Reminder: Brian Wilson and Jeff Beck are on Jimmy Fallon's Show Tonight

[phirnis]

This is a pleasant and inoffensive performance. It would have sounded pretty much identical if Brian, Al and David had stayed at home though.

I pretty much agree with that sentiment except for the fact that Al Jardine did add some indispensable fingersnapping.

[puni puni]

She commented that Pet Sounds had influenced her songwriting in the way she makes melodic choices. Then Fallon asked her if she had heard the Pet Sounds box set where the vocals and music are separated, or something like that. Then it got into a discussion of age.

"I love Pet Sounds everything I do is because of Pet Sounds!"
"So you must have heard the box set where they split the vocals and the tracks?"
(awkward pause)
"...No, I was born in '84."

Wow I bet she wasn't expecting Fallon of all people to call her out on her BS.

[Amy B.]

"I love Pet Sounds everything I do is because of Pet Sounds!"
"So you must have heard the box set where they split the vocals and the tracks?"
(awkward pause)
"...No, I was born in '84."

Wow I bet she wasn't expecting Fallon of all people to call her out on her BS.

"Fallon of all people" seems to have a good handle on music. His impressions of music legends are pretty much always spot-on (see Jim Morrison singing the Reading Rainbow theme song). But maybe you're talking about Fallon's non-confrontational persona. In that case, I agree. I think he was a little annoyed because she called him someone's "stepfather" and he thought she said "grandfather." He thought she was making a joke about his age (even though he's only about 10 years older than she is).
I thought the performance by Brian and Jeff was sublime, though I agree that Brian, David, and Al probably contributed the least of anyone on stage.

[Alan Smith]

She commented that Pet Sounds had influenced her songwriting in the way she makes melodic choices. Then Fallon asked her if she had heard the Pet Sounds box set where the vocals and music are separated, or something like that. Then it got into a discussion of age.

"I love Pet Sounds everything I do is because of Pet Sounds!"
"So you must have heard the box set where they split the vocals and the tracks?"
(awkward pause)
"...No, I was born in '84."

Wow I bet she wasn't expecting Fallon of all people to call her out on her BS.

"....No, I was born in '84." is a so-so answer, but probably fair enough in context. 

"...No, I'm not a competive fanboy dork and I do have better things to do with my limited time" may have been what KP should have said.  But I guess you're hot, or you're cold.

[rab2591]

She commented that Pet Sounds had influenced her songwriting in the way she makes melodic choices. Then Fallon asked her if she had heard the Pet Sounds box set where the vocals and music are separated, or something like that. Then it got into a discussion of age.

"I love Pet Sounds everything I do is because of Pet Sounds!"
"So you must have heard the box set where they split the vocals and the tracks?"
(awkward pause)
"...No, I was born in '84."

Wow I bet she wasn't expecting Fallon of all people to call her out on her BS.

Cringe. I guess she was trying to impress the hipsters that watch Fallon. Glad he called her out.

[guitarfool2002]

About the photos I posted: In a rush I linked to those from Getty, they had the first "scoop" on what was happening on Fallon...I can see them just fine, are there people who can't, like Micha posted? Maybe it's something with direct linking with Getty, or viewing the links outside the US? I don't understand why that happens, I can see them and others cannot. Any thoughts?


About the performance, I agree that half of the musicians on the main stage were not really essential to that performance...and I'll repeat again I wish they had written an arrangement where Brian, Al, and David could have at least sung a few verse lines in a duet with Beck's guitar melody. I still really enjoyed it, but hearing some words sung by them would have been cool.

But I also realized Jeff Beck needs a spotlight too for his fan base, and I'd easily compare him to Brian in terms of status and the loyalty of his fan base within the guitar community. So think of Brian and how he's viewed around here, and that's Jeff Beck among guitarists and fans of the guitar in general. He's very, very respected and beloved. And "Danny Boy" in that context last night showcased him, albeit more than Brian, Al, and David, but it showcased Beck's style.

[bgas]

About the photos I posted: In a rush I linked to those from Getty, they had the first "scoop" on what was happening on Fallon...I can see them just fine, are there people who can't, like Micha posted? Maybe it's something with direct linking with Getty, or viewing the links outside the US? I don't understand why that happens, I can see them and others cannot. Any thoughts?


About the performance, I agree that half of the musicians on the main stage were not really essential to that performance...and I'll repeat again I wish they had written an arrangement where Brian, Al, and David could have at least sung a few verse lines in a duet with Beck's guitar melody. I still really enjoyed it, but hearing some words sung by them would have been cool.

