Like A Brother

[Slow In Brain]

I have been thinking about this for awhile...after the mid 1970s I don't think Carl thought much of his big brother, musically at least. Wasn't it Carl that stayed back in the studio after Brian went home to tidy up the 15 Big Ones stuff ? Carl was the "mix down producer" on Love You, even though he has been quoted as personally hating it. When Brian got his groove going on stage Carl was the one holding him back. This situation continued off and on up to the point where Carl stormed out of the mid 1990s Brian produced BB sessions. Granted, Carl was instrumental in calling in Dr Landy and then calling in the conservator, in effect saving Brian from himself twice.

Just looking back over the albums, the ones where Carl is more prominent Brian is less so, while the mostly Brian ones Carl keeps his distance...I doubt that Lay Down Burden was about Carl as much as Like A Brother was about Brian.

[lance]

I've never heard that Carl hated Love You. I remember reading quite the opposite that he considered really reworking those songs--rather than just tweaking them a bit-- but that he finally decided it was great as it was.

Doesn't mean you aren't right. I have this theory that Brian Wilson has the type of talent that squashes other talents like a bug; meaning that other egos tend to take a back seat to Brian's muse; which, as a creative person, Carl might have bridled against.

[Slow In Brain]

Families are a strange thing at the best of times. Being in the fishbowl world that the Wilson brothers were in would have magnified all kinds of issues. I imagine Brian would have felt a bit squashed after POB came out

[hypehat]

Carl was right to restrain Brian onstage during the 70's, cos of the unsurprising fact that Brian was showing signs of severe mental illness -mashing keys on the piano at random, playing bass with similar care and process, turning up in a bathrobe, etc. Duh.

As for 'storming out' of sessions etc, Carl had the right not to like music his brother writes. I've never heard he stormed out, just that he simply didn't want to do any more Paley tracks. Also, duh.

Carl basically produced Love You - what do you think a 'mixdown producer' means, anyway? - and is all over it, vocally and instrumentally. And If Carl wanted to tidy up incredibly sloppy Brian mixes for 15 Big Ones, the bands most important record (commercially speaking) since Smile, can you really blame him? He was a beach boy too, dammit. He was entitled to mix his own freakin' records, have a say in his own stage show, and choose which songs he played and sang on.

I've never been on the bloo, but i'm getting an idea.

[Slow In Brain]

I never considered going on that other mb. Funnily enough I agree that Carl had the right to his own opinion on the direction that the BB should have gone as BW had lost the plot. After all he quit in 1981 on principle, which is admirable, but just doing that created damage to the group.

[Slow In Brain]

I never considered going on that other mb. Funnily enough I agree that Carl had the right to his own opinion on the direction that the BB should have gone as BW had lost the plot. After all he quit in 1981 on principle, which is admirable, but just doing that created damage to the group.

[Matt H]

Was Carl on any of the bonus cuts of Like A Brother that were re-released?

[Jon Stebbins]

When Brian got his groove going on stage Carl was the one holding him back.

Yes... it was certainly Carl who held back that scintillating live performer Brian Wilson. He would have been so much better if it wasn't for Carl. 

[Myk Luhv]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1EPXBQV3yM

Brian Wilson's groove sure was goin' that night, and look -- Carl wasn't holding him back at all! If, that is, he could have managed to do so. Them hips are outta control!

[punkinhead]

I've never heard that Carl hated Love You. I remember reading quite the opposite that he considered really reworking those songs--rather than just tweaking them a bit-- but that he finally decided it was great as it was.

Doesn't mean you aren't right. I have this theory that Brian Wilson has the type of talent that squashes other talents like a bug; meaning that other egos tend to take a back seat to Brian's muse; which, as a creative person, Carl might have bridled against.

funny how if the Carl reworking/mix was released...there'd prolly be the Brian mix (the released mix) floatin around the unofficial release unit. 

[Andrew G. Doe]

I've never heard that Carl hated Love You. I remember reading quite the opposite that he considered really reworking those songs--rather than just tweaking them a bit-- but that he finally decided it was great as it was.

Doesn't mean you aren't right. I have this theory that Brian Wilson has the type of talent that squashes other talents like a bug; meaning that other egos tend to take a back seat to Brian's muse; which, as a creative person, Carl might have bridled against.

funny how if the Carl reworking/mix was released...there'd prolly be the Brian mix (the released mix) floatin around the unofficial release unit. 

Ummm... Carl did substantially more than just "tweaking them a bit".

[lance]

Ok, he did a lot.
But, to your knowledge did Carl ever diss Love You? I thought I remember him saying somewhere that the album was 'charming.'

