The Smiley Smile Message Board

Someone mentioned on the 'last pictures of Dennis and Carl' thread that Brian and Carl had a bad relationship going back to 1973. I am sure it was up and down like any others in the band. But I thought this was interesting. Is there any truth to this? More insight on the history of the relationship between these two? Because every book I've read seems to not say much of anything negative between these two. Other then Carl not wanting to include 'Mt Vernon..' on Holland.

Brian once called Carl an asshole in the mid-90s.

I feel sorry for Carl, having an older brother that fell apart.  I don't know the truth of what went on, but it seems as if Carl put up with a lot of atrocious behavior for many years.

I thought Murry's death, and how the other Wilson's dealt with it, was the beginning of their bad blood...?

He was mad at Brian for skipping Murry's funeral. I think Brian's performance quality bothered him on stage. In other words he didn't trust Brian creatively anymore. I also think Brian was jelous that Carl and Audree were closer. Before 1973 I am sure they were close and I doubt the real estrangment didn't start until the 80's. Still I would like to think that Carl and Brian loved each other. I think Landy and maybe a few others kept them apart later on.

There is also that 1978 concert where Carl directed the sound guys to turn Brian's mic off....through the microphone. So everybody, including the audience, heard it. That would have pissed me off.

Carl and Brian would pray at Brian's house before some Pet Sounds/Smile sessions, so they must have been pretty close. Brian at the time said that he and his brothers became closer because of their shared beliefs about religion. Although the quote (can't remember it exactly) also gives the impression that they may not always have gotten on as well before. With Brian's and Dennis's personalities I'm sure their were bound to be rocky times.

Ouch!

Yeah, and it was also Carl who walked out during the Studio Session was "Dancing the night away" wasn´t it.

I am not so sure about the relationship. Heard a lot of rumours (or rumors for our US-friends  ;D). But I think, apart from the time around 1977-1978 Carl was the only of the Wilson-guys who was always trustful and serious. Am sure that it was not easy to deal with Brian in the whole 70th. They were out on the Road and created damn good music (in my opinion) but they couldn´t manage to have any hits. And even Warner Bros always wanted to have a Single with the Name "Brian Wilson" on it.... and everyone was talking about "Brian here, Brian there". Yeah, sure, he wrote the hits and the best music. But Dennis and Carl also knew their was around the recording studios... so it can drive you really nuts, if you create good music and nobody is interessted in it and your mastermind is weak and does not care about anything.

Mid 70th must have been horrible. With a Brian who was not interessted in doin anything, just taking drugs and drinking alcohol. So I can imagine, that it´s hard to have a relationship with such a man.

But Carl also had problems with Mike and Al because at the end they were not speaking the same language in music no more.

But, in the end... Brian invited Carl to be a part of the Imagination session and at his funeral he really burst into tears...

Wow! And Carl is the guy that supposedly held the group together?

I think of Carl as the more artistically credible version of Mike. He toured with the band for decades, worked hard to keep the musical quality high, and contributed mightily to albums from the late 60s on. And for all of this work, all he got was some slightly condescending praise about the quality of his voice -- he could sing the phone book and it would sound good.

Add to that the same addictive personality traits as his brothers (heroin and alcohol) -- but with the luck and ability to overcome them -- and you can see how he would clash with the much sicker, much more sedentary Brian. 

I think that Landy was obviously a big barrier in their relationship but before that it`s understandable if Carl found Brian`s behaviour and treatment of his family deplorable.

Two things to add.

one, on the 1983 Musician interview, Carl states that they can make a hit record with an outside producer but the only way that they can do another great album "Good Vibrations quality" is with Brian healthy enough to produce it, "Anything else is bullshit", and he goes to say very nice and kind things about Brian, caring first for his personal happiness and health.

