What will happen to Brian's band

[vintagemusic]

If Brian Wilson quits touring, and just does an album every couple of years,
What will become of his band?

I don't know if they are on retainer, or just get paid when they work with Brian,
On the road or in the studio. Either way, I imagine they all make a decent living.
Will they be able to hold together as a unit, without a guaranteed paycheck from Wilson?

They are all quite talented,, Scott Bennett, Darian, Jeff Foskett, I imagine they can all make
a living one way or another. It's my impression that the majority of their time and income has
been derived from Brian Wilson for the last decade or so. Will they all go their seperate ways
if Wilson stops touring, and will Wilson be able to, or will he want them to be his studio crew
if he retires from the road?

[runnersdialzero]

Either way, I imagine they all make a decent living.

I want to say it was said that all but two members of Brian's touring group have day jobs.

Also, keep in mind most of these folks were a group before becoming Brian's touring group.

[Jay]

Well, The Wondermints are always a group for Darian to fall back on. I was thinking about what would happen when Brian is gone. I would imagine they would probably get together for a few tribute shows. Or maybe even a Brian Wilson cover band.

[stack-o-tracks]

I think they'd just go back to being the Wondermints, for sure. I don't know a ton of people who listen to BW, but when he's mentioned I always hear compliments about his band.

And the Chicago faction of his band.... I dunno. They'll probably go back to Chicago and do whatever they do in the midwest.

[Amy B.]

They were all musicians before Brian hired them, so I assume they'll continue with their music careers and (in some cases) day jobs. Some of them have had projects on the side... with other bands or solo. I'm sure others can get gigs playing in other touring bands or on other artists' recordings.

[Howie Edelson]

I wouldn't be surprised when and if the day comes that Brian truly retires that a license for "The Brian Wilson Band" isn't issued out.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I wouldn't be surprised when and if the day comes that Brian truly retires that a license for "The Brian Wilson Band" isn't issued out.

I can see that too. It's a logical step from the current situation.

[WaxOn]

Way before Brian started touring with them - when they burst onto the LA music scene it was fresh power pop. At that time I never really thought "gee, this sounds like Brian Wilson". Hard to believe it's been what, 16 years now since their first proper disk?

Anyway, I've sort of missed them since they started the Brian thing, although with all that Darian has done for Brian - I think the licensing thing is entirely possible. In the meantime I'd love a new Wondermints album if they got it in them!

[SG7]

I asked Probyn at one point about this and what he had to say was this: "Several of us in the band have talked about what might happen should brian decide to not do it anymore, or when he passes away. I for one am happy to perform as a person who played WITH some of the original artists from the 60s -- Brian, Al jardine, Dean torrence, Arthur lee and Love. Some of us believe there will still be enough demand for this type of music that if one is careful, a career can be carved. that would suit me just fine. Darian. among others, not so. "

[Myk Luhv]

That last bit makes me wonder: If people -- both within the group as well as the audience -- were willing, would Darian and perhaps a couple others be interested in rearranging some of the BBs tunes (and/or earlier BW material) to make it a little more... fun for them to play, and for us to hear? I mean, as great as it is to hear what is more or less as close an approximation to a studio recording as possible, it must not be so fun for them to do it night after night and, at least for me, is also not as fun to listen to over and over again in a live setting, you know?

[adamghost]

There's a pool of players that knows how to do this stuff and has played with the original band, and there's a demand for it still.  I imagine if the originals are not around, there will be that kind of work for those that want to do it, and for those that don't, that's great too!

[Chris Brown]

That last bit makes me wonder: If people -- both within the group as well as the audience -- were willing, would Darian and perhaps a couple others be interested in rearranging some of the BBs tunes (and/or earlier BW material) to make it a little more... fun for them to play, and for us to hear? I mean, as great as it is to hear what is more or less as close an approximation to a studio recording as possible, it must not be so fun for them to do it night after night and, at least for me, is also not as fun to listen to over and over again in a live setting, you know?

Just based on what I've read about Darian (having never actually met the man), I don't think that would ever happen - he's the one who felt it was important to stick as close to Brian's original arrangements as possible.  Besides, why fix what ain't broke?

[WaxOn]

If so that's depressing!

