Brian Reimagines Gershwin

[Wirestone]

The woman is Jean Seivers, his longtime PR rep and now manager.

I've dealt with her personally, and she's an extremely pleasant woman who runs a lot of interference on Brian's behalf. She also seems like a tough cookie.

Brian is doing a promo tour for an album that is one of his best for a long time, and one that he's very, very proud of. (And an album that he wanted very much to make.) There was no prodding there -- and certainly not if you hear the results. Let's just say that AGD's enthusiasm seems more and more warranted every day.

But -- the album has to be sold. And doing a full-scale promo tour if you're somewhat mentally fragile is tough -- it's draining for people much younger and much resilient. It means you're tired and cranky and bored a lot. In Brian's case, it may indeed mean he's been given some sort of temporary anti-anxiety med.

If you do that, you sometimes get odd outcomes like this.

And I think his folks are fine with that -- if they were truly exploitative, they'd work to suppress the interview or make sure people ask him the exact same five questions or send out some sort of pre-edited tape. They trust that Brian will do okay most of the time. He's better on the satellite radio interview mentioned earlier this thread.

[Shady]

While he's doing satelitte radio he should head over to Howard Stern.

Bet he would be awake during that interview 

[Wylson]

Ron, that's true, but most 68 year olds don't have to work. Especially those who are on permanent prescription drugs to control their illness.

I absolutely may be wrong about whether Brian wants to be working, but that's my impression after watching that interview.

[Peter Reum]

I have said this in this forum and the old Smileshop at least a dozen times....Brian is a person who does NOTHING that he does not want to do. No one is exploiting him...and when he did not want to record or do press related tasks, wild horses couldn't make him do so.

[Ron]

Ron, that's true, but most 68 year olds don't have to work. Especially those who are on permanent prescription drugs to control their illness.

68 Year olds who stop working usually die soon after. 

LETS KEEP BRIAN ALIVE, O.K.?

Seriously, i'm never going to stop working.  I'll cut back, and Brian has too.  He's doing what I have no doubt God created him to do, bring beautiful music to the world.  I think he should do it as long as he physically can.  I'm dead serious. 

[Ron]

I will defer to Peter's opinion, who knows much more about it than I do 

[Shady]

Up to 28 on Amazon.

Does anyone know if Amazon pre-orders count towards the first week sales?

[Wirestone]

Whole album streaming right now here (left column): http://www.wfuv.org/audio/stream.html

[Runaways]

eh? left column?

[Don_Zabu]

Whole album streaming right now here (left column): http://www.wfuv.org/audio/stream.html

Doesn't seem to be playing anymore.

[GoofyJeff]

Please tell me someone captured the stream...

[Don_Zabu]

Please tell me someone captured the stream...

[Shady]

Please tell me someone captured the stream...

[Curtis Leon]

Please tell me someone captured the stream...

THIRDED

EDIT: Er... Fourth... ed...

[atroxi]

Please tell me someone captured the stream...

[Wirestone]

Rather depressing take on the NY listening event:

http://nyconversation.com/2010/08/07/of-talent-lost-and-found/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=of-talent-lost-and-found

I mean, I appreciate the guy's writing, but does he even know that Brian released an album of originals less than two years ago?

EDIT: We have fewer of these stories nowadays, but the "Brian the zombie" pieces always irk me. The worst was the Uncut piece after Imagination, but around nearly every BW album or big tour, someone has to write some piece depicting the man as a hollow, manipulated shell. And I don't think that's ever quite true -- he's just spacey and shy and prefers music to anything else. At least this fellow admitted the music was good.

[Curtis Leon]

Please tell me someone captured the stream...

THIRDED

EDIT: Er... Fourth... ed...

EDIT: Disregard that. Still looking. 

[Shady]

Rather depressing take on the NY listening event:

http://nyconversation.com/2010/08/07/of-talent-lost-and-found/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=of-talent-lost-and-found

I mean, I appreciate the guy's writing, but does he even know that Brian released an album of originals less than two years ago?

Hmm. Let's all hope Brian was just bored..

BTW, Handing out copies, how has it not leaked.

[Myk Luhv]

Rather depressing take on the NY listening event:

http://nyconversation.com/2010/08/07/of-talent-lost-and-found/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=of-talent-lost-and-found

I mean, I appreciate the guy's writing, but does he even know that Brian released an album of originals less than two years ago?

