Brian's next solo album (NPP followup) speculation and info thread

[Alex]

Regarding Lana Del Rey, there were conflicting reports as to whether she was planned but never recorded, or did some recording, or finished the recording.

According the this article: ( https://pitchfork.com/news/58275-frank-ocean-and-lana-del-rey-left-off-brian-wilson-album-due-to-scheduling/ ) she did some recording work on the song but wasn't able to come back in to finish.

Regarding "Run James Run", I'm pretty sure that had to have previously been an Al lead vocal. I believe reports from a couple years back indicated as much, and you can hear Al's vocals weaving in and out of the finished "Brian" version of the song on the "Playback" album.

I honestly wouldn't mind hearing Lana Del Rey's unfinished parts with Brian/Al's voices filling in the rest.

[Rocker]

This was just posted via Blondie's facebook account:

Blondie has been in the studio recently, cutting new tracks with Brian Wilson.

[Rich E P]

Also, drummer for hire Kenny Aronoff stated that he had some studio time booked working for Brian Wilson very recently.  Fingers crossed.  Kenny did some work on No Pier Pressure as well.  I'd way rather have a new record than Brian sluggishly half singing through another Pet Sounds tour.  I love going to see Brian Wilson live but after seeing 3 shows on the last PS tour it just seems Brian is least interested when singing the PS album and comes to life more during the other non PS songs.  At any rate the thought of new recordings from Brian (and hopefully Al and Blondie) is very exciting.

[the captain]

I find it interesting as we see names like Waddy Wachtel and Kenny Aronoff that, for the third consecutive album (meaning the Beach Boys TWGMTR and Brian's NPP) we're seeing what might be substantial work by people outside of Brian's core band, at least instrumentally. Granted, it might be that these guys are only on one song or something, but we're not hearing anything from BW band members (other than Blondie, who hasn't exactly been a core member anyway), are we?

I'm curious to see what eventually comes out.

[Rich E P]

I agree Captain.  These names make the cynical part of me think that maybe Joe is coordinating the sessions again.  Brian's band are incredibly talented musicians and more than capable of laying down great bed tracks, but on the other hand, sometimes major labels often feel more confident in finished tracks with grizzled studio rat vets like Aronoff, Wachtel, Don Was, Jim Keltner, Mark Isham, Dean Parks, Michael Rhodes, Eddie Bayers etc as the instrumental foundation.  Many believe that it makes the recordings easier to sell.  Whether or not that is true is debatable.  But regardless if Brian uses his incredible band or these studio vets, there is no doubt that Brian gets great players on his recordings.

[the captain]

That raises some interesting questions or points I hadn't been thinking about.

1. Does Brian have a record contract right now? Is there a label? Or is he just recording with the idea of figuring it out once there's something to sell?
2. I'm not concerned about any Joe Thomas involvement, honestly. I liked the past two studio recordings quite a bit.
3. No question that Brian's band comprises fabulous and more-than-competent musicians, but I have no qualms with these studio pros, either.
4. I can't imagine the players having any effect on record-buyers for BW. Those who know the names in either case would almost definitely buy in either case; some who know BW but dont' have a clue wouldn't care; and those who won't buy are unlikely to buy regardless (unless there's some fanatic Kenny Aronoff or Waddy Wachtel fans out there...).

I want an album. I want it to include new songs, not the eternally promised rock 'n' roll album (though if that's what it is, that's what it will be, and I'll buy it). I want background--and probably lead--vocals by people other than Brian when appropriate.

After that, I'm easy.

[Zesterz]

Great ! Cannot wait for a new BW album. I miss his voice and style. Session players are fine.

[Matt H]

As far as drummers go, I think Mike D’amico lives in Florida, so it makes sense to me to get someone local if you are cutting tracks every so often, and not fly someone in from the other side of the country.

[the captain]

Makes sense, for sure. But then of course there are other affiliated possibilities: Todd Sucherman, Jim Hines, etc. D'Amico only (relatively) recently became the "Brian Wilson Band" drummer.

[Needleinthehay]

I doubt it will happen but i would love if the rest of the “life suite” was on it

[Rick5150]

I doubt it will happen but i would love if the rest of the “life suite” was on it

Yes. What he said. Or at least another track or two.

[barsone]

Hearing of Joe Thomas's possible involvement on a new BW album project makes me chuckle.  I harken back 18 months to seeing Mike Love in Seattle during his book tour.  He answered a question regarding Joe Thomas which I will never forget.   "He's a pathological liar"    Whew........ 

[HeyJude]

Hearing of Joe Thomas's possible involvement on a new BW album project makes me chuckle.  I harken back 18 months to seeing Mike Love in Seattle during his book tour.  He answered a question regarding Joe Thomas which I will never forget.   "He's a pathological liar"    Whew........ 

For a guy who seems to be famous for being litigious, it's surprising he would make such a potentially slanderous statement.

Also telling is that, while Mike goes into C50 in some detail in his book, he certainly doesn't (as far as I can recall) expand on what might make him feel Joe Thomas was a "pathological liar", which could well be due to potential libel issues.

[barsone]

HJ....The question asked Mike was about how the C50 tour got started from it's infancy.  Mike said there were a lot of meetings and was told  that he also could bring in material for the album.  I'm guessing his touring delayed his start and by the time he came on board for his initial sessions, it was apparent to him that Joe Thomas had basically decided on the majority of the C50 tracks.  Mike said he had initially met Joe back during the Stars and Stripes time period in the 90's.
Then came his phrase but this is when he said he had been lied to and JT was a pathological liar.  Guessing this made it easy for him to walk out on the reunion  when the tiff happened with Melinda during a recording session.....over auto tone wasn't it ??

