Brian (and Bruce!) interviewed on tonight's Front Row

[buddhahat]

I think Bruce comes across accurately -- whether that's good or bad is up to you.

He loves the music, he wonders if it was right for the group, as a fellow songwriter-producer he wishes BW could have continued to progress artistically. He deplores drugs' influence on Brian -- and regardless of whether they defined BW's life in the late 60s, they were certainly devastating enough to him in the 70s and 80s. So it's a complex subject, and he has complex reaction that can't simply be reflected as support or disdain.

And to varying degrees, I think that's how the rest of the group felt as well. The album was a trauma, a wound, that also had some of BW's (and the group's) most transcendent moments. How can you talk about that, especially if you were there, logically? Even Brian doesn't make much sense -- he says the work is a masterpiece, and he can't understand how he did it, but he also says it was too advanced and that he had to shelve it. He paints the shelving of the work as inevitable, yet he acknowledges that it was his decision alone.

Something I've come to realize when dealing with traumatic (or simply life-changing) events is that sometimes multiple things have to be true to make real sense of the situation. We want simple answers, but they can't convey everything -- or even most things. Brian was (and is) in control of many things in his life, both personally and creatively. Yet he's also powerless. He's mentally ill, yet he's clear-headed and sane. He's influenced by people around him, sometimes unduly, yet the influence he wields can make or break people's careers. Smile was an album of 12, fully composed songs, yet it was a sprawling epic of tiny fragments.

Only by embracing all of these sides -- and acknowledging the truth in all of them -- can we begin to get our heads around the history of "Smile." Simple explanations have created more problems than they've solved.

Beautiful post!

[Jimmie_R]

Is there any chance that someone can make an mp3 file out of this show and maybe PM me? I´m planning on doing a bonus cd with all Smile related radio shows on it.

This one and the Iconfetch interviews would be awsome to have as mp3s

[TerryWogan]

Is there any chance that someone can make an mp3 file out of this show and maybe PM me? I´m planning on doing a bonus cd with all Smile related radio shows on it.

This one and the Iconfetch interviews would be awsome to have as mp3s

The podcast is available for the next few days: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/frontrow/frontrow_20111021-2040b.mp3

[Jimmie_R]

Is there any chance that someone can make an mp3 file out of this show and maybe PM me? I´m planning on doing a bonus cd with all Smile related radio shows on it.

This one and the Iconfetch interviews would be awsome to have as mp3s

The podcast is available for the next few days: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/frontrow/frontrow_20111021-2040b.mp3

Thanks so much!!!

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Says I need to pay for software to download it.

Pay for software!!!!

Unthinkable

[runnersdialzero]

Says I need to pay for software to download it.

Pay for software!!!!

Unthinkable

lawlz. not sure why this is happening to you, downloaded right quick fer me.

[Jimmie_R]

Says I need to pay for software to download it.

Pay for software!!!!

Unthinkable

right-click on the link and "save as".

[Micha]

Hasn't it been suggested that the "feelin' the acid yet" line was simply a joke?

I never heard/read someone ever suggesting that that line was a joke. I always thought it was a serious question by Brian.  In line with "Denny, you got any hash joints?"

Of course I have nothing to back it up, but IMHO those were jokes. Back in the day when I had a band and we recorded stuff, we always said silly things that would make people wonder if we should get famous and someone listened to that tape years later.

Do you think they did acid during a recording session?

[Micha]

Nah, it's the f*ckin' Easter Bunny that sings Surfs Up.......

Let's get the Easter Bunny to record the missing SMiLE vocals. He really does sound exactly like Brian Wilson!

[Dove Nested Towers]

Surf's Up '67 is clearly all it's been cracked up to be, tantalizing even in its obscurity, in these snippets. The modulation near the end is sublime. Brian's enunciation and low-key vocal is unique and inspired, really a spine-tinglingly artistic and sensitive rendition. Absolutely frothing at the mouth to hear it in its entirety. "Child" is so crisp, it just takes your breath away, as are the "bridge to Indians" takes. Bruce's comment along the lines of "this music was standing in the way of our more commercial stuff" is patent B.S. If there was going to be any more mainstream material in the pipeline it would have been emanating from Brian himself (not that the rest of the band members were "just singers", what a lame statement by the "Pop Professor"), and this is where his head was, not regressive, so it wasn't standing in the way of anything along those lines, as subsequent releases bear out. To blame every negative influence during recording on drug peddlers or "journeymen pharmacists", while that was certainly a huge factor, is obviously an oversimplification at best, even if it truly reflects his perspective, and at least partially an attempt at revisionist P.R., on behalf of his good buddy Mike Love. For Bruce to whitewash the internal dissention and claim total harmony is patently absurd (esp. since he did stay away from the sessions for the most part due to his distaste for the drug-saturated environment). Which brings us to Brian's no-holds-barred, refreshingly unvarnished recollections about Dr. Love (who is studiously avoiding interviews for this release). "Disgusted" might be a slight exaggeration, but the devastating quote "I told him that if he can't grow, why go on living?" absolutely has the ring of authenticity, and it is quite satisfying to hear that he was authoritative and confident enough to express such deservedly withering contempt for Love's obstructionism. Brian courageously faces his difficult memories here, and deserves such credit. Listening to the music now takes him to a "bad brain place" and it's hard to "extract himself from the songs". Starkly  evocative and perceptive, very articulate indeed. He is very "present" in this interview, like he senses what an important moment it is for him and his legacy and is willing himself to rise to the occasion and face the demons that accompany this music, like he began to do (with support from friends & family) when begiining BWPS. This is a perfect, triumphant closure for his personal traumatic Smile journey. You can hear that the praise is really taking root and re-orienting his associations with the music, even more so than BWPS did, and his pride in his baby and its impending official release now that he's got some distance and cushion from the bad memories is beautiful to hear. Simply smashing!

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I think all reasons given for SMiLE's no appearance are true.

Brian's drug use

Mike's objections

Technological limitations

Capitol back-room dealings

[smokeythebear]

I think Marilyn's comment of a surrendered Brian Wilson rings very true. He is saying what is expected and tries to please everyone, that is why the interview becomes so messed up, he tries to please the Beach Boys, Mike, The Reporter, Bruce everyone. You can hear the lead on by the reporter, but Mike did not like...Yeah Mike did not like it, he was disgusted with it. But some truth rings true and new in this interview like the "If you do not wanna grow you should not live", and the bouncing of notes back and fourth while writing H&W.

If you can read between the lines you can see that the conflict was between Brian and Mike, in earlier interviews Brian stated that he promised Mike while doing Pet Sounds that he was just going to make this one album and then get back to writing "hits", a good solid handshake apparently closed this deal, then he went on to make SMiLE without Mike. I think this conflict goes further than we think....

[UK_Surf]

I think that there's a lot of conflation happening between Smiley Smile and Smile in terms of how the sessions unfolded and the band's reaction to the material. Actually, quite a few VDP tracks made it on to SS.

It's a shame there's not more attention to DW and CW's reactions to Smile. Dennis was positively evangelical about it, fer instance. And as to their being only singers...surely it's telling that they were beginning to test out their songwriting/arranging/production talents in the studio during this period?  

[Jaspy]

Had the chance to listen to the complete "Surf's Up (1967 Solo Version)" now. I put my glasses on this time and yes, it's Brian singing.
And I hate to say it, it's the first time I was wrong in my life.
But he really sounds like Carl at times.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

In 67, they're voices did sound very similar.  I'll be honest...Carl's late 60s vocals are personally my favorite he did (and also his singing on BB85).