Things that I just don't get about my favorite band (and that piss me off!)

[schiaffino]

In my years as a Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fan I've devoured their history, anecdotes and any bits & pieces of information I can find around them. One of the reasons I read & participate in this board is precisely my insatiable hunger for knowledge; but the more I learn, the more I find stuff about the band and Brian that doesn't make any sense. And that drives me nuts 

For example, how was Brian able to record 'Good Time' back in 1970? I don't mean in terms of vocal range, he was still a proficient singer then, but in terms of the song's mood and the expression of his singing. It's not a fav song of mine, but its awfully catchy and so over-the-top happy, poppy, cute that doesn't make any sense in the context of the supposed mental state of Brian in those years. How can someone so depressed, so bored & negative with life sing something like this? His vocals sound genuine, like something he would have sung in the early years of the band.

Am I crazy or anyone else feels the same way?

And one other thing I don't get. By all accounts, Brian did the falsetto vocals in 'Airplane'. Those vocals are really good, too good for someone who in a lower register sounds awful elsewhere in 'Love You' (for ex. 'Love is a Woman'). I'm not a singer, but I know that actually doing a decent falsetto requires technique and a capable range, something far more complex than singing in your normal tone. So...I don't understand why Brian singing in an easier lower tone sounds so bad, while sounding amazingly solid in the higher bits.

I just don't get it...or guess I'm dumb but I don't care    No wait, actually I do care, this stuff really pisses the sh%$#t out of me!!!

[Amazing Larry]

In my years as a Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fan I've devoured their history, anecdotes and any bits & pieces of information I can find around them. One of the reasons I read & participate in this board is precisely my insatiable hunger for knowledge; but the more I learn, the more I find stuff about the band and Brian that doesn't make any sense. And that drives me nuts 

For example, how was Brian able to record 'Good Time' back in 1970? I don't mean in terms of vocal range, he was still a proficient singer then, but in terms of the song's mood and the expression of his singing. It's not a fav song of mine, but its awfully catchy and so over-the-top happy, poppy, cute that doesn't make any sense in the context of the supposed mental state of Brian in those years. How can someone so depressed, so bored & negative with life sing something like this? His vocals sound genuine, like something he would have sung in the early years of the band.

Am I crazy or anyone else feels the same way?

I always felt that the Sunflower era was a good time for Brian. He had lost weight and started participating more in the studio after being MIA during the second half of the 20/20 sessions. It's not too much of a stretch to think that Brian was genuinely happy as he recorded a lot of the Sunflower songs.

[schiaffino]

In my years as a Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fan I've devoured their history, anecdotes and any bits & pieces of information I can find around them. One of the reasons I read & participate in this board is precisely my insatiable hunger for knowledge; but the more I learn, the more I find stuff about the band and Brian that doesn't make any sense. And that drives me nuts 

For example, how was Brian able to record 'Good Time' back in 1970? I don't mean in terms of vocal range, he was still a proficient singer then, but in terms of the song's mood and the expression of his singing. It's not a fav song of mine, but its awfully catchy and so over-the-top happy, poppy, cute that doesn't make any sense in the context of the supposed mental state of Brian in those years. How can someone so depressed, so bored & negative with life sing something like this? His vocals sound genuine, like something he would have sung in the early years of the band.

Am I crazy or anyone else feels the same way?

I always felt that the Sunflower era was a good time for Brian. He had lost weight and started participating more in the studio after being MIA during the second half of the 20/20 sessions. It's not too much of a stretch to think that Brian was genuinely happy as he recorded a lot of the Sunflower songs.

You're right, he did loose weight & produce more music than in the late 60s...but his mental state was far from being one you could categorize as happy. He looked really, really sad back then:

[Cabinessenceking]

In my years as a Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fan I've devoured their history, anecdotes and any bits & pieces of information I can find around them. One of the reasons I read & participate in this board is precisely my insatiable hunger for knowledge; but the more I learn, the more I find stuff about the band and Brian that doesn't make any sense. And that drives me nuts 

For example, how was Brian able to record 'Good Time' back in 1970? I don't mean in terms of vocal range, he was still a proficient singer then, but in terms of the song's mood and the expression of his singing. It's not a fav song of mine, but its awfully catchy and so over-the-top happy, poppy, cute that doesn't make any sense in the context of the supposed mental state of Brian in those years. How can someone so depressed, so bored & negative with life sing something like this? His vocals sound genuine, like something he would have sung in the early years of the band.

