Van Dyke Parks on Twitter

[rn57]

It was noted briefly on one of the Love & Mercy movie threads a few days back, but seems worth mentioning again....that after a nearly four-year absence from Twitter, @thevandykeparks has been going at it with a vengeance this month. 

The three things that interested me most about VDP's feed so far:

a) he referred to "Edie" Gorme after her passing - the misspelling would be no big shakes in the usual Tweet but it's a tad surprising when Van Dyke does it;
b) he went on a bit about West Virginia, a state I don't recall him discussing in any of his many interviews.
c) while fulminating about Mo Ostin putting his name on a building at UCLA, he referred to his old cohort the late Peter Ivers. (I remember a Warner Brothers staffer telling me that some asides VDP made about Ostin from the stage of McCabe's, back in the '80s, resulted in his being banned from the label's premises for a spell.)

[alf wiedersehen]

He's also talked to Hypehat.

[Gertie J.]

and?

[hypehat]

No biggie, he just randomly replied to a tweet I made yesterday about being unable to make music very well. Told me to 'Splain in the hood.' He later started tweeting about wine so I guess there's the explanation....

[The Shift]

Just read through a bunch if his recent posts. Quite prolific… almost a parody.

[KittyKat]

For some reason, I have a distant recollection of an interview with Van Dyke where he discussed some home in West Virginia that was owned by his family for generations. So, he does have a connection to that state, though I suppose his impersonator could know that. too.

[phirnis]

Great background image!

[KittyKat]

Van Dyke is posting a lot the last few days, for sure. This morning he revealed that Brian Wilson no longer returns his phone calls.  I wonder how long that's been going on?

[Letsgoawayforawhile]

Van Dyke is posting a lot the last few days, for sure. This morning he revealed that Brian Wilson no longer returns his phone calls.  I wonder how long that's been going on?

Awkward...

[Cam Mott]

Is he really saying Brian doesn't return calls anymore or just that Brian used to return phone calls?

[ontor pertawst]

Isn't that the same thing?

[alf wiedersehen]

Yeah, I'm not sure what the difference is.

[Lowbacca]

VDP @ Twitter is weird... A maestro of words using ... What kind of a culture is this?


The combination of both reminds me of something.. I wonder what kind of shapes this will take in the near future.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

VDP has always embraced the internet. Interesting quote there regarding Brian.

I'd love to know the story behind Brian and him (apparently) falling out. I know soon after BWPS Brian made a comment which seemed to blame Van Dyke for the collapse of Smile because he walked off the job.

Anyone remember that?

Also there is the fact that Van Dyke was full of praise for the Smile boxset (prior to it's release). He was supposed to be writing something for the booklet. This never happened and then his statements regarding the box became  cynical to say the least.

Now we have this comment.

[Gohi]

Van Dyke always struck me as a bit of a pot-stirrer. Never been too big of a fan, despite his great work on Smile.

[KittyKat]

I'm not sure who's to blame, so I can't blame Van Dyke without knowing if they had some kind of actual argument, or Brian never told him what he did to offend him. Brian has had similar estrangements with Andy Paley and David Leaf, as well. David Leaf did the Smile documentary and was a supporter for years, not to mention writing one of his first bios and a personal friend. David was at one time going to direct the Brian biopic.

[Wirestone]

Paley has been in and out a bunch of times -- in the late 80s, in the mid-90s, then the early 2000s. Brian even worked with him a few years after that in 2006 for a Spongebob song. Very much the way Brian treats a lot of his collaborators -- here today, gone tomorrow. I wouldn't pay his case too much mind.

David Leaf is a different story. Not sure what happened there, or why. On the other hand, he's been reasonably busy making his own documentaries in the last few years, so he may have decided the static around Brian was too much after a certain point. I think his last mention in a BW context is a thanks in the notes of TLOS.

As for Van Dyke -- I think it's safe to say that something went down in the production of the boxed set and the reunion tour, given his remarks over the last year or so. I think the basic point is, he did not approve of Brian reuniting with the other guys, and was really questioning Mike's motives. He has also clashed with Brian's folks on occasion -- they won't let him reissue Orange Crate Art, which he seems to own, and he really wanted to collaborate on more things around the time of TLOS, but Brian Wilson went with Scott Bennett instead.

(That's not to mention all the past issues, like the bevy of co-writers listed on the BB version of SOS, which has lyrics almost entirely by VDP, or the fact that his name was not on the credits of Wonderful for years ... sound like he might have something in common with Mike after all!)

[Wirestone]

That being said, VDP on Twitter is a hoot. He's a natural. And his new record is really, very seriously, good.

[Shady]

Van Dyke always struck me as a bit of a pot-stirrer. Never been too big of a fan, despite his great work on Smile.

I have the same opinion of him.

He's a great mind but seems to be very irritated in general

[Cam Mott]

Isn't that the same thing?

If they are not in contact anymore there are no calls to return.  Who knows with VDP.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I'm not sure who's to blame, so I can't blame Van Dyke without knowing if they had some kind of actual argument, or Brian never told him what he did to offend him. Brian has had similar estrangements with Andy Paley and David Leaf, as well. David Leaf did the Smile documentary and was a supporter for years, not to mention writing one of his first bios and a personal friend. David was at one time going to direct the Brian biopic.

Yeah, and didn't Brian and Joe Thomas sue each other? Now they are buddies again.

[KittyKat]

Hm, Van Dyke deleted his tweet about Brian.

[Wah Wah Wah Ooooo]

I follow him on twitter, because I'm a little bit of a fan, but he comes across as a giant pretentious ass on there. Actually, he comes off that way NOT on twitter most of the time too.

[Wirestone]

I had forgotten how much this board dislikes Van Dyke.

One of its less-appealing qualities ...

[ontor pertawst]

Eh, it's just a few people.

He's fantastic, unspeakably gifted, a unique American character, and one of the best conversationalists on the planet. It's amazing he's still producing neat work and him tweeting regularly (and hysterically) ALMOST makes me want to sign up for it.

Rave on, VDP of Pasadena! I want a big fat "Conversations with Van Dyke Parks" book on my shelves, why isn't it there already, I ask you?