Brian needs a number one single

[ghost]

Something broke my heart recently. Seeing Brian from a decade or so back saying that a hit would really be a good thing for him. He said it with a smile that showed how serious he was - a hit record would be a better drug than anything it seems.

How can Brian have a hit now? I say- get Pleasure Island in the works. Cancel the nostalgia tour, send out an email to the fans saying grow up move on, and get down in Pleasure Island.

He's got hits in him I think. If he makes something that has the incredible rock & roll groove like the My Obsession part of Salt Lake City, mixes it HIMSELF in MONO, and releases it as a single, it could get serious airtime. Something living, vital.

[puni puni]

Considering he doesn't listen to music recorded after 1979, I don't think so. Someone should play him any indie album made in the last 20 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhtIIyvivSw
Can you imagine Brian getting inspired by that and then recording an album? Hello, SMiLE '11.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Gonna probably get flamed for this, but I would kill to hear Brian do a covers album of modern songs )preferably by artists inspired by his own music) in his own BW style. Hearing him do, say, Stone Temple Pilots 'About a Fool' (inspired by among other things, Friends or something by Weezer, but in his own style, would be killer.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Considering he doesn't listen to music recorded after 1979, I don't think so. Someone should play him any indie album made in the last 20 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhtIIyvivSw
Can you imagine Brian getting inspired by that and then recording an album? Hello, SMiLE '11.

Oh hell yeah! This is the type of stuff I wish Brian would attempt now.

[Awesoman]

Brian (sort of) had a hit with "What Love Can Do".  Kind of odd he isn't playing that one live.

[absinthe_boy]

Brian had a minor hit in the UK with Wonderful at #29 on sales of 7" vinyl alone ('twas a limited edition) a few weeks before BWPS was released. Then in December the SMiLE version of Good Vibrations just cracked the UK top 40.

I reckon a couple of songs of TLOS and Gershwin could have been hit singles if handled correctly.

[hypehat]

What CD's would you lend the big BW to demonstrate that modern music is just riding his coattails? And yes, I know everyone would lend him Illinoise. What else?

I might give him the Super Furry Animals Songbook, Dear Science by TV on the Radio (rediscovered this last weekend - what a gem), possibly a disc of Have One on Me by Newsom....

[The Shift]

Brian (sort of) had a hit with "What Love Can Do".  Kind of odd he isn't playing that one live.

One of my fave BW tracks over the last three decades.

[Rocker]

Brian (sort of) had a hit with "What Love Can Do".  Kind of odd he isn't playing that one live.

I don't get it. Where and when was this a hit ?


The only way for Brian to get a real smash would of course be a Beach Boys single. Hosently, Brian Wilson on his own will never get a number one hit anymore. The Beach Boys' name though still has enough appeal  for getting a hit with an anniversary single that gets heavy promotion (and only that way). That's the only way imo

[tansen]

I think Brian should rather focus on the songwriting, and I mean really focus (think BW 64-69 type of songwriting), and let other artists perform the songs. Animal Collective being a good alternative for sure. But maybe power-pop acts like The Pillbugs and The Shazam would be even better suited.

[tansen]

What CD's would you lend the big BW to demonstrate that modern music is just riding his coattails? And yes, I know everyone would lend him Illinoise. What else?

I might give him the Super Furry Animals Songbook, Dear Science by TV on the Radio (rediscovered this last weekend - what a gem), possibly a disc of Have One on Me by Newsom....

I would give him my album. Oh wait, that's already been done

[The Heartical Don]

Brian mustn't strive for a #1 hit. That would be utterly silly. He would have to abandon quality control, and write either some dance tune bereft of any soul, a faux-funk piece that is a hybrid of many prior faux-funk pieces, or such a tuneless Coldplay thing that sounds just like all other Coldplay things. The man's above all that. He need not compete with hoi polloi.

The Don has spoken.

[Loaf]

Brian mustn't strive for a #1 hit. That would be utterly silly. He would have to abandon quality control, and write either some dance tune bereft of any soul, a faux-funk piece that is a hybrid of many prior faux-funk pieces, or such a tuneless Coldplay thing that sounds just like all other Coldplay things. The man's above all that. He need not compete with hoi polloi.

The Don has spoken.

Agreed. Brian needs to write another living room #1. Some of his latterday stuff wouldn't even chart in his pantry (GIOMH).

