State of the surviving voices

[Wylson]

With a new BW release forthcoming, a new AJ album already out, numerous recent live videos, and reunion talk in the air... what state are the surviving BBs voices in?

Brian - I think there's near universal agreement from those who have heard the samples (or the lucky ones who have heard the full tracks) that Brian's voice sounds better than we'd ever thought we'd hear it again. Could step up for some great lead vocals.

Mike - Sounds quite bad in last TV appearance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv06mgAEoRg. But people say this was a bad day and Mike is usually better in concert? Also bass vocals sounding good on 'Don't Fight The Sea'. Slightly suspect though.

Al - Undisputably the voice that sounds closest to its 60s version. Even with Brian's incredible vocal recovery, I think 'reunion' audiences would be more likely to recognise Al as Brian than Brian as Brian, if you see what I mean... Does he still have a falsetto? Could he sing, for example 'Don't Worry Baby' a la 'In Concert'?

Bruce - Sounds very good in this recent vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNiewzyzY1E . I'd heard that his voice was shot, but to me he sounds pretty much the same as ever, just slightly huskier, slightly reduced range.

David - No idea, but would he sing in a reunion anyway?

Blondie (very unlikely) - Still got it (though looks a bit frightetning) - sounds more like Carl now than he used to. In my dreams he is there at the reunion, singing Carl's soulful parts, Darlin', Trader etc.

Potential Support Staff
Jeff Foskett - My personal opinion is that Jeff's falsetto is not quite what it was, should definitely be there, but singing the mid range stuff.

Matt Jardine - Can he still get that eery Brian-like falsetto? Anyone heard him lately? If so he HAS to be at the top of the harmonies.

Christian Love - Personally, I love his Carl impression, but a bit too weird.

Ricky Fataar - Duno about his voice, but should be there.

Carl B Wilson and Justyn Wilson - I have no idea, but have heard good things.

John Stamos - okay, a step too far....


I know I know, pointless debate that's been done a thousand times before, but any views on this?

[Wirestone]

Brian does very well under the right conditions in the studio.

On stage, he ranges from entirely presentable to pitch-challenged. He could do excellently on God Only Knows and a couple of other tunes. He would have to sing mid-range harmonies.

Mike would do fine, I expect. Perhaps he could let Brian do one of his leads -- Brian does an nice job on "I Get Around" and "Custom Machine," for example.

Al's falsetto seems to be gone. He's lost quite a bit of suppleness, too, although his tone and phrasing are quite well preserved.

I was impressed by the Bruce clip -- better than I've heard him for awhile.

I'm with you on Matt Jardine, btw. He's uncanny. But Jeff is fine on high leads, too -- he does some of the better live Wouldn't it Be Nice's these days. And don't forget Darian -- his version of "Darlin'" on the fall '09 tour had to be heard to be believed.

[A Million Units In Jan!]

I think Brian's state of mind is the most important thing. When he's really inspired and into it, he sound great. Otherwise, bleh.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

David is not known for his BB vocals but his voice is wonderful and expressive.  An unknown treasure to me until recent years.

For me, when he signs, I hear the spirit of Dennis (in a way I can't describe).

[hypehat]

Wirestone, you weren't kidding - Darian's ON FIRE with this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIpYRGIhMmA

[Don_Zabu]

David is not known for his BB vocals but his voice is wonderful and expressive.  An unknown treasure to me until recent years.

For me, when he signs, I hear the spirit of Dennis (in a way I can't describe).

Can you point me to any videos of him singing or something?

[tpesky]

The more songs Al sings, the better off they probably are sonically. He clearly still has his voice, he can't go much higher than his original parts but I would say he could handle them without much hesitation.  His appearance with Billy on radio unplugged is phenomenal.

Brian sounds excellent on the new samples for the album and good on Al's album. Would that transfer to the live stage, big venue, big situation? That's a bit of a question mark for sure. GOK, Please Let Me Wonder, some Pet Sounds stuff I think would be good. If he focused on harmony parts (which let's be honest he doesn't often do in concert now we're talking)

Bruce isn't going to sing many leads anyway, his voice is very thin now. He'll do Disney Girls, maybe DYWD, and clap his hands numerous times and call it a night.

