Love and Mercy - News and Reviews - First clip is out.

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

Brian makes music.  Does he also have to be his own attorney to make some of you happy?  He's not some little nobody.  What we love that Brian produces involves financial and legal issues.  I'm glad he leaves these thing to professionals in those arenas. Let's leave this to the grown-ups, okay?

[Joel Goldenberg]

Regarding Ray Lawlor's welcome post a few pages back about Melinda, just have to say that when I met her briefly backstage at Brian's 2005 Montreal concert (at the time of my avatar at left), I could tell she was a really, really kind woman with great love for Brian.

[drbeachboy]

Brian makes music.  Does he also have to be his own attorney to make some of you happy?  He's not some little nobody.  What we love that Brian produces involves financial and legal issues.  I'm glad he leaves these thing to professionals in those arenas. Let's leave this to the grown-ups, okay?

Now, I am not saying this to be smarta**, but why are you taking offense at something I stated that the other Beach Boys did/do that Brian does not? Are/Were they not composers/musicians/band members too? I was just stating the difference of what we are/were used to with the band versus the way Brian does things. I'm making no judgments here, just stating the differences.

[pixletwin]

...Let's leave this to the grown-ups, okay?

You had me up until this point. Not sure why the condescension is needed to make your point.

[ontor pertawst]

You guys seriously wanna pick a fight? Yeesh.

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

My point was that now you are into legal and financial issues and there is no way I'm going there.  They don't belong here and I'm done posting.

[Shady]

Ugh, you guys

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Let's be friends...let's be friends...lets be friiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnndddddddddddddssssssssssssssss

Okay, so it doesn't have the same ring in print that it does when the Boys are singing it, but let's play along!

[pixletwin]

I hope you aren't referring to my post. I don't feel like I was picking a fight. I just find the phrase "Let's leave this to the grown-ups, okay?" a bit patronizing. It's the Libra in me I guess. I certainly agree with (and appreciate) everything else Debbie Keil-Leavitt posted. 

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS

[The Cincinnati Kid]

I hope you aren't referring to my post. I don't feel like I was picking a fight. I just find the phrase "Let's leave this to the grown-ups, okay?" a bit patronizing. It's the Libra in me I guess. I certainly agree with (and appreciate) everything else Debbie Keil-Leavitt posted. 

She seemed to come in with the mindset of making a few posts and leaving anyway. 

[Summertime Blooz]

The Professor's bias is clear: I resist any narratives that, in the current climate, might continue to prevent a BB reunion and next album.  I evaluate the film according to how it will further alienate the boys from each other.

I disagree. Anything that raises the public profile of the Beach Boys should only help to increase the chances for further projects with BW by way of offering larger deals, guarantees, and potential paydays.

[joe_blow]

Has George Benson ever commented on Landy?

[guitarfool2002]

Before this spins too far off course, I want to state something that is a fact and can be proven easily. All entertainers have managers, agents, lawyers, publicists, and booking agents not to mention other professionals working on their behalf.

This includes Brian, Mike, Al, John Stamos, and whoever else in the Beach Boys realm we want to include.

The actual artist has final say, but before they agree to play a show, before they book a recording session, before they give an interview with the local newspaper or radio station, these people working for them do what they are paid to do. This includes going over the details, the legalities, the decisions, etc...

Because ultimately there are legal and contractual issues that go beyond someone saying "Hey, let's play a show on the 15th!". And before that actually happens, there are procedures that have to be followed in order to make things happen.

Let's not assume one member or another has a different structure within or surrounding anything related to them or the Beach Boys in a business or professional sense without having a management and legal "team" working on their behalf. Because it's pretty much standard for all entertainers to have teams of people that are paid to handle all of the details that need to be handled before an event is scheduled or planned.

That's pretty much a fact industry-wide whenever money changes hands.

"Have my people call your people", standard practice.

[drbeachboy]

Sorry, I just tried to explain why some people see it that way. I never agreed with it, still don't, but I can see why some people think that way. As we see here all the time, not everyone looks at things the same way. We all see the same things through different eyes. My post wasn't meant to offend anyone, so my apologies to you, Ms. Keil-Leavitt, as apparently you were.

[Pretty Funky]

Another great headline for the movie...

The Washington Post

At film festival, Bill Murray makes a splash, but Brian Wilson biopic steals the show


http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/at-film-festival-bill-murray-makes-a-splash-but-brian-wilson-biopic-steals-the-show/2014/09/10/f1e4a52e-3878-11e4-8601-97ba88884ffd_story.html

[guitarfool2002]

Has George Benson ever commented on Landy?

George Benson mentions him in his autobiography and has commented in other sources as well. A man named Harry Tepper was in partnership with Landy when Landy was 19 and Benson was 10, and the Tepper/Landy team found Benson in Pittsburgh and wanted to take George to New York to cut a record. At that time Benson only had a cheap acoustic guitar and came from a family of limited means, so getting to see and play "real" instruments was a major thing for a ten year old kid in Pittsburgh, not to mention getting to record.

