The Smiley Smile Message Board

More info on his planned next album.

http://wfmu.org/playlists/SH


Upcoming events:
Saturday, November 22nd, 10am - 1pm: Brian Wilson
Michael chats with genius Brian Wilson about who he voted for in the recent election, plans for his next concept album ("Pleasure Island, A Rock Fantasy"), and his favorite records (which include The Doobie Brothers "What A Fool Believes").

Thanks! Although I do have a few fears about the title and subtitle of that new album. I smell an ominous connection with the concept of 'Kokomo'...
will Mike Love sing the leads?

Having trouble with the concept of 'Pleasure' and 'Mike Love' together Don?  ;D

The Doobie Brothers? Good deal... 'bout time Brian sings the praises of something that came out past the 1960s.

Also, great to hear that he really is working on a new record, and a concept album at that.

I hope a couple. And Al a couple. And Brian a couple. And Bruce one.

Now might be a good time to insert this thread from September when this project was first mentioned.


http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,6107.0.html

"There isn't anybody I know -- my publicist, my wife, my managers, myself, my current group -- I don't think any of us think there is any hope for a Beach Boys reunion," Wilson says vehemently over the phone from his home in Los Angeles where his neighbours include Robbie Williams, Paul Stanley and Avril Lavigne.

....yawn.... :)

Kind of a freaky theme going on  :lol :lol

I thought when he first mentioned that title and described the the concept of the album that it was an off the cuff joke.  Hmmm....

Worst album name I've ever heard. Sounds like a bad 80s hair metal title: now it just needs a chainsaw in some sort of phallic representation near a scantily clad, artificially enhanced female model.

Didn't Brian just release a new album a few short months ago? I thought he was in the process of touring, promoting that album. It's interesting that Brian is going into an interview, planning to discuss a new album - already.

Well, we know he likes to write quickly. We know he likes to record quickly. We know he loses interest quickly. Maybe he got this one demo'd based on both the leftover Bennett compositions from a couple of years ago and in the time between initial TLOS shows and the eventual recording of that album. There was a lot of time in there for someone who works that way.

"Pleasure Island" huh.........I think I saw that movie. >:D

none more black

The Ian Wagner crowd is more excited by this than they were with TLOS.

Is there some sort of rivalry between SS.net and The Record Room that I've been blind to?

I think it would be cool if Brian stuck out an album every year, he might want to make up for lost time. Not everything has to be seen as a second coming, if he wants to just record a load of catchy tunes then I want to hear them, I liked 'Message Man' and 'Just like you and me' more than some of the other songs on TLOS so more of the same would be nice.
The album title is horrid but also funny, no worse than 'The LA Light Album' - one of the worst album titles I have ever heard!

O Mi Amor and Just Like Me And You reminded me a lot of Imagination, which is not necessarily a bad thing but not the best thing either, hands down. As an album title, 'A Rock Fantasy' just sounds plain wrong to me, like it's going to be on the GIOMH side of quirkiness rather than, say, The Beach Boys Love You. But we'll see. As long as the music's good I couldn't care less about the title.

I can try and guess the following:

Wurlitzers
Wurlitzer-sounding synthesizers
Moog sounding synths
Manic laughter
Amusing voices asking for tickets
Maybe a rainforest song
Maybe a song about a healthy juice bar
A wistful song at the end as they/we leave the island

it all sounds intriguing.

Dang, you guys have some sick minds.  It's not a porn flick.   :police:

"Pleasure Island" is from PINOCCHIO -- a classic morality tale that's a perfect fit for Brian's real life... 

Hey Luther, Bri could also go for something like THIS:

(http://www.dio.net/pictures_cd/pat_boone_in_a_metal_mood_front_big.jpg)

Of course this sounds great, if Al can make me go out and specially order his pirate book, I think a random concept album from Brian is more than welcome.

Ahhh...and didn't he say "Surfer Girl" was inspired by "When you wish upon a star"?

Now this is getting interesting...

This album is going to be full of surfing, girls, and cars.

