Brian says Beach Boys reunion album sounds "mellow".

[Rocker]

So, about the new album. I am glad that they're doing it. Brian talks about 6 of his songs that are mellow (so it seems the other guys get their spot too to fill a complete album) which goes hand in hand with what Mike said a few months back that Brian wrote some songs that are in the Pet Sounds style, as everything that's not sounding like the surf-stuff to Mike is in Pet Sounds style.
I'm a little skeptical about Joe Thomas. The vocals on the Thomas co-produced stuff sound great, yes, but afaik the vocals were produced by Brian and Joe did the plastic sounding tracks. But let's wait and see (or hear).
Also Brian says that the guys all sound great and don't need any work. That's something that in the worst scenario - and since it's the Beach boys, the most likely - means they are not really working but just taking the easy road. On the other hand, we know from the glory days that the guys are really quick learners.

Foskett will be part of this and I don't know why so many people seem to have a problem with that. Personally I think Matt Jardine's falsetto is much better and not sounding as "nostalgia-act-like" as Jeff's but Brian certainly won't do it without him and that's ok with me. He's a very big part why Brian feels good working on stuff like this.
I hope David will be part of this and also Matt Jardine. I also hope for a little acapella song like "One for the boys" on Brian's '88 album. Just the guys standing around a mike, Mike on his own and let the magic happen.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

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, though it's easy to understand Wirestone's post. He does seem as if there's a lot wrong with him, (Brian, not Wirestone) but I suspect that is a front put on for the public and interviewers. I have it on good authority that his demeanour changes radically when he's feeling comfortable.

[absinthe_boy]

Brian, as AGD says, is a 69 year old man with mental health issues. I've never met the man, though I have had the privilege of seeing him in concert. I know people who have met Brian. I also have experience dealing with people who have suffered mental/neurological issues.

There was a story on this very board I believe, posted by somebody who met Brian in the 60's and again much more recently. Brian not only claimed to remember the guy, he even immediately know when and where they'd met some 40 years previously. Nothing wrong with his memory.

Hell, I know for a fact that Peter Gabriel was unable to remember song lyrics on stage when he was 25...songs that he'd written himself and was touring reguarly....so I cut Brian slack for using a prompter.

I've no doubt he has good and bad days, he suffers from depression...everybody in that position has good and bad days...days when they feel the king/queen of the world and days when they cannot face getting up out of bed.

We all know from many sources that Brian drives his own car, walks around by himself, feeds himself...he can probably even dress himself and tie his own shoelaces (Einstein couldn't...). He functions most of the time and still has sparks of creativity which allow him to write excellent songs.

I know people who have encountered Brian 'in the street' and when surprised he is a bit like a rabbit caught in headlights - but then so am I. Otherwise he is described as 'a little odd, eccentric perhaps. But perfectly with it'. You just have to know how to engage his enthusiasm. Certain lines of enquiry will cause Brian to get bored and pull up the shutters, or to feel uncomfy and do likewise....others will see him give one or two word answers...while other subjects or angles on subjects will see him spin a story for minutes.

I'm OK with a mellow Beach Boys album. I'm OK with an LP that is mellow on one side and rocking on the other. I'm OK with an EP. As long as the music is at least 'good'. The presence of Jeff is a bit of a security blanket for Brian, and an advocate for Brian if he feels he needs one. Jeff will look out for Brian on the occaions that needs to happen. Just like the keyboard at his gigs was a security blanket, something that made Brian feel 'safe' and able to be Brian. Jeff is also a damned good singer and musician, and by all accounts able to get on with just about anybody. Good call having him on board.

[John Manning]

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, though it's easy to understand Wirestone's post. He does seem as if there's a lot wrong with him, (Brian, not Wirestone) but I suspect that is a front put on for the public and interviewers. I have it on good authority that his demeanour changes radically when he's feeling comfortable.

