The Smiley Smile Message Board

A place for Brian's quotes, sayings and one liners that baffle most but worryingly we here understand what he means!

Words and if possible a source please.

Press conference discussing Dennis's death and the bands future. 1984

'For me the mourning is over' he said 'As far as I am concerned, nothing is going to hold back the ball of wax' It's still a go'.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HKQyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Fe8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2769,3010420&dq=brian+wilson&hl=en

Whilst not his most bizarre, this one is just so lovely in it's phrasing. He's so modest....

'I get recognized all the time - what is going on here, I say. Well, I must be famous - I feel a little bit paranoid acutally'.

It's from the FB questions.

"I've been up down and all around, but I'm still, I'm still Rockin' "...American Band

I'm really PROUD OF THAT CHICKEN

Here's a couple I got off the SurferMoon site.

"Being called a musical genius was a cross to bear. Genius is a big word. But if you have to live up to something, you might as well live up to that. Gosh Darn!"
..................................Brian Wilson, 1988

"There's nothing greater than a girl.... Well a kid, your daughter, but that's a girl too."
..................................Brian Wilson, 1979

From a chat room interview he had about 4 years ago to promote an album, Brian was asked how often he has sex.  He replied

"Twice a day, every day"

His manuerisms in the Sloop John B video crack me up...when he greets everyone at the door, when he makes Mike walk the plank of the diving board...

Brian and Sean O'Hagan talking about making an album (according to Sean, and me paraphrasing a little):

Brian: "We'll get Hal and Carol on the record and make it a #1!"

Sean: "Brian, it doesn't have to be all about making a hit record. I just want you to be creative."

Brian (confused): "Wait, you mean you don't want a #1?!"

"I'm never, ever still. Always in turmoil, you know. Hoping that somebody will save me, or someone will come along and save my life, or save my day, you know...That the world won't blow up, the universe won't explode, we'll never have each other again, you know."

<beat>

"I have my fears."

In the NME, or Q Magazine, during the 1988 comeback campaign:

"Say Brian, how much money did you spend on drugs?"

(without any hesitation) "Oh, $ 100,000".

(Cracks me up every time).

"We started off as little babies and now we're grown men! That's the story of the Beach Boys!" from the end of American Band (going off my memory here)

A whole video of Brian doing Brianisms: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLBMIOB9E1I

Just like in that Black Cab video, he gets confused whenever directions or locations get brought up.

A classic from 1985:

"I'd really like to meet Madonna - I seriously doubt she's a virgin, but that's a good tune".

 :lol immortal!

and now i am sad.

When he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame, there was an interview videotaped for permanent display at the museum, with fascinating insights such as this:

Q: Do you have an iPod?
BW: Yes.

Q: What's on your iPod?
BW: About 300 songs.

That, and


are hilarious!  :lol

MOJO interview, 1995 - the whole paragraph is 100% Brian:


 :lol


Lots of other quotes such as this one can be found here: http://smileysmile.net/OLDlibrary/timeline.html (http://smileysmile.net/OLDlibrary/timeline.html)

I guess the Bono story should be added to this thread.  Here's 3 accounts previously posted to this board:

Bono, dressed in black, approached Brian's table to introduce himself and to exclaim that he was a big fan of Wilson's music. Brian responded "Thank you...I'd like a Diet Coke, please". Bono paused for a moment before realizing Brian had mistaken him for a member of the waitstaff, then proceeded directly to the bar and returned with Brian's soda in hand!
 ________________________

Bono: [kneels before Brian] God bless you for all the great music you've written.

Brian: Thanks - could you get me a diet coke ?
 ________________________

Brian was in England getting some award. There were servers wearing black jackets. Bono comes up to Brian, and he's wearing a similar black jacket. He said, "Brian, I'm a big fan. Your music has been a huge inspiration to my work. I'm thrilled to meet you...etc. etc. etc." Brian says, "Thanks....Could you get me a Diet Coke?" And the kicker: HE GOT BRIAN THE DIET COKE!! 

I love these so much -- I don't even know what to say.

"Beware the lollipop of mediocrity; lick it once and you'll suck forever"

Not sure of the source but just like it. Don't even know if Brian said it first as it sounds like something Landy or another quack would quote.

Another is story from a paper about what Brian didn't say. He was in a restaurant eating soup with the writer when a fan came up to thank him for all the music etc and Brian didn't flinch and kept eating so the fan walked off upset. of course he had been speaking to Brian on his deaf side.

From my October 09 interview with him:

What do think you have in common with Gershwin? Do you feel any connection with him?

Not really a connection, no I don't.

You've released quite a few albums and DVDs over the last 10 years. What's inspired you to be so productive?

Well, my synthesizer sounds so good that it makes me write good songs.

"[The Beach Boys are] the one subject I wish I could master. If I could just master that and get it all together. Someday I will. Now let me invent a subject: what is it like to produce a record. Would you like me to talk about that?" BW in "Trouble in Mind - A Revealing Interview with Brian Wilson," by Jerry McCulley (as printed in Kingsley Abbott's excellent compilation "Back to the Beach."

There's the famous story about how a female songwriter (Sheryl Crow maybe?) walked up to him backstage with a copy of Pet Sounds or something, and asked him to sign it.  Brian graciously acknowledged, and wrote

"To a Great Songwriter! - Love & Mercy, Brian Wilson"

So as she walked away, Brian stopped her, took the sharpie and marked out "Great" and wrote "Good". 

I remembered it being about a male songwriter...could be wrong though.  As I recall AGD knows the identity of the person in question.

Either way though, absolutely hilarious!  This is an excellent thread, Brian is the unintentional king of one-liners.

It was Don Henley, who was reportedly nonplussed.

I looked up nonplussed in the dictionary, and man, what a terrible word. Look at this definition:

    *
      (of a person) Surprised and confused so much that they are unsure how to react
          o
            he would be completely nonplussed and embarrassed at the idea
    *
      (of a person) Not disconcerted; unperturbed


So it can have nearly opposite meanings. Nice. I realize that most people use it in the way it is defined in the first definition, but still. That's funny to me.

I dont know about unintentional...I think brian knows he's funny!  I mean, he did at one point talk about doing whole albums of humor. 

Oh I agree that Brian does know that he's funny and likes to joke around, but a lot of these quotes that we've been sharing seem more likely to be the product of just blurting out what's on his mind at that exact second out loud.  Either way, the man is ridiculously funny, so let's keep the quotes coming!

Heard this one myself at a signing for 'Pet Sounds Live' in Sydney. Brian walks in past a line of 200 or so people applauding, sits down and just as the store goes quiet he lets out a very loud 'I really don't want to be here' type groan.  :lol

Don Henley, lol that's interesting.  Oh well would have been better if it was a chick.

I like Don Henley though.  He's pretty damn great. 

Don has an ego that makes Mike's seem meek and humble by comparison so that exchange must have been priceless!

Classic BW!  Where can I find this interview.  Did you (hopefully) include the above?

Trust me, Henley stood there looking like someone had just rear-ended his new car.  ;D

This immortal clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1EPXBQV3yM

Going from memory on these...


Late 80s- "I don't care for heavy metal.  Well, I like Joan Jett's heavy metal (!)... I don't see a change ever happening...it's going to be heavy metal for the rest of time" (as a sidenote, 80s metal would die out a few years later)

Unknown (think this was from the Landy era)
"Music's like food, you know? Real good, spiritual food. That's what the music is like".

This was from  an interview  about 15 years ago, promoting IJWMFTT.

"I don't listen to my own music at all. It's like musical masturbation [shakes fist in an up and down manner], just lying in bed masturbating to my own music. I don't care to do that too much."

My personal favorite, 23 Oct 2004, Houston, TX...

BW: Wasn't that a great song?
Audience: Yayyyy.
BW: So now I'm going to do my cigarette lighter joke.  Everybody take out your lighters...
Me (yelling from Row G) : But I just quit smoking!!!!
(laughter from the audience, followed by awkward silence)
BW: I guess that's good. Heh. Ok, the next song is...

To this day, I still :lol everytime I think about that. Like how Brian kinda played it off (was I THAT loud?!).

edit

I got that year wrong. Obviously it was 2004, not 2009!

Classic... when Dennis is the most together Wilson on stage, you just know you've got a band in deep doo doo.

From memory, Pet Sounds Live In London, RFH:

BW is dressed in black, very cool, not his usual trainers, sneakers, and long-sleeve T-shirt stuff. He's the real gentleman on stage. Then it's time for 'Let's Go Away For Awhile'. A brief silence. He announces the song:

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, an instrumental..."

(nothing unusual)

"...that means: a song without words."

Well, that was a real eye opener, of course...

"Beautiful dreamer wake. BDW. Brian Douglas Wilson. That's Me!"

:lol


I love that one.

Or this one:

Brian is a guest at the popular TV show 'Today's Sound Today', hosted by MC Doc Oggilbie

Oggilbie: 'What pleasure to have you on the show tonight, Brian! I've ordered some doughnuts and a diet Coke for you, is that OK?

Brian: 'Very good, mr. Oggilbie... delicious indeed!'

Oggilbie: 'Brian, it's a special event that the 'Love You Box Set' sees the light of day this week. Wanna say something about it?'

Brian: 'Yes. It was in the days of '15 Big Ones', that I found the inspiration for the original 'Love You' album. It entered my mind that I might compose some music in primitive style whilst I was reading Friedrich Nietzsche's 'Die Geburt Der Tragödie (Aus Dem Geiste Der Musik)', a book that describes, amongst may other things of an intellectual nature, how out of primitive cultural rituals such as sacrifices, coupled with basic and exciting rhythms, eventually the great ancient Greek dramas materialized, such as Sophocles' 'Oedipus Rex' and 'Antigone'. I thought: I can emulate that complex process by creating superficially simple and synthesizer-driven music, which nevertheless contains a wide array of human emotions, and which may be supplemented by numerous indications of developmental lapses in the human psyche. My basic outline was definitely enriched by my reading of Michel Foucault's 'Les Mots Et Les Choses', a milestone in postmodernism, full of excellent analyses of the invisible power structures that govern our lives. Furthermore, Jaques Derrida's writings added to my concept, in that his structuralist vision provided elegant overtones to my material; I first had to understand, however, why Derrida disagreed with psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan on several crucial points in their discours'

Oggilbie: 'eh, yes, Brian, the audience will be glad you told us this, I think time is runn...'

Brian: '...mr. Oggilbie, but I am not finished yet. The influence of music on the reward centers in the human brain, the nucleus accumbens and the ventral tegmental area still need to be clarified for our attendees, not to mention the polygenic and pleiotropic genetic influences on the auditory system; and also fMRI scan results of persons who are exposed to the music of that 'Love You' album...'

(Floormanager makes cut-throat gesture; screen goes to black.)

Didn't he cut a rather loud, smelly one at the R&RHOF Dinner, to which he exclaimed jubilantly "Hey, I just farted!"

what the f*** is this

Heartical Don

That was brilliant.  Philosophy major also I take it?  If so, I shake hands with thee.

Thank you!! I really was curious how an inversion of reality would work out... a down-to-earth host, and a very, very verbal Brian Wilson. Glad you appreciate my spoof.

Actually, I am a M. Sc. in Neurobiology, with a firm interest in philosophy. Long ago I devoured Karl Popper (logical, given my study), and then others followed: Nietzsche, Hume, Wittgenstein, well, you'll know them. Still, I shake your hand with great pleasure!

Here's one from a radio interview in the early 80s:

Interviewer: A lot of fans were surprised when you released Love You. What were your feelings about releasing a record like that under the Beach Boys name?

Brian: Love You? Well, you see, we first have to recognize how punk was Zeitgeist, "the spirit of the times". It's funny, to use such a German word for something that arose out of ennui, isn't it? It sprang the boredom of the bourgeoisie. [Brian laughs] Humor is spiritual, I always say.

