Brian needs a number one single

[phirnis]

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.

If Brian wanted that I'd be the first person to want him to have it. It's the rest of you guys who want him to continue doing things.

I am sure Jon Stebbins has a much more direct insight in these matters than I do. And I too think that Brian must be in a position to do what he likes best. My own humble caveat is that too much passivity (20 hrs in bed? Irony, I hope?) does not seem beneficial to me. Brian suffers from clinical depression, as far as I know, and has medication for that (fluvoxamine, IIRC). This implies that he'd not be that well off with a rather passive lifestyle and much bedtime. What happens then is that certain brain areas, collectively known as the 'default mode network', become active for a prolonged time, which in depressed people leads to sad and ruminative thoughts, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, and all of that in a cyclical form.
Which poses a dilemma, I know. In how far can one 'push' a person with a mood disorder into activity, e.g. stage performances and recording? Is that tinkering with one's free will? But what if that free will, if realized in full, is actually bad for that person?
I don't have an answer. I only know that activity, changes in environment, creative acts, much socializing, and a plethora of stimuli from the outside world considerably diminish feelings of depression. And it's a fact that depressed people have a tendency to do that which precisely is not good for their moods, like retreating, living as a recluse, eating unhealthily, and using alcohol (a depressant!) and drugs.

I think Brian has given us enough. If he wants to live unhealthily, let him have his last ten years of doing so. 20 hour stretches of sleep was ironic...not 20 hours everyday, but you know, let the old fella sleep in...no schedule, no routine, no stage fright, no freaking out on airplanes, no scary people. He gave us his all, let him rest.

The sad thing is that I think Brian wanted this after 1967 and was never allowed it at least since 1976. The only period where he seems to have simply followed his own muse was pre Brian Is Back. Yes he self destructed after Murry died, but in his mid to late twenties it seems he had a few brief moments of enjoying his life the way he chose. Does anybody really think Brian Wilson wants to do Disney covers and oldies shows?

That's an interesting observation re: the years post Smile and pre 15 Big Ones.

It's probably an expression taken straight from the "pseudobiography" but personally I really love that early-70s "postcards to the outside world" approach to releasing new stuff. "'Til I Die", "Mt. Vernon and Fairway", "Marcella", you name it.

It's hard to do that as a solo artist, however, which is too bad, as he arguably created some of his very best material when the pressure of having to come up with an album's worth of consistently good Beach Boys songs had faded.

[joshferrell]

I don't know about having a number 1 cd but the record companies should at least promote his cds with tv commercials etc..I wonder how much promotion "Smile" will get after all it IS the most famous unreleased album in rock n roll history,they should at least promote the hell out of it,in my opinion, I know that when Brians solo version came out it didn't get a lot of promotion and it still did pretty good though..

[absinthe_boy]

I don't know about having a number 1 cd but the record companies should at least promote his cds with tv commercials etc..I wonder how much promotion "Smile" will get after all it IS the most famous unreleased album in rock n roll history,they should at least promote the hell out of it,in my opinion, I know that when Brians solo version came out it didn't get a lot of promotion and it still did pretty good though..

BWPS was promoted well in the UK....I didn't visit the USA that year so I can't comment. BWPS peaked at number 7 on this side of the pond....aided by a clever ad in the press (a spoof ad asking the reader to look for this album lost 37 years ago) and an advance single (Wonderful, mentioned above) which actually got some mainstream radio play. There was even a TV advert, ableit late at night on some cable channels.

Curiously TLOS received no promotion that I saw....although BBC Radio 2 (music station aimed at an audience too mature for chart music) did play several songs from it. TLOS, despite being an excellent album with a handful of potentially commercial songs only charted at 37 in the UK.

[joshferrell]

I don't know about having a number 1 cd but the record companies should at least promote his cds with tv commercials etc..I wonder how much promotion "Smile" will get after all it IS the most famous unreleased album in rock n roll history,they should at least promote the hell out of it,in my opinion, I know that when Brians solo version came out it didn't get a lot of promotion and it still did pretty good though..

BWPS was promoted well in the UK....I didn't visit the USA that year so I can't comment. BWPS peaked at number 7 on this side of the pond....aided by a clever ad in the press (a spoof ad asking the reader to look for this album lost 37 years ago) and an advance single (Wonderful, mentioned above) which actually got some mainstream radio play. There was even a TV advert, ableit late at night on some cable channels.

Curiously TLOS received no promotion that I saw....although BBC Radio 2 (music station aimed at an audience too mature for chart music) did play several songs from it. TLOS, despite being an excellent album with a handful of potentially commercial songs only charted at 37 in the UK.

yeah in america there was virtually no promotion other then an add in rolling stone..

[Bill Tobelman]

Hard to believe... but it may be the case that the number one "record" in the nation isn't what folks would really choose if they were given a true choice.

And I would bet the farm that Brian would come to life if there was music being made that was inspiring.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I think the Beach Boys just don't want an album that is number 2, like Summer in Paradise.

[absinthe_boy]

To a lot of us music afficionados, it really doesn't matter much if a Brian or Mike or Beach Boys record tops the charts or not.

I am pleased for Brian when his records do well, and if a future BB single, EP or album was commercially successful I'd be similarly please for all concerned....but as far as I am concerned what matters is whether or not I enjoy listening to it.

I enjoy lots of music which has never charted and never will.

[joshferrell]

I think the Beach Boys just don't want an album that is number 2, like Summer in Paradise.

when you say #2 do you mean the second worst cd in the history of man kind.."the caveman hits a stick and rocks" being the worst?

[Pretty Funky]

eh....I'm thinking in this context, number 2 is 'having a sh!t.

[joshferrell]

eh....I'm thinking in this context, number 2 is 'having a sh!t.

oh yeah that too...lol...

[shelter]

I'm certain that 'Good Kind of Love' has serious hit potential. It sounds like it was written for a romantic comedy (the type that usually features Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks and/or Hugh Grant) and if it would actually be used for such a movie, I can see it becoming a #1 single.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

eh....I'm thinking in this context, number 2 is 'having a sh!t.

oh yeah that too...lol...

Wow, it only took 2 weeks for it to sink in!

[Iron Horse-Apples]

eh....I'm thinking in this context, number 2 is 'having a sh!t.

oh yeah that too...lol...

Wow, it only took 2 weeks for it to sink in!

I've heard a high fibre diet helps.

[ghost]

I'm certain that 'Good Kind of Love' has serious hit potential. It sounds like it was written for a romantic comedy (the type that usually features Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks and/or Hugh Grant) and if it would actually be used for such a movie, I can see it becoming a #1 single.

It is a cool song. It has the ghost seal of approval. They should do a new Drew Barrymore movie and use it.