Two, from a early 90s interview with Michka Assayas (easily one of the best interviews Brian did) BW says something like (my translation from the Spanish translation of the French original) "One of the biggest depressions I've ever had was for my brother Carl. I'll never forget it. He took drugs and smashed his head with them". This has ever puzzled me; I've bring that quote a couple of times over the years on board but no one could elaborate over it. Anyone knows anything else?

I agree with this. Carl never got the credit he deserved for a lot of things, and probably never will.

However, I don't think Brian helped that situation much either. I might've missed some interviews, but in the ones that I saw, Brian only referred to Carl as a fellow Beach Boy, hardly as a brother. And, even when discussing Carl as a Beach Boy, Brian focused on Carl's passing more as "the end of the Beach Boys" or even his (Brian's) end with the Beach Boys, rather than Carl's talent or accomplishments. Brian called Carl "our main man", again referring to him more as part of a rock band lineup, or one of the four part harmony....I don't doubt Brian's sadness, but I expected more of a public tribute, in print anyway. Nobody else was gonna do it....

Even Melinda has said Brian felt Audree favored Carl, so it's obviously something Brian truly never got over. I'm sure Audree loved all her sons to death, but when she needed someone she could count on, it's only natural she would turn to Carl. Brian and Dennis being no-shows at Murry's funeral might have been intended as a slight on Murry, but I'm sure Audree was the one who felt let down.

But even with that trouble and the 1978 "turn off Brian's mic" incident, they seemed to be getting along well by 1980. In that interview from the KTSA promo film, Carl is smiling, sitting along Brian saying. "God you're so great," then bursts out laughing when Brian says "I like food." And Carl seems sincere at Knebworth in praising "our beloved Brian."

I think the real rift came from Landy in the 80s. Landy knew to truly get control over Brian he needed to drive a wedge between the brothers, and he succeeded.

From what I've heard I'm pretty sure Carl's funeral was one of the few times since Landy left that Brian was allowed to show true genuine emotion...Carnie said he was crying on Marilyn's shoulder...

Yes, that's true.

Also, I think the conservatorship issue in the early 90's really hurt both of them. I mean, poor Carl. First, he was the main person who was responsible for contacting Landy the second time in 1982, then, after seeing the damage that was being done, had to be the main one to drive Landy away. Any kind of conservatorship hearing can get ugly, but it must've been heartbreaking - for both Carl and Brian - to have your brother trying to have you declared incompetent in taking care of yourself. Carl did it because he loved his brother, but, obviously, it had to be devastating to Brian.

When I think of how Carl must have felt... It seems as if he idolized Brian, at least musically, when they were young. He was Brian's right-hand man in some ways in the 60s and therefore present to see the process Brian used make some incredible music. Brian was the boss, but he was also the big brother. It would be easy to be in awe of him. And then to see what happened to Brian..Carl must have been devastated. Here, he had relied on Brian's mind and creativity for his own living since he was a teenager. He had watched Brian grow and develop musically. And then... Brian started fading until at times he couldn't even communicate with him. And then to have to be the rock of the group must have been so hard. I wonder if Carl viewed Brian with a mixture of pity and resentment in the 70s. The line "our beloved Brian" sounds a bit sarcastic to me.

I like to think that Brian loved Carl up to the end and vice versa, hey just had brotherly squabbles.

Just on a side note, What was Carl's thoughts on Mike, was there love there?

You mentioned something I've never really thought about untill now. Carl was the one who contacted Landy the second time around.Imagine how Carl must have felt around five years or so later. Landy destroyed Brian in ways he's(Brian) never been able to recover from. Carl was responsible for that. Of course, that's not what I believe. I'm speaking from Carl's point of view.

I remember a newspaper article from the early '90s (after the Landy era but before Brian married Melinda) about how Brian and Carl had gotten together at a hotel in the L.A. area after several years of not speaking.  The memorable thing about the article was that it said that the two brothers ended up at a piano in the hotel and were singing songs from the Wild Honey album (I remember "Aren't You Glad" being mentioned specifically).  

