The Smiley Smile Message Board

A new forum has been created specifically for the Q&A event with Brian Wilson scheduled for Monday. A special post has been created there with all details, descriptions of how the Q&A will be taking place, and all other pertinent information. PLEASE read that announcement in the new forum prior to posting anything there. That forum is in place specifically and only to post your questions to Brian, and is the forum which Brian will be replying to during the session itself.

Please address any comments, questions, or other issues and concerns to this thread only. Again, the new forum is specifically for the Q&A. Anything else will be deleted immediately.

Anyone repeatedly violating or ignoring these points will be subject to an immediate ban.

This announcement is being posted just over 24 hours prior to Brian's appearance on the board. If you have a question, please post it there. If you have already posted a question which you would like Brian to see on Monday to one of the "informal" question threads, you must repost it in the new Q&A forum according to the instructions posted there. If you are aware of anyone who may want to post a question but might not consider logging in today, perhaps you could contact them and let them know what's happening. Get the questions in now, in the specific forum for them, and it will be ready to go tomorrow.

Again, please post comments or questions about the session here, and not in the new event forum.

Thanks!

The subject box is specific about the number of letters you can use as a title.  As such...there really isn't enough allowance to be able to post anything meaningful question wise.  Can you guys free up the space to be able to type in maybe 3 times the number of letters than might normally be the case?  Double anyway?

Thanks.

This issue was raised (I'll check on the lettering limit, though), but the way it's being done is to allow the basic topic of the question to appear, then the "new topics" can be opened as they're seen and answered like a regular post by Brian. It will be easier to see the ones which have been replied to already.

Sorry.  I thought the instructions said post the question in the topic/subject window and repeat it in the message box.  No?  So...just the gist of the question in the window and then the full question in the message box is the route to take?

Or wait 'til you guys decide which way to go?

We may need to work with the limitations. If the question has too many words, try this:

TOPIC: Touring in 2015?

MESSAGE: The actual question text.

Avoid "Hi Brian!" "Welcome Brian" types of comments and post the general topic of the question. Most should be ok. Use the message body itself to word your questions.

EDIT: Our fellow board member "Challenger Putney" just posted a perfect example of how this will work best in the new forum. Thanks, Challenger!

OK...Thanks.

There's one phrase in the How-to:

"Please post one question in a new topic."

Does that mean questions are limited to one each? Just to prevent misunderstandings.

Micha, thanks for asking: Yes, that means one question each. Each poster can post one question, and for the limited time involved, the questions should be kept short and to the point so as many posters' questions as possible can be answered.

As it's limited to one question per member:
 If a member decides they want to change their question, or ask a completely different one, should they change it at their original posting or delete the first one and post a new question?  

As I haven't seen this question, is there a time limit or deadline for submitting questions?  or can they be added right up to and including while Brian is online? 

While I can't say there would be a better format, what I get from this one:  Brian will skim down the list and pick the questions most to his liking( his choice obviously) and probably not choose ones which have deep involvement or refer to anything older than the last few years. ( I'd love to be pleasantly surprised, tho)

I asked a Beach Boys reunion question. Might roll a few eyes but I'm really curious to hear an answer to it.

I'm certain all the really interesting questions will be covered by other people

Great questions: It would be best to go back and edit both the topic header as well as the question if anyone decides to change their posted question. This will be the best way to keep everything together with the limitations of the board, as well as time limitations.

Multiple posts from the same person will be deleted, again due to time and space requirements.

The plan is to have the questions posted up to the point where Brian starts taking them. After that, no more will be accepted, and those which are will be deleted. This is to keep the "answered" questions at the top of the list so it is known which ones have already been taken. The most recently answered topics/questions will appear at the top with a reply.

I'd also recommend having the F5 refresh button ready and waiting to keep track of everything "live".  :)

link to the new forum: http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php?board=41.0

Reading thru  the member questions, I find that many of them are asking more than one question in the actual message. Will the mods be editing these to one of consensus, or eliminating those questions entirely? 

