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From Howie Edelson's nationally syndicated radio feed...

BRIAN WILSON SAYS BEACH BOYS REUNION ALBUM SOUNDS 'MELLOW'

Brian Wilson is riding high on two new releases -- his new covers album, In The Key Of Disney, along with the pop-rock holy grail box set of the Beach Boys' Smile Sessions. In an exclusive interview, we asked Wilson about that other collection he's been working on -- the long-awaited Beach Boys reunion album. Wilson has recently been laying down preliminary tracks for the still unnamed 50th anniversary project -- which kicked off last summer with him, Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston teaming up with members of Wilson's and Love's respective touring bands to re-record the Beach Boys' classic 1968 hit single "Do It Again."

We asked Wilson if he was happy with the way the group gelled in the studio after 15 years apart: "Oh yeah, I was thrilled! Not one of those guys needs any work -- they're all great. Yeah, they're all good."

Wilson was asked how many tracks he's been working on for the upcoming Beach Boys project: "About six. It's going to be mellow. It's a mellow, mellow album. A lot of background parts -- y'know, a lot of background harmonies. Uh. . . my friend Jeff, one of my bandmembers, Jeff (Foskett), is singing backgrounds."

When asked if the album would be relying on re-recordings of other Beach Boys classics, Wilson said: "New stuff. I would like to advance on to new stuff. I wanna do rock n' roll. I'd like to do rock n' roll."

Producer Joe Thomas is heading up the 50th anniversary project for the band and previously produced the Beach Boys' last studio album, 1996's Stars & Stripes Vol. 1, along with Wilson's 1998 solo set, Imagination. Wilson told us that he's thrilled to be back working with Thomas behind the boards: "It's a great pleasure to work with the guy. He's such a great genius."

The new five-disc box set, called The Smile Sessions, features a full-on construction of the Beach Boys' version of Smile -- based on Wilson's 2004 "finished" version -- which was compiled by the project's producers and band archivists; Alan Boyd and Mark Linett. The set also features four more discs of session highlights and album outtakes.

Alan Boyd directed the band's 1998 documentary Endless Harmony and Grammy Award winner Linett is the man responsible for engineering Brian Wilson Presents Smile, producing and mixing the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds box set, and overhauling the group's entire catalogue over the past 20 years.

Smile, which was originally slated for release in January 1967, included such legendary songs as, "Our Prayer," "Heroes And Villains," "Wonderful," "Cabin Essence," "Wind Chimes," "Vegetables," "Good Vibrations," "I'm In Great Shape," "Child Is The Father Of Man," "Holidays," "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow," "Do You Like Worms," "Love To Say Da Da," and "Surf's Up," among others.

The Smile Sessions is available in both two-disc, and five-disc versions. The expanded, boxed edition of The Smile Sessions is also released digitally. The boxed set also includes a double vinyl LP set, a poster, and two seven-inch vinyl singles.

Excellent!

I'm all for a strong 6 track EP over a 10-12 track album that has mostly weak filler.  But if they can flush out a full album of 12 good songs...then by all means.

"It's going to be mellow. It's a mellow, mellow album. A lot of background parts -- y'know, a lot of background harmonies."

When asked if the album would be relying on re-recordings of other Beach Boys classics, Wilson said: "New stuff. I would like to advance on to new stuff. I wanna do rock n' roll. I'd like to do rock n' roll."

Mellow rock n' roll.  

How did Joe Thomas end up back in the mix + who"s idea was it..?.. Forgiveness is essential to life on this planet but it is amazing how many law suits have gone on among all these people + they are all in studio together..!!.. What happened to David Marks..?? He should be there And he should experience the money + accolades that will come with this release..!.. Looking forward to this release.. Maybe some unreleased Wilson Paley songs included..??..Good luck to all and hopin for a great release..And maybe a one off concert filmed for dvd release..

This has been on again, off again, on again.  Does this mean that it is actually happening?  And as for Joe Thomas,  I really didn't mind the sound of the imagination album.  It could have been different, maybe better in some ways, but it was an overall decent MOR sound.   I can see why, as a group/committee, they decided to use him.  Do you think Mellow might be a euphimism for compromised, controlled,  or restrained?  Or do you think it has to do with a focus on harmony?

Joe Thomas is good at producing vocals, but not much else.

who knows if this thing ever comes to fruition, but I will say this...as bad as Stars and Stripes may have been, the Beach Boys vocals were fantastic. If Joe Thomas can recapture THAT on an album, more power to him.

Welp, my interest in this has just dropped significantly.

:(

Perhaps Jeff is there simply to provide the falsetto parts?  We know none of the members of the Beach Boys can do them currently...

I assumed as such. Still can't stomach it, though.

D'you think Al can't? Just wondering, as his voice has seemingly held up the best of everyone involved. Give me anyone over Jeff. :(

True, and it's a logical choice since he's Brian's main man for falsettos. However, there are three people, all realistic choices, whom I'd much rather hear: Matt Jardine, Randell Kirsch and/or Scott Totten. But I'd rather have a new release with Jeff Foskett than no new album at all without him.

I hadn't heard it in a while, but once again I'm absolutely hooked on The Pearlfishers version of Go Away Boy.  A classic Brian Wilson hook with wistful Mike Love lyric.  Would have fit perfectly on side 2 of Today.  Pet Sounds or Smile for that matter.

How does a Go Away Girl by The Beach Boys sound for 2012?

Rumored lineup for 50 Years of Fun, Fun, Fun, the latest Beach Boys EP/album.

1. Foskett Goes Surfin'
2. Don't Litter
3. Foskett Takes Your T-Bird Away
4. Don't Worry, Foskett
5. What About the Whales?
6. Foskett Hangs 10

Hidden track: "Wrinkles"

I don't know about anyone else, but I personally don't want a new Beach Boys album. I think a new album would be mediocre at best. I think now that The Smile Sessions has come out, they should just let things be and end their career on a high note.

I am skeptically optimistic about this (Is that even possible)!  Unlike some, I am very happy that they are trying to work together.  And some healing IS needed here.  It can't be as great as their classic material (how could it?) especially with the big holes that Carl and Dennis leave, but it still could be very good.  And as cheesy as the sentiment may be, most agree with Bruce Johnston re: Bring back Happy Endings (chuckle).  

I am glad they are doing something in the studio.  I am sure there will be some live dates, but I feel that a studio reunion has the potential to sound much better.  Like many,  I have really mixed feelings about Joe Thomas' involvement.  Both Brian and The Beach Boys' vocals were wonderful on Imagination and Stars and Stripes (Thomas does indeed deserve high praise for this), but the instrumental track choices were often ill-advised.  I am hopeful that someone will have heard the "concerns" of many longtime Beach Boys fans and passed it on to Joe.  No nylon string guitars please.  Take it easy on the Triangle and new age percussion, and outdated synths.  More live tracking with real instruments and an organic approach including instruments that are a part of BRIAN's working vocabulary .

I really hope that Mike is "allowed" to write with Brian.  I would be disappointed it this was all Wilson / Thomas co-writes.  Dr. Love deserves the chance to see it he and Brian can still write great songs together.  Maybe he can pen some great lyrics, maybe he will endlessly recycle old song titles and revisit the same tired cliches.  Who knows, but he deserves a shot and most fans want to hear the results.  Most fans are not shouting, "I hope I get some more of that classic writing team of  Wilson / Thomas again".

I am excited to hear the results of them singing together again.  It would be nice to have David Marks guitar playing involved too.  I like Jeffrey Foskett's voice and it makes sense to have him involved so Brian is at ease, but I'd love to hear a few Matt Jardine vocals on the top of the stack.  But aside from my selfish wants, I hope it brings some peace, closure and heals some old wounds of some wonderful senior citizens whose work has enriched my life greatly.  I love the Beach Boys!

You're assuming that Brian & his team are calling the shots here, I see.

I pretty much echo Rich's comments - as he said, I'm hoping Thomas' involvement will be essentially limited to producing the vocals, although there's always the chance that in the last 13 years he's learned how to produce better tracks that don't sound like standard AC crap.  Such a momentous record should actually sound like a Beach Boys album, and Joe has yet to show that he knows what that sounds like.

I've given my thoughts on Mike and Brian writing together before...I really think they still have the potential to do some great work, as long as all of Mike's awful lyrical cliches of the last 30 years are left behind in favor of his '60 and '70s lyrical sensibilities.  These guys have lead pretty amazing and interesting lives, so you would think that they'd still have a lot to "say" through their songs beyond the usual fare of the last few decades.  We shall see.

Good question about Al.  I don't particularly believe he can hit that register even with his voice being in better shape than anyone else's.  Still though, Brian doesn't seem to participate in any project without Jeff by his side so falsetto or not...we're getting Jeff either way.   I don't particularly mind Jeff so it's fine by me.

How about "50 Big Ones"?

A slew of Beach Boys songs now produced by Joe "I doan need no stinkin bass harmonica" Thomas, sung by J. "Just helping out" Foskett, and played by the pastiche wonders.

Limited edition box comes with silver-plated vomit pot.

I interpreted what Brian said as the Beach Boys album has 12 tracks and he only worked on six of them.

I'd take this with a ton of salt.

A week or two ago, Brian was calling this project a solo album. At least that's how it was described to Billboard and in a couple of Smile interviews. "I'm working on a solo album with my friends Joe and Jeff."

In the Boston Globe article posted last week, Melinda was quoted as saying Brian hadn't yet made up his mind on whether to do the reunion.

This reminds me a bit of the Paley sessions, which Brian both thought of as for the Beach Boys and himself at different times.

Also, back in 2006, I believe Howie wrote about Brian's new album as a two-man creation with Scott Bennett. That album never came out. It ended up becoming TLOS instead and arriving in stores two years later. This is a world with a lot of flux.

OK... I'm looking at the song credits on TLOS now...

That Lucky Old Sun (Gillespie/Smith)
Morning Beat (B. Wilson/Bennett/Weiss)
narrative: Room With A View (B. Wilson/Parks)
Good Kind Of Love (B. Wilson)
Forever She'll Be My Surfer Girl (B. Wilson/Bennett)
narrative: Venice Beach (B. Wilson/Parks)
Live Let Live  (B. Wilson/Parks)
Mexican Girl (B. Wilson/Bennett)
narrative: Cinco De Mayo (B. Wilson/Parks)
California Role (B. Wilson/Bennett)
narrative: Between Pictures (B. Wilson/Parks)
Oxygen To The Brain (B. Wilson/Bennett)
Can't Wait Too Long (B. Wilson)
Midnight's Another Day (B. Wilson/Bennett)
That Lucky Old Sun (Gillespie/Smith)
Going Home (B. Wilson/Bennett)
Southern California (B. Wilson/Bennett)

Yeah, hardly any Wilson/Bennett collaborations there at all, are there ?  ::)

I said no such thing, Andrew.  I figured a learned man such as yourself wouldn't make the same mistake you are accusing me of ;-)

 
I merely mean that is in a situation such as this, where there are a MULTITUDE of interested parties (BRI, record companies, lawyers, wives, family and managers) it is sometimes hard to make decisions that are in the best interest of the record and the group (This "too many cooks" situation has reared it's head before).  Even the band themselves admitted as such on the rooftop reunion at Capitol a few years back.  It seems from the principals who have spoken thus far, EVERYONE seems like they want to call the shots.  Al, with his 110 shows (doubtful to say the least), Bruce, with his I'll be in the audience line, Mike, with his I want to sit down with Brian and start from scratch etc.  Clearly if they ALL are on the same page they have yet to communicate a unified plan to their audience.  


Also Brian has already referred in the press as having written with Jeff and Joe and being that he has mentioned this material as a solo record and has now mentioned the same two names (Joe and Jeff) with respect to a Beach Boys project, one can understand how a worry of the Beach Boys only being used as vocalist might present itself with the information available thus far.  I was merely airing my "hopes" for the project.  What are your hopes, Andrew, with respect to the recording (and not the live work)?

I wonder why David isn't involved? If it's by his own choice then fine, if not, hasn't he been given the shaft enough already?

Immediate reaction to the words 'Joe Thomas' - Ohhhhhh noooooooooo


Hopefully the songs are worth it.  ::)

For Mike to be "allowed" to to write with Brian, someone has to give their permission and the obvious inference is that someone else - Brian, Joe Thomas -  is in charge. Maybe this isn't the case. Maybe there's a framework already in place.

As for my personal hopes for such an album, I think that given a modicum of luck and good judgement, there's a chance it could be none too shabby. That said, this is The Beach Boys we're talking about here, the band with the seemingly infallible ability to look at the options offered and make the worst possible choice.

Even the lesser BB albums have at least one or two decent tracks on them. Maybe we'll get one last great song from them.