[Ron]

Personally, I don't care if he has a hit.  One thing I would like to see him do is work with some sort of girl group and arrange the songs for them.  Maybe just for an album, or a few songs.  I'll bet he'd be interested in that if paid handsomely.  Girl groups are irresistable to me, even the modern ones.  Even things like the pussycat dolls' "Stickwitchu".  They sing all these songs in two part harmony, I'd love to hear a girl group that does 5 or 6 part harmony like Brian's capable of doing.  That would be awesome.  Brian's ability to arrange vocals is as strong as it's ever been.  

[ghost]

I'm talking about medicine for this man's soul. He was raised looking for his father's respect and then the public's buying adoration of his music - to be rejected commercially is tough for Brian. Why can't Brian have a hit? If he wrote a badass song like I Get Around and performed it with Mike, Bruce, Al [Brian on drums, Bruce on organ, Al on bass, Mike on guitar] no one else, and presented it as four old guys rocking the f*** out like they're all 22 it would be great. Mike plays guitar. Brian plays zen-drums. What's not to like about this imagination? I'd love to see Mike playing guitar live, doing something for once. If Brian had to tour in his old age to work off his karmic debt for staying home jerking off so many years then Mike Love has to tour until he's 150 while playing guitar on stage to work off his karmic debt for so much prancing around.

[tansen]

I'm talking about medicine for this man's soul. He was raised looking for his father's respect and then the public's buying adoration of his music - to be rejected commercially is tough for Brian. Why can't Brian have a hit? If he wrote a badass song like I Get Around and performed it with Mike, Bruce, Al [Brian on drums, Bruce on organ, Al on bass, Mike on guitar] no one else, and presented it as four old guys rocking the f*ck out like they're all 22 it would be great. Mike plays guitar. Brian plays zen-drums. What's not to like about this imagination? I'd love to see Mike playing guitar live, doing something for once. If Brian had to tour in his old age to work off his karmic debt for staying home jerking off so many years then Mike Love has to tour until he's 150 while playing guitar on stage to work off his karmic debt for so much prancing around.

I just don't think Brian has a "badass song like I Get Around" in him anymore - I'd be happy to be proven wrong though. Also, the main problem is his singing voice, hence why I'd rather see other bands do his songs.

[ghost]

I'm talking about medicine for this man's soul. He was raised looking for his father's respect and then the public's buying adoration of his music - to be rejected commercially is tough for Brian. Why can't Brian have a hit? If he wrote a badass song like I Get Around and performed it with Mike, Bruce, Al [Brian on drums, Bruce on organ, Al on bass, Mike on guitar] no one else, and presented it as four old guys rocking the f*ck out like they're all 22 it would be great. Mike plays guitar. Brian plays zen-drums. What's not to like about this imagination? I'd love to see Mike playing guitar live, doing something for once. If Brian had to tour in his old age to work off his karmic debt for staying home jerking off so many years then Mike Love has to tour until he's 150 while playing guitar on stage to work off his karmic debt for so much prancing around.

I just don't think Brian has a "badass song like I Get Around" in him anymore - I'd be happy to be proven wrong though. Also, the main problem is his singing voice, hence why I'd rather see other bands do his songs.

Appreciate your point but unfortunately I don't think Brian is into newer music. I just saw an interview with him last night from a decade or two ago and he explained how it is for him hearing the radio. He said it got to a point where he tuned in, couldn't understand what he heard, so stopped tuning in. He dropped out of the collective music consciousness as far as tracking trends and movements and instead retreating into his own eccentric music world. He just watches that 60s channel on TV now.

But I do think he has the songs in him. Just a hunch, really. He just needs the right inspiration. He needs to start hanging out with Yoko Ono and get into some zen flavors. Sloop John B is an oriental song. It has similar noises as the Cabinessence chorus. In fact, Sloop John B and Cabinessence both reach similar peaks. Sloop in the very speedy latter part of the song and Cabinessence in the time warped Over & Overs.

[rab2591]

Don is spot on (except for the Coldplay bit) - For Brian to get a number one hit he would have to give up his knack for finding amazing new chords/melodies and he would have to solely focus on writing a song in the Am-F-C-G chord structure (isten to the radio for 20 minutes right now - almost guaranteed that every song will use this progression). The public LOVES plastic hits - hits that are phony and have no originality. Thus the public would hate Brian's Gershwin-esque musical style.