I remember when Brian did back to back songs on the Smile tour. He did 'Forever' to honor Dennis and 'Soul Serchin' to honor Carl. I found it odd that he didn't use a song that Carl wrote such as 'Long Promised Road'.

I believe that a lot is to be said about Carl's influence on giving the Beach Boys credibility in the early 70s for the first time since Good Vibrations. Carl was the producer and leader of the group. I have always wondered if they continued going that direction and Endless Summer didn't come out what might have been. I think they should have gone back to Carl as producer in 79 rather then Bruce. Not to say that Bruce was bad, but I think that Carl would've been better.

Brian has performed "Heaven" live, although not as many times as "Forever."

I am not too sure if Carl would have benn better as a producer. He did some real good Jobs by the end of the 60 and long time I thought, that he did all the production work in the early 70th - but then I found out, that songs like "Add some music" are produced by Brian... but, as I said, "Holland" that was nearly entierly produced by Carl, is my 2nd favorite Album of the Band :).

It must have been horrible for the Band. Dennis wrote a lot of songs, Carl did many songs... and they were all set up to produce a new album. Then Endless Summer occured and everyone was alsking about Brian Wilson - ok.

I think Carl was highley involved into the Light Album and Keeping the Summer alive Sessions - like "Good timing" produced by Bruce and him. But by this time they needed someone from outsidea to stop the argument. And after the MIU they couldn´t risk to fail again. And it was reportet that CBS president was not really happy with the Light Album...

But - I never understood why nobody but Dennis did produce their own Solo-Works. Bruce did not, Carl did not either... ?... Just my 2 cents...


But if I am not mistaken.. at the end of the 70th and after MIU the Beach Boys retired for some days and they just did come together again because they had already signed the CBS/Caribou Deal worth 8 Million Bucks...

They all had their chances to record whatever they wanted in their solo excusions, not too far removed from the Endless Summer/Spirit Of America time frame, and look at what they came up with. Dennis is the only one who put his money (literally) where his mouth was....

Brian also recorded his own version of "Heaven" recently(?) which IMO is his best lead vocal since 1970.

Sorry, but I very much disagree with that. That vocal wasn't very good (although there are worse ones for sure). TLOS features alot of good leads by Brian

According to Brian, his version of "Heaven" was arranged, recorded and mixed in one day, so basically everything is a one-take wonder and not a lot of auto-tuning or sweetening.   Take that for what it's worth.

That's new to me. Thanks for the info. But I won't change my opinion very much about it. I want to make it clear though, that I'm not trying to dis this recording or the idea behind it. I always love it, when Brian puts up recordings on his website, no matter if there are faults in there or not. It would be another thing if this was an official release. Still, from a musician's point, and that's all I'm trying to say, it's not that great.

Brian´s Version of Heaven was just a little christmas greeting to his fans, wasn´t it? Therefore I don´t want to complain - and I agree with Rocker, there are really good vocals on Lucky old sun. Also the vocals on "What love can do" sound really strong to me.

Thanks for writing that. I never heard about it.
It's funny, because in some way, "Wild honey" to me sounds like the last "innocent" Beach Boys album. That may sound strange but I can't come up with a better description. It just feels like they all were as excited and happy as in the years before. "Friends", although a very nice album, has that adult-feel imo. But WH is like they all had a ball just being together, making music and having no problems with each other (although that might be wrong). So, although SmileySmile and WH sound very different from the stuff that came before, to me the parting line in the classic Beach Boys-group comes after WH

I noticed in the 90s interviews, in the other Beach Boys talking about Brian, Mike, Al and Bruce seemed eager to have Brian back. I don't remember hearing much from Carl at all about that. Then to hear that Carl didn't like the Paley sessions makes me think that he felt the Beach Boys were better off without Brian or something. Strange that Carl would sing on Summer in Paradise and not be a fan of Brian's music. Although he did sing on Soul Searchin. I wonder if Carl would've been more supportive if Brian allowed Mike to write the lyrics.

