Joe Thomas Interview: On Brian Wilson, the Reunion, & TWGMTR

[PongHit]

The Joe Thomas Interview: On Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys Reunion, and That's Why God Made the Radio

http://rdd.me/33nbzunw

[runnersdialzero]

"I pointed out to him that when we worked together several years ago he had the genesis of some other Beach Boy songs that he had never really wanted to put on any of his solo records. That he had isolated specifically for the Beach Boys."

I had kind of suspected this. Argument enough against the folks who say "Most of this album comprises of songs Brian cut from a 'meh' solo album of his and hasn't revisited in 15 years - how good can this really be?"

[bossaroo]

good stuff here.

it's great to know that Brian is still really on the ball, he basically spearheaded the whole reunion, and he doesn't want the Beach Boys to end after this album. awesome that Capitol got behind the sessions like they did, and I'm glad Brian's got someone like Joe to bounce ideas off and record his every burp and thought in the studio. times is good.

[Alan Smith]

Someone posted this in the new album info thread as well - just finished it; it's a great read covering many aspects of this collaboration and conveys the genuine commitment of the main players.

[Eric Aniversario]

Great interview!  Gives us a lot more insight into the timeline for how the tour and album came to be.

[runnersdialzero]

Kind of glad they're allowing people to know who came up with what as far as the new songs. So often, they put a veil over this sort of thing as a means to maybe have people believe someone did more than they really did. It's nice to read what happened and how it happened.

[Kirk]

Interesting that Joe credits Brian with the title/concept of "That's Why God Made the Radio" but in the Charlie Rose interview Brian credits Joe with it.

[Alan Smith]

  Yeah, Don't fight the inconsistencies, I say; they'll be coming thick and fast, the real story will get to us one day.

Mike Eder kindly posted a link to a cool Mike interview that doesn't totally align to Joe T's account.  But as per Eric and runners some good stuff and rarely aired.

[18thofMay]

Old mate Donny probably needs to re-tract some opinion.

[Runaways]

Interesting that Joe credits Brian with the title/concept of "That's Why God Made the Radio" but in the Charlie Rose interview Brian credits Joe with it.

Joe's story was a lot more intricate wasn't it?

[Wirestone]

Folks unhappy with the production aren't crediting Joe with being truthful.

[Kirk]

I thought it was a weird question for Charlie Rose to ask: "Who came up with that?" It was as left field to me as pulling that Dennis "Smile makes Pet Sounds stink" quote completely out of context. And, of course, with Brian's replies on these type of questions, it's always a question of whether he's self-consciously letting the air out of his own myth (baggage) as the auteur of all (including the creative genesis) or he just remembers it differently.

PS. I still love playing the Q&A with Scott at the end of the TLOS DVD where Scott starts explaining "Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl" and Brian's like "I thought it was just about how I love my wife and stuff...."

[buddhahat]

Folks unhappy with the production aren't crediting Joe with being truthful.

I have to say this is a fascinating read. If we take it at face value (which I'm inclined to do) it feels like the most honest account of how Brian approaches writing/recording these days, and leaves you feeling that  this new album may well be exactly where Brian's head is at if left to his own devices.

Which puts me in an uncomfortable position as, from the samples, I'd say I'm only into about half the album! That said, I love the first four or so tracks and the last 3 and the rest I can take or leave at this point, but I'll see if I feel the same way next week.

It really is great to read how apparently eager (and instrumental) Brian was in getting the band together. Especially how he'd earmarked and held on to songs especially for a group project - gives you a totally different perspective on his relationship with the other bandmembers, although makes you wonder why he's been so adamant on not reforming, and quite negative about the prospect in some interviews prior to the reunion announcements.

[18thofMay]

We just realised that Brian is who he is.. He plays us like fools.. He has been planning this for years..

[Wirestone]

We just realised that Brian is who he is.. He plays us like fools.. He has been planning this for years..

This is my impression.

Brian has no compunction about lying when 1.) it suits his purposes, 2.) it shuts down an interviewer 3.) it amuses him.

Barely 10 percent of his interviews these days are worth anything. And even those contain big swaths of untruth.

[GoofyJeff]

Joe Thomas said in the article:

So they made us an incredible offer based on those songs for a three-record deal.

Three-record deal?!?  So TWGMTR, live CD, and follow-up?   

[Runaways]

Joe Thomas said in the article:

So they made us an incredible offer based on those songs for a three-record deal.

Three-record deal?!?  So TWGMTR, live CD, and follow-up?   

Oh yeah, it's gonna be a double lp!  First album is the mythical rock n roll album, album 2 is the finished Summer's Gone suite. ._.

[Amy B.]

We just realised that Brian is who he is.. He plays us like fools.. He has been planning this for years..

Yes, all that time he kept saying he didn't want to reunite, etc, he'd been planning it, or thinking about it.
Who was it who said Brian is beyond us all and we'll never catch up?
He said he burned the Smile tapes too, and then had that moment of truthfulness on a chat (in 2000? 2002?) where he reassured the fans that he knew where the tapes were and that Smile would come out in time. So how long had he planned THAT? Who knows what's really going on in his head?

[buddhahat]

But why is there always that tantalizing carrot, just out of reach? Now we all have the Summer's Gone Suite to tie ourslves in knots over!

[ontor pertawst]

Where even Joe Thomas wishes it could be out in it's entirety. Well, why not? Sob.

[Ron]

Brian Wilson - "just don't know if I want to be around those guys, you know? They're crazy' ...


That's my favorite Brian lie.  He tries so hard, but his lies are kind of like a 5 year olds. 

Interviewer - I'm gonig to ask Brian about reuniting with the Beach Boys

Brian - OH NO!  What am I going to say??? They asked me about the Beach Boys, Gosh Darn they asked me about the Beach Boys again!  If they figure out my plan we'll lose money, it's supposed to be a secret!!!!

"I just don't know if I want to be around those guys, you know? They're crazy' ...

[bossaroo]

ZANY I TELLS YA!!!

[Eireannach]

We just realised that Brian is who he is.. He plays us like fools.. He has been planning this for years..

Yes, all that time he kept saying he didn't want to reunite, etc, he'd been planning it, or thinking about it.
Who was it who said Brian is beyond us all and we'll never catch up?
He said he burned the Smile tapes too, and then had that moment of truthfulness on a chat (in 2000? 2002?) where he reassured the fans that he knew where the tapes were and that Smile would come out in time. So how long had he planned THAT? Who knows what's really going on in his head?

This is what makes me just love the guy.  There is a method to his madness and is extremely unmovable otherwise.

[Amy B.]

Brian Wilson - "just don't know if I want to be around those guys, you know? They're crazy' ...

I'm trying to remember the reaction on the board when we read that interview. Probably sadness, or maybe blaming Melinda for influencing Brian.
So wait... does this mean Norbit isn't really Brian's favorite movie? 

[Rocker]

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,13143.0.html


plus, the author of the article posted some infos in that link