Last time I spoke to Dave, a few weeks ago, he was hoping to be involved, but still hadn't been "invited" to any sessions or meetings. Maybe the reunion will not recognize any of the material on the first four LP's and the surf/car era...right. ::)

  


As for my personal hopes for such an album, I think that given a modicum of luck and good judgement, there's a chance it could be none too shabby. That said, this is The Beach Boys we're talking about here, the band with the seemingly infallible ability to look at the options offered and make the worst possible choice.
[/quote]

Ding, ding, ding.  We have a winner.

Let's hope Mike doesn't think this is an opportunity to dust off some of his "gems" that he's shelved over the years.... like this beauty....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_3ZlgzFqz8&list=FLdmS9B6Qr3lJwYZdQEj5QtQ&index=2&feature=plpp_video

why is joe thomas helping

I, for one, hope that David is part of this project. One thing about recording nowadays is that his parts can be added later, and I would certainly love to hear Dave take some of the guitar leads.

I'm also hoping that Al's band gets to work on some of the tracks. Billy Hinsche and Matt Jardine should absolutely be part of any reunion project, imho.

Because you touch yourself at night.

yo momma

Why did Melinda Wilson sue Joe Thomas, exactly?  From what I vaguely recall, Joe was the person who put the touring band together for the first tour.  There was some kind of falling out due to Brian being unhappy with Joe taking control and Brian wanted control for himself.  But he had a contract with Joe and the only way out was to sue Joe to get rid of him.  There were a bunch of nasty charges made against Joe in the lawsuit, but the main one was he was trying to further his own name by associating with the fame of Brian.  Joe then countersued Melinda Wilson, saying she was the one trying to further her own name by associating with the fame of Brian Wilson.  The legal papers including some incredibly unflattering quotes from Melinda Wilson, saying that she was trying to get Brian out of his contract with Giant Records and, in her words, "that little Jew."  Meaning Irving Azoff.  I know both parties eventually settled out of court, but it would seem like a lot to get past, in terms of hurt feelings and pride.

yes please. what a song

Foskett Foskett Foskett
Jeffomo
Warmth Of The Foskett
Jeff Don't Tell Me
Let Jeff Run Wild
Wild Jeffy
Aren't You Jeff
Our Foskett Recording Sessions
Jeff It Again
I Can Hear Foskett
Everyone's In Love With Jeff
Jeff's OK
Jeffuhama

I honestly think if he really wanted to, Brian could do the falsettos. If he took his time. But that probably won't happen. Then you also got Bruce, who I think could probably still do a passable falsetto.

And about the album....

Well, myself, I think that this being a Beach Boys album would be much more interesting than if it's just another Brian Wilson solo album. I mean, although I think Mike is still an asshole for his liner notes in the SMiLE, wouldn't it make more sense that instead of having Beach Boys soundalike vocals, why not have the actual Beach Boys doing it!? Yes, it's been like 15 years since their last album, but I'm pretty sure Brian, Al, Mike, and Bruce could still bring us some very sweet vocals. And nothing against Darian, Scott, Probyn, and all them but I'll take The Beach Boys over them. I also hope the majority of the album is written by Brian. And maybe give Dr. Love a few songs to write lyrics for, to prove he can write a latter day lyric that doesn't the words "fun, fun, fun", "good vibrations", or "America's band".

If Brian wants to do rock n roll, he should get Dave in there and plug him in!

He should be there for the 'youth' factor! ;D

BTW. No mention of Stamos!!! :woot

Wow. I know some bands/artists pay more attention to fan feedback/perception than others, but I’d love to know who thought Joe Thomas was a good idea to produce anything of Brian’s again, let alone a long-awaited potential Beach Boys reunion album. The only thing I can imagine is that Brian just remembered liking the recording process of “Imagination”, and thought that guy would be good to work with again.

Do any of the Beach Boys remember that “Stars and Stripes” is often cited as one of the worst projects they ever churned out? Granted, a lot of that had to do with the concept of it, separate from Thomas’ production.

“Imagination” was an arguable minor success, but a lot of that had to do with it being Brian’s first true solo album of original material in a decade.

I’m also wondering why, after the last decade or more of Brian and his camp making a strong point of putting “Produced by Brian Wilson” on his releases, are they now going back to having Thomas co-produce? I also wonder if they feel they need a buffer between him and the other band members.

I would definitely agree that they would probably need *somebody* else to be involved with these sessions, somebody outside of the band. But that has way more to do with a sort of “organizational” producer. I think Brian’s engineering team or other engineers can help Brian and the band dial in the “sound” they’re looking for, and the type of material. They need a sort of “executive producer” to mediate things between the band members, and a sort of Nigel Godrich-to-Paul McCartney type to tell them when something sucks. They need a producer that knows “You’re Still a Mystery” and “Soul Searchin’” and “Don’t Fight the Sea” and “Cool Head” are strong or at least solid tracks, and “Saturday Morning in the City” or “Unleash the Love” or “PT Cruiser” should be left on the cutting room floor or left as novelty b-sides. They need a producer that maybe doesn’t have to pull out every Pet Sounds-ish sound under the sun for a new album, but also doesn’t make them sound like a bland adult contemporary thing either.

The only things that I can see at this moment that would make Joe Thomas involvement key are if, #1, his “sound” has changed and sounds more organic and not AC/MOR, etc., and/or if, #2, he truly is the only person that can successfully manage a project involving Brian and the Beach Boys. I’m just not convinced there isn’t somebody else out there that could do this.

As for speculation about David Marks involvement and whatnot, I think it’s too early for that. It sounds like, apart from “Do It Again”, none of the other Beach Boys have been involved in Brian’s recordings thus far. That is troubling as well. Is this just going to sound like “Imagination” stuff with Al, Bruce, and Mike singing along? That could potentially sound good I suppose. But if they’re going to do the “Beach Boys add their vocals to pre-recorded Brian stuff” thing, they should dust off some of the Paley stuff. I’d have to imagine Mike and Al (and possibly Bruce) would contribute some of their own songs. Will they have Thomas produce those? Will they each bring their own pre-recorded songs? Again, even in hodge podge form, it could be good. I’d love to see David Marks involved, lay down a few guitar tracks. But he’s not a part of the vocal blend, and I’d hope for a new Beach Boys album to at least be contemporary-sounding enough that it doesn’t immediately evoke “Surfin’ USA.” An interesting question: Would David Marks want to be involved in he’s expected to sound like the sterile session guitarists on “Imagination?”

I can already envision the promotional push for the new album: “The Beach Boys’ new album, produced by Joe Thomas, recorded at the MIU headquarters in Iowa, with key tracks including “Battle Hymn of the Republic”, “Wrinkles”, and a re-re-recording of “Remember Walking in the Sand." David Marks isn’t involved, but key touring personnel including Scott Totten as well as Joe Thomas late 90’s AC/MOR session stalwarts are involved. John Stamos will also contribute a suite of Dennis Wilson tribute songs, including a cover of the fake Dennis Wilson song from the 1990 "Summer Dreams" movie.”

Seriously, I’m actually way more hopeful that an album project could be at least okayish than my comments above probably indicate. I’m just in awe in that “New Beach Boys Reunion Album to be Produced by Joe Thomas” seems like it would be a practical joke sort of headline.  

Jeff Foskett Loves You:
1. Let Jeff Go On This Way
2. Roller Skating Foskett
3. Jeff
4. Jeffy Foskett
5. Good Jeff
6. Honkin' Down The Foskett
7. Jeff Jaff
8. Foskett System
9. The Jeff Was So Young
10. I'll Bet Jeff's Nice
11. Let's Put Our Fosketts Together
12. I Wanna Pick Jeff Up
13. Jeffplane
14. Jeff Is A Woman

It's technically possible that the group could make a record without actually meeting in a studio. Each member simply goes in and lays down his own part on a layered track. That would be a possible way for Mike and Bri to 'co-write' without punching each other's lights out.

Alternatively we could have Melinda as peacemaker, although her feelings towards Mike might be like Yoko's towards Macca.

My point was that the project was originally reported as a two-man band CD, with Brian and Scott playing and singing most parts, and featuring songs like "Wondering What You're Up to Now" and "Beatle Man."

In the two years after, the project was wholesale rewritten as a concept album and recut with the touring band and backing vocals. Some of the songs changed substantially, and the entire "concept" itself was added.

When talking about this new group of songs, which only weeks ago Brian said was meant for a solo album and now suggests is for a Beach Boys album, this past malleability seems an appropriate thing to note. Not that the songs won't come out -- but who knows if they will actually be BB tracks or BW tracks or even (in the end) produced by Joe Thomas.

Count me out then.

Hey Little Jeff Boy

If this is going to sound like a cross between Imagination and the better cuts off Summer in Paradise I think we're in for the last mediocre Beach Boys album.

TLOS didn't change due to Brian's erratic nature, it was because he was commissioned by the Royal Festival Hall.

My personal insane fantasy is that Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce, Dave join with Paul and Ringo and go out as "The Beatle Boys"!!!!

Just imagine Beatles songs with Beach Boy harmonies and Beach Boys songs with the Paul/Ringo rhythm section?? Oh man!

Also, Mike could slide on up next to Paul on Back In The USSR for a cute moment!

I think Al has a little falsetto left, but it's kind of a whisper...not something he could really use on record or onstage, just to show someone a part or something like that (which is the basis of my own knowledge).  From what I've seen/heard Al's voice seems to be good up to about an E-F# above middle C, then he gets a bit froggy.  In the baritone range, though, he's still sounding great.

Don't Go Near The Foskett
Long Promised Jeff
Take Load Off Your Foskett
Jeffy Girls
Foskett Demonstration Time
Foskett Flows
Lookin At Foskett
Till Jeff Dies
Day In The Life Of A Foskett
Jeff's Up

It'll sound like Imagination, unless they bring in one of the names brought up in the past - Don Was, Sean O' Hagan, even Andy Paley. Or they could go with someone truly organic like Rick Rubin. Or maybe Jeff Lynne for that ELO/Wilburys-style fairy dust... :)

Rick Rubin definitely. I still love the Beastie Boys "License To Ill".

But........

Will it be "Donovan" mellow?

Or "Old People's Home" mellow?

I'm really hoping it's called either "Pleasure Island" or "F*cking With The Formula"

And unlike Summer In Paradise, I will be buying this album

(That last one's going out to DrBeachBoy)

Is that smiley because you're joking? No offence and each to their own but Jeff Lynne. I've still not forgiven him for what he did to the Beatles.

and Brian if you happen to read this (or his managment) please give the new cd a classic 60's wall of sound feel like "today" or "summer days/nights" and the more recent andy paley sessions and "just like you and me"..it doesn't have to be mono but at least bring back that classic sound.if Amy Winehouse can release cds with that wall of sound thing going on I can't see why you can't. ;D ;D ok I needeed to get that off my chest...lol..

Is Jeff Lynne a significantly worse idea than Joe Thomas ? BTW, Imagination is quite an enjoyable album but it is very middle-of-the-road sounding...

I never listen to Imagination, solely because of the production. Don't mind ELO though

Regarding Joe Thomas though, a lot has happened since 1998. I think back then they were still unsure of how to market Brian, and what his fan base expected from him.
We've since had BWPS, LOS, and the Disneys. Hopefully now Joe will be respectful of what Brian and the BB's are all about

T Bone Burnett could help produce something truly special IMO.

Haha. You're quite right and I couldn't agree more. I actually really like Imagination. It came out whilst i was really getting into the Beach Boys and Brian Wilson and I bought it whilst travelling the world, so it's got a special place in my heart. Love the songs on it but I probably let off the production a little because of the memories the album evoke. (I still can't forgive the Cameron Diaz line). The production, no the engineering, is a little cheesy. Some of those instruments even sound like they were played straight from a keyboard....

Well i liked the Imagination Lp + i didnt mind Joe Thomas updating BW sound.. What bothered me was Darian"s comments about Joe arraigning basterized versions of BB classics.. BB used to change things live on occasion.Rhonda for instance... But Joe didnt seem to hardly involve BW on these decisions.. i think Joe had to much control + BW gave in.. Without asserting his authority.. It took Darian"s complaints to right the ship..At least thats what i read.

Is this BBs project truly on? I read nothing about a BBs album on Brian's answers, only a ref to how they sounded on the new version of DIA. All other mentions of a BB project are simply the author's words. The only names mentioned in relation to the recordings are Foskett and Thomas. Brian even states that Foskett's doing backing vox.  I remain optimistic but skeptical.

This is definitely something that crossed my mind. Joe was (and is, I'm sure) a huge BB fan, so I'm sure he's not sitting around trying to figure out how to screw up a Brian Wilson project. And Brian isn't the same guy he was in 96-98, either.


I wondered about this too, but thought it might be impolite to bring it up.

Also, on the subject of Joe Thomas:

http://www.avclub.com/chicago/articles/soundstage,25355/

Pick your poison (bad choice of words, I know) Jeff Lynne produced/co-wrote "Let It Shine" on "Brian Wilson".  So what worked better for you?  That track's sound or the "Imagination" album.

