of autobiography and Landy talk.
Right at the very end of the video, Fred Griffith (the man interviewer) said, "Didn't you like him; I liked him.", and Lee Jordan (the lady interviewer) said, "I liked him, but, really, he made me feel very sad." Fred then said as the video was fading away, "Almost had tears in your eyes, huh..."
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 26, 2021 18:23:20 GMT
Came across this '88 interview with the famous Terry Gross of NPR. She's known for getting great stuff; Brian is known for being a terrible interviewee. It's the irresistible force versus the immovable object!
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 26, 2021 18:28:52 GMT
"When you get older, you sorta slow down a little bit, right? Y'know? And that's the one thing I don't want to do, is slow down, because I don't want to die. [awkward laugh]"
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 26, 2021 19:31:32 GMT
Listening to this one (January 1968) again:
A few things keep occurring to me.
1) The interviewer sounds like such a child. Not his voice--which is deep, actually--but his mindset. He's enamored with "the new religion," drugs, the scene in a way that just seems so naive.
2) Brian talking about going from Smile to Smiley Smile, is interesting: "we pulled out of that production pace, really, because I was about ready to die. I was trying so hard ... and all of a sudden, I just decided not to try anymore, you know? And not try to do such great things, you know?"
Yet the writing was on the wall, with:
3) Brian saying "we had so much fun, the Smiley Smile era* was so great ... it was unbelievable, personally, spiritually ... I didn't have any paranoic [sic] feelings. No paranoia." Based on what the other guys have said about that period, and the comments about paranoia, methinks he doth protest a bit too much.
*It's funny to call it an era, since it was roughly a summer long ... most of it done within about six weeks.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 26, 2021 20:41:27 GMT
Came across this '88 interview with the famous Terry Gross of NPR. She's known for getting great stuff; Brian is known for being a terrible interviewee. It's the irresistible force versus the immovable object!
"No highs in the studio." Yeah, right Brian. That was a great interviewer. I never heard of Terry Gross before but those were some of the best questions I ever heard asked of Brian. And, she was persistent; she didn't give up until the question was answered. I wonder if she is still alive and active. I'd love to hear her interview Brian today.
Speaking of Brian today...I thought about bringing this subject up numerous times but Dr. Landy is just too controversial of a subject. Anyway... Do you know what's interesting? When you hear Brian back then (the mid/late 80's) with his loud, sometimes animated, sometimes manic, sometimes brutally honest, sometimes in-your-face speaking style, and very eager-to-please - Landy gets blamed. And, there's no doubt that Brian was under the influence of...something. Then, when you hear Brian speak post-1993, AFTER Landy was gone, he is sometimes slurred (those he was at times before that, too), many times evasive, much slower speaking, sometimes doesn't get the questions, is not introspective, and can't wait to get the hell out of there - and Landy gets blamed for that, too. Dr. Landy hasn't treated Brian for over 25 years, yet fans/people want to continue to blame him. If Landy is, in fact, responsible "for the way Brian is today", then Brian suffered permanent Brian damage at the hands of Landy in the 1980's. However, whenever THAT is mentioned, it's "No, you can't say that, you can't go there, there's no permanent damage..." Well, it's either one or the other. Either he did or he didn't.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 26, 2021 21:15:27 GMT
That was a great interviewer. I never heard of Terry Gross before but those were some of the best questions I ever heard asked of Brian. And, she was persistent; she didn't give up until the question was answered. I wonder if she is still alive and active. I'd love to hear her interview Brian today. She either has recently retired or is in a transition to retirement. Her long-running NPR show Fresh Air was basically podcasts before podcasts, and she has talked to everyone over the years. She often gets (or got) a lot out of people, with a few exceptions. There have been a few rough spots, though, like her 2002 interview with Gene Simmons or when Lou Reed walked out on her, as recounted in this 1998 Salon feature on her.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 31, 2021 17:32:19 GMT
John Tesh interviews Brian Wilson in 1991. There is a little more of the show in the show:interview ratio, though it's more interview as it rolls along. The reclusive years, drugs, his kids, and Landy are topics covered. A little sad, he closes by saying what would make him really happy is a big hit. And he still hasn't yet had that last big hit. It seems unlikely he will.
