More studio news

[The Shift]

One thing's for sure, Brian has looked fantastic in every picture they have released thus far.  Not an awkward one in the bunch!

Which of course means only one thing. 

No Mike?
No Bruce?
No Dave?
He's had a face lift?
He's drunk?
He's seperated from Melinda?
He had a good motion that morning?
He's getting well paid?
He's getting well laid?

....we have no idea.

They used a canny photographer.

[AndrewHickey]

Damn, Jeff.  

Drunk karaoke time. Jeff is a disaster every time you can hear him on Radio. A "Brian and friends," even including Al, is a disaster. Distinctly articulated solo albums aside (Postcard; The Circle Continues) nothing means anything as we now look ahead --and I am tired of explaining this--except a new BB album. The world is divided into people who believe that and those who don't.

I couldn't disagree more. Jeff did a fine, fine job on That's Why God Made The Radio apart from the bridge of Isn't It Time -- his vocals on Shelter, for example, are lovely.
And what I want more than anything is a Brian-and-Al album. I actually think that having the others on would be more likely to make it worse than better. What I dearly want is an album of the quality of That Lucky Old Sun, but with Al singing the leads.
I do think it's very, very odd that Brian's been working with Beck and Colaiuta, though -- I can't see how their styles would go together at all well.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Damn, Jeff.  

Drunk karaoke time. Jeff is a disaster every time you can hear him on Radio. A "Brian and friends," even including Al, is a disaster. Distinctly articulated solo albums aside (Postcard; The Circle Continues) nothing means anything as we now look ahead --and I am tired of explaining this--except a new BB album. The world is divided into people who believe that and those who don't.

I couldn't disagree more. Jeff did a fine, fine job on That's Why God Made The Radio apart from the bridge of Isn't It Time -- his vocals on Shelter, for example, are lovely.
And what I want more than anything is a Brian-and-Al album. I actually think that having the others on would be more likely to make it worse than better. What I dearly want is an album of the quality of That Lucky Old Sun, but with Al singing the leads.
I do think it's very, very odd that Brian's been working with Beck and Colaiuta, though -- I can't see how their styles would go together at all well.

And they need a high voice in the stack, and for many reasons that's going to be Jeff.

The world is divided into people who believe (that the Beach Boys can still sing like they could in '66) and those who don't.

[Cabinessenceking]

Damn, Jeff.  

Drunk karaoke time. Jeff is a disaster every time you can hear him on Radio. A "Brian and friends," even including Al, is a disaster. Distinctly articulated solo albums aside (Postcard; The Circle Continues) nothing means anything as we now look ahead --and I am tired of explaining this--except a new BB album. The world is divided into people who believe that and those who don't.

but Jeff is all over the last album. what makes you think he wouldn't be all over the next BBs album?

Mike had a chance to keep the reunion going. to keep playing world-class arenas, to keep making critically-acclaimed and chart-topping albums, to please the fans and his bandmates which includes the man who provided Mike with the songs he sings every night to earn his livelihood. Mike passed on that opportunity.

what does Mike really have to offer a new release? nasal singing and yet another chance to insert the words "fun fun fun" into a lyric? nostalgia, "positivity", and an Executive Producer credit? no thanks. the 50th Anniversary showed us in more ways than one that some things will never change... be it the guys' ability to sing harmony or Mike's inability to come across as anything but cheesy, creepy, and classless.

let's hear what Brian has to say without "cousin Mike's" input. Mike has kept Brian down long enough. time after time. the reunion was nice but let's recognize the genius, the voice, and the virtuosity of Brian, Al, and Dave and let's recognize the endless summer egotrip of Mike & Bruce for what they are. as someone else said: Brian is an artist, Mike is an entertainer. Mike has very little talent to speak of and Bruce has squandered his. good riddance to them both.

they can have Sea World and Stamos. we can have Brian, Al, Dave, superb musicianship as orchestrated by Brian, and more of the greatest music ever written and recorded. and a special guest or 3.

fully agree with your sentiment.

[Nicko1234]

let's hear what Brian has to say without "cousin Mike's" input. Mike has kept Brian down long enough. time after time.

What does that even mean?

[The Shift]

let's hear what Brian has to say without "cousin Mike's" input. Mike has kept Brian down long enough. time after time.

What does that even mean?

We know what Brian can do without Mike already. From BW88 through Imagination, GIOMH, TLOS etc… Mike's influence through those years has steadily declined and reduced until last year when they collaborated on a new BBs album that went top 3 US.

Mike hasn't really been keeping Brian down much recently at all.

[hypehat]

Al Jardine is looking fly in these photos.

[Autotune]

Enough Mike bashing so far on this thread.
Should we start a petition to include Blondie and Ricky now?

I'm with the professor here. I want a full-group album. I want Mike's leads to Brian's songs. And Mike's lyrics to some of Brian's melodies. And full-group vocals.

[guitarfool2002]

[/quote]

Notice the pack of smokes resting on the console. Wonder who those belong to.  

[Nicko1234]

We know what Brian can do without Mike already. From BW88 through Imagination, GIOMH, TLOS etc… Mike's influence through those years has steadily declined and reduced until last year when they collaborated on a new BBs album that went top 3 US.

