The Smiley Smile Message Board

I was just listening to Pet Sounds as I was looking at posters of the Beach Boys (because I want to put one in game room) and I seen a picture with everyone dressed up except for Dennis and Brian...Brian looks like he didn't even try to get fixed up or care that it was a photo shoot. He's wearing a bathrobe and has his hair all messy (with a puzzled look on his face that's hard to explain) ..For some strange reason I felt bad as if he was someone I actually knew or was close to. (weird, I know) ..I wonder if any of the boys tried to help him get it together and at least try to get him to take care of his health,get him dressed & active.
It's so heartbreaking to see a musical genius in that state of mind/being...It's like looking at Syd Barrett after the drugs he took in a vegetable state. Does it bother any of you this much?
I'm happy that Brian finally has it together and at least half of mind is there.. He is (we are) really lucky that he's alive because many LSD casualties didn't make it past the 60's.

I've mentioned Brian's story to my girlfriend and she wasn't sad but fascinated in how his drug use played a big part in him being a recluse and mentally unstable. (I thought it was interesting too but more than anything I thought it was devastating and can't help but wonder where the boys would be if he just managed to pull it all together and kept making amazing music with the group.)

Yeah, it does. In two ways, actually. I can't help but think of all the great music Brian didn't make because of his condition. And most of all, it's a human tragedy. It ended well, I guess, but the guy spent his best years being not well. And it is sad. A guy who has given me musically more than anyone would have deserved some happiness and good life. Alas, it was not to be at the time, but better late than never.

lawl, newguy, I love ya and all, but you gotta let go of this "Brian really lost his mind after Pet Sounds. Oh GOD WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN. THE LOSS. THE PAIN. HE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIS ATTEMPTS AT MUSIC AFTER THAT. I MEAN I GUESS IT'S OKAY THAT HE'S CONTINUED, I'M GLAD HE'S ALIVE, BUT OH WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN" thing that seems to come up every fifth time you post.

Brian has been varying degrees of productive ever since 1961 and has always had something worthwhile to offer when he steps up to the plate (which he did for almost every single Beach Boys album as well as a lot of stuff that didn't make albums). He wasn't a vegetable or anything close. Lots of people don't give a sh*t to get dressed for something as trivial as a photo shoot. Less people should care about sh*t like that, really.

He's probably not as "lost" as you read into in every single photo you look at, he's probably thinking about sandwiches. Yes, he probably was a bit "lost" in a few of those, but most of the time? Sandwiches. Women. Birthday cake. Music. Phil Spector. "Be My Baby". sh*t like that. sh*t that's worth mentally checking out for and getting lost in instead of focusing your energy on a photo shoot.

He's had some very rough times and is a little worse for wear, but come on. "What could have been" is a hypothetical and doesn't go very far. Consider what was and what is and you'll find a wealth of brilliance is already there and always has been.

p.s. u kno i luv u <3 <3 <3 <3 just sayin', though.

That's exactly how I feel. :( When I seen the movie (An American Family) with her and it showed Brian's mental breakdown she thought it was funny and laughed at his eccentric behavior.  It really pissed me off because that wasn't some junkie hooked on drugs it's someone that I admire/respect and has brought me happiness through music.

@ runnersdialzero! ;D I know but I can't help but feel sad after watching "An American Family". Brian seemed so happy/optimistic during the Pet Sounds era and once that didn't do as well as he expected (at the time) and  Smile started he started to become more & more depressed and disappointed in himself. Everything from that point on became even more hectic for him and the boys and you can hear it in the music. Then hearing stories about him pulling over giving up after hearing "Strawberry Fields" just breaks my heart because if he didn't give up he could've made music that would've easily topped anything the Beatles did post 1967.

Well that movie doesn't tell it like it is. Brian had sad days before he had a major breakdown, and he had good days even at his worst. It's not a case of him being on a constant bummer. Maybe it got close at times from 1973-82, but the in's and outs of Brian is complex. He didn't suddenly freak out after Smile never leaving his room, he had a gradually worsening depression that at times had him relatively inactive. The drugs weren't a real issue in the sixties, and if there's anything to really feel sad about its what Landy did to him. The drugs he was given by that ass caused more damage than cocaine, acid, and herion combined.