Rather relieved to have AGD say all that. Okay, so I've not mixed with Brian for real, but I've been to a few meet & greets, and I've spotted him pre-concert sat stage-side, just taking it in. He's always seemed to me to be somewhat withdrawn (most but not all of the time) and generally waiting for the moment in which he's disinterested to pass, but always either alert or distracted by his own thoughts – remember the meet & greet scenarios must all blur into one eventually so it's no wonder he's distracted/withdraw/disinterested.

Catatonic's an extreme way of describing him, I feel; unfair for sure.

Those who blame his age, by the way, for hi odd behaviour should see the entry field for the 200-mile, two-week backpacking event I'm organising: folk well into their 60s, 70s and 80s will be planning their own routes and carrying everything on their backs for two weeks across a harsh Scottish Highland landscape. Not saying all over 60s should take a hike (!), just that age isn't necessarily a measure of a person's ability to get out of bed in a morning!

[absinthe_boy]

Can we just sticky AGD's assessment of Brian's mental state? I get tired of the assumptions people post here re: Brian's mental health.

At least in my case it wasn't an assumption; more an informed extrapolation based on some off-the-record conversations from a couple of years ago. Combining those with Howie's statement led to my post. Obviously people around Brian can see his mood and states differently from person to person -- and AGD's point about the 10 percent is excellent. Those who know that 10 percent may not always be the best ones to speak about BW day-to-day. I'm glad it's not as dire as I feared.

As for dementia, it will probably take me first, then ...

Edit: It is also a very powerful human desire to have a happy, simple endings to tales of trouble. That desire has certainly distorted perceptions of Brian before. Life is complicated and not always how we'd like it.

People who work closely with Brian have talked on the record too, as indeed has Brian himself. He's not exactly silent on the subject of his own health...sometimes he's very forthcoming about the meds he's on, about still hearing auditory hallucinations, about having bad days and writer's block...about sometimes just shutting down so he doesn't have to deal with a problem at that point in time...about needing the people he lives and works with to motivate him into 'doing his thing'. If you've ever known somebody with clinical depression you know you have to push them sometimes.

Take Darian, who's worked with Brian for a long time now. Darian has stated publically and on the record that *several years* into his collaborative life with Brian, he visited BW at home and found him 'zoned out' and almost catatonic. Darian was scared, worried, called an ambulance. Later Melinda explained that with Brian's illness that does occasionally happen.

So...after a few *years* working closely, Darian witnessed one bad episode. Furthermore Melinda said it happens "occasionally".

Extrapolating as Wirestone likes to do, I really don't think we are dealing with a man who is catatonic much of the time or unable to look after himself at all. I do buy that his life skills are not as good as most adults - blame that on many things including Murray and the drugs & success of the 60's. Yes, he needs prodding to be productive but I am pretty sure he doesn't pee himself and dribble his dinner down his shirt - heck I KNOW people who have eaten dinner with Brian Wilson in the last decade and no dribbling was mentioned.

Caveat: I do not know Brian Wilson. I am merely extrapolating from available, verifiable  information.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Take Darian, who's worked with Brian for a long time now. Darian has stated publically and on the record that *several years* into his collaborative life with Brian, he visited BW at home and found him 'zoned out' and almost catatonic. Darian was scared, worried, called an ambulance. Later Melinda explained that with Brian's illness that does occasionally happen.

I'm pretty sure that was during the preparations for BWPS.

[smile-holland]

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.

+1. From personal experience I can say that Jeff is a great guy

[pixletwin]

I'm sure Jeff is a great guy. I just don't like how his voice has been mixed so far forward in Brian's recent recorded outings. Mix them back a bit and I am happy.

[puni puni]

if i ever meet brian i'm going to beg him to collaborate with panda bear

[oldsurferdude]

Brian Eno anybody???

Absolutely, but not with any kind of reunion effort. I'd be interested  to hear what both Brians could whip up on a BW solo, though.