There's also some redundant questions that should be cut down and one guy who will remain named - joshferrell - asked two questions. Keep the Moog one!

Anyone who posts multiple questions as different topics: Please choose one you want to keep and edit the title out of the one you're discarding, just put the word "edit" or something similar in the title so it can be seen.

Because either way, one of them is getting deleted. It has to be strictly followed for reasons already explained that only one question per board member is enforced.

There have been some posts with multiple or follow up questions, I'd strongly encourage everyone not to do this and to edit the post to make it shorter.

This was recommended specifically on the board several times: Keep it brief, and to the point. The longer and more complex the question is, the less likely you'll see an answer.

Again this is due to the time limitations which are present in almost every web chat situation (and in-person meet-and-greets for the most part with similar time constraints), unless it's open-ended. Keep the questions short and to the point, more can be taken. It is the best way to work a session like this.

Thank you to everyone for your cooperation with all of this!  :)

As you previously posted that multiple posts would be deleted, I think you should stick to your guns! Anyone that posts/has posted multiple times should have all their questions deleted AND be blocked from asking any new ones!!! 

In this case we're trying to balance everything out among all the other planning and preparation going on. We do what we can.

The appeal is to please read and note all of the guidelines that are posted, and stick to those guidelines. It will work out best for everyone.

Thanks.

REMINDER: Please, post only one question per person. We're trying to be fair and give everyone equal chance to post their question and hopefully get an answer. It's spelled out so clearly in the guidelines which were set up for this event there can be no misunderstanding. Please be fair to everyone and follow the guidelines of one post per member, as 99% of those posting have done so far.

I'm contemplating calling my one question thread "I know there's an answer"... ;D

Thank you, guitarfool (and Billy and Smile-Holland) for setting this up so that we can post our questions ahead of time.  I was seriously considering getting up at 4 AM for this session, which would be rather brutal for a weekday.

I would also like to thank Guitarfool, Billy and Smile Holland for setting this up. There'll inevitably be some disappointment with the questions Brian does and doesn't answer but at the end of the day it's a real treat just to have a chance to ask him stuff. Let's hope it proves to be a highlight of the Smiley Smile board for all involved.

Any of those that got their questions in early starting to feel jittery that page 1 of questions might get missed entirely? :neurotic emoticon:

No worries on that, we'll probably extend the nr. of posts shown on one page. It will be one heck of a (long) list, but - hey - with almost 2000 members on this board that was to be expected.  :)

Thanks for doing this, guys! And smart way to structure the Q&A to keep it manageable. Very psyched to see what we get from Brian.

Also, I just noticed that the question I asked is identical to lee's question. Sorry lee (but hopefully it doubles our chances of an answer).  :)

If you want to keep it for a better chance of getting an answer, you can, but remember you can also go back and edit both the topic and the message body to put in a different question if you think it's the same as a question already on the board. It's not too late!  :)

REMINDER: This will be happening on the new Q&A subforum. Go there to watch everything unfold, and the answers to the questions will appear at the top of the page as soon as they are posted. Click on the topic to read those answers as they are posted, then come back to follow what comes next. Do not reply or post anything once the session officially starts.

The refresh key F5 will be very helpful in keeping track of the newest posts, hit it regularly to get the latest updated screen in the forum.

Let's enjoy this one together!  :)

This is so cool..

Thanks to all who made it happen  ;D

Brian, like me is a traditional cheese pizza guy.  I'd love to share a pizza with Brian.  ;D

Tell me when and where.  I'm buying LOL

Forum might crash  :'(

Just wondering - is the ASK Brian forum page all stretched out and weird looking?

Yeah... and the reason is the number of members watching the Q&A page... it stretches the whole thing up . The board's exploding.  ;D

Most users online today: 405        Most users online ever: 405 ( Today at 11:19:27 AM )


 :o :o :o

This is my favourite answer so far.

I really want to hear Brian's demo of Strangers in the Night!!!