After hearing the new Micky Dolenz, "King for a Day" album produced by Jeff Foskett, I'd vote for Jeff.

If Brian is working the "old Brian way" - doing the music first, he'll bring in the Boys later for vocals.  Hope that includes David.  And a David lead vocal would be awesome.  And while he's at it, have Dave overdub a lead guitar on "Do it Again".

John & Wirestone --

Everything I asked Brian was SPECIFICALLY about "The Beach Boys reunion sessions" -- and stated that way prior to every question. We spoke a bit about his relationship with the other members -- this was all part of a conversation dealing SPECIFICALLY with the Beach Boys. I asked Brian nothing in regards to any solo sessions. It was 100% perfectly clear that we were talking about the Beach Boys 50th anniversary project.

Very much appreciate the clarification, Howie. Here's to another dream realised!

Great reporting Howie!  Frustrating that no one with access would ask Brian specifically about this.  Mahalo!

ps - any mention of David being involved?

By the way, Howie, Congratulations to you, Peter Reum and the redoubtable and inscrutable A.G. Doe for the name checks in the booklet.  How freaking Awesome is that?

I mean, this is not just any CD booklet.

It's. The. Booklet. For. FREAKING. SMiLE.

sign me

Highly Impressed!

-- David

Thanks very much.

But all the kudos really go to Boyd & Linett.

From what I gathered, certain members of the BB's have promised David that his presence WILL be part of the 50th anniversary.
Even if he wasn't already the most talented instrumentalist in the band (past and/or present) -- there's no way to be unhappy around David Marks.

For no other reason, he's sorely needed there.

I'm going to put my money down and say that Al would be the certain member (s).  Would be interesting to know the dynamics of the working relationships between members for the project.

Members -- not member.

Wouldn't Jeff Be Nice
You Still Believe In Jeff
That's Not Jeff
Don't Talk (Put Jeff's Head On My Shoulder)
Jeff's Waiting For The Day
Sloop Jeff B.
Jeff Only Knows
I Know There's A Foskett
Jeff Today
Jeff Just Wasn't Made For These Times
Jeff Sounds
Foskett, No

My favourites so far are

Keepin Foskett Alive
Oh Foskett
Some Of Jeff's Love
Living With A Jeffache
School Day (Ring Ring Goes The Jeff)
Jeffin' On
Jeffshine
When Girls Get Together With Foskett
Santa Ana Jeff
Endless Jeffery!

Would it be possible they may only record a limited number of really good new tracks and release them amongst a Beatles Anthology type set of releases. Say double sets from each era of differrent takes and demos with these new tracks.

Instead of 1 long tour that would just not work do a lesser number of excellent longer quality shows based around Smile and these sets.

Any thoughts to content of these possible sets?

Jeff's in and David's out?

Good lord. :(

We are told that 'interested parties' read this and other boards all the time right?

If this is the case then I would like the 'interested parties' to please note the following:

David Marks must be a part of the 50th Anniversary Reunion! He is a fantastic guitarist, a strong singer and a good songwriter in his own right. He is an original Beach Boy in case you had forgotten and his absence from any new Beach Boys album would be a travesty, please pick up the phone and do the right thing!.

Thanks

i don't know if it's just me but he never has felt like a Beach Boy. yes he was on the first few records but when i think of the beach boys I think of Brian, Carl, Dennis, Mike and Al (And Bruce if I'm feeling generous)

Important update, folks. Mike & Al have composed a new suite for the album.

Foskett Saga: Big Jeff
Foskett Saga: The Beaks of Fosketts
Foskett Saga: On My Way to Sunny Foskett-i-a

He was in the band and that's all there really is to it. In the absence of Carl and Dennis, David participating makes a whole lot of sense, and I'm gonna be fairly upset if he's not included in this but the likes of Jeff are.

David was only with the group a few years, though. He's as much of the legacy as Fataar and Chaplin.

Which means he's vital and should be included.

The Beach Boys that went from national unknowns to national stars in the U.S. were Brian, Dennis, Carl, Mike and David.

Moreso than either Chaplin or Fataar. David was on many of the hits as the Beach Boys rose to fame. Though, I will give Chaplin his due for his lead vocal on Sail On Sailor. He was the perfect voice for that song.

I am so confused..

Not sure what to expect

Not to mention that, but unlike Ricky/Blondie (or even Bruce who IS a Beach Boy) David grew up with the Wilsons and learned guitar with Carl and was there for so many historical occurrences, you just have to give it up for the guy. Also, there are MANY fans who simply cherish those first few albums! Hell, other than Holland, it's my all-time fave stuff!!!!

David has a great voice for Dennis style leads on the reunion album.

No, you do not have exclusivity in feeling that way. While David certainly deserves credit for what he did, he quickly vanished during the late part of the early days. I readily admit That I have similar feelings toward David. However, it would be more than fitting to include him in any future plans.

Especially considering he was IN the freaking Beach Boys once again in the 90's and beyond. He is clearly a Beach Boy. A charter Beach Boy at the very least but much more IN the circle than Ricky or Blondie who've been long gone for good for over 3 decades!

Jeff & The Passions: So Jeff

You Need A Mess Of Jeff To Stand Alone
Here Jeff Comes
Jeff Comes Down
Foskett
Hold On Dear Foskett
Make It Jeff
All Jeff Is That
Foskett Up

Just a feeling but with all the good reviews TSS are bringing, wouldn't it be very Beach Boysish to ruin it with a Still Cruisin' type release so the general public can then go back to viewing them as old has beens singing about their teens? I hope it doesn't but I feel it all too probable. I feel that Love will really push for a great single that 'best" epitomises the Beach Boys summer image.

Joe Thomas? Oh dear....

Since David was invited to the Capitol Towers event I would find it odd that he wouldn't be involved in this. Then again would that mean they'd have to pay one more person royalties in this so better to do without him? I hope not but I wouldn't put it past someone or some people....

Get Jeff Back
Jeff's Gettin Late
Crack Of Jeff's Love
Maybe Jeff Don't Know
She Believes In Jeff Again
Foskett Calling
Passing Foskett
Jeff's So Lonely
Where Jeff Belongs
I Do Love Jeff
It's Just A Matter of Jeff
Jeff's Ego

Does Jeff Wanna Dance
Good To My Jeffery
Don't Hurt my Little Foskett
When Jeff Grows Up To Be A Sideman
Help Me Foskett
Jeff Jeff Jeff
Please Let Jeff Wonder
Jeff's So Young
Kiss me Jeffery
She Knows Jeff Too Well
In The Back of Jeff's Mind
Bull Session With The Big Jeffery

Summer Jeffs (And Summer Fosketts)
1. The Foskett From New York City
2. Foskett Parks U.S.A.
3. Then I Kissed Jeff
4. Salt Lake Foskett
5. Jeff Don't Tell Me
6. Help Me, Fhoskett
7. California Jeffs
8. Let Jeff Run Wild
9. You're So Good To Jeff
10. Foskett Means New Love
11. I'm Bugged At My 'Ol Foskett
12. And Jeff's Dreams Come True

Personally I don't really care if David Marks is involved.

Congratulations.

Sassy.

If you don't care to tell us why, then I personally don't care that you personally don't care.

I know Joe Thomas ain't the most loved here...but I think he nailed it with Imagination.  He and Brian created a delicate, classic, sophisticated and mature sound on that album that knocked me out.  That album is so underrated.  Reading that he and the Beach Boys are working on this "hopeful" new Beach Boy release dropped my jaw.  Clearly, I'm right and those involved in this project are listening to logic and reason!!

 :afro

Symbolically I suppose it would be nice, if the purpose of the reunion is to provide some ultimate sense of closure or catharsis to the Beach Boys story. But I don't think you can engineer that, if the album is good, that'll be the best possible closure. I don't really believe David Marks will be the pivotal element here. I like The Moon plenty, but I don't see David offering much to the album other than an obligatory guitar solo or two. It's not like he's going to come in and produce the thing and write all the new songs. This whole thing is about Brian and his relationship with Mike Love, let's face it. Just shoehorning in a bunch of guests out of a sense of obligation isn't going to do anything to make the album better, dollars to donuts it'll only detract.

I agree Beam Bag.  It sounds dated now, but maybe Joe Thomas has matured in the past few years and the album will sound more relevant.  

I don't know what all went down, but think about it.

Brian and Mike obviously have issues.  Brian's got emotional considerations that everybody involved is thinking about, so they're looking first and foremost, to make Brian comfortable.

I think Melinda is looking for that... and I think Mike is also looking for that.  It makes it better for everybody.  They want to keep Brian in a good place.

So who should produce?  The last time they worked together, Joe Thomas produced it.  Mike's comfortable with that.  Brian, Mike, Jeff, and Joe are not strange bedfellows.  They've all got a long history and that's probably why those 4 are handling things.

I'm anxious to hear what wall of voices they can come up with.  I hope some of the young guys get in on the album, like Matt Jardine or Mike's kid.  

young is a relative word. Matt Jardine and Christian Love appeared as children on the Sunflower cover in 1970, which conservatively places them around 45 years old.

45 ain't old. imo.

And I can't understand apathy over David not appearing while being content with Jeff being on it. sry, it's wrong. WRONG.

Well of course we're talking about the Beach Boys.  Relative to the beach boys, they're young.  

Well, Jeff toured with the group in the 80s and (I believe) sang on some of their studio material. He was on the original demo sessions for Kokomo. And he's a falsetto stand-in, which is a role that will have to be filled by someone. He also has Brian's ear and approval, which other folks like Matt Jardine just wouldn't have.

Dave just won't contribute as much, even if he appears. And while it would be nice if he were there, "apathetic" describes my emotions toward him too. He's so tangentially related to the music and period of the group that I enjoy. I acknowledge his role, have liked some of his songs, and am sure he's a great guy.

And did a terrible job/played on terrible songs.


Terrible song.


Anyone is better than Jeff.


Who says Matt wouldn't? Who says this isn't a decision by Brian's handlers, one of them being, y'know, Jeff?


O yeah. I mean he's only on toss-offs like "Surfer Girl", "In My Room", "Your Summer Dream", "Surfin' USA", "Farmers Daughter", trash like that. Surely the guy who played on the Sunkist version of "Good Vibrations" deserves a spot on a new Beach Boys recover over David Marks.

So will David make the album good?

How would, say, Al Jardine make the album better but David wouldn't? How would anyone? Buncha washed up has been old d00ds working with the guy who invented Wendy's f*** these guys blah blah blah Pet Sounds Pet Sounds PET SOUNDS

Oh ok well when you put it that way it makes so much sense  ::)

Maybe I'm in the minority but I'm more concerned that they find a way to include Denny and Carl in this than I am about David Marks or any other relatives of members of touring bands or whomever.  Denny and Carl should each have a solo vocal a piece.

You Are Correct, Sir!!!

I think folks want Matt Jardine on this record because he can do falsetto vocals well and with some kind of... respect? I don't know if that's the right word. He can do them justice, it's not a matter of him simply being the offspring of ol' Al Sardine. Yerp.

Wasn't the issue with Andy Paley that "nobody produces Brian Wilson"?

I'm sure Brian will be given the first production credit, if only for coughing in the general direction of a knob at some point. He's just not as into it as he was 40 some years ago, which is understandable. I'm very interested in them having the right guy in the group's corner and behind Brian's production ideas. I don't know if Dave Thomas is that guy, but we'll see. I haven't heard any productions of his since, well, 1998. Some folks change, some don't.

I will say I hope we don't see a return to the double-tracked, reverb drenched Brian vocals of Imagination and GIOMH (although I know the latter is not Joe's work). It just does not work for his modern voice. Mostly dry with a bit of distant reverb, single-tracked, and right up front. "Midnight's Another Day", needisaymoar?

Agreed. I love how delicately-treated his vocal is on BWRG -- just an ounce of reverb, lightly treated. And his voice has that nice thick quality that I think sounds excellent without needing to be doubled.

Exactly.  And the same coolness vibe!

Oh nooooo. Jeff.

True, David jumped ship October 1963, but in the 19 months he was officially in the band, he played on three Top 10 singles, a Top 20 one, three Top 30 B sides and a Top 50 single, and three Top 10 albums (and a #32 one for good measure). Plus, he was there at the very beginning. This summer, I was told by two different people that the door was open, and neither of them had the initials ACJ.

He should be there.

If he brings something to the table he should be there.

Musicianship, history.

They should be more concerned with doing something new, interesting, you know good, rather than wasting their time with some misty eyed tribute to "history". I don't see David Marks' participation as being anything other than symbolic. If he's there, fine. If he's not, that's fine too. The best way they respect the wonderful legacy of The Beach Boys is by going out on a high note, by doing something original, and honest that stands with their best work.

You could argue that the Beatles Archeology reunion could have done without Ringo then, as he brings nothing to the table other than musicianship. And yes, I know, Ringo was there from the start through the end… oh, hang on… he wasn't the original drummer? He walked out during the White Album sessions?