Am I crazy or anyone else feels the same way?

I always felt that the Sunflower era was a good time for Brian. He had lost weight and started participating more in the studio after being MIA during the second half of the 20/20 sessions. It's not too much of a stretch to think that Brian was genuinely happy as he recorded a lot of the Sunflower songs.

I think when Sunflower failed it broke him yet again, just as had happened with Friends two years earlier. He put his heart into his songs and then when both the projects he was involved most in failed it shredded him and he got far more depressed than he had ever been pre-1970

[schiaffino]

In my years as a Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fan I've devoured their history, anecdotes and any bits & pieces of information I can find around them. One of the reasons I read & participate in this board is precisely my insatiable hunger for knowledge; but the more I learn, the more I find stuff about the band and Brian that doesn't make any sense. And that drives me nuts 

For example, how was Brian able to record 'Good Time' back in 1970? I don't mean in terms of vocal range, he was still a proficient singer then, but in terms of the song's mood and the expression of his singing. It's not a fav song of mine, but its awfully catchy and so over-the-top happy, poppy, cute that doesn't make any sense in the context of the supposed mental state of Brian in those years. How can someone so depressed, so bored & negative with life sing something like this? His vocals sound genuine, like something he would have sung in the early years of the band.

Am I crazy or anyone else feels the same way?

I always felt that the Sunflower era was a good time for Brian. He had lost weight and started participating more in the studio after being MIA during the second half of the 20/20 sessions. It's not too much of a stretch to think that Brian was genuinely happy as he recorded a lot of the Sunflower songs.

I think when Sunflower failed it broke him yet again, just as had happened with Friends two years earlier. He put his heart into his songs and then when both the projects he was involved most in failed it shredded him and he got far more depressed than he had ever been pre-1970

But wasn't it during the Sunflower era that Brian tried to sabotage the signing of the new contract with Reprise? I read he painted his face green or something.

I know the original sessions for 'Good Time' where done for the Spring project. Maybe since it was a non Beach Boys project, he may have had a more positive attitude & that could explain his joyous singing. That could be in line with the theory of passive aggressiveness towards the band in the years after Smile.

Actually I saw the 'Beautiful Dreamer' doc this weekend (for the first time) and Brian did say he was angry for the boys objecting his Smile music when they came back from London in the fall of 1966. If you look at the doc in detail, his facial expression is very sincere, don't think it's a case of Brian answering whatever.

And that's another thing I don't get, if Brian was so angry with the band about Smile, why not just walk away and do his thing?

Anyways, thanks for the replies 

[MBE]

In my years as a Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fan I've devoured their history, anecdotes and any bits & pieces of information I can find around them. One of the reasons I read & participate in this board is precisely my insatiable hunger for knowledge; but the more I learn, the more I find stuff about the band and Brian that doesn't make any sense. And that drives me nuts 

For example, how was Brian able to record 'Good Time' back in 1970? I don't mean in terms of vocal range, he was still a proficient singer then, but in terms of the song's mood and the expression of his singing. It's not a fav song of mine, but its awfully catchy and so over-the-top happy, poppy, cute that doesn't make any sense in the context of the supposed mental state of Brian in those years. How can someone so depressed, so bored & negative with life sing something like this? His vocals sound genuine, like something he would have sung in the early years of the band.

Am I crazy or anyone else feels the same way?

I always felt that the Sunflower era was a good time for Brian. He had lost weight and started participating more in the studio after being MIA during the second half of the 20/20 sessions. It's not too much of a stretch to think that Brian was genuinely happy as he recorded a lot of the Sunflower songs.

You're right, he did loose weight & produce more music than in the late 60s...but his mental state was far from being one you could categorize as happy. He looked really, really sad back then:

That was a photo session and a shot or two later he's smiling a huge smile. Look at the inner cover of Sunflower too. You must understand that Brian battled mental problems as early as 1963 (starting to gain weight having Al fill in for him when David was in the group) and his decline happened slowly. He had flare ups and in 1968 he had to be hospitalized briefly but he was making public apperences (Yellow Submarine premere showing up at Beach Boys shows to sign autographs) by the end of the year so it was more a blip that time. As late as 1970-71 he was fairly OK much of the time. Like he was very depressed when his dad sold his songs in late 1969 but by a month or so later he was as active as before.  

