Tony Asher after Pet Sounds

[Thunderfingers75]

Not much info about him other than the old interview from the Pet Sounds list. Did he return to advertising for good or did he work with any other artists?

[dogear]

wrote a couple of tunes with Roger Nichols, released on his LP:
Roger Nichols and the Small Circle Of Friends A&M 4139 (1967)
nice album especially "Don't take Your Time" which was arranged by Bob Thompson who shared arranging credits with Nick de Caro on the LP (it was reissued in CD by the British label Rev-Ola some year ago). Even Van Dyke Parks gets a mention on the jacket as "Morale Booster".

[Thunderfingers75]

I'm really surprised that TA didnt go on as a lyricist. I know that Pet Sounds wasnt a huge success at the time but it seems like anyone that is picked by Brian Wilson would have been sought by others. Thanks for the info on the Roger Nichols album.Swingin sixties indeed. I'll keep an eye out for this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNos5dhZ3K4

[GoodToMyBaby]

He wrote some new songs with Brian in the mid 90s.

[juggler]

He did return to advertising... at least for a while.  I believe that he was in the business of writing jingles for TV commercials.   There was a great story about how Tony was commissioned to write a jingle for Crocker Bank.  However, due to an accidental injury, Tony asked Roger Nichols and Paul Williams if they could take over the project.  They obliged and ended up writing the jingle... a little song called "We've Only Just Begun." 

[Thunderfingers75]

He wrote some new songs with Brian in the mid 90s.

Did any of that material end up on an album?

[SG7]

He wrote some new songs with Brian in the mid 90s.

Did any of that material end up on an album?

This isn't Love is one of them I believe. (the lyrics of it)

[c-man]

He wrote some new songs with Brian in the mid 90s.

Did any of that material end up on an album?

This isn't Love is one of them I believe. (the lyrics of it)

Yep (on "Live At The Roxy").  Also, "Everything I Need" on the Carnie & Wendy Wilson album.

[JeffRetro]

Asher cowrote a couple songs used in the foiuth and last season of "The Partridge Family," "How Long Is Too Long," wirtten with sessions singer Tom Bahler and included on the final Partridge Family LP BULLETIN BOARD" (just reissued by Collector's Choice), and "When Love's Talked About," written with producer Wes Farrell and vocal arranger/session singer John Bahler.  "When Love's Talked About" was never released on vinyl (or CD), but it's now available in its original televsion context on THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY: THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON DVD set.

Brothers John and Tom Bahler sang on tons of L.A. sessions in the 60's and 70's and were memberx of The Love Generation in the late 60's, whose harmony-filled sunshine pop is definitely worth checking out!

[MBE]

I wasn't knocked out by the songs he did with Brian in the 90's. Still on Pet Sounds he really did click with Brian in a unforgettable way.

[Christian]

wrote a couple of tunes with Roger Nichols, released on his LP:
Roger Nichols and the Small Circle Of Friends A&M 4139 (1967)

Roger Nichols and Tony Asher also had songs covered by other artists:

"Always You" - American Breed (on Acta) and The Sundowners (on Decca)
"Don´t Take Your Time" - The Match (on RCA)
"Can I Go" - The Collage (on Smash)

All worth seeking out.

[c-man]

I wasn't knocked out by the songs he did with Brian in the 90's. Still on Pet Sounds he really did click with Brian in a unforgettable way.

That's because during their mid-'60s collaboration, Brian was in a certain frame-of-mind that steered their conversations in particular directions (his obsession with Marilyn, his obsession with her sisters, his fondness of girls with long hair, his fears of growing up, and his feelings of alienation and of not being "of these times").  Tony then crafted lyrics that expressed these topics. 

I doubt their pre-lyric writing conversations in the mid-'90s were anywhere near as deep...

[TdHabib]

I wasn't knocked out by the songs he did with Brian in the 90's. Still on Pet Sounds he really did click with Brian in a unforgettable way.

That's because during their mid-'60s collaboration, Brian was in a certain frame-of-mind that steered their conversations in particular directions (his obsession with Marilyn, his obsession with her sisters, his fondness of girls with long hair, his fears of growing up, and his feelings of alienation and of not being "of these times").  Tony then crafted lyrics that expressed these topics. 

I doubt their pre-lyric writing conversations in the mid-'90s were anywhere near as deep...

I love "Everything I Need" personally; a very poignant song.