The biggest question to me in making a reunion sound passable or even "good" to a live audience is Mike's voice. Will it hold up in a big venue? Will he over sing the nasal  on songs like BTYS and Surf Safari (very possible) ? In big appearances on TV in the past several years Mike's voice has sounded awful every time, if this is televised that's a question as well. He has sounded the best the last few times I have seen him since the early 80's on a number of songs so that's a good thing but to the casual listener I have talked to, his voice can be hard to take now and any 50th anniversary shows will get more  critical coverage than an appearance at the Westbury Music Fair.

Dave doesn't seem to sing many leads at BB related show, but I like his voice. If he doesn't sing Forever and Stamos does, that's an absolute travesty.

Matt Jardine has the best falsetto so should get those parts. Foskett should be in the band for sure and take some higher middle harmonies, maybe a WIBN lead or DWB. I would rather see as many BB leads as possible in a potential reunion and if this means changing the keys slightly, go ahead. I know a lot of people disagree with that and I can understand. For example, Brian and Al did a good shared lead on WIBN (in a lower key I believe) at their shows in 06/07. Billy Hinsche can sing some great lower harmony parts. Darian, Christian, Scott to fill out the harmonies I guess. ( I have come to terms with the fact that Stamos will be there, but it's not appropriate for him to get any kind of spotlight as he does at an average BB show.)

[Jon Stebbins]

David singing Forever in 2008 w/BB's...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsZ5NSatN8A

[Chris Brown]

Wirestone, you weren't kidding - Darian's ON FIRE with this!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIpYRGIhMmA

Holy hell, I honestly didn't know Darian had that in him...absolutely nailed it!

I pretty much agree with what everyone has said...Tpesky's post especially summed up my feelings on the issue quite well.  Brian and Mike are definitely variables in a live setting these days, but if they're both on their games, they could put on a great show with Al, David and Bruce, along with some supporting voices.  My vote on the falsetto goes to Matt Jardene, assuming he still sounds as good as he did in the 90's, although I think Foskett would be important to have in there, as well as Darian.  If everything came together just right, it could really be magical.

[SurfRiderHawaii]

David is not known for his BB vocals but his voice is wonderful and expressive.  An unknown treasure to me until recent years.

For me, when he signs, I hear the spirit of Dennis (in a way I can't describe).

Can you point me to any videos of him singing or something?

http://www.davidleemarks.com/audio.htm

[BJL]

Matt Jardine's falsetto is incredible. 
Al sounds almost eerily Mike like on the early hits...he sounds more like a young mike love than mike love does, on say california girls. 

[adamghost]

Al can still sing VERY high, but it's wispy and won't carry in a live environment, which is why you don't hear him go for those notes anymore.  In the baritone range, though, he's good to go.

Darian is an AMAZING singer, and he can rock if he chooses to.  I have an old tape of him singing "On Top Of The World" by Cheap Trick.  He completely wails.

[Wylson]

As much as I like Darian, I don't think he should sing in a BB reunion - he has never played with them before, and I don't think his voice suits the blend, or would help to recreate the blend (which surely is the aim?). He should play though.

[Wirestone]

Doesn't suit the blend?

Really?

[Mr. Cohen]

Some people still haven't forgiven Darian for how he sang the "doot-doots" in the chorus of "Heroes and Villains". It was pronounced hard and sharp in the original version, and he turned into an effete whisper! We're still mad, Darian.

[Myk Luhv]

Some people still haven't forgiven Darian for how he sang the "doot-doots" in the chorus of "Heroes and Villains". It was pronounced hard and sharp in the original version, and he turned into an effete whisper! We're still mad, Darian.

Hahahahaha

[Emdeeh]

Carl B Wilson and Justyn Wilson - I have no idea, but have heard good things.

I saw Carl B absolutely channel Denny (right down to holding his hand over one ear) singing "Forever" at one of the CWF events at Royce Hall a few years back. That was a deeply emotional performance.

As for Jusytn, imho there are moments when he sounds like his dad, but there are also moments when he favors Uncle Billy. He's a good singer, not surprisingly.