 :lol this almost killed me in all its bone-dry fun. Perhaps it's a bit like Brian's 'Chinese Democracy'. Not only will we have to wait ten years for it (he'll be 76 by then); but also it will be a formidable return to the halcyon days of 'Surfin' Safari' and 'Shut Down Vol. II'. Only: this time it'll be more about driving an electrically powered 409, Diet Coke, genetically modified hamburgers, and going for a gay marriage. I think.

Oh, and I'll take the liberty to speculate on the interview Saturday:

'Hey, Brian, welcome to the show. Say, you told us you'll record an album titled 'Pleasure Island' anytime soon. What'll it be like?'
'A real rock 'n' roll album.'
'How's that?'
'That's an album with real rock and roll songs on it.'
'You have any songs ready yet?'
'No.'
'So you're writing them now then?'
'No.'
'You're putting us on, Brian... so you're contemplating ideas then?'
'No.'
'Um... are you certain that the project will be done then?'
'Yes. My wife and my manager told me to do so.'

This could very easily be an amazing album,

I just really want Brian to let loose and be crazy.

I hope you are right. I had a beer and another scenario popped up in my head: it'll be a concept album for sure. The title is ironic. The island is Hawaii. And it's about a middle-aged pop icon who's there to rehabilitate under the aegis of a psychologist and his expensive team. Everything will be in it. Teardrops, primal screams, jogging, Mount Wilson, to be hugged in a hammock, the lot.

I would buy it.

Personally, I dont really care about the concept or anything--if he is really going to be doing another album, I am excited. The sooner the better, I say.

Perhaps he'll go back to two albums a year, like in the old days.

Hmm, Cocagne. Imagine all the subtle references to Brian's lifestyle in the seventies that Benett can make in the lyrics. :)

I wish, but I would be thrilled with one a year...unless they suck, of course.

Absolutely agree with you there. Message Man is one of my favourite BW solo tunes for sheer up-beatness alone and both the songs you mentioned seemed much more in line with the humorous, quirky 'Love You' Brian than most of the stuff on TLOS so i would definitely hope for more stuff in a similar vein, but I'm not holding my breath.

Hmmmm...wasn't the last album (TLOS) originally announced as being based on "The Little Prince"?  Whatever happened to that?

And how do we make the jump from TLOS to an island-themed album?  Just type 'TLOS' over and over again, no breaks...

That's something I'd like to hear! :-D

I was in a kindergarten recently, going through some of their books, and came across the Al Jardine Sloop John B book - with CD! Of course, I had to read/listen to it; sounded like some of those tracks from Postcards From California. I was all excited, and had to explain to the teacher who Al Jardine was and everything; she looked at me like I was half nuts....

Sorry Brian...You snooze, you looze!


Album 'Pleaure Island' released Sept 12.

http://www.whitevilla.nl/view.php?type=image&id=files/release_images/Pleasure+Island+%28Front%29%28500x500%29.jpg

http://www.whitevilla.nl/index.php?id=3&release=124

I imagine it like this:
'Say, you told us you'll record an album titled 'Pleasure Island' anytime soon. What'll it be like?'
'A real rock 'n' roll album. Four songs with an electric guitar playing a "chug-a-chug" beat so softly in the background that it pretty much gets lost behind all the other instruments and voices, and four songs with a real driving piano, and probably two ballads.
'So, you mean soft rock?'
'No, rock 'n' roll, like America and Bread, maybe even like ELO on the real rockin' tracks, and of course, some Spector-like rock ballads.'

I'm not hating on Brian Wilson's music, it's just that he never rocks out, so I have no idea what he could mean by a rock 'n' roll album. When he did try to rock out, like on "This Whole World" or "You Need a Mess of Help", he usually produces it so that the rocking parts of the songs are really downplayed. They're still great songs, they're just not what I think of when think of pure rock 'n' roll, more like soft rock. He still hasn't had his "Helter Skelter". They need to just lock him in a room with only an electric guitar, a bass guitar, drums, and a broken amplifier that only plays things LOUDLY, and not let him out until he makes a real rock 'n' roll record (he likes Spector so much, why not a Ramones style track, like "Now I Wanna Eat Some Cake" or "Landy Lobotomy"?). That'll teach 'em.

and the first single from 'pleasure island'
SMART GIRLS!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clju205JUEg

Now that is plain mean!  ;D

I imagine a cartoon album cover like something from the pages of "Where's Waldo", with a big island and a million things going on there, including rock-n-roll related stuff.