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Post by kds on Mar 31, 2021 18:10:36 GMT
Even if he and Mike write one last great Beach Boys song, it wouldn't be a hit. At least not the hit Brian's looking for ie. Top 40. Contemporary music will not allow it.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 31, 2021 18:20:25 GMT
Even if he and Mike write one last great Beach Boys song, it wouldn't be a hit. At least not the hit Brian's looking for ie. Top 40. Contemporary music will not allow it. Yep, that's what I was thinking. In fact, I would say he has created several great song recordings since 1991, including at least "From There to Back Again" with the Beach Boys.
But a hit? I think the best chance for another hit would be one of the classics re-entering the charts after he dies. Not cheerful or optimistic, but if I were forced to put money on the best bet for another hit, that would be it. Something like WIBN, GV or GOK posthumously.
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Post by kds on Mar 31, 2021 18:33:58 GMT
Even if he and Mike write one last great Beach Boys song, it wouldn't be a hit. At least not the hit Brian's looking for ie. Top 40. Contemporary music will not allow it. Yep, that's what I was thinking. In fact, I would say he has created several great song recordings since 1991, including at least "From There to Back Again" with the Beach Boys.
But a hit? I think the best chance for another hit would be one of the classics re-entering the charts after he dies. Not cheerful or optimistic, but if I were forced to put money on the best bet for another hit, that would be it. Something like WIBN, GV or GOK posthumously.
One of those classics could also get a pop culture bump from inclusion in a popular TV show, movie, video game, or viral video while Brian is still with us. And, I agree, I think he's released some great songs, and some songs with hit potential. I still say Saturday Night could've made some noise, thanks mostly to Nate Ruess. And maybe a song or two from TWGMTR.
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Post by Kapitan on Mar 31, 2021 19:59:34 GMT
Another of those late 80s/early 90s videos, here is a full episode of "Cover Story." It's perfect if you ever really wanted to see a shirtless Brian playing piano...
Landy is interviewed, too. It's odd seeing Brian sitting beside him (like around 8:35), his head down, his hands clasped in his lap. I don't know, but it seems uncomfortable. He later says of the time with Landy, "I guess it's only been about five and a half years now, that's not very long to be with somebody."
But also, talking about working in the studio, "It is something I do out of extreme pride in my craft. My craft means a lot to me. It really does."
EDIT - some of the interviews from this is what was used in the BW88 reissue back around 2000.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Mar 31, 2021 22:37:28 GMT
John Tesh interviews Brian Wilson in 1991. There is a little more of the show in the show:interview ratio, though it's more interview as it rolls along. The reclusive years, drugs, his kids, and Landy are topics covered. A little sad, he closes by saying what would make him really happy is a big hit. And he still hasn't yet had that last big hit. It seems unlikely he will.
I saw this when it originally aired. Tesh is a big fan of Brian's, and, yes, Brian looked sad throughout the interview.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 2, 2021 23:32:31 GMT
Here's one from 2012 that I didn't see at the time, a Good Morning America performance. Funny comment, someone trying to be the smart one says something like "Did I see Mr. Love helping Brian Wilson with the falsetto at 3:48?" as if he's busted Brian on some secret. Clearly all of us know that note is never hit by Brian, but unfortunately for the commenter, it sure as hell isn't Mike Love hitting it! It's Foskett.
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Post by B.E. on Apr 3, 2021 1:52:00 GMT
I just listened to part 1 and 2 of this interview with Chuck Britz. It was new to me, so I figured I'd share it.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Apr 3, 2021 11:16:14 GMT
Here's one from 2012 that I didn't see at the time, a Good Morning America performance. Funny comment, someone trying to be the smart one says something like "Did I see Mr. Love helping Brian Wilson with the falsetto at 3:48?" as if he's busted Brian on some secret. Clearly all of us know that note is never hit by Brian, but unfortunately for the commenter, it sure as hell isn't Mike Love hitting it! It's Foskett.
That interview portion cracked me up. "Let's give a proper welcome to Mike Love, Brian Wilson...Al, David, and Bruce." And, "Brian, I just love looking into those beautiful eyes of yours..." I think they picked the wrong Beach Boy to ask an audience question of. And, Melinda and Jacqueline obviously didn't consult on their hubbies' shirts for the day. Good video, though. I enjoyed it very much, and it made me want to see a (cough) 60th Anniversary version of the band!
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