John Stebbins FAQ Book: Rather harsh on Brian's Solo Tours and Handlers?

[runnersdialzero]

But what of us who do not drink beer, or any form of alcohol whatsoever ?

 

[Alan Smith]

All beers, btw, should be served at room temperature.

  Not likely down this way, mate! Dry lagers or Pale Ale's chilled to near freezing on a hot Summer day (especially after you've mowed the lawn) ahhhh

[Lee Marshall]

All beers, btw, should be served at room temperature.

Only if you live in an igloo John.

[Lowbacca]

There is a new place that recently opened up by me called Das Biergarten.  Bavarian joint.  I am going there in an hour to have a few well required Haaker Pshoor's , a very nice Bavarian Weissbier.  Cheers KK

Das Biergarten? Should be Der Biergarten, but whatever.

[John Manning]

All beers, btw, should be served at room temperature.

Only if you live in an igloo John.

I think I understand your confusion. However beer – like cricket, Yorkshire pudding, God and rain – comes from Yorkshire and we understand it best here. Room temp, otherwise it's lager (or perhaps a fizzy faux-beer "brewed in the English tradition").

Anyway this isn't the place for discussing beer - the pub is the place. See you there…

[SMiLE Brian]

SS beer convention 2015.

Stellar idea. Somewhere warm please ! But the beer must be cold. And no godda...mn Bud Lights !

And here I am sitting home with a fridgefull of Bud Lights! Had a party last week with 40 people here and wanted to cover all bases so bought a case of it-NO TAKERS-not one. Man, could I go for a high powered Zywiec right now.

Zywiec porters are great tasting for being 9.5 alcohol content!

[smile-holland]

SS beer convention 2015.

Good idea. I'll bring some Grolsch then 

Now where to organise one?

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

There’s a reason some of us have grown tired of everyone out there second-guessing Brian’s management team, and more personally, his wife, family and friends.  I confess to having the very human, crappy tendencies of listening to rumors and expressing my own ill-informed opinions about people’s personal lives far, far too often.  I also realize that this is an open forum where anyone who is accepted can express passionate opinions based on little information, no information or flat out lies they’ve read or heard  – the sad side of gossip, public figures and the internet.

On the other hand, I do have a perspective here that I doubt most of you reading this have.  The thing is - I’m well aware that when I was there with Brian, however well-intentioned I was, I didn’t have a clue how to deal with the overwhelming world that surrounds him.  I had no power, no serious money and I was ridiculously naïve.  But I was there and I did try.  Since then I have been in positions of authority for a few decades and learned how easy it is for some to sit on the sidelines and be critical while never personally being put to the test.  None of us have Brian’s world fired at us point blank like Brian, Melinda and Brian’s management team.

How many of the people making insidious little comments clearly attacking Melinda Wilson have been anywhere near her shoes, much less walked in them?  When I was there up front, and other times on the sidelines, I saw people treating Brian like a commodity, like someone who needed to be manipulated and intimidated “for his own good,” and I saw a lot of people – some in real authority - who didn’t have a clue who he was trying to run his life from various directions. 

I saw other people who I knew loved Brian very much who had no idea how to deal with the situation either.  And I certainly saw a lot of people with their own selfish agendas acting like the “good guy.”  Eugene Landy was hired for a second time, for whatever reason.  Do you need any more evidence that the people involved had no idea how to give Brian a workable support system at that time?

That was Brian’s world since he became a “hit-making machine” as a teen and the genius icon shortly thereafter.  At the same time he was - and is - all that, he also has to maintain the sensitivity level it takes to create that beautiful music - meaning he needs a safe environment where he can work, free of distractions and the crap that makes up a lot of life, and Melinda has to spend each day maintaining that space while protecting both his business and personal interests.

I met Melinda back when Landy was still around and liked her very much.  Well, it’s now been – what? – 20-25 years or so?  I remember hoping she was up to the job of being Brian’s wife and support system – something I didn’t take lightly and had no idea how anyone would manage.  So, taking a look back now, how have things gone?

