Alleged TLOS demos...

[TonyW]

So is this an accurate summation?

No TLOS will be released and Brian's touring band is being reorganized.

 

No.

1. Rumour has it that the Tasty Brothers are no longer part of the band. Unconfirmed but if true probably not that big a surprise - rumours of this nature have been around a long time.

2. Brian is currently recording TLOS in LA and the sessions are being filmed.

EDIT: The freaking out, assumptions and general second guessing going on in this thread is becoming blueboardish in their nature- and that is what is really scary!! This is the Smiley Smile Board, descendent of the Smile Board the sensible, scholarly place to discuss Brian's music. Cool heads people - please.

[Jim McShane]

1. Rumour has it that the Tasty Brothers are no longer part of the band. Unconfirmed but if true probably not that big a surprise - rumours of this nature have been around a long time.

2. Brian is currently recording TLOS in LA and the sessions are being filmed.

EDIT: The freaking out, assumptions and general second guessing going on in this thread is becoming blueboardish in their nature- and that is what is really scary!! This is the Smiley Smile Board, descendent of the Smile Board the sensible, scholarly place to discuss Brian's music. Cool heads people - please.

The last time there was a rumor about anyone leaving the band BW posted on the Blueboard that it wasn't true, and that he loved those guys. There was no specific mention of Bob or Jim at that time.

And as another poster wrote, Bob and Jim were great people - and getting excellent musicians who are also great people isn't so easy to do.

If BW is indeed recording TLOS in LA it would appear he's doing it without the SS&H and (possibly) part of his band. IMHO, that does not bode well.

I don't see people "freaking out", I do see people who (like me) had high hopes and high interest in TLOS, etc who feel disillusioned and disappointed.

[TonyW]

1. Rumour has it that the Tasty Brothers are no longer part of the band. Unconfirmed but if true probably not that big a surprise - rumours of this nature have been around a long time.

2. Brian is currently recording TLOS in LA and the sessions are being filmed.

EDIT: The freaking out, assumptions and general second guessing going on in this thread is becoming blueboardish in their nature- and that is what is really scary!! This is the Smiley Smile Board, descendent of the Smile Board the sensible, scholarly place to discuss Brian's music. Cool heads people - please.

The last time there was a rumor about anyone leaving the band BW posted on the Blueboard that it wasn't true, and that he loved those guys. There was no specific mention of Bob or Jim at that time.

And as another poster wrote, Bob and Jim were great people - and getting excellent musicians who are also great people isn't so easy to do.

If BW is indeed recording TLOS in LA it would appear he's doing it without the SS&H and (possibly) part of his band. IMHO, that does not bode well.

I don't see people "freaking out", I do see people who (like me) had high hopes and high interest in TLOS, etc who feel disillusioned and disappointed.

The rumours re the immanent departure of the Tasty Brothers go back to last year. I saw Brian and the band in January and remember thinking at the time that it might have been the last time seeing them in the band. So it's not a new rumour. Don't get me wrong Jim and Bob are great guys from the contact I have had with them but they are not crucial. Good luck to them with their futures if the rumours are true. Brian's band is a business and things like this happen in business.

When Brian played TLOS in Sydney in January he did so without the SS&H and they used local string players who rehearesed the day before the shows. They pulled it off well without screwing up the performance - they also played the shows without Nicky Wonder who was ill and didn't make the tour - again the they pulled it off without screwing up the performance. I see no reason to frett over band changes or the non appearence of the regular hired string section. Given your criteria for things not "boding well" for TLOS them the Australian TLOS shows should have been a disaster - they weren't - infact they were a critical success.

Still, if stressing over these things helps to get you through the day then power to you.

Me, I'm going surfing - its sunny, 3 to 4 foot and offshore - autumn in Sydney is such a wonderful place to be..........

[GoofyJeff]

While this turn of events is disappointing and unexpected, perhaps it makes sense from a financial standpoint.

I'm sure AGD will correct me if I'm wrong, but to the best of my knowledge, none of Brian's US tours have ever turned a profit.  Jim and Bob are wonderful musicians and even more wonderful human beings.  I've had the chance to meet them both on several occasions.  However, again as far as I know, they along with Paul are still Chicago based.

Perhaps this reorganization is in part to centralize the band, downsize if necessary, in order to keep things afloat?

And as another poster mentioned, it's not like they are replacing Jeffrey or Darian.. two individuals who absolutely must be in the BWBand from a musical and vocal point of view.  Bob and Jim don't sing, and Todd Sucherman has already played with Brian (not to mention being married to Taylor). 

