Brian on Jay Leno

[donald]

I just watched the show on the tonite sight ....just a little patience brings it right up.

Most of you have seen that old promo video of I Get Around from back in the day.  The band sitting around a woody tailgate without their instruments lipsynching the song.  Brian gestures pointing to his head (I'm a real cool head) and slides his fingers together as if flashing money (I'm makin real good bread)

Well, he's still doing that after all these years.  That part, is nothing new.  He needs to keep his hands busy someother way, playing a dead keyboard or something.

Just sayin.

[Aegir]

I don't see how that's any different than Mike turning up the radio dial, doing the chicken dance, and whipping a horse in Fun, Fun, Fun.

[buddhahat]

It's unrealistic to expect BW to a) not look wooden on stage and b) suddenly have mainstream appeal. If you're waiting for these things to happen I think you're going to be a continually disappointed BW fan. I'm a fan of BW now purely because I'm interested to hear what beautiful, uplifiting melodies he's still capable of writing. After hearing TLOS and the bonus tracks I've been thrilled to find that I love about half of his new songs. To my ears he still has the same songwriting ability that he did in the late 80s (well, almost), which I find really exciting. Maybe for some that is nothing special but on this basis I am really eager to hear the next album if this current creative spree is enough to generate one.

[Chris Brown]

I don't see how that's any different than Mike turning up the radio dial, doing the chicken dance, and whipping a horse in Fun, Fun, Fun.

Its a subtle difference I think...Mike looked like an idiot, Brian looks more disturbed, and not doing it on purpose.

[Compost]

He needs to keep his hands busy someother way, playing a dead keyboard or something.

Just sayin.

Agreed.  I'll be frank:  at this stage of the game, Brian's voice isn't what I tune in to hear.  But these TV & concert set-ups make it seem as though that's the draw, and it ain't.  I'm just happy to see the guy, but then I'm a fan.  Give the guy a bass or a tambourine at the very least for God's sake!  His hand gestures are, I'm afraid, disturbing; it's like watching your lil' old Mom dance in her sitting chair when a good tune comes on...

[Hickory Dichotomy®]

Heck, even if Brian was playing the piano and singing by himself it would be an improvement. Keep in mind I'm just talking about for TV appearances. But if they had Brian & the piano turned to the side (so brian doesn't have to look directly at the audience) and Brian was just banging away on the piano & singing, it would be a 1000x imrprovement. When ever there's a documentary, or an interview piece, or anything like that, where Brian's singing & playing the piano, he sounds good 95% of the time.

Then again, anything beats his early solo appearances where he was just  mashing his hands against a turned off keyboard like a stroke victim.

[Compost]

Exactly.  Have him as part of his band, not the feature presentation itself.

[Compost]

I'm curious as to what the opinion of the board is to this wacky notion:

'That Lucky Old Sun' by Brian Wilson & the Douchebags (or whateva)
Songs by Brian Wilson, Scott Bennett and Van Dyke Parks
Produced by Brian Wilson & Scott Bennett
Arranged by Brian Wilson, Paul Von Mertens, Darian Sahahnaja and Scott Bennett

Would that make the album less than what it is already, i.e. a good album?

[buddhahat]

Exactly.  Have him as part of his band, not the feature presentation itself.

I know but that's unrealistic, whether you like it or not, Brian Wilson is, and needs to be, the focus. His band, however talented, are session musicians, not personalities, and nobody wants to watch session musicians. If he was to the side on a piano people would be wondering who they were watching. The fact is he is a casualty - that's part of the Brian Wilson brand. So he has to be the focus, warts and all. That's why every bit of publicity from his team stresses the 'he's been to hell and back' backstory - it pre-empts the inevitable "what the hell is wrong with this guy?" questions from the uninitiated.

[Compost]

Exactly.  Have him as part of his band, not the feature presentation itself.

I know but that's unrealistic, whether you like it or not, Brian Wilson is, and needs to be, the focus. His band, however talented, are session musicians, not personalities, and nobody wants to watch session musicians. If he was to the side on a piano people would be wondering who they were watching. The fact is he is a casualty - that's part of the Brian Wilson brand. So he has to be the focus, warts and all. That's why every bit of publicity from his team stresses the 'he's been to hell and back' backstory - it pre-empts the inevitable "what the hell is wrong with this guy?" questions from the uninitiated.

Point well made, but would it really hurt?  As SJS suggested, his TV appearances aren't exactly of the "reel 'em in" variety.  A billing of Brian Wilson & the Wondermints might just (and justly) raise his backing band from the mere "session musician" status they are ascribed to that of "contributing members", thus becoming a minor draw themselves, and it would take the pressure off of a clearly uncomfortable BW.