Well, ss I was writing the songs for the album, I was doing it with one eye fervently watching how groups like the Ramones were reappropriating the simplicity of early rock, which had fallen out of favor in the mid-70s amid a slew of progressive rock bands, such as Genesis and Pink Floyd. In fact, we did some music in that style when we released Holland. Anyway, back to punk music. There was a certain degree of irony present in Punk music. They were interpreting the innocence of the early 60s through a prism of cynicism. That juxtaposition made for a powerful statement, while at the same indicating that youth were still essentially the same as they had been 15 or so years ago. Except, of course, for the fact that their amps were turned up a little higher. There was no room for illusion. It was in your face.


So, I thought, why not give the Beach Boys music that sort of treatment? I myself had been made cynical by the last decade or so. With that album, I made the phrase "the Beach Boys" a true idiom. We were men, with hoarse, gravelly voices and pedophilic tendencies. What better way to make that changes clear than by placing it with songs that were compositionally similar to our earlier material? The arrangements of the songs, with the extensive of Moog, was like me winking at you, but you not be quite sure if I really did wink. So you're not sure if I'm in on the joke or not, but you suspect something is up.

But I'm not really verbal, so take that explaination with a grain of salt and a dash of cocaine. Whooooo!

From Beautiful Dreamer (paraphrasing):

Interviewer: "Brian, what did you do in that tent you built in your house?"

BW: "....ate sandwiches."

 :lol now it is my turn to hand out the kudos... great job, well done!

From a mid-'60s interview:

Interviewer: There has been a change recently in the music of the Beach Boys. Their mastermind, Brian Wilson, is here with us now to discuss what might have precipitated a seemingly about-face from the teen anthems of "I Get Around" to compositions like "Good Vibrations" and especially the forthcoming album entitled SMiLE. Welcome to the show, Brian.

Brian Wlson: Thank you for having me.

Interviewer: Can you explain to us what motivated your curious musical trajectory, especially the off-the-beaten-path mystique of SMiLE? There is no doubt that both songs like "Don't Worry Baby" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice" are fantastic, but there is a certain... 'I know not what' about this new material that we, the listeners, are astounded with; can you elaborate upon this?

BW: Well, you see, I had known I was doing something real good musically for a while now, something I'd think people would feel nice about! One day, then, as I was reading fragments from the 19th century German philosopher Novalis's notebooks, I came across something that totally blew my mind! He said, "The world must be romanticized. Then one will again find the original sense. Romanticizing is nothing more than a qualitative involution. In this operation the lower self is identified with a better self. In the same manner we are such a qualitative series of powers. This operation is still completely unknown. When I give the commonplace a higher meaning, the customary a mysterious appearance, the known the dignity of the unknown, the finite the illusion of the infinite, I romanticize it. The operation is the converse for the higher, unknown, mystical, and infinite; through this connection it becomes logarithimized. It receives a customary expression. Romantic philosophy. Lingua romama. Reciprocal elevation and debasement." And that hit me, you know? I went, "Wow, that guy is saying something I can really dig!"

Interviewer: Could you maybe explain that a little bit? I don't think Tiger Beat readers are especially well-versed in 19th century philosophy -- certainly not German, at any rate.

BW: Sure, well, I'll tell you what I got out of this. I thought Novalis was saying that the world we live in and the divine we believe in should not be distinct, basically. I thought that was groovy because it really emphasizes the unmediated connection humans have with God. Spirituality is important for us in The Beach Boys, and I do think that God is suffused throughout music, expressed in multifarious ways -- as if He were the white light refracted through Newton's prism, presented as a wondrous array of expressivity we can comprehend! I think SMiLE will be a hell of a record when we're finished, and I think if he were around Novalis would dig it too. He also said, in Pollen, that "Many books are longer than they seem. In fact, they have no end. The boredom they generateis absolute and infinite. [. . .] This is a pot into which everyone can throw their own example." I think that's true of music too, and I really hope no one feels that way about our new LP; I just want everyone to dig the cool music and great tunes above all else!

Interviewer: That is deeply felt, Brian, thank you. I'm sure no one could ever think such a sensitive young man was capable of releasing an album of such transcendence that is boring; you don't have to worry. Thank you again for your time.

BW: My pleasure, thank you.

"Always up, always up. Drinking, cocaine...the works. [Pause and shrugs] Throw me in jail."

Hey Romanticism buddy!
I was just about to post some Hermeneutics of smile stuff in here about Schlegel and Novalis and the philosophical fragment. But you beat me too it! I didn't know a single person at university who knew Novalis, figures I should find one at a beach boys message board.

Amazing, when is this one from?

This is very interesting actually because the idea of romanticizing the mundane brings to mind the work of Beck, specifically Odelay/Midnite Vultures, and a quote of his: "Sometimes there is more resonance in a dollar store than in an existential void." It certainly applies to the Beach Boys/Brian's work as well.

I Just Wasn't Made for These Times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmexRESUl3c

I think we should go ahead and make this thread a sticky, to show how to turn a great thread into a horribly boring thread.  LOL

Hiya!

I actually almost wrote one of my paper for that class [19th Century German Philosophy, oddly enough] on the widespread appreciation for Romantic thought and aimed to incorporate a not significant portion about Brian Wilson into the essay. This is, of course, until I realised that it would have probably been a terrible philosophy paper but a potentially great paper of lyrical and psychological analysis; it's a shame I'm not also an English major or something! In the end, I believe I wrote that particular paper on gender essentialism [how does Firefox not recognise that as a word?] in the later Schlegel's philosophy. (It was an awful paper in fact, because I misread Schlegel almost completely! Maybe my initial idea would have been better; that professor is a total hipster too, I bet she loves The Beach Boys! :lol)

Has anyone heard the story of when Brian met Queen Elizabeth at the Jubilee in 2002?  Evidently they were all coached in the protocol and were told not to address her as "Queen".  Our man Brian cheerfully greeted her by saying, "Hi, Queen!"

We heard this from Jeff Foskett in 2003, and we also discussed it with Nelson in 2006 when he told us the Bono story.  Nelson commented, "Only Brian Wilson could get away with this kind of sh*t!"

From BW's tour appearance in Lowell, Mass. last year:

Brian was lavishing praise on the band for their performance of "Their Hearts Were Full of Spring." Jeff said, "And we should thank you for that beautiful arrangement." Brian: "Oh, I stole it from someone." Band cracks up.

"Lowell! We're here in Lowell. Is that the name of your place? Lowell? I like that. Low-ell. It's a cool word. Low-ell."

"We're going to do something for you. Again, another soft song. I know you want to rock and roll; we'll be doing that soon. Just sit back and let us take care of music for you. Don't go running around scared. Just sit calmly in your seats."

"It says on my teleprompter (stern voice): 'Brian, sing it sweetly.' So I guess that means I should go into my feminine mode now."

From his show in Concord, NH:

"It's good to be here tonight, and we want to put on the best show we can. And if the drums are too loud, we'll tell Mikey to play softer. If the guitars are too screechy, we'll have a nice felt pick."

"We'd like to dedicate this to you guys [Then I Kissed Her]. It's Jeffrey on lead and the rest of us on percussion."

In this next song, "this guy did a very, very uncool thing to his girl. And that was it. She said, 'That's it, buddy, we're through.' He was like, 'WHAT?' So he's walking up and down the street at night wondering what the heck happened. And it's called 'Soul Searchin'"

LMFAO.

Yeah, Jeff told us that one in the UK about a week after it happened. According to A. N. Other in the band, after she'd moved on Brian looked around and said "What's up... why are you all staring at me like that ?"

Did the Queen Elizabeth react in any way that would be worth mentioning or was she mostly just like, "welp" and moved on?

Priceless!  :lol

I must seek out a CDR that I have lying around somewhere. Landy and Brian are being interviewed. Landy clearly is guiding Wilson, perhaps there even were 'rehearsals' before the Q&A between the two of them.

I try to do it from the top off my head:

Q: hey Brian, how were you before you got into therapy with mr Landy here?
A: (Landy) he was very much in a hole
A: (Brian, veeeery submissive) yes, I was in a hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooole.....
A: (Landy) we were afraid he was going the way of Elvis
A: (Brian, shocked) you mean that??? was I going the way of Eeeeeelviiiiiisss??????

I guess you'd have to hear it. It was so clear that something was very much wrong with Brian, despite all the therapy for years.

Reportedly she just smiled sweetly, shook Brian's hand and carried on down the line.

:lol That is SO Brian.

Glastonbury, June 2005, blazing sunshine, band had just finished "All Summer Long" (I paraphrase slightly):

"Well, it's summer, but I have a Christmas album out this year, so let's have a Christmas song, OK ?"

And they played "Little St. Nick" ! ;D

At a live BW show I saw last year, he said he didn't wanna play "Sail On, Sailor," & he called the lyrics "sh*tty."  After the song was over, he said, "See?  Those lyrics are bull****!!" 

Next Scott asked the audience to get-up & boogie for "Do You Wanna Dance?," then Brian commanded, flatly, for us to, "Be seated!" for "Sloop."

I'm not british so forgive me if I'm out of line, but the Queen has always seemed like a very classy woman to me.  I've never seen her do anything rude to anyone.  What's that famous fingerbowl story?  I think she was having a banquet, and when they brought out the fingerbowls one of the foriegn dignitaries ignorantly starting drinking out of it.  So, not to embarass her guest, she did the same thing. 

Class act. 

I'm not British either...I have a feeling that the protocols have been made up by people outside the royal family, and the royals themselves could really care less about all of the hoopla.  They probably laugh behind closed doors at things like people having to back out of a room or use particular words when speaking to them.

Back to Brian...it always cracks me up when he does "Row Row Row Your Boat" in concert and yells "SING!" at the audience. 

I was at that show.

Brian - Now, this next song I don't like. We have, like, what, 35 songs to do tonight? Out of 35 songs this is the one song that I don't like singing. I mean, it's just such a negative, shitty...
Scott - Should we DO it?
Audience - YES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brian - Alright.

After the song...

Brian - You see, the lyrics are all a bunch of bullshit! The melody is ok but the words are just so, ugh...
Jeff - Change 'em!
Brian - I will!

Be seated! Be seated, please! We come on the Sloop John B...

And, to Her Majesty, the Queen, we dedicate this concert. We dedicate the concert to YOU...Queen...

I didn't like the resistance at all. I didn't like it. I didn't like it. I didn't like it at all.

Mike Love is a genius.

Teleprompter! What happened?!?

Happy Fourth of July! Did you guys bring fireworks? BLOW 'EM OFF! What the heck?!?

With Pet Sounds I wanted to make an album that was an expression of the love in my soul. And, uh, and I did.

Someone should really collect these these and make them into a book.

Actually, that's an awesome idea.

The wit and wisdom of Brian Wilson ...that'd be fucking killer.

There was a collection of Yogi Berra malapropisms published in the late 90s, I could see a collection of Brian's being a fun read... :rock

Sounds like a great money making idea...hmmm....

Funny, at the recent Scottsdale show on the intro for GOK Brian said something to the effect of  "This next song is gonna be sung by a girl, a little 4'3 girl, so I'm gonna put on my wig and dress and sing it for you now.",  and then really put his heart into trying to hit the range.

Here's the performance, too bad the guy who posted it cut off the funny intro :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX7znc-bhDs

Could you imagine how Brian would introduce his more odd songs? like: Hey Little Tomboy, Roller Skating Child, or Lazy Lizzy?

I mean, what would he say?: This is a song I wrote about who girl who wanted to be a boy, but I wanted her to be a girl...so I helped her shave her legs for the very first time.  ;D

BRIANISMS THAT MAKE SMILEYSMILERS SMILE!

25 Pounds for 48 pages is the going rate I understand for similar books on amazon.

Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if someone turned Brian Wilson and Serge Gainsbourg on each other and had them write songs together.

There's also this TV programme in which Pet Sounds is discussed, Brian and George Martin are present behind a mixing desk. Brian explains how he actually used the knobs to create the eventual outcome. We hear fade-ins and outs of PS.

Then Sir George hits a few buttons.

Brian, acting a very surprised man (or he was surprised): 'George, you did a much better job than I ever did!'