Call me optimistic, but I think "everything will turn out alright, don't worry baby"   

I don't recall this amount of uproar when Todd left the first time, or when Mikey D'Amico left the band to be with his family in Florida.  Granted there wasn't an album on the line, but still...

[Jim McShane]

While this turn of events is disappointing and unexpected, perhaps it makes sense from a financial standpoint.

I'm sure AGD will correct me if I'm wrong, but to the best of my knowledge, none of Brian's US tours have ever turned a profit.  Jim and Bob are wonderful musicians and even more wonderful human beings.  I've had the chance to meet them both on several occasions.  However, again as far as I know, they along with Paul are still Chicago based.

Perhaps this reorganization is in part to centralize the band, downsize if necessary, in order to keep things afloat?

And as another poster mentioned, it's not like they are replacing Jeffrey or Darian.. two individuals who absolutely must be in the BWBand from a musical and vocal point of view.  Bob and Jim don't sing, and Todd Sucherman has already played with Brian (not to mention being married to Taylor). 

Call me optimistic, but I think "everything will turn out alright, don't worry baby"   

I don't recall this amount of uproar when Todd left the first time, or when Mikey D'Amico left the band to be with his family in Florida.  Granted there wasn't an album on the line, but still...

That doesn't make sense to me. First off, Todd LEFT the band to stay with Styx back in 1999-2000, he recommended Jim Hines IIRC. And Todd only played a handful of shows with the band, Jim and Bob have played hundreds. Also, do you really think it'll be less expensive to have Todd as the drummer? Is Todd going to take less money to play than Jim did? He and Taylor live in Austin TX - so they are no more "centralized" than Jim or Bob. And Will Lee is from New York I believe, so I wonder if he isn't on the New York appearances only.

BTW, Jim Hines does sing - look at the Smile video, he sings quite a bit.

The reason there was little uproar over Mike was because he left on his own, for a good cause, and kind of just "slipped away", missing a tour, then back, then gone... BTW, no slight against Nelson Bragg, but I think the band was at it's best with Mike. He added yet another accomplished guitarist/bassist, as well as superb percussion. He also had a terrific voice.

Anyway, I can't see any financial benefit to not having Jim and Bob around unless they shrink the band by two members. Of course, if the few tours left are just "greatest hits" shows, maybe that doesn't matter.

So I'm NOT optimistic, not at all.

[Heywood Floyd]

Jim Hines and Bob Lizik

Thanks.  I'm familiar with the names of only a few people in Brian's band, and I'm afraid Mr. Hines and Mr. Lizik are not among them.

You're an furo do burro.

[TheOther Anonymous]

Nice one Heywood Floyd....Ever thought not everyone here lives and breathes Brian Wilson and his band. Keep up the encouraging words.

[Ron]

I got an idea   Since none of us have a clue what's going on, why don't we just enjoy the music whenever it does come out, with whoever's playing on it?  I'm not going to go ahead and get upset that somebody might not be on the album that might not ever come out that might not be better than live that..... blah.  Why don't we just wait and see what happens?

btw, I found the demos, they're pretty good!  Oxygen to the Brain is great.  IN MY OPINION, one of the most creative songs Brian's done in decades.  Stuff like "Skip the Vices Verses Jump to the Refrain!!!" or whatever he says is just 'wow!'. 

[Jasper]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I can assure you that Brian's band is still together, complete, tasty, fresh as we love them.
Before the TLOS premiere in September last year, certain people claimed that Van Dyke Parks was brought in to save Brian's a.... , the same folks now say the studio album will be a disaster and band members fired...
Don't believe everything you read, but it was great fun to read this thread. 

[Billy C]

Jim Hines and Bob Lizik

Thanks.  I'm familiar with the names of only a few people in Brian's band, and I'm afraid Mr. Hines and Mr. Lizik are not among them.

You're an furo do burro.

Dude, what the hell brought that on?

[Heywood Floyd]

 

[SMiLE-Holland]

as could be read on the blueboard...

