Brian says Beach Boys reunion album sounds "mellow".

[grillo]

It's literally the longest shot in the world, but I think having Nick Lowe & Dave Edmunds produce a Beach Boys reunion LP would scratch most of our itches.

I would literally cream my jeans if this happened. Heck, I'd cream yours too! But Nick says he doesn't produce anymore and Edmunds is kinda old. The Beach Boys really only need someone who can get a good sound...more of an engineer than a producer. The guys can figure out the other stuff (arrangements, dynamics, etc.).

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Brian Eno anybody???

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Or even someone like Frank Black could be great! Someone who gets it and cares!

Steve Albini would be great because he'd leave Brian alone to get to business.

[Jim V.]

Ok, so Rick Rubin may be a bit too "dry and minimalist" for some tastes on this board...how about someone like Roy Thomas Baker who is very good at getting huge vocal sounds ?

No, I think RTB is too glammy, hard rock, butt-rock, for my taste. Honestly I'd rather have Joe Thomas. Jeff Lynne honestly might be cool too. I feel like he takes the '60s sound and modernizes it, for better or worse. And Rick Rubin, well I just don't think he's that great of a producer. Licensed to Ill is surely the worst produced Beastie Boys album, and has dated horribly. The Red Hot Chili Peppers succeed despite of his production, and in my opinion he his production nearly single handled ruined Weezer's Make Believe. His production on Weezer's red album was also pretty shitty, by and large. I wouldn't doubt that my friend runnersdialzero agree's with me on that one. I think he set up a good environment for Johnny Cash's last performances, but I think him staying away from the knobs is what made those albums good.

I honestly think the production will be reasonable even if Joe Thomas is producing. The one thing about the boys recently, is it seems they DO listen to the fans. And I'm sure Brian's team knows how many feel about Imagination. So I think that will be taken in mind. I think the vocals on the new album will sound wonderful, and I hope the sound is mellow and pretty, but not too bright. I'd like something like Imagination, just with a little less nylon string guitar and cheesy tinkling keyboards.

[Klay]

.

[Wirestone]

The released version of GIOMH should sound like Joe Thomas -- the track is from the Imagination sessions!

[Klay]

.

[Klay]

.

[runnersdialzero]

@ teh sweet one: Rubin's pretty hack-y and has been "hands off" with the majority of his works for the last 20 years, red and Make Believe are no exception. I've heard people who worked with him when he *was* hands on complain about continuing to work with him, saying he'd come in for 15 minutes at the end of the session saying things like, "Is that digital?" and, "It's off, listen! It's off!" at a backwards guitar track.

His approach is interesting*, I'm sure it's done some great things for some people (I happen to think the red album is really good, for instance), but I think it requires a strong, disciplined, and willing creative force in the studio as well. That's not to say they don't exist in the Beach Boys, but I think it'd be a lot easier for distractions and bickering to come back and derail the project.

* While I say "interesting", I think it's a tad ridiculous that the guy likely gets paid millions to turn very little knobs but just come in and say, "The melody needs a lift," or, "Write a new chorus."

While I know nothing of his work with Radiohead, Nigel Godrich's work on Beck's Sea Change is really good. Lots of layers and atmosphere but little actual reverb on vocals, drums etc. which is pretty interesting. He might have been a good choice. Again, I won't discredit Joe's work until it's finished, as I've heard nothing from him in 13 years and maybe he's come to realize the Imagination-style production is extremely inappropriate for this.

[pixletwin]

Whoever produces it, it HAS TO BE better than Summer In Paradise was, right?

Right?

 

[runnersdialzero]

Whoever produces it, it HAS TO BE better than Summer In Paradise was, right?

Right?

 

Considering the d00d who did it died seven years ago, I'd say the chances of it sounding similar are slim.

[Jim V.]

@ teh sweet one: Rubin's pretty hack-y and has been "hands off" with the majority of his works for the last 20 years, red and Make Believe are no exception. I've heard people who worked with him when he *was* hands on complain about continuing to work with him, saying he'd come in for 15 minutes at the end of the session saying things like, "Is that digital?" and, "It's off, listen! It's off!" at a backwards guitar track.

His approach is interesting*, I'm sure it's done some great things for some people (I happen to think the red album is really good, for instance), but I think it requires a strong, disciplined, and willing creative force in the studio as well. That's not to say they don't exist in the Beach Boys, but I think it'd be a lot easier for distractions and bickering to come back and derail the project.

* While I say "interesting", I think it's a tad ridiculous that the guy likely gets paid millions to turn very little knobs but just come in and say, "The melody needs a lift," or, "Write a new chorus."

While I know nothing of his work with Radiohead, Nigel Godrich's work on Beck's Sea Change is really good. Lots of layers and atmosphere but little actual reverb on vocals, drums etc. which is pretty interesting. He might have been a good choice. Again, I won't discredit Joe's work until it's finished, as I've heard nothing from him in 13 years and maybe he's come to realize the Imagination-style production is extremely inappropriate for this.