He said Landy was a womanizer, a strong personality, a huckster who could sell anything.

Among Landy's requests for taking on Benson's career at that age was having the family sign Power Of Attorney forms that gave Landy control over all of George's money earned and correspondence, including his mail. In one source Benson said his family didn't trust Landy.

In another source, it said Benson (or his family, whatever the case) eventually fired Landy for being too controlling.

Beyond that, I'd check George's autobiography and other sources for more direct quotes. But I think that summary covers it, corrections welcome.

[Dudd]

Another great headline for the movie...

The Washington Post

At film festival, Bill Murray makes a splash, but Brian Wilson biopic steals the show


http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/at-film-festival-bill-murray-makes-a-splash-but-brian-wilson-biopic-steals-the-show/2014/09/10/f1e4a52e-3878-11e4-8601-97ba88884ffd_story.html

Wow - that's huge praise!

'Among the many smart, sophisticated, deeply moving films that have become TIFF reliables, “Love & Mercy” — which just sold to Lionsgate on Wednesday — was an unexpected, undisputed triumph.'

[beacharg]

First 'not so great' review I've read so far:

"This is by no means a classic, and I still can’t shake the familiar feeling that you’re better off listening to a run of Beach Boys records and reading up on the history than sitting through 2 hours of biopic slush, but Love & Mercy isn’t a bad film."

Complete in: http://blog.film4.com/tiff-2014-love-mercy/

Hopefully I think it's just a blog, not a top critic.

[Pretty Funky]

First 'not so great' review I've read so far:

"This is by no means a classic, and I still can’t shake the familiar feeling that you’re better off listening to a run of Beach Boys records and reading up on the history than sitting through 2 hours of biopic slush, but Love & Mercy isn’t a bad film."

Complete in: http://blog.film4.com/tiff-2014-love-mercy/

Hopefully I think it's just a blog, not a top critic.

Still quite a good review considering.

[drbeachboy]

First 'not so great' review I've read so far:

"This is by no means a classic, and I still can’t shake the familiar feeling that you’re better off listening to a run of Beach Boys records and reading up on the history than sitting through 2 hours of biopic slush, but Love & Mercy isn’t a bad film."

Complete in: http://blog.film4.com/tiff-2014-love-mercy/

Hopefully I think it's just a blog, not a top critic.

Still quite a good review considering.

Indeed, and at worst he wants you to go listen to the Beach Boys. We're good either way.

[beacharg]

First 'not so great' review I've read so far:

"This is by no means a classic, and I still can’t shake the familiar feeling that you’re better off listening to a run of Beach Boys records and reading up on the history than sitting through 2 hours of biopic slush, but Love & Mercy isn’t a bad film."

Complete in: http://blog.film4.com/tiff-2014-love-mercy/

Hopefully I think it's just a blog, not a top critic.

Still quite a good review considering.

Indeed, and at worst he wants you to go listen to the Beach Boys. We're good either way.

  I know, I know, I just wanted to show that even the "worst" review so far isn't a bad one.

[mikeddonn]

Ray and Debbie, thank you for 2 of the best posts I've ever read on this board.  . Please keep sharing your insights with us.  And thanks again to Brian for being a survivor and doing what he's always done, make great music and inspire those around him.

I also Melinda at a Brian show in 2002 in Glasgow.  She was sitting behind me and kindly allowed me to jump in beside her and have my picture taken with her!  To me, she has always had Brian's best interests at heart and I for one am glad Brian met her.

[joe_blow]

Has George Benson ever commented on Landy?

George Benson mentions him in his autobiography and has commented in other sources as well. A man named Harry Tepper was in partnership with Landy when Landy was 19 and Benson was 10, and the Tepper/Landy team found Benson in Pittsburgh and wanted to take George to New York to cut a record. At that time Benson only had a cheap acoustic guitar and came from a family of limited means, so getting to see and play "real" instruments was a major thing for a ten year old kid in Pittsburgh, not to mention getting to record.

He said Landy was a womanizer, a strong personality, a huckster who could sell anything.

Among Landy's requests for taking on Benson's career at that age was having the family sign Power Of Attorney forms that gave Landy control over all of George's money earned and correspondence, including his mail. In one source Benson said his family didn't trust Landy.

In another source, it said Benson (or his family, whatever the case) eventually fired Landy for being too controlling.

Beyond that, I'd check George's autobiography and other sources for more direct quotes. But I think that summary covers it, corrections welcome.

Thanks for the reply, greatly appreciated!!

[Robbie Mac]

THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS

Exactly.

Someone who actually knows Brian and was a part of their history comes here and shares her perspective gets run off because they don't like what she has to say.

Stay classy, guys!