BRiAN WiLS0N LUVS U - 2012

[nobody is a chode]

The demos of TLOS were even more Love You than the finished product. Speaking of which, if anyone has the demos still I need someone to Punch My ass.

True, but they sorely lack the coked-out brilliance of Love You.

What drugs is Brian on these days - antidepressants? You can't make good cosmic rock n roll on antidepressants!

I come from the old stock of Beach Boys fandom and I have enjoyed "The Beach Boys Love You" from the very day of its release in 1977. It is pure, simple genius. As far as listening to it, I place it right there with "The Beach Boys Today!" and "Sunflower".

Right on man.

Man, I was listening to Wind Chimes when you were still on training wheels! (kidding)

My relationship with the statement "Brian Wilson is a genius" is a storied one. It's also that way for Brian himself.

I guess I'm just easy to please. I don't hear the Beatles doing anything like Wiiiiiiiind Chiiiiiiimes or Wonderful (which knocked She's Leaving Home cold when Brian played it for Paul).

Sgt. Pepper is coked out psychedelia, British style - Smiley Smile is huffed whipped cream cans, joints, and LSd, Californian style.

But oh no, people love Paul Mccartney's first album ... but no one's heard of Wild Honey. Where is the justice in the world?

[Myk Luhv]

I sometimes have days where I think Love You is better than Pet Sounds and I'm not sure if this is me being completely honest or batshit insane...

[rogerlancelot]

I personally prefer McCartney's first album over Wild Honey but only because I grew up on McCartney and only got my SS/WH two-fer 11 years ago. I also prefer SS over WH. Love You is an all together different beast from Pet Sounds. I love both on an equal level and I consider them peaks in the BB years. Oddly enough I usually find myself listening to Pet Sounds in the summer and Love You in the winter but not always necessarily so. Come to think of it, I play them both a LOT! I'm just rambling and I need to get out the door into the 109 degree weather here in Las Vegas.

[b00ts]

I'll throw my hat in the ring with the "Love You" lovers. It is an amazing album. I have not had great luck turning others on to it, for obvious reasons; it is certainly an album for people who are already fans of Brian's. I agree with the posters who pine for a modern day "Brian Loves You." "Message Man" and "Just Like Me and You" certainly have that flavor to them.

For those close to Brian, perhaps "Beach Boys Love You" represents Brian's mental illness to such an extent that they find it uncomfortable. In Foskett's case, it seems as if he also is a fan of slicker production than can be found on "Love You."

It's basically a small miracle that "Love You" was released at all, isn't it?

[hypehat]

I sometimes have days where I think Love You is better than Pet Sounds and I'm not sure if this is me being completely honest or batshit insane...

+1

[nobody is a chode]

I personally prefer McCartney's first album over Wild Honey but only because I grew up on McCartney and only got my SS/WH two-fer 11 years ago. I also prefer SS over WH. Love You is an all together different beast from Pet Sounds. I love both on an equal level and I consider them peaks in the BB years. Oddly enough I usually find myself listening to Pet Sounds in the summer and Love You in the winter but not always necessarily so. Come to think of it, I play them both a LOT! I'm just rambling and I need to get out the door into the 109 degree weather here in Las Vegas.

Yeah but Paul never ROCKS like the Beach Boys do on Wild Honey. Jim Morrison liked Wild Honey for a REASON.

[Rob Dean]

I come from the old stock of Beach Boys fandom and I have enjoyed "The Beach Boys Love You" from the very day of its release in 1977. It is pure, simple genius. As far as listening to it, I place it right there with "The Beach Boys Today!" and "Sunflower".

Totally agree ................................................... GREAT Album , and the bass lines are superb

[phirnis]

There are times when I listen to Love You on a daily basis. 

[summerinparadise.flac]

Love You is great but I enjoyed it alot more when I was more of a Brianista. I can't go as far to say that its better than Pet Sounds. I'd say its slightly better than the Adult/Child stuff.
 That said, the ballads are perfect Brian Wilson songs.

[rogerlancelot]

I personally prefer McCartney's first album over Wild Honey but only because I grew up on McCartney and only got my SS/WH two-fer 11 years ago. I also prefer SS over WH. Love You is an all together different beast from Pet Sounds. I love both on an equal level and I consider them peaks in the BB years. Oddly enough I usually find myself listening to Pet Sounds in the summer and Love You in the winter but not always necessarily so. Come to think of it, I play them both a LOT! I'm just rambling and I need to get out the door into the 109 degree weather here in Las Vegas.

Yeah but Paul never ROCKS like the Beach Boys do on Wild Honey. Jim Morrison liked Wild Honey for a REASON.

What??? Paul never ROCKS like Wild Honey??? 

I like "Aren't You Glad", "Let The Wind Blow", "Darlin'" and "Country Air" but I sometimes skip the whole album on my twofer and jump from Smiley Smile to the bonus tracks. Wild Honey to me shows that the Beach Boys just didn't have the chops to play as a self-contained band. That probably won't be a very popular statement here but it is one I truly believe in, so there!