 Carl once said he first noticed Brian starting to have a real drug problem at the So Tough period. Others told me he was different when he came back from Holland. Then when Murry died in mid 1973 all bets were off yet even in 1974 you can hear things like Rolling Up To Heaven where he is having a blast. Though he was on tour a lot I see mid 1973 to early 1983 to be Brian at his worst. Yet even then he would have a year or so where he seemed better like mid 1976-mid 1977. The Brian you see today was caused by Landy's medication from 1983-91 which almost killed him. Yet Brian again and again has fought since then to regain some sense of normalacy. I wouldn't say his life is perfect but the work he has done since 1998 especally with Smile, That Lucky Old Sun, and TWGMTR and the reunion tour show him to be doing pretty damn good for all he has been through.
Spring didn't start until 1971 Good TIme was a Beach Boys song. Beautiful Dreamer is bull when it comes to about everything.

[Phoenix]

I think when Sunflower failed it broke him yet again...

I totally agree.  Not only that but with the rest of the stuff you said as well. 

As someone diagnosed with all sorts of metal illness (tho NOWHERE to the degree that Brian has) I can tell you that no matter what state Brian was in a which point in his life, he had "good days and bad days".  That's dumbing it down but say before 1970, Brian was "at his worst" in 1968.  Even if we accept that as fact, he was still doing better the day of the Yellow Submarine premiere than he was on the day of the "airplane breakdown" in 1964.  Also, it's not just good DAYS.  People can go through entire periods of peaks and valleys, depending on many other factors in their life.  I truly think Brian thought he found the answer during the lead up to Sunflower.  He was "in charge" again (something the new contract probably stipulated) but was "backed" by a band who were all pulling their individual weight so all the pressure wasn't on him.  I think he was totally psyched and incredibly proud of the album and when it tanked, it was the final nail in the coffin, in terms of him "giving up" on himself. 

Other factors played into it but I honestly feel that Smile collapsed because Brian couldn't take the pressure of figuring out the "right" order of all the modular sections.  He tried and tried and wound up spinning his wheels at the end, getting no closer (at least to any noticeable degree) to finishing it when it was officially scrapped.  (I think the "Dada mystery" is solved by accepting the fact that it took Brian a few weeks to accept the decision that Derek and the boys had already made.)  Post-Smile he took the band in a completely different but fully chosen direction:  No more modular stuff, no more grandiose production, with an emphasis on vocals.  Back to square one; the VERY beginning.  As much as I (personally) don't enjoy the "music for Brian to cool out to" period, mainly because I feel it went on for too long (I understand WHY it went on for so long, it just wore thin with me by then), I kinda see that stuff as similar to what the band may have wound up sounding like if David hadn't replaced Al early on.  With Dave, Carl brought the rock and roll element to the band's music but compare "Surfin'" to "Surfin' Safari".  It's nearly unplugged.  With Smile, I think Brain gave up on the competition with the Beatles and did a stripped down 180 and not just in the studio.  He made a conscious decision to alter the band's entire style, if not image.   Listen to the Michigan shows in '66 and compare them to the Hawaii performances from the following summer.  That was his plan and the next few albums bore that out but after a while, it was clear that it didn't work on capturing the old magic.

Circa 1970, the band is done with Capitol and decide to reboot again.  I feel that Brian knew it was time for a change and more importantly, was ready to make that change; more than likely, excited by the prospect of a label willing to support the band the way Capitol used to.  Also, with 20/20 still fresh, the proof is in the pudding that everyone in the band is ready, willing, and able to pull their weight.  The time is now!  Then the album keeps getting rejected by his new "savior label" and fails upon its eventual release.  With that, Brian threw in the towel.  The guys probably figured he earned his rest and would go back to his "supervisory position".  He withdraws more and more, allowing Carl to pick up the slack again.  The next album (while more commercially successful) is another traumatic experience for Brian (to say the least) and the next thing you know, "Carl once said he first noticed Brian starting to have a real drug problem at the So Tough period."  The next time they manage to get Brian to participate it's post Endless Summer and he's literally a shadow of who he used to be.

Sad but true but that's my take.  Your mileage (as always) may vary.

