He will claim it would have had a number one hit like kokomo if only it had his lyrics.

That's the thing. If NPP actually generated a number one hit, I don't know if Mike could take it. Honestly. While I don't see a number one hit happening, who knows. Stranger things have happened...

A number one single is virtually impossible. A number one album is nearly impossible. But a relatively high chart placement on the album charts (Top 50, maybe even Top 20, and in a perfect storm Top 10) for NPP is possible.

The thing is, TWGMTR hit #3 and Mike minimized that in an interview, which showed either an unwillingness to relent that Brian can or should write the bulk of the material without Mike, and/or a gross lack of understanding of how charts are tabulated and how the industry trends are going. It seemed to me to be some of both.

When was the last time the Beach Boys had "sustained" success on any chart (as in, I dunno, staying in the Top 5 or 10 on the singles or albums charts for numerous weeks)? Even "Kokomo" was #1 for like one week or so, right?

In any event, I don't think Mike would have a nervous break down if NPP hit #1. Maybe behind the scenes he would be supremely annoyed or irked. But if that happened and he was asked about it, I would imagine the response would be along the lines of his statement about "The Right Time."

The charts are so fragmented nowadays, it basically means nothing to chart high.  It's like being the best ballerina in Cincinnati...who gives a sh*t?

Who gives a sh*t? Both Brian and Mike, that's who! Can't shake their old school ideals of hitting the top.
(I'd say Mike moreso, clearly based on his derogatory comments towards the TWGMTR #3 placement).

He will claim it would have had a number one hit like kokomo if only it had his lyrics.

That's the thing. If NPP actually generated a number one hit, I don't know if Mike could take it. Honestly. While I don't see a number one hit happening, who knows. Stranger things have happened...

A number one single is virtually impossible. A number one album is nearly impossible. But a relatively high chart placement on the album charts (Top 50, maybe even Top 20, and in a perfect storm Top 10) for NPP is possible.

The thing is, TWGMTR hit #3 and Mike minimized that in an interview, which showed either an unwillingness to relent that Brian can or should write the bulk of the material without Mike, and/or a gross lack of understanding of how charts are tabulated and how the industry trends are going. It seemed to me to be some of both.

When was the last time the Beach Boys had "sustained" success on any chart (as in, I dunno, staying in the Top 5 or 10 on the singles or albums charts for numerous weeks)? Even "Kokomo" was #1 for like one week or so, right?

In any event, I don't think Mike would have a nervous break down if NPP hit #1. Maybe behind the scenes he would be supremely annoyed or irked. But if that happened and he was asked about it, I would imagine the response would be along the lines of his statement about "The Right Time."

Publicly, he'd probably make a nice-ish statement, but I'd be (very pleasantly, I might add) surprised if he responded with zero snarkiness, self-boasting, and absolutely no mentioning of what it "could have been" if only with Love contributions. I know it's a hypothetical, but I do think this would be pretty spot on. Again, sad.

He will claim it would have had a number one hit like kokomo if only it had his lyrics.

That's the thing. If NPP actually generated a number one hit, I don't know if Mike could take it. Honestly. While I don't see a number one hit happening, who knows. Stranger things have happened...

Welcome back OSD!

M&B are playing the car shows they so deserve, while BW is making art with this amazing album.

If NPP wins a Grammy, do you think Mike could possibly find it in himself to selflessly praise NPP in the press, sans any self-boasting references? Honest question.

I think even if Mike could be the bigger man and actually do that, I'd be surprised if Mike would be sitting at home watching the Grammys and actually hoping for NPP to win any awards. And that's sad.

It's dependent on how someone reads the meaning of the word pandering, where it can just as easily be taken as suggesting something was done specifically to target or latch onto a specific goal, removing the notion of that artist doing exactly what they wanted to do with whomever they chose to work with. Of course musicians who work in the music business always have an eye toward reaching a bigger audience, and those that claim they do not in terms of "art" or "integrity" could ostensibly stage a show where they appear on stage and press play on a Mac laptop and begin destroying a guitar with a hammer, and call the results the performance. I guess that could be valid too if they get people to pay to see such a thing happen on stage repeatedly. But realistically, at some point even those performance artists would probably feel the need to mix things up a bit to attract more attention to their art, and might try smashing a trombone with a mallet to "mix things up" and attract a wider audience.  

