VDP: "victimised by Brian Wilson's buffoonery"

[Cam Mott]

No, I think VDP was making a point that he's been making for a while, just in a less diplomatic way. During the SMiLE era, his professional relationship with Brian was what mattered, and he was careful not to undermine it. As he's continually insisted, he never entered "the tent". He was appalled by the shenanigans during the recording of "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow"... But for Mike Love (and others, I'm sure, but Mike Love most vocally), VDP came to represent something more. He became associated with all the external craziness... despite VDP's disapproval of it. The outright slanderous character of "Van Dyke Parks" in the Stamos Movie became the embodiment of this, where we have VDP representing the drug pushers and every negative element that came into his life during that time. That's why I think that movie, though seemingly inconsequential to most of us, rubbed VDP very raw and he's obviously still not at peace about it.

I think we are going to have to accept that the problems in SMiLE were between Brian and Van Dyke. They got along, then they didn't. They agreed over the music and lyrics and then they didn't. Brian thought the lyrics were too sophisticated and Van Dyke thought the music was not sophisticated enough. Van Dyke resented Brian in ways and Brian pushed back at Van Dyke in ways. It's been in the eye witness sources since 1967. I doubt Van Dyke was the first or last to be put off by Brian and his scene.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I think there's truth in all the reasons we've had over the years. Friction with Mike, problems with Parks, too many drugs, perfectionism, technological limitations, missed the boat etc etc.  It was never just one thing.

You're absolutely right though that the issues with Van Dyke has been somewhat downplayed compared to other reasons. It's always been the elephant in the room.

[The Heartical Don]

No, I think VDP was making a point that he's been making for a while, just in a less diplomatic way. During the SMiLE era, his professional relationship with Brian was what mattered, and he was careful not to undermine it. As he's continually insisted, he never entered "the tent". He was appalled by the shenanigans during the recording of "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow"... But for Mike Love (and others, I'm sure, but Mike Love most vocally), VDP came to represent something more. He became associated with all the external craziness... despite VDP's disapproval of it. The outright slanderous character of "Van Dyke Parks" in the Stamos Movie became the embodiment of this, where we have VDP representing the drug pushers and every negative element that came into his life during that time. That's why I think that movie, though seemingly inconsequential to most of us, rubbed VDP very raw and he's obviously still not at peace about it.

I think we are going to have to accept that the problems in SMiLE were between Brian and Van Dyke. They got along, then they didn't. They agreed over the music and lyrics and then they didn't. Brian thought the lyrics were too sophisticated and Van Dyke thought the music was not sophisticated enough. Van Dyke resented Brian in ways and Brian pushed back at Van Dyke in ways. It's been in the eye witness sources since 1967. I doubt Van Dyke was the first or last to be put off by Brian and his scene.

I think Brian and Van Dyke were/are potentially great co-workers. I guess that Van Dyke was and is a very disciplined worker; I saw him live three times, and I always was amazed how fast he adapts to a troupe of musicians that he doesn't know that well, and how brief a preparation and rehearsal time he needs for different and wonderful arrangements of his work. I think he may well have been irritated at times, way back then, when Brian was, how do I put it, letting his own discipline slip. Brian became a meandering person during the first gestation of Smile, someone who could be very unpredictable, and was increasingly unable to finish things. I do not think we should be upset about VDP calling it 'buffoonery' - he could, at that point in time, absolutely not be aware of what was in store for Brian; and we have the benefit of hindsight. So all in all, I guess VDP gave an honest impression of how he felt at some moments in those days.

[The Heartical Don]

double post.

[MBE]

As far as being bitter.
A. He seems to not understand Brian's problems.
B. If Brian and The Beach Boys hadn't recorded his songs, he would be known by maybe 20 percent of the people who know him today.

Make that 2 percent!

Make that 'shut up, he's a legend in his own right'

That kind of sh*t reminds of the teen articles reprinted in the Priore book. Childish tit for tat nonsense, and you only get to play in this minor, off the cuff grouching if your name is Brian Wilson or Van Dyke Parks.

BTW At this point in time, I'm many, many times more excited to listen to new VDP material than I was by TWGMTR. They should have got him to produce their record! Would have still got to no.3, probably would have been significantly less sh*t.