Having seen Ray Lawlor’s post thoroughly describing Brian’s personal and professional accomplishments with Melinda “having his back,” I don’t feel the need to go there.  Equally important to all that is the fact that Brian is in an environment where he feels safe enough that he can smile and relax, and we can all see that.
 
If that didn’t reassure me enough about Brian’s situation, all of my conversations with Melinda over the years have been deeply reassuring.  She’s a funny, bright, straight-shooting woman who genuinely loves Brian, who actually gets who he is (a rarity, believe me) and she’s willing to fight for him and his well-being everyday. 

Melinda has proven to be up to the job I worried about so many years ago, so it surely would be nice to see her appreciated a bit more here, second-guessed a whole lot less, and to have those nasty little insinuations stop.  The removal of one mysteriously motivated, hostile poster to many of us, including Melinda will help. 

And, you are certainly free to post under the SS guidelines as you will.  I’d just like to ask you one thing as you express yourself here:  Are you better qualified to handle Brian’s situation than the people you’re criticizing?  If not, exactly what’s your point?

[LeeDempsey]

Rock over london
Rock on chicago

Subway: Eat Fresh!

RIP Wesley Willis!

[Lowbacca]

SS beer convention 2015.

I'm in. You need at least one German guy there.

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

I failed to mention...I'm not on the Christmas card list - don't send them and receive few.  Also, I have little to no desire to go backstage - that's where people are working, so unless I'm part of the program or am family or a friend in support of the musicians, I'd just be a pain in the ass, and I receive no checks from CA other than the people for whom I write forecasts, just in case there are suspicions about my motives in posting here.

[Mendota Heights]

And that, my friends, is the very last post you will EVER see of this asshat. I don't care if somebody spams my PM box begging for his/her/it to be reinstated. It will NEVER happen. KittyKat is now at the bottom of the litter box and will never return.

Edit-

In case anyone asks, KittyKat's banning has nothing to do with being critical of Brian*; he/she/it has been asking for it for well over a year now (literally...I've never had anybody *dare* me to ban them before). It's one thing to have an opinion. It's another to actively try to start sh*t, like this feral freak has done pretty much since registration. This was more along the lines of a 'last straw' type of deal.

I second this decision. Completely.

Agreed all around.

This is not Nam, Kittykat. It's Smiley Smile, there are rules.

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

SS beer convention 2015.

Stellar idea. Somewhere warm please ! But the beer must be cold. And no godda...mn Bud Lights !

And here I am sitting home with a fridgefull of Bud Lights! Had a party last week with 40 people here and wanted to cover all bases so bought a case of it-NO TAKERS-not one. Man, could I go for a high powered Zywiec right now.

Zywiec porters are great tasting for being 9.5 alcohol content!

They're not cheap either which is fine because after two installments of said rocket fuel, you're well on your way to la la ville.  

[the captain]

SS beer convention 2015.

Oh, hell yes.

[Lee Marshall]

Debbie.  I ALWAYS enjoy reading your comments.  Your insight only adds to the clarity in a meaningful way.  I'd send you a Christmas card but I don't do THAT anymore.   <  That's S. Claus by the way.  Off season look.

[John Manning]

There’s a reason some of us have grown tired of everyone out there second-guessing Brian’s management team, and more personally, his wife, family and friends.  I confess to having the very human, crappy tendencies of listening to rumors and expressing my own ill-informed opinions about people’s personal lives far, far too often.  I also realize that this is an open forum where anyone who is accepted can express passionate opinions based on little information, no information or flat out lies they’ve read or heard  – the sad side of gossip, public figures and the internet.