But by then (Landy era) He was long gone and although it was still sad he was way past his prime so it doesn't hit me as hard as it does in the later 60's. By the 80's most of his contemporaries were washed up anyways or out of the business.
He contributed so much to Pop music but if he held it all together for at least 5 more years who knows how much would be now. Maybe they would be more respected (whenever I mention them people think they are an oldie group rather than one of the most innovative groups of all time) and had a better legacy. (Sure his whole mental breakdown adds a little spice to their story but I care more about their music then their story to be honest.)

I just listen to the moog on "I Saw Santa Rockin' Around", close my eyes and think: Yes, he is still here.

Don't take anything in that movie as gospel. It's not like if you watch An American Family you know all about the Beach Boys story and what Brian went through in an accurate manner.

Brian was not 'long gone' in either part of The Landy Years. Arguably, yes, he was past his prime, but who wouldn't be??  He still made worthwhile music (check out his 1988 solo album if you haven't), and still did coherent interviews. It's not like he was sitting there babbling 24/7.

Brian would not have been any more respected if he were so-called healthier after doing "Pet Sounds." His musical taste was out of step with the public at that time, for the most part. His drug use and mental illness and semi-reclusiveness helped him become a legend.

Firstly, he wasn't 'long gone' in the eighties. He was -- and had been for decades -- suffering from an untreated, but not an untreatable, mental illness. Landy actually caused significant irreversible brain damage, as far as anyone can tell.

Secondly, do you realise how callous you sound here? Brian's illness makes you sad, not because he's a human being who's suffered horrifically, but because you (think you) missed out on some music..

And in the five years after Smile, Brian produced some of his best music -- Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, Friends, 20/20, Sunflower and Surf's Up all hold up wonderfully against anything pre-Pet Sounds. Brian's health didn't really become awful until after Murry's death.

Please stop basing your opinions on a tenth-rate made-for-TV film rather than on reality.

Nice one, Hickey. Reminds me of Richard Carpenter's comment about Karen's death in the Behind The Music episode on the Carpenters: "When I think of all the great records we could have made...". It's your SISTER, idiot, who cares about the records!

"Reminds me of Richard Carpenter's comment about Karen's death in the Behind The Music episode on the Carpenters: "When I think of all the great records we could have made...". It's your SISTER, idiot, who cares about the records!"

Nice one, Ian.

Freddy Weller's Brian Wilson breakdown is bad.  Your girlfriend laughed at it for good reason. Remember Elizabeth Berkley's caffeine pill breakdown in that very special saved by the bell? Sort of the same , except a fictional portrayal of a musician, one you have tender feelings for. I get that. I don't think David Ruffin's problems were funny, I have tender feelings for I wish it would rain,  but I sure as hell laugh at the ridiculous "he's clearly spiraling into addiction now" parts in  The Temptations movie. "I'M DAVID RUFFIN!!!!!"

:lol I laughed when he stole the mic from Dennis ,started barging into their shows and soaking up all the attention/taking the spotlight. :p

yeah..not funny with brian though, he's so sensitive and white

 :p

It used to make me sad when people would laugh at Elvis, but you realize eventually that some people just aren't fans, or as serious a listener as you are. You're buddies aren't as absorbed in the music as you are, you're force feeding them a diet of Elvis, so all they will get out of it is a cheap laugh,  as  a way to maintain their sanity and as a way to maintain interest in the activity at hand(you force feeding them Elvis), cos they can't come right out and say "I don't give a sh*t about Elvis, okay!" ...and as far as mourning for what could have been, I'm glad to have had only the briefest of phases where  Col Tom Parker was a big meanie, if it wasn't for him Elvis would have been a great actor and if only he would have cleaned up, he would have recorded so much , think what he could have done!!!! Such a waste of time, when a lifetime of music is yours to savor, you just need to wrap up the whole mourning phase. This might apply for The Beach Boys, as well.  Just a thought.

