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Post by Kapitan on Aug 19, 2020 19:36:40 GMT
his insights regarding Brian a little more interesting and credible. And to that end, what he said is roughly what I've said for years: no, Brian isn't intimately involved in much, but he still gets interested in making music, especially vocals. So the rehearsals are done without him, and the band works all that out (as Nate says even for the Vegas shows); and then in the studio, when it piques his interest, Brian chimes in with harmony parts and you remember that the guy is supremely gifted, even if his powers are reduced.
Not a vegetable. Not a superman. Just an aging man with his best days behind him, but who's not dead yet.
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Post by kds on Aug 19, 2020 19:58:27 GMT
Yeah, I was taken aback a little by the Mike bashing from a fellow professional, but the unrestrained nature of the conversation probably made his insights regarding Brian a little more interesting and credible. Yep, plus, I think it was more of a dig at Mike's show as compared to Brian's show (even if I don't think the divide is all that wide anymore, it certainly was at one time).
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 19, 2020 20:50:45 GMT
I just lost a lot of respect for Nate Ruess, who I never even heard of before NPP, but whose vocal I liked on "Saturday Night". This interview was an embarrassment. Did one of those idiots say that Buddy Rich "wasn't that good..."?
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zinczag
The Surfer Moon
Posts: 151
Likes: 90
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Post by zinczag on Aug 20, 2020 0:21:35 GMT
Eh, he chooses Brian & doesn't like Mike. So? Everybody's got favorites & not-favorites. Big deal.😏
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Post by jk on Aug 20, 2020 9:02:35 GMT
Yeah, I was taken aback a little by the Mike bashing from a fellow professional, but the unrestrained nature of the conversation probably made his insights regarding Brian a little more interesting and credible. Haha, yes. You mean the F-bombs flying in all directions. Quite frankly, I can do without that. I do like the compliment Nate paid the Wondermints though. Thanks for sharing, B.E..
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Post by kds on Aug 20, 2020 12:24:51 GMT
Now that this interview seems to be making the rounds, it's inevitable that the Brianista crowd will declare fun is the greatest band of the 21st Century, Nate is best singer of his generation, and Saturday Night is Brian's all time best solo song.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 20, 2020 12:33:06 GMT
Now that this interview seems to be making the rounds, it's inevitable that the Brianista crowd will declare fun is the greatest band of the 21st Century, Nate is best singer of his generation, and Saturday Night is Brian's all time best solo song. Are they ramping up elsewhere? Or are you just speculating on the inevitable?
I thought Ruess was great on that song (and on the ones he sang live on that BW show). Fun (or fun. or whatever) was never my thing, but he was fine. Yet he's certainly nothing special. And it's hard for me to love him TOO much when he doesn't play any instruments and, while being solely dedicated to singing, admits in that very interview that he's not good at singing harmonies, either. So he has a naturally good voice and can belt out melodies ... but that's it. OK, that's fine. But you won't be high on my list with such a limited range of talent unless you're peerless in that talent--and he's not.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Aug 20, 2020 12:35:10 GMT
I've read some comments that suggest it's acceptable to blast Mike Love because the criticism is valid and, hey, what's wrong with simply giving an opinion. Of course, that's true unless Brian Wilson is on the other end of the criticism. Can you say Jeff Beck? Remember when Jeff Beck ended his working relationship with Brian Wilson and had some less than positive things to say about Brian and Brian's "situation"? How dare Jeff Beck say those things! What a lack of respect. And, he (Beck) was probably wrong any way. With Mike Love? Well, what's wrong with criticism if it's deserved. With Brian Wilson? How dare you say that, no matter what. Typical hypocrisy from The Haters.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 20, 2020 12:38:05 GMT
I actually DO think it's acceptable to bash Mike Love, to share an opinion. It may not reflect well on you, though. That kind of talk usually comes off as adolescent sneer, which I wouldn't think is how most people--especially professionals in the same industry--would want to come across. But it's up to them.
You can contrast it with how Brian's and Mike's band members have talked about one another and the other Beach Boys. You don't hear Darian Sahanaja or John Cowsill talk trash about Love or Wilson. Maybe it's because they know they're working musicians who ought not burn bridges, or maybe it's a matter of character. But it is a very noticeable difference.