I'd imagine that it's not going to happen.

Agreed

In the sobriety of a Thursday morning, on the day that I'll see Van Dyke Parks live with an extended chamber orchestra, I agree.  >:D

You imagine that what's not going to happen? The cover looking like that? The album itself being
made? I'm lost. I guess I'm dumb, but I don't care. :)

The album. I'm thinking it's just a variation on the rock & roll album that Brian's been talking about recording since spring 1999. Now, if he'd said "well, my wife and managers came up with this cool idea...", I'd lay bets on it actually coming to pass.  ;D

Yes it could be a answer for all those interviews.

Q: So what's next for you Brian?
A: Well I'm going to make a album called 'Pleasure Island'.
    (Think's...I'm really going to sit on my butt in front of my new big screen TV)  ;)

Why do people doubt that Brian would at least attempt to make "Pleasure Island"?  He keeps talking about it in interviews, so he might be doing something with it, just as he did TLOS.  It's more concrete than the amorphous rock album.  I'm not saying it will be the same concept in the end, or that any label will ever release it, but I don't doubt he's capable of writing and at least demo-ing it with a little help from his bandmates.  And maybe it will be booted.  Then, years from now, he might re-record all of it after everybody's already heard it, and it will be another recovered lost masterpiece.  Or another GIOMH.

Well we know he's just had a fairly productive writing spree, which must have had something to do with Capitol signing him so I wouldn't be surprised if we get another album fairly soon. Two of the stronger tracks from TLOS, imo, were the bonus cuts so I definitely think he has more up his sleeve!

It seems odd to me that he would be so vocal about this new project so soon after the generally well-received TLOS, if it wasn't something that had a chance of happening - why not bask in the glory of TLOS, if you don't have concrete intentions of committing to a new album? After all he's not just loosely saying "I want to do a rock n roll album." He's consistently talking about a themed project with a name, even, by the looks of it, scheduling interviews to discuss it.

C'mon jaded BW fans - a bit of optimism please!!

In my naive optimism i'd like to think he'd put out a brand new album next year, nothing too laboured just a collection of new tunes with a bit of enthusiasm. As long as there's no spoken word interludes on it - I don't want to hear any more of that nonsense!

So you hate 'California Saga' then?

Yep! - and don't get me started on the intro of 'Santa ana winds'!

So you won't buy the Kalinich record either when it comes out?

No, not my bag

Not mine either. I read one poem of his (included in the Kingsley Abbott book on Pet Sounds, I think). It's not poetry. It's a more or less randomized series of words eulogizing Brian Wilson. Which is something else.

That could describe this message board.

A rock album might work about now.  Brian's voice is shot except for his raspy rock voice and semi-high b/r vocal voice.

Also, Brian really has been wanting to get 'Proud Mary' on an album for ages.  Personally, I love his 'PM' synth groove though I know many don't.

How can anyone NOT like California Saga? The spoken word parts on that aren't as cringe-worhty as the otherwise excellent TLOS.

I dont think the spoken word parts on TLOS are that bad, they add to the music and lend the album gravitas. At any rate doing that kind of thing is a pretty big risk for a popular artist, or once-popular artist. It is an ambitious and arty undertaking, and I would rather see Brian(and co--I really think TLOS is a collaborative effort--I sort of wish they would call himself "the Brian Wilson Band" rather than "Brian Wilson) take some risks than just half-assedly put out a collection of songs. 

Aegir, your humor kills me. Not for the first time. Wetting pants situation.

Has this interview happened yet? I'm not sure of the time difference but if anyone has any info I'd be keen to hear what brian has to say about this proposed album.

Many thanks!