I just made a post about people who exchange in discourse and those who don't. Good you are a fan, that doesn't mean I have to "shut up" nor does it mean I have to like what he says about anything. My writing job has given me the good fortune to interact with people who are my musical "heroes" so to speak. Many have been nice, a very few have not. Just like any other walk of life. Van Dyke makes public statements that by their very nature will create comment one way or the other. Not to compare myself at all in terms of talent or achievement, but as a writer I take stances that are known to the public. I know some people will like me and what I do, some don't and won't. For the purpose of open disclosure, personally I'm not into that  much of his work away from the Beach Boys (that's down to my taste), but I love the songs he wrote with Brian.

I also want to stress I offered him equal time in anything I have done regarding Brian or the group, it was his choice not to participate. I respect that, but it does mean I have to go only on what I am told by people I do talk to, or by what I think of his public statements. I respect his talent even I don't like most of the things he has said publically. This goes especially since the movie. To be fair I like his comments in the 1976 special a lot, but I again go back to the 1971 interview with Tom Nolan in Rolling Stone. His statements in there about Brian's "cute" behavior belittle the man. As far as Brian being a child like eccentric, isn't that why most people like him? To me reading this, he hasn't changed his air of superiority over Brian and the Beach Boys. It's like he still thinks of him as a Hawthorne hick whose evil bully band mates force him into being a Beach Boy. This after Brian publically complained he wanted to keep the group together!

I suppose I hate to see 1971 attitudes on mental illness, or even quirkiness, prevail. Tony Asher made some arch comments about Brian to Nick Kent in 1975, but since then has displayed much growth and understanding. He has gained much insight over the last thirty some years about Brian and his frailties. Insights he didn't have as a young man.  I don't see the same happening with Parks after reading the new interview. If Brian has shown any guile towards Parks, can't we see it from his side? Rightly or wrongly Brian may very well have felt Van Dyke should have rode out the rough waters of the 1967 sessions with him. I to this day don't get why Brian would ask him down to explain his lyrics to Mike, had he not felt it was something that Parks needed to do. Brian could have felt that way for a multitude of reasons. Maybe he needed a buffer, maybe he wanted insight himself, maybe he thought it was the role of the lyricist to defend his lyrics. Whatever the case, Brian's feelings on him have cooled at times.

Peter Aims Carlin made a strong point in his book about Brian being a part of the Leid In Hawaii Mike Love monolog. That says a lot about the faith Brian himself had in Parks at that time. Me pointing this out should not be misconstrued as a knock, something between him and Brian clicked for a time resulting in some wonderful songs. Yet even if they were tight at times, even if he did help Brian go forward as an artist, they were always very different people personally. Does that negate his worth as an artist?    


Andrew, fair enough so he didn't want "fame", but you cannot deny that Smile brought his name to the masses. He worked before that, and given that Lenny and others who had power liked that work, he probably would have had a place in the music business no matter what. Having said that, I am positive that he would be known only to a certain niche had he not crossed paths with Brian. That's again not putting him down, it's just a fact. Maybe Van Dyke was known to you and some of his fans before Brian was, but if so that is very uncommon. I know of dozens of people of his generation who were great arrangers, had hits, were great songwriters, etc. but they don't have the name recognition he does. If he wants it is a moot point, The Beach Boys is how most people were introduced to him.

His attitude on Brian and Mike makes him look petty. As his chiding extended to me, I can safely say he takes potshots at people who, in his mind, disagree with his views. To put the word author in quotes next to my name at the header of a anti reunion post was uncalled for. Bizarre too as I had no say in the reunion whatsoever, nor did I claim to. I have no continuing contact with anyone in the Beach Boys world except on here or on Facebook. I took the time to directly write him and politely explain that I meant no offense in my interviews with Jeremy Roberts, nor did Jeremy mean any himself. As he chose not to respond the only thing I can even remotely think he didn't like is that I said I like the Beach Boys as a group and that Brian ultimately was the only one in the group who could have cancelled an album in 1967.  I have a right to feel he should not belittle me or my job, nor misrepresent me. I changed not one word in my book about him by the way, I don't have to like a guy to access him fairly. However I will continue to speak up if I feel he is unfair to The Beach Boys, Brian, or anyone else for that matter-especially me.