[Wirestone]

Except that the band on TLOS includes only two Wondermints. And one part-timer. The other seven or so have nothing to do with that group.

[Compost]

So call'em Brian Wilson & the Douchebags...what's in a name anyway?

[Sheriff John Stone]

Compost, I'm totally with you. Totally. It would be an extremely long post to point out why Brian Wilson should not be a solo artist. And, most of the people don't want to read (or admit) it anyway. But it would improve some of the weak areas and present a more honest and truer product. But who cares about honesty anyway....

[Compost]

Absolutely.  Despite the protestations of others, BW was not the only talent in the Beach Boys era and still isn't in his current "solo" incarnation.  The greater talent absolutely, but not an exclusive holder of 'gifts', especially today.  No one can say Sahananja, Bennett et al don't know their ****.

Were Brian 2008 of the same calibre as Brian 1966, it wouldn't be an indication of naturally enduring genius, it'd be a friggin' miracle!  He's old!  It's like expecting Muhammad Ali to get back in the ring and lay the beats, and then being disappointed that he had his *** handed to him.  It's O.K. with me.  All this nonsensical pressure on him by his fans to be  that which he once was is ludicrous. 

He deserves to take collaborators or be a part of an ensemble if it means he gets to keep making and performing music.  And that shouldn't devalue the finished product. 

[TheLazenby]

Here's the thing about those "disturbing" hand motions, and I realized this watching the Smile DVD...

Would it really be Brian without them?  I mean, he is the 'Adult Child' - his hand motions are just part of the charm of what he does.  They're not even random either, from what I can tell - he's either visually describing the lyrics, or conducting the band.  That'd be like telling Joe Cocker to stop that "stupid flailing thing" - it wouldn't be the same.

LEAVE BRIAN ALONE!  *sobs*

[Wirestone]

He didn't do them when he started touring. He fake played the piano.

Fans gave him merda -- rightfully so, perhaps. He was clearly not playing.

He did this for about a year. Then he started to do "conduct" the band during pieces of the Pet Sounds shows in 2000. Then he started to clap. And soon enough, he was doing the hand motions.

Believe it or not, fans at the time preferred them. I know I did.

But then they became increasingly elaborate -- and kinda strange. He's toned it down, actually -- I think they were at their worst aorund 02-04.

[Luther]

I think there are quite a few conversations going on here. To talk of fans, to ask "would it really be Brian?' is a different question altogether than what would a non-fan think. Speaking only for myself, my discussion of Brian's peculiarities within this thread related to what a non-fan catching him on Leno might think. It's a completely different thing than "what do you think?"

[TheOther Anonymous]

Ah, it's the old "negativity is the only honesty" trick.

So the people who like it aren't being honest? Or not as honest as the people who do?

The only true Brian Wilson fan, you see, is someone contemptuous of Brian Wison.

eh...I was thinking more along the lines of this project being either very good for some and very bad for others and I can't think of another Brian Wilson album, show, DVD or anything else in the last 5 years of me being on these message boards that has got such a diverse reaction. We have had reviews ranging from 1 out of 5 to 4 out of 5.

Here's another 4!

http://www.themaneater.com/stories/2008/9/4/brian-wilsons-new-album-daring-nostalgic/

The posters on this site have been very tolerant in allowing those that like it to say so and those that don't to say so. Unlike some boards where Brian can do no wrong.

Isn't that what we are all here for? A bit of objectivity!

[Wirestone]

I think there are quite a few conversations going on here. To talk of fans, to ask "would it really be Brian?' is a different question altogether than what would a non-fan think. Speaking only for myself, my discussion of Brian's peculiarities within this thread related to what a non-fan catching him on Leno might think. It's a completely different thing than "what do you think?"

Good point, Luther. I think that the euphoria that a lot of people had when Brian returned to live performing (he did a whole show without running off the stage!) has led sometimes to him being put in a place where non-fans would see him as a curiousity. That is, he was willing and able to do shows -- but he was and is and will be somewhat odd. This is somewhat easier to deal with in live shows, where lengthy set lists and band energy can compensate for and (often) overcome his shortcomings. But on television, it's just difficult.

It's a conundrum, and I don't think Brian's folks have figured it out. They tried with the Christmas album to just have him lip sync on Leno -- that certainly sounded great, but Brian can't lip sync particularly accurately. The alternative, I suppose, is just not to have promotion. So ...

[Hickory Dichotomy®]

Exactly.  Have him as part of his band, not the feature presentation itself.

Not what I meant. I meant Brian out there by himself, singing and playing the piano. Like the SNL Good Vibrations performance, just not coked up.