Getting back to this collaboration in particular, I detect hints of some of the sentiments from last summer when some of the news of the collaborators started to leak out, and there were some claims that went so far as to suggest these collaborations were somehow "forced" onto Brian or onto both parties free of choice.

What if - just consider - Brian himself had heard something one of the future collaborators who will appear on the new album had recorded, really liked it or connected with it, and took the lead in reaching out to that musician with an eye toward a collaboration? There were ridiculous claims about him not being aware of some of the artists, then it came out from Brian directly that his children had a hand in suggesting he work with some current artists...don't you think through them he would have heard something, and possibly liked it enough to suggest trying to arrange a working session with that artist?

Since so much is assumed already without knowing the exact way things went down, let's consider Capital Cities. When Brian was deep in the process of writing, demo'ing, planning, etc some tracks for the upcoming album, "Safe And Sound" was getting massive airplay on commercial radio and was a pretty ubiquitous hit song that you'd hear regularly. Let's assume there was a possibility that on a random drive somewhere with the family, or on a random weekend afternoon when the kids were home and listening to music, he heard that record and simply dug the sounds and the groove? "Hey, who's that?" "Oh, that's Capital Cities, Dad!".  Maybe the trumpet hook caught Brian's attention, maybe it was the analog synth rhythm bed of that track, or maybe it had nothing to do with anything like that, but it's a possibility.

So Brian being a musician of note starts asking around and getting more info, getting the ball rolling, and it turns out there is a chance to meet up with Sebu from Capital Cities. Sebu may also have been a personal fan of Brian's work, maybe even as far as considering the way Brian used analog synths and Mini-Moogs and ARP's in the 70's to create Love You and others. So they connected, and what Brian was curious about as a producer and musician was what he heard in Sebu's work and wanted to see what it was all about, like the experienced magician getting a few new tricks from the next generation. And Sebu in return gets to do what many, many musicians have wanted to experience firsthand by working on a recording in the studio with Brian Wilson, to try to catch a glimpse of what it is that creates some of that magic that many have tried to analyze and experience from afar.

Isn't that scenario as a possibility just as valid as suggesting the two artists were crammed together to sell records and appeal to other demographics and fan bases? It's not discounting at all wanting to sell records and reach bigger audiences, but it's a different angle to view how it all came together and what could have happened to lead up to a collaboration being released as a single.

At some point, the most simple explanation - whether some want to believe it or not - of an artist like Brian hearing something new that he likes through whatever means (his family, a friend sharing a link, randomly hearing something on TV, etc)  then reaching out to the artist who created that work might have been what led to some of these collaborations.

It's just a different spin on it rather than suggesting something or anything was "forced" into happening for reasons other than choice or wanting to work with someone where there is mutual admiration for their works.

One thing to consider, for those who are bummed about Brian having newer artists doing vocals on new Brian material: IMHO... It's plainly obvious this could have been a Beach Boys album, and if Mike had just relented and not made his ego-driven writing demands, we probably would have a new Beach Boys album featuring only original Beach Boy members singing, with the added bonus of the absence of 1960s Beach Boy song title/lyric references in the lyrics. Most likely.

So, if one is in the camp of wanting to complain about Brian having other non BB-related vocalists on NPP, ultimately then, this is one more reason to be bummed at Mike. I don't see how the two can be mutually exclusive.

I'll choose to enjoy what we have with NPP, and I hope it kicks ass. I for one would rather have Brian getting to release more of his artful and sad songs without having to deal with a bandmate mock firing a gun to his head to mock the sad songs, even if that means some newer artists' vocals and less original Beach Boy member vocals.

Pretty much spot on.  From reading the interview Brian Wilson did a few weeks back where he talked about the new record, the upcoming film and The Beach Boys, it seems to me that Mike Love is the definition of persona non grata in the Wilson world.  Everything I read communicated to me that Brian Wilson just doesn't want to do business with his cousin anymore...washed his hands of him if you will.  As far as Mike Love's take on the situation, any time he's ready I'm sure many folks will be all ears.