I'm looking forward to seeing Brian (who's still kicking as far as I can tell) in a couple of months - so put a sock in it!

[Howie Edelson]

Darian's re-arrangement of "Do You Have Any Regrets?" has long been a favorite. I don't think I'm alone in thinking that there's a lot of Landy-era music that could be "reimagined" to similar success.

[RONDEMON]

Anyone know of the Fab Faux? The are the only Beatles tribute to nail the arrangements and studio stuff perfectly and they play BIG venues.
They don't dress up like the Beatles and it's not remotely cheesy. Look em' up. Amazing stuff.

BW's band should go that route.

[hypehat]

Beatles??

[hypehat]

Well I'll be damned 

[brother john]

While they are undoubtedly talented I'm not a fan of the Fab Faux, partly because they're American and I suppose I feel a little protective of my favourite English music, but also because it seems such a dull and uncreative thing to do - i.e. we're not going to perform any songs of our own, we're just going to get a guaranteed audience response by playing songs that are always going to be popular.

At least honest imitators like the Bootleg Beatles are prepared to dress up and put some silly wigs on and 'mek show'. The Bootlegs seems to be celebrating the music whereas to me the Faux are just ripping it off.

[The Shift]

If Brian Wilson quits touring, and just does an album every couple of years, what will become of his band?

It's already been announced that when Brian retires members of his band will be fostered by Blooies.

They'll be fed and watered, and cuddled at night, and during the day will have it explained to them how they didn't quite get it right, that they should have done this for Brian and that for Brian, if they'd really known him as well as they ought to have done and had really wanted to get the best of them.

It's not too late, if you want a member of Brian's band to take home and look after as if he* were your very own.  Just register on the BW board "community", post 200 words about how Brian should have gone solo in 1961, and state which band member you'd like to adopt.  As a tie-breaker, construct a sentence of less than 15 words explaining what you'd whisper in Brian's ear if you had the chance to cuddle him.

* I've already got my name down for Taylor Mills.

[vintagemusic]

When I started the thread, what was in my mind was, They
are great players and arrangers. They have devoted a decade or more
to Brian Wilson for I suppose low pay. I'd hope they get a decent
severance package if it all comes to an end. They have gone above
and beyond the call of duty, and I just hope it turns out well for them.
Players of that caliber are not a dime a dozen.

Just by comparison, McCartney has a superb back up band, and I am
sure they are all quite well paid, and don't have to worry.

When I heard the other day the guys in Wilson's band all had to maintain
day jobs just to make a living, I blanched. There is something about that
which doesn't seem right to me.


In this past decade I think most or all of those guys could have made a nice
living playing with someone else. The fact that they did it for peanuts, for a decade
just because they respect Wilson's talent, is what I mean by above and beyond the
call of duty.

[hypehat]

I'm pretty sure Brian Wilson pays his band more than slave wages! They have day jobs cos Brian doesn't tour and record all the time!

[the captain]

What's up with the deleted posts in this thread? Nothing offensive that I recall--did I miss something?

[Jim McShane]

I want to say it was said that all but two members of Brian's touring group have day jobs.

I believe only Probyn had a day job (as an editor) unless you count Darian's Disney work. If nothing has changed in the last year or two then that's it. The rest make a living in the music world.

[Jim McShane]

I think they'd just go back to being the Wondermints, for sure. I don't know a ton of people who listen to BW, but when he's mentioned I always hear compliments about his band.

And the Chicago faction of his band.... I dunno. They'll probably go back to Chicago and do whatever they do in the midwest.

Except only Darian, Nick, Mike D'Amico and Probyn (the "auxiliary 'Mint) have ties to Wondermints. That leaves Scott, Nelson, Jeff, Paul, Mike, Brett, and Taylor(?).

The Chicago faction is now pretty much down to Paul von Mertens - Scott moved to LA, and Bob and Jim are gone; Taylor is in Austin. The Chicago connection is about finished.

I too would love to have Wondermints re-form and pick up again where they left off. But I also hope there's some way to keep the band together. It would have to be musically relevant and artistically worthwhile though, or Darian (and likely others) wouldn't do it. I'm near certain Darian and Paul wouldn't do it just for the money.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

All they need to do is stick a cardboard cut-out of Brian behind a keyboard and just carry on as normal.