Mike hasn't really been keeping Brian down much recently at all.

Indeed.

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

At first I thought they were playing cards, but now I'm not so sure. Don't think they are cigs, though. Some kind of digital storage device maybe?

[STE]

I think that's the remote for talkback to the recording room.

[SMiLE Brian]

They are candy cigs....

[The Heartical Don]

Looks like a pack of playing cards to me.

Perhaps for inspiration. The new album will feature songs like 'Royal Flush', 'Ace Of Spades', 'Queen Of Hearts', 'A New Deck', and so on.

I think I will get my coat.

[SMiLE Brian]

I think another song will be "professor blues" as I join the Don on the way out...

[absinthe_boy]

One thing is for sure.

This is NOT simply Brian recording overdubs for the forthcoming live album.

[Cliff1000uk]

Notice how close Al's hand is to it.......could be the 'DFA' button 

[bossaroo]

let's hear what Brian has to say without "cousin Mike's" input. Mike has kept Brian down long enough. time after time.

What does that even mean?

well let's see... Mike has actively tried to wrestle and belittle Brian's creative control for most of the past 50 years: either directlly, in interviews, trying to rewrite BBs history, acquiring sole ownership of the band name, etc. Despite backpedaling, we know that Mike wasn't really big into things like Pet Sounds, SMiLE, Friends, Til I Die, Love You, Adult Child, and most recently the Life Suite... just to name a few. We do know that Mike was VERY BIG into things like Do It Again, Endless Summer, Rock'n'Roll Music, Kokomo, cheerleaders, John Stamos, and playing a show that consists of 95% pre-66 material. Even on the C50 tour.

Aside from Our Prayer being played once or twice, there was no SMiLE material represented (H&V doesn't really count). The SMiLE box was released to rave reviews, huge sales, and an eventual Grammy win. Brian has called it his greatest creation. Surf's Up has been called the greatest song of all-time. Mike knows damn well how popular SMiLE is among the fanbase and beyond but he pretends like it doesn't exist. And he STILL manages to criticize Friends (and other BW works) without any provocation. wtf?

We know what Brian can do without Mike already. From BW88 through Imagination, GIOMH, TLOS etc… Mike's influence through those years has steadily declined and reduced until last year when they collaborated on a new BBs album that went top 3 US.

Mike hasn't really been keeping Brian down much recently at all.

and we know what Mike can do without Brian. and it's atrocious.
the man hasn't written a lyric without the words fun fun fun or good vibrations for many moons now. why is it so important that he be included in Brian's musical vision when he has nothing to offer other than a nasal shell of a voice that was never GREAT to begin with? he has consistently stifled Brian's creative output for decades, and didn't miss a beat when the long-awaited reunion finally happened. And it happened due mainly to Brian's vision, wealth of material, and reaching out to Mike.

as far as we know Mike is not involved in this latest recording project. and if that's the case, we can be pretty sure that Mike is the one responsible for that. those of us clamoring for a new Beach Boys album are overlooking the clear fact that Mike is the one keeping it from happening.

when handed a #3 album, a reunion that brought fans out in droves, and offers to keep playing bigger and better venues... Mike chose Sea World and casinos, Bruce and John Stamos.


the biggest irony is that Mike Love wouldn't be a Beach Boy without Brian Wilson. but Brian Wilson is no longer a Beach Boy because of Mike Love. ain't that a bitch??!!! in that way Mike has kept Brian down for his entire solo career, never mind the petty lawsuits. It can be argued that Mike Love is the reason Brian was forced to pursue a solo career at all.

and yet, somehow, Brian is getting frowned on by some for going in the studio and creating music with a hand-picked cast of amazing players AND Al Jardine?   it's a no-brainer folks. REJOICE!

[SMiLE Brian]

You have really just summed up the problems fans have with Mike Love. The BBs are legends even in the 21st and only Mike Love doesn't realise that.

[The Heartical Don]

Bossaroo wrote:

the biggest irony is that Mike Love wouldn't be a Beach Boy without Brian Wilson. but Brian Wilson is no longer a Beach Boy because of Mike Love.

Very astute and witty: remark of the day.

[Rocky Raccoon]

Mike has kept Brian down long enough. time after time.

What does that even mean?

I think those are Cyndi Lauper lyrics.

[Shady]

Mike Isn't needed on this one. Brian seems to be suddenly very inspired and that's a good thing.

He looks genuinely relaxed in the studio and better than he's done in a while. If Mike was there he'd insist on writing lyrics, calling songs "a bummer", you know the usual Mike Love crap.

[The Shift]

Seems Mike's a cad for wanting to work with Brian and a cad for not wanting to work with Brian.

Likewise Beach Boys fans love to eat each themselves even though we gag on the taste.

[bossaroo]

no Mike's just a cad. period.

[Shady]

Seems Mike's a cad for wanting to work with Brian and a cad for not wanting to work with Brian.

Likewise Beach Boys fans love to eat each themselves even though we gag on the taste.

Nobody was against Mike getting back in the studio with Brian, it's just apart from some good bass vocals he didn't really add anything to the TWGMTR album.

I'd love to have him on another album but creatively I think Mike is done.