It's a great show. Played loads of good and lesser-known BBs numbers throughout. Brian's obviously a Republican and voted for McCain. Rattled through lots of good questions and got some quick answers, not a bad strategy actually, given the tight responses. Actually the best interview I've heard or read in the last year or 2 (not saying much).  Interview about 1:33 into the show, link:

http://mp3archives.wfmu.org/archive/kdb/mp3jump.mp3/0:7:19/0/SH/sh081122.mp3

Oh, and Pleasure Island - he's not writing the songs, just currently thinking about it. No mention of Pinnochio, rather a bunch of teenagers who discover an island...

Wooo Hooo - Scooby Doo!!

And the monster turns out to have been... Murry/Mike/Record label execs/Landy ... all along !

In that case I'm Brad Pitt- not sleeping with Angelina, just currently thinking about it!

Brian didn't have a title for PS in 66. Mike came up with that but now he has titles before a note is recorded?

That was a great interview. I really enjoyed it.

We do ???  It was ???  Must have been napping and missed that one.  ::)

Wait, what??!!!!! ??? ??? ??? NOOOO!!! I didn't really need to know that.

I doubt Brian's ever really been that political, anyway.

AGD, why the sarcasm? Brian wrote a load of new songs including the TLOS stuff, Message man etc. which I think it's reasonable to describe as a 'fairly productive writing spree' especially by his standards. I have no idea of the specifics of Capitol's signing Brian but ventured that I it was related to his apparent creative rejuvenation, which is surely not an absurd proposition.

I think it was because he was commisioned to write it and once he had signed a deal he was bound to it.
The good reviews in London made Capitol think it was a good decision to record it. Business, pure and simple.

I don't think he has been in the past, either. But now it appears he is.  :-[

Your definition of "just" is evidently a lot different to mine - the bulk of the TLOS stuff was composed summer 2006, and "Message Man" sounds awfully like 1995's "Marketplace" to these ears.

As for the specifics of the Capitol signing, I'd venture it was a combination of a desire to shift units and an equal desire for column inches, on the part of both parties. I'm awaiting the post-TLOS developments with uncommon interest. As for Pleasure Island, granted we've only have a working title and a few words of description to go on... but in my view it sounds just awful.

Really, the world of the BB has been pretty close to all things conservative for quite a long time, so this sure doesn't come as a big surprise. Me, I couldn't care less as long as he doesn't feel inclined to write a song about his political worldview (no matter who he voted for).

Andrew, may I ask why it matters that it wasn't written in recent (at least recent enough for you) times? I have just never understood why that matters... to me, if Pet Sounds was written in 1964 and not released until 1966, I would just think 'who cares'.

And the same goes for when people say "well Brian just recycled this melody from some unreleased song"... well first off, how is that bad? He still wrote it and secondly we really aren't supposed to hear that unreleased stuff now are we? So I think it's fair enough that artists recycle their unused stuff.

But yeah I agree with buddhahat, it has been a fairly productive time for Brian considering everything... I mean the man isn't 20 years old anymore and isn't 100% mentally of course. And besides, artists these days (on the whole) don't release as much stuff as they did back then anyway.

I think this is a key concept in Brian's recent solo career, and, if Melinda is behind it, I give her credit.

With some of these "projects", Brian is locked in to a deadline, and the goals are pretty much laid out for him. SMiLE will premiere at this time at this place and we've got to get it ready. Clive Davis wants a Christmas album, we have to submit it by this date. So and so commissioned TLOS, now you know what has to be done.

This approach works better than giving Brian unlimited time (decades?) to do his "rock & roll" album, his "Spector" album, heck, ANY solo album for that matter. Now, I know there are two sides to that coin, and critics will say that Brian shouldn't be given deadlines (didn't we learn anything from SMiLE), and that he should be allowed to do his music on his terms. And you have to assume that Brian has/had enough quality material for the project, and I understand that is open for debate - about 23 pages on this board! But, maybe SMiLE was an exception, and that Brian works well when he works fast. I don't think Brian has been rushed with any of these solo projects, and it's probably best to get him when he's on a roll, any roll...

Only the first line of Message Man sounds like Marketplace, the rest sounds different.

the MP3 link isnt working for me

That's not necessarily at odds withe the Pinocchio theme.

It matters (to me at least) on the grounds of accuracy & honesty: to take an (admittedly extreme) example, suppose you held up GIOMH as an example of a recent burst of Brian's creativity. Fine, but inevitably the truth would emerge, viz that most of the songs were anything from six to forty years old and that Brian didn't select them in any case.

