Melinda?

[Jay]

One thing I think is pretty common knowledge - he hates the meet & greets.

Question: Is it that Brian doesn't like basically meeting the same old fan every time(*gasp* Brian doesn't love his fans?!?!?), or is it just the general idea of meeting new, unfamiliar people?

[Andrew G. Doe]

One thing I think is pretty common knowledge - he hates the meet & greets.

Question: Is it that Brian doesn't like basically meeting the same old fan every time(*gasp* Brian doesn't love his fans?!?!?), or is it just the general idea of meeting new, unfamiliar people?

The latter.

[Jason]

Maybe if we all bring him cocaine, heroin, birthday cake, and steaks, he'll take to us right away.

[variable2]

Maybe if we all bring him cocaine, heroin, birthday cake, and steaks, he'll take to us right away.

why do we joke about another human being's sorrow?

[Shady]

Maybe if we all bring him cocaine, heroin, birthday cake, and steaks, he'll take to us right away.

why do we joke about another human being's sorrow?

Hey now!

I think he's just kidding

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Plus, I don't think Brian would be that sorrowful if that happened; it'd be the rest of us.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Maybe if we all bring him cocaine, heroin, birthday cake, and steaks, he'll take to us right away.

why do we joke about another human being's sorrow?

Because we too are human.

[Awesoman]

Not necessarily. He'll do it, but half-ass it.

True, but the seven times I've seen him live since '99 I did not feel that he "half-assed" his performances. Therefore I believe he's not totally against doing the tour thing.

However, when I saw him in '78 with the Beach Boys and, five songs in, he walked off the stage in the middle of his own lead vocal and didn't return, well...that was truly "half-assed"!

I wonder what his current band would do if something like that happened today. Play a Pet Sounds instrumental perhaps?

During the BW On Tour doc, they say something along the lines of 'If he runs off, we'll just carry on playing as if nothing happened'.

Yep. And let's not kid ourselves: there is no chance they don't have contingency plans for that happening, even now after all these years of him not bailing. Hell, even when he is there, somebody is almost always doubling him. If he bailed during a show, the primary change would be that the vocals would be in tune.

Post 2/20/04, I asked Darian if there was a plan B should Brian not come out after the interval: he grinned and said "yeah, we'd play it anyway, we figure at least 70% of the audience would realise what happened, and the other 30% probably wouldn't notice".

I think the latter part was a joke... 

I wonder if Brian bailing or freaking out has ever come close to actually happening during these solo tours.  I recall reading on this very message board that one time he tried to take a nap during the middle of a song.  That must have been uncomfortable. 

[TonyW]

Maybe if we all bring him cocaine, heroin, birthday cake, and steaks, he'll take to us right away.

When Brian appered at the fans get together in Sydney in '08 some of the girls organised a great big chocolate cake for the big fella. He politely declined eating the cake explaining that he was "borderline biabetic" ... although he did manage to stick his fingers in the icing and get a litte taste ...



... and what became of the cake?



Well, it was taken out the back where two fans carefully swabbed the fingerprints removing and preserving all DNA for future reference ..... or other use ...   


There's nothing spooky about Brian Wilson fans!!

[Nicole]

Is he being serious about the borderline diabetic thing, or was that just an excuse? Kinda scary

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Hook 'em up with some sugar free cake.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Is he being serious about the borderline diabetic thing, or was that just an excuse? Kinda scary

Serious.

[RickD]

Well, it was taken out the back where two fans carefully swabbed the fingerprints removing and preserving all DNA for future reference ..... or other use ...   

it's coming along nicely - crossed with a chicken has been the best result so far.

[Amy B.]

It's not surprising that Brian is borderline diabetic. In fact, it's shocking that he doesn't have more serious health problems related to his heart, his liver... and everything else.

I recall reading a story about a fan who brought him chocolate-covered pretzels, only to have Brian refuse them, saying he was trying to control his diet. To me, it's like: Don't bring Brian junk food. That's like bringing pills to a drug addict. As far as Brian's state of mind goes, the best I ever saw him was (1) in some George Martin special from the 90s. Brian sits at his piano and describes his songwriting process with more passion than I've ever seen from him. Quiet, subtle passion rather than fake enthusiasm. He talks about the music coming from his soul. And (2) In the documentary about Rodney Bingenheimer, on one of the bonuses. Brian is very at ease and seems very much like his 60s self. I believe he's talking to Elvis Costello.

[Amy B.]

Here's the clip from the George Martin thing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9z8xHkSMdo

[Shady]

Maybe if we all bring him cocaine, heroin, birthday cake, and steaks, he'll take to us right away.

... and what became of the cake?



Well, it was taken out the back where two fans carefully swabbed the fingerprints removing and preserving all DNA for future reference ..... or other use ...   


There's nothing spooky about Brian Wilson fans!!

These are very carefully planned stunts discussed by blue boarderes at their pre concert meet ups 

Lot of effort put in

[Pretty Funky]

Here's the clip from the George Martin thing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9z8xHkSMdo

I think he is in good form here because he is talking to a musical equal rather than a interviewer asking the same questions he has heard a million times. That gets the yes/ no one word response.