I pretty much feel the same way ^^^^. I do feel sorry on a personal level because of all the years of pain and suffering that Brian endured and is still enduring because of his illness and substance abuse. I often think of the percentage of happy times versus unhappy times that Brian experienced. It cost Brian his first marriage to Marilyn, it severely affected his father/daughter relationship with Carnie and Wendy, and his relationships with his brothers, musicians, and friends was affected, too. But, it also affected Brian's relationship with his first love - his music - and I believe Brian truly knows what he lost there.

I don't care if I appear callous or selfish. I often think about what the world lost in terms of what Brian Wilson could've produced - and didn't. He was so young, age 25 -26, when he peaked musically. That's a lot of years of downward spiraling. Yeah, Newguy562, you raise a subject that if we BB diehards are honest, does cross our minds and brings sadness. It's painful to watch any video of Brian from 1963-1966 and not FEEL what was lost. When you watch him, especially in those 1966 clips, it brings on feelings of awe and otherworldliness (is that a word?). And then you fast forward to what he became, yes, it's heartbreaking, a human tragedy. And I don't apologize for feeling that way.

^
That made me even sadder. Too true. The guy was put on this planet to make music, but The illness interfered. This may be pushing it, but in case of Brian it almost feels you can't separate the musical and personal sides of his life/being/whatever from each other.

Agreed, it makes sad how he fought his growing illness hard fom 1963-1973, then gave up from 1974-1975 with horrible results.

I've never felt so bad for any artist that went through depression or tough times. When I was a kid I loved Michael Jackson's music but once his lifestyle started spiraling out of control and he started making all this paranoia music I quickly got over him and completely lost interest in his music. With Brian it's different he had so much potential and was so young when all this happened. (Sure he reached his peak with Pet Sounds but if the amazing Smile could've been finished then would that be his peak? There are moments in that album that blew me away more than Pet Sounds and who knows what would've came after that and so on.) He seemed so depressed and loss touch with reality to the point that decades passed by him and it only felt like a small vacation to him. (He even said that in an interview.) The drugs brought out the best in him musically but it also came with a price. (It took so many years off his life and almost shattered his mind.)

Paranoia music?

I think it's incredibly sad when ANYONE has a mental illness or drug addiction, regardless of how they do or do not affect me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P4A1K4lXDo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNJL6nfu__Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEEMi2j6lYE

Well it's even worse when that person has talent and a gift that they could share with the world.

You could look at it another way in that the music that Brian completed in an amazingly short period of time may have been due to being ill, too, sort of a type of manic phase. It may also have inspired him in ways that people without such an illness would not be capable of. He was lucky to have completed so many commercially and artistically successful pieces of music in such a short burst  and that it also provided him with a lifetime of financial security. Brian had sad times, but overall his life has been really happy compared to most people with his health history. I've never felt he short-changed himself or the world.  I think Brian would consider himself a lucky man indeed.

And he did. A lot of folks who are in his position aren't able to, but he did.

That's exactly how I feel. :( When I seen the movie (An American Family) with her and it showed Brian's mental breakdown she thought it was funny and laughed at his eccentric behavior.  It really pissed me off because that wasn't some junkie hooked on drugs it's someone that I admire/respect and has brought me happiness through music. [/quote]

"Some junkie hooked on drugs"    That attitude makes me sad.  

"Some junkie hooked on drugs"    That attitude makes me sad.  
[/quote]
Well it's the truth...Brian's special.  ;D

Indeed.

I know it sounds f*cked up but Brian is more important than an average Junkie. (I know we are all equal but Brian is not a human he's a musical prophet.)  :P

I think to call Brian Wilson a flat out 'junkie' is a mistake- you need to look his life from different perspectives and from different time periods. Of course this is more opinion based from an outsider's view than anything - but Brian's drug taking in the mid 60s seemed to be farther than anything resembling junkie status - he was more intellectually stimulating musically and creatively than ever before. He was tuned in. I love reading interviews and articles about him from this time - surely some of it was Derek Taylor hype, but his attitudes were progressive and he seemed very fast-witted.

His quote/unquote cocaine years are an entirely different thing - it wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that he used drugs in that period to take him away from his personal hell.