[donald]

After listening to the rough demo boots of love you, I was left feeling that the songs could have been MUCH better produced. 

[rab2591]

After listening to the rough demo boots of love you, I was left feeling that the songs could have been MUCH better produced. 

Whenever I listen to the Love You demos, I always think of how amazing it would sound with Pet Sounds type production. Then I listen to the actual album and I really dig it the way it is - and I LOVE that Brian recently said publicly how awesome the album is.

[18thofMay]

Are the demo's the ones where Brian is sitting around the piano belting out the new songs?? Where you hear Mike get a little excited in a few spots? I may or may not have heard the Brian produced Love You album.. can someone fill me in please!

[donald]

Yes, I am talking about the one where the band (Mike?) is listening to Brian belting out IBHN.  That raw material could have had better final production. Maybe it was the production sound of the era they were shooting for.  Certainly the raw material was very substantial and any number of approaches might have worked.   The Brian produced Love You?  Not sure I've heard any of that.  Perhaps someone from Ohio could address this?

[lance]

I've never heard any of that either. Didn't know that it existed.
I've heard the demos.
Can someone at least describe it? the original unfinished version that Carl polished up--or more than polished up? Just so I don't incur the wrath of anyoneswhen I say something inaccurate due to the fact that I haven't heard every tape or mix in the vault?

I know what you mean about Love You having been better produced. I don't know. I think it's probably more accurate to say it could have been more commercially produced. It is off the deep end, and that is a big part of it's charm, in my opinion.

[Loaf]

I love the songs and the melodies on Love You, but what makes it one of my favourite albums of all time, and one i play more than Pet Sounds or Smile, is the production and performances. So low key, so homemade. Charming is a great word to describe it.

A 'better' production might have made a more commercial album, but perhaps an album without its primary charms. The rolling, buzzing, squelching, organic sounds of those analogue synths are out of this world.

A few more backing vocals wouldn't have gone amiss, but i look at it as a Wilson Brothers album, with Mike and Al guest spots, rather than a full-fledged BBs album.

[phirnis]

I love the songs and the melodies on Love You, but what makes it one of my favourite albums of all time, and one i play more than Pet Sounds or Smile, is the production and performances. So low key, so homemade. Charming is a great word to describe it.

A 'better' production might have made a more commercial album, but perhaps an album without its primary charms. The rolling, buzzing, squelching, organic sounds of those analogue synths are out of this world.
...

I agree, this is exactly what makes Love You such a perfectly special record despite its occasional shortcomings. It's Brian Wilson in full "Magic Transistor Radio" mode writing and producing both aching love songs and incredibly infectious little ditties about the universe, listening to Phil Spector, and basically about meeting girls. Let's face it, what more could you ask for? Most of the synth arrangements are every bit as breathtaking as anything the group had done before and personally I'm glad they didn't try to emulate their classic '65/'66 production style. Come to think of it, as a solo artist BW has now been doing just that for quite a few years and we all know it's just not the same. It wouldn't have been the same in 1977 either.

[Steve Mayo]

Yes, I am talking about the one where the band (Mike?) is listening to Brian belting out IBHN.  That raw material could have had better final production. Maybe it was the production sound of the era they were shooting for.  Certainly the raw material was very substantial and any number of approaches might have worked.   The Brian produced Love You?  Not sure I've heard any of that.  Perhaps someone from Ohio could address this?

as you know i'm from ohio ( ) so check your pm....

[18thofMay]

Yes, I am talking about the one where the band (Mike?) is listening to Brian belting out IBHN.  That raw material could have had better final production. Maybe it was the production sound of the era they were shooting for.  Certainly the raw material was very substantial and any number of approaches might have worked.   The Brian produced Love You?  Not sure I've heard any of that.  Perhaps someone from Ohio could address this?

as you know i'm from ohio ( ) so check your pm....

Cough** Cough..Please sir

[Mr. Cohen]

Earlier versions of the 15 Big Ones material show that Carl's production help may not have always been as good of thing as you'd think. Carl's mixes are cleaner, true, but they're not as exciting and some of the musical parts are lost.

[Rocker]

Who did the early version of "Rock and Roll music" that was played on the radio after an interview with Carl ? That version rocks and seemed to be very cool (as far as you can tell)

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I've never heard either the early 15 BO or the earlier R&R Music... can someone please tell me more?

Seriously, though, I didn't even know they circulated...I'm really out of the loop lately.

[phirnis]

If someone could supply me with a personal message I'd be very thankful.