[Chris Brown]

Here's the clip from the George Martin thing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9z8xHkSMdo

I think he is in good form here because he is talking to a musical equal rather than a interviewer asking the same questions he has heard a million times. That gets the yes/ no one word response.

That's a good observation...I think he's most engaged when talking to someone who is really interested in the music, as opposed to his personal problems over the years.

[Amy B.]

Here's the clip from the George Martin thing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9z8xHkSMdo

I think he is in good form here because he is talking to a musical equal rather than a interviewer asking the same questions he has heard a million times. That gets the yes/ no one word response.

That's a good observation...I think he's most engaged when talking to someone who is really interested in the music, as opposed to his personal problems over the years.

Well, yeah. There are times when he's engaged, and getting back to the original topic, maybe Melinda feels that to keep him engaged, he needs to be around musicians, playing music, getting feedback, getting praise, etc.

[joe_blow]

Has anyone here ever seen the interview he did with CBC's (Canada) Peter Mansbridge about 4 years ago? rian was quite engaged and even stopped to point and say "YOU, are a good interviewer." I have this recorded on VHS in my files but haven't had an opportunity to make it digital and upload it.

http://www.dd-rd.ca/site/_media/files/CBC_ca%20-%20Mansbridge%20One%20on%20One.htm

[Surfer Joe]

Maybe if we all bring him cocaine, heroin, birthday cake, and steaks, he'll take to us right away.

why do we joke about another human being's sorrow?

Because we too are human.

Great answer.

I also think we should never lose sight of the fact that, for good or evil, we are picking over a guy's personal life, and in this thread, his marriage, on a (shudder) message board in public. Thank God none of us are interested in my life! Including me.

Bottom line: Melinda Wilson runs Brian's life and career now, so she has claws and long yellow fangs. Murry & Melinda, Landy & Leaf, they all wear the black hat and shoot people in the back in the great western saga that is Brian Wilson's personal and artistic life.

I don't know much about Melinda's ups and downs, but she won me over years ago when she weighed in- on a (shudder) message board- on the constant touring.  She pointed out that it's not a cash cow for anyone, and that in fact, it purportedly loses money at times.  She said that the worst thing Brian could do is just sit around.  That made sense to me. Then she actually delved into his specific medication, in great detail.  I don't know if she does her job perfectly or always makes the best decisions, but I know it's a pretty damned tough job, and I'm glad she takes care of the guy for us. 

I stood next to her during the second night of the Roxy shows in 2000, and I thought about thanking her for what she does for Brian.  I decided to thank her by leaving her alone to talk with her friend.  I can't imagine what life is like in her shoes so even if she puts Brian with Jimmy Buffet again I'll try not to judge too harshly. At this point, I don't need anything else from Brian Wilson musically. I just want him to be healthy and happy and maybe I can hope he at least partly understands how deeply he's loved and appreciated.

[Marie Jayne]

Has anyone here ever seen the interview he did with CBC's (Canada) Peter Mansbridge about 4 years ago? rian was quite engaged and even stopped to point and say "YOU, are a good interviewer." I have this recorded on VHS in my files but haven't had an opportunity to make it digital and upload it.

http://www.dd-rd.ca/site/_media/files/CBC_ca%20-%20Mansbridge%20One%20on%20One.htm

Oh my god, thank you so much for posting this - it is a fantastic interview, I've just watched the whole thing with a smile on my face. The interviewer has a really easy, warm engaging way about him and I'm sure this is why Brian is responding so well to him. It was David Leaf that said that Brian is so sensitive that negative vibes for him are magnified a thousand times (or something like that).  It is a sign that he is so comfortable that he says to the interviewer, that's enough of that, let's talk about something different, he probably thinks this in most interviews but doesn't feel comfortable enough to say it. I find Brian absolutely adorable! 

[Shady]

Has anyone here ever seen the interview he did with CBC's (Canada) Peter Mansbridge about 4 years ago? rian was quite engaged and even stopped to point and say "YOU, are a good interviewer." I have this recorded on VHS in my files but haven't had an opportunity to make it digital and upload it.

http://www.dd-rd.ca/site/_media/files/CBC_ca%20-%20Mansbridge%20One%20on%20One.htm

wow, that's a fantastic interview.

[hypehat]

Has anyone here ever seen the interview he did with CBC's (Canada) Peter Mansbridge about 4 years ago? rian was quite engaged and even stopped to point and say "YOU, are a good interviewer." I have this recorded on VHS in my files but haven't had an opportunity to make it digital and upload it.

http://www.dd-rd.ca/site/_media/files/CBC_ca%20-%20Mansbridge%20One%20on%20One.htm

Thanks so much! It's odd, he doesn't really stray from the usual subjects though, which makes it surprising.

Also revealing to the people going on about the touring thing - he calls it 'fun work'

[Aegir]

Ugh, he was still talking about the rock and roll album in 2004! He already wrote five songs! What is he waiting for?!