Boy the more I think about BB relationships the more I get tired head. Most BB writers over simplify Love/Jardine vs Wilsons or later Love/Johnston vs Carl/Jardine. But it seems much more complex then that.

At the same time, Carl was the only BB to appear in the IJWMFTT documentary made in 94. So how can we square that?

I think Carl, honestly, was somewhat dubious of the Paley material because of Brian collaborating with someone unfamiliar with the band and who (let's be frank) contributed a LOT to the songs. It was kind of like Brian shows up at your doorstep with a lot of songs written by someone you've never heard of and expecting you to sing on them. And to have this same guy co-produce them.

On Summer In Paradise, crappy songs or not, virtually every tune was by Love and Melcher -- both of whom Carl (and the rest of the group) had known and trusted since the 60s. That counts for a lot. And let's remember that Like a Brother was co-produced by Steve Levine -- that's right, the BB85 Steve Levine. Carl seemed to like a degree of familiarity.

Three tracks out of ten.

Yes, I'm aware he wasn't the principal outside producer on the project (that was Phil Galdstone). But the overall point stands -- Carl liked working with familiar faces.

And it does point to Carl's priorities, I think, that he worked far harder in the 90s on this outside project (from 92 to 97, a press release from 2000 said) than on any Beach Boys recordings.

There was still a lot of group feeling on Friends and Sunflower. The real big change didn't happen until after Surf's Up.

I know what you mean, but still everything after WH feels differently to me. Maybe it's because of the other guys starting to write their own songs or whatever, but something, that I can't put into words as it seems, definitely changed after Wild Honey. It's not really "group feeling" I'm talking about, maybe just the overall feeling of how the music was made. Maybe they still had enough confidence from the succeses of '66 when they made WH, when they did Friends they were washed up. Sorry that I can't explai better what I mean. It's really just a feeling. I don't know if I could even explain it in german

Except for the co-production aspect, that's not a big change from the "glory days". How familiar was the rest of the band with Roger Christian?

Well, the glory days were 30 years gone at that point. I think Carl didn't trust Brian's judgment, plain and simple. It's one thing if you're working with your brother every day, touring with him, etc., and then having him present a new collaborator. It's another when you barely see him, when he's surrounded by folks helping him function, and he's clearly mentally ill, and he presents a new collaborator.

That being said, Brian is clearly not an idiot -- he could see all of this -- and such a response from Carl clearly hurt him deeply. He wanted to be a Beach Boy in the mid-90s. Why else would he go along with Stars and Stripes? He clearly wanted, at least for awhile, to work with the band again.

A lot of good points in your post, claymcc. First, about Carl not trusting Brian's judgment; I think not only Carl, but the other guys as well. 15 Big Ones and Love You changed everything. In 1976, The Beach Boys were handed a second chance on a silver platter. It was decided to go with Brian, and, well, we know what happened. It would never happen again. Yeah, the guys wanted to still work with Brian, but never again would he have the control that he once had.

And Brian knew it. That was the main reason he started to pursue the solo career. After Brian's "recovery" in 1983/84, Brian wanted to be "reinstated" back to his old position as producer. I read somewhere that Brian was disappointed that he wasn't chosen to produce the 1985 album, which really put the solo career wheels into spin. Not to get into a "Kokomo" discussion, but that basically sealed Brian's fate of ever being in full charge/control. That wasn't necessary anymore. Right Mike?

claymcc, you mentioned that Brian wanted to work with the guys on Stars And Stripes. Yep. I believe that. I think a part of Brian will always long for The Beach Boys. A lot of people assume that after Brian started working with Darian, Jeff, Scott, et al, that his desire to work with The Beach Boys was gone. I don't think so. Not completely anyway. While Brian has gone out of his way to praise his band (and criticize the Beach Boys), I think if the right invitation is given...