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Post by kds on Aug 20, 2020 12:41:25 GMT
Now that this interview seems to be making the rounds, it's inevitable that the Brianista crowd will declare fun is the greatest band of the 21st Century, Nate is best singer of his generation, and Saturday Night is Brian's all time best solo song. Are they ramping up elsewhere? Or are you just speculating on the inevitable?
I thought Ruess was great on that song (and on the ones he sang live on that BW show). Fun (or fun. or whatever) was never my thing, but he was fine. Yet he's certainly nothing special. And it's hard for me to love him TOO much when he doesn't play any instruments and, while being solely dedicated to singing, admits in that very interview that he's not good at singing harmonies, either. So he has a naturally good voice and can belt out melodies ... but that's it. OK, that's fine. But you won't be high on my list with such a limited range of talent unless you're peerless in that talent--and he's not.
Just speculation. There's a thread about it on the Endless Summer Board, but for the most part, that board's pretty fair and balanced. But, I'm sure other fans will be rushing to shake hands with Nate. I really don't have much of an issue with what Nate said about Mike. He's not the only artist who subscribes to Brian GOOD / Mike BAD thing. Compared to other things I've read / heard, that was pretty much nothing. As for his abilities, I do think, for his era, he's a very good singer. I liked a couple fun songs, and I like Saturday Night a lot.
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Post by kds on Aug 20, 2020 12:43:09 GMT
I've read some comments that suggest it's acceptable to blast Mike Love because the criticism is valid and, hey, what's wrong with simply giving an opinion. Of course, that's true unless Brian Wilson is on the other end of the criticism. Can you say Jeff Beck? Remember when Jeff Beck ended his working relationship with Brian Wilson and had some less than positive things to say about Brian and Brian's "situation"? How dare Jeff Beck say those things! What a lack of respect. And, he (Beck) was probably wrong any way. With Mike Love? Well, what's wrong with criticism if it's deserved. With Brian Wilson? How dare you say that, no matter what. Typical hypocrisy from The Haters. That's true. And, if one is being objective, there's not a single member of The Beach Boys who is above criticism.
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Post by Kapitan on Aug 20, 2020 12:47:48 GMT
Or a single member of the human species, for that matter...
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Post by kds on Aug 20, 2020 12:56:44 GMT
Or a single member of the human species, for that matter... Not Chuck Norris
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Post by kds on Apr 7, 2022 13:14:27 GMT
Seven years ago today, I drove to Target after work to get my Deluxe copy of the new BW album - No Pier Pressure.
We didn't know it at the time, but NPP marked the end of a surprising prolific era for Brian. From 1998 (when his solo career was relaunched) to 2015, Brian released eight studio albums, and one with The Beach Boys.
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Post by Kapitan on Apr 7, 2022 13:26:59 GMT
We didn't know it at the time, but NPP marked the end of a surprising prolific era for Brian. From 1998 (when his solo career was relaunched) to 2015, Brian released eight studio albums, and one with The Beach Boys. Plus a few live albums, six DVDs (I think? Imagination, PS Live, On Tour, BWPS doc, TLOS doc, and NPP show), and maybe most surprisingly, more or less constant touring. Whatever one thinks of the music or his performances, nobody can say he wasn't active.
I really have mixed feelings about NPP. There are things I like very much about it, but it also felt to me at the time (and still does) like the team was hiding Brian's shortcomings, whether by guest stars, autotuning type treatment (avoiding the controversy by not using the brand name!), blending vocal tracks to help those high notes feel like they were more his than they were, etc. I thought he personally sounded weak not just on his higher parts, but just shaky in general, even in the lower range.
This was the time, I think, when I honestly hoped he kept releasing music with other people doing all or most of the singing. I know many, many fans disagree, but I'd rather hear Darian Sahanaja, Al or Matt Jardine, etc., singing those leads, with Brian writing and arranging. I'd thought about that idea throughout his post-98 career, but this is where I really began feeling convinced of it. Obviously wouldn't happen ... and we've gotten more or less nothing new since.
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