You might be right, his presence might not be essential to the finished product but his guitar will lend it more validity as a BBs' product, in my opinion. It's wrong to talk of who has rights and who doesn't – that's for the guys (and their ladies) to sort out between them I reckons – but he's a Beach Boy. Jeff ain't.

From my fan's perspective, I say "let David in, bring him home".

As for Carl & Dennis vox on the album, I say "not essential". Nice if there's something worthy of inclusion, but no tokenism, please. Let the guys rest in peace and let their memory endure.

I'd love the reunion to produce a strong new album... but realistically, it won't: these guys are all, bar David, 69/70 now. The reunion itself is symbolic. I've a feeling that the most significant music to emerge from it will be some decades old... and I'd just love to be proved totally wrong on this.  :)

if they have to do a reunion album, i'd prefer something that sounds like friends........i don't want any surfing/girl/car songs sung by guys in their 70s...

They need a Beach Boys lead guitar player with Carl gone, and David is perfect to play lead along with Al on Rhythm.

Cool Head is pretty mellow...along with a couple other tunes from Mike's solo stuff of that era, wonder if he'll offer those.

Elegantly (and correctly, in my view) stated.


What does age have to do with it? Brian created two of his strongest solo albums in '08 and '10. If he has decent new material and sympathetic production (both big ifs, I understand) you could have at least a decent record. Maybe BB85 quality, at least.

Probably an external producer is needed in order to ensure that all BB members will have the feeling that their input is appreciated.
Maybe Joe Thomas is the only external producer that they could think of who already knows the BB and their personalities and who already managed to successfully work with them (just think about all the egos in play) and actually get an album completed and released.

I didn't mind the Imagination production too much, the vocals were especially well produced.  I'm just hoping he takes it easy on nylon guitars this time..


IMO, David should be definitely be part of this, at least for some solid guitar work.

Soooo.... your analogy for why David should be in the reunion, is that the Beatles didn't let Pete Best in the reunion.  Gotcha. 

I agree (although, honestly I wouldn't MIND David being there, just don't really care one way or the other).  Instead of trying to 'look back with Love' I think that they should look towards the future.  Also, what's all this talk about them 'going out'.... they aren't going anywhere!  You think Mike's EVER going to retire?  Hell no.  He'll die in a hotel room after a show some day.

Thankfully, it appears Brian is looking towards the future, too.  All new songs.  WHOO HOOO!!!

I think that's it too.  I also think you'll see a lot of Mike's band on this album.  Jeff could be the compromise.  Brian brings Jeff (and maybe a band member or two) to the table, Mike and his band get to to do some Studio work with Brian, they pick Joe Thomas to keep everybody particularly MELLOW, lol. 

You know folks: It is what it is.  listen to it, and enjoy it. 

Sorry if this sounds a little naive (and we know the BBs don't exactly have the most straightforward of histories) but if AGD was told by 2 people that the door has been left open, maybe it's David who is holding off any commitment.

I think David should be included in any anniversary plans, whether it's the album or live shows

In fact, seeing him play a few years back at the Hammersmith Apollo with Mike had a sense of history about it-these guys go a long way back.

In terms of the album, I was hoping Darian and Scott would be involved but I suppose Jeff goes back the furthest-hasn't he played recently with Mike?

The whole thing sounds a bit vague and wonky at this point, so it’s probably not safe to assume much. I think it might be worth at least pausing on the “David isn’t on it but Jeff is” stuff, because it appears that Mike, Al, and Bruce aren’t on this stuff yet either.

Based on the idea of this supposed “trial” take of “Do It Again” and Brian recording stuff on his own for possible BB usage, it’s interesting to see how they are taking a very measured, non-committal, easing-into-it approach with this. This may well be the best way to tackle such a project, to avoid the possibility that all of these guys clear their schedule for album sessions and a tour only to see it crash and burn. I think there is a built-in “out” on what they’re doing right now. If moods change or other factors change, this could easily turn into a Brian album, or the sessions could go on the shelf without some huge “cancelled reunion” looming over them.

Seems like what Brian is doing on his own might work, or at least is part of what might work. Rather than force these guys to sit down and write together, maybe it’s better to have them all record some stuff on their own, then contribute to each other’s tracks (writing-wise in some cases, and certainly performance-wise), and just do as many tracks as they can, and then mold an album from that. Such an album won’t sound terribly cohesive necessarily, but I’d rather have good songs in a non-cohesive setting than an album like “Imagination” that, if nothing else, certainly sounds like it was all written, produced, and recorded by one team.

The quality of the material is obviously the most important aspect, and there’s no way to know how that might turn out. Brian just kind of casually doing some backing tracks with Joe Thomas and singing with Jeff doesn’t strike me as an indication that they have this amazing reunion-worthy material just waiting for the other BB’s to add vocals to, but maybe it is awesome stuff. Based on a few reports, it sounds like they are using at least some of Thomas’ session players, and that doesn’t bode well in my mind. I think many of us are hoping Thomas’ production style has changed, or at least will be different now for Brian knowing what Brian has done in the intervening years since “Imagination.” But still using the same session guys isn’t a strong indicator that his “sound” or “style” has changed.

The David Marks issue is one that likely will not be solved to many fans’ satisfaction. I’ve said this before, but regardless of the talent the guy has, it’s simply a condition of what has happened that he doesn’t fit snugly into a modern-era Beach Boys project. He never sang substantially with the band, and his guitar playing focuses on a particular era of their career. I think playing guitar on new recordings, and joining a live reunion show/tour would be great. But anything beyond that will not seem like the BB’s to me. Having him sing lead vocals in a BB concert, or having him contribute songs to an album, would just seem out of place. But a “reunion” is symbolic, as many have said, and that certainly means to me that not having him involved at all would lessen the impact of a “reunion.” The fact that the other BB’s have in some way acknowledged David in more recent years is a cool thing,  and that’s a cool aspect of a potential reunion.

As for Carl and Dennis, I don’t think a bit of “Free as a Bird-ish” content on a new album would be a bad thing. Let’s face it, any reunion album is going to seem a bit gimmicky anyway. I just don’t see this getting to a sort of organic, Rick Rubin production-esque, true rebirth of the group. So let’s get them all on there. Finish the BB version of “Soul Searchin’”, and include “You’re Still a Mystery” which at least presumably has Carl in there somewhere. Have Brian finish “Oh Lord” to represent Dennis, or maybe overdub a strong Dennis track (but don’t give us “Wouldn’t It Be Nice to Live Again” presented as a “new album” song; just use that stuff on archival releases).

A lot of interesting possibilities and scenarios could happen here. It’s part of the excitement, right? The whole thing could totally blow up into craziness, or it could even be a good one.

Bring back David, and Blondie and Ricky.

I wish Thomas wasn't involved.
Imagination is my least favorite record of ANY BW/BB-related project.

Too slick. Brian doesn't sound like himself. Lots of auto-tune. It's 80s production with 90s technology. It doesn't sound REAL. Worst reverbs too. UGHHH.

I'm hoping that this project doesn't pander to the Jimmy Buffett "adult contemporary" crowd.

EVERYONE likes the Beach Boys not just baby-boomers.

A few comments;

Jeff Foskett is the guy who tours with brian and listens and watches his every move on stage, filling in missed lyrics, picking up the lead when Brian's voice falters, and generally making Brian appear to perform more seamlessly.   I think he may be needed for vocals but for general support.   

As for production and Joe Thomas, I am hopeful that he will do better this time especially having this group of performers to work with.  Imagination was trying to blend Brians vocal pieces into a smooth, professional (MOR)   mix.
There should be more personality in this record, less sterile sounding.

There are far too many people in the three bands (Al, Mike, and Brian's bands) to employ everyone.  Some people will inevitably be disappointed with the final choices.  Bringing Al, Brian, Bruce and Jeff into Mike's very fine band sounds like the best we can expect.  Would round it out more nicely if Matt could Join Dad in the reunion with Mike and Christian.   I think the harmony sound could be nicely captured with that lineup.

Then let him support - not sing.

So yeah, the David Marks thing. I've read Jon Stebbins book about David, and I definitely understand that he was on the first three (or four?) albums and played on some major, major hits. He was in the band for 2 years in the '60s. Then we have Blondie Chaplin. Who I think also would majorly deserve to be part of the group too. I think Mr. Stebbins is all for David's return because he got close to him while writing his book. I'm sure if he wrote a book on Blondie Chaplin, he would be in his cheering section too. Btw, no offense intended, Mr. Stebbins. Anyways, back to the my point. Blondie sang on "Sail On Sailor", rightly recognized as one of the last Beach Boys classics. He was on three albums, and was in the band for nearly two years. Then you got Ricky, who also played on three albums.

Maybe it's just me, but I think the main reason there is an uprising for David is that he's kinda had a rough go at life since he left The Beach Boys, whereas somebody like Blondie is ok since he's since played with The Band and The Rolling Stones.

Now, David seems like an awesome guy (I'd probably like to hang out with him more than Mike Love or Bruce Johnston or Jeff Foskett) and he's a great musician, but I'm also gonna throw out a guess here and say this album (and the reunion in general) is gonna portray the group as the "artists" that made Today!, Pet Sounds, SMiLE, and Sunflower, ALONG with those early hits. That may have been a way to get Brian involved. To have it be less Mike-centric than the 25th anniversary and the Stars & Stripes reunions were. Honestly, I would say it woulda made more sense to have David on Stars & Stripes, as that focused more on the early material.

Now, its verrrry possible I'm way off the mark here. But that's just my opinion.

I also gotta say, it looks like it's gonna be a (what's left of) "classic-era" reunion. Which means you get Brian, Mike, Al, and Bruce. Just as if The Byrds reunited, you'd get Jim McGuinn, David Crosby, and Chris Hillman. Even though Gene Parsons and John York played on albums (and hits) they won't be part of reunion, because most likely they will wanna portray the most "classic" lineup.

If it was up to me, I would LOVE for the 2012 Beach Boys to be Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, David Marks, Blondie Chaplin, and Ricky Fataar, but it just ain't gonna happen.

Maybe I'm misreading the Pete Best/David Marks comparison, but it's a silly analogy.

Pete Best was ditched because he wasn't very good. David was ditched for reasons other than musical talent.

Well, McGuinn, Crosby and Hillman could use a drummer (Gene Parsons) and an additional bass player (John York) to free up Chris.  Gene Parsons is a VERY talented singer, writer, and multi-instrumentalist, and he sang a bunch o' GORGEOUS songs in the latter day Byrds with Clarence White.

I think the reason David Marks is overlooked so often in the band's history is because he easily had the lowest profile in the group. Mike fronted the band, Brian wrote the songs and sang the high bits, Dennis was the one all the girls wanted to shag and Carl got to do all the guitar solos. That left Dave playing the rhythm (and he wasn't even allowed to sing). The focus was never on him. The same can be said for Al when he joined. It was only when the lead vocals started getting spread around more that anyone really noticed him. Dave will always suffer from 'the other guy syndrome' as far as the BB's go.

PLUS Pete Best was never on any of the officially released Beatles albums. Not. A. One.

David Marks on the other hand.....

David Marks has never been ditched from The Beach Boys. Ever. Not in the '60's, not in the '90s.
(First time he walked was because he couldn't take the bullsh** and the second time was so he didn't die.)

As far as the seemingly endless hatred of Jeff Foskett (not to mention the silly and immature use of his name in song titles) without Jeff, it doesn't happen; there is no "modern era Brian Wilson" without Jeff Foskett. There's no studio work and there's no tour. If three minutes before show time Jeff falls ill -- the show is off. That's how important Jeff is to the state of affairs today. He acts as Brian's aide/valet offstage and keeps things so cool both on and offstage that people are STILL claiming that "Brian Is Back!" Seeing as how many people on this board don't really know him (or think they know him because they HEARD he "hates" Love You) let me be the first to say he's really a good guy, he loves the music as much as any of us, and we're lucky to have him on our side.

Where anyone got the idea that Jeff is involved in the reunion "in lieu" of anyone -- specifically David is far beyond me.

Amen!  Please use Matt Jardine for vocals and not Jeff!

Maybe the easiest way to communicate why David Marks matters is the fact that he was part of the band that sold millions of records and made the Beach Boys a household name. His guitar can still be heard everyday on the airwaves, yes even today, whenever some radio station or TV show or movie plays "Surfin' U.S.A." or "Surfer Girl" or "In My Room" or "Little Deuce Coupe" or "Catch A Wave" or one of the other iconic Beach Boys records that he is on. He's part of that. I think the fact that he is one of the five(or six) orig. Beach Boys who made those songs warrants a spot in any reunion.

Blondie and Ricky cannot make the above claim, but to me they deserve a spot in the reunion too...because they were an essential part of one of the great Beach Boys eras, not a commercially successful one, but one that is historically important and artistically nourishing. Blondie is a friend, I hope he's there too. But to me David gets picked first because of his role in the band's genesis and rise to fame.