Martin, being polite: 'Oh no Brian, I'm only playing around a bit here'.

Brian: 'no, it sounds so much better with you at the desk!'

I mean, what is this? Is he acting that he claims Martin to be the better producer? Out of fearful respect? Or is he joking?

What is his goal in playing that underachiever part? Or is it a total lack of self-confidence?

You never can tell.

(did we do 'Norbit' already?, and does 'My Friend Bob' belong in here?)

I keep hearing this Norbit bit. Is that actually Brian's favorite movie?

its been done, at least up to the early nineties (i think)
check THIShttp://www.amazon.com/Beach-Boys-Their-Own-Words/dp/0711939403/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283081969&sr=8-1 (http://www.amazon.com/Beach-Boys-Their-Own-Words/dp/0711939403/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1283081969&sr=8-1)

It went like this:

'Brian, what was the last movie that you saw?'

'Norbit'

'And what is your all-time favourite movie?'

'Norbit'

[/Brians Most Uninterested Mood Mode]

in the Goin' Platinum KTSA docu (1980) there's an interview with the group (or just with Carl and Brian) in which Brian is telling something, and Carl exclaims to his brother "God, you're so great"... to which after a bit of silence Brian replies "I like food", which makes Carl crack up (and me too). Can't find it on YouTube unfortunately.

That video creeps me out. It's like they're trying too hard to be supportive of Brian, or to appear supportive on TV. He wasn't being that funny to laugh like that.

Reminds me of the inner sleeve words, a familial 'tribute' to Brian. So supportive, so appreciative, that it's a syrupy insult.

I was at that show too, & remember it as Jeff who asked that, not Scott.

Maybe Brian hates that song because it hits too close to home. It's like an exposition of where Brian was at in the early 70s, especially the KGB version (which is like Brian Wilson meets Randy Newman with just a little more funk and was done with Ray Kennedy): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IRG24Ejcq4
If there was a song like that about my problems I would probably find it overbearing, too.

Brian could do a lot worse than to get these guys to do it for him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnZK1zFFyKI&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnZK1zFFyKI&feature=related)

I'd quite forgotten how amazing they were that night.

I don't think it's that complicated; I think it's just hard for him to sing. Most of BW's life was hell, & the songs may or may not remind him of his problems/specific events.

I think Sail On Sailor just takes him back to a time he'd rather not think about, VDP telling him to cut the merda.


I remember on the podcasts for Summer Songs or one of the new GH albums, they asked Brian to talk about It's OK, and he seemed like he didn't talk about it, a difficult time in his life, obviously. I mean, how many songs from 73-80 has he performed in the past 10 years?:

Good Timin' (because of its connection to Carl)
Sail On Sailor (started around the BW tribute when H&V was first performed)
the Night was So Young (on PS tour I believe), of course some people in the band don't like the album, *cough* Jeff* cough*
California (when Al was on tour with him)
Marcella (he loves that song)
Ding Dang (randomly on QVC special)


Of course I could come up with a longer list of songs from those years I'd rather hear him perform:
Goin On
Shortenin' Bread
Airplane
My Diane (too personal though)
Matchpoint of our Love
That Same Old Song
Had to Phone Ya
Almost Summer

Oh god, please tell me there is footage of him performing "Dang Dang" and "The Night Was So Young" online somewhere!

Oh, also, he performed Back Home!


I've listened to The Night was so Young more than Ding Dang, I love the vocals for INWSY, especially Jeff's

I need it more than I need pictures of Bruce with the moustache.

Maybe Brian will be mustachioed (or bearded) and shirtless too!

That video never struck me that way.  They were brothers.  Carl was enjoying Brian's company and to me it seemed completely genuine.

I've always heard Brian say he doesn't like Sail on Sailor because the lyrics are a mess and like 8 people wrote it.  I don't think there's any deep reason he's against it.  The 'style' it's written in isn't really his type of thing, either.  The harmony is even kind of simnple, only in the title line mainly.  I like it, but maybe he just thinks the song is pretty shitty?

Was it the Howard Stern Show where Brian was asked if he had ever slept with Ronnie Spector?

'Not yet' I believe was the reply.

Classic!

For Sail on Sailor -- there's just not much song there. There's a "feel" and a great production by Carl.

I think of Live Let Live as an attempt to rewrite the song with more harmonic interest (there's a contrasting bridge, for one thing) and Van Dyke lyrics that aren't messed with by others.

i reaally enjoy that bridge in live let live

There was a reason that Sail On Sailor went to #49 on the U.S. charts.  It was good.

Hmmm.  Can you explain a little further please.  I'm usually an optimistic type of guy but #49 isn't really very good.  I mean we're hopin' for #1, 49 isn't even close.  So I would say the reason Sail on Sailor ONLY went to #49 on the U.S. charts is that it was not that good. 

I mean it's a cool song but it's kind of half assed.  If not for the saving grace of the production and the incredible vocal hook they do over... and over... and over... and over... then over over over over at the end... there wouldn't be much of a song there. 

Well....see.....when the Sail On Sailor single was first released in early 1973, it went to #79. When it was released again two years later it went to #49. Not bad out of the Billboard Top 100, and obviously Warner's was capitalizing on the new resurgence in popularity of The Beach Boys after the Endless Summer album the year before.  #49 was the highest chart position in six years for a Beach Boys single in the U.S.

I remember I bought the Holland album when it came out. I took it over to a friend's house who would always buy the latest new albums (Led Zeppelin/Floyd/Hendrix/Stones/Allman Bros. etc) but would never consider buying a new Beach Boys album. To him, the Beach Boys were passe and just not cool anymore. I smoked a J with him and we played the Holland album. He was bored and told me to take the album off his turntable. I flipped it over anyway and played "Sail On Sailor". He said the only good song on the whole album worth listening to was "Sail On Sailor". I valued his opinion. It's ended up on a few greatest hits comps since then.

Always liked Sail On Sailor on the '73 "In Concert" album. The beginning where Dennis encouraged everybody to clap along. The song rocked live.


What was this thread about again?

 Half assed?

You've pretty much undercut everything you've ever posted or ever will post...

  :lol I'm not always in the mood for SOS, but when I am, it's a blues song of the highest order.

Oh well, and I was doing so good, too! 

BTW, what's your favorite part of the song?  The hook, right?  The one that's exactly the same all 30 times they play it.  OHHHH, is it the production?  Isn't that like the only thing still there from Brian's version?  The song is just half assed, sorry. 

Ron, of course you're entitled to your opinion. I am a huge dub reggae fan, and have lots of LPs and CDs with it. Even the best of friends continue to raise eyebrows, calling it 'all the same', 'boring', 'predictable', and, yes, 'half-assed'. No problem, as long as I can discern a Lee Perry 1969 production from a 1981 one, or remember how long exactly the extended version of 'Soon Forward' by Gregory Isaacs is (I have the word 'trainspotter' engraved in my DNA, a doctor once told me).

from the show at Summerfest 2001, Milwaukee WI

"It's good to be here.  It's good to be at this place here!"

I think one should distinguish between "Sail on Sailor" as a record -- which is unquestionably terrific -- and "Sail on Sailor" as a song -- which is kind of repetitive. Underwritten melodically and overwritten lyrically.

 :lol ...much better than Ronnie Reagan in Venezuela at an official banquet: 'I raise a toast to the wonderful people of Colombia!'

Brian at Guilfest, last summer:

"Hello, London !"

Guildford is roughly 35 miles SW of said metropolis.  ;D

To be fair, he corrected himself a minute or two later.

Good to see that Brian sees things in a broad perspective. More people should do that.

Don't apologise.  You're wrong.

"Underwritten melodically and overwritten lyrically."

So the happy mediium for that is...............a good song.

And Sail On Sailor as a record is terrific  ::)

OH SNAP! Somebody not afraid to admit they agree :)

Yeah, but Dub Reggae whatever the hell that is is probably great compared to Sail On Sailor.  Maybe i'm just not intelligent enough to get the lyrics, can somebody explain to me why they're any good?  It all seems a bit overdone to me. 

I'm not crazy about SOS, either.  I prefer The Trader or Funky Pretty.

 

Maybe it's that you're too intelligent to get them. They're overdone as hell. What happened was, Jack Rieley essentially got out a rhyming dictionary and twenty minutes later, Sail On Sailor had complete lyrics. The over-verbose approach worked well with Feel Flows and Long Promised Road, but in this case, it does cheapen the song quite a bit. To wit:

Seldom stumble, never crumble
Try to tumble, life's a rumble
Feel the stinging I've been given
Never ending, unrelenting
Heartbreak searing, always fearing
Never clearing persevering
Sail on, sail on, sailor

Always needing, even bleeding
Never feeding all my feelings
Damn the thunder, must I blunder
There's no wonder all I'm under
Stop the crying and the lying
And the sighing and my dying

Yes, it was the Stern show, & yes "Not yet" was his reply, but the question wasn't about Ronnie — it was ALL The Ronettes!

Brian: "Hypnotize me, Van Dyke,"
VDP: "Cut the sh*t, Brian, you're a songwriter. That's what you do. And I want you to sit down and write a song for me."
Brian: "Hypnotize me, Van Dyke, and make me believe I'm not crazy, convince me I'm not crazy."
VDP: "Cut the sh*t, Brian, and write a middle eight."
Brian: "What's the name of the tune?"
VDP: "Sail On Sailor."

OK, how 'bout these lyrics then.  Will the judges take this?

I am a singer
A gospel singer
I sing for people
I sing for pleasure
Only a dreamer
Who came from nowhere
Sail on, wail on sailor

Over the cities
I see the rooftops
To soothe my poor soul
I thought a whole lot

Often frightened
Unenlightened
Sail on, wail on sailor
Sail on, wail on sailor

Just like my mama said.
Hey, there's a way
But you gotta get yourself out
That ghetto today

You might stumble
You could fumble
When you're down though
Don't feel under"

And the thunder
And the lightnin'
Lord it's frightnin'
When you're coked out

Heartbreak city
Ain't so pretty
When you're down the
Nitty gritty

Sail on, wail on sailor
Sail on, wail on sailor
Sail on, wail on sailor

And the thunder
And the lightnin'
Lord it's frightnin'
When you're coked out

Heartbreak city
Ain't so pretty
When you're down the
Nitty gritty

Sail on, wail on sailor
Sail on, wail on sailor
Sail on, wail on sailor

most covers of SOS i find better than the original.  So there's something def not right about it for me. 

Wow. I read those lyrics on here once, and I thought they were joke/parody lyrics. I mean, "To sooth my soar throat, I pop a cough drop"? It's actually reall? What a trip. ;D

Man that sucked hard!! Kennedy should not have his name on the credits to the BB's version period.

My problems "Sail on Sailor": it sounds cheesy. A song like that needs some real soul, and the sounds they used are almost kind of cartoony. It sounds like a duck is quacking at the end of the chorus at 0:57. Some of the instrument parts are way too happy and don't have an emotional impact. It also feels like the harmonies could've been better.

I have mucho love for SOS but I do wish Carl had booked the entire group for a session to do the backing vocals instead of just grabbing whoever was in the studio that day. The obvious single and ideal kick off track for Holland, but it's still the weakest song on the album.

BTW, the best performance of SOS for me was the one done in BWPS, live, Amsterdam 2004. Loud, better sung, and the impact was really HUGE.

(BTW: sitting in the very front row did help a lot...)

Time was of the essence. The album release had been put back because Reprise wanted a single.

Fair enough but I still wonder why Mike or Al didn't turn up. What could they have been doing that was more important than finishing off what was make or break for their next record getting a release or not?

"Hey Mike, do you need Maharishi robe to sing this or what?" - Brian

Casper whispered into Mike's ear: "Your horoscope indicates that today would be the best time to buy another convertible."

At which point Mike levitated over to the nearest used car dealership!

 :lol

If you've ever listened to the pet sounds sessions you probably you've probably heard Brian talk about "How To Speak Hip" the comedy album. I recently got it, if you like the Brian's laid back hippie slang you should listen to it, it's pretty funny.