But I also realized Jeff Beck needs a spotlight too for his fan base, and I'd easily compare him to Brian in terms of status and the loyalty of his fan base within the guitar community. So think of Brian and how he's viewed around here, and that's Jeff Beck among guitarists and fans of the guitar in general. He's very, very respected and beloved. And "Danny Boy" in that context last night showcased him, albeit more than Brian, Al, and David, but it showcased Beck's style.

No photos showing, just the big blank squares

[runnersdialzero]

She commented that Pet Sounds had influenced her songwriting in the way she makes melodic choices. Then Fallon asked her if she had heard the Pet Sounds box set where the vocals and music are separated, or something like that. Then it got into a discussion of age.

"I love Pet Sounds everything I do is because of Pet Sounds!"
"So you must have heard the box set where they split the vocals and the tracks?"
(awkward pause)
"...No, I was born in '84."

Wow I bet she wasn't expecting Fallon of all people to call her out on her BS.

Cringe. I guess she was trying to impress the hipsters that watch Fallon. Glad he called her out.

Believe it or not, you don't have to buy an exhaustive box set in order to appreciate an album. She's said she's a fan of the band many times prior to this, if I recall correctly.

Confession: I'd guess that I've maybe listened to about a collective 25-35% of the Pet Sounds box outside the actual album and mixes with the more interesting alternate vocals (i.e. Mike's lead on "I'm Waiting For The Day", etc). I've also never listened to the whole album in mono because the stereo mix is so well done for this particular album. I likes what I likes. Am I trying to impress hipsters or do I not appreciate the album, too?

[Alan Smith]

Both; and your KP fanboy comments are stretching your long established credibility*



*(Just teasing - RDZ's opinions are awesome and insightful, and he's really, really funny  )

[Heywood]

pleasant and inoffensive - high praise indeed, it must have been good!

Our Prayer on mainstream TV in 2013, with three Beach Boys. Throw in one of the most popular contemporary singers, whether you like her or not, giving a great ( even if complete bs) plug for Pet Sounds sounds pretty good to me.

[rab2591]

She commented that Pet Sounds had influenced her songwriting in the way she makes melodic choices. Then Fallon asked her if she had heard the Pet Sounds box set where the vocals and music are separated, or something like that. Then it got into a discussion of age.

"I love Pet Sounds everything I do is because of Pet Sounds!"
"So you must have heard the box set where they split the vocals and the tracks?"
(awkward pause)
"...No, I was born in '84."

Wow I bet she wasn't expecting Fallon of all people to call her out on her BS.

Cringe. I guess she was trying to impress the hipsters that watch Fallon. Glad he called her out.

Believe it or not, you don't have to buy an exhaustive box set in order to appreciate an album. She's said she's a fan of the band many times prior to this, if I recall correctly.

Confession: I'd guess that I've maybe listened to about a collective 25-35% of the Pet Sounds box outside the actual album and mixes with the more interesting alternate vocals (i.e. Mike's lead on "I'm Waiting For The Day", etc). I've also never listened to the whole album in mono because the stereo mix is so well done for this particular album. I likes what I likes. Am I trying to impress hipsters or do I not appreciate the album, too?

It's not about "appreciating" the album...I'm sure she's listened to it and appreciates it. I was referring to her statement where she said Pet Sounds "pretty much influenced all of my songwriting" - sorry, but when I listen to Hot n Cold I don't hear any influence from Pet Sounds.

[guitarfool2002]

[Shady]

To be honest it's pretty irritating when an person cites Pet Sounds as an influence because it's a hip thing to do yet you can hear it at all in his or her music.

Katy is a perfect example, how are her melodies influenced by Brian when her music is typical pop sh*t.

Always nice to hear PS get a shout out though

[guitarfool2002]

To be honest it's pretty irritating when an person cites Pet Sounds as an influence because it's a hip thing to do yet you can hear it at all in his or her music.

Katy is a perfect example, how are her melodies influenced by Brian when her music is typical pop sh*t.

Always nice to hear PS get a shout out though

That name-checking has been going on at least since the early 90's, across styles. I remember around 92-94 reading a lot of interviews with various bands (most of them indie-alternative) who would name-check Brian Wilson specifically yet when I'd hear their music I heard no influence present at all. And perhaps even worse, if one of these alternative bands had a harmony vocal in a chorus or a unique melody that actually went somewhere, the *reviewers* would usually write that the song or band was "Brian Wilson-like" or sounding "like the Beach Boys' soaring harmonies". A vocal harmony alone does not make it so! Nor does a catchy melody that takes an unusual turn. I remember this because it annoyed me to the point that I wrote a letter about it, full of sarcasm, commenting on these reviewers and bands and artists doing all the name-dropping with no shred of musical evidence to back it up...but I never sent it to the Boston weekly paper I had in mind. I'm glad I didn't send it. 