There is little to no chance Nigel Godrich would work with The Beach Boys. I get the feeling that artist has to pursue him, and I doubt any of the boys would do that, minus Bruce maybe. But anyways, I seem to remember he really was quite of a dick to Paul McCartney, for instance telling him stuff like "that song sucks" or "re-write that one and then come back". Could you imagine him saying stuff like that to Brian Wilson? If he did, I'm scared that Brian would never write or record a new song after that ever again. So let's keep Nigel out of the project.

And by the way, I know Nigel was tough on Paul, but I wonder if he had the same up-front ballsiness when Thom Yorke pukes up a shitty clickety-clackity piece of computer garbage. I don't seem him being quite as rude. Maybe I'm wrong though. By the way, I am a Radiohead fan, but sometimes Thom is a bit much.

I've actually warmed up to the Joe Thomas idea a lot quicker than I ever thought I would.

[Wirestone]

Joe has done little studio production work, it seems, since Imagination. He has mainly produced and directed a PBS series called "Soundstage." He has produced some live albums taken from show broadcasts -- namely one by Fleetwood Mac and one from Stevie Nicks.

http://www.avclub.com/chicago/articles/soundstage,25355/

Acts on the show have included Tom Petty and Sonic Youth, as well as the Mac.

[doc smiley]

Joe has done little studio production work, it seems, since Imagination. He has mainly produced and directed a PBS series called "Soundstage." He has produced some live albums taken from show broadcasts -- namely one by Fleetwood Mac and one from Stevie Nicks.

That's 15 years of producing other artists, if only in a live setting.. who knows what he's learned in that time...
I personally, wouldn't write this project off just because he's involved...

[?]

I've heard people who worked with him when he *was* hands on complain about continuing to work with him, saying he'd come in for 15 minutes at the end of the session saying things like, "Is that digital?" and, "It's off, listen! It's off!" at a backwards guitar track.

Danzig?

[Ron]

David Marks has never been ditched from The Beach Boys. Ever. Not in the '60's, not in the '90s.
(First time he walked was because he couldn't take the bullsh** and the second time was so he didn't die.)

As far as the seemingly endless hatred of Jeff Foskett (not to mention the silly and immature use of his name in song titles) without Jeff, it doesn't happen; there is no "modern era Brian Wilson" without Jeff Foskett. There's no studio work and there's no tour. If three minutes before show time Jeff falls ill -- the show is off. That's how important Jeff is to the state of affairs today. He acts as Brian's aide/valet offstage and keeps things so cool both on and offstage that people are STILL claiming that "Brian Is Back!" Seeing as how many people on this board don't really know him (or think they know him because they HEARD he "hates" Love You) let me be the first to say he's really a good guy, he loves the music as much as any of us, and we're lucky to have him on our side.

Where anyone got the idea that Jeff is involved in the reunion "in lieu" of anyone -- specifically David is far beyond me.

Preach it brother.  I don't know why people want to make things negative that aren't.  What the hell did Jeff Foskett ever do to anybody?  Every story I've ever heard about him, and everytime I've ever seen him on anything he's the nicest, sweetest, funniest guy ever.

[Ron]

Howie, thanks. I don't know how or why the Foskett hate got started here,  but it's a new and unappealing thing.

I think, deep down, a lot of posters who have not followed BW or his scene intently for a number of years do not understand, at a fairly basic level, how dependent Brian is on good people around him. They think that if evil person of the hour (Melinda, Jeff, whoever) was out of the way, Brian would instantly jump up and crank out another "Love You."

The basic truth is this. Brian is a mentally ill older man with minimal life skills. He cannot function on his own. He is, for distressing periods of time, basically catatonic. If we like a Brian who performs, who records, who is engaged with the world, someone has to guide him.

You have proof to support this statement ? Granted, Brian doesn't run three marathons a week - in fact, he's one of the laziest people on God's earth: sees a chair, sits in it. I can dig that - but he's no zombie, as a friend of mine found out (and if he'll let me, I'll pass the tale on: it's a nice one). Brian is a 69-year-old man with neurological issues, most of which stemmed from the 1982-1991 period, and which are currently being controlled. He drives his own car. He cuts up his own food. He can button his own pants. Jeff, in the early touring days, was indeed a safety net but these days he's more of a comfort blanket. Brian trusts Jeff, and there's not many can say that. Brian's lazy, indolent and not hyper. But he's not catatonic, or even close: yeah, he has his bad days but back in the 2nd Landy era, pretty much every day was a bad day. Truth is, we see maybe 10% of Brian's life and that's the rigidly structured touring aspect. Also, remember this: Brian is the master of the put-on. I don't doubt that some of his zoning out is a defence mechanism, pure and simple. Hell, I do that, but as I'm not Brian Wilson, no-one notices. They just think I'm being rude.  

PS: Brian's memory - if you push the right buttons - can floor you. Dementia ? Don't think so.

