Probably, Al just doesn't have as good an ear as the other guys, which has nothing to do with quality of voice.  Your mind's ear needs to be able to 'record' pitches to really sing and retain harmony parts well.. which obviously Al could do, but just probably not as naturally as the other guys.

Codependence Beach? ouch.

I love all those songs that were mentioned (although I don't think that "Everybody Wants To Live" really qualifies to be put in that category), but I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the earliest comfort/home song..."In My Room".

Thanks for mentioning all those songs, girls and guys. There are actually more than I had in my mind when I opened the topic... and In My Room is definitely a candidate. Amazing how the dichotomy 'how it is, and how it should be' drove Brian to create that stuff. A psychologist would probably call it 'overcompensating', but psychologists should not deconstruct art at all. Perhaps there are artists who lead a very ordinary life and write continuously about 'rock and roll all night', and the joys (?) of drugs and drinking, not to mention all the sex romps they have... the other way around, so to speak.

being/becoming

Beach Boys on MTV's Liner Notes 1984

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-pU38I09Qk

From an editing perspective, I'd stick with the digital realm. Tape is tape.

great sound is great sound

I love the Mac and have previously recorded on PCs as well (as well as 4- and 8-track cassette, minidisc and a little ADAT in my younger years). I've never used Garage Band, so I can't speak to that. (I think my Mac came loaded with it, though, but since I got D. Performer right away I went straight to that.)

However, I don't use the fullest capabilities of the computer or software. So I might not be the best guy to ask about pushing the envelope. But the digital realm beats the hell out of punching in and out or bouncing tracks on tape, I can tell you that.

unless you have a good buddy that has a studor 24-track 2" tape machine

this makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside..

there is no such thing as a song.. it's just words and chords and melody..  he could have whistled a song in the bath when he was 6 and you could define that as his 'first song'

Well, that's OK... don't see the fuss over using a photo that includes people no longer in the band. Truth isn't that important, y'know - who cares ? 

nobody cares if these people are in the band or not, and they certainly don't care who is on the poster.

I'm going to take Luther's album idea and go in a different direction.

Full on Beach Boys Love You style album with Brian, Mike, and Darian in a room with Brian sitting in an easy chair and a couple of synthesizers on hand for him to record basic tracks with keyboards, synth bass, bass drum/snare, then flesh them out with the members of Brian's band (including a bonus release of the original Brian-tracked demos)+ vocals from the rest of the Beach Boys.  Boom.

Backing you up partially, though, in terms of songwriting, I think Cry is probably the best thing he did in the 90s. Possibly the 80s, too.

wow, really? yikes..  it's pretty bland to me, not just the production and arrangement but the song itself

best thing he did in the 80s?? what about melt away, there's so many.. cry doesn't hold a candle..

The interview won't play for me for no apparent reason.

'

try this link: http://www.cbc.ca/toronto/medialauncher/mediawindow_mansbridge.html?mediatype=QuickTimeCheckedOut&filelocation=/clips/Toronto/mov/brian-wilson-041008.mov&title=Peter%20Mansbridge%20interviews%20Brian%20Wilson

Maybe if we all bring him cocaine, heroin, birthday cake, and steaks, he'll take to us right away.

why do we joke about another human being's sorrow?

You have a real harmonium? That is fantastic. I envy you. I always have my eyes open for oddball instruments to pick up, but rarely find anything that works that doesn't cost a fortune.

if you're ever in nyc there's a crazy little music shop on west 4th st. called Music Inn that usually has about 4 or 5 harmoniums at any given time

or, you know, you could buy a melodica and get in the ballpark.. those are pretty easy to find

Cool.

Are both the accordion and toy piano real? Is either? The former, at least, sounds like it to me. Great vocal arrangement. Tempo is a little shaky, but you don't need me to tell you that, I don't think. And such is life, anyway... Glad you're posting your stuff.

Thanks for listening, Luther.

It's actually a harmonium (little pump organ) and a toy piano and yeah both are real.  Tempo's shaky for sure.. it's hard to keep the left hand pumping the billow on the harmonium while the right hand plays in tempo!

Keep posting songs as well man.. I enjoy listening to your stuff.

hello all,

another little song for you all called 'i want you to make it rain'.  hope you enjoy,

http://www.sendspace.com/file/e1sy0o

http://www.myspace.com/alastairottesen

i enjoy the background vocal answers by brian and the boys on got to know the woman..

Nice. I also listened to untitled, it having several comments. Beautiful song.

Thank you Luther

dear people,

i hope this little song finds you well.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/5jed7k

http://www.myspace.com/alastairottesen

..more positive.

 

isn't What Love Can Do a collaboration with Bacharach?

I always wondered if Brian did the string arrangement for this one.. probably no, right?

Where's AGD when you need him? We would need to know who got production credits. You know, we need something like the "bat signal" for Batman to call AGD in times of need, like when your at a coffee shop and suddenly wonder who played bass on "Palisades Park" or something.

Brian wrote the string part for "Time To Get Alone", right? So he could write string parts in that style.  Did he write the strings for "We're Together Again"?

i thought i remembered hearing that bruce wrote the strings for time to get alone.

I'd say this is the best The Honeys/Spring ever sounded as a group: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTKvdTXoW10&feature=related . I could see why the BBs thought Brian poorly produced some of their songs around that time. He could still do this in '69!

I always wondered if Brian did the string arrangement for this one.. probably no, right?

Wow.. poor Brian.. not in a good place.. the Phil Spector bit was unsettling.. brian worships the man.. well, the image of the man.