The Smiley Smile Message Board

Ok, what music does/did Brian listen?

I know of course that he digs the Beatles, Spector, Gershwin and Bacharach. But I was for example surprised that he loves "Dark Side Of The Moon". And according to the Queen-thread he digs "Bohemian Rhapsody". He likes Wendy Carlos' "Switched On Bach" and "What´s Going On" by Marvin Gaye. He listens to mexican radio-stations. He recently stated that he likes Oasis and Green Day. Last year he was at a Coldplay-concert. And I also guess he likes the Wondermints.

Is there anything else known?

He likes Kenny Rogers and Billy Joel and 'One More Night' by Phil Collins.  And Rosemary Clooney.  You also forgot to mention the Four Freshmen!  Brian's quite big on MOR/easy listening really.

He also like Nat King Cole and of course listens to Chuck Berry and Rock'n'Roll.

Where did he say he liked Green Day?

He likes Randy Newman, especially the Sail Away album (he played it a lot in Holland).

I read that he liked Green Day as well. Don't know the website off hand. It was in an interview I believe

He said that he liked The Magic Numbers who supported him on some dates in UK last year.  It's ironic if he likes Oasis considering what Noel Gallagher has said about him and The Beach Boys.  But I wonder if he really does have much time or enthusiasm for these more 'modern day' acts.  

There was one thing I was surprised to hear.  At an event in London last year he claimed never to have heard Love's 'Forever Changes'.

more surprising still was his claim in dublin never to have heard pacific ocean blue. I thought for a moment david leaf was gonna say "cmon brian you've heard that" but he stayed quiet

What, he likes Green Day? That's so cool... I never expected he could like anything that simple and noisy.

Well, I may be wrong but I seem to have a memory of reading somewhere of Brian's enthusiasm for POB at the time of it's release.  Is Brian 'having us on' with these remarks or does he just not remember...or what?!

Oh, I also forgot Bob Dylan. Hearing Dylan was one of the reasons why he hired Van Dyke. And of course he sings Dylan-songs to his son Dylan every night. Makes sense.

Reading this thread made me realize what a broad spectrum of music Brian listens to. And then he says in every single interview that he only listens to Spector.  ::)

I've never heard that specific information with regard to hiring VDP.  Of course, it fits in very well with the general game raising effect Dylan was having across the board with the ambitions and competitiveness of mere 'pop stars' at the time.

Otherwise, didn't Brian say, in the 1960s, that he was worried Dylan was going to 'destroy' music?!  I've heard that Dylan sings Mr Tambourine Man to his children - this was a comment supplied in response to a recent poll on Dylan songs in Mojo magazine.  I can't help wondering whether it's more of a Byrds version that is sung rather than the Dylan one.

Still I'm amused at the thought of Dylan singing his children to sleep with a rendition of 'It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)'?!  What you wouldn't give to hear that?!

Maybe I´m mixing things up, but I think in "Beautiful Dreamer", Brian said he heard Dylan on the radio and that inspired him to have some "more artistic and poetic lyrics". Which is why he hired Van Dyke.

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't remember that specifically being said about Dylan in the film.  However, his general effect, even on an indirect level, was to push all of the main musical players of the era in a more artistic and experimental direction. 

Brian mentioned during a number of "Pet Sounds" concerts that "I Know There's An Answer" had a "social lyric, a Bob Dylan-type lyric". Certainly, the Byrds covering Dylan would have had an effect on Brian in '65 suggesting that rock/pop music could/should have more substantial lyrics. I've often thought that Parks' surrealism was at least partly inspired by what Dylan had been doing for the previous year. Some of the "Surf's Up" lyrics in particular seem to be distant cousins to Dylan's "Visions Of Johanna" ("Inside the museums, infinity goes up on trial", "Jewels and binoculars hang from the head of the mule", etc.).

brian's definitely heard POB and in fact has said he loved it in more than one interview. I'm wondering how that question was put to him? If someone said POB or Pacific ocean Blue it might not have jogged his memory, as opposed to someone saying Dennis' solo LP. I have an interview Brian gave to an east coast radio DJ just a few months ago... and in it he says he liked Dennis solo record, but that he DID NOT  like Carl's two.