On the other hand, I do have a perspective here that I doubt most of you reading this have.  The thing is - I’m well aware that when I was there with Brian, however well-intentioned I was, I didn’t have a clue how to deal with the overwhelming world that surrounds him.  I had no power, no serious money and I was ridiculously naïve.  But I was there and I did try.  Since then I have been in positions of authority for a few decades and learned how easy it is for some to sit on the sidelines and be critical while never personally being put to the test.  None of us have Brian’s world fired at us point blank like Brian, Melinda and Brian’s management team.

How many of the people making insidious little comments clearly attacking Melinda Wilson have been anywhere near her shoes, much less walked in them?  When I was there up front, and other times on the sidelines, I saw people treating Brian like a commodity, like someone who needed to be manipulated and intimidated “for his own good,” and I saw a lot of people – some in real authority - who didn’t have a clue who he was trying to run his life from various directions. 

I saw other people who I knew loved Brian very much who had no idea how to deal with the situation either.  And I certainly saw a lot of people with their own selfish agendas acting like the “good guy.”  Eugene Landy was hired for a second time, for whatever reason.  Do you need any more evidence that the people involved had no idea how to give Brian a workable support system at that time?

That was Brian’s world since he became a “hit-making machine” as a teen and the genius icon shortly thereafter.  At the same time he was - and is - all that, he also has to maintain the sensitivity level it takes to create that beautiful music - meaning he needs a safe environment where he can work, free of distractions and the crap that makes up a lot of life, and Melinda has to spend each day maintaining that space while protecting both his business and personal interests.

I met Melinda back when Landy was still around and liked her very much.  Well, it’s now been – what? – 20-25 years or so?  I remember hoping she was up to the job of being Brian’s wife and support system – something I didn’t take lightly and had no idea how anyone would manage.  So, taking a look back now, how have things gone?

Having seen Ray Lawlor’s post thoroughly describing Brian’s personal and professional accomplishments with Melinda “having his back,” I don’t feel the need to go there.  Equally important to all that is the fact that Brian is in an environment where he feels safe enough that he can smile and relax, and we can all see that.
 
If that didn’t reassure me enough about Brian’s situation, all of my conversations with Melinda over the years have been deeply reassuring.  She’s a funny, bright, straight-shooting woman who genuinely loves Brian, who actually gets who he is (a rarity, believe me) and she’s willing to fight for him and his well-being everyday. 

Melinda has proven to be up to the job I worried about so many years ago, so it surely would be nice to see her appreciated a bit more here, second-guessed a whole lot less, and to have those nasty little insinuations stop.  The removal of one mysteriously motivated, hostile poster to many of us, including Melinda will help. 

And, you are certainly free to post under the SS guidelines as you will.  I’d just like to ask you one thing as you express yourself here:  Are you better qualified to handle Brian’s situation than the people you’re criticizing?  If not, exactly what’s your point?

Another great post, Debbie… if you'll join us at the bar, I'd like to be the first to buy you a drink!  

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

Debbie.  I ALWAYS enjoy reading your comments.  Your insight only adds to the clarity in a meaningful way.  I'd send you a Christmas card but I don't do THAT anymore.   <  That's S. Claus by the way.  Off season look.

Thanks Add Some...Santa off-season works for me!

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

There’s a reason some of us have grown tired of everyone out there second-guessing Brian’s management team, and more personally, his wife, family and friends.  I confess to having the very human, crappy tendencies of listening to rumors and expressing my own ill-informed opinions about people’s personal lives far, far too often.  I also realize that this is an open forum where anyone who is accepted can express passionate opinions based on little information, no information or flat out lies they’ve read or heard  – the sad side of gossip, public figures and the internet.

On the other hand, I do have a perspective here that I doubt most of you reading this have.  The thing is - I’m well aware that when I was there with Brian, however well-intentioned I was, I didn’t have a clue how to deal with the overwhelming world that surrounds him.  I had no power, no serious money and I was ridiculously naïve.  But I was there and I did try.  Since then I have been in positions of authority for a few decades and learned how easy it is for some to sit on the sidelines and be critical while never personally being put to the test.  None of us have Brian’s world fired at us point blank like Brian, Melinda and Brian’s management team.

