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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 1, 2020 14:14:02 GMT
Do I think that Brian writes something whole and then turns it over to his collaborators for "filtering"? No. Unfortunately, no, unless as you alluded to, it's an old song or demo that's he's simply pulling out of his memory. I might be getting into semantics here, but I think the term "filtering" could be applied to Brian's ideas, not an entire piece, but ideas. I can see Brian sitting down and playing some chords or even a line or two of a melody for a collaborator for some feedback, and the collaborator might vote yea or neh, based on how good the idea is.
We have read in some fairly recent articles/interviews where Brian would simply enter the studio and the tape machines (or whatever they use) would start rolling and record every little thing - literally - that Brian was playing or singing. Now, that would fall more under creating or building, but I think filtering could also be used to describe that process. On one hand I guess it's good that Brian got the needed help in bringing his ideas to some kind of fruition. On the other hand, it's also somewhat off-putting to see Brian's composing or creativity reduced to such grasping for anything they might be able to use. I guess it depends on your point of view.
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bellbottoms
Pacific Coast Highway
Posts: 727
Likes: 201
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Post by bellbottoms on Feb 1, 2020 16:34:31 GMT
I actually think a lot about the opening line “I had this dream, singing with my brothers in harmony” from Southern California. Recognizing that TLOS has more than a fair bit of collaboration filtering on it, I do think there is a kernel of truth in that line that spells out the root of Brian’s genius – his ear for harmonies combined with utilizing the voices of those closest to him to make those harmonies happen. It meant EVERYTHING to him, and I think it still does. And so I think his genius is really all built around that.
Obvious statement of the year, maybe. But the way Brian molded and shaped the voices of Carl, Dennis, Mike, and Al into harmonic tapestries is, to use a surfing term, the source. It’s often been imitated, but never duplicated. They learned it from him, and could certainly hold their own without him, but he was their master.
When Brian does sit down to write something, or even when something just occurs to him, I have a feeling he still thinks about it in those terms – part of the way he composes. It’s almost as if they are a separate kind of musical scale… the scale of B, C, D, M and A. For the Boys was mentioned a while back, and I absolutely think that song is meant to be a heartfelt message to the Beach Boys from Brian, that they were still and always would be with him, even as a solo artist.
Anyway, I think the earliest example of Brian’s vocal harmony genius is in the intro to 409.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 1, 2020 19:57:48 GMT
While thinking about when Wilson's genius first made its appearance, something occurred to me that I find astounding.
In the calendar year beginning September 13, 1963--actually only about 10 months, not a full year--the Beach Boys driven of course by Brian Wilson released the following songs:
I Get Around
Don't Worry, Baby All Summer Long
The Warmth of the Sun
Surfer Girl Wendy
In My Room Fun, Fun, Fun
Little Deuce Coupe Hushabye Little Honda
The Surfer Moon Why Do Fools Fall In Love?
Hawaii Catch a Wave Don't Back Down
Keep An Eye On Summer Drive-In
The Girls on the Beach
Now honestly, think about that as a greatest hits collection. How many pop artists have a Top 20 songs covering their entire career that match up to those 19? (The number was coincidental, by the way: I was just compiling what strike me as standouts and the number was 19; I wasn't aiming for 20 or anything.) And I don't mean in terms of some brilliant but obscure music, or critically acclaimed music. Not Velvet Underground or Frank Zappa or something, I mean amazing songs in the popular vein that truly were popular. Seriously? How many for their whole careers? A dozen? Like the Beatles, U2, Billy Joel, Queen, and acts like that. But not many can compete with that list ... and that's before 1965 begins, which kicks off a few more years of brilliance.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 7, 2020 23:43:35 GMT
I was just listening to something, not necessarily an entire song, but part of a song that could advance the last example of Brian's genius past "Til I Die" and the coda to "A Day In The Life Of A Tree", and that would be the "Pied Piper Theme" and "Radio King Dom" on "Mount Vernon And Fairway". Those segments are amazing. I don't know if they were newly-composed in Holland or if Brian pulled them from his musical memory, but they are spectacular and make me wish they would've been developed into a full production. I guess Brian did incorporate them into "Lazy Lizzie", but that song doesn't come close to the "Mount Vernon And Fairway" segments.