I agree.  Brian's certainly eccentric, lazy, mentally ill, and OLD.... but he's not catatonic or suffering from Dementia.  I know that's 'the narrative' but he's living a pretty normal life.

People go on and on about how sick he is, but hell he's living in a house full of kids that call him daddy.  That's going to go a long way towards making a guy appreciate waking up in the morning.  He's got dogs all over the place.  They probably drive him more crazy than he already is, but Brian's a functioning adult.  In interviews, like AGD is suggesting... sometimes he busts out with some answer and it's really surprising the things he still remembers, etc. 

Also about a year ago somebody posted a picture of Brian IN A PARKING LOT PICKING UP A CHICKEN DINNER.  Hell he must be functioning pretty good if he can drive himself down to a fast food joint and pick up some fried chicken. 

[Dunderhead]

Too bad they didn't get Panda Bear.

[Mr. Wilson]

screw the fried chicken.. there is disrespect for BW + JF.. all over these boards..!!!!!..I personally think that Matt Jardine is a BETTER falsetto singer than Jeff Foskett.. SO FU##in Wh##...!!!!!! Get IT..WE got a bunch of NEWBIES posting on this board..Ive been on this board 12 years..!!!!!!. What i say MEANS nothing...!!BUT// I am 60 years old which means i am in the loop of original BB fans + i live in SOUTHERN calif.. ..But my posts dont show it ..i keep changing my name.....BECAUSE.. No matter WHAT comes out you FU##KIn COMPLAIN>>SHUT UP>>!!!!!! Any thing released last 15 years is a FU##KIN GIFT....!! If David Marks shows up for REUNION LP enjoy>>>!!!!!!!!!!!..HELLO..If Internet existed in 60"s>>>>>>>>>> BW/BB  would have never releases sh*t..!! Are U kidding me..!SHUT UP.. And enjoy what comes down the pipeline from   Alan + Mark...!! BB/BW........AGD ...PLEASE help me...

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

David Marks has never been ditched from The Beach Boys. Ever. Not in the '60's, not in the '90s.
(First time he walked was because he couldn't take the bullsh** and the second time was so he didn't die.)

As far as the seemingly endless hatred of Jeff Foskett (not to mention the silly and immature use of his name in song titles) without Jeff, it doesn't happen; there is no "modern era Brian Wilson" without Jeff Foskett. There's no studio work and there's no tour. If three minutes before show time Jeff falls ill -- the show is off. That's how important Jeff is to the state of affairs today. He acts as Brian's aide/valet offstage and keeps things so cool both on and offstage that people are STILL claiming that "Brian Is Back!" Seeing as how many people on this board don't really know him (or think they know him because they HEARD he "hates" Love You) let me be the first to say he's really a good guy, he loves the music as much as any of us, and we're lucky to have him on our side.

Where anyone got the idea that Jeff is involved in the reunion "in lieu" of anyone -- specifically David is far beyond me.

Preach it brother.  I don't know why people want to make things negative that aren't.  What the hell did Jeff Foskett ever do to anybody?  Every story I've ever heard about him, and everytime I've ever seen him on anything he's the nicest, sweetest, funniest guy ever.

What? Silly? Immature? On a board about The Beach Boys??

Ahem, on a serious note we can go ahead and start a "Jeff Is Back" campaign on this board!

Jeff's OK!

I think Jeff deserves a TON of respect for the obvious love he holds for Brian and The Beach Boys!

Needless to say, the immaturity will continue!

Let's Put Our Hearts Together With Jeff!

[Ron]

What always shows me what kind of person he is, is hearing fans that went and stayed all day at a show or whatever, and their interaction with him.  You hear story after story about Jeff sneaking somebody backstage, or Jeff coming out to the audience, taking somebody's LP, getting it signed, and bringing it back to them, etc.

I mean why the hell would he do all that?  It'd be easier to just ignore talking to the fans, or taking the time to go get somebody's album signed, or whatever... and here he is DECADES into this deal, *STILL* going out of his way to do favors for fans, and meeting people and talking to people individually before and after shows, etc.   

This guy's got a heart of Gold, and if you don't like the way his voice sounds, oh well.  He's done enough charity work for the fans I think he deserves the spot he's got. 

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Anyone who doubts Jeff's talents and chemistry with The Beach Boys should check out the Live Aid clips! It's easy to see the Boys are getting a charge out of Jeff and he doesn't simply stand there either like a sideman, but rather he brings something to the performance rather than just playing the right notes.

[runnersdialzero]

Too bad they didn't get Panda Bear.

Disgusting.

[runnersdialzero]

Anyone who doubts Jeff's talents and chemistry with The Beach Boys should check out the Live Aid clips!

He sounds just as bad there. I hear no noteworthy "chemistry" going on between he and the rest of the band sans the times where he's clearly singing but Brian thinks he is and is barely audible. That's some good "chemistry", right there.

[Wirestone]

Matt Jardine > Jeff Foskett > Adrian Baker

Just remember that.