At this point isn't it obvious enough that Brian just doesn't like doing publicity of any kind? He makes music. Everything else about the music -- its promotion, its distribution, and so on -- are probably kept in his mind, but no great weight is placed upon them. I don't think he really cares; in fact, it seems like he never has and proudly continues this tradition today. You know the Randy Newman song "Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear"? Brian is the very talented bear. To be less flippant, I am reminded also of the bit in Carlin's book where Brian is in the studio and his accountants are calling him, but distressingly they cannot reach him. They want to give the man thousands of dollars, and he's too busy making music to care. That seemed like 'Brian Wilson' in a nutshell to me, and something he has more or less kept up to this day, it seems to me.

[rab2591]

Rather depressing take on the NY listening event:

http://nyconversation.com/2010/08/07/of-talent-lost-and-found/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=of-talent-lost-and-found

I mean, I appreciate the guy's writing, but does he even know that Brian released an album of originals less than two years ago?

EDIT: We have fewer of these stories nowadays, but the "Brian the zombie" pieces always irk me. The worst was the Uncut piece after Imagination, but around nearly every BW album or big tour, someone has to write some piece depicting the man as a hollow, manipulated shell. And I don't think that's ever quite true -- he's just spacey and shy and prefers music to anything else. At least this fellow admitted the music was good.

"But there’s something sad about the whole thing. They’re not Brian’s songs. They’re clearly songs that he loves and cares deeply about – apparently his remarkable facility for music first manifested itself on hearing Rhapsody in Blue at the age of two – but it’s a measure of the fracture in Wilson’s psyche that one of the great songwriting talents of the 20th century is making what’s essentially a covers record, no matter how beautifully realised it is. It’s like Wilson’s talent is a museum piece these days, something to be venerated and admired, but something that’s been consigned to the past. And he looks like he knows it."

You're right! He must be oblivious of TLOS. And he is nearly ridiculing the fact that Brian Wilson, maker of Pet Sounds and SMiLE is doing an album full of Gershwin covers....can someone tell me what is "sad" about making an album of beautiful Gershwin covers? Not only that, but basing the idea that Brian "knows" his music was made for dinosaurs on the fact that Brian looked tired is totally ludicrous.

Other than that, I found the article to be engaging and extremely well written. And yeah, I'm super jealous he got a copy of the album lol

[Wirestone]

After hearing the album on the stream -- it is everything Andrew said. And more. I have never been this impressed by a BW solo album on first listen. The entire thing hits the spot -- it is exactly what it is. It has strings yes, and horns yes, but in a way is somehow less slick than any released BW solo effort to date. Brian is raw and in charge and singing his friggin' heart out.

You know how people talk about that slightly uncomfortable, soul-bearing vibe you get from certain BW songs? (Some say that's the heart of BW's music, and while I don't totally agree, I understand the point.) It's all over this record. I Loves You Porgy. Summertime. Someone to Watch Over Me.

And then the penultimate blast of "Nothing But Love." Amazing. Amazed.

[Wirestone]

Also -- spot the "Farmer's Daughter" reference.

[TdHabib]

Clay--glad to hear it---I am buying it physically on the 17th and will give my thoughts the same day. Can't wait.

[thawking]

Hey there, I'm the author of the NY Conversation piece - found this board via pingbacks from my blog, and was rather chuffed to find that you guys had been reading it.

A couple of small points I wanted to clarify:

- 'That Lucky Old Sun' didn't "pass me by" - but nor, in all honesty, did I realise it was an entirely original record. I'd got the impression that it was a mixture of covers and originals, somewhat like the two Gershwin songs that he finished on this album - I think it was the title that kinda threw me, given that it's a song that's been recorded by a variety of people over the years. I must admit that I'm more a casual appreciator of Brian's music than a rabid fan. I've heard the album a couple of times in passing; I'll have to investigate it further. So yes, fair point, well made.

- I wasn't "ridiculing" Brian, and I'd be aghast if I came across that way. Where I say, "and he knows it", I didn't mean that he knows his music is for dinosaurs. But I did get the impression - and it's just an impression - that he knows this may be how others see him: as someone to be put on display and respected as a legend, rather than a living, breathing artist. Which is a shame, because he does clearly still have a lot to give, after all these years.

Anyway, thanks for your comments and for reading. I hope you all do get copies of the album, because there's some really beautiful music on there.

[Curtis Leon]

Taking my first listen to the album right now.