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Post by lonelysummer on Feb 21, 2020 6:52:17 GMT
I was just listening to something, not necessarily an entire song, but part of a song that could advance the last example of Brian's genius past "Til I Die" and the coda to "A Day In The Life Of A Tree", and that would be the "Pied Piper Theme" and "Radio King Dom" on "Mount Vernon And Fairway". Those segments are amazing. I don't know if they were newly-composed in Holland or if Brian pulled them from his musical memory, but they are spectacular and make me wish they would've been developed into a full production. I guess Brian did incorporate them into "Lazy Lizzie", but that song doesn't come close to the "Mount Vernon And Fairway" segments. I heard a guy at work the other day doing what sounded like the Pied Piper voice; I was tempted to quote a few lines from the record, but I knew that's not what he was thinking of. It would be fun, though, to work everyday with Beach Boys fanatics.
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 21, 2020 13:53:17 GMT
I was just listening to something, not necessarily an entire song, but part of a song that could advance the last example of Brian's genius past "Til I Die" and the coda to "A Day In The Life Of A Tree", and that would be the "Pied Piper Theme" and "Radio King Dom" on "Mount Vernon And Fairway". Those segments are amazing. I don't know if they were newly-composed in Holland or if Brian pulled them from his musical memory, but they are spectacular and make me wish they would've been developed into a full production. I guess Brian did incorporate them into "Lazy Lizzie", but that song doesn't come close to the "Mount Vernon And Fairway" segments. I heard a guy at work the other day doing what sounded like the Pied Piper voice; I was tempted to quote a few lines from the record, but I knew that's not what he was thinking of. It would be fun, though, to work everyday with Beach Boys fanatics. I have two friends that date back to high school (and that's a lot of years ago  ) who still follow the Beach Boys somewhat. We attended several concerts through the years (we're going on 4/8/20). They have some but not all of the "later" albums. They also keep up with some of the current happenings, thanks to me occasionally bombarding them with info (trivia?).
However, throughout my life, with several family members, co-workers, and friends, I have never met or had any kind of relationship with a Beach Boys' fanatic. Some people I've met were familiar with Pet Sounds. Some heard of SMiLE thanks to BWPS. Of course many know "Komomo". And with the Love And Mercy movie, some became familiar with Brian Wilson. But as far as a real fanatic, no, that person has been elusive.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 21, 2020 13:56:21 GMT
I don't have any serious-fan friends or family, either. Most of my friends have inevitably absorbed some of the basic outlines of the Beach Boys' story--just osmosis--but they tend not to be all that interested. My most hipstery music friend has attended several shows with me and is a fan to some degree, but not seriously. My mom, who has had depression issues, connected to the IJWMFTT doc and then the Smile story.
But mostly when I go on about it all, people just humor me. A little bit. Sometimes. (Otherwise they avoid me!  )
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 21, 2020 14:24:20 GMT
I don't have any serious-fan friends or family, either. Most of my friends have inevitably absorbed some of the basic outlines of the Beach Boys' story--just osmosis--but they tend not to be all that interested. My most hipstery music friend has attended several shows with me and is a fan to some degree, but not seriously. My mom, who has had depression issues, connected to the IJWMFTT doc and then the Smile story.
But mostly when I go on about it all, people just humor me. A little bit. Sometimes. (Otherwise they avoid me! ) Yeah, I didn't even think about it but I guess my Dad was a big BB fan. Growing up, the bathroom in our house (and we only had one bathroom with six family members  ) was adjacent to my bedroom. My Dad used to give himself his own haircut, so he spent rather long periods of time listening to the music emanating from my bedroom. My Dad used to whistle along to the songs, not just the melodies but certain arrangements. My Dad's favorite albums to...whistle along to? 15 Big Ones, The Beach Boys Love You, and L.A. Woman.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 21, 2020 14:32:56 GMT
Growing up, the bathroom in our house (and we only had one bathroom with six family members Ah, the old days. We had one for seven until my dad built a kind of half-bathroom (very basic and small) in the basement somewhere along the line. Now I hear people complaining if there aren't two bathrooms in a two-bedroom house!
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) who still follow the Beach Boys somewhat. We attended several concerts through the years (we're going on 4/8/20). They have some but not all of the "later" albums. They also keep up with some of the current happenings, thanks to me occasionally bombarding them with info (trivia?).
)
) was adjacent to my bedroom. My Dad used to give himself his own haircut, so he spent rather long periods of time listening to the music emanating from my bedroom. My Dad used to whistle along to the songs, not just the melodies but certain arrangements. My Dad's favorite albums to...whistle along to? 15 Big Ones, The Beach Boys Love You, and L.A. Woman. 
