The Smiley Smile Message Board

Look at Southern California performed on AOL sessions. Maybe it's been "fixed," but I think it's just a really good performance. Brian looks into it and the band looks so pleased for him.

http://music.aol.com/video/southern-california-aol-sessions/brian-wilson/2202949

Yeah, and the "Midnight's Another Day" is nothing to sneeze at, either.

Double wow.

Oh there was definitely some touching up done, but damn if it doesn't sound fantastic.  You're right, Brian really does look into it, like he's actually enjoying himself.  Great to see.

The AOL sessions are great!!!! Especially since you can see Wonderful and Smile too!!!! Love it!

I was just wondering if you have specific knowledge of "the touching up", and what exactly was done. Or are you just assuming it was done?

But anyway, I think they are spectacular too. And I see a new BG vocalist in the band, Paul von Mertens.

I also like Mike D'Amico's drum work much better than Todd Sucherman's. Mike seems to have a real feel for the music.

Really good performances, I enjoyed them and, even if it's overdubbed a little-I don't think Brian's lead is entirely. In any event is comforting that he can still sing so where, wherever he may be. "They say that Brian is back..."

Usually on the Aol Sessions, the lead is either live with the backing music being mimed to a pre-recorded track, or the entire thing is lip-synched. This one, though....we all know Brian can't lipsynch well, so in this case I'm not sure. Brian sounds great, though.

You know, now that I watch Midnight's Another Day again, I think they're playing along to a track. Brian's vocal seems to be live, and I think the band's vocals are, too. But you can hear strings on there-- unless Darian is playing them on the keyboard off camera. Also on Going Home, where's that horn sound coming from?

It doesn't really matter. We all know the band is capable of playing live, and Brian's vocal is great. And Brian on MAD is really, really feeling the song. I think this album is really Brian's emancipation from the Beach Boys, if only just to say that he did one solo thing that was on par with his Beach Boys stuff, and that if he did originally want to do a lot more quality stuff outside of the Beach Boys, he finally is. And he wrote it for this current band in mind. And it's nothing against the Beach Boys, but I bet it's cathartic to Brian.

Amen, Amy.

Curiously, I don't see any posts from SJS in this thread. I guess this performance is an exception to his theory.

:lol


Brian's vocals are definitely live.

Holy mackerel. That vocal version of MAD may be better than the album one.

That whole set is pretty fucking incredible.

We should be force feeding crow to a lot of people.

I had tears in my eyes watching this stuff.  Now, I gotta say, I've had tears in my eyes before while watching Brian perform (such as when he did "Nighttime" on,IIRC, some Dick Clark show in '88 or so, looking liked a trained bear, trying to DANCE, for the love of God - thanks, Gene Landy) but this time they are tears of joy.  What a great band, and his vocals are so natural and relaxed.  I love every second...

These AOL sessions are sooooo good.  Live or not I love it.  Beautifully done.

Can anyone pm me if they know how to save this stuff?  I would love to put the video on my ipod or even just the audio.  I want to keep this stuff.  Please help I am a techno moron.  I would gladly pay for this stuff if Brian's people would make it available for purchase.

Taylor's looking good, as always! And Paul Mertens is singing!!