[Smilin Ed H]

"So from his point of view, what his association with the Beach Boys has brought him is a relatively small amount of money (because we know the Sea Of Tunes contracts weren't exactly generous to non-family, and he didn't write any major hits with Brian), a certain amount of interpersonal stress, and a bunch of people on message boards who call him a prick because he dares to say that Brian Wilson may sometimes have behaved badly, or because he expresses himself using actual words rather than grunting noises like 'normal' people."

Smile is referenced in most pieces about VDP.  LIke it or not - and he may not - it's what a lot of people know him for. Is his best work on there. Dunno. I like his stuff with Newman, but I like Newman's later stuff more. There are times when I read VDP's comments and he comes across as a bit of an ass, putting himself in the best light possible. Whether or not I would like to have been him when Brian was messing around instead of getting on with the work, is a different matter. VDP has worked with a lot of people and has been fairly productive himself, but to a lot of people - and not just BB fans - he's known for his collaboration with Brian

[AndrewHickey]

Andrew, fair enough so he didn't want "fame", but you cannot deny that Smile brought his name to the masses. He worked before that, and given that Lenny and others who had power liked that work, he probably would have had a place in the music business no matter what. Having said that, I am positive that he would be known only to a certain niche had he not crossed paths with Brian. That's again not putting him down, it's just a fact. Maybe Van Dyke was known to you and some of his fans before Brian was, but if so that is very uncommon. I know of dozens of people of his generation who were great arrangers, had hits, were great songwriters, etc. but they don't have the name recognition he does. If he wants it is a moot point, The Beach Boys is how most people were introduced to him.

But that 'certain niche' is the group of people that actually buy his albums, go to his gigs and so on. The rest are, for the most part, people like yourself who have no interest in his work outside one album he wrote lyrics for forty-seven years ago. Why, precisely, should he be grateful for 'name recognition'?

As for the comments about mental health -- Brian's mental health doesn't give him a pass for every bit of bad behaviour ever, especially since at the time Parks is talking about Brian wasn't particularly unwell compared to his later deterioration.

[AndrewHickey]

There are times when I read VDP's comments and he comes across as a bit of an ass, putting himself in the best light possible.

As opposed to everyone else who's been involved in the music industry or the Beach Boys' career, all of whom are shrinking violets?

VDP has worked with a lot of people and has been fairly productive himself, but to a lot of people - and not just BB fans - he's known for his collaboration with Brian

That's true, but that's not a reason he should refrain from ever criticising Brian. And again, I don't think that that connection has contributed especially to any professional or artistic success he's had, but just to a reputation he'd rather not have. If I were him I'd feel like the man in the joke -- "See that cathedral? I designed that, but they don't call me John the architect. See that bloke over there? I saved him from drowning, but they don't call be John the lifesaver. You shag *one* sheep..."

[mammy blue]

No, I think VDP was making a point that he's been making for a while, just in a less diplomatic way. During the SMiLE era, his professional relationship with Brian was what mattered, and he was careful not to undermine it. As he's continually insisted, he never entered "the tent". He was appalled by the shenanigans during the recording of "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow"... But for Mike Love (and others, I'm sure, but Mike Love most vocally), VDP came to represent something more. He became associated with all the external craziness... despite VDP's disapproval of it. The outright slanderous character of "Van Dyke Parks" in the Stamos Movie became the embodiment of this, where we have VDP representing the drug pushers and every negative element that came into his life during that time. That's why I think that movie, though seemingly inconsequential to most of us, rubbed VDP very raw and he's obviously still not at peace about it.

I think we are going to have to accept that the problems in SMiLE were between Brian and Van Dyke. They got along, then they didn't. They agreed over the music and lyrics and then they didn't. Brian thought the lyrics were too sophisticated and Van Dyke thought the music was not sophisticated enough. Van Dyke resented Brian in ways and Brian pushed back at Van Dyke in ways. It's been in the eye witness sources since 1967. I doubt Van Dyke was the first or last to be put off by Brian and his scene.

That's not what I'm saying at all... do we really need to revert back to this old debate AGAIN when we have this new interview to talk about?

[mammy blue]

I think there's truth in all the reasons we've had over the years. Friction with Mike, problems with Parks, too many drugs, perfectionism, technological limitations, missed the boat etc etc.  It was never just one thing.

I concur. THIS. Including Mike but NOT limited to Mike.

