New Al Jardine Track - "Wish"

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

Al going on tour with Brian's band would be lovely. I fondly remember the NYC Beacon Theater they all did in 2019, with e.g. deep cuts from Friends and Surf's Up sprinkled among the hits. He seems to be describing something similar here (Roller Skating Child, lol!). Really hope it can happen!

[Jim V.]

So Al's song is a tribute to Brian and Dennis? But not Carl?

Carl hadn't passed when it was written in tribute to Denny and Brian.

[Lonely Summer]

So Al's song is a tribute to Brian and Dennis? But not Carl?

Carl hadn't passed when it was written in tribute to Denny and Brian.

But it was just released...er...dropped NOW in 2024, so it feels like Al is overlooking the third Wilson brother.

[rab2591]

So Al's song is a tribute to Brian and Dennis? But not Carl?

Carl hadn't passed when it was written in tribute to Denny and Brian.

But it was just released...er...dropped NOW in 2024, so it feels like Al is overlooking the third Wilson brother.

Perhaps Al doesn’t want to lose the specific sentiment of the song. Or put another way: perhaps, internally, he just views that song as specifically connected to Brian and Dennis in that specific moment in time and doesn’t see any necessity in changing that viewpoint 30 years later solely for optics.

I doubt anyone questions Al’s love for Carl. And in the context of Al’s simple/specific bio of the song, it makes sense why Carl isn’t mentioned as part of the tribute.

[bonnevillemariner]

This is going to piss at least one of you off, but I bet Dae Lims could take this track and make it sound like a million bucks. (At the very least clean up the noise gate effect.)

[rab2591]

This is going to piss at least one of you off, but I bet Dae Lims could take this track and make it sound like a million bucks. (At the very least clean up the noise gate effect.)

I couldn't agree more with this. Dae Lims took 'Thank Him' - a very rough demo(?) track that had every sonic problem on it, and made it into a masterpiece. Tbh, I also love the original 'Thank Him' demo as well - sonic issues and all. I feel the same about this 'Wish' track - it's not perfect, but I'm not unable to hear 'around' the sonic issues. It just sounds like a cool track that, yeah, Dae Lims could absolutely make even better.

[Lonely Summer]

This is going to piss at least one of you off, but I bet Dae Lims could take this track and make it sound like a million bucks. (At the very least clean up the noise gate effect.)

I'm not pissed off or urinated cause I don't know who Dae Lims is.

[Dae Lims]

This is going to piss at least one of you off, but I bet Dae Lims could take this track and make it sound like a million bucks. (At the very least clean up the noise gate effect.)

Aw, that's kind. It's a long shot, but I'd love the opportunity to help Al finish the unfinished songs he mentioned, not as an "AI guy", but as a producer/co-writer.

[Awesoman]

This is going to piss at least one of you off, but I bet Dae Lims could take this track and make it sound like a million bucks. (At the very least clean up the noise gate effect.)

Aw, that's kind. It's a long shot, but I'd love the opportunity to help Al finish the unfinished songs he mentioned, not as an "AI guy", but as a producer/co-writer.

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't you do that cover of "That's Why God Made The Radio" years ago?  If so, that one was pretty spiffy.  Your arrangements of "Walk On By" and "Return To Pepperland" alone would give you the credentials to do something more interesting than this song for sure.

As for the "Wish" song, I wish they would have worked on the production more.  Al's vocal (which is quite nice for a guy his age) sounds like it was plucked from a lo-fi and completely lossy MP3 file and the mix itself feels a little on the cheap side.  It sounds bad even listening to the 24-bit version you can purchase off Qobuz.  And the never-ending ties to "Waves Of Love" are just straight-up irritating at this point.  

With all that being said, dare I suggest that there some actual pleasant moments in the song; I think the whole thing needs to be reworked and definitely remixed though.  

[HeyJude]

This is going to piss at least one of you off, but I bet Dae Lims could take this track and make it sound like a million bucks. (At the very least clean up the noise gate effect.)

I'm not a fan of the fake A.I. vocals, but yes, that A.I. fake vocal stuff on YouTube sounds better than whatever Dvoskin did to this Jardine track.

Al needs someone to finesse his actual voice in the studio (and/or mine the vaults), and not process it so much. There are ways to "massage" his voice without resorting to autotune or other heavy effects.

[Wirestone]

Al going on tour with Brian's band would be lovely. I fondly remember the NYC Beacon Theater they all did in 2019, with e.g. deep cuts from Friends and Surf's Up sprinkled among the hits. He seems to be describing something similar here (Roller Skating Child, lol!). Really hope it can happen!

The question is whether anyone in Brian's band knows.

[guitarfool2002]

I'll say it again: The noise on Al Jardine's lead vocal track are not AI or "effects", it's source noise which they then tried to gate out of the track. Which means that vocal could have been taken from an old demo or something and grafted onto this new release. That kind of noise is not something you would get even using a cheap retail-store microphone.