I was no problem with Jeff, he can do the high parts, toured with both Brian and Mike, and keeps Brian calm.

It's a really good point that bears repeating -- regardless of how fans think things should play out (and even may be right, artistically), you have to have certain things for the comfort level of the participants (e.g. Jeff Foskett) to make it work at all.

I'm not thrilled with Joe Thomas -- I'm dubious that producers can change their spots to such a degree, that you can willfully change from IMAGINATION to a more commercial Andy Paley sound, even given the water under the bridge.  Part of what makes a producer a producer is an aesthetic sense that you're invested in and that you organize sound around.  You don't just toss that overboard.  That said, I think what was said upthread is probably the right answer:  maybe he's the only guy that everyone is comfortable with.  And you know, if that's what it takes to get it done, then that's that, even though it may foreclose some better sonic outcomes for such an album.

Ditto what was said about easing into it.  This is a very smart way to go if that's what they're doing.  

The thing about David, and Blondie and Ricky is that when you put them in the mix, you kind of have a different band on your hands.  Which is not necessarily a bad thing.  But I can see why it's something everyone would want to think over.

First off, I wanna say that I don't wanna be counted among those who "hate" Jeff Foskett. My only problem is that his current band's harmony blend sounds like the Backstreet Boys, and that Jeff's falsetto (for the most part) has annoyed the living piss out of me. I think that live, yes, he should be around, but in the studio with the combination of Brian, Al, and Bruce, I'm sure they could pull off the needed falsetto parts. And if they didn't want to, then use Adam Jardine, who sounds way better. But then, at the same time, if that is what Brian Wilson himself truly wants, then that should be what goes.

And lastly, I have to think that ultimately what dictates the reunion is how Brian feels. And if he for some reason didn't want Bruce or Al there, I'd bet that wouldn't be. So maybe the Brian, Al, Bruce, Mike lineup is the one that works best for Brian in the studio.

So hey, have it this way:

Studio: Brian, Mike, Al, Bruce
Live: Brian (if he wants to), Mike, Al, Bruce, Dave, Blondie?, Ricky?

Dave gets to be part of the "reunion", and so do Blondie and Ricky if they even have any interest.

I would guess The Beach Boys contributions to instruments being played on a reunion album would be minimal. How many instrumental credits did the band have on Still Cruisin' (new songs), Stars and Stripes,or Summer in Paradise? My bet would be afterall the tracks are in the can David gets invited for filming to give it a more legitimate feel. Just my thoughts.

Barry Williams might be a good addition as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vftmfk92zZY

Howie, thanks. I don't know how or why the Foskett hate got started here,  but it's a new and unappealing thing.

I think, deep down, a lot of posters who have not followed BW or his scene intently for a number of years do not understand, at a fairly basic level, how dependent Brian is on good people around him. They think that if evil person of the hour (Melinda, Jeff, whoever) was out of the way, Brian would instantly jump up and crank out another "Love You."

The basic truth is this. Brian is a mentally ill older man with minimal life skills. He cannot function on his own. He is, for distressing periods of time, basically catatonic. If we like a Brian who performs, who records, who is engaged with the world, someone has to guide him.

Exactly. And that someone is and should of course be Jeff, on this project as well.

Doesn't mean I have to like his voice, though.

Oh my..Wirestone is right and it hurts to know that and see it in print..GOD BLESS Brian Wilson

I remember there being a Smile show in 04  where Jeff didn't perform  because he was sick. He only introduced the band that night. Taylor took a lot of his vocals on that show and she did a great job. Not to bash on Jeff, but I just wanted to debunk the comment on "If three minutes before show time Jeff falls ill -- the show is off."

this is going to be a disaster

2004 is a very, very long time ago.

I don't write a lot about this subject because -- well, it sucks and it's painful and sad. But Brian is a very fragmented and contradictory and damaged person. And just because someone is limited or mentally ill doesn't mean they're dumb or unaware. Brian surely knows his state, and it's sad to imagine how it must be to live with the knowledge that you are permanently dependent.

On the other hand, BW is clearly still excited and engaged by music, and still able to write, play and perform it. That's a great gift -- for him and us.

(Given his past history of brain damage, and the fact that Brian is now over the age of 65, it wouldn't surprise me if he is living with some form of dementia. It would make a certain amount of sense, given his changes over the past couple of years. Folks with that diagnosis are often encouraged to keep doing the things they're good at and love because it keeps them active and involved. Food for thought.)

It's settled: they'll be calling the album "I Wanna Jeff You Up"

If this is a BEACH BOYS album, if Jeff is indeed there, I'll doubt it will be very obvious.

The truth behind Brian's illness is so unbelievably sad. :( We should all pray for Brian tonight.

It is very sad about Brian, but I'll leave the praying thanks. Not everyone believes in that stuff you know ;)

I don't get why so many people go on about Ricky and Blondie. I know they were official members, I respect them as the great musicians that they were (and probably still are) and I wouldn't mind if they would be part of the reunion, but IMO they played a very minor role in the Beach Boys story. They were there for just two years, I think they didn't fit in very well (vocally or as songwriters) and what did they really contribute? They performed on two studio albums (so did several dozens of session musicians), they contributed four songs (none of which I care for, they don't even sound like Beach Boys songs) and Blondie sang lead on 'Sail On, Sailor' (but then again, if singing on one good Beach Boys song is enough to make you essential for a reunion, Jack Rieley should get a call too).

David should be there though. He's one of the originals, simple as that.

I'm not very religious either, but Brian's sad state moves me to pray for a fellow's man well being. :)

Agreed. I think Jeff is fairly suddenly getting the same ire that has been directed, rightly or wrongly, at people who have guided Brian through the years - Eugene Landy, Joe Thomas (!), Melinda, etc.

What is hilarious and mystifying to me is that people in this thread are up in arms about Jeff Foskett being involved with this. Regardless of whether his falsetto is too 'perfect,' Here is a guy who has been with Brian and the Beach Boys for longer than some of us have been on this Earth, and has helped see Brian through the biggest renaissance in his career since the mid 1960s. People are surprised and disappointed that Foskett is going to be involved, yet they don't seem to have much of a problem with Joe Thomas producing.

I agree with the posters up-thread who said that Thomas is an excellent vocal producer. However, as someone else said, fundamental production styles typically don't change much, and if Thomas is in charge of this project with veto power, we could end up with an overly slick, wrong-headed sounding Beach Boys reunion album. I don't really mind "slick" when it is at the level of BWPS or TLOS, but the production on Imagination was so tone deaf and dated at the time that it gives me tremendous pause about Thomas' involvement. Digital hiss was not something I had heard since the late 1980s when Imagination was released. I was surprised to hear it on a new release in 1998.

Then there is the information in "Catch a Wave" by Peter Ames Carlin about Thomas trying to rearrange "Caroline, No" as a 'Sexy, Sade-style thing.' This type of aesthetic is not what I want to hear on a new Beach Boys or Brian Wilson album and I hope that's not the direction it takes.  Apparently, that was the straw that broke the camel's back for Darian and his protestations resulted in Thomas' departure, and as a result, the excellent live performances we've enjoyed for nigh on a decade now.

Speaking of which.. why not involve Darian Shahanaja as a producer or co-producer? Out of everyone who could conceivably be asked to involve themselves with this record, Shahanaja seems to have the best knack for Brian's aesthetic sense.  He is also conceivably someone who Brian can feel comfortable around, which is the best case for using Joe Thomas. Of course, the talented mimic Sean O'Hagan will not be involved (I'm sure they haven't even discussed the possibility after O'Hagan telling tales out of school) and I would be very surprised if Andy Paley is involved.

The album should be "Produced by Brian Wilson" even if people like Thomas or Shahanaja are there co-produce and to guide Brian. It is probably the last Beach Boys album ever and for it not to be a BW production would be missing a huge opportunity for closure and for a career-capping triumph. Then again, if Brian relinquishes his job as producer, we can still hope for the best possible outcome.

Finally, one more bone to pick - what about Rick Rubin's production aesthetic makes any of you think he would be a good choice to produce a Brian Wilson album, let alone a Beach Boys album? He did some good work in the early 90s as mentioned upthread with the Beastie Boys, and he also has produced some good Cash and Neil Diamond albums, but his work with other bands like RHCP sounds like garbage. Even if his work with the Beach Boys was to sound as good and dynamic as his earlier recordings, he is a producer who goes for very dry, minimalist sounds. He is at his best when he is producing a four-piece rock band or a singer-songwriter who has sparse arrangements like those used on the Cash albums.

I have been reading Rubin's name come up for years now on this board and it mystifies me every time. There are producers like Nigel Godrich who are capable of producing dry, minimalist recordings like those of Rubin but also are capable of allowing artists to be themselves without asserting too much of their own "stamp" on the music. Even Jeff Lynne, who was also mentioned upthread and who leaves his indelible stamp on the records he produces, would be a better choice than Rubin. Incidentally, I love Lynne's production style but I am not sure how well it would fit The Beach Boys. Still, it would be a smarter and more aesthetically fitting choice than Mr. Rick f'n Rubin. (I am a fan of "Let it Shine," though.)

The best reason that I can think of for Rubin to ever be involved with Brian Wilson is so that he can share his love of vegetarian/vegan lethargy. Maybe Brian would steal enough of Rubin's burritos during the sessions that he would convert to a healthier lifestyle.

What if you pray to the wrong God, or worse, Satan? Be careful with the power of prayer. I'm not religious either and I'm pretty sure my prayer for a Beach Boys reunion album was answered by the Devil because including Joe Thomas as a producer really fits perfectly with the Dark Lord's sense of irony.

You have proof to support this statement ? Granted, Brian doesn't run three marathons a week - in fact, he's one of the laziest people on God's earth: sees a chair, sits in it. I can dig that - but he's no zombie, as a friend of mine found out (and if he'll let me, I'll pass the tale on: it's a nice one). Brian is a 69-year-old man with neurological issues, most of which stemmed from the 1982-1991 period, and which are currently being controlled. He drives his own car. He cuts up his own food. He can button his own pants. Jeff, in the early touring days, was indeed a safety net but these days he's more of a comfort blanket. Brian trusts Jeff, and there's not many can say that. Brian's lazy, indolent and not hyper. But he's not catatonic, or even close: yeah, he has his bad days but back in the 2nd Landy era, pretty much every day was a bad day. Truth is, we see maybe 10% of Brian's life and that's the rigidly structured touring aspect. Also, remember this: Brian is the master of the put-on. I don't doubt that some of his zoning out is a defence mechanism, pure and simple. Hell, I do that, but as I'm not Brian Wilson, no-one notices. They just think I'm being rude.  ;D

PS: Brian's memory - if you push the right buttons - can floor you. Dementia ? Don't think so.

It would be great to see David, Blondie and Ricky involved.  It would also be great if Billy Hinsche, Ed Carter & Bobby Figueroa were involved as well but that might not be possible.  I feel that Blondie's voice would partially fill a void left by Carl's absence.

I'm not praying to anybody, just hoping Brian stays happy and healthy as he ages.

Can we just sticky AGD's assessment of Brian's mental state? I get tired of the assumptions people post here re: Brian's mental health.

At least in my case it wasn't an assumption; more an informed extrapolation based on some off-the-record conversations from a couple of years ago. Combining those with Howie's statement led to my post. Obviously people around Brian can see his mood and states differently from person to person -- and AGD's point about the 10 percent is excellent. Those who know that 10 percent may not always be the best ones to speak about BW day-to-day. I'm glad it's not as dire as I feared.

As for dementia, it will probably take me first, then ...

Edit: It is also a very powerful human desire to have a happy, simple endings to tales of trouble. That desire has certainly distorted perceptions of Brian before. Life is complicated and not always how we'd like it.

 This is quite possibly the most pathetic thing I've ever seen, and I like The Brady Bunch!

before I'll have an opinion on Joe T producing this stuff, has anyone got a link to something recent that he's produced?

Imagination was a long time ago... ::)

Nigel Godrich would be a great choice

he did a wonderful job producing a couple of AIR albums - and their Beach Boys influence is all over their records

I want Brian Wilson and Kevin Shields of MBV to make an album.

It's literally the longest shot in the world, but I think having Nick Lowe & Dave Edmunds produce a Beach Boys reunion LP would scratch most of our itches.

Ok, so Rick Rubin may be a bit too "dry and minimalist" for some tastes on this board...how about someone like Roy Thomas Baker who is very good at getting huge vocal sounds ?

I would literally cream my jeans if this happened. Heck, I'd cream yours too! But Nick says he doesn't produce anymore and Edmunds is kinda old. The Beach Boys really only need someone who can get a good sound...more of an engineer than a producer. The guys can figure out the other stuff (arrangements, dynamics, etc.).