I've no problem with anyone recycling material (hell, Steinman does little else - I'm beginning to wonder if he's actually written an entirely new tune since 1977) but when said reworking is held up as evidence of a new burst of creativity, sorry but no. Doesn't wash. TLOS was indeed commissioned by the South Bank Centre, but less than half the songs that comprise the suite were written specifically for it, and thus far I've seen no-one consider the implications that has for this alleged new creative burst.

But that's just me - Mr. Picky.  >:D

I actually had to cringe quite a few times. Legend has it he once gave pre-recorded answers to Capitol executives from a tape recorder. Interviews like this make me wonder if he's actually still using this technique.

I like the tune from Guys n Dolls in there. ("This guy says the horse can do.") I'm a sucker for classic musicals.

Ha, his favorite BBs album? Does he say PS? Friends? Love You? These are previous answers ... nope. Summer Days and Summer Nights.

There are definitely some weird aspects to the way Brian's music is marketed and promoted. For many of you here I guess I'm saying what you already know. We talk about a "Best of Brian" compilation, but that would acknowledge elements of continuity and stability which simply aren't there. It seems he is always being turned one way or the other. So there's almost nothing of his solo career in his sets, other than whatever's his latest thing. Does he believe in the music he's writing? What makes it worse in a way is that he's pushed/pushes himself into "Pop" promotional activities - hundreds of embarrassing interviews, dire chat show performances, toothy photoshoots... Maybe this helped to promote TLOS to a moderate level of success, but I'd say having Capital give some clout to get his music played and talked about had a lot more effect. And as people say, TLOS was driven by a fan, who happens to be one of the directors of the Royal Festival Hall. Without these fans in important places, like Lenny Waronker, I wonder what Brian's career would look like?

A year or so later and this latest work has normally sunk without a trace, and it's back to greatest hits. Bear in mind what Van Dyke Parks said about being asked to help with Smile - that he heard Brian was tackling it, then waited and waited for the call, which only came on an offchance. I don't know how Brian judges whether a collaboration is working or not. "Chapters missing, pages torn" - or somebody applying an airbrush, over anything which makes them feel remotely uncomfortable ? Pop-psych theory: he seriously wants his 1964 self back, or something from it...

Well, yeah. Time to beat the dead horse - again. It is hard to find an artist/musician who is less qualified to be a "solo" artist than Brian Wilson. But, that's what's been suggested/chosen for/by him for almost 22 years now. It's frustrating for me, but the history books will say differently.

I still would consider this a creative burst in a way. Yeah, they were written in 2006 for the most part, but that's "only" a delay of 2 years, which is pretty much par for the course in this day and age, and phenomenal for Brian. GIOMH was entirely "old" material save 1 song. BWPS...I don't need to anything. WIRWFC had 2 new songs, but they were indeed new songs.  Before GIOMH, though, there was little to nothing.  At least this time there was no need to pad the album by putting on remakes (Can't Wait Too Long doesn't count) or old songs from the vault. The deadline helped Brian in that he was forced to actually do something with the material he had.

I do agree with Carl r re:nothing of his solo material in his setlists.  But that may be a case of "management"  just pandering to the masses rather than trying to build a "real" solo career, whatever that means.

GIOMH shoulda been a comeback album for Brian, and in part of the formula of 15 Big ones (original plan); make an album of one half oldies (remakes from SI, A. Paley sessions, etc.) then the other half newer songs, like studio cuts of his live solo material (this isnt love, the first time, etc.) Heck, even a double album woulda been nice with enough new material.

A double-album that would have sucked had the quality of the music been on par with what was already on GIOHM.  You know what they say: you have one scoop of ice cream and one scoop of manure, you really have two scoops of manure.   :lol

Came as a surprise to me. I mean, it's Brian, not the Lovester.

I don't know how you couldn't call TLOS and associated songs a recent creative burst, but if you consider Message Man to be 'old' based on it's one recycled melody (and only 6 notes at that) from Market Place then that goes some way to explaining your position. Personally I think that's ridiculous - you might as well dismiss half of BW's catalogue on that basis.