You know what? We should do this with all the members! "Love and peace was ok, but there was a WAR going on!".  ;D

I hate to bump an old topic, but this is a good one.  I just found this today, I apologize if it's already been posted.

so I find this interview with Brian, at

http://www.americansongwriter.com/2009/01/brian-wilson-gods-messenger/

It's full of great Brianisms, Brian's really on top of things and giving good answers to all the questions, bringing up other things, and really into the interview.  The interviewer asks him

How do you manage to balance craftsmanship with pure inspiration?

and Brian replies:

"The two work together. When you’re inspired, you write a lot better than when you’re not inspired. Music is beautiful. Whenever you play music, you feel better. And whenever you write a song, you feel ten times better when you’re done writing it. “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” was one of my most inspired songs. “Ding Dang” is another inspired one. "

SAME INTERVIEW

Interviewer is playing word association

"Surf's Up" ?

Brian: "That was written with Van Dyke Parks in 1966 and it was done on drugs. "

 :lol

or


(insert song here)

Brian: "That was wriiten in (insert year here) and it was done on drugs. "


Works well too! :(

Essential! You never know whether he's putting one on, or means it. In this case, I'd certainly go for option number 1, but...  :lol

Diang Dang is all about the feel.... inspired? Absolutely!

I just find it amazing that you never know what he's going to say.  Basically, there's about three things going on.

When you watch Brian talking, you have

1. An expectation of what they're talking about, you're operating in your scheme of things, how you see the subject, what you expect and would say.

2. What Brian LOOKS like.  He often looks disinterested, or he looks like an old man, or whatever.

3. What Brian himself is thinking.  Out of nowhere, after talking about "Wouldn't it Be Nice" (expected) the next thing out of his mouth is about Ding Dang (Not Expected).

It's great entertainment watching or reading an interview with him.  Also you know, sometimes I think or others think "Oh hell, he probably doesn't even remember those songs" but he proves over and over again that not only does he remember most of his songs, but he considers many of them to be on par with his greatest successes.  To Brian, it makes just as much sense to talk to a reporter about "Wouldn't it be Nice" as it does to talk about "Ding Dang".  

Gotta love that guy.  

Like Don said, there's always the possibility too that he has an INCREDIBLY dry sense of humour, like the world has never seen.  So he could be making a comment about "Well, if you want to talk about old songs, lets talk about old songs".  He may be having a laugh on all of us. 

That's my understanding. Good example...1980,middle of a serious interview, busts out with "I like food".

Thanks for citing, Ron and AEA -

yes. Although in his defenseless periods, he may have been making really odd remarks - a person who's heavily under the influence, and highly fearful at the same time, and unhygienic, may be so immersed in feelings of 'God I wish I were somewhere else on my own!', that he loses all concentration on what he's actually saying - Brian also must have countless situations where he's on top. I mean, a news hack who's just asking questions a bit predictably, or aimlessly, can count on the totally unexpected, or contrariwise, on the worst of the worst of clichés.

I like that. It makes me laugh so much. One of my all time favourites: his stance on the movie: Norbit.

this is a great thread

why isn't there a site devoted to this stuff?

Lead on, good brother.

and


.....One and the same? :lol



Joshing with ya Ghost. ;)

Brian's certainly got an offbeat sense of humour, and I think he enjoys confusing people.

One I overheard myself

"Darian, is my sense of humour in your case, your recorder, your rucksack? I've lost my sense of humour and I can't find it.

Can't forget the interview with Zooey Deschanel where at the end Brian goes, "You're a really pretty girl."

Maybe Brian should team up with Zooey for songspiration? She can just sit nearby and be looked at while he writes.

I think Brian and Mike should have a standup comedy show together.

deleted

Murry & Brian would be more interesting. Murry as puppet master ventriloquist. Pulls out the glass eyeball for the shocker. After the 2by4 to the head. De dabade doo daa doo.

That would certainly work for me, so imagine what it would do for Brian - you might be on to something there.

Anyone remember this, from 1980(?).  To Nick Kent: "You look more like a rock star than I do - maybe I should interview YOU"

That was a good observation by Brian, if it was 1980.

...as well as a damn funny one-liner.

Replace "Zooey" with "Taylor" and "writes" with "sings" and you pretty much have how it was...

With the reunion and all the media attention I think its time to bring this thread out of hibernation.

 http://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2012/02/12/beach-boys-announce-tour-plans-at-grammys/

“People will be seeing me and the guys on the road,” he said. “Big time.”

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/a-few-words-with-the-beach-boys/

On the album, one song flows into another and that flows into another like that, until it’s over, until there’s no more album.

and

The guys are all amazing. They’ve never stopped blowing my mind for 50 years.


One from pre-reunion days.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/brian-wilson-hints-at-beach-boys-50th-anniversary-reunion-20110516

"I just don't know if I want to be around those guys, you know? They're zany guys. They're crazy."

From the Grammys, someone else will furnish the video but....

Mike Love: Well, we've been recording for 50 years...

Brian: And we're getting better every year!

I totally forgot about this.

http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/videos.html?id=1973693574 (http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/videos.html?id=1973693574)


At 4:37 "YyyyeeeeaaaaaNO"


 :lol :lol"


6:41   "He put a fire under my ass....And it burned !"

 ;D ;D

and shortly after that "I want my Carl back".

Watch that interview. It's really cool and Brian is in a good mood. My God, that's too cool ! Everybody, check out 9:07 and just wait...  ;D ;D Best thing with Brian I've ever seen

Hahahahaha. "Yesterday."  :lol

It's been a while since I last saw that interview, thanks! Brian's really loose, the interviewer knows his stuff and treats him with care and respect. Great interview.

"Dennis wasn't good enough. He was too stupid to learn."

Soundcheck Texas C50 Tour.

Another classic! ;D

 :-D ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K7h7IICAs0&feature=youtu.be

The chicks and eggs thing. Whatever he's trying to say, it's classic Brian.  :)

:lol

And yet the band is smokin' !

Gotta love Brian's dancing in that Roller Skating Child video!!

Im sure this used to be on YouTube, before Carl said Brian was great he said something about loving arguments, wish could find that video.

Also wish had a pound for everytime he had said 'You know'!

Probyn posted this one recently on Facebook...the guys were about to take the stage at the Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto. Brian said, "Toronto....Toronto, Tonto....hey, that reminds me, did I ever tell you guys about the time Tonto hit on me?" (meaning Jay Silverheels)

BTW, regarding the "I like food" thing -- I saw that not too long ago, and sorry, but it's nothing like people were describing here. He didn't just blurt out "I like food." He was responding to an interview question, I think it was something like "What inspires you to write?" and he responded by saying that basically things he likes inspires him. He added several "I like ____" statements, and most of the "I like"s seemed to be a lot more profound than food. I think he added "I like food" to prove a point that even simpler things inspire him. Then there was a brief pause, then Carl burst out with an LOL. It was NOT the zombie Brian you probably all think.

"I just had to get through that goshdarn trial! I totally went crazy over that! Lots of stress! But I got through it. That’s how it works. You’ve got hurdles, you know? A hurdle to me represents lots of mental effort and extreme mental stress. It’s like a woman having a baby. What stress! To go through that! And for that big baby to come out of that little vagina. NOBODY KNOWS HOW THAT’S DONE! Someone can try to explain it, but you see the woman afterwards and she’s cool. With artistic things, it’s the same thing. Art doesn’t come easy. It never did!"

– Brian Wilson

(source (http://madblatter.tumblr.com/post/22431588672/i-just-had-to-get-through-that-goshdarn-trial-i))

http://madblatter.tumblr.com/post/22500700707/were-going-to-try-and-get-dolly-parton-who-i

We’re going to try and get Dolly Parton who I adore. I think Dolly is one of the greatest … of course, very big breasts … very alluring … she’s a very alluring girl.

At the Calgary 2011 Gershwin Show:

"I want you to yell really loud in between songs so I know I didn't bore you to death"

and

BW: "There are lots of different kinds of rock and roll, but my favorite is heavy metal!"
Scott: "Really Brian?"
BW: "Yeah, really heavy stuff like Little Richard!"
Scott: "Brian, I just thought of another kind of rock and roll. Genius rock!"
BW: "GENIUS ROCK! YEAH!"

Absolutely AMAZING

A piano contains metal strings. A piano = very heavy. Ergo, heavy metal.

Proof you are never to old for toilet humour!

"I hadn't talked to Brian in several years and then, all of a sudden, he just gave me a call one day out of the blue," Thomas said. "He was in Australia. I'll never forget: He was calling to ask me, 'If you flush the toilet in Australia, does it really go the opposite direction of the way it goes when you're in the Northern Hemisphere?' I didn't have an answer for him.

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/may/24/the-beach-boys-are-making-radio-waves/


and


Now it was time to see if Love was interested.
 
"We met Mike, of all places, at a steakhouse in Palm Springs," Thomas said. "You must understand, Mike's a vegetarian ... Brian didn't quite get the memo on that. But Mike was gracious enough to meet us at the steakhouse. He had a salad and Brian had a big, juicy steak and they started talking.

I think this one is just as good:

"I am writing a song called 'Shelter,' " he said.

That bit of news was followed by a pregnant pause. Then Wilson lowered the cone of silence, his voice rising with each word.

"Now, don't you tell anyone that title — not a soul," he commanded.

Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/may/24/the-beach-boys-are-making-radio-waves/#ixzz1vsGJEFjZ
- vcstar.com

http://www.npr.org/2012/06/02/154155820/the-beach-boys-the-harmony-is-endless-after-all

On being back in the studio with the Beach Boys.

"It was nuts," Wilson says. "It was a nutbuster."

 :lol

Yes. Saw this thread had been bumped and came in to post it.

The line above that is a gem too.

"We've had 50 years' practice," Wilson says, "not just in music but in being guys."

A rather funny moment with Brian at my show  this year

"Everybody say yeah!"

Audience: .......

His mic wasn't on.

Santa Barbara, CA 5/28/12

"Could you stop bouncing the beach balls?  Stop bouncing the beach balls please...."


and


Interviewer. 'Brian, whats going through your mind when you sing I Just Wasn't Made For These Times?'
Brian. 'Nothing, it just comes out of my throat.'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9VY3zbCt24

From the Google Play interview:

Interviewer: "So brian, what's going on in your mind when you're singing IJWMFTT?"
Brian: "Er... nothing. it comes out of my throat.. [laughter] ... it comes out of my throat, out my mouth, into the audience." [laughter]
Al: "Very touching, Brian. Thank you."

This one may have been mentioned way back in the thread, but on the rehearsal footage for "BWPS", we find Brian sitting with the band on a stage somewhere, rehearsing the upcoming tour.  They're playing through and singing, and they do "Good Vibrations" which as you know is the last song.  Brian sings his last vocals, and WHILE THE SONG IS STILL PLAYING, points at Melinda, then points at the door, makes a driving/steering wheel motion with his hands... she starts walking towards the door.  The music is still being performed by the band behind him. 

A non-vocal Brianism. 

Awesome.  :lol Never noticed that before...

well, the rolling stone interview is going to add another page or two to this thread.  In the first page or so of the interview, we get this:

Brian, Mike, and a few others are dining in a restaurant in Hollywood, Florida.  Apparently Brian hasn't been there before, because he doesn't know the menu.

Brian: "You Got Prime Rib? Medium Well?"

Waiter: "Any way you want, Sir"

Brian: "I'll have a Rib-Eye steak, Medium Rare.  And Caesar Salad."

turns to the others

"What are you guys going to have?  You should get Caesar Salad.  Trust Me."

Also from the Rolling Stone interview.  Brian is flying on a plane, talking to a woman he does not know sitting next to him. 

---------------------------

Brian - "Those are nice pants.  Are they cotton or something?"

Woman - "Cotton Blend, I think"

Brian - "What are you drinking?"

Woman - "Bloody Mary"

Brian - "Vodka?  Is it good?"

Woman - "A Little Strong"

Brian - "That's Good.  Those are really nice pants."

A few minutes goes by, Brian has his eyes closed.