[MBE]

Andrew, fair enough so he didn't want "fame", but you cannot deny that Smile brought his name to the masses. He worked before that, and given that Lenny and others who had power liked that work, he probably would have had a place in the music business no matter what. Having said that, I am positive that he would be known only to a certain niche had he not crossed paths with Brian. That's again not putting him down, it's just a fact. Maybe Van Dyke was known to you and some of his fans before Brian was, but if so that is very uncommon. I know of dozens of people of his generation who were great arrangers, had hits, were great songwriters, etc. but they don't have the name recognition he does. If he wants it is a moot point, The Beach Boys is how most people were introduced to him.

But that 'certain niche' is the group of people that actually buy his albums, go to his gigs and so on. The rest are, for the most part, people like yourself who have no interest in his work outside one album he wrote lyrics for forty-seven years ago. Why, precisely, should he be grateful for 'name recognition'?

As for the comments about mental health -- Brian's mental health doesn't give him a pass for every bit of bad behaviour ever, especially since at the time Parks is talking about Brian wasn't particularly unwell compared to his later deterioration.

He should be grateful simply because he would not have career he has enjoyed without the name recognition. I made a supposition about what his life would have been like without the group. Reality is that most all of the niche that he actually does have were introduced to him through Smile and The Beach Boys. I am sure I am not alone in thinking Smile his finest hour, even among his hardcore fans who love his whole catalog. If you don't mind may I ask one question?  I was trying to figure this out from your posts, did you discover Van Dyke through The Beach Boys first?  Either way I will offer no further debate as I admire your passion for his work.

[hypehat]

If anyone thinks that building a sandpit in your living room, turning your living room into a gym and starting a fire in a studio doesn't count as buffoonery, I'm not really sure what would.

And what is increasingly apparent over the resurgence of Van Dyke's solo career is the downplaying of his work with Brian and his focus on everything else, which isn't exactly horrific. The man has produced, arranged and collaborated with hundreds of legendary artists with incredible scope and we're expected to define him on six months work?

Mike, I think it's a bit rich to suggest Van Dyke, a man with his talents and connections BEFORE Smile, wouldn't have had a career. He might have even had a better one if he wasn't signed to Warner on the suggestion that he might have picked up some tricks via osmosis from Brian.

[AndrewHickey]

He should be grateful simply because he would not have career he has enjoyed without the name recognition. I made a supposition about what his life would have been like without the group. Reality is that most all of the niche that he actually does have were introduced to him through Smile and The Beach Boys. I am sure I am not alone in thinking Smile his finest hour, even among his hardcore fans who love his whole catalog. If you don't mind may I ask one question?  I was trying to figure this out from your posts, did you discover Van Dyke through The Beach Boys first?  Either way I will offer no further debate as I admire your passion for his work.

I actually discovered Van Dyke's work pretty much simultaneously with the Beach Boys, in summer 1995, when in a two-month period or so I got hold of a video of Ry Cooder on which Van Dyke played keyboards, a Randy Newman best-of CD on which he was credited as co-producer on my favourite tracks, and Pet Sounds, and also saw I Just Wasn't Made For These Times on TV with the footage of Brian and Van Dyke together. I don't know quite what order those events happened, because they came so close together, but my perception of Van Dyke Parks from the start was "that person who's worked with all those other good musicians" rather than "that person who wrote with Brian Wilson".

The only other 'hardcore Van Dyke Parks fan' I know in real life *despises* Smile, thinking that Brian and Van Dyke were utterly wrong for each other as collaborators, and says "Mike Love was right". He became a fan through Parks' work with Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson.

[MBE]

Hypehat, we should encourage non convention in people. Brian shouldn't be put down for not being strict in his work habits. Please read my posts again, I made no such suggestion about Van Dyke. I said exactly the opposite in fact. My only point is that his career wouldn't be the same. Am I really having to argue that Brian Wilson made a difference in the path of everyone he worked closely with? Jan Berry was much bigger than Van Dyke before meeting Brian, but can we deny that Brian and he helped each other go further creatively? Brian is someone who has the ability to bring out the best in people as a collaborator, and I am finding strange that this is even a debate.

Exposure and appreciation is a good thing for an artist, even if traditional fame is not sought. Not one artist makes a record or performs without at least wanting to be understood or connect on some level. He would not have had all the same chances or opportunities without Brian Wilson. Not because of a lack of talent, but because historical facts speak for themselves. Hooking up with a beloved person like Brian Wilson will further ones career, though I would never contend Van Dyke was motivated by that personally.