:)

Did anybody else just monitor Brian "latest posts" thingy on his member page?

It went well, we didn't crash and everything was done in order. If we ever get to do this again, I would suggest cutting off the question submissions just before the guest signs on, if possible. Posters waiting until the last minute to get in pushed Brian's comments down the board and made it hard to follow early on.

I tried that, but kept getting an error message.

I'll post something specific about this very soon. There were issues with the board that came into play. I'll explain it.

This was a lot of fun and thanks to Brian and the mods for making it happen.  But let's not lose momentum now: the campaign for a Mike Love Q&A session must surely start today!

ME TOO

WHOA!

Yeah, this was a "first time" for all of us. And we did discuss cutting off question submissions, but - as Craig just mentioned - we had to deal with the way this board operates.

But - in all - this was a great happening. 31 questions answered (out of 160) + a welcome and goodbye from Brian. Not bad at all !  :) 

Amazing that not one question was answered that was posted before today.

I knew I should have asked my question at the last minute.

I'm not complaing though, it was fantastic and such a nice thing for him to do

Seriously, what's with that? :-[

No complaints from me. :D

I wonder if he could be persuaded to answer the remaining questions at his leisure - whenever he feels like it.

Maybe for a couple a cheese pizzas?

Thank you to all the powers that be here at the board and at Team Brian for putting this together.  Tons of fun!

Half an hour just wasn't long enough.

The "most honored guest" title was a lovely touch.

Nice one mods  :smokin

Completely agree. Not to sound ungrateful, but...yeah.

 ;D

The only thing that annoyed me with his two Q&As is that he kept saying "big news soon", but he never gave us the big news. He's just teasing us!

Uh, I asked mine yesterday. ::)

That was fun… though some of the answers left me feeling like I walked out of the shop with jelly beans instead of the jelly babies requested!!! ;D

Right in character!

Very Fun Hour.  There were a few he didn't get to that I hope he comes back to answer.  He could do that, right?

My question was from yesterday as well.

I'm incredibly honored that he picked my question, and happy to know the info: that he edited "Meant For You" just cause he liked it that way rather than cause he was pressured by the rest of the group or something. It was a very small and easy question that I doubt would have come up in any "real" interview so I feel really lucky to have that answered.

I'm also really glad that we showed off so much love for Friends & Wild Honey here.

That made me feel like, "Hey, this is a great party, but I've got people showing up at my place. Why don't you come over?"

I did, worked without problems.  ???

It was just a travelling party, starting here at Smiley Smile and continuing to Brian's MB. If he'd stayed later here he might have offended those on his MB. Nothing to stop anyone from going to both sites of course.

I meant that comment as a positive, not a negative. You know, hanging out with Brian… party hopping...

its nice that Brian or his management made time for the fans but most answers were not the answer to the question. That anoid me a little bit and made me wonder if it was Brian who answered the questions.

I still wonder what the big news is.  ???

You can stop wondering: It was Brian.   :)

Totally agree, a fantastic touch.  ;D

Loved the excess of stars too - but how did you ever stop hitting that key?

To be honest, I think it was a really good q&a session, there were a lot of cool questions asked and Brian seemed pretty open about all the nerdy sh*t we all wanted to know about!  I loved all the questions about Friends/LoveYou/Country Air, etc.  Stuff like Brian commenting on his old Baldwin organ, that's priceless stuff there.  I'm glad so many resisted the urge to ask pedestrian stuff and asked him some things he'll never get asked anywhere else. 

Actually, that fact pretty much confirms that it was Brian :)

Yes, it's the fairest call out of every other dumb suggestion ("the man himself", "the reason we're here"...). I agree with Mr. Funky that we shouldn't fall in knees & treat Brian like a totem. That was quite disastrous reading it.

Fall in knees? What does that mean? And how does one treat a totem?

To properly treat a totem, you have to leave it out in the weather for years and years

Probably means falling on your knees,dude.

One would treat a totem with religious devotion.