Brian - "You Keep Stirring It!"

Woman - "It's Too Strong if I don't."

Brian - "How you feeling?  A Little Woozy?"

Woman - "It takes more than one.  Do you drink?"

Brian - "Not Really.  Do you feel relaxed?"

Woman - "Yes.  You?"

Brian - "VERY"

long pause.





Brian - "What day is it?"

One more from the Rolling Stones article.


Brian, talking about why he hates flying.

"It's so cumbersome.  You gotta take your shoes off.  Put your shoes back on.  You gotta bend over."


 

Also, of course:

Woman: Have you been flying a lot?

Brian: Yeah, we're in a band. We're called the Beach Boys.

I take it this is 2012..........not 1962? :lol

Just after the discussion of the lady's pants.

I seriously don't think Brian has cared about The Beach Boys as a band since 1967. Everthing he has done since has just been him making music and others making the deals so that it came out as Beach Boys material. He just stopped caring after Smile, since then not giving a toss about artistic aspirations, commercial success etc. Didnt he break his gold LP for Endless Summer? His post-PS songs are all about him, making music about himself, then having the group hijack his stuff and releasing it as Beach Boys, most notably Love You.

The woman next to me tells me 'bout her guy. And I tell her all about you and I

Rolling Stone June 2012

Brian and Mike are at some restaurant in Florida, on their night off:

Brian asks, "Isn't Kokomo around here, Mike?  Somewhere down around the Florida keys, right?  We should go there."


 :lol

Amazing - completely deadpan too, I'd guess.

I've gotta stop reading these RS quotes--they're too brilliant! I've gotta pick up a copy.

"It was nuts," Wilson says. "It was a nutbuster."

I am SO using that for my senior quote  ;D

Gotta love Brianisms

From BW.com


TWGMTR CD Super delux package - autograph flub -up

(posted by Lee Michael on June 14, 2012 at 2:43 pm)

Message:

OK, so I took out a second mortgage to buy the super delux package (only 50 available at 500 bucks) and it includes an uncut proof sheet for the CD artwork (poster sized) that is signed by BW, ML, AJ, BJ and DM. Only interesting thing is that Brian Wilson signed the darned thing 4 times. He cranked his sig on 4 of the CD cover squares almost as if he might have thought that he needed to sign each square and then they would be cut out and sold separately. Maybe someone took the pen away before he filled the whole sheet.


 :lol

Hey everyone! I have a proof sheet signed by Brian Wilson! Four times!  :-D

Does that mean it's worth four times as much?

So I've been flinging questions at the infamous Lorren Daro over the past few weeks, here's a fun bit on The Ism of Brianism:

"He's one of least introspective persons I've ever known. He has taken in the culture around him -- the ideas and the music -- and sculpted them into socially relevant songs. Like Grandma Moses, he just took it in and put it out. That's why Brian has always needed lyricists to organize his observations. In his way, he is like Picasso, not that bright, impulsive, in the moment. It's a Zen take on life -- like your cat -- it's all here in the 'now'. People look for all the 'why's' , but Brian is about the 'what's'..."

http://shitbrianwilsonsays.tumblr.com/archive

Interesting. Everyone seems to think Brian is deep and brilliant, but he's saying Brian is just a vessel. I think Brian is clever in his own way, as we've seen from recent events.

I think that's ass.

Man, I hate Loren Schwartz (I heard he changed his name because it was Jewish, or something. I'm not sure. If so, f*** him)

It was just posted. Thanks to the original poster.



Q: The Beach Boys have made some of the most iconic summer songs ever, but are there any songs that remind you of summer that aren’t by the Beach Boys?

BW: “California Girls” and “Surfin’ USA”!

Q: So there are no good summer songs that you didn’t write?

BW: Not really.

http://jack.radio.com/2012/07/02/qa-brian-wilson-on-beach-boys-tour-next-album-possible-frank-sinatra-tribute/





And another thing I remember. In one of the interviews with the Beach Boys for the reunion (maybe the Charlie Rose one) Brian is asked what his favorite Beach Boys album was. Answer : "Summer days" and "That lucky old sun"  ;D

I thought that was hilarious, especially because Mike was sitting besides him

I'll bet the amount of interviews has really stepped up, and Brian just can't be bothered, lol. 

When an interviewer walks in the room, these are the guys he's presented with:

(http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m71zy2jCIV1qa6myvo1_1280.jpg)

Which one looks like he might be a bit evasive?  LOL!

Well, as I think others have suggested on this board, TLOS would have worked as a Beach Boys record - several of the songs would lend themselves to leads by Mike and Al - and I suppose the main thing that kept it from becoming one was that the fallout from all them lawsuits hadn't quite settled yet.

I've always thought this one was great. It was from an interview he did with Alice (president of the Beach Boys fan club BBFUN) back in the early-mid 80s and it appeared in the fan newsletter.

 He said he had recently run into Frankie Valli at LAX and he was going on about how Frankie has remained such a great singer over all these years. The way he described it.............

"It's like he's got a clamp on his thing."

From a Radio BBC6 interview.


Q: How does it work in the studio ?

BW: (....) You mean after the songs were written or before?

Q: Before

BW: Well, we can't go to the studio 'til we write a song

Q: Hm-hm




 ;D ;D

Brian and Stan playing basketball and Brian missing his shots saying: "my shirt tales are in the way." haha

Brian: King of Excuses

Also, Brian trying to paint his house purple when they moved in the new house...those darn neighborhood groups couldn't accept him for his eccentricities.

Brianism songs- songs that only Brian Wilson could write:

-Mt. Vernon and Fairway
-Smile
-Til I Die
-incorporating Shortnin bread in numerous songs
-Day in the Life of a Tree
-Funky Pretty
-Bugged at My Old Man
-Solar System
-I just Wasn't Made for These times
-Country Air
-Busy Doin Nothin
-Mike Come Back to LA
-I wanna Pick You Up
-Cool Cool Water
-Lazzy Lizzie
-Too Much Sugar
-Roller Skating Child
-TM Song
-Shelter
-That Same Old Song
-Had to Phone Ya
-You Need a Mess of Help
-At My Window
-He Couldnt get His poor Old Body to Move
-Our Team
-Midnight's Another Day
-Rio Grande
-This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight
-My Solution
-Add Some Music to Your Day
-Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long
-Games two Can Play
-Hey little Tomboy
-Let's Get Together
-Most of Pet Sounds
-Oxygen to the Brain
-Life is For the Living
-Country Feelin
-Diamond Head
-Guess I'm Dumb
-Shyin' Away
-Happy Days
-Water Builds Up
-HELP is on the Way
-One for the Boys
-Second side of Today! except I'm So Young and Bull Session
-Johnny Carson
-Melt Away
-Don't Let Her Know She;s an Angel
-It's Trying to Say
-My Diane
-Punchline
-Lines
-Still I Dream of It
-Sweet Mountain
-Take a Load Off Your Feet
-There's So Many
-Deep Purple (that particular production/version, I know it's a cover)
-Sail Plane Song
-When Girls Get Together
-Stevie
-Good Time
-Everybody Wants to Live
-California Feeling
-Marilyn Rovell

Thank God!

Brian: "I don't know what you Ya-Whoo's do at Mikey and Brucie concerts, but this is a concert in 2012...not a Getcha Back video"

Largely the work of David Sandler.

Is that what Brian says? or what David Sandler said?

It's what anyone would say who heard the song Sandler wrote for his band before the Spring project. "Sweet Mountain" is mostly based on it.

http://www.glacierdisc.com/tracks/index.html#northernsummer

Scroll down for the sample of the song called "Standing Tall."

Sounds somewhat similar, but not enough to convince me that Brian didn't write Sweet Mountain

When you hear the whole song, you'll be convinced.

If that's the case, then I don't want to hear it. I'm happy in my room thiniking of Sweet Mountain as Brian

Come on, d00d. I had this same argument with someone over "Diamond Head". If Brian never said "I wrote the basis of it" and someone else says "I wrote the basis of it", why be stubborn in saying "NO WAY THIS GUY IS CLEARLY LYING BRIAN WRITES EVERYTHING"?

Folks want credit for Brian's stuff all the time. and of course there's brian changing his tune from one interview to the next to fall back on. but mostly maybe  just cuz.

Who? With the exception of Mike who, sans semi-bogus-but-technically-legitimate co-write credits for stuff like "Wouldn't It Be Nice?", actually deserved the co-write credits he asked for, I can't think of any examples, although maybe I missed something.

And Sandler is listed as a co-writer of the song. Brian's involvement in the Spring project was said to be fairly minimal and less than that of Sandler's contributions, so why is it hard to believe that a guy listed as a co-writer wrote the majority or entirety of the song? The clip posted above is proof enough that it was mostly Sandler's work - listen to the entire clip.

see ^^

Don't be ign'ant, bgas. :(  ???  :-[  :'(  :-\

i will lie awake and lie for fun and bake a cake

It's so weird, when someone changes their avatar or name, I feel like it's a whole new person.

I dunno ... the collaboration thing with Brian is tough because there are two different pushes. One is to credit Brian to the max, the still-genius guy, etc. That's what his people want. But there's also a push for his collaborators to use him to further their own names or careers (Andy Paley being the most recent and unfortunate example). The truth often falls in the middle, and it's especially hard when someone is writing something that's a tribute to Brian's style (like that "Standing Tall" original version). So Brian comes along, changes a few things, adds a vocal arrangement -- how much of a co-write is that? On one hand, he contributed little, but on the other hand, the original writer is using Brian's style (or earlier songs) as a template. See also the title track to "That's Why God Made the Radio" and "Soul Searchin."

Same, thus why I (sadly) switched back from the Mother 3 avatar to the Hello Kitty avatar. Like, it's a totally different person. Where's Wirestone? What happened to him? Oh wait, he switched avatars.

Edit: Interesting timing, Stoney ;(

Gotta have a source for this beauty! Surely a joke post? ;D

I know, right? ^_^

oh but william, I'd know you anywhere!

:lol

Giving Mike a song called "Spring vacation" to write lyrics to. That has to be one of the greatest Brianism's...

Classic Brian put-on, letting Mike stay lost in the endless summer.

idk what you took from the joke but the quote was made up by me but there's a certain video of Getcha Back that has one too many beach balls being tossed and hitting the guys while they perform. Jeff F gets hit dead on...the video is from the mid-80s.

There's also a famous one, where Carl is singing "God Only Knows" at the front of the stage.  A bunch of girls are crying and screaming in the front row, doing girly things.  Brian, clearly unamused, gets up, hurries to the front and says something like "COULD YOU SHUT THE HELL UP, HE'S TRYING TO SING"

Please tell me there's video of this.

I think it's during the 1967 Hawaii show, but I could be wrong about that.

Yeah, it's from one of the two shows. I don't think though that Brian got up and walked to the front. I haven't listened to it in a long time but it sounds like he was yelling it into his microphone while still sitting at the organ

"HE'S SINGIN', COOL IT!"

Yep, that's what he yelled.

Picturing a bearded late 70s Brian getting up and screaming "COULD YOU SHUT THE HELL UP, HE'S TRYING TO SING" painted a far more amusing picture than this. ;(

It's even funnier if you picture him juggling.

TheDumbAngel posed this in the picture thread. Question about "favorite groups" and "individual singers" totally Brianisms !!  ;D

(http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_macue3cKyh1rwqm4so1_1280.png)

Brian has hazel eyes? What publicist wrote this up?
Thanks for posting, though. Do you have the rest of the group?

No, sorry. As mentioned, I didn't post this originally but TheDumbAngel over in the picture-thread in the media section

The Bruce & Brian questionaire is from 16 magazine, published in the fall of '66. Another issue of 16 from around that time had questionaires filled out by Al and Mike. All four of these were quoted on another thread here about five years ago. If Carl and Dennis had ones published they don't seem to be on the board.