IT BURNS!!!

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[Don_Zabu]

I'm not gonna lie: the only way I can really enjoy Love You is by speeding up the tempo and beefing up the bass in Audacity. Once you hear it like that, the regular album sounds like it's in slow motion.

[nobody is a chode]

I personally prefer McCartney's first album over Wild Honey but only because I grew up on McCartney and only got my SS/WH two-fer 11 years ago. I also prefer SS over WH. Love You is an all together different beast from Pet Sounds. I love both on an equal level and I consider them peaks in the BB years. Oddly enough I usually find myself listening to Pet Sounds in the summer and Love You in the winter but not always necessarily so. Come to think of it, I play them both a LOT! I'm just rambling and I need to get out the door into the 109 degree weather here in Las Vegas.

Yeah but Paul never ROCKS like the Beach Boys do on Wild Honey. Jim Morrison liked Wild Honey for a REASON.

What??? Paul never ROCKS like Wild Honey??? 

I like "Aren't You Glad", "Let The Wind Blow", "Darlin'" and "Country Air" but I sometimes skip the whole album on my twofer and jump from Smiley Smile to the bonus tracks. Wild Honey to me shows that the Beach Boys just didn't have the chops to play as a self-contained band. That probably won't be a very popular statement here but it is one I truly believe in, so there!

IT BURNS!!!

Strange, the "self-contained" band thing is one main reason why I dig Honey so much - I'm listening to Country Air right now. Love that live version from 1970 or whenever too.

[nobody is a chode]

I'm not gonna lie: the only way I can really enjoy Love You is by speeding up the tempo and beefing up the bass in Audacity. Once you hear it like that, the regular album sounds like it's in slow motion.

I also beef up the bass on every Beach Boys/BW thing I listen to. I raise the bass and mids. All their records sound sort of flat to me without significant EQing on my part.

[rogerlancelot]

"Country Air" is a great song and there is the nice live version from Big Sur 1970. But I feel the Beach Boys always  benefited from an augmented line up in concert. Listen to anything live from 1968 on and compare it to say the late '67 shows on A Vocal Harmony. I will say that Dennis became a kick-ass drummer by 1980 or so.

[nobody is a chode]

"Country Air" is a great song and there is the nice live version from Big Sur 1970. But I feel the Beach Boys always  benefited from an augmented line up in concert. Listen to anything live from 1968 on and compare it to say the late '67 shows on A Vocal Harmony. I will say that Dennis became a kick-ass drummer by 1980 or so.

I'm not too familiar with their live performances but I've always liked "Lei'd In Hawaii" for the Smiley-like take on some of their songs. Always thought Brian was onto something very cool there that was left virtually unexplored thereafter.

Weren't Brian and Dennis (maybe Carl?) on acid at that show, too?

[Myk Luhv]

"Country Air" is a great song and there is the nice live version from Big Sur 1970. But I feel the Beach Boys always  benefited from an augmented line up in concert. Listen to anything live from 1968 on and compare it to say the late '67 shows on A Vocal Harmony. I will say that Dennis became a kick-ass drummer by 1980 or so.

I'm not too familiar with their live performances but I've always liked "Lei'd In Hawaii" for the Smiley-like take on some of their songs. Always thought Brian was onto something very cool there that was left virtually unexplored thereafter.

Weren't Brian and Dennis (maybe Carl?) on acid at that show, too?

I forget where I read this -- I want to say on here, but I dunno -- but I think Brian convinced all the Boys to take acid before doing the show, hence its shoddy performance (that, and the fact whoever was on bass [Al and Bruce?] were not bass players at all and only played bass because Brian was playing the organ.

[rogerlancelot]

"Country Air" is a great song and there is the nice live version from Big Sur 1970. But I feel the Beach Boys always  benefited from an augmented line up in concert. Listen to anything live from 1968 on and compare it to say the late '67 shows on A Vocal Harmony. I will say that Dennis became a kick-ass drummer by 1980 or so.

I'm not too familiar with their live performances but I've always liked "Lei'd In Hawaii" for the Smiley-like take on some of their songs. Always thought Brian was onto something very cool there that was left virtually unexplored thereafter.

Weren't Brian and Dennis (maybe Carl?) on acid at that show, too?

We are talking about two nights of shoddy performances. I do know (judging by the video of "God Only Knows" in American Band - music from a concert over a year later) that Brian is definitely on either speed or coke due to his "gnawing". Brian always says he only tried acid twice. Dennis more times than that but he had given it up after his Manson experiences. Maybe Ed Roach would know more of this.

Speaking of acid, I haven't even seen any in over 10 years but I spent most of that time living in the deep South (Louisiana) where I don't think it was ever really that popular of a drug anyway. I've had plenty of psilocybin experiences during that time though.

