Brian and Numbers/Dates

[petsoundsnola]

Having read and listened to so many Brian interviews over the years, one characteristic about him really sticks out in my mind.  His memory and ability to recall numbers and figures is uncanny.  I am a stickler for getting dates correct, so I always tend to focus in on his comments regarding this aspect of his career.  Consistently, he nails years when albums were released, sessions, even financial figures.  For example, in a recent interview, the interviewer asked him about Murry selling the BB songs for $700,000, and Brian corrected him by saying it was $750,000.

Having said that, there is really only one glaring instance that stands out to me when Brian missed a date.  In the original liner notes to Pet Sounds, he talks about first hearing Rubber Soul in December 1966 (instead of 1965).  

[marcusb]

I noticed it too when he talks about finishing Smile 38 years later in a recent interview.

[Autotune]

I noticed it too when he talks about finishing Smile 38 years later in a recent interview.

Nothing miraculous there, everybody does that. I think many fans, even loving fans, look down on hin for some reason (perhaps because he sometimes appears bizarre and disengaged in interviews), that when he comes out as lucid and "with it" people celebrate traits and actions everybody has ("he smiled!", "he remembers a number!", "he played the piano on stage!", etc.). Let us not look down on him guys. He's smart, savvy and with it.

[marcusb]

I noticed it too when he talks about finishing Smile 38 years later in a recent interview.

Nothing miraculous there, everybody does that. I think many fans, even loving fans, look down on hin for some reason (perhaps because he sometimes appears bizarre and disengaged in interviews), that when he comes out as lucid and "with it" people celebrate traits and actions everybody has ("he smiled!", "he remembers a number!", "he played the piano on stage!", etc.). Let us not look down on him guys. He's smart, savvy and with it.

No one is looking down on him.. I just find it interested that he can recall dates as quickly as he can. Seem like I can barely recall my own birthday at times..

[Emdeeh]

Carl had a gift for remembering names, so maybe Brian's memory for dates is a similar gift.

[petsoundsnola]

I noticed it too when he talks about finishing Smile 38 years later in a recent interview.

Nothing miraculous there, everybody does that. I think many fans, even loving fans, look down on hin for some reason (perhaps because he sometimes appears bizarre and disengaged in interviews), that when he comes out as lucid and "with it" people celebrate traits and actions everybody has ("he smiled!", "he remembers a number!", "he played the piano on stage!", etc.). Let us not look down on him guys. He's smart, savvy and with it.

No one is looking down on him.. I just find it interested that he can recall dates as quickly as he can. Seem like I can barely recall my own birthday at times..

Right, I didn't mean the post to infer that I was looking down on him.  I just wanted to express that I was impressed that he was able to recall numerical information from 50 years ago.  Also, he is able to quickly recall which songs were on which album, whereas his some of his contemporaries in the music business sometimes get whole albums mixed up.

He is definitely with it.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Having said that, there is really only one glaring instance that stands out to me when Brian missed a date.  In the original liner notes to Pet Sounds, he talks about first hearing Rubber Soul in December 1966 (instead of 1965).  

That wasn't Brian's mistake. 

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Carl had a gift for remembering names, so maybe Brian's memory for dates is a similar gift.

As a witness to that , Carl not only remembered names but remembered faces and people.