Why are we approaching 6 pages about an album that does not exist? And why do I have a sense of déja vu?

We had 37 years for a album that didn't exist. We are just warming up!

Never forget McCain's quite a big Beach Boys fan. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-zoPgv_nYg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-zoPgv_nYg)

Brian has also said Holland and So Tough are favorites so it probably changes to the last one he listened to and enjoyed. He did a lot of Summer Days live last week Girl Don't Tell Me, Salt Lake City, Help Me Rhonda, California Girls. We all get on kicks for certain albums. 

As far as his views go, it shouldn't matter. He's still the same guy who we all admire and after all it's not like it makes a difference either way, he never has pushed his views on anyone. Brian is a guy I spoke to once, and he was nice, but it's not like we or any of us are his close personal friends. I mean even in my family and social circle some voted for Obama, some McCain, and some even Nader. It didn't make me dislike any of them or think less of them.

Btw I think before he died Maharishi was supporting the Green or Libertarian party. Mike was supporting them in 1992. I know in 1988 Mike and Bruce supported Bush snr. I also know that Landy had Brian play a pro abortion rally. So they are all over the map as far as I can tell. There was a pretty interesting thread on this a year or two ago.

It's a bit of a weird thing that we ascribe significance to the opinions of our favorite musicians, where in many ways they are the least qualified to comment on public affairs, often having had extremely atypical and detached lives, with maids and dozens of helpers. For example, if Michael Jackson backed Obama, who would it have helped? I think the idea took root in the 60s, that musicians had significant political and cultural messages, and we can still hear echoes of this still. But asking about Brian's preferences is like most celebrity questioning: we will never expect Brian to write protest songs, he had a passing phase of bookishness a long time ago, yet we feel that we want to know him a bit better, as he is now. It has as much relevance to anyone as has his favorite choice of underwear, but if the answer is not the one we like, we still automatically flinch, I certainly do, at any rate.  To be honest, I'd be a lot more bewildered if VDP had become a fan of GW Bush, as VDP has always had an interest in ideas.

Another thing, voting for John McCain doesn't automatically make some a villain liberal vs. conservative is not good vs. evil. It's liberal vs. conservative. You can be an educated, well-meaning person and still think McCain would be a better president than Obama. It happens. Someone's political views should not have anything to do with how inherently "good" or "cool" they are.

Lyrics sample from 'Pleasure Island' (B. Wilson):

Pleasure, Pleasure Island has a wonderful band
They have the philosophy of ms. Ayn Rand
They often often like to spill the beans
On socio-economic things by John Maynard Keynes

And when there is a lovely moon in the middle of June
They'll make you happy with a wonderful tune
Espousing the Critiques by Imanuel Kant
They turn'em into just a heavenly chant!

Holy sh*t that's funny...never EVER thought I'd see Ayn Rand mentioned here!

Thank you Billy, my pleasure! :)

I wasn't going to disown Brian for liking McCain or anything. Seems like politics would be the last thing on Brian's mind. I wouldn't be surprised if Brian just went into the voting booth and randomly picked a candidate, or even wrote in Phil Spector. I think Brian would have a much stronger opinion on the steak vs. hamburger race. Seems like the only BBs who were overtly political were Mike (pro-environment Republican) and occasionally Dennis (anti-war.....booze not bombs!! :lol).

Carl was anti-war - though that doesn't necessarily mean he was a Democrat, I suppose.

Bruce is overtly Republican.

Ha Ha! I'm currently reading The Fountainhead for the 4th or 5th time.

Is Mike Love really Peter Keating??

I think I mentioned this in the old thread but Dennis dated Regan's daughter Patti. In her book she writes about the time that she wanted to get an abortian. It was not Dennis' baby but he found out and called her up in tears telling her it would be a horrible mistake. I thought that was interesting as you really can't tell what people feel about issues by their public image.

One good thing about Brian voting for John McCaine is that it means that he may not be as controled my Melinda as some seem to think. Isn't Melinda a Democrat?

I will give you that one. If they did go different ways on the election it shows Brian does make some decisions.