Well, it's odd, Sheriff. I think Mike and Al and Bruce were willing to give it a shot in the 90s. I think they felt like they didn't have much to lose -- they didn't have a record contract, after all. Carl was -- for all of the reasons we've discussed -- less enthusiastic.

I'm honestly not sure that 15BO and Love You were the breaking point as much as the deterioration that followed. If Brian had continued to have that level of creativity and engagement, and even grown as an artist, they might have worked something out. But that was the best he had at the time -- and the slow dawning of that realization into the late 70s and early 80s was fatal.

I think Kokomo played a role, but I think it was more a problem for Brian than Mike. Mike is, if nothing else, a realist. He could figure out that by 95 it was in his interests to work with Brian on a semi-arty record. Brian resented not being a part of the group's most successful project since the 60s. He still resents it.

As for wanting to work with the BBs -- I think Brian did during Stars and Stripes. The videos from the sessions show him having fun. But I don't know how that translates to him wanting to work with the group now. Carl -- approving or not -- is gone. The family bond is much looser.

That being said, I only just watched the video of Brian and Mike chatting in 06 on top of the Capitol tower. Chemistry remains, if only the chemistry of two goofy, 60-something cousins.

I've also come to believe, for what it's worth, that one thing in all this is absolutely true:

Brian never wanted a solo career.

Landy wanted him to have one, and the BBs kind of forced him into it. But Brian liked and wanted the approval of a group.

I think it says something that Brian's solo career, such as it is, gained much more traction when he found a consistent band. He can think of himself as a member of a group, even if it's just a group supporting him.

What about when he worked on Adult/Child? Wasn't that more or less a solo outing?

In 1990's I think the guys welcomed Brian's composing, arranging, companionship, and name/legend; I'm not sure they were prepared to give him control. Terry Melcher, Don Was and Joe Thomas were there for a reason, and the guys (especially Carl) had grown as artists since the mid-70's.

I think the Beach Boys appreciated Brian's creativity on 15 Big Ones and Love You; there was a lot of redeeming stuff, stuff of BW legend, on there. However, the Beach Boys sounded embarrassing, due to Brian's production - control(?) if you will - and they couldn't get those albums back. They could make sure it never happened again, and they did.

Yes, "Kokomo" was and still is Brian's problem; he'll never live it down. But it changed everything for Mike. He didn't NEED Brian Wilson to have a hit record; he proved it. Sure, it was a fluke, everybody but Mike knows that. But it gave Mike leverage. And you can be sure, when negotiations start again, Mike will use that leverage. I hope he doesn't go too far, I hope he doesn't blow it.

As far as working with the Beach Boys again, yes, Carl is gone, but didn't Brian have pretty good relationships with Al, Bruce, and David? I know this might be a bit of a reach, but maybe Brian would enjoy working with guys closer to his age. :-D

The thing with Brian and the words "solo career" is basically this - he's recorded music purely for his own ends since the earliest days of the Capitol years. The other thing was that he never released what he recorded.

The other Beach Boys may have grown as artists from 67 to 76, but from the late 70's onward, they have regressed.  To use an example, was Al even writing in the 90's? Was Bruce? Look at how much of Al's album is made up of remakes! Carl had the Beckley Lamm Wilson songs but it was rich for him to complain about Brian using Andy Paley (if indeed that was the case) when almost all of his released output as a writer was comprised of songs  done with outside collaborators.  