Brian's liking The Twilight Zone - wonder what his fave episodes would be - kind of ties in with his saying in the 1990s that Mirage was his favorite movie. I saw Mirage back in the '70s on TV - it stars Gregory Peck and Diane Baker, and Walter Matthau plays an amusingly goofy detective. George Kennedy goes around killing people with his halitosis. (That, for those of you who came of age after 1990, refers to an old ad campaign he did.)

Al's questionaire is worth looking at. He says his fave male singer is Bobby Goldsboro! He also says his favorite male actor is Richard Dunn. I don't know who this would be - IMDB shows there was a guy with that name who appeared in some very small roles in movies and TV in the '40s and '50s but no one else more prominent is listed there.  Maybe he was Al's cousin or something.

Gotta love his answer for 'Home Info'.  :-D

"It's furnished in 'Brian-Modern'. A mixture of everything."

New one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0ShwBvpnew

Al: "We were recording Wouldn't It Be Nice, Good Vibrations and a host of other songs simultaneously..."

Brian: "And Barbara Ann!!!!!"

Al:"Noo, different time."

Even Mike cracked up.

Also from the CNN story. Mike joking but ohhh so true.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/14/world/asia/hong-kong-beach-boys-stout/index.html

Love and Jardine then take to a small nearby stage and strike up an impromptu version of "California Girls" (with Al on bass and Mike doing vocals). Johnston then appears out of nowhere to play the piano.

But where was Wilson?

"Off to a buffet somewhere," quips Love with a smile.

Awww, Al correcting Brian made me sad. :(

Al was on Brian's deaf side, so he probably didn't hear all of it before he said 'Barbara Ann'.

T'be fair, Brian wasn't far off at all. "Barbara Ann" was done in September '65, "WIBN?" started in January '66. The Party! and Pet Sounds sessions come dangerously close to one another in general with a small bit of technical overlap, so I don't know how "wrong" you could say he was.

Sure. Al just wanted to yap on about the artistic stuff and praise Brian as the genius when said genius suddenly interrupts with "... and Barbara Ann!".  ;D Also I think Al meant it more in terms of creative eras, or something. Gotta love Brian for these interview moments.

Ah, haha, I didn't go to the link and didn't see it in the context of Al talking in terms of creative eras.

OMG did you see the video when brian asks Mike if he took drugs?  ;D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFRKp9wH3AQ&feature=related

I also like this one at 2.50. Brian asked about Paul McCartney's praise for 'God Only Knows'.

'Well its a good song!'

Bruce reacts in a 'What can you say to that?' kind of way. ;D

Link or it didn't happen!

Interview 3 at about 2.10.

And just after that - "We smoked marijuana to the point we got lost in the music and we didn't know where the f*** we were at."  Got to love Brian dropping the f-bomb on CNN!

By the way - there really shouldn't be an apostrophe in the thread title..

Brianism is Appreciation Thread.

I'm never been one for the finer points of the written word. Thanks. Corrected.

...and it only took 2 years!

I guess you just changed the title of the opening post, not the thread title itself.  :p

EDIT: Scratch that, everything's fine. I'm just a tad confused.  :angel:


Aaaahhhhhh.....  :laugh:

Actually, it wouldn't mean Brianism is Appreciation Thread. The appostrophe is possessive, so the title Brianism's Appreciate Thread means that Brianism owns an appreciation thread.

Same link that I quoted. There are three Beach Boys videos

If it truly was Don Henley then I have yet another reason to consider Brian to be one of my heroes!

"We really turn on man." -Brian from the Bob Hope sketch from 65.

Reminds me of the kid on Almost Famous trying to be hip in saying: "Hey, man, take good care of her in San Francisco, man."

haha


But Brian doesn't need to be hip from what others made hip, he's in a hip zone all on his own.

"And the more we listened the more we learned you know. And then along comes Chuck Berry and Mike Love and Jan&Dean and the whole creation of Rock'n'Roll...."


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QaFsqQqvwuo#t=554s

Re-watching that interview right now as well.  :) Mike must have really soaked that one up.

re: the teen profiles- I love that Brian see's fit to point out that he is the tallest in the group. And, omg, Bruce has a ginger fetish and we are all participants in it by listening to Deirdre.


Oh Brian has thrown more than enough shade Al's way to cancel it out. What I don't like is how Al (and Mike has done this many times before) talks about Brian's drug use and basically point to Brian and say "LOOK AT THE MESS THAT CAUSED!" I don't know if Brian gets embarrassed by it but I think it would embarrass an average person.

I always take exception with those moments, because it really was the anti-psychotics that Landy had Brian on that got him in that state.  You listen to interviews from 1976 and it seems like he's just kind of different, not spacey at all like he can be now.  The man is a survivor to be certain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdYb3MaJ4K8
At 10:30. B.W. to Cousin Brucie: "Let me tell you something, I feel naked up here.".....Then Cousin Brucie to B.W.: "Brian Wilson, my friend, you can do anything you want...and you ain't naked!"  :lol

http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jul/12/magazine/tm-2833
In Wilson's slo-mo state of mind, dining out ranks among life's great pleasures. "I love going out to eat," he says earlier in the day. "The process of being served--the whole thing just blows my mind."

Sitting alone on the bench of a grand piano in his L.A. home, he described himself as "a scared little p*ssy."




 

A new one:

Simon (Interviewer): "By the time you recorded Sunflower, all the other guys were contributing musically. How did it feel letting go of complete creative control?"

Brian: "I thought it was appropriate at that time. Carl had really come into his own as a producer and was helping with the vocal arranging. Dennis was flourishing as a songwriter and knew what he wanted on his records. It was a natural transgression."

And another:

"I'd love to meet Frankie Avalon. I don't know what he's up to. I'd thank him for 'Venus'."

Not exactly something Brian said but this is a hilarious Brian Wilson story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PS3w9Tnba4&t=6m50s (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PS3w9Tnba4&t=6m50s)

:lol :lol :lol

What interview is this from? Is it online?



Unfortunately I didn't understand the guy. What did he say at the end of the Brian story?

Pot calling the kettle black line?

Meaning it was ironic Brian commenting on the state Ozzy was in.

I took it to mean that Ozzy was the one to comment on Brian's condition to Tommy. Doesn't make sense for Brian to talk to Ozzy's bandmate.

We have Tony Iommi of Black Sabbith, talking to Rick Wakeman of Yes. Not close in style but they have the industry in common. Brian knowing of and talking to Tony is the same. Its just what muso's do I guess. Who would know if he knew they were bandmates? Probably not.

I'm paraphrasing - seen and heard this one in a Youtube video that was titled "Impressions from the road, 1980", IIRC (can't seem find it right now, unfortunately):

Facing Al Jardine: "I'm telling you, Al, the show tonight could really go, it could really go over! Because... because we're so good!"

... and, following up on that, something recent (as seen in one of the numerous "we're reunited, this one final time" webisodes):


(Brian & Al after rehearsals)

Brian: "Thanks for 'Cotton Fields', man!"
Al: "Thank you for 'Please Let Me Wonder!"


That's one of the things I like about Brian as a musician: that childlike enthusiasm about music in general and simultaneous un-assumingness (if that's a word..) about his own music.

One thing I always found interesting is that BW seems to be quite enthusiastic about Alan's music in general - save for "Waves of Love", that is! :-D

He obviously seemed to enjoy writing with Alan throughout the Friends/Sunflower era and he even contributed lead vocals to AJ compositions such as "Looking Down the Coast", "Take a Load off Your Feet", and (to a much lesser extent) "California".

"Now a Theremin...when we got the Theremin on there, we got it on there so that...so that people could understand the Theremin in a finite--in finite terms, finite musical terms, in...in the exact terms; none, I'm not talkin' about -- 'bout, uhh...well, you know what I mean -- in...in terms of written music, but in a sense it had an unwritten sound to it; it was, didn't sound really WRITTEN, and what...what we're doing -- "Good Vibrations" was probably the, the...the...if -- of all the Beach Boy records, probably the best combination of instruments, a most unique way of taking conventional and...instruments that would, that had only been associated, associated with adults, with adults, ya know? and children, 21-year-old children, right? Twenty-FIVE-year-old children, too, ya know? I mean, children, uhh...children, children of God, children of God are, are in their twenties, I mean they're in their twenties, the twenty-year-olds, and the, and and like, and, and not really rapidly appro--approaching thirty at all, right in there in like mid-twenty-five, twenty-six-year-old people, you know, year-old CHILDREN, young adults, not quite adults really, but...kinda flamboyant a little bit, a little bit, uhh...uhh, wha-whatcha call it? Whimsical...you know, whimsical personalities and whimsical uhh, uhhh, sense of humor, a whimsical sense of humor. The word, the...the...the situation with "Good Vibrations," I don't think it was a funny record. I -- it didn't make me laugh, you know, I...I...it made me cry, because I, 'cause I have seen...I had seen the -- the...the id--I had at once gr--made sure that I had a grasp, the idea, that when you, when you take classical instruments and place them in--in--in--in rock'n'roll environment, you have refined music, you have--you have rock'n'roll brought to a height, a really -- and you know, and it's a real funny thing, nobody ever really called "Good Vibrations" a rock'n'roll record, but it WAS a rock'n'roll record. It rocked. Y'know? It really rocked."

I love that clip. Especially his facial expression when the theremin doesn't obey his motions for a second. ;D

An interview with MOJO magazine, IIRC. I guess around 10 years ago.

Off of the top of my head.

While Brian is being interviewed, at one point Melinda descends the stairs to the living room.

Brian turns head.

'Hi honey... you look great! Isn't it amazing what a little make-up can do?'

(I don't know if he realised the possible interpretations of this line - IMHO he just wanted to be nice and courteous. Well, I truly had a LOL moment. Many of his remarks are so memorable precisely because of all that you can make of them: deliberate or naive clumsiness, double entendres, passive resistance, jokes that he wouldn't have made if he'd better thought them through beforehand, secret signs meant to indicate that he liked the interview to be over, whatever...)

Spot-on!  What guy hasn't committed such a faux pas at some stage in his life, eh?   :lol

 ;D

I did, several times BTW. One of my gaffes: I was introduced to a truly beautiful girl student in the introduction period of my first year at Uni. It being a party, and me being slightly drunk, I somehow couldn't speak that clearly any more. She was named Sophia. I said merrily: 'hello Sofa'.

That didn't get across very well.

Too bad he didn't also say:

"Shave your legs, now, for the first time!"

Not sure if this has been mentioned:

Q: What's the last movie you saw ?

BW: Norbit.

Q: What's your favorite movie ?

BW: Norbit.

Nevermind!

Thought I'd take this opportunity to post my first Smiley response after lurking for years.  When I saw Brian play the RFH in London in 2002 he was clearly so fired up by the audience response that he shouted "let's get nude!" at the end of one song.

One of my favourite Brian quotes comes third hand from an acquaintance who managed to get in the same lift (elevator) as Brian at his Brighton gig (second UK tour of 2002).  The guy managed to have a quick chat with Brian and tried to endear him with his wit.  Brian  made some comment along the lines of he liked the British and their humour, humour being a great thing - while staring intently and unsmiling at the guy, who then laid a fan question on Brian - "Brian, back in the 70s you wrote a song called 'Stevie' - is it about Stevie Nicks or Stevie Wonder?". Brian stared at the guy for a moment and responded  as if deep in thought "Hey...Stevie Wonder...did you know he's blind?"

Classic!  :lol

Welcome on board!

Anyone got a source for this one? ;D

"Some people might think that sex is the highest experience you can have. I tend to think that music is." -- Brian Wilson

http://www.gq.com/style/blogs/the-gq-eye/2013/07/your-morning-shot-the-beach-boys-1.html

Someone might have already posted this (maybe even me):

"I like food. Creative food."

Some quotes from the 2007 tour book interview:

"The Hollywood Bowl reminds me of a huge ear that acts like a speaker! It acts like a speaker the way it's structured. The sound comes off the stage through a giant speaker. That's physics. I swear to God. That's how I look at the Gosh Darn thing."