And if this track was conceived before Carl died, "a little over 30 years ago" as that article said, it would make even more sense if they found an old demo from circa 1994 and tried to do a "Free As A Bird" thing with it because the vocal sounds like it came from an old tape demo and the keyboards sound like exactly the 90's era from which this song was apparently written.

And if that's the case, they should just say that's what this release is. If it's not the case, and that is a "new" vocal track, holy sh*t that's a bad job of engineering and production to be blunt.

[Pretty Funky]

Al going on tour with Brian's band would be lovely. I fondly remember the NYC Beacon Theater they all did in 2019, with e.g. deep cuts from Friends and Surf's Up sprinkled among the hits. He seems to be describing something similar here (Roller Skating Child, lol!). Really hope it can happen!

The question is whether anyone in Brian's band knows.

What disappoints me is Al and Mike previously have said Brian could still contribute in some way. Nice thought perhaps but from what we have seen of late, please let him be.

[HeyJude]

I'll say it again: The noise on Al Jardine's lead vocal track are not AI or "effects", it's source noise which they then tried to gate out of the track. Which means that vocal could have been taken from an old demo or something and grafted onto this new release. That kind of noise is not something you would get even using a cheap retail-store microphone.

And if this track was conceived before Carl died, "a little over 30 years ago" as that article said, it would make even more sense if they found an old demo from circa 1994 and tried to do a "Free As A Bird" thing with it because the vocal sounds like it came from an old tape demo and the keyboards sound like exactly the 90's era from which this song was apparently written.

And if that's the case, they should just say that's what this release is. If it's not the case, and that is a "new" vocal track, holy sh*t that's a bad job of engineering and production to be blunt.

All of the initial 2012 versions of "Waves of Love" had slightly similar wonky things going on with Carl's vocal.

It seems like on these Dvoskin tracks they sometimes try to go back to the old recordings (in the case of "Waves of Love", a 90s soundcheck recording) and try to extract stuff from them.

As for Al's lead on "Wish", I hear the background noise jutting in and out. That does sound messy. That's what the "noise" is I'm sure. But there's more going on beyond that. It's *extensively* processed with *something*. It's a robo-Jardine vocal. I don't have any interest in burning time trying to forensically determine which of a zillion effects or plug ins or apps Dvoskin used on the track. It sounds unnatural to the point that it sounds *like* an A.I. vocal (and that noise-gate thing adds to that effect).

Everything production-wise sounds off on the track, including the cheesy 80s/90s pan flute (or whatever it is) synth sample.

[HeyJude]

Al going on tour with Brian's band would be lovely. I fondly remember the NYC Beacon Theater they all did in 2019, with e.g. deep cuts from Friends and Surf's Up sprinkled among the hits. He seems to be describing something similar here (Roller Skating Child, lol!). Really hope it can happen!

The question is whether anyone in Brian's band knows.

I don't know a lot of extensive details, but I can say that I've heard going some time back that there have been various discussions about Al fronting some configuration of Brian's touring band. I don't know who has been privy at various junctures, but I can say that I don't believe Al is just pulling this idea out of thin air.

The idea has for years been a no-brainer from a conceptual point of view, but I think there are also a ton of logistics involved in trying to do something like this. Is it run by BriMel (or whatever entity would be in charge of Brian affairs)? Meaning essentially the same business and operating machine as 2022 and before, just without Brian in attendance? Or is this some other operation with possibly Brian's name being licensed out for billing (e.g. some variation of "The Brian Wilson Band"). If it's a new entity, how involved is Al on the business side and decision-making side?

Separate from that, there's the practical issues involved in booking shows. They need careful billing and advertising so that people understand it's a show fronted by Al Jardine with no active Brian involvement. And also, they would probably need to do a few "test" shows (which Al mentions), because it would take some finesse to figure out what type of venues to book. They'd presumably have to go on the smaller side, but bigger than the clubs that Al typically plays. And of course, they have to figure out how this works financially to be able to pay for the huge band, even if they did pare it back a bit. But they probably couldn't pare it back too much, as the whole conceit of it would be to see *that band* backing Al.

And really, they probably need to amp this stuff up and do it sooner rather than later. Having just seen the rough shape Jeff Lynne is in on his "farewell" ELO tour, seeing a drastic turn in his shape in just the last year and last few years, there's no telling how long Al will still be up for this type of things.

I just watched a recent Mike/BBs show, and Mike's sounding *very rough* himself. Al's kind of all that's left.

[bonnevillemariner]

Aw, that's kind. It's a long shot, but I'd love the opportunity to help Al finish the unfinished songs he mentioned, not as an "AI guy", but as a producer/co-writer.