[schiaffino]

In my years as a Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fan I've devoured their history, anecdotes and any bits & pieces of information I can find around them. One of the reasons I read & participate in this board is precisely my insatiable hunger for knowledge; but the more I learn, the more I find stuff about the band and Brian that doesn't make any sense. And that drives me nuts 

For example, how was Brian able to record 'Good Time' back in 1970? I don't mean in terms of vocal range, he was still a proficient singer then, but in terms of the song's mood and the expression of his singing. It's not a fav song of mine, but its awfully catchy and so over-the-top happy, poppy, cute that doesn't make any sense in the context of the supposed mental state of Brian in those years. How can someone so depressed, so bored & negative with life sing something like this? His vocals sound genuine, like something he would have sung in the early years of the band.

Am I crazy or anyone else feels the same way?

I always felt that the Sunflower era was a good time for Brian. He had lost weight and started participating more in the studio after being MIA during the second half of the 20/20 sessions. It's not too much of a stretch to think that Brian was genuinely happy as he recorded a lot of the Sunflower songs.

You're right, he did loose weight & produce more music than in the late 60s...but his mental state was far from being one you could categorize as happy. He looked really, really sad back then:

That was a photo session and a shot or two later he's smiling a huge smile. Look at the inner cover of Sunflower too. You must understand that Brian battled mental problems as early as 1963 (starting to gain weight having Al fill in for him when David was in the group) and his decline happened slowly. He had flare ups and in 1968 he had to be hospitalized briefly but he was making public apperences (Yellow Submarine premere showing up at Beach Boys shows to sign autographs) by the end of the year so it was more a blip that time. As late as 1970-71 he was fairly OK much of the time. Like he was very depressed when his dad sold his songs in late 1969 but by a month or so later he was as active as before.  

 Carl once said he first noticed Brian starting to have a real drug problem at the So Tough period. Others told me he was different when he came back from Holland. Then when Murry died in mid 1973 all bets were off yet even in 1974 you can hear things like Rolling Up To Heaven where he is having a blast. Though he was on tour a lot I see mid 1973 to early 1983 to be Brian at his worst. Yet even then he would have a year or so where he seemed better like mid 1976-mid 1977. The Brian you see today was caused by Landy's medication from 1983-91 which almost killed him. Yet Brian again and again has fought since then to regain some sense of normalacy. I wouldn't say his life is perfect but the work he has done since 1998 especally with Smile, That Lucky Old Sun, and TWGMTR and the reunion tour show him to be doing pretty damn good for all he has been through.
Spring didn't start until 1971 Good TIme was a Beach Boys song. Beautiful Dreamer is bull when it comes to about everything.

Thanks Mike, appreciate your comments.

I definitely don't take most of 'Beautiful dreamer' at face value, but a few of the segments when Brian talks seem pretty genuine. One of those is when he expresses his anger to the band for objecting Smile. And he would be in all his right to be angry.

And about the picture, I meant the sadness in his eyes. The dark circles are really obvious, even if he'd be smiling. I believe there's a photo of him of the same year, wearing a white sweater, where those tired eyes are even more impressive.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to question Brian's difficult life nor to make his mental state topic a trivial one. I just don't understand how sometimes his music could be delivered in a way inconsequential with the overall social/personal context of the artist.

[AndrewHickey]

Thanks Mike, appreciate your comments.

I definitely don't take most of 'Beautiful dreamer' at face value, but a few of the segments when Brian talks seem pretty genuine. One of those is when he expresses his anger to the band for objecting Smile. And he would be in all his right to be angry.

And about the picture, I meant the sadness in his eyes. The dark circles are really obvious, even if he'd be smiling. I believe there's a photo of him of the same year, wearing a white sweater, where those tired eyes are even more impressive.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to question Brian's difficult life nor to make his mental state topic a trivial one. I just don't understand how sometimes his music could be delivered in a way inconsequential with the overall social/personal context of the artist.

People with mental illnesses still vary in mood as much as (often more than) people who are well. If someone suffers from depression -- even the kind that can lead to suicide -- they still laugh at jokes, still get cheered up by good news, still have all the normal responses to situations that anyone else does. It's not like Brian sat around from 1967 to 1998 inclusive wearing black and saying "I think you ought to know I'm feeling very depressed".