[On accidentally breaking Al's leg while playing football]: "I busted his leg. I blew it. [jumps up from the table to re-enact it] I went to pitch out to him in the backfield and went the wrong way...I felt so bad. I didn't know what to do! All his life he's held a grudge for that. [laughs] 'Gosh Darn I'm gonna kick that Brian Wilson's ass!'"

"Let's have some dessert. It's on me. I have money in the bank. I'm honored to pay for your lunch."

"Dennis is an underrated music person."

"I can't play bass for baloney."

I just got the new version of The Wilson Project, a title I've been looking for for years. That book is so full of Brianisms it isn't funny. (Well, actually, they ARE funny....) Too many to post!! A couple of highlights from memory:

[in the middle of a conversation] "I farted."

[paraphrased; too lazy to get the book and find the passage] "When I woke up this morning I went over to the piano and started writing a song. I don't know why, but it gave me a hard-on. I had to go into the bathroom and masturbate."

Brian Wilson masturbating in a bathroom.

I've officially read everything on this board.

Now you know why Mike is so keen that Brian stay in the room with him while writing songs.

It better not have been Hey Little Tomboy.

I'm looking at your Brian clip in your profile in a whole new light Shady! :o

No worries - this was a good ten years AFTER "Hey Little Tomboy." :) 

More than likely it was Good Vibrator.  :p

Surely the question we should be asking is did he have his young voice or 70's gruff voice?

I was really put out the window when I saw the creative energy going on in the group. It almost took me out of my vibe and put me to the (moon?/ move?), just started getting back to the Beach Boys and hearing where their voices are coming from, hearing that the audience likes us, stuff like that.

Intro to the Chiba video 2012

http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/2013-09-26/music/brian-wilson-on-songwriting-i-m-always-anxious-to-make-each-one-better/


How did you decide which Beach Boys would sing which particular songs, especially when you had so many good singers in the group?

Brian: OK, here's how it goes. I write the song, and then after I write the song, then I decide who I will have sing it. I don't think about who's going to sing it while I write the song. Thank you very much for the interview.

Thank you!

Brian: OK, take care, bud.


 :lol

LOL! And from the same interview:


Interviewer: You have such an amazingly huge catalog to choose from. How do you decide which songs to include in your live set?
Brian: Well, we haven't gotten to that point yet, but I'm sure we'll think of something.

I love how he's not even trying to hide that he's taking the piss.

Hilarious, this is so Brian.  He's like in his own world.  The guy is so respected, imagine you're sitting there face to face with him, and you ask him a question, and he answers it with the question.  There's nothing you can say.  This, ultimately, is one of Brian's ninja tactics to shut down interviews.  "How do you come up with a song title?" "Well, see, what I do is, I make a song, and then I come up with a song title.... and we're done."

Yeah!  Exactly.  He's in cruise control now.  Think about it.  He can do whatever the f*** he wants now.  Not only is he

1. A Genius

2. A recovered alcoholic/addict

3. Beat mental illness

4. super respected musician

NOW HE'S OLD.  Old people can do whatever they want, nobody calls them on it.  So now you can't say sh*t no matter WHAT he says!  He's got 5 different reasons you're not as cool as he is.

Yup.  I think too, you can point to "From there to Back Again" as proof of what he thinks of Al.  He gave him the best song on the record.  I hope that's what it's called, you know what song I mean. 

He seems to not take the time to lie about the things he should lie about, and is completely dishonest about things he has no business being dishonest about. 

Regarding Jeff Beck... "He’s the most g*ddamned greatest guitar player I’ve ever heard in my life.”

While I have had some very cordial and normal fan conversations with Brian, the one that falls into the Brianism category occurred a little over 20 years ago at a San Diego ESQ Beach Boys convention.  Brian was autographing items, and although convention attendees had been requested to bring just one item for Brian to sign, I was one of numerous people who were in line for the third time with yet another item for him to autograph.  As I approached Brian he smiled, took my CD in hand, and then announced in a loud voice, "This is my last guy, I gotta pee!"

In other words, Brian's got childlike sense of humor. He doesn't even have to try to be funny, the necessary words come out themselves spontaneously. And it's the best kind of humor (but also the complex one, not everyone achieves it), 99 out of 100 guarantees success in making others smile (no pun) or laugh. Which what happened to Brian, if "see" the reactions of Smiley Smilers on the board in general, i.e. not only judging by this very thread.

Just had to post this from his Q&A on Facebook a little while back.

“What was your favorite part about running the Radiant Radish Health Food Store? What was your biggest seller?”: “The cash register — I learned how to do it.”

From a 2011 interview

Interviewer: What do you feel like the Beach Boys legacy is in terms of what you and the Beach Boys have created for pop music?
Brian: Well, it depends on what song you mean. You know, if you're talking Good Vibrations, we taught people how to use cellos. Um if it's Do It Again we learned how to play a "medium beat".

And at the end of the interview:

Interviewer: I thank you so much for being here, sir. It's been a pleasure.
Brian: It's been a pleasure and I'll see you again sometime. I'll see you at the concert.
[they shake hands]
Brian: Give me a better hand shake.

From an interview with the same interviewer a year later, this time with the whole group.

Interviewer: Brian, does it feel like you're slipping right back into what you were doing decades ago?
Brian: Like I said, each guy's different, we each have our own part to play. And it does take me back to the early 60s. But we've had more practice then you can imagine! We've had 50 years of practice and practice and practice!

Later in the interview, Brian talking about the importance of radio when he was young:

Brian: We used to listen to Johnny Otis play a lot of rhythm and blues. Carl and I used to listen to rhythm and blues records on the radio. We did. In fact, Carl turned me on to rhythm and blues. And the more we listened the more we learned, you know. And then along comes Chuck Berry and Mike Love, and the creation of rock n roll, so to speak.

Mike reads later and nods in agreement..... :lol

That line about 'give me a better handshake' reminds me of when he corrected the salutation he wrote on Sheryl Crow's record for her...

It was Don Henley, not Sheryl Crow.  :)

"Mike Love's gotta be the greatest thing that's come along
(Hum diddy waddy, hum diddy wadda)
He made the guitar beats and wrote the all-time greatest song
(Hum diddy waddy, hum diddy wadda)
Well now do you remember all the guys that gave us rock and roll
(Hum diddy waddy doo)"

This is from an interview with Charlie Rose, around the release of the Christmas album. They're talking about Smile.

Charlie: Smile, and the success of Smile..
Brian: Right.
Charlie: .. Was that the most satisfying thing, for you musically, the fact that this thing that you had worked on so hard for so many years, when it finally came into fruition, Rolling Stone magazine gave it 5 stars. Everybody raved about it; the criticism was overwhelming!
Brian: I haven't told you this yet, I'm gonna tell you now though. We premiered it in London, in 2004, and people at the end of the concert, people stood up and clapped for almost 10 minutes! Almost 10 minutes! That's a long standing ovation, that's a very long standing ovation, 10 minutes. You have to admit that, you know?
Charlie: Did it bring tears to your eyes?
Brian: Nah, not tears. It just brought joy to me. I was so proud. Charlie, I was so nervous to do that show. I was so nervous to do that doggone Smile show in London that I almost had to go to the bathroom and [makes plopping noise], do my thing.

Thanks to shadownoze for the link!


Brian's got asked about his favorite scene in the L&M movie:

http://shadownoze.tumblr.com/post/113749469568/q-a-at-sxsw-brian-wilson-is-asked-what-his

Classic deadpan Brian there, with nobody being sure if he's serious or not.  He even throws in a subtle bit of looking at his watch, as if internally thinking, 'How much longer till this crap finishes and I can start on the hospitality food?'  ;D

True class.  8)

I love his answer to the question, and so does Cusack and the audience apparently.  :lol

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Brian's always been a hilarious guy, and yeah, treads that line where people aren't sure if it's a joke or not. I love that sh*t.

Plus, not to sound like goat boy, but I'm pretty sure any Elizabeth Banks sex scene would be a highlight in any movie I saw too.

I have heard this but don't remember.  What album did he sign for Henley and what was the inscription?  What were the other details of the story, like the year, etc.

Absolutely hilarious

Well, not to spoil anything, but it's not even a sex scene that Brian is referring to...which may be why Cusack found it so hilarious.

Weird, I too recall it was a female songwriter. Wrong. Entered "Don Henley" & found this:

The reason he's able to do that so 'deadpan' is because he embodies 'cool'.  A lot of people try to be cool, and do things that they think are cool, but the truly cool are cool because they. just. are. cool.  He didn't laugh or smile or anything while the entire fucking ROOM was going bananas, because he couldnt' give two shits whether the room went bananas.  He said what he said because he wanted to say it, not to get a reaction. 

It's why he's so bad at interviews, he doesn't want to talk about what you want to talk about; what you want to talk about isn't important to him, because he's fucking COOL

I am currently laughing uncontrollably.

Q: What was the greatest piece of advice you ever recieved?

Brian: my dad told me when you mow the lawn mow it twice to make it better.....yep mow it twice


Facebook Q&A 26 March 2015

Greatest.  Advice.  Ever. 


Now, i've met some cool people; but Brian Wilson has met some GREAT people.  I mean his list of acquaintances and associates is a veritable who's who of 20th century celebrities, politicians, musicians, philosophers, activists, businessmen, poets.  If you're famous for being great in any of those categories, you've met Brian Wilson, and he's talked to you.  No doubt, some of the conversations likely delved into the fantastic.

out of all of those people Brian has met and conversed with, the absolute greatest advice he ever got was you should mow the grass twice.

But think about how that applies in so many ways: I mean, lay down the Beach Boys' vocals, but then lay them down again, on top of the first ones, and it's really sparkling. You can start to see pretty quickly how this advice takes on many layers of meaning.

Possibly.


I was thinking the other day about one of the funniest things I ever saw him do.  We've probably already mentioned it on this thread, but i'll mention it again in case anybody missed it.

On either the Beautiful Dreamer documentary or that accompaning SMiLE DVD they had some footage showing Brian and the band rehearsing the live version of SMiLE.  So the whole underlying theme was that it appeared Brian was kind of apprehensive about all of it, they mentioned that before Brian got to the rehearsal all the power cut off and it might have freaked him out if he was there, etc.

Anyways.  Basically the band and Brian are playing completely through the Suite, and Brian's not really that into it.  They're on a soundstage somewhere.   When the band gets to "Good Vibrations" (the last song) Brian's singing or doing his part, and as soon as he gets done with his lyrics, the band is still playing the rest of the song, of course.  He points at Melinda who's standing over by the wall, makes a little steering wheel gesture (like Mike does), then points at the door. 

The band wasn't even finished playing the song, lol

The first time I saw that I rewound it and watched it probably 5 times.  Easily the most hilarious thing I've ever seen him do.

Both hilarious and somewhat sad at the same time, typical BW stuff. :)

Brian was introduced to a female UK fan, and she was wearing a rather low cut top. (I'll hide her name to spare her blushes.)

"Brian, this is *****".

Brian: "Both of them?"

From the twitter Q&A going on right now:

Q: @thatbeatleskid: What's your favorite track from Love You? #AskBrianWilson

A: @BrianWilsonLive: .@thatbeatleskid "Love You"

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y131/jfe811/Screen%20Shot%202015-03-30%20at%206.13.03%20PM_zpstzfxelxu.png)

Twitter Q&A March 30 2015

Pretty sure I know who it was. Air Hostess ?  ;D

Wish to hell I could recall which UK rock mag it was, maybe ten years ago or thereabouts, but Brian was being asked about Dennis and his music. I paraphrase, of course, but his reply went something like:

"Well, he was a real man, he had intercourse with many women - Mike's wife, Al's wife, my wife..."

And yes, he said "intercourse", not "sex".  :o

Well, perhaps he just meant conversations  ;D
The first meaning of intercourse is:
Communication or dealings between individuals or groups.

Remember the quote about Dennis.  Great that Brian could maintain his cool about it.

Not a flight attendant but it DID happen on a plane.

