Brian Guitar Center Interview

[Roger Ryan]

This goes to show how sophisticated home studios have become where there is less and less difference in the sound of something recorded in an apartment as compared to a studio proper. Notably, "Southern California" sounds like it was comped from two different vocal sessions; the second verse and bridge (missing from the live performance) feature a smoother, cleaner vocal from Brian whereas the first and third verses have a slight bit of raspiness to the vocal. Not a major distraction, but there is a difference.

As to Brian's comment regarding "Good Vibrations": his use of the term "scary" has almost always been synonymous with "ambitious" or "technically challenging". What I believe he's saying is that he can't even imagine attempting a production on that scale and in that fashion again; he can't return to where his head was at when he was twenty-three. As for weird or disturbing music, Brian still returns to it when he feels it's right ("Happy Days" utilizing "My Solution" with extra strangeness added, or the discordant notes that end each verse of "Oxygen To The Brain").

[c-man]

Do we know which exact songs had sets of different lyrics before?

"California Role" was "Wondering What You're Up To Now", vintage 1985.  Scott rewrote the words & retitled it to fit the California theme.

[ESQ Editor]

There was also Brian's "Beatle Man," an upbeat track that eventually morphed into "Midnight's Another Day." Songs hat are still in limbo are: "Ever Strong" (the first collaboration between Scott & Brian), "I Wanna' Be With You" (the second collaboration between Scott & Brian), "At the Hop" (Scott on lead vocal), "Rave On" (Danny Hutton on lead vocal), "Proud Mary," "Family Reunion," "Walking Down the PAth of Life" (a new version), "Angels In Love" (with Van Dyke Parks), and "Tom Dooley."

There's probably more… 

[Jonathan Blum]

I thought "Beatle Man" became "Message Man"?

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[absinthe_boy]

As to Brian's comment regarding "Good Vibrations": his use of the term "scary" has almost always been synonymous with "ambitious" or "technically challenging".

There's also the fact that he's sated a couple of times in the last 2-3 years that he's a bit sick of playing GV at every concert he gives. Interviews in the 1990's showed he was enthusiastic for the piece, but perhaps after several hundred performances he's simply bored of it for now.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Then he needs to stop doing it, then.

[TdHabib]

I don't know if Brian's bored with GV, but he definitely has some say in the setlists; he stated that "Forever" brings back bad memories and thus he tries to "keep it off the set," and also he often states that he hates "Sail on Sailor" and for a while it was passed to Billy Hinsche (although it's probably back to Brian now). For what any of this is worth...

[Chris Brown]

I don't know if Brian's bored with GV, but he definitely has some say in the setlists; he stated that "Forever" brings back bad memories and thus he tries to "keep it off the set," and also he often states that he hates "Sail on Sailor" and for a while it was passed to Billy Hinsche (although it's probably back to Brian now). For what any of this is worth...

That's interesting...I wonder if his "bad memories" of Forever are because it reminds him of Dennis and makes him sad or that it brings him back to a sad time in his life? 

For whatever influence he has on the setlist, I would doubt that a request to ditch Good Vibrations would go over well with everyone else.  It's too much of a Brian Wilson staple to not do in concert.

[TdHabib]

I don't know if Brian's bored with GV, but he definitely has some say in the setlists; he stated that "Forever" brings back bad memories and thus he tries to "keep it off the set," and also he often states that he hates "Sail on Sailor" and for a while it was passed to Billy Hinsche (although it's probably back to Brian now). For what any of this is worth...

That's interesting...I wonder if his "bad memories" of Forever are because it reminds him of Dennis and makes him sad or that it brings him back to a sad time in his life? 

For whatever influence he has on the setlist, I would doubt that a request to ditch Good Vibrations would go over well with everyone else.  It's too much of a Brian Wilson staple to not do in concert.

It was from the podcast for Warmth of the Sun, he talked about the line "though I'm going away/but not forever" and added "and then he died, so I tried to keep it off the set. Off the set lists."

[MBE]

He loves Dennis' music, he stressed that to me. Sail On Sailor I think he may not like because the words were changed so often. Perhaps it doesn't represent how he envisioned it. Of course he could rework it. Holland is among his many favorites so I can't imagine that it's the song in and of itself. I think he changes his mind a lot about what he likes or dislikes at least among the Beach Boys catalog. Not unusual for an artist to be harder on themselves then the public.

[the captain]

With SOS, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a combination of things: memories of bad times, maybe no particular investment in the lyrics, less than intimate relation to the original recording (handling instructions over the phone?), etc. It was an on-the-clock kind of song. Van Dyke says it's time to write a song, OK, punch the clock and write a song. That's how I hear it, anyway.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Didn't Brian "select" Sail On Sailor for the Classics Selected By Brian Wilson album?

[TdHabib]

Just for damage control I will say that Brian goes on and on about "Forever" in the liner notes (excellent ones by the way) for the Sunflower/Surf's Up twofer, so it may just be performing live that he likes. I certainly have no faults with that song...

[the captain]

I don't think there is any reason to believe he doesn't like Forever. Not wanting to perform it and not liking it are two very different things.

[Chris Brown]

I don't think there is any reason to believe he doesn't like Forever. Not wanting to perform it and not liking it are two very different things.

I think TdHabib's post about the WOTS podcast certainly shows this.  As much as Brian probably loves some of Dennis' music, performing it probably makes him sad.  If it were me, I would be inclined to perform the song, despite the associated emotions, as a tribute, but you can't fault Brian for his choice not to.