[timbnash68]

  If there was a tiff over auto tune in the studio I am  wondering why Mike  isn't now  blaming Thomas  for  slathering auto tune over his new album too! Mike must be certain that it was Thomas who used his pathological skills as a liar to convince whomever produced Mikes new album to let him sneak in and process the vocals without Mike knowing. The same way he  did it on TWGMTR, and he also must have snuck in to the venues that The Beach Boys were playing on the C 50 tour,  and then under orders from Melinda placed  auto tune devices in to the live sound rack! In other interviews, I've read where  Mike claimed that Thomas wasn't around enough, because he doesn't like to fly. So maybe Love should get his story strait. Any good pathological liar knows that! 

[HeyJude]

HJ....The question asked Mike was about how the C50 tour got started from it's infancy.  Mike said there were a lot of meetings and was told  that he also could bring in material for the album.  I'm guessing his touring delayed his start and by the time he came on board for his initial sessions, it was apparent to him that Joe Thomas had basically decided on the majority of the C50 tracks.  Mike said he had initially met Joe back during the Stars and Stripes time period in the 90's.
Then came his phrase but this is when he said he had been lied to and JT was a pathological liar.  Guessing this made it easy for him to walk out on the reunion  when the tiff happened with Melinda during a recording session.....over auto tone wasn't it ??

"Pathological liar" is a big leap if he's just talking about the album not going creatively the way he apparently thought it his own head it would or should go.

It was well established that Brian and Joe scored the album deal based on Brian/Joe songs. Further, Mike wrote or co-wrote a full 1/3 of the resulting TWGMTR album (four of the twelve tracks). We also have no reports/observations that Mike made any overtures to Brian during the C50 tour to write some songs together.

We also have Mike as late as *June* of 2012, well after the album came out, and over a month into the C50 tour, praising Joe Thomas for putting the whole thing together. So if he ended up calling Joe Thomas a "pathological liar" several years later based on the songwriting input on the album, then that obviously rings pretty hollow.

I'm guessing Joe Thomas secured a nice hunk of money for Brian and Mike (which then to varying degrees trickled down to the others) to do the project, perhaps a nice big advance, and that's the only reason we even got an album and 73 dates as opposed to the *two* reunion shows Mike had been pitching several years prior to C50.

[barsone]

I'm guessing one of the main reasons for conflict comes from the fact Mike had been his own boss for 14 years from 1998-2012, having not to answer to anyone except maybe BRI from a corporate oversight perspective.  Vibes I got that day was anger and consternation from many angles.  Obviously had a tiff with Joe where things came down much differently that had been decided at those initial meetings.  Then came the agreement after the Melinda incident where he walked out, where he ran the concert shows and JT/BW finished the album.  He mentioned repeatedly that the 73 were cast in stone and there was an agreed upon  "end" to the tour. 

HJ, you mentioned  June 2012.  Funny, I was at a reunion show on 6/23/12 in Cleveland and I would say it was a very cold sound check that I saw as part of my meet n greet.  I posted previously that at the end of sound check, Scot held Al back to have him re-rehearse the ending to Help me Rhonda. Eventually saying to Al, this is how we do this now.   No talking between the principals at all during the sound check....zippo

I go back to one of the truest posts I've ever read on this board......We were so lucky to have them for 73 shows.....with the bands total dysfunctional history, who would have bet it would have lasted that long.

ok, I didn't mean to derail this thread.  Its when I saw all of you tossing Joe Thomas's name as potentially part of the new album, I did chuckle....

[SMiLE Brian]

Joe Thomas had the patience of a saint to deal with the BBs....

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Joe Thomas had the patience of a saint to deal with the BBs....

Yeah, can you imagine dealing with myKe luHv with his jealousy, paranoid inferiority complex syndrome? I'd rather eat liver.

[Dutchie]

Joe Thomas had the patience of a saint to deal with the BBs....

Yeah, can you imagine dealing with myKe luHv with his jealousy, paranoid inferiority complex syndrome? I'd rather eat liver.

eet smakelijk OsD. 

[astroray]

At the Al Jardine concert March 26th here in Atlanta, Al said "Yesterday Matt was working with Brian in the studio" for what that's worth!

[Matt Etherton]

The thing is, nobody really buys Brian solo albums. Same for Mike. They don't get streamed really either. Only The Beach Boys name would sell, and get some attention. Too bad they couldn't record together, but tour apart. In their late 70's, time is almost up...

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I think at this  point , Brian does what he wants to musically when he wants s to, regardless of sales. Doesn’t do too badly chartwise considering the state of the industry,either

[Lonely Summer]

The thing is, nobody really buys Brian solo albums. Same for Mike. They don't get streamed really either. Only The Beach Boys name would sell, and get some attention. Too bad they couldn't record together, but tour apart. In their late 70's, time is almost up...

Even when they did record and tour together for C50, they only did a couple of the new songs in the shows. They really don't need to record any new music at this point. People come to hear the old stuff.

[Lee Marshall]

I'd say that MANY of 'us' would also like to hear some new stuff.  So maybe 1/2 the crowd comes "to hear the old stuff".  Nothing wrong with aiming some of the show at committed and long time fans.  'Fly by nighters' will be happy with a 20-80 split.  So they don't hear the 'Janless' version of Barbara Ann for a change.    Boo hoo!!!  [I'm already over it.]