Depression (and Brian has many other things, but just concentrating on that...) isn't a constant state of feeling down, it's more like the baseline is lowered, so it takes the same amount of mental energy, for want of a better term, to get up to 'normal' as it does for most people to get to 'very happy'.

But if you *are* going through a depressive phase, and do manage to come out of it -- you manage to have a day when it's *not* a struggle just to get out of bed and speak to other people -- then the blessed relief of that is close to ecstasy. "YES! I've managed to phone the bank! WOW! I've actually opened the post! Maybe it's all going to get better from now on!"

[Phoenix]

Exactly.

[Al Jardine: Pick Up Artist]

As somebody with bipolar disorder, I feel like I could chime in.

People with depression aren't depressed *all the time*. Yeah, they may generally be sadder, less attentive and friendly, and more negative, but it *really* is marked by depressive episodes, where you don't do sh*t. You lie around, cry a bit, see no future in sight, and even if you're not suicidal, there's a definite, almost constant thought of death. This lasts a few weeks (although on rare occasions may only happen for a day or so).

Like I said before, when you're not having an episode you might still feel like sh*t, but that can change very rapidly (note: if you're bipolar this isn't a manic episode, just an elevated mood), so you might start being funny, do some work, and feel pretty neutral.

Manic episodes are a whole 'nother thing I don't feel like writing about.

[runnersdialzero]

...

[halblaineisgood]

.

[schiaffino]

Ok, I sincerely don't want this thread to be just about Brian's mental health. I have a lot of respect for the man, this topic is private to him and although very relevant in the history of the band, it's not the only factor determining his/their legacy.

Anyways, back to the other thing that pisses me off: Brian's unknown singing capacity during the recording of 'Love You' (and even after). Again, 'Airplane' is one of my fav BBs song, especially because of his bridge falsetto. How was he able to do that?

I read once Foskett saying that Brian could still hit high notes and that once during a vocal rehearsal he did a falsetto bit. Apparently everyone was very impressed. Anyone knows if this is true?

If so, wouldn't this abide the theory of passive-aggressiveness after Smile? Meaning, Brian sang well whenever he wanted too or liked what he was doing ('Love You' is his fav album); and hence 'sabotaged' other less interesting BBs projects and live performances?

I know this is a bit of a stretch as a theory. In all honesty I think Brian is a great artist, great human being and a professional. Not sure if he would actually do this...

What do you guys think?

[John Manning]

I read once Foskett saying that Brian could still hit high notes and that once during a vocal rehearsal he did a falsetto bit. Apparently everyone was very impressed. Anyone knows if this is true?

What I saw and heard of his performance at the two London shows this year blew me away – he wasn't just hitting notes, he was nailing them.  Okay, so he didn't go for everything, granted, but his occasional forays into Choirboy Land were great.  I know this isn't quite where you're going to with this, but I reckon it's important.

[schiaffino]

I read once Foskett saying that Brian could still hit high notes and that once during a vocal rehearsal he did a falsetto bit. Apparently everyone was very impressed. Anyone knows if this is true?

What I saw and heard of his performance at the two London shows this year blew me away – he wasn't just hitting notes, he was nailing them.  Okay, so he didn't go for everything, granted, but his occasional forays into Choirboy Land were great.  I know this isn't quite where you're going to with this, but I reckon it's important.

Hi John, I read the same comment from other people about the London shows. For Brian playing in the UK is always very special, he knows how much he's appreciated over there.

The Montreal show was very good, the band was amazing (specially Mike, in all fairness)...except for Brian. It was his birthday, the crowd sang to him, it was a party context (balloons, people with banners, etc) but Brian just sat on stage, barely singing his lines, once in a while doing some strange moves with his arms. Far cry from the guy I saw in 2004 playing Smile in Belgium.

One other thing to add to this discussion. Brian's solo performance on SNL, when he did 'Good Vibrations' in the sandbox. Does anyone else notice how good and effortlessly he reached the high parts and how awful the lower sections were? It's my favorite performance of the song, I love this version beyond any logic or rationale, but don't get how he was able to do one but not the other.

[EgoHanger1966]

I read once Foskett saying that Brian could still hit high notes and that once during a vocal rehearsal he did a falsetto bit. Apparently everyone was very impressed. Anyone knows if this is true?