How many of the people making insidious little comments clearly attacking Melinda Wilson have been anywhere near her shoes, much less walked in them?  When I was there up front, and other times on the sidelines, I saw people treating Brian like a commodity, like someone who needed to be manipulated and intimidated “for his own good,” and I saw a lot of people – some in real authority - who didn’t have a clue who he was trying to run his life from various directions. 

I saw other people who I knew loved Brian very much who had no idea how to deal with the situation either.  And I certainly saw a lot of people with their own selfish agendas acting like the “good guy.”  Eugene Landy was hired for a second time, for whatever reason.  Do you need any more evidence that the people involved had no idea how to give Brian a workable support system at that time?

That was Brian’s world since he became a “hit-making machine” as a teen and the genius icon shortly thereafter.  At the same time he was - and is - all that, he also has to maintain the sensitivity level it takes to create that beautiful music - meaning he needs a safe environment where he can work, free of distractions and the crap that makes up a lot of life, and Melinda has to spend each day maintaining that space while protecting both his business and personal interests.

I met Melinda back when Landy was still around and liked her very much.  Well, it’s now been – what? – 20-25 years or so?  I remember hoping she was up to the job of being Brian’s wife and support system – something I didn’t take lightly and had no idea how anyone would manage.  So, taking a look back now, how have things gone?

Having seen Ray Lawlor’s post thoroughly describing Brian’s personal and professional accomplishments with Melinda “having his back,” I don’t feel the need to go there.  Equally important to all that is the fact that Brian is in an environment where he feels safe enough that he can smile and relax, and we can all see that.
 
If that didn’t reassure me enough about Brian’s situation, all of my conversations with Melinda over the years have been deeply reassuring.  She’s a funny, bright, straight-shooting woman who genuinely loves Brian, who actually gets who he is (a rarity, believe me) and she’s willing to fight for him and his well-being everyday. 

Melinda has proven to be up to the job I worried about so many years ago, so it surely would be nice to see her appreciated a bit more here, second-guessed a whole lot less, and to have those nasty little insinuations stop.  The removal of one mysteriously motivated, hostile poster to many of us, including Melinda will help. 

And, you are certainly free to post under the SS guidelines as you will.  I’d just like to ask you one thing as you express yourself here:  Are you better qualified to handle Brian’s situation than the people you’re criticizing?  If not, exactly what’s your point?

Another great post, Debbie… if you'll join us at the bar, I'd like to be the first to buy you a drink!  

FINALLY, somebody invites me to the bar!  Yes, please.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Debbie, definitely value your posts, and very well said.

[SMiLE Brian]

SS beer convention 2015.

Oh, hell yes.

wolves game and convention afterwards?

[SMiLE Brian]

Or the convention at smile holland's house?

[Ang Jones]

I always enjoy Debbie's posts too. Good to see Melinda being given due credit for all she has done for Brian.

I'm no beer expert but I'm happy to try to learn! Otherwise any bar that can offer some good fizz or red wine will do nicely.

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

I always enjoy Debbie's posts too. Good to see Melinda being given due credit for all she has done for Brian.

I'm no beer expert but I'm happy to try to learn! Otherwise any bar that can offer some good fizz or red wine will do nicely.

Okay, so the ladies are officially invited to the bar.  I just listened to Mike Grant's show which featured "The Enchanted Tiki Room" in it's Catalina Island songs selected by Dennis Kelley (of Luxuria radio's BB/BW show fame), so - in this cold weather in the N. Hemisphere (well and hot weather in the South come to think of it), can we do umbrella drinks to the point that we might throw up, take a nap, and then get back to the beer?

[SMiLE Brian]

I am up for that!

[Debbie Keil-Leavitt]

I am up for that!

Yea!  Smile Brian is in!