Brian Eno anybody???

Or even someone like Frank Black could be great! Someone who gets it and cares!

Steve Albini would be great because he'd leave Brian alone to get to business.

No, I think RTB is too glammy, hard rock, butt-rock, for my taste. Honestly I'd rather have Joe Thomas. Jeff Lynne honestly might be cool too. I feel like he takes the '60s sound and modernizes it, for better or worse. And Rick Rubin, well I just don't think he's that great of a producer. Licensed to Ill is surely the worst produced Beastie Boys album, and has dated horribly. The Red Hot Chili Peppers succeed despite of his production, and in my opinion he his production nearly single handled ruined Weezer's Make Believe. His production on Weezer's red album was also pretty shitty, by and large. I wouldn't doubt that my friend runnersdialzero agree's with me on that one. I think he set up a good environment for Johnny Cash's last performances, but I think him staying away from the knobs is what made those albums good.

I honestly think the production will be reasonable even if Joe Thomas is producing. The one thing about the boys recently, is it seems they DO listen to the fans. And I'm sure Brian's team knows how many feel about Imagination. So I think that will be taken in mind. I think the vocals on the new album will sound wonderful, and I hope the sound is mellow and pretty, but not too bright. I'd like something like Imagination, just with a little less nylon string guitar and cheesy tinkling keyboards.

.

The released version of GIOMH should sound like Joe Thomas -- the track is from the Imagination sessions!

.

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@ teh sweet one: Rubin's pretty hack-y and has been "hands off" with the majority of his works for the last 20 years, red and Make Believe are no exception. I've heard people who worked with him when he *was* hands on complain about continuing to work with him, saying he'd come in for 15 minutes at the end of the session saying things like, "Is that digital?" and, "It's off, listen! It's off!" at a backwards guitar track.

His approach is interesting*, I'm sure it's done some great things for some people (I happen to think the red album is really good, for instance), but I think it requires a strong, disciplined, and willing creative force in the studio as well. That's not to say they don't exist in the Beach Boys, but I think it'd be a lot easier for distractions and bickering to come back and derail the project.

* While I say "interesting", I think it's a tad ridiculous that the guy likely gets paid millions to turn very little knobs but just come in and say, "The melody needs a lift," or, "Write a new chorus."

While I know nothing of his work with Radiohead, Nigel Godrich's work on Beck's Sea Change is really good. Lots of layers and atmosphere but little actual reverb on vocals, drums etc. which is pretty interesting. He might have been a good choice. Again, I won't discredit Joe's work until it's finished, as I've heard nothing from him in 13 years and maybe he's come to realize the Imagination-style production is extremely inappropriate for this.

Whoever produces it, it HAS TO BE better than Summer In Paradise was, right?

Right?

 :-\

Considering the d00d who did it died seven years ago, I'd say the chances of it sounding similar are slim.

There is little to no chance Nigel Godrich would work with The Beach Boys. I get the feeling that artist has to pursue him, and I doubt any of the boys would do that, minus Bruce maybe. But anyways, I seem to remember he really was quite of a dick to Paul McCartney, for instance telling him stuff like "that song sucks" or "re-write that one and then come back". Could you imagine him saying stuff like that to Brian Wilson? If he did, I'm scared that Brian would never write or record a new song after that ever again. So let's keep Nigel out of the project.

And by the way, I know Nigel was tough on Paul, but I wonder if he had the same up-front ballsiness when Thom Yorke pukes up a shitty clickety-clackity piece of computer garbage. I don't seem him being quite as rude. Maybe I'm wrong though. By the way, I am a Radiohead fan, but sometimes Thom is a bit much.

I've actually warmed up to the Joe Thomas idea a lot quicker than I ever thought I would.

Joe has done little studio production work, it seems, since Imagination. He has mainly produced and directed a PBS series called "Soundstage." He has produced some live albums taken from show broadcasts -- namely one by Fleetwood Mac and one from Stevie Nicks.

http://www.avclub.com/chicago/articles/soundstage,25355/

Acts on the show have included Tom Petty and Sonic Youth, as well as the Mac.

That's 15 years of producing other artists, if only in a live setting.. who knows what he's learned in that time...
I personally, wouldn't write this project off just because he's involved...

Danzig?

Preach it brother.  I don't know why people want to make things negative that aren't.  What the hell did Jeff Foskett ever do to anybody?  Every story I've ever heard about him, and everytime I've ever seen him on anything he's the nicest, sweetest, funniest guy ever.

I agree.  Brian's certainly eccentric, lazy, mentally ill, and OLD.... but he's not catatonic or suffering from Dementia.  I know that's 'the narrative' but he's living a pretty normal life.

People go on and on about how sick he is, but hell he's living in a house full of kids that call him daddy.  That's going to go a long way towards making a guy appreciate waking up in the morning.  He's got dogs all over the place.  They probably drive him more crazy than he already is, but Brian's a functioning adult.  In interviews, like AGD is suggesting... sometimes he busts out with some answer and it's really surprising the things he still remembers, etc. 

Also about a year ago somebody posted a picture of Brian IN A PARKING LOT PICKING UP A CHICKEN DINNER.  Hell he must be functioning pretty good if he can drive himself down to a fast food joint and pick up some fried chicken. 

Too bad they didn't get Panda Bear.

screw the fried chicken.. there is disrespect for BW + JF.. all over these boards..!!!!!..I personally think that Matt Jardine is a BETTER falsetto singer than Jeff Foskett.. SO FU##in Wh##...!!!!!! Get IT..WE got a bunch of NEWBIES posting on this board..Ive been on this board 12 years..!!!!!!. What i say MEANS nothing...!!BUT// I am 60 years old which means i am in the loop of original BB fans + i live in SOUTHERN calif.. ..But my posts dont show it ..i keep changing my name.....BECAUSE.. No matter WHAT comes out you FU##KIn COMPLAIN>>SHUT UP>>!!!!!! Any thing released last 15 years is a FU##KIN GIFT....!! If David Marks shows up for REUNION LP enjoy>>>!!!!!!!!!!!..HELLO..If Internet existed in 60"s>>>>>>>>>> BW/BB  would have never releases sh*t..!! Are U kidding me..!SHUT UP.. And enjoy what comes down the pipeline from   Alan + Mark...!! BB/BW........AGD ...PLEASE help me...

What? Silly? Immature? On a board about The Beach Boys?????

Ahem, on a serious note we can go ahead and start a "Jeff Is Back" campaign on this board!

Jeff's OK!

I think Jeff deserves a TON of respect for the obvious love he holds for Brian and The Beach Boys!

Needless to say, the immaturity will continue!

Let's Put Our Hearts Together With Jeff!

What always shows me what kind of person he is, is hearing fans that went and stayed all day at a show or whatever, and their interaction with him.  You hear story after story about Jeff sneaking somebody backstage, or Jeff coming out to the audience, taking somebody's LP, getting it signed, and bringing it back to them, etc.

I mean why the hell would he do all that?  It'd be easier to just ignore talking to the fans, or taking the time to go get somebody's album signed, or whatever... and here he is DECADES into this deal, *STILL* going out of his way to do favors for fans, and meeting people and talking to people individually before and after shows, etc.   

This guy's got a heart of Gold, and if you don't like the way his voice sounds, oh well.  He's done enough charity work for the fans I think he deserves the spot he's got. 

Anyone who doubts Jeff's talents and chemistry with The Beach Boys should check out the Live Aid clips! It's easy to see the Boys are getting a charge out of Jeff and he doesn't simply stand there either like a sideman, but rather he brings something to the performance rather than just playing the right notes.

Disgusting.

He sounds just as bad there. I hear no noteworthy "chemistry" going on between he and the rest of the band sans the times where he's clearly singing but Brian thinks he is and is barely audible. That's some good "chemistry", right there.

Matt Jardine > Jeff Foskett > Adrian Baker

Just remember that.

So, about the new album. I am glad that they're doing it. Brian talks about 6 of his songs that are mellow (so it seems the other guys get their spot too to fill a complete album) which goes hand in hand with what Mike said a few months back that Brian wrote some songs that are in the Pet Sounds style, as everything that's not sounding like the surf-stuff to Mike is in Pet Sounds style.
I'm a little skeptical about Joe Thomas. The vocals on the Thomas co-produced stuff sound great, yes, but afaik the vocals were produced by Brian and Joe did the plastic sounding tracks. But let's wait and see (or hear).
Also Brian says that the guys all sound great and don't need any work. That's something that in the worst scenario - and since it's the Beach boys, the most likely - means they are not really working but just taking the easy road. On the other hand, we know from the glory days that the guys are really quick learners.

Foskett will be part of this and I don't know why so many people seem to have a problem with that. Personally I think Matt Jardine's falsetto is much better and not sounding as "nostalgia-act-like" as Jeff's but Brian certainly won't do it without him and that's ok with me. He's a very big part why Brian feels good working on stuff like this.
I hope David will be part of this and also Matt Jardine. I also hope for a little acapella song like "One for the boys" on Brian's '88 album. Just the guys standing around a mike, Mike on his own and let the magic happen.

I agree, though it's easy to understand Wirestone's post. He does seem as if there's a lot wrong with him, (Brian, not Wirestone) but I suspect that is a front put on for the public and interviewers. I have it on good authority that his demeanour changes radically when he's feeling comfortable.

Brian, as AGD says, is a 69 year old man with mental health issues. I've never met the man, though I have had the privilege of seeing him in concert. I know people who have met Brian. I also have experience dealing with people who have suffered mental/neurological issues.

There was a story on this very board I believe, posted by somebody who met Brian in the 60's and again much more recently. Brian not only claimed to remember the guy, he even immediately know when and where they'd met some 40 years previously. Nothing wrong with his memory.

Hell, I know for a fact that Peter Gabriel was unable to remember song lyrics on stage when he was 25...songs that he'd written himself and was touring reguarly....so I cut Brian slack for using a prompter.

I've no doubt he has good and bad days, he suffers from depression...everybody in that position has good and bad days...days when they feel the king/queen of the world and days when they cannot face getting up out of bed.

We all know from many sources that Brian drives his own car, walks around by himself, feeds himself...he can probably even dress himself and tie his own shoelaces (Einstein couldn't...). He functions most of the time and still has sparks of creativity which allow him to write excellent songs.

I know people who have encountered Brian 'in the street' and when surprised he is a bit like a rabbit caught in headlights - but then so am I. Otherwise he is described as 'a little odd, eccentric perhaps. But perfectly with it'. You just have to know how to engage his enthusiasm. Certain lines of enquiry will cause Brian to get bored and pull up the shutters, or to feel uncomfy and do likewise....others will see him give one or two word answers...while other subjects or angles on subjects will see him spin a story for minutes.

I'm OK with a mellow Beach Boys album. I'm OK with an LP that is mellow on one side and rocking on the other. I'm OK with an EP. As long as the music is at least 'good'. The presence of Jeff is a bit of a security blanket for Brian, and an advocate for Brian if he feels he needs one. Jeff will look out for Brian on the occaions that needs to happen. Just like the keyboard at his gigs was a security blanket, something that made Brian feel 'safe' and able to be Brian. Jeff is also a damned good singer and musician, and by all accounts able to get on with just about anybody. Good call having him on board.

Rather relieved to have AGD say all that. Okay, so I've not mixed with Brian for real, but I've been to a few meet & greets, and I've spotted him pre-concert sat stage-side, just taking it in. He's always seemed to me to be somewhat withdrawn (most but not all of the time) and generally waiting for the moment in which he's disinterested to pass, but always either alert or distracted by his own thoughts – remember the meet & greet scenarios must all blur into one eventually so it's no wonder he's distracted/withdraw/disinterested.

Catatonic's an extreme way of describing him, I feel; unfair for sure.

Those who blame his age, by the way, for hi odd behaviour should see the entry field for the 200-mile, two-week backpacking event I'm organising: folk well into their 60s, 70s and 80s will be planning their own routes and carrying everything on their backs for two weeks across a harsh Scottish Highland landscape. Not saying all over 60s should take a hike (!), just that age isn't necessarily a measure of a person's ability to get out of bed in a morning!

People who work closely with Brian have talked on the record too, as indeed has Brian himself. He's not exactly silent on the subject of his own health...sometimes he's very forthcoming about the meds he's on, about still hearing auditory hallucinations, about having bad days and writer's block...about sometimes just shutting down so he doesn't have to deal with a problem at that point in time...about needing the people he lives and works with to motivate him into 'doing his thing'. If you've ever known somebody with clinical depression you know you have to push them sometimes.

Take Darian, who's worked with Brian for a long time now. Darian has stated publically and on the record that *several years* into his collaborative life with Brian, he visited BW at home and found him 'zoned out' and almost catatonic. Darian was scared, worried, called an ambulance. Later Melinda explained that with Brian's illness that does occasionally happen.

So...after a few *years* working closely, Darian witnessed one bad episode. Furthermore Melinda said it happens "occasionally".