An attempt at a Sunflower or a Holland type album where everyone contributes would not have gotten the Boys a major label deal in 1995 or any time since the 60's - it had to have been Brian with Mike or whatever collaborator he chooses. I don't even think the Boys were capable of a Holland-esque album then or now (didn't Carl admit that to Sean O'Hagen?).  Therefore, like it or not, the best shot for them was Brian with Paley simply because Brian had spent the better part of that decade working on songs (whether it be writing new songs or polishing and honing his unreleased backlog or helping out on Andy's stuff). The BB spent that time touring and playing their hits.  Case in point, a 1995 issue of BEACH BOYS STOMP had in its editorial, a response to readers complaints that the magazine was writing too much about Brian's then-recent activity and not writing about what the rest of the guys were up to. Editor Mike Grant's response quick and to the point: Brian was writing and recording with Andy Paley, wroking with Don Was, cutting vocals for Van Dyke Parks' album. The BB were simply touring.  That spoke volumes.

Sheriff -- I give Mike a little more credit than that. He didn't need Brian for a hit record, but I think he knows, after Summer in Paradise, etc., that it was a one-time thing. He realized it in the 90s, too. I think he was genuinely interested in working with Brian. If Carl had been willing, it could well have happened.

The bit I'm always puzzled by is Al dropping out of Brian's tour a couple of years ago. The idea seemed great -- and they were in theory decent competition for Mike and Bruce -- but it sure didn't work out. I saw a show they did, and the vibe was definitely peculiar. Al was so happy to be there -- and Brian didn't seem so happy about it. Odd.

Maybe not a signed & sealed document, but the V2 offer was firmly on the table and I gather it was a very good one. Remember, Bruce was on record as saying (I paraphrase) "passing on the V2 deal was the stupidest thing we've done. I was heartbroken".

That`s more because the people who make the decisions for Brian now are more focused and have better intentions though isn`t it?

As far as Carl`s relationship with Brian goes, I think it`s easy to imagine the conflicting emotions Carl must have gone through over the years. Some of my friends and family have gone through a fraction of Brian`s problems but still it is easy to get frustrated with them as they are their own worst enemies. Carl must have had to balance the love he had for his brother with all that he was going through in trying to help him.

From Bruce`s comments, it obviously wasn`t just the quality of the songs that was the problem with the Paley sessions. As others have basically said, it might have been disappointing for Carl to find that some of the songs were almost solely Paley`s and that Brian wasn`t in charge of production.

Also, it`s easy to guess why Carl might have sided with Mike a lot over the years instead of Al or Brian. Mike has basically been successful as the band`s leader (commercially if not artistically) and Carl was probably happy to accept them being a popular touring act who had an occasional hit if it gave him an easy life. Obviously he knew that if he wanted to fulfil himself artistically that he would have to work elsewhere and that`s where Like a Brother came in.

The V2 thing is incredibly sad. Incredibly.

My point about the band not having a record deal was kind of rhetorical. They didn't have a record deal without Brian. (I recall that the V2 interest was for a Brian-helmed LP -- I'm sure AGD will speak up if that's not the case.) If they didn't work with him, it's not like there was anything else out there. So what did they have to lose? Really.

If they chose to work with Brian, there were the prospects of an honest-to-goodness artistic comeback. After the huzzahs greeting IJWMFTT, it really could have happened, especially with a 10-12 track album of the best Paley tunes. The boys could choose nothing, or they could choose the prospect of something. Even if that something failed, it would be more than they had otherwise.

It says something about the peculiar end-game fear and nihilism of the group that they chose nothing.

Just for kicks -- imagine this:

1. Soul Searchin'
2. You're Still A Mystery
3. Chain Reaction of Love
4. Getting In Over My Head
5. Desert Drive
6. Saturday Morning In The City
7. Market Place
8. Must Be A Miracle
9. Mary Anne
10. Elbow '64
11. Some Sweet Day
12. This Song Wants to Sleep With You

Imagine all of those songs with BB vocals. Imagine the reaction to an album like that if it came out in '96 or '97.

Add "It's Not Easy Being Me" & "Slightly American Music" and you got my vote.

That could have been a good, if not great album I think but...it would have been a Paley/Wilson album rather than a BBs album in my opinion.  If I were one of the BBs, I wouldn`t have wanted to come in to sing guest vocals on songs which Brian may have written a bit on. Especially if somebody else was producing.