[pixletwin]

if i ever meet brian i'm going to beg him to collaborate with panda bear

"OLDIES BUT GOODIES."

[SMiLE Brian]

if i ever meet brian i'm going to beg him to collaborate with panda bear

"OLDIES BUT GOODIES."

That interview was so funny with Brian just shutting down the interviewer's attempts to get him to comment on modern music by saying that phrase.

[c-man]

I'm sure Jeff is a great guy. I just don't like how his voice has been mixed so far forward in Brian's recent recorded outings. Mix them back a bit and I am happy.

Agreed.  In my opinion, in terms of sounding "right" on Brian's falseetto parts, Kirsch is better than M. Jardine who is better than Foskett who is better than Baker.
Just my personal opinion.

[Mikie]

Kirsch better than Matt Jardine?   I dunno...........that's a tough one.

[GuyO]

Matt Jardine on falsetto please. Rather Foskett than Kirsch.

I missed out on this... which band members were involved with the tracking of Do it again? Darian, Scott Bennet, Jeff? Scott Totten and John Cowsill?

[Runaways]

btw "mellow" is exactly what i'd want from an album from these guys at this point. 

[SG7]

Well hasn't Brian tried working with "modern" artists in the past but it really has never quite panned out? Maybe that is why they aren't trying that again with him.  From the list of artists he tried working with at one point include Jellyfish, April March, Sean O' Hagan, Matthew Sweet... I am sure a few other names I'm forgetting.

[puni puni]

if i ever meet brian i'm going to beg him to collaborate with panda bear

"OLDIES BUT GOODIES."

i bet he'd listen to anything if you told him it sounds like phil spector

[SMiLE Brian]

if i ever meet brian i'm going to beg him to collaborate with panda bear

"OLDIES BUT GOODIES."

i bet he'd listen to anything if you told him it sounds like phil spector

good idea

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

Dave Friedman as producer? Anybody? Anybody?

[pixletwin]

Dave Friedman as producer? Anybody? Anybody?

I'll take that. Just don't let Wayne Coyne anywhere near Brian. 

[SMiLE Brian]

Still need to see the interview with Wayne Coyne...

[HeyJude]

btw "mellow" is exactly what i'd want from an album from these guys at this point.  

I know I’m stating the obvious, but it would depend on what exactly “mellow” is. I agree that something that is sort of laid-back and not frantic-sounding would be just fine. I don’t need them to force out a “rock and roll” sound. I think the fear is that “mellow” means sounding like a Kenny G track but with vocals.

I’m curious how deliberate this move is, both in terms of working with Thomas as well as making Thomas material potential BB material. It just seems odd that after a number of years of recording with some musicians and singers who are big BB fans and who seem to enjoy evoking the sound of “classic period” BB/Brian material, just when Brian is preparing to potentially do an actual BB album, he moves away from that production sound and set of musicians. All guessing at this point, of course. Maybe Brian is using more of his band than just Jeff. I just recall reading a blurb from one of Thomas’ session drummers about working on this material.

As for the talk of Rick Rubin, I can only speak for myself, but my evoking Rubin’s name was not to suggest we should get some sort of acoustic guitar-and-vocal stripped down sound from a BB album. I was speaking more to the idea of a Rubin-type character that is different and new and potentially brining a freshness to an established artist. Judging by what Rubin did on something like the last Dixie Chicks album, he is capable of producing good group vocals and a more full sound, but I’m not really advocating for him to produce.

[southbay]

you guys are all going to be REALLY disappointed. Seriously, don't do this to yourselves...

[adamghost]

Matt Jardine > Jeff Foskett > Adrian Baker

Just remember that.

I don't get the Jeff hate either, but this is a good clarifying post on the "Brian substitute" topic.  Matt J. was sublime, probably the best top voice they ever had outside the core group; he didn't seem like a sideman at all.  And Adrian Baker....bleah.  He sang worse than Brian at Long Beach in '81, and that's sayin' something.