From about 5:00 - Scott Bennett interview. Funny story re: Brian & Carole King!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anAegJddmFo

I can't believe nobody added the quote about Hitchcock movie! Flight attendant, low cut top, troll question about "banging mom" - who cares?? It's all boring. W/o further ado:


Another common thing we share! I too find most horrors funny - the way they die, fight, chasing scenes (cue Freddy Krueger with hilarious "village boy" sweater running like a moron with funny growling). I'm glad Brian said it like it is. There's nothing bad, after all, it's just a film as in fake death - I was told that since childhood, just as I was that Father Frost doesn't exist. We need to watch film like a film, not to get into it too much. I often imagined film shooting as this - the director cuts the final scene - "Stop camera!" - & everyone just relax & go to banquet to see the result. No doubt they laughed during killing 'n' stuff. Brian is mighty cool. :3d

Q magazine, Cash for questions, around BWPS! I remenber that. I already knew about the legend of Brian Wilson and the fact that he's not like everybody, but wasn't a fan yet, but after reading that I remember thinking he sure is something else.

Nothing wrong with little intercourse every now and then, btw. Can't blame Dennis.

A-ha! Here it is, page 36:

"You know, I was at the piano this morning, kind of writing a song...I don't know why, but I got a hard-on. I had to go to the bathroom and masturbate."

Saturday, June 14, 1986

The subject calls Jeff Foskett "the most handsome man I *ever* met!". Amusing.

I wonder what song that was.   

Nevermind.....I'd rather not know. 

"Woody Wood-pecker Symphony".

From an interview with John Fugelsang a few days ago

JF: Have you heard any new music that's inspired you recently?

Brian Wilson: I enjoyed 'Let It Be' by The Beatles.

 :lol :lol

And it was...at least the post-coital glow. ;D

I was watching The Exorcist with a friend who hadn't seen it the other day, and when Pazuzu (sp?) the demon possessing Linda Blair spews his profanities, I laughed out loud.

At the Love & Mercy screening at the Arclight in Hollywood the other day, there was a great bit that went something like (this is my best guess):

Q: What was it like seeing your story told on screen?

Brian: Well, I couldn't really see it as myself, so I just tried to imagine that I was Paul Dano and watched the movie while thinking what it must have been like for Paul Dano.

(If anyone has a better recall, I'd love to read it!)

Las Vegas Review-Journal (Dave Herrera): I understand you’ve been traveling. How’s the trip so far?

Brian: The trip so far’s been a little hectic. The concerts have been going over very good, very well. I’ve had a good time. We’ve had good meals — good catering and meals....


We got “California Girls” from Bach. Bach is responsible for “California Girls.”


 Mike Love is probably the greatest lyric writer in the world

http://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/music/qa-brian-wilson

http://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/music/qa-brian-wilson

This is the best & timeless:


Not just that, his doll face is very funny. It's kind of a black comedy. There are some jumpy moments but nothing too extreme. I can see why the genre qualified as "horror", tho.

Judging by Brian's quote on The Birds, I think Brian would get a kick out of the Sharknado movies, and other silly B movies produced by The Asylum for the SyFy Channel.

Well Brian DID like silly "B" movie "Norbit". I mean the casting might be top class but the movie itself isn't high art.
Never watched "Sharknado". Will take it for note.

I think the difference between Norbit and Sharknado was that the Sharknado movies, and others produced by The Asylum, are bad on purpose.  They're deliberately silly and over the top, usually starring washed up actors and filled with cameos.  The producers definitely have their tongues firmly planted in their cheeks. 

Understood - however, admit that "Norbit" isn't serious Oscar-worthy film. It's a trash.

I've never complimented Norbit, and never will.  That movie will never steal 90 minutes of my life. 

 ;D

I didn't watch it. I'm up for watching silly movies with corny jokes & even find them entertaining. Depends on the story & score/soundtrack. "Norbit" seems bad by my standards.

Norbit was in fact nominated for an Oscar.

It was in make-up, but still, someone considered it Oscar-worthy.  :lol

I know this thread has been dead for a while but if any one them deserves to brought back to life... this must be the one.

"We're all chemistry. We're made of chemistry".

..."my semi-addiction to drugs"

Mike Douglas Show, 1976

"It's the way [Carnie] was brought up. She'd come into our room and see us doing things, in bed. We never hid anything from her. So – it just goes to prove – that – if you don't hide anything from kids, they'll start doing things they normally wouldn't do until much later. At an early age. Like, three or four years old."
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beach-boys-a-california-saga-19711028#ixzz42YVWXNzV

+ I generally like how he always explains everything twice (but not everything, of course), but in a slightly different manner, like that chemistry quote. Some other examples:

"[...] and be aware of the love in those songs that is able to give the listener the feeling of being love, which is something we kinda like to do. We like to give our love."
- Pet Sounds album liner notes, Pet Sounds box set, 1996

"I think God gave me my music and my talent. I’m trying to get across a feeling of spirituality; I think I have a spiritual influence on people."
(unknown source)

"It’s taken very well by me and I appreciate the very thought of being able to entertain and write songs for people; it turns me on, personally. I feel turned on by it, I can’t help it. I can’t help myself."
(unknown source, 1988)


Brian has often been said to have a big heart and a big soul, but he also has such a great mind. He can say a lot of funny BS when he wants to or when he's uninterested, but I sometimes have the feeling that he's joshing with people just because he's so far ahead.

->BRIANISMS in air, B.!!<-

"When Pet Sounds was released in 1966, 'We didn't play it on stage,' Wilson says, describing the record as, 'an album that started out with 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' and just went from there.'"

Billboard 2016-03-17
http://www.billboard.com/articles/business/7263743/brian-wilson-pet-sounds-tour

If you've never watched it, then how can you say if it's bad or not ?

On topic: my #1 Brianism will forever be the early 80s Madonna quip.  ;D

What the trailers are for? I saw it & read the synopsis. Didn't like it.

Then you have watched it, at least in part.

If it works for Mike...... ;)

Do you have any clue what is "trailer"? Let me tell you - it is short preview for a movie. People see it to decide if they're going to watch the film or pass. Most trailers don't give away the main plot. Hence it doesn't count as "watching". I didn't watch "Norbit" in full but going by the trailer, it was absolutely clear that I would not like the film.
This is mind-boggling, reminds me of some multi-lingual tourists who called me "polyglot" when I greeted them each in their languages - precisely, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, German & yes, French.

A Russian lecturing me on English comprehension. Hilarious.

A trailer is composed of short sections of the movie it's promoting (usually the very best parts), ergo you are watching part of the film.

PF - that was lame joke.

A YouTube version. :thumbsup

https://youtu.be/dxjGOM9w0wo

This is my favourite palindrome ever! :)

“This is not rock-n-roll, this is art.”

Fresno, Pet Sounds Tour 2017

http://www.fresnobee.com/entertainment/music-news-reviews/article178633231.html

A quote from Andrew Sandoval during his appearance on The Best Show (http://thebestshow.net/episode/best-show-returns-andrew-sandoval-more/) (around the 1:10:00 mark): “I’ve got a friend who works for Brian Wilson and he said ‘Hey Brian. I’m going to see the Monkees tonight. My friend Andrew got me some tickets. Do you want to go?’ And he said ‘No. But could you buy me a hot dog?’”

:lol

Question:After 25 years what’s the best way for the band to stay together.

Brian:  Well just don’t hang out together.  :lol

2.30 mark.

https://youtu.be/fa59eqdprF8

Wheeling Moon?

Was looking on youtube and saw this in the comments:


gary miramon
I was working at Tower Records in the early 80's when Brian Wilson walked in in his bathrobe, wielding a Darth Vader toy sword & wacked a woman in her butt ! Her boy friend exploded: we told him it was Brian Wilson . He said "wow" & walked out with Brian's autograph! Love those days ....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In0lZ_pNPbU


 ;D

:lol

I posted this in the media section of the board but had to post it here as well, sorry.


Fascinating interview, even if a little strange. Great moment at 33:15 mins.

Q: "Is there a piece of music that you could play that makes you very spiritual? Something that you really like to play, that means something to you."
- Brian turns to the piano, lays his hands on the keyboard and says: "No. Actually not." And turns away from the piano.  :lol :lol  "But I'll play something." He then proceeds to play "Shortnin' bread"   ;D

Not to mention 56:00, Brian to Elvis Costello:
"Clickety-clack goes the Bacharach"


Also a couple of nice words about Blondie, Ricky and The Flame at the end of the first video.


From The Bob Hanes Collection - Brian Wilson Documentary Raw Footage - Brian w Elvis Costello

Brian talks about everything from rock and roll to God. No not Phil Spector although Brian talks about him a lot. He pretty much bares his soul in this interview and is very candid. I love seeing Brian so talkative. this also includes a portion of an interview Brian did for KROQ in Sacramento.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EneBzWgF728

What year is it from?

I think it is from 1998, and excerpts of it were used in the Imagination documentary.

He also gets asked about Rodney Bingenheimer, so I guess from whenever the movie about Rodney was made. Also Brian talks about "Saturday morning in the city". Was that worked on during the Imagination sessions? I seem to remember something like that.

That Bob Hanes collection is a goldmine.

First half seemed like a typical Brian interview...but look at how he came alive once the interview was over (“hallelujah “, he said lol), and once he met Elvis Costello. Hell at one point it was almost like Brian was interviewing Costello at times. Instant chemistry and now kind of wish they’d worked together

My favorite part of that interview is at 14:10 when Bruce says part of the backing vocals for I Just Wasn't Made For These Times (IIRC) was in Spanish. Al says "what do you mean Spanish?" Then Brian sings that very part and Al says "I'll be a son of a gun, c'mon, you're putting me on!." Bruce then says Al "must have been putting money in the meter for your car." And Brian's there, pokerfaced.

Beach Boys Love You should be retitled Brianisms.

Speaking of which....this article written [or dictated?] by Brian back from the time IS JUST ONE GIANT F**KING BRIANISM:

(https://www.banana-and-louie.org/images/pooper.jpg)

The Roller Skating Child and I Want to Pick You Up answers are such disasters, the rest is triumphant

Well, you know....



Jardine tells a story about the other day, when he went to his basement and put a Chuck Berry 78 on the jukebox. Soon, he’d picked up his bass and was playing along. “I suddenly I felt like I was on the road again. It was the best feeling. So I called Brian right away. And I said, ‘You won’t believe this.’ I said, ‘It was just like the old days, when we were all playing together.’

“And there was this long silence,” says Jardine. “And then Brian says, ‘I gotta go now.’” Jardine laughs. “And that’s okay. Because at least we connected, you know? It was nice to be able to call my old friend and partner and share that.”


https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/features/beach-boys-rights-sale-azoff-1129316/?fbclid=IwAR1jIAo5LAG4ZhgBT3Nj0tsjDWrCvO9OkvARqg8K_YwJpHHjCHHYD8ZWl28

Poor Al. Bless him for choosing to interpret that situation *not* as a blow-off.

on Good Time [courtesy of the Feel Flows liner notes]:

"That's all about a girl who had to use falsies. Y'know - false breasts."

My favorite Brianism is during the 25 Year concert in Hawaii when Brian waved at Ray Charles. Pure comedy gold right there.

I had to watch that...because I thought you were making that up or repeating a falsehood or something...but sure as crap, yes, he did! Right after the performance!

Someone I really feel not comfortable naming once told a story about going up to Ray's hotel room with him. Obviously, he didn't turn the lights on. But he went into the bathroom. Again, no lights. (Duh!) "Ray, what are you doing in there?" "Shaving." [inner thoughts: "DO NOT SAY IT. DO NOT SAY IT."] "How in the world can you shave in the dark?" [inner thoughts: "YOU IDIOT."]

I think Ray had a good sense of humour.

https://youtu.be/mKqIv-mH1D8

Probably:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1nOyaYkX5s

and....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYrGsTjWgmc

Just got off the phone with a friend who just saw Long Promised Road in Nashville. During the Q&A, someone asked how Brian managed during the pandemic shutdowns. Jason Fine said that when he talked to Brian on the phone during the shutdown, Brian excitedly said, "HAVE YOU HEARD OF THIS THING CALLED GRUBHUB?!"

  :lol