In Beautiful Dreamer he says "My Obsession" is his favorite Rolling Stones song.   :afro

Actually, that's in the "Brian Wilson On Tour" DVD. Brian had a very personal connection to that song inasmuch as he was present in the studio when the Stones were recording it. He also claimed to be so hopelessly stoned (excuse pun) that he couldn't find his way out of the studio. Normally this is the kind of thing Brian would now call a bad experience, but for some reason he picks that song as his favorite from Mick & Co.

Sometimes getting too stoned is a terrible experience. On the other hand, over-indulging often leads to fabulous things.

I read in a book (can't remember which, but it was about the Stones) that Brian was also present for the Stone's song "Goin home" and even played piano on it. Anyone know if it's true?

Just another aspect of Brian Wilson's life that always leaves me perplexed -  his "seemingly" general lack of interest in listening to (a lot of) music.

Brian once said (in 1984) , "What more is there to life than music, anyway". Yet, when asked what artists/songs he is listening to, Brian usually mentions merely a few, instead of rattling off a nice list.

Of course, this could be his typical interview answer - lacking the truth -  when maybe he is listening to music 16 hours a day. It just seems that a "music man" like Brian would have an extremely large collection of records/CD's, would be a "fan" of music, and would be listening to CD's constantly. Who knows, maybe he is...

Maybe he's like some of us here who tend to obsessively analyze a certain album or song?

I can imagine I won't get through much music my whole life. I tend to find a group and then dig a hole into their being and never leave for years.

Heh. "Are you furo do burros high?"

I detect alot of the Beach Boys in Green Day's music.. probably not intentionally on their part, but it's there.

brian liked Phil Spector, didnt he?    :lol

I have an interview Brian gave to an east coast radio DJ just a few months ago... and in it he says he liked Dennis solo record, but that he DID NOT  like Carl's two.


He's always right, isn't he? I'm not surprised he feels this way, but it's interesting that he actually admits to this. Any more details about this interview? Did he specify why he didn't like Carl's albums?

As far as Brian liking Pacific Ocean Blue, I do remember at least one interview in which he praised it. I also remember him saying that Dennis had learned a lot from him.

In an interview done before POB was released Brian praised the album and told that Dennis used to play him tapes of songs in progress and wanted to know if Brian likes them.

A lot of Californian melodic punk rock bands were influenced by The Beach Boys. Take The Queers for instance, they have a Beach Boys cover on almost every album they've ever done and they even called one of their albums Don't Back Down. Pennywise recorded two Beach Boys covers as well.

Not Californian, or plastic-"punk", but The Jesus & Mary Chain did a brutal 'Surfin USA'.

As far as i can recollect it was put to him as dennis's solo album pacific ocean blue. I think he knew what the question was, he just did not feel like talking about it (wanted to get away as quick as possible)

I wonder if Brian's heard and likes My Bloody Valentine.

He has, and he does.

"WOW! I LOVE Kevin Shields! Loveless just blew me away. Knocked me clean outta my keds!"
Qmagazine
October 1996

I, too, seem to remember hearing that Brian was a Four Freshmen fan... but what about the Hi-Lo's? Up here, on a TV station with the most uncool monicker of 'Cool TV', is shown a program from the 50's called 'The Rosemary Clooney Show'. I didn't know that Brian is a Rosemary Clooney fan (she was great); featured on this show was The Hi-Lo's, a jazz quartet of male singers with some hair-raising high harmonies. The bandleader on this show was Nelson Riddle, at his 1956 arranging peak.  Seems that the Hi-Lo's were recording artists in their own right, as well as doing jingles and commercials. Does anyone remember Brian mentioning these guys, or any other 50's vocal groups besides the FF, as influences?

I have an interview with Dennis from 1977 in which he mentions the Hi Lo's as being a big influence on the BB's vocal sound(after he'd first mentioned the Four Freshman). The dee jay seems stunned...saying he hadn't heard the name Hi Lo's in so many years. I thought it was really cool that Dennis pulled that one out. Not the kind of name-check you usually heard on rock radio in 1977.

That's awesome! Good to know! Thanks for the quote.

I think Brian probably likes The Crows (original artists of "Gee").

Yeah, he mentioned that at some interview, but I can't remember which...

My favorite quote of his about POB (from a tape of a radio interview in the '70s) is where he said he told his brother, "I said, 'Dennis, that's FUNKY!  That's FUNK-EE-EE-EEy!!'"

PS:  No one mentioned another singer he has said he's fond of -- Perry Como.