[MBE]

He should be grateful simply because he would not have career he has enjoyed without the name recognition. I made a supposition about what his life would have been like without the group. Reality is that most all of the niche that he actually does have were introduced to him through Smile and The Beach Boys. I am sure I am not alone in thinking Smile his finest hour, even among his hardcore fans who love his whole catalog. If you don't mind may I ask one question?  I was trying to figure this out from your posts, did you discover Van Dyke through The Beach Boys first?  Either way I will offer no further debate as I admire your passion for his work.

I actually discovered Van Dyke's work pretty much simultaneously with the Beach Boys, in summer 1995, when in a two-month period or so I got hold of a video of Ry Cooder on which Van Dyke played keyboards, a Randy Newman best-of CD on which he was credited as co-producer on my favourite tracks, and Pet Sounds, and also saw I Just Wasn't Made For These Times on TV with the footage of Brian and Van Dyke together. I don't know quite what order those events happened, because they came so close together, but my perception of Van Dyke Parks from the start was "that person who's worked with all those other good musicians" rather than "that person who wrote with Brian Wilson".

The only other 'hardcore Van Dyke Parks fan' I know in real life *despises* Smile, thinking that Brian and Van Dyke were utterly wrong for each other as collaborators, and says "Mike Love was right". He became a fan through Parks' work with Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson.

Very interesting post Andrew because your story here is fairly unique. Funny enough I heard Van Dyke first on a Popeye soundtrack LP when I was a five year old kid in 1981. I didn't particularly think much of the album either way but I liked Popeye so my parents bought it for me. Only when reading up on Van Dyke after I became a Beach Boys fan did I know he did the record though. In those days I didn't study the credits! So inadvertently I too heard non Beach Boys stuff first, but I didn't discover him at all until I saw American Band in 1988.

[AndrewHickey]

Mike, I think it's a bit rich to suggest Van Dyke, a man with his talents and connections BEFORE Smile, wouldn't have had a career.

Quite. Parks' *actual* career success, to the extent it's relied on anything other than his own obvious talents, has been because of his association with the Waronker/Titelman/Lowell George/Nilsson/Cooder/Newman coterie. There were a huge number of massively talented and successful people in LA in the late 60s and early 70s, and Parks knew and worked with most of them. And a large part of his income has come from his film score work, which started years before he even met Brian Wilson.

[AndrewHickey]

Very interesting post Andrew because your story here is fairly unique. Funny enough I heard Van Dyke first on a Popeye soundtrack LP when I was a five year old kid in 1981. I didn't particularly think much of the album either way but I liked Popeye so my parents bought it for me. Only when reading up on Van Dyke after I became a Beach Boys fan did I know he did the record though. In those days I didn't study the credits! So inadvertently I too heard non Beach Boys stuff first, but I didn't discover him at all until I saw American Band in 1988.

Personally I've always been a credit-studier, and I suspect most of Parks' fans are.
That said, I did actually hear the Popeye soundtrack before anything else Parks worked on, but only from watching the film on TV when I was three or four.

[hypehat]

Mike, sure we should encourage originality. I'm not dissing Brian for his creativity. But, what comes with that is that it's totally understandable that if I set fire to a prestigious recording studio, such action might be called 'weird' or 'strange, nay, even 'buffoonery'. I for one don't get this 'well Van Dyke is an asshole and how dare he bite the hand that feeds him' talk going around (from others, not just you) when, and I don't think I'm exactly pushing the boat out here, Brian Wilson does strange things.

If anything, Van Dyke's career has probably suffered thanks to his association with Brian. The man works so hard, has an incredible skillset and CV and can talk til your dictaphone runs out and all everyone wants to talk about is ten tracks he wrote when he was in his early twenties that didn't even come out in its intended form. No wonder he gets a little bit dismissive.

[AndrewHickey]

He would not have had all the same chances or opportunities without Brian Wilson. Not because of a lack of talent, but because historical facts speak for themselves. Hooking up with a beloved person like Brian Wilson will further ones career, though I would never contend Van Dyke was motivated by that personally.