Might be the first step in the door. Take 'Wish', polish it off and hand it back to Al's people. Perhaps the production aspect is one of his roadblocks.

[HeyJude]

Aw, that's kind. It's a long shot, but I'd love the opportunity to help Al finish the unfinished songs he mentioned, not as an "AI guy", but as a producer/co-writer.

Might be the first step in the door. Take 'Wish', polish it off and hand it back to Al's people. Perhaps the production aspect is one of his roadblocks.

I think the only way to possibly "fix" "Wish" would be to either have Al re-sing it now, or get the source recording and see if it's salvageable. There's no way to un-do what's on the finished track.

[Pretty Funky]

I just watched a recent Mike/BBs show, and Mike's sounding *very rough* himself. Al's kind of all that's left.

I picked that up watching the Greek show on YT this week. Mike was often rusty on one off shows or at the start of the summer, but for an end of a summer tour I was quite shocked. If that is the quality going forward I hope those around him have a talk about retiring.

[bonnevillemariner]

I picked that up watching the Greek show on YT this week. Mike was often rusty on one off shows or at the start of the summer, but for an end of a summer tour I was quite shocked. If that is the quality going forward I hope those around him have a talk about retiring.

I saw the band in Sherman, TX last month and Mike sounded pretty much exactly how he sounded when I saw them in 2012 and 2014.

[HeyJude]

I picked that up watching the Greek show on YT this week. Mike was often rusty on one off shows or at the start of the summer, but for an end of a summer tour I was quite shocked. If that is the quality going forward I hope those around him have a talk about retiring.

I saw the band in Sherman, TX last month and Mike sounded pretty much exactly how he sounded when I saw them in 2012 and 2014.

I certainly haven't listened to every show that's out there, but I haven't heard any live recording of Mike, from post-2020 certainly, that sounds as solid as how he sounded back in 2012.

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

Shots fired... 


https://www.facebook.com/alanjardine

[HeyJude]

Al getting saucy.

Mike probably already has shows booked into 2027, so I'm not sure what Al thinks can happen.

And really, the time for a viable reunion, even without Brian, has passed. I'm not saying something can't be put together as a one-off recording or something, maybe even with Brian involved. But gigs, and certainly tours, it's just too late. Without Brian it kind of seems pointless, and Mike's voice is in really rough shape.

One of the only things I can see as being a viable "new reunion" sort of project would be compiling a "new" album out of the TWGMTR leftovers and whatever else, but I think even with Melinda and Joe Thomas gone and Brian out of action, Mike probably still wouldn't want to work with those Brian/Joe songs.

As for Al with Brian's band, I wouldn't be surprised if this upcoming charity gig with Al fronting some of Brian's guys is the one of the only times we see that sort of show. I just don't see how Al could mount a tour with that full band and not lose money. And those backing guys were already not exactly getting rich off their pay touring with Brian, so I don't think a significant pay cut for a Jardine tour would be feasible.

[MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm]

Sadly, agree with all.

It's not surprising that Al feels this way *privately* given the years/decades of friction between them, but him actually posting it seems like 'eh nothing will ever happen with Mike anyway so might as well take a public shot or two'. Interesting that if we read this dig literally Al is still peeved about the outcome of the 2012 reunion.

[Pretty Funky]

These two have met quite a few times since 2012 and both have said they do talk occasionally. I could be wrong but it would not surprise me if it’s a private joke between them. Hopefully, nothing to see here…Move along.

[HeyJude]

These two have met quite a few times since 2012 and both have said they do talk occasionally. I could be wrong but it would not surprise me if it’s a private joke between them. Hopefully, nothing to see here…Move along.

Is Al joking? I mean, I guess, in a way.

But no, Al even jokingly goading Mike to drop his planned-years-ahead-of-time lucrative "Beach Boys" tour and join Al and Brian's band (on a tour that may or may not even happen), with a chaser of "don't worry, I won't fire you", that's not just a "private joke between them." That's absolutely a jab from Al, regarding a very PUBLIC thing that happened in 2012. It's not a particularly dire jab, but that has as much to do with Al's continued impotence regarding anything to do with the group/corporate machinations.

Yes, Al has met up with Mike and had conversations now and then since 2012. It may never have gone back to the most icy early 2000s period where Al and Mike weren't talking and Mike was not even uttering Al's name in interviews. But there is *always* going to be some level of undercurrent of backbiting and group/corporate politics and ill feelings. It obviously waxes and wanes at various points, and I think Al and Mike genuinely also have warm feelings and affection as well.

But I can't imagine, after all we know about these guys and this band, reading that post from Al and STILL after a THOUSAND years into this saga, thinking it *isn't* tinged with the usual layer of Beach Boys-brand politics. I think it's mostly innocuous given their age and the current corporate setup with Iconic, but it's not 100% innocent fun in-jokes either.