I agree though, get Mike, Bruce, Al, Brian, and David and make a bitchin' mono album with a kickass single. They could honestly do it. And I would really care less if it was a radio success. Brian has children that listen to the radio - Brian has heard this sh*t and Brian knows that it is sh*t - It would probably be an insult to him if he got a number one hit today.

[ghost]

Fiiiiiiiiiiiine, let's hope he FAILS in the charts then...

I've always actually thought that Brian's life would've gone much better if he could've put out home recorded albums even of just piano playing things - like a Daniel Johnston.

He's more entertaining anyway just by himself playing and singing, than with his entire band, so why not see if it works out? Brian is pushed on us by the media as eccentric reclusive musical genius, but the best examples of his genius we hear are what.... Jeff adding Farmer's Daughter onto I Got Rhythm? Come on.

[tansen]

I'm talking about medicine for this man's soul. He was raised looking for his father's respect and then the public's buying adoration of his music - to be rejected commercially is tough for Brian. Why can't Brian have a hit? If he wrote a badass song like I Get Around and performed it with Mike, Bruce, Al [Brian on drums, Bruce on organ, Al on bass, Mike on guitar] no one else, and presented it as four old guys rocking the f*ck out like they're all 22 it would be great. Mike plays guitar. Brian plays zen-drums. What's not to like about this imagination? I'd love to see Mike playing guitar live, doing something for once. If Brian had to tour in his old age to work off his karmic debt for staying home jerking off so many years then Mike Love has to tour until he's 150 while playing guitar on stage to work off his karmic debt for so much prancing around.

I just don't think Brian has a "badass song like I Get Around" in him anymore - I'd be happy to be proven wrong though. Also, the main problem is his singing voice, hence why I'd rather see other bands do his songs.

Appreciate your point but unfortunately I don't think Brian is into newer music. I just saw an interview with him last night from a decade or two ago and he explained how it is for him hearing the radio. He said it got to a point where he tuned in, couldn't understand what he heard, so stopped tuning in. He dropped out of the collective music consciousness as far as tracking trends and movements and instead retreating into his own eccentric music world. He just watches that 60s channel on TV now.

But I do think he has the songs in him. Just a hunch, really. He just needs the right inspiration. He needs to start hanging out with Yoko Ono and get into some zen flavors. Sloop John B is an oriental song. It has similar noises as the Cabinessence chorus. In fact, Sloop John B and Cabinessence both reach similar peaks. Sloop in the very speedy latter part of the song and Cabinessence in the time warped Over & Overs.

Hmm, well, if he has it in him, why hasn't he unleashed it yet? Lack of inspiration? Too controlled environment?

[The Heartical Don]

Don is spot on (except for the Coldplay bit) - For Brian to get a number one hit he would have to give up his knack for finding amazing new chords/melodies and he would have to solely focus on writing a song in the Am-F-C-G chord structure (isten to the radio for 20 minutes right now - almost guaranteed that every song will use this progression). The public LOVES plastic hits - hits that are phony and have no originality. Thus the public would hate Brian's Gershwin-esque musical style.

I agree though, get Mike, Bruce, Al, Brian, and David and make a bitchin' mono album with a kickass single. They could honestly do it. And I would really care less if it was a radio success. Brian has children that listen to the radio - Brian has heard this sh*t and Brian knows that it is sh*t - It would probably be an insult to him if he got a number one hit today.

Hiya rab2591 -

I did not mean to specifically ridicule Coldplay, nor to offend anyone in his/her taste. I chose Coldplay because I myself don't 'get' them, whatever that may mean. Obviously, millions of other people (and that includes the gorgeous Gwyneth Paltrow) think otherwise - hence their headlining almost all major European outdoor festivals this summer.

[ghost]

I'm talking about medicine for this man's soul. He was raised looking for his father's respect and then the public's buying adoration of his music - to be rejected commercially is tough for Brian. Why can't Brian have a hit? If he wrote a badass song like I Get Around and performed it with Mike, Bruce, Al [Brian on drums, Bruce on organ, Al on bass, Mike on guitar] no one else, and presented it as four old guys rocking the f*ck out like they're all 22 it would be great. Mike plays guitar. Brian plays zen-drums. What's not to like about this imagination? I'd love to see Mike playing guitar live, doing something for once. If Brian had to tour in his old age to work off his karmic debt for staying home jerking off so many years then Mike Love has to tour until he's 150 while playing guitar on stage to work off his karmic debt for so much prancing around.