Rainforest benefit -Carnegie Hall May 8th

(posted by planeside on May 8, 2008 at 10:40 pm)

Message:

OK, so at 4:30 I searched & found a pair of tickets for Stings Rainforest benefit show. Everyone sounded great during the first half - Sting, Billy Joel, James Taylor, Feist, Alexa Ray Joel (very good) and Coco Sumner (Stings daughter, great voice, sounds like Dad, if Dad was female!).
Lets get to the point!
So Brian (& full band!) closed the night. Of Course, how could anyone follow him! he came on and the whole place lit up. Much different than the laid back vibe of the rest of the show. For the first time all night people got up, danced and sang along - Like any other BW or Beach Boys show!
He opened with California Girls (of Course!). I was surprised to see Todd on Drums - (I must say, he sounded great and added an extra edge and life into the songs. I've seen Brian at least a dozen times since he started touring again in '99). I was even more surprised to see Will Lee sit in on bass. (he had been part of the house band all night - which included Hiram Bullock, Larry Carlton, and Tom Malone among others!). Brian also played Help Me Rhonda (I think James Taylor joined him on this one), God Only Knows (Sharing vocals with Sting, I love ya Sting, but not on Beach Boys Songs! Carl, you are very missed by all of us...), Surfin USA, Barbara Ann, Do you Wanna Dance and Good Vibrations.
Everyone came out to sing along on Do you Wanna Dance and Good Vibrations.
This was my first time at Carnegie Hall and well worth it!  - Craig

So apparently no Tasty Brothers...

[ascrodin]

Jim Hines and Bob Lizik

Thanks.  I'm familiar with the names of only a few people in Brian's band, and I'm afraid Mr. Hines and Mr. Lizik are not among them.

You're an furo do burro.

C'mon, this isn't the Blueboard.

Hines is Brian's drummer and Lizik is Brian's bass player.

[ascrodin]

>

[Jasper]

As announced, no Tasty Brothers for this show. Brian & band played only 8 songs and it's not the first time the Tasties were replaced for a short set like this. On bass Mr. Will Lee who played with other acts that night as well. Don't worry, he won't replace Bob Lizik.



Brian Wilson highlights 'Rainforest' concert benefit
Thursday, May 8th 2008, 11:05 PM

 
Corkery/News
 
Billy Joel shared the stage at Carnegie Hall with his daughter, Alexa. (Click for more photos from the concert.)
The sun-kissed beaches of California may lie thousands of miles from the soaking foliage of the rainforest. But that didn't stop a kick line of boomer-aged pop icons from saluting classic L.A. music at a show meant to help save that eroding Brazilian expanse.

At the twentieth anniversary "Rainforest" show, held at Carnegie Hall Thursday night, the usual star suspects – Sting, Billy Joel and James Taylor - turned out to croon. But the evening found a clear highlight in a section devoted to the summery West Coast music of guest star Brian Wilson.

Coming towards the close of this long, slow, and often aimless night, Wilson provided some needed animation and helped redeem much of what came before.

The snaking lead-up included stretches of classical music and jazz as well as pop. To make things even more diffuse, the first half of the show featured its own self-contained theme - "Legacy," by which it seemed they meant "nepotism."

The headlining stars brought along their musical offspring, for what worked like a large scale example of showing off your kid's baby pictures. The second generation participants included Coco Sumner (sired by Sting), Alexa Rae Joel, plus Ben and Sally Taylor (spawn of James Taylor and Carly Simon). If nothing else, their presence added an extra layer of hominess to this always casual affair.

Among the kids, Sumner showed the most promise. Her vocals have the itchy intonations and husky tone of her dad, but she has a deep range and dark timbre of her own. She impressed mightily on her solo song "Bohemian Love."

The other well-connected singers had more decorative talents, providing competent harmonies and little else.

In between these performances, the hit-making parents cruised distractedly through some touchstones, like "Carolina On My Mind," from Taylor, "Englishman In New York," from Sting, and "An Innocent Man," from Joel.

To underscore the "Legacy" theme, the show opened with the whole cast sweetly signing the ultimate song of generations changing hands, "Turn, Turn, Turn." The set ended less happily with a take on the irredeemably corny "Teach Your Children."

Not content to leave it at that, the cast then snaked through the audience while hacking out an interminable version of "When The Saints Go Marching In."

After a break, we heard tasteful performances from Chris Botti and opera star Kathleen Battle, who stepped in at the last minute to salute the late Pavarotti (an old Rain Forest friend).

But the show didn't kick into high gear until Wilson and his band came out to bat out 8 undying hits. From the sumptuous chords of "God Only Knows" (with Sting taking some verses) to the creamy pep of "Fun Fun Fun" (with James Taylor adding his own touches), Wilson's songs provided a model of complex harmonics spun into blissful pop. You could make fun of the middle-aged stars twisting along to these songs like drunken uncles at the wedding. Or you could carp about the tossed-off feel of the rest of the night. But hey, it's a benefit show meant to generate good will and big bucks not to floor you with inspiration. And at those modest goals, it succeeded.


http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2008/05/08/2008-05-08_brian_wilson_highlights_rainforest_conce.html