Extrapolating as Wirestone likes to do, I really don't think we are dealing with a man who is catatonic much of the time or unable to look after himself at all. I do buy that his life skills are not as good as most adults - blame that on many things including Murray and the drugs & success of the 60's. Yes, he needs prodding to be productive but I am pretty sure he doesn't pee himself and dribble his dinner down his shirt - heck I KNOW people who have eaten dinner with Brian Wilson in the last decade and no dribbling was mentioned.

Caveat: I do not know Brian Wilson. I am merely extrapolating from available, verifiable  information.

I'm pretty sure that was during the preparations for BWPS.

+1. From personal experience I can say that Jeff is a great guy

I'm sure Jeff is a great guy. I just don't like how his voice has been mixed so far forward in Brian's recent recorded outings. Mix them back a bit and I am happy.

if i ever meet brian i'm going to beg him to collaborate with panda bear

Absolutely, but not with any kind of reunion effort. I'd be interested  to hear what both Brians could whip up on a BW solo, though. 8)

"OLDIES BUT GOODIES."

That interview was so funny with Brian just shutting down the interviewer's attempts to get him to comment on modern music by saying that phrase. :lol

Agreed.  In my opinion, in terms of sounding "right" on Brian's falseetto parts, Kirsch is better than M. Jardine who is better than Foskett who is better than Baker.
Just my personal opinion.

Kirsch better than Matt Jardine?   I dunno...........that's a tough one.

Matt Jardine on falsetto please. Rather Foskett than Kirsch.

I missed out on this... which band members were involved with the tracking of Do it again? Darian, Scott Bennet, Jeff? Scott Totten and John Cowsill?

btw "mellow" is exactly what i'd want from an album from these guys at this point. 

Well hasn't Brian tried working with "modern" artists in the past but it really has never quite panned out? Maybe that is why they aren't trying that again with him.  From the list of artists he tried working with at one point include Jellyfish, April March, Sean O' Hagan, Matthew Sweet... I am sure a few other names I'm forgetting.

i bet he'd listen to anything if you told him it sounds like phil spector

good idea :lol

Dave Friedman as producer? Anybody? Anybody?

I'll take that. Just don't let Wayne Coyne anywhere near Brian.  :lol

Still need to see the interview with Wayne Coyne... ;D

I know I’m stating the obvious, but it would depend on what exactly “mellow” is. I agree that something that is sort of laid-back and not frantic-sounding would be just fine. I don’t need them to force out a “rock and roll” sound. I think the fear is that “mellow” means sounding like a Kenny G track but with vocals.

I’m curious how deliberate this move is, both in terms of working with Thomas as well as making Thomas material potential BB material. It just seems odd that after a number of years of recording with some musicians and singers who are big BB fans and who seem to enjoy evoking the sound of “classic period” BB/Brian material, just when Brian is preparing to potentially do an actual BB album, he moves away from that production sound and set of musicians. All guessing at this point, of course. Maybe Brian is using more of his band than just Jeff. I just recall reading a blurb from one of Thomas’ session drummers about working on this material.

As for the talk of Rick Rubin, I can only speak for myself, but my evoking Rubin’s name was not to suggest we should get some sort of acoustic guitar-and-vocal stripped down sound from a BB album. I was speaking more to the idea of a Rubin-type character that is different and new and potentially brining a freshness to an established artist. Judging by what Rubin did on something like the last Dixie Chicks album, he is capable of producing good group vocals and a more full sound, but I’m not really advocating for him to produce.

you guys are all going to be REALLY disappointed. Seriously, don't do this to yourselves...

I don't get the Jeff hate either, but this is a good clarifying post on the "Brian substitute" topic.  Matt J. was sublime, probably the best top voice they ever had outside the core group; he didn't seem like a sideman at all.  And Adrian Baker....bleah.  He sang worse than Brian at Long Beach in '81, and that's sayin' something.

It's not just an audio thing, but I suppose I'm just clearly wrong.

I dunno man! I remember seeing the boys on Live Air (LIVE) and thinking "who's that guy"? I remember asking my Dad if he was a Beach Boy and my dad just grumbling "I guess so"....

This prettty much nails it

as long as we're pulling out 80s clips, here's a great example of how they don't need anyone else: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q72y52p7IM

Well, given that Carl is dead and Brian doesn't have the vocal range anymore, I think that clip is a bit misleading.

Exactly, so why should Live Aid be an example of anything?

Well, Jeff is more or less still among the living ...

what about Dean Torrence as part of the live performences (not cd)? I think it would be cool to see a live concert dvd with the beach boys and they can have other special guests on a handfull of songs not all of them sing background with them on some songs as not only a "tribute" to them but also to fill in places where Carl and Dennis would have been and Dean can sing "barbara ann" with them,not for the whole tour but for the day they film the dvd..

Well, I used Live Aid as an example because, yes, Jeff is still among the living, and because back then he was a Beach Boys sideman and now he's a Brian sideman, so he's obviously only more capable of providing good Brian support now as opposed to some guy who played some backup guitar for a few months and quit or was sacked. It's not rocket science.

I never would have thought that, in a thread that reveals that Joe Thomas may be producing a long-awaiting BB reunion album, that the point of contention would be the involvement of Jeff Foskett. If he ends up being involved, it’s just going to be one voice. His falsetto is fine. I like Matt Jardine’s fit more, but they can both be there. Al seems to bring Matt along on most projects.

If Brian is going to have the BB’s add vocals, then for all we know Foskett’s vocals right now are just “guide” vocals.

Frankly, I hope “new” material won’t rely heavily on a bunch of “Fun Fun Fun” esque falsetto bits anyway, because that tells me it’s more likely going to be a bit too nostalgic-sounding. Brian, Mike, Al, and Bruce can appropriately layer vocals in the studio. But if Matt Jardine or Foskett or somebody else is in there too, that’s fine. Both Matt and Jeff sang on BB and solo studio material in the past.

Exactly! Its not like it's going to be an album of Jeff leads with Brian barely audible someplace in the background!

This is no different than Billy Hinsche or Marylin/Diana/Dean Torrance etc participating in backing vocals throughout The Beach Boys career.

And besides "All This Jeff Is All That"

From what I've heard, it was Scotty T. and Cowsill, Darian, Nicky, Scott B., Gary Griffin, Brett, and Jeff.

I think we can safely say this is not going to be a great BB album to rival their finest work.

But it's a new album featuring all the surviving members, and that is something I never expected would happen.

If Jeff's on it, fine.

If Joe Thomas is producing it, fair enough.

If it's bloody awful and undoes all the good work done by the SMiLE sessions then so be it. I'll still buy it.

But I've got a feeling it's going to be suprisingly good. All the positive elements from the last ten years will come together. They've got it in them, and I think they're all aware of their legacy.

No, if it sucks we all have to return our Smile sets to the shops!!!!!

Good point!

I bought Summer In Paradise and then Sunflower in the very same week. SIP first!!!! and I still wanted to hear Sunflower! We're all obviously capable of forgiving the Boys in the deepest way.

I Know This Is Off Topic But Youtube Doesnt Have 2 Songs I Wanna Hear :/..
Beach Boys - Belles Of Paris
Brian Wilson - Lay Down Burden...
Can Anyone Upload Those 2 On There 4 Me Plz? :)

Once was enough - do you know the meaning of the phrase "thread-crapping" ?

I think I just spammed the moderators with reports of his thread spamming.  :lol

You could probably increase the odds even further if you gave him a steak while telling him that ;D

And thus we have the inside story of the GIOMH recording sessions ...

Although perhaps it could have been improved with more steaks.

dude i'm not spamming i'm trynna get those songs :)

Buy them. 2 songs, $1.98 on Amazon.

why cnt u just upload em on youtube 4 me?

1) We're too lazy

2) No one wants to do it for you.

Take your pick.

Lol jerks.

But I like all those people :( s'not about "NO ONE CAN BE ON THIS ALBUM EXCEPT BRIANMIKEALBRUCE", it's just that Jeff's voice is not pleasing to my ears at all and I'm not a fan of how his "JUST HELPIN' OUT U GUYS LOL" thing and being one of Brian's handlers landed him on what will likely be the last Beach Boys album.

It's not about being a jerk. Waltzing in on a thread completely unrelated to what you want and asking for it is annoying.

i guess u might be right...& i thought sumone was gonna upload it smh..
well still youtube should have those songs cuz they are good.

Wouldn't the fact he has consistently played and sung with the BBs and Brian's band for decades have more bearing on his presence? It's not like we're talking about Rocky Pamplin here.

But what I'm saying is: I can't hear any of the above mentioned people on any Beach Boys track, and I doubt Jeff's presence will be anymore pronounced.

I want to see Brian and Marylin duet just to see if Melinda throws a hissy fit. ;D

Newguy is obviously a troll. No one actually likes Belles of Paris.

... and you'd know.

Ouch!!

Because this board has strict spelling and grammar rules.

Plez fak of dikhed

ur a a dick lol

Did Jeff Foskett play on 5 Beach Boys albums dating around the time period this reunion is in commemoration of? Lol.

:lol

bro this is a frigin site this aint skool i can type anyway i want 2 u frigin square lol..trynna bullly when u live in ur mom's basement. frigin dweeb lol

Some echo in here, huh ?  :)

I like you. Don't be mean to me :( FORGIVE ME. Let's all go out for McMuffin.

Have y'all heard the story of the (aptly-named) poster named ghost?

I told him why are you begging all over the board for a piece of crap song from the MIU album. Who honestly likes Mike trying to speak/sing french with phoned in lyrics?

I was listening to "Colors of the Wind" yesterday, and if they don't let Brian sing some leads like that they're out of their mind.  He sounds fantastic right now. 

I love Trolls  :lol

So do I when they are standing quietly on someone's desk or shelf. ;)

Your trolling :lol

Mike singing in French sounds sexy.

I prefer Mike singing in Japanese. The live version of Sumahama where he sings every verse in Japanese? amazing.

Its a wonderful tale involving drugs, sex, moogs, and fat Brian Wilson. :lol

Ron, You are SO correct.  Brian's voice is lovely on the Disney album!!!

bro the melody of the song is so soothing :]

no, the joke was there is so much more evidence that you are a troll. I don't mind Belles of Paris. Bells of Christmas is better, though.

bro stop taking shots already this is dead.

then why are you responding? BRO

What difference does it make, BRO?

BTW, I'd rather have Dave there than Jeff, if that's what you're hinting at. But it's not our decision, is it?

Totally agree. The Christmas versions of all those songs are better than their MIU counterparts.

Santa's got an airplane on the other hand...

Looks like we got a Bro-Down going down here..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JUeDQbR-ts

I feel extremely sorry for those who think newguy and ghost post similarly.

The only way they're one in the same is if ghost deliberately created a troll account.

Well said, bro

If they're looking for material, they could do worse than take a crack at this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_zWdaBW0Zc&feature=related.
Proof that Mike can still deliver. Suck out the adult contemporary elements and give it a proper Brian Wilson production and I think it could be a winner.... er, bro.

So why isn't Brian producing this?

Politics?

Who says Brian isn't producing ?

Exactly. It's certainly a co-production.

...and I suspect that Mike will be given an "executive producer" credit as well.

With this recent Joe Thomas talk, I actually took out the “Nashville Sounds” and “Imagination” DVD documentaries and watched them again for the first time in ages. I didn’t have a specific aim, but I wondered if it would help me understand why Brian and/or the group would want to work with this guy again.

I don’t have any definitive answers obviously, but it was interesting to revisit this stuff. I did come away with the same feeling I always had about Joe Thomas, that he seems like a really nice guy and I’m not surprised his personality was/is soothing for Brian to work with, and conducive to wrangling a “reunited” Beach Boys in a non-aggressive, non-domineering way. I think it’s just his music sensibilities that clash with things related to Brian and the BB’s.

The “Nashville Sounds” documentary was, as I said years ago, much more enjoyable than the album itself. It did once again make me sad that *this* was the last thing they worked on as a group with Carl. The material is really cringe-worthy with a few exceptions. I came away kind of wishing or hoping that they would just pull out all of the great BB backing vocals from this album, re-record the backing tracks, and have any of the BB’s add lead vocals. Not as a new album, but at least a better way to salvage their last recorded stuff. What I can’t say for sure is how much Thomas was a part of the embarrassing aspect of “Stars and Stripes.” Obviously, it’s all inherently country-sounding. I guess it’s just even more cloying with the AC/MOR “modern” country sound.

For “Imagination”, again, Joe Thomas seems really kind and nurturing to Brian. But this is where the “sound” becomes more of an issue. It’s never really fully clear how much of the AC sound is due to Thomas versus Brian’s preference. I’d like to be positive about it all and say that, in 2011, maybe Brian wants a more organic, “rock” sound, and we won’t get something that sounds like “Sade.” Maybe Thomas was bringing his own AC style to Brian in 1998 because Brian wanted that. At the same time, we got a re-used Thomas backing track on “Gettin’ in Over My Head”, and a lot of us laughed when we heard it and thought it sounded like Joe Thomas, and then it turned out it literally was an “Imagination” outtake backing track.