[Sam_BFC]

I like both songs and would love to hear them with real fully-realised good production

[MBE]

I wasn't knocked out by the songs he did with Brian in the 90's. Still on Pet Sounds he really did click with Brian in a unforgettable way.

That's because during their mid-'60s collaboration, Brian was in a certain frame-of-mind that steered their conversations in particular directions (his obsession with Marilyn, his obsession with her sisters, his fondness of girls with long hair, his fears of growing up, and his feelings of alienation and of not being "of these times").  Tony then crafted lyrics that expressed these topics. 

I doubt their pre-lyric writing conversations in the mid-'90s were anywhere near as deep...

I love "Everything I Need" personally; a very poignant song.

It has potential but the production is so sterile which Sam pointed out. I think c-man also hit it on the head in that there was no way they could be as personal with each other in 1995. Now Andy Paley and Scott Bennet they got some really good stuff out of him.

[TdHabib]

I wasn't knocked out by the songs he did with Brian in the 90's. Still on Pet Sounds he really did click with Brian in a unforgettable way.

That's because during their mid-'60s collaboration, Brian was in a certain frame-of-mind that steered their conversations in particular directions (his obsession with Marilyn, his obsession with her sisters, his fondness of girls with long hair, his fears of growing up, and his feelings of alienation and of not being "of these times").  Tony then crafted lyrics that expressed these topics. 

I doubt their pre-lyric writing conversations in the mid-'90s were anywhere near as deep...

I love "Everything I Need" personally; a very poignant song.

It has potential but the production is so sterile which Sam pointed out. I think c-man also hit it on the head in that there was no way they could be as personal with each other in 1995. Now Andy Paley and Scott Bennet they got some really good stuff out of him.

The earlier version (booted) is much better, understated production and Brian singing the bulk of the lead with some falsetto.

[MBE]

I think I have it somewhere I'll have to play it again. Sounds a lot better.

[juggler]

Hal Blaine's thoughts on 'Everything I Need'...

HB:   Well not too long ago, that we did this song, “Everything I Need,” with his two daughters, and he called me to contract, saying to “get the guys together.”  This was about two and a half, three years ago?   we did this beautiful record with Wendy and Carnie, and Brian playing piano.  We just had an incredible day recording. Then three or four days later he called me.  I got all the strings together and we did the string overdub.  I said, “Brian, I have a hunch that this could be record of the year!  And I hope it is because I’d love to have nine, instead of eight.” And we laughed about that, and Wendy and Carnie, they were just sweethearts you know, they showed a lot of love for me.  Then I get a call from this guy who’s producing him now, it was just a work call at A & M for Brian Wilson.  I thought, ok, whatever, so I go in and here’s Brian, Wendy, Carnie, and their producer.  They said, “We’re gonna play that song you that you guys just did, ‘Everything I Need’.” I said,oh, man, I loved that song!  And they played it.  and it was gorgeous, really gorgeous.  I said, “Jesus, I love that song!”  And I sincerely meant that.   The producer told me that he’d like for me to do some more drum fills and I said, “Really!”  he said "well do you feel like you want to, or could?" and I said, if it was me [doing the drum fills] I wouldn’t touch the record -I think it could go on the air just like that tomorrow and be a major hit.  The girls said "you know? we feel the same way, it's absolutely beautiful"  I told them that their vocals were all gorgeous, but  I'm  talking about the general picture of the track, and the strings, and everybody had done such a beautiful job . . . So [the producer] says “We thought that was the way you did records with Brian.  You’d come in a week or two later and do some  more stuff . . .”  I told him that I'd be happy to do that for you, but that I didn't think it needed anything else, but, whatever you want.   “Yeah,just play, and let's do some fills”  All of a sudden it became a fucking drum solo, so I told them, “Look, I’ll do whatever you want.”  And I did it, you know of course, that was the end of it. And then Brian sent me the record three months later and I couldn’t believe it was the same song or the same record.  It was terrible.

SE:   Really?

HB:  It was a piece of sh*t!  This guy, whoever he was, the producer, Maybe Brian would talk about some of the wood block sounds and some of the sounds I used to do, the whole thing was covered with percussion.  It went click, boom, bang, clack, boom, bing . . .  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing!

[Fall Breaks]

Hal Blaine's thoughts on 'Everything I Need'...