And, to your above post - Brian is human, far more human than most of us here. He just had a very unique and individual talent. He is no more important than anyone else just because of his fame and I don't think he'd want you to think he is.

Right on, Ego.

His fame?  :lol I don't give a damn about how famous he is. He is above us all his talents puts him on a pedestal ..How could you even compare him to a regular like you? (What gift do you have? ...thank you.  :P)

You seriously think that? It's not even worth doing this, because I can't tell if you're a troll or just a misguided soul. But, whatever....

Brian Wilson is more talented than all of the SS board members combined. But what makes Brian Wilson a better human being than anyone else???? Talent doesn't make you a fucking prophet. The man is a musical genius. He isn't God. Worship his talent and his presence all you want - that's fine. I find more religion in Brian's music than I do in, well, anything. But, the man sleeps, eats, drinks....he's no different in that regard. His sh*t stinks, too.

And I don't appreciate the "what gift do you have" remark. There are a few choice adjectives I'd like to use, pal. I won't.

Newguy is and has always been a troll. he's just doing it slightly more subtly now.

That.  Or he's 13.   

I'm 15 now thank you very much  :P lol jk

Hey I don't like to be called that  >:( I might say some outrageous stuff on here but I'm far from a troll.

Yeah I don't get the whole "oh but he could have been so much more" type thing. Despite what the shitty movies and documentaries say, he was still quite an exciting artist after SMiLE. He did a lot of cool stuff from 1967-1974 and also some more cool stuff after. Possibly more than other "fully functioning" artists. So instead of keeping on about the "myth" I think it's better that we listen to the actual music he really did make and dig that.


Ain't nobody coming to see you, OTIS!

(Which I agree with by the way. How is there still a Temptations out there that doesn't include David, Eddie, Paul, or Blue? Or even Dennis? Since 4 of them aren't alive, perhaps it's time to retire the name.)

on here? more like everywhere on the internet.

http://www.musicbanter.com/lounge/62735-homies-cheating-girlfriend.html

you must be pretty bored to do this to various different groups of people.

SHOCK AND AWE!!!

And from that other thread

It's time this poor excuse of a soap opera came to an end.

You have no intention of taking anybodies advice and are now just trolling.

Closed.


Read more: http://www.musicbanter.com/lounge/62735-homies-cheating-girlfriend-8.html#ixzz2Bbpn5oiM

I'm just going to say here, in this thread, that I wish there would be a time when people stopped construing genius as some kind of inexplicable talent flowing from its creator that cannot be completely understood by analysis, that there is always something "more" to the creation. (Of course, as I've said before [argued for expertly in Battersby 1989], exactly that notion of genius is given to us by the Romantics, virtually unchanged.) I think Brian Wilson himself honestly did say it best when he quipped that he's just hard-working.

You follow me from site to site it's just creepy as hell...Stop being such a lurker.. :lol
I know you love the beach boys but I also know you're my biggest fan  :P

OH. MY. GOD. can you guys just stay on topic sometimes? seriously who gives a frickin' care about the op's private life?

He cares  :P such a creeper...I know many of us sympathize for Brian but what about Denny?

+1 and Spring is great too.

Put Brian on a pedestal ?  Two things:

1. There are posters here who could tell you BW stories that would make your eyebrows fall out.

2 . The Bloo is that way.  :old

Tell me at least one story.  :angel:

Wow, this is really really sad. You will look back on this phase in your fandom and laugh... or wince in embarrassment.

I'm sad that beachboyscentral.com is still not up and running.

It makes me sad everytime I see a thread by newguy.  :'(

 :p

You big ole meany  :lol

I've got to hand it to ya Newguy,  you have the hide of a rhino  :-\

:lol Don't be so cruel to me.

T'isn't cruelty,  just confusion, after all the slings that are shot at you, I would be hot-tailing it outta here with my tail between my legs.

Not that I want you to leave..  you just say some unfeeling dumbass things sometimes  :-D

;) I never do it intentionally to disturb or upset any of you. What I said about Brian being above the average person I stand 100% behind.  ;D