At the same time, Thomas has never produced an “original” BB track or album, meaning a non-remake that is not a BW solo track. Maybe Mike’s sensibilities and styles will help dictate that the tracks sound a bit less Kenny G-ish.

Another interesting thing to ponder is, what exactly is Brian cutting right now? Did he write any or all “new” material, or is he re-using more old material? It could well be a mixture of the two. I’m just thinking back to how Thomas helped turn a very 60’s “classic era” sounding song like “Sherry She Needs Me” into a slick mess with “She Says That She Needs Me.”

Does anybody know what the other members of Brian’s band, especially Foskett, have said about Thomas and “Imagination?” I would wonder as well if Foskett could help Brian and help this new project from veering away from something relatively Brian/BB-sounding. Could he tell Brian “Hey Brian, this is starting to sound like elevator music?”

I can only hope that Thomas is on board presently more as a sort of “lead engineer”, handling the overseeing and mechanics of recording more than molding the sound of it. He may well have a personality that fits keeping all the BB’s together. I just hope the music they make is worth keeping them together to finish it.

One thing to remember: this album will almost certainly be much much better than Summer In Paradise. Im not a huge Imagination fan though I certainly  dont hate it, but it is far, far above the deepest depths that the Beach Boys have plunged.

yeah, exactly. I mean, Surfin' USA sucks!  ;D

Oh good!  :)

Must have misread some stuff, thanks guys.

who the fudge is ghost? lol

Someone wanted that, but their first name wasn't "Brian".

Production values aside, is Thomas the most qualified to deal with egos?

Maybe that's the real reason he is there.

Understandable in that respect - after all, he's the only guy who isn't a fully functioning Brian Wilson who got all them in the studio in a relatively good mood in the last twenty years.

Is Mark the engineer?

When I think of Joe Thomas, I think about that part of the "Nashville Sounds" video where he says to Brian at the mixing console, "You want to put on your producer glasses"?  That was funny.  So then Brian puts on his sun shades.  :-D

Yeah, I'm surprised Joe's back in the fold after what Melinda did to him. And he was a wrestler once, right?  So yeah, he can deal with the egos.  

I remember the word on Thomas; production results for the "Imagination" album was that the album sounded too plastic. Too sterile. Let's hope that isn't the case this time.......

I think what's interesting is how Brian originally created some much less produced work in his collaboration with Joe.

There's the Let Him Run Wild demo, which is a classic wall-of-Brian keys and vocals production. There's the leaked Your Imagination track, which has a much grittier approach, along with a prominent organ part played by Brian.

And then you have the tracks inside the final Imagination album itself that have a much quirkier approach. Take Sunshine, which (until the coda) is pretty much a Brian-produced track. Or Happy Days, which is as close to a "Love You" instrumental style as Brian has managed since the 70s (crazy sax soloing excepted).

I listen to tracks like those (and even the touches buried in some of the slicker tracks -- the horn arrangement in Dream Angel, for instance) and wonder if Joe and Brian might not have created an album much more like BW88 if they hadn't pursued the AC commercial hit goal.

I would also add that the co-production of THE WILSONS' version of "Til I Die" is somehow just right even as it leans towards trip-hop aspirations popular at the time. "Everything I Need", however, is an AC mess.

A simpler co-production like "Joy To The World" made it out fairly unscathed, so there is hope. I guess there's a possibility that Brian would exert a bigger influence since he has been a lot busier in modern recording studios over the past eight years than he was in the eight years prior to STARS & STRIPES and IMAGINATION. Again, it might be dependent on who the musicians are.

Back in the day Jeff praised Thomas for having Brian sing falsetto. He was right, I think.
As much as I would like a full BW production, I don't see why a new Thomas co-production should sound exactly like the only stuff that we of him, which was recorded over 10-15 years ago under totally different circumstances.

This is kinda off the Joe Thomas/Jeff Foskett discussion, but I hope that if Brian is revisiting older material for this album, he revisits these:

• "Love Ya" or "Sweetie: Catchy little rocker in either variation. I don't think Brian has many convincing latter day rockers, but these are great.
• "You're Still a Mystery": I think if they re-record Brian's lead, this could really work. A nice mature work, something BB fans would like to hear from a group at 50 years along.
• "Dancing the Night Away": A good surf type beat, some great Carl vocals, I think this one should be a shoo-in.
• "Water Builds Up": Catchy little ditty. Yes, the verse melody has already been used, but so what. I know Brian likes it, and if there is a dearth of new material, why not use this?

I personally hope he doesn't dive into an Landy-era material besides "Love Ya" and "Water Builds Up", cuz I don't think there is much left that I've heard from that era that is very special. The songs used on GIOMH weren't very special, and I don't know why "The Spirit of Rock & Roll" was recorded for Songs From Here & Back. That song has never been good. Whether is has bad '80's production or the bootleg Pet Sounds/Wondermints vibe.

And I don't really think that any of the Paley-era stuff besides "You're Still a Mystery" and "Dancing the Night Away" should be used. I always thought a lot of those songs were overrated. Like how people were so disappointed with Imagination compared to those songs? I don't think Imagination is a work of genius or anything, but I don't think much from the Paley sessions was even as good as that album, and I'm not sure that those songs would have made a great Beach Boys songs.

And as far as things like "Where is She?", the demo of "California Feelin'", and "(Wouldn't It Be Nice) To Live Again" from the '60s and '70s, I hope those songs get released, but hopefully not with latter day overdubs.

If older material was going to be revisited, I'd like to hear "It's Not Easy Being Me", they would probably change the lyrics though, I think they would be considered too personal by Brian or someone to be officially released like that.

You know something the rest of us don't ?

I'm reading "if", not "since".

That's what I'm getting as well. Hmmm. Anybody else?

It was stated in one of Brian's interviews earlier this year that Brian was re-recording some unreleased material for a solo album project. So it's not out of bounds to speculate that some of these songs might be considered.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110727/entlife/707279991/

When Brian Wilson arrives in St. Charles this weekend for a Saturday show at the Arcada, it will be something of a homecoming for the former Beach Boy, who recorded his 1998 album “Imagination” in a house just a few miles from where he'll be playing.

But what really should have his Illinois fans excited is the fact the legendary songwriter liked recording here so much, he plans to do it again.

“One, I'm definitely looking forward to the concert,” he told the Daily Herald in a recent phone interview from sunny California. “And, two, I'm looking forward to recording in a studio there for a couple days. It's going to be some new songs for an upcoming album.”

Wilson isn't known for elaborating in interviews (hey, back off; he's said volumes through music) — and he didn't divulge much this time either. But manager Jean Sievers said the local project has Wilson digging back into his past, perhaps way back, for unfinished gems.

“Some of them are songs he had back from when he was living in St. Charles, before the ‘Imagination' album,” she said. “Some might have been written for the Beach Boys years and years ago.”

Sievers said the tunes likely will be featured on a forthcoming solo album, sometime after Wilson releases a collection of “Brian-ized” Disney classics tentatively due out late this year.

Another article from the same paper, with more from Joe -- so this all appears to be the same project, solo or BB.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110719/news/707199985/

Wilson, a California native, had no connection to Illinois when he and his wife, Melinda, bought the St. Charles house in 1997 for $1.4 million.

During an interview with the Daily Herald last week, Wilson said he moved here because he wanted to work with Thomas. Their wives also were friends.

Thomas couldn't go to California. His River North Recorders business in Chicago — also a place rich in music history — had just gone public and his wife was expecting their fifth child. So the friends decided to buy houses next door to each other in St. Charles so they could make the album. Thomas still lives in the house he bought.

...

Thomas said St. Charles is a perfect environment for someone with a music career and a family, because it has great schools and laid-back fans who don't hound him or other celebrities when they're out and about.

“Everyone we've worked with thinks this is one of the nicest places to live, and they could live anywhere in the world,” said Thomas, who has worked with many famous musicians, including Jimmy Buffett, Stevie Nicks, Toby Keith, Bon Jovi and Dave Matthews.

He also produced many of their DVDs at his St. Charles warehouse and studio, HD Ready, and also produces “Soundstage” on WTTW-Channel 11.

Wilson's St. Charles years weren't without strife. Wilson and Thomas ended up filing nasty lawsuits against each other in 1999 over the “Imagination” album, and settled them out of court a year later. Details of the settlement were not disclosed, Rolling Stone magazine reported.

Wilson and Thomas have since mended fences and resumed their close friendship and working relationship, Thomas said.

“Brian's one of those guys who can just walk over to your house, open the refrigerator, and make himself a sandwich,” Thomas said.

Wilson might be doing just that, because he plans to stay with his former neighbor when he's in town for a greatest hits show Saturday, July 30, at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles.

Thomas wouldn't reveal details during an interview last week, but don't be surprised if Wilson stays in St. Charles and writes some new songs while he's here.

I thought I said "if". But maybe it read as "since" to you Mr. Doe. If so, my apologies.

And since you sir, are a stickler for having the correct things listed on your site, I figured I'd give you a hand. On the "unreleased songs" page, you can now take off "Child Is Father Of The Man", "Don't Fight the Sea", "Friday Night", "I Ran/Look", "Mrs. O'Leary's Cow", "The Old Master Painter", and "You Are My Sunshine".

And on the 1973 sessions/gigs page, you have a session for "Baby I Need Your Lovin'"/"I'm A Man", but I'm pretty sure the session was for "Baby I Need Your Lovin'"/"Gimme Some Lovin'", and took place in 1972. And also the November 14, 1967 session should be updated to also included "Surf's Up", along with "Country Air".

No hard feelings though Andrew, just wanna help you keep your page right, don't want the fans getting the wrong information.

Even though the original version has been released already, "Still I Dream Of It" deserves a fresh recording and a wider audience. imo. The original is really nice, don't get me wrong.

Maybe...provided Joe Thomas doesn't decide that the lyrics need to be rewritten to appeal to a wider general audience, which is what Gary Usher did in a misguided effort that resulted in the song being changed to "Still I Dream Of You".  I'm afraid under Mr. Thomas' oversight, the "Time for supper now" lyric just wouldn't cut it.  And that would destroy the whole ingregity of the song!

ooh.!!.. i dont have// heard still i dream of you..Wish all my stuff  wasnt in storage..I have the 2 Wilson project books + i dont remember that song being mentioned..

I'll second that. I always thought the Adult/Child version sounded too...smooth, I guess. That piano demo might be lo-fi, but I find it much more emotive.

Is "Still I Dream Of You" out there? Haven't heard it/seen lyrics for it.

That would be a brilliant addition to a new album

wow, great idea

But part of the charm of that track is Brian's 4-packs-a-day voice, which is far lower pitched than he could reproduce today. He sounds like Jack Rieley on it.

Troof, to some extent. Back then, it was Brian writing a really good song and just singing how he wanted to sing. Nowadays, I worry that it'd be his handlers coaching him into trying to sound important.

In the aftermath of The Smile Sessions, this new Beach Boys album is exciting. It could be the career-capping album that we have all been waiting for several decades to hear. It also could be lackluster.. and it could simply end up as a Brian Wilson album. Here's hoping we get something good and "rock and roll" from the project.

And yes, "You're Still a Mystery" is one of the best Beach Boys tunes I have heard - but if the lyrics are about who I think they are about, it might explain why YSAM didnt make it onto GIOMH in 2004 and won't be making it onto this album...

Who do you think it's about?

Gay relationship with Rocky Pamlin in 1976 because who the f*** willingly chooses to call themselves "Rocky".

OK, Brian and company, I'm throwing you a curve-ball challenge: please work up a nice vocal arrangement and give us a killer cover of Neil Young's "Flying on the Ground is Wrong". It'd make a great BBs record.

Really.

I could hear that with Spector drums very easily...

Brian's unreleased stuff is just so hit and miss, man.  Like for instance, the 'released' version of "Spirit of Rock and Roll" is god awful.  It's somehow worse than the cheesy unreleased Sweet Insanity one.  It's so bad I can't listen to it, and THAT is saying something.  I'll listen to anything.  At the end when it turns acapella, it's alright. 

"Saturday Morning in the City" however, I thought he did a pretty good job with.  The part where he sings falsetto about the boys and girls is really fun and cool, the whole song works even though it's so strange. 


Still, i'm a glutton for punishment, so I WOULD like to see him finish and redo "Water builds up".  That's a great song, but to me it sounds either unfinished or wrong the way the unreleased version is.  I think if he reworked it a little bit it would be pretty cool.  Or it might be horrible.  I guess we'll probably find out one of these days.

Also the released material.

True.  It's even hit or miss within individual songs.  Some parts will be fantastic, others will be horrible.