HB:   Well not too long ago, that we did this song, “Everything I Need,” with his two daughters, and he called me to contract, saying to “get the guys together.”  This was about two and a half, three years ago?   we did this beautiful record with Wendy and Carnie, and Brian playing piano.  We just had an incredible day recording. Then three or four days later he called me.  I got all the strings together and we did the string overdub.  I said, “Brian, I have a hunch that this could be record of the year!  And I hope it is because I’d love to have nine, instead of eight.” And we laughed about that, and Wendy and Carnie, they were just sweethearts you know, they showed a lot of love for me.  Then I get a call from this guy who’s producing him now, it was just a work call at A & M for Brian Wilson.  I thought, ok, whatever, so I go in and here’s Brian, Wendy, Carnie, and their producer.  They said, “We’re gonna play that song you that you guys just did, ‘Everything I Need’.” I said,oh, man, I loved that song!  And they played it.  and it was gorgeous, really gorgeous.  I said, “Jesus, I love that song!”  And I sincerely meant that.   The producer told me that he’d like for me to do some more drum fills and I said, “Really!”  he said "well do you feel like you want to, or could?" and I said, if it was me [doing the drum fills] I wouldn’t touch the record -I think it could go on the air just like that tomorrow and be a major hit.  The girls said "you know? we feel the same way, it's absolutely beautiful"  I told them that their vocals were all gorgeous, but  I'm  talking about the general picture of the track, and the strings, and everybody had done such a beautiful job . . . So [the producer] says “We thought that was the way you did records with Brian.  You’d come in a week or two later and do some  more stuff . . .”  I told him that I'd be happy to do that for you, but that I didn't think it needed anything else, but, whatever you want.   “Yeah,just play, and let's do some fills”  All of a sudden it became a friggin' drum solo, so I told them, “Look, I’ll do whatever you want.”  And I did it, you know of course, that was the end of it. And then Brian sent me the record three months later and I couldn’t believe it was the same song or the same record.  It was terrible.

SE:   Really?

HB:  It was a piece of merda!  This guy, whoever he was, the producer, Maybe Brian would talk about some of the wood block sounds and some of the sounds I used to do, the whole thing was covered with percussion.  It went click, boom, bang, clack, boom, bing . . .  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing!

And the early version that circulates - is that the one that Hal Blaine heard and liked?

[TdHabib]

I also remember a quote from Hal that said something very close to: "he [Joe Thomas] turned a beautiful, organic production into an ice cream cone."

[Sheriff John Stone]

And, of course, Brian has no responsibility for it....

I guess I like everything Brian and Tony did together. Does anybody find it a little, I don't know, UNUSUAL, that two people who collaborated on arguably the greatest album ever, never reunited to record another one.

[TdHabib]

And, of course, Brian has no responsibility for it....

I guess I like everything Brian and Tony did together. Does anybody find it a little, I don't know, UNUSUAL, that two people who collaborated on arguably the greatest album ever, never reunited to record another one.

In a way, they were going to--I know that the album The Wilsons was originally planned to be a sequel of sorts to Pet Sounds--but it ended up kinda here and there.

[the captain]

Does anybody find it a little, I don't know, UNUSUAL, that two people who collaborated on arguably the greatest album ever, never reunited to record another one.

Honestly, I don't--at least, not for Brian Wilson. It doesn't seem much different than his streaks with Roger Christian, Gary Usher, Van Dyke Parks or Andy Paley, for example. Yes, the Asher songs were all on one album--a great album--but otherwise there isn't much of a difference, is there? Wilson works with someone for a while, then stops. I won't pretend to know why, whether it's personal, musical or what. But that has almost always been how it works with him (Mike Love being the exception).

[juggler]

But that has almost always been how it works with him (Mike Love being the exception).

And he hasn't even really done any significant writing with Mike in what -- 25 or 30 years?    I think that they did briefly write together in 1995 (The 'Baywatch Nights' sessions?), but nothing really came of it.

[ESQ Editor]

I conducted a pretty interesting on camera interview with Tony back in May of 2005, he went into all sorts of detail on Pet Sounds, Brian, etc. Chris Allen and I are readying it for a Fall release… Very interesting. We've just finsihed our Van Dyke Parks DVD. Visit endlessskyvideo.blogspot.com and check out the Dean Torrence and Wondermints volumes. Van Dyke's is very cool; it's not listed yet, but it's available. PLUG! PLUG!

These DVDs are very insightful.