[Runaways]

out of the 60's group, brian is the only one who if i heard his 2010 voice in 1965 wouldn't be able to tell it was him. which is a shaame

[Wirestone]

out of the 60's group, brian is the only one who if i heard his 2010 voice in 1965 wouldn't be able to tell it was him. which is a shaame

All other stuff aside though, he also sang in the highest range. And high notes definitely fade with age. Not the fairest comparison for BW.

[Runaways]

out of the 60's group, brian is the only one who if i heard his 2010 voice in 1965 wouldn't be able to tell it was him. which is a shaame

All other stuff aside though, he also sang in the highest range. And high notes definitely fade with age. Not the fairest comparison for BW.

well no, the higher he goes the more he'd sound like himself.  That's just how falsettos go.  Listen to the bruce vid you posted.  the others still sound like themselves from the 60's, just older.  it wasn't really a comparison that was supposed to be fair or not.  It wouldn't be fair cause he wasn't in the right state of mind when he destroyed his voice

[Jim V.]

I hate to bring this up, but I'm still wondering if he actually "destroyed" his voice. I have the hunch he could sing like Holland-era or "Rollin' Up To Heaven" on 15BO and Love You. Just my opinion.

And honestly, he sounds like nearly the same guy on "Please Let Me Wonder", "God Only Knows" (yes I know Carl did the released lead), and things like the bridges to "Surfer Girl" and "In My Room". And I'm not the kindest to judge his vocals. I think the '04 "Surf's Up" left a bit to be desired, especially in the phrasing.

[Chris Brown]

I hate to bring this up, but I'm still wondering if he actually "destroyed" his voice. I have the hunch he could sing like Holland-era or "Rollin' Up To Heaven" on 15BO and Love You. Just my opinion.

And honestly, he sounds like nearly the same guy on "Please Let Me Wonder", "God Only Knows" (yes I know Carl did the released lead), and things like the bridges to "Surfer Girl" and "In My Room". And I'm not the kindest to judge his vocals. I think the '04 "Surf's Up" left a bit to be desired, especially in the phrasing.

I don't know, I rarely hear his young voice in anything he sings these days, regardless of the range.  The only times I really hear it, oddly enough, is when he does a falsetto harmony (I mentioned "Dream Angel" as an example of this on another thread).  When he sings in baritone range, though, I would never guess it was the same guy if I didn't know any better.  After his voice changed so dramatically in the mid-70's, his tone changed a lot.  He lost most of the inherent sweetness and clarity that he used to have in the 60's, and has never sounded the same since (to me).  As Runaways pointed out though, out of everyone in the group, Brian did a lot more damage to his voice (intentional or otherwise) than any other surviving member, and unfortunately a lot of what he did turned out to be permanent.

[Runaways]

yeah.  Brian's voice has held up really well/improved since 1977.  But it's almost a completely different voice. 

if his voice didn't get destroyed, he would still sound like brian wilson of 1966. just not as strong cause of his age. can you imagine that? how different would things be if his voice had made it out of the 70's. 

[Jim V.]

It's insane to even comprehend. I think his solo albums defnitely would have made more of a mainstream impact. And the public apparently loves that classic Brain vocal sound too. They ate "Getcha BacK' right up, which besides an unnamed soundtrack cut, is their last hit. And before that "Good Timin", which is just so BW, despite the fact he only played and didnt sing on it.

But at the same time, I dont think he would have sounded like young Brian today. I honestly think even if he kept his voice safe all that time, he probably wouldnt ended up sounding basically like this. McCartney sounds "huskier" these days too. And honestly, his 80s voice was pretty decent, and if he didn't YELL all over BW88 I think "L&M" and "Melt Away" would have made more impact. I think his mid-range was still good in the 80's but him using his loud voice on those songs, would be like him using his "H&V" voice on "Surf's Up". It just doesnt fit.

However, by Imagination he started sounding like an old man, regardless of smoking or what have you.I just think it was him getting older. But his voice on BWRG does sound sweeter than it has in a while. And hes using the voice the right way unlike BW88.

Sorry for the rambling, but this topic gets me going.

[Eric Aniversario]

Wow, that Darian-sung version of Darlin is easily the best non-Carl live version I've ever heard.  Closer to the original than even many of Carl's later performances.