The Smiley Smile Message Board

Discuss, review and rate Biography: Brian Wilson - A Beach Boy's Tale, released in 1999.

(http://www.smileysmile.net/images/albums/bwbiography.jpg)

Almost as good as IJWMFTT, but the rare recordings and videos make up for it. 4.

I think this is one of the most clear and concise attempts at telling Brian's story. The only shortcoming is a lack of soundbites from Brian himself. Very moving and well done.

very good indeed! great songs with mostly good videos....lack of brian involvement does kinda suck...but it was the first vid of brian i bought...so it sold me

Again they mess up the 67-73 era. I mean a lot of that footage of Brian clowning around allegedly from 66-7 is actually stuff shot 68-71. There is also this "Leech" talking about Brian being tinkerbell. Give me a break!!! For all that it does have some really good moments and I am glad they left in Ginger Blake's comments at the end about Brian as he is today.

Does anyone know if this is on DVD?

I enjoyed this and I thought it provided a good overview. It's interesting to recall where things stood in 1999 when it was made. No one, at least no one in this film, seems to have foreseen what Brian might achieve personally and artistically in the next eight years. Especially Ginger Blake who obviously has her own axe to grind. Personally, I liked the Tinkerbell comment.

I just watched this today on YouTube and I found it really enjoyable.  Surely one of the better BB/BW docs, even though things arn't always exactly correct and they do still play into the recluse-never did anything with Beach Boys since SMiLE, albeit not as bad as most docs.  Nothing really earth shattering but it gives a very fair portrail Brian's life.  It would be a good, informative watch for non-fans and is probably worth the view from fans for some of the home video footage.

Do you have a link? :)

part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krCDi2OA6kI&feature=related

is this on dvd yet?

I bought it on VHS w/ the PS boxed set on the A&E website years ago

Excellent video.. Essential to any BB fan.. There are some clips here that you cant find anywhere else.. 5/5

Not to my knowledge, and that's a great shame :(

At the very start of the documentary (after Brian plays God Only Knows on the piano), there's a song a capella in the backdrop and I'm not sure it's a BB's song, but it sure sounds like it... Does anyone know what the song is?

If it's the part I think you mean it was originally released as a bonus track on the Pet Sounds CD (called "Unreleased Backgrounds" if memory serves). Also if memory serves it was originally intended to be the background vocals for Don't Talk Put Your Head on my Shoulders but was ultimately unused.

YES! Thank you so much, I checked it out on YouTube. I'm obviously a newborn fan and don't own all the cool stuff yet... But I wanted to wait a bit before buying any Pet Sounds special anniversary release just in case something comes up this year. But I guess that's for another thread.

It was a pretty good retelling of the Beach Boys story. Very little input from Brian himself, but there's some pretty good insights provided by people close to him. They featured some video and performance footage that is common now, but back in 1999, it was new to me.
I was disappointed, though, that they pretty much skipped over Brian's 1995 return with IJWMFTT and Orange Crate Art, and skipped ahead to the Imagination period. And unlike others, I found Ginger Blake's comments to be pretty much spot on.
One of the better eps from the Biography channel.