What I saw and heard of his performance at the two London shows this year blew me away – he wasn't just hitting notes, he was nailing them.  Okay, so he didn't go for everything, granted, but his occasional forays into Choirboy Land were great.  I know this isn't quite where you're going to with this, but I reckon it's important.

Plus there is (somewhat manipulated I guess) Brian falsetto on the latest album - parts of  Think About The Days and Pacific Coast Highway.

[schiaffino]

I read once Foskett saying that Brian could still hit high notes and that once during a vocal rehearsal he did a falsetto bit. Apparently everyone was very impressed. Anyone knows if this is true?

What I saw and heard of his performance at the two London shows this year blew me away – he wasn't just hitting notes, he was nailing them.  Okay, so he didn't go for everything, granted, but his occasional forays into Choirboy Land were great.  I know this isn't quite where you're going to with this, but I reckon it's important.

Plus there is (somewhat manipulated I guess) Brian falsetto on the latest album - parts of  Think About The Days and Pacific Coast Highway.

Good point EgoHanger! By the way, what's with your signature? Was that an actual conversation between Brian and Hal? If so, sounds really funny

[Pretty Funky]

I don't get (or maybe the interviewers ask him) Brians need to go on about knowing Paul McCartney! Take the DIA doco of late. Who gives a sh!t.

Brians up in that league himself so doesn't need to name-check IMO.

[Amazing Larry]

Good point EgoHanger! By the way, what's with your signature? Was that an actual conversation between Brian and Hal? If so, sounds really funny

It's from the Vega-Tables arguments.

[schiaffino]

Good point EgoHanger! By the way, what's with your signature? Was that an actual conversation between Brian and Hal? If so, sounds really funny

It's from the Vega-Tables arguments.

What's the story behind it? Do you know?

[Jukka]

Recorded during the Smile sessions, a short skit to promo the upcoming Vegetables single. Available on Smile box, get yours today!

[schiaffino]

Recorded during the Smile sessions, a short skit to promo the upcoming Vegetables single. Available on Smile box, get yours today!

Actually I got mine when it came out, but haven't open it  I see it as a collector item to be kept untouched (for a while). But I also bought the cd version, so I got the basic tracks and stuff. The rest I've found on YouTube...and here

[schiaffino]

I don't get (or maybe the interviewers ask him) Brians need to go on about knowing Paul McCartney! Take the DIA doco of late. Who gives a sh!t.

Brians up in that league himself so doesn't need to name-check IMO.

I think he has a sincere appreciation for Macca. Back in the days he was one of the biggest champions of Brian, always named 'Pet Sounds' as his favorite record and the source of inspiration for 'Pepper'. I think Brian acknowledges that and his way of expressing that gratitude is by name-checking Paul whenever he can -  a kind of unconscious need to let everyone know about their relationship.

I don't think he's doing it for low self-esteem reasons. Brian doesn't really care about how people 'rank' his music or his 'genius' status. But he knows that Paul is a genius in his own right, someone at his level and having that kind of peer approval is something he treasures.

IMO its an amazing display of love/respect/appreciation between the biggest musicians of the 20th century...and there's nothing wrong with that!

[Sheriff John Stone]

I don't know if this pisses me off, but it has been one of the more frustrating things...

I'm sure we could list a dozen reasons why, but, after recording Friends in 1968, when Brian Wilson was only 26 years old, it is hard to believe that Brian never sat down specifically for an album project, and composed, arranged, and produced a 10-12 song album of new material.

It is hard to believe how prolific he was, and how reduced that output became. On 20/20, Sunflower, Surf's Up, CATP, and Holland, Brian recorded meerly a few short minutes of songs. That trend continued from L.A. Light Album to the present. The exceptions, of course, are Love You and MIU. Even as far as entirely new material is concerned, his solo albums only contained a handful of new songs, if that.

The frustrating period was 1969-1973, because IMO, everything that Brian was composing during that period was brilliant. I sometimes imagine a solo album around 1970-71 with songs like "This Whole World", "Til I Die", "A Day In The Life Of A Tree" and "Marcella". Musically, Brian was still in a cool place. And also, during the 1976-77 period, when he was back to composing, he also came up with some fascinating stuff. Look at how great Love You turned out when Brian re-dedicated himself to songwriting.

Why didn't Brian consistently record full albums, especially during a time when he was young, still had his voice, and his contemporaries were still around, churning out great music. It's not that he didn't have the time...