It would've been a great album indeed, I heart the Paley sessions; in my mind it's the best thing (along with TLOS) that's Brian's done since 1977 by far.

On the good vs. great issue -- I think the Paley sessions can be overrated. But if you prune them down a bit, you have solid bedrock for a comeback. And even if the album was only okay, the mood at the time meant it would have been pretty darn acclaimed -- look at how well received things like "Flaming Pie" and the first Cash comeback were.

People wanted to see their icons return, weathered but resilient. The boys could well have done that.

The alternate scenario, of course, is that you could scrap four or five of the Paley songs and write some new ones to make it more of a group affair. That was a far more rewarding (and potentially lucrative) proposition than rejecting the entire thing. Mike tried. Carl bailed. Brian wanted to do it. Tragic.

I thought you didn't like the Wilson/Paley stuff...?

I heard once - am not sure - that Carl offered "Run don´t walk" for this Beach Boys Album in 1995. And if I am not mistaken, Mike Love wrote (or was supposed to do so) lyrics for the "Dancing the night away" on which Carl walked out of the studio.

But I am still wondering. How is this possible that Carl didn´t like the new meterial but he sang on both Summer in Paradise and Stars & Stripes?

Ok, I understand... the Sound of Wilson/Paley was far away from the sound the Beach Boys had with Terry Melcher. And Bruce stated once that he was also not very happy with the material and the fact, that Andy Paley was involved.


It´s a pitty... also that the Virgin Deal 1996 never took place. Instead we have "Stars & Stripes" ... gosh... Being a guest on your own CD, same thing happened now with "Postcards from California"..

A bit off topic, but not entirely, how did Brian being able to sing on the Spanish version of Kokomo come about? Did Landy give that one the ok? Was Brian indeed called for the sessions but at the last moment as written in WIBN?

Jardine refutes the auto biography (which is false on almost everything) and says that Brian was invited but that Landy wouldn't let him do it unless Landy got in on the action. Co-producer credit, maybe a co-writing credit etc. Brian should not be mad at the group. It is Landy's fault 100 percent.

My understanding was, that Landy wrote WIBN with Todd Gold and that Brian had nearly nothing to do with it. In an Interview around 1989 Mike stated, that the Band invited Brian - but not Brian directly, because they couldn´t get in touch with him.

So -

1) Mike said in this Interveiw: We invited Brian, but Landy always refuses
2) Brian stated in an other Interview in the beginning of the 90th that we was invited to the sessions, but it was like: "He Brian, we are in the studio. Would you like to come over?"
3) IN the Endless Harmony Dokumentation Mike stated, that Landy only´d give his permission to be a part of Kokomo if he gets a credit as co-producer and co-writer.

A nearly similar thing happend at the 25th Celebration in Hawaii when Landy decided that Brian would only be a part of the Concert if the Beach Boys play the Song "Spirit of Rock and Roll". That wasn´t a big problem because it was reported that Mike really liked this song.

Some questions are not answered yet:

1) Brian was part of the Still Cruisin Album with two songs. They rerecord "In my car" for it, with Carl taking part. And Brian sang the intro to "Island Girl". Brian also participated in the "Somewhere near Japan" Video.


2) Also the story behind "Wipe Out" is a bit odd. Mike had the Idea of doin a Rap-Song with Run-DMC but he terminanted the contract himself. Then they worked with "The Fat Boys" - but. It is reported that Landy wanted Gary Usher to be the producer of the song, is that right? If I remember correctly, Bruce refused to work with Usher. So it is reported that Brian and Jeffrey Foskett are the only "Members" that were a part in Wipe Out - but everytime when I hear the song... I can hear Mike... ?

So why didn´t they "go together" on Wipe Out - was it also Landy? ... so, now I am completely off-topic :)

I'll one up that. It's Not Easy Being Me and Getting In Over My Head are Brian's best songs since Wonderful, and Caroline, No.