I forget where I read this -- I want to say on here, but I dunno -- but I think Brian convinced all the Boys to take acid before doing the show, hence its shoddy performance (that, and the fact whoever was on bass [Al and Bruce?] were not bass players at all and only played bass because Brian was playing the organ.

[nobody is a chode]

Brian convinced Bruce, Al and Mike to take acid? Were they all at that show or was Mike in India with the Beatles and brown Jesus?

I don't believe Brian only had acid twice. Seems more like he was probably taking it all the time. Acid is like a huge deal the first few times you do it, after that it's more familiar and you can take it as much as you want. It's fairly benign.

"Taking it as much as you want" doesn't mean at any dosage. Even if you've had a thousand trips, a huge dose of strong acid could still f*** your sh*t up fast. Or if you simply take small amounts too often, might end up in a mental hospital talking to books and plants.

[Ron]

I agree Love You is a genius album, but largely because it kind of accurately portray's Brian's talent.  Not perfect, often horrid, not always pretty, often one of a kind.  "Mona" alone proves the guy is a genius. 

[Jim V.]

What's up with the obsession with drugs "socoldigoburr". I mean I enjoy chemical stimulation a bit, but I think you are overdoing on  getting a schizophrenic 68 year old man high on blow. Or really anybody for that matter. Plus, I don't even think he was on any drugs during the Love You sessions. I don't think went back to that until like the MIU or LA period.

But otherwise, yeah it would be cool to see Brian do some more raw stuff however. I bet the coke gives him a heart attack and the hash would put him to sleep. And I'm afraid to see what the man would be after anohter hit of acid.

[nobody is a chode]

What's up with the obsession with drugs "socoldigoburr". I mean I enjoy chemical stimulation a bit, but I think you are overdoing on  getting a schizophrenic 68 year old man high on blow. Or really anybody for that matter. Plus, I don't even think he was on any drugs during the Love You sessions. I don't think went back to that until like the MIU or LA period.

But otherwise, yeah it would be cool to see Brian do some more raw stuff however. I bet the coke gives him a heart attack and the hash would put him to sleep. And I'm afraid to see what the man would be after anohter hit of acid.

I'm of the opinion that none of Brian's "problems" mentally (beyond addiction) were caused by drug use.

Most drugs are surprisingly benign. The body recovers SO well from drugs. People think that they'll take a drug and be screwed for life. It's more myth in the Brian Wilson story, and you all eat it up. Brian himself believes it simply because so many people have told him. It's an easy way to distance his problems from himself, to attribute them to some other cause beyond himself. There are people who have taken LSD thousands of times and are as sane as Jeff Foskett. Well, that's a bad example, because Jeff hates Love You and that's INSANE.

[gsmile]

There are people who have taken LSD thousands of times and are as sane as Jeff Foskett. Well, that's a bad example, because Jeff hates Love You and that's INSANE.

   This is sooo my new signature.

[Jason]

What's up with the obsession with drugs "socoldigoburr". I mean I enjoy chemical stimulation a bit, but I think you are overdoing on  getting a schizophrenic 68 year old man high on blow. Or really anybody for that matter. Plus, I don't even think he was on any drugs during the Love You sessions. I don't think went back to that until like the MIU or LA period.

But otherwise, yeah it would be cool to see Brian do some more raw stuff however. I bet the coke gives him a heart attack and the hash would put him to sleep. And I'm afraid to see what the man would be after anohter hit of acid.

I'm of the opinion that none of Brian's "problems" mentally (beyond addiction) were caused by drug use.

Most drugs are surprisingly benign. The body recovers SO well from drugs. People think that they'll take a drug and be screwed for life. It's more myth in the Brian Wilson story, and you all eat it up. Brian himself believes it simply because so many people have told him. It's an easy way to distance his problems from himself, to attribute them to some other cause beyond himself. There are people who have taken LSD thousands of times and are as sane as Jeff Foskett. Well, that's a bad example, because Jeff hates Love You and that's INSANE.

Uhhhhhhhhh dude...you do know he's been diagnosed with brain damage due to his cocaine habit, not to mention the Landy-prescribed drugs? Yeah, they cause no harm whatsoever.

[nobody is a chode]

Uhhhhhhhhh dude...you do know he's been diagnosed with brain damage due to his cocaine habit, not to mention the Landy-prescribed drugs? Yeah, they cause no harm whatsoever.

If brain damage results in albums like Love You ... perhaps we could all use a bit of it.

And then we'll have, y'know, world peace.

[buddhahat]

So cold I go burr, please post more often - really enjoyed opening post. Was listening to the love you demos out driving in the country with my kids yesterday - sun flickering through the trees. Such beautiful music. Brian hits the saddest chords ever during this period. Don't think he'll ever find those chords again, which is bad for us but good for him. He can do the joyous stuff still though i.e message man and nothing but love, so maybe he's still capable of a love you 2. Maybe this is what pleasure island might've been or might yet turn out to be!?