When I've been critical of Kanye West in the past, I've seen the replies mentioning how he's influenced by Pet Sounds and Brian...again maybe that's so, but on a majority of Kanye's actual tracks I don't hear the influence. Maybe he cites Pet Sounds as a fan, which is what Katy may have done, but I don't hear it in Kanye's music for the most part.

[monicker]

Why?

[guitarfool2002]

Why what?   

[monicker]

Why everything.

Why does any of this exist? Why is Our Prayer being murdered by the abominable vocal blend of the BW band? Why are Al, Brian, and David muted in this performance? Why are they even there? I guess because of their names/faces. Why does Jeff Foskett have to always be so prominent in the blend, and why does he always sing so close to the mic? Why is this Jeff Beck thing happening? Since when does Brian have even the slightest interest in that kind of electric guitar playing? Why does everyone in music have to at some point cite Pet Sounds? Why is this good or desirable or cool when it happens? Why does it matter?

[shelter]

Pretty impressive. They proved in just a few minutes that if you're going to this tour, you'll be getting one of the best vocal groups and one of the best guitarists you'll be able to find nowadays. What's not to love?

[guitarfool2002]

Why does everyone in music have to at some point cite Pet Sounds? Why is this good or desirable or cool when it happens? Why does it matter?

I can't address the other points, but on these I'd like to try to offer my own opinion.

I see it is passing the torch, or in more modern lingo "paying it forward". It's similar to Dylan's album cover for "Bringing It All Back Home" where album covers like Robert Johnson's 'King Of The Delta Blues Singers', Eric Von Schmidt 'The Folk Blues Of Eric Von Schmidt' and The Impressions among others are on display, scattered on the table. It's like he was telling his fans "this is what I like, this is what influences me, check this out..."

It's the effect of that scene in "Almost Famous" where the teen writer's older sister leaves home, but leaves behind a box full of albums including Pet Sounds which is at the top of the stack.

It's the effect of my classmate in middle school when I was getting into the Beatles who asked if I had Sgt. Pepper, and after I told him I did not he came back that week with a cassette copy he made for me of the album in his parents' record collection. Which I proceeded to play all the time.  

It's the effect of Questlove tweeting out to his fans to listen to The Smile Sessions, and how many great sounds were on the set possibly waiting to be sampled and turned into something new depending on the creativity of those who would try.

It's the way I was searching yesterday for images and info before the show, and found Jimmy Fallon's Tumblr account page which had the Frank Holmes Smile album cover taking up almost the entire screen.

And I'd say too Katy Perry mentioning Pet Sounds - her fan base among young listeners is massive and loyal, how many of them would go on Katy's tip from that show and see what all the fuss was about with this album "Pet Sounds"?

And many more examples.

It's telling people who may not know about this music how special and how important it is to us, and by us I mean the examples above who like to share something that mattered to us with others so they can experience it too. It's passing it on to new listeners, new audiences, who may or may not also take that influence and pass it on to others in their circles.

That's why I think it matters.  

[Wrightfan]

What a great performance. Never heard Beck until now. What a guitar player! Those first few seconds of Danny Boy were chilling in a good way.

[Ovi]

Very nice. Seeing Brian smile just warmed my heart.

[gfac22]

"I love Pet Sounds everything I do is because of Pet Sounds!"
"So you must have heard the box set where they split the vocals and the tracks?"
(awkward pause)
"...No, I was born in '84."

Yeah, well I was born in '85 and I've heard it.  Not that that makes me any more of a fan than her, but what a stupid response.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Why everything.

Why does any of this exist? Why is Our Prayer being murdered by the abominable vocal blend of the BW band? Why are Al, Brian, and David muted in this performance? Why are they even there? I guess because of their names/faces. Why does Jeff Foskett have to always be so prominent in the blend, and why does he always sing so close to the mic? Why is this Jeff Beck thing happening? Since when does Brian have even the slightest interest in that kind of electric guitar playing?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ To keep a solo "career" going?

[Rocker]

BW does look like he shed some of that excess weight.

You mean he doesn't look as "overweight and out of shape" as he did last year when the reunion began? 

Nice performance but I think the vocal arrangement for "Danny boy" is blunt. Sounds like they were just going by the book. I can't detect any BW magic, although that song would lend itself for that imo. It's just one of the most beautiful songs ever written. There are so many great versions out there but this one is just average.

[KittyKat]

I'm not sure why "Our Prayer" is considered such an impressive piece of music. It's super-short, it's simple, and it's not that original-sounding. It's a faux Gregorian chant. I don't think it shows off vocals that well, especially since part of is closed-mouth humming. I wish they would have chosen different pieces of music than that or "Danny Boy." Oh, well.