The "historical facts" are as follows:
Most of Van Dyke Parks' work over the years has either been film scoring, which he started in 1963, or as a result of his connections with people like Lenny Waronker and Randy Newman, who he worked with before he ever met Brian Wilson.
Unless being one of the principal creative collaborators with the head of A&R (and future President) of Warner Brothers Recordings does *less* for your career than co-writing an album that was never even released, it's safe to say that his collaboration with Brian Wilson has had almost no effect on his actual career, as opposed to his public profile, which is a very, very different thing.

[AndrewHickey]

Hypehat, we should encourage non convention in people.

We *should* encourage people to behave unconventionally. And not, for example, call them "pseudo-intellectual" or say "his common vocabulary seems stuffed with ten dollar words where he could probably just as easily talk like the rest of us" or "this is about as pretentious as it gets" when they dare to attempt to express themselves precisely and in an aesthetically pleasing manner.

[filledeplage]

If anyone thinks that building a sandpit in your living room, turning your living room into a gym and starting a fire in a studio doesn't count as buffoonery, I'm not really sure what would.

And what is increasingly apparent over the resurgence of Van Dyke's solo career is the downplaying of his work with Brian and his focus on everything else, which isn't exactly horrific. The man has produced, arranged and collaborated with hundreds of legendary artists with incredible scope and we're expected to define him on six months work?

Mike, I think it's a bit rich to suggest Van Dyke, a man with his talents and connections BEFORE Smile, wouldn't have had a career. He might have even had a better one if he wasn't signed to Warner on the suggestion that he might have picked up some tricks via osmosis from Brian.

Hypehat - if an artist needs the "sensory ambiance" to enhance the creative process, I have no problem. The sand (clean and canine or feline free) and the gym - a no-brainer, with Wii and Trekdesks, getting people to be less sedentary, is a great thing.  Space use is a personal thing. Even a stationary bike will help you live longer than a couch.

A fire, is another story - maybe controlled in a very safe environment - but show pyrotechnics have proved deadly, so maybe the "virtual variety"might be best.  Such as the faux fire used in the SMiLE shows.

And, I love Parks' work in Popeye (the movie) and it is one of my all-time favorites.  And, he certainly did other stuff besides BB work.  And, I'm interested in the outcome of the copyright suit.  I found den Breejens work a delightful "tribute," and thought it more "transformative" - even a gentle "parody," but a court might have additional facts to support another finding.  I found it a means to keep alive a whole body of work, marginalized in the 1960's, trashed by critics on all levels. And his response was a "missed opportunity" for everybody. The BB's responded graciously to Katy Perry.  Not here.

It is why I resurrected the old thread below.  And I don't like the title.  Mike asserted a claim that the court found meritorious and we have information that Murry took control of these literary assets.  

Parks' work is more abstract, where Mike's is more "available" and concrete.  And Mike's lyrics hold generally universal appeal.  I find the Wilson-Love collaboration in the BB sphere, superior in quantity, duration and synergy as held against nearly any other.  Wild Honey reception on this latest Touring Band run has been phenomenal.  That is Brian and Mike. Like Lerner and Lowe, Mencken and Ashman, The Shermans, etc.  

Brian does not impress me as a buffoon, in any context.  I find it troubling.  JMHO

[Cam Mott]

I think there's truth in all the reasons we've had over the years. Friction with Mike, problems with Parks, too many drugs, perfectionism, technological limitations, missed the boat etc etc.  It was never just one thing.

I concur. THIS. Including Mike but NOT limited to Mike.

Agreed but it is MOSTLY the problems between the two creators over their creation.

[BergenWhitesMoustache]

I just made a post about people who exchange in discourse and those who don't. Good you are a fan, that doesn't mean I have to "shut up"

BEH.

[filledeplage]

I think there's truth in all the reasons we've had over the years. Friction with Mike, problems with Parks, too many drugs, perfectionism, technological limitations, missed the boat etc etc.  It was never just one thing.

I concur. THIS. Including Mike but NOT limited to Mike.

Agreed but it is MOSTLY the problems between the two creators over their creation.

What does that mean? 

[Yorick]

As far as being bitter.
A. He seems to not understand Brian's problems.
B. If Brian and The Beach Boys hadn't recorded his songs, he would be known by maybe 20 percent of the people who know him today.

If anyone understood Brian's problems, it would be Van Dyke Parks. A lot better than you probably!