Bruce told me that "In My Car" "came to the album very late. It was a surprise". To make it seem less of a BW solo track, Carl & Alan overdubbed a few lead vocal lines.


Ever since the track was released, the only BB I could hear on this song is Brian... and I find it significant that in the 20-odd years I've been saying this, no 'interested party' has taken me up on it.

So Mike's not on it? Who is doing the low part?

I respectfully disagree but it`s all about opinions of course. It`s Not Easy Being Me is an ok song but nothing special. Gettin` in Over My Head is much better but still trails a long way behind the likes of This Whole World and Til I Die imo.

Da cuz.  ;D

One of his other cousins, i.e. one of the other Love brothers? Fucking weird if that is the case :lol

Brian.

That´s Brian? Are you sure? I really thought it must be Mike... you know, this "dededede..."... this is Brian? First I thought that´s Mike, then I had Jeff in mind... and now... huh. Can´t trust your own ears :)

Beach Boys History is really weird :). Because Brian was the only Beach Boys on "Wipe out" (and on Daddy´s Little Girl, it was labeld as "Beach Boys" song wasn´t it?) but he is in the Videos of Wipe Out and Someone near Japan... and in the Wipe Out Video all but Carl were included...


An 3rd question (back to topic) - Does anyone know more about this story that Brian gave his share (or vote) of Brother Records to Carl? But eventuelly he got it back.. I was just wondering why and when :)

I thought the "bow-bow-bow-BOW-Bow" and the "dededede" parts were Mike too. :lol

Live and learn!

This is only my opinion - listen again to the bass vocal closely... there's a quality there that Mike never showed (not saying it's better, just... different): Mike's bass vocals were/are very distinctive. This doesn't sound like him... and for those who say Brain can't do bass, check out the unreleased Spring version of "Shortenin' Bread" he used for the Adult/Child album - that's him on bass.


Nope - credited on the soundtrack album as by Brian Wilson.


Not exactly - during the 70s, when Brian really couldn't be bothered, he either abstained or gave Mike his vote. Why Mike and not Carl, or Dennis ? I have absolutely no idea...

I think wallabie meant the "(Barbie) Living Doll" flexi single that was released with the California Dream Barbie doll. That one mentions that it's a Beach Boys song, but the only BB present is Brian.

Brian is on more than Island Girl and In My Car for Still Cruisin. He's also on the tag for Make it Big.

True indeed... but when someone asks me about "Daddie's Little Girl", that's the track I tend to reply about. I'm quirky like that.  :-D

Or "Caroline No".

If you read "The Wilson Project", Gary Usher gives an depth discussion of the Wipeout Recording session, as well as the days leading up to that.  Per that book, Brian, Mike, Al and Bruce were at that session in LA (of course, that doesn't necessarily mean all were represented in the final mix, I know).  Usher said that the song had poor production from the Fat Boys' end, but that Brian came in to the studio with all of the guys' vocal parts prepared, and that he (Usher) was surprisingly impressed with them (based upon his then day-to-day work with Brian).

Ok, so the Spanish version of Kokomo had Brian there because?????? This is getting almost as fruitless as my never ending search for Bill Jackson. ???

The Spanish vocals weren't recorded on the same session. Brian was able to make it to that session.

And oh gosh, I'm listening to it for the second time ever right now, and it's so awkward. I really wonder whose idea this was. The phrasing is all weird.

So, that would mean that Gary Usher was also present at the sessions and maybe Co-Produced the vocals or anything like this... read this somewhere. Read "the Wilson Project" some years ago, can´t remember everything of it  :angel:


@Smile-Holland: Oh, you are correct. I mixed up "Barbie" with "Daddy´s Little Girl"... thank you for the correction :)

@AGD: Sorry that I´ve bothered you - was my mistake with the wrong title

No problem.  :)