I just don't think Brian has a "badass song like I Get Around" in him anymore - I'd be happy to be proven wrong though. Also, the main problem is his singing voice, hence why I'd rather see other bands do his songs.

Appreciate your point but unfortunately I don't think Brian is into newer music. I just saw an interview with him last night from a decade or two ago and he explained how it is for him hearing the radio. He said it got to a point where he tuned in, couldn't understand what he heard, so stopped tuning in. He dropped out of the collective music consciousness as far as tracking trends and movements and instead retreating into his own eccentric music world. He just watches that 60s channel on TV now.

But I do think he has the songs in him. Just a hunch, really. He just needs the right inspiration. He needs to start hanging out with Yoko Ono and get into some zen flavors. Sloop John B is an oriental song. It has similar noises as the Cabinessence chorus. In fact, Sloop John B and Cabinessence both reach similar peaks. Sloop in the very speedy latter part of the song and Cabinessence in the time warped Over & Overs.

Hmm, well, if he has it in him, why hasn't he unleashed it yet? Lack of inspiration? Too controlled environment?

I don't think there's any one cause. It's everything to do with what music he's pegged as making, who he's pushed as in the media, who he's with daily that influence him, who hears and judges his new songs [we know how sensitive Brian is to this - who knows how many classics he's junked because some moron said they don't like it?], what label he's releasing stuff on, for what purpose, etc.

He should really work with Danny Hutton. He's an old friend not a 'helper' which is how many of Brian's current pals like Jeff sometimes appear. You can imagine Brian and Danny smoking a joint and playing music together. You can imagine Jeff Foskett at Christian summer camp teaching the kids how to be square.

[Jon Stebbins]

Medecine for Brian's soul? That would be no touring, no interviews, no meet and greets, no pressure. A chair, a comfy one preferably, a baseball game on TV, a beer and a cheeseburger, an occasional trip to the piano, an hourly visit to the jukebox for a Be My Baby hit, another beer and a chili dog, more baseball on TV, then bed for 20 hours or so, large breakfast, shoot a few hoops in the driveway, chair, baseball, burger, jukebox, piano, bed. Maybe one recording session a month just to test some ideas. A salad now and then to keep the system flowing. No pressure, no touring, no interviews. He deserves this regardless of what we all want.

[tansen]

Medecine for Brian's soul? That would be no touring, no interviews, no meet and greets, no pressure. A chair, a comfy one preferably, a baseball game on TV, a beer and a cheeseburger, an occasional trip to the piano, an hourly visit to the jukebox for a Be My Baby hit, another beer and a chili dog, more baseball on TV, then bed for 20 hours or so, large breakfast, shoot a few hoops in the driveway, chair, baseball, burger, jukebox, piano, bed. Maybe one recording session a month just to test some ideas. A salad now and then to keep the system flowing. No pressure, no touring, no interviews. He deserves this regardless of what we all want.

So with you Jon. And maybe if he got all this, he would be able to unleash his genius again.

[tansen]

Don is spot on (except for the Coldplay bit) - For Brian to get a number one hit he would have to give up his knack for finding amazing new chords/melodies and he would have to solely focus on writing a song in the Am-F-C-G chord structure (isten to the radio for 20 minutes right now - almost guaranteed that every song will use this progression). The public LOVES plastic hits - hits that are phony and have no originality. Thus the public would hate Brian's Gershwin-esque musical style.

I agree though, get Mike, Bruce, Al, Brian, and David and make a bitchin' mono album with a kickass single. They could honestly do it. And I would really care less if it was a radio success. Brian has children that listen to the radio - Brian has heard this sh*t and Brian knows that it is sh*t - It would probably be an insult to him if he got a number one hit today.

Hiya rab2591 -

I did not mean to specifically ridicule Coldplay, nor to offend anyone in his/her taste. I chose Coldplay because I myself don't 'get' them, whatever that may mean. Obviously, millions of other people (and that includes the gorgeous Gwyneth Paltrow) think otherwise - hence their headlining almost all major European outdoor festivals this summer.

Don, you are not alone my friend