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Post by beachboystalkmatt on Feb 5, 2022 22:11:20 GMT
Hello friends! This Tuesday we welcome musician, songwriter, and former Brian Wilson band member Nelson Bragg! Please join us Tuesday at 8 EST!
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Post by B.E. on Feb 6, 2022 0:00:57 GMT
I'd like to hear any remembrances of his time recording in the studio with Brian and the band. Particularly, lesser discussed albums like Gershwin and Disney, but really any of the albums!
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Post by Sheriff John Stone on Feb 9, 2022 13:18:49 GMT
Great show! Nelson seems like a nice, down-to-earth guy...and a good storyteller. He remembered a lot of details and offered some interesting insights. Those were the days (ha ha). When I saw the Beach Boys in 2012, we arrived very early and were standing out in the parking lot. The tour bus pulled up and Nelson got out and spent several minutes mingling with the fans. I'm curious why Nelson left Brian's band.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 9, 2022 13:31:47 GMT
I'm curious why Nelson left Brian's band. My recollection--which is vague!--is that he had posted something implying (or even saying?) Stamos intentionally staged the "saving the day" moment on C50 when he came out and sang "Forever." I believe during that online spat it was also mentioned and possibly acknowledged he (Nelson, not Stamos) was drinking too much. I'm not sure that's all related, but it seems to have coincided in the chronology, as I remember it. But I absolutely might be wrong and welcome correction from anyone who remembers or knows better.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 9, 2022 13:32:36 GMT
btw I didn't catch the show live, but look forward to watching today.
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 9, 2022 19:47:06 GMT
I listened to the show and one main takeaway (other than what I posted in the Arrangements thread) was that Nelson's telling differs somewhat from at least the impressions I've gotten from other interviewees (not necessarily on BBT, but generally) about Brian's involvement, activity, the band's role, etc. The way Nelson tells it seems more akin to what I think of as the "conspiracy theory" version of modern Brian Wilson--though I'm not saying Nelson told it that way. Just more down that line.
More specifically, he certainly talks about the recording process in a way that left me with the impression that Brian's involvement is really very much in the vocal arrangements. But he talks about Darian producing, he talks about Mertens producing, he talks about the band having such a deep knowledge of Brian's musical tendencies that they know what they're going to go for, and then once you get to the vocals, that's Brian's arranging, that's Brian overseeing it.
He also talked throughout (and then when it was the specific topic near the end) about the band feeling like they were taking care of Brian, looking out for him, making sure he was feeling OK, as well as performing the music. About not feeling certain Brian would follow through.
And (interestingly--maybe most interestingly) that sometimes with Brian he's not just comfortable once he gets over the mental issues, but maybe more than that:
"It's like everything else with him, the beginnings, getting going, is always really, really hard, and then once he conquers the demons ... or, y'know, gets over the fact that he has to work really, really hard--and sees the results--then he's comfortable, you know?"
I find that interesting. Good discussion.
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Post by beachboystalkmatt on Feb 10, 2022 2:29:53 GMT
I listened to the show and one main takeaway (other than what I posted in the Arrangements thread) was that Nelson's telling differs somewhat from at least the impressions I've gotten from other interviewees (not necessarily on BBT, but generally) about Brian's involvement, activity, the band's role, etc. The way Nelson tells it seems more akin to what I think of as the "conspiracy theory" version of modern Brian Wilson--though I'm not saying Nelson told it that way. Just more down that line.
More specifically, he certainly talks about the recording process in a way that left me with the impression that Brian's involvement is really very much in the vocal arrangements. But he talks about Darian producing, he talks about Mertens producing, he talks about the band having such a deep knowledge of Brian's musical tendencies that they know what they're going to go for, and then once you get to the vocals, that's Brian's arranging, that's Brian overseeing it.
He also talked throughout (and then when it was the specific topic near the end) about the band feeling like they were taking care of Brian, looking out for him, making sure he was feeling OK, as well as performing the music. About not feeling certain Brian would follow through.
And (interestingly--maybe most interestingly) that sometimes with Brian he's not just comfortable once he gets over the mental issues, but maybe more than that:
"It's like everything else with him, the beginnings, getting going, is always really, really hard, and then once he conquers the demons ... or, y'know, gets over the fact that he has to work really, really hard--and sees the results--then he's comfortable, you know?"
I find that interesting. Good discussion.
Thanks! I actually though Nelson’s comments about Brian arranging 80% of the vocals was encouraging. I have heard many bad things about Brian abs how he doesn’t write and do anything on the records. Brian took ideas from other folks even in the sixties. I appreciate you watching the show! Nelson was really great!
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Post by beachboystalkmatt on Feb 10, 2022 2:30:51 GMT
Great show! Nelson seems like a nice, down-to-earth guy...and a good storyteller. He remembered a lot of details and offered some interesting insights. Those were the days (ha ha). When I saw the Beach Boys in 2012, we arrived very early and were standing out in the parking lot. The tour bus pulled up and Nelson got out and spent several minutes mingling with the fans. I'm curious why Nelson left Brian's band. Thanks! We were going to ask him why he left the band but we did not get to it. Not sure if he would have been comfortable answering that anyway. We appreciate you watching the show!
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 10, 2022 12:22:56 GMT
Thanks! I actually though Nelson’s comments about Brian arranging 80% of the vocals was encouraging. I have heard many bad things about Brian abs how he doesn’t write and do anything on the records. Brian took ideas from other folks even in the sixties. I appreciate you watching the show! Nelson was really great! Oh, I agree / have no problems with his characterizations. It's just that it seems to me that sometimes people try to combat the "Brian does nothing, it's all a sham" narrative with exaggerations the other direction: "oh, he's still REALLY in charge of EVERYTHING, it's all him!" And obviously that's not true, I think that sort of thing just makes the "conspiracy theories" worse.
Nelson seemed to be taking a more realistic view in his narrative. No, Brian doesn't do it all. Yes, other guys do a lot of the tracks and production. But yes, Brian still handles vocals.
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Post by beachboystalkmatt on Feb 10, 2022 14:30:07 GMT
Thanks! I actually though Nelson’s comments about Brian arranging 80% of the vocals was encouraging. I have heard many bad things about Brian abs how he doesn’t write and do anything on the records. Brian took ideas from other folks even in the sixties. I appreciate you watching the show! Nelson was really great! Oh, I agree / have no problems with his characterizations. It's just that it seems to me that sometimes people try to combat the "Brian does nothing, it's all a sham" narrative with exaggerations the other direction: "oh, he's still REALLY in charge of EVERYTHING, it's all him!" And obviously that's not true, I think that sort of thing just makes the "conspiracy theories" worse.
Nelson seemed to be taking a more realistic view in his narrative. No, Brian doesn't do it all. Yes, other guys do a lot of the tracks and production. But yes, Brian still handles vocals.
I totally agree with you! I think it is unrealistic to think he does everything for sure. But I always doubted that he had nothing to do with his records. He is Brian Wilson after all!
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Post by Kapitan on Feb 10, 2022 14:47:29 GMT
I think it's just sport for people to take a side, and it's always all or nothing. He controls every detail, or he just shows up to sing what he's told and nothing else. Both of those are so extreme, so cartoonish... Obviously it's a matter of somewhere in between. And the older he gets, it makes sense that he's doing less and less of the tedious stuff.
That was the other comment I thought was so funny/telling: that he doesn't want to work hard! I don't really blame him, really. I think at a certain point, resting on your laurels isn't such a terrible thing. Everyone, not just Brian Wilson, should enjoy their golden years.
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