I'm really anticipating this new record.  Unlike OSD however, I would've taken Mike Love and Bruce Johnston contributing to this record over any of the guest stars.  Mike still has one of the best bass voices in the business and I always regarded Bruce Johnston as underrated as well.  The problem lies in the idea that if Mike Love was involved with this record, would it have taken it's current form?  If Mike Love was willing to go along with Brian Wilson's musical direction for this project then I would have no problem with him being a part of it.  By his participation alone he would've made it better.  On the other hand if Mike Love's involvement would've mutated the record into a less desirable form, then it's probably best he sat out.  

So it's really a double edged sword.  Mike Love can still contribute mightily to any project based on his talents alone.  The alleged conflicts that seem to arise however from a Wilson/Love collaborative effort though well you would have to ask yourself if the ends would suit the means.

Exactly. Mike's voice can still be utilized by Brian in excellent ways. I love how he sounds on his part on From There to Back Again, for instance. I'd hope even OSD could give Mike that much  . It's unfortunate that it has ended the way it has, but the silver lining is that I feel pretty confident that NPP would trump a 2015 Brian and Mike alone in a room record, a situation in which Brian would almost surely have a difficult time directly saying the words "no" to his cousin's much-much-more-often-than-not hare-brained latter day ideas.

We'll never know for sure, but I think we're coming out ahead musically, and more importantly, if Brian remains in a better emotional place, that's most definitely the preferred situation, no matter how big a fan we are of either Mike Love The Artist, or the moniker The Beach Boys. That said, I mourn the fact that a tarnished legacy of the band name has resulted from this situation, regardless of if some people here may wish to diminish that as being a fact.

While I never considered this my "style" of music (whatever that means), I liked it from the beginning and it has really grown on me.  Now I love it.  What I find dumbfounding is how "into our own heads" everyone can get about Brian, his music and what he would or wouldn't do.  If something gets Brian's attention - however that comes about, I think he cited his kids in an interview which seems logical - and he likes it, he may do something with it.  It will always have that Brian magic if it's something he truly wants to do from inception to completion.  If that happens, I am happily in love with a new record.  From what I've heard of NPP, that's how it will affect me.  I am beyond pleased.  I'm certainly not "bummed" at anyone that it's not a BB record, although I get your point CD.  There are plenty of gorgeous harmonies and all these new, interesting artists working with Brian - best of both worlds from my point of view.  I couldn't be happier.

I'm ultimately not that bummed either considering the results from the NPP samples I've heard, though it would have been nice if Mike and Bruce had been part of the record in a capacity/manner of Brian's choosing. Worked fine for Pet Sounds

It's kinda crazy that this album seems to have been the toughest eventually-completed album/project to get off the ground that Brian has had to deal with since SMiLE (NPP would be a distant second), what with Mike/Bruce jumping ship (shuttering Brian's wishes for a TWGMTR BB followup) and Jeff Beck's fallout (from what by all accounts would have been a substantial collaboration). But it's a testament to Brian's current support system that this album got finished, and seemingly quite well.

I definitely think it would play a bigger role than the more casual SMiLE fans realize. Brian also said spoken word humor would be a big part of it. I suspect some of the tracks would have been overlaid with some of the psychedelic sounds skits or they would be placed on the end or beginning of some of the more important tracks. This could tie into the theories you state here. If someone is only half-listening to one of these songs, letting the sounds play while they do housework or drive, if a spoken word section between tracks or verses comes in it suddenly takes them out of their apathy and forces them to pay attention. Even more active listeners would be taken aback and forced to pay closer attention to this bizarre new music throwing them for a loop. I think that kind of scenario would play out similarly to what Brian thought laughter does to us in general.

Some posters here say the album was losing focus or dead the minute it took on the name SMiLE instead of Dumb Angel. That may be, but in any case smiling, laughing, not taking yourself too seriously and being open-minded, I think these were all ideas he wanted explored.

Personal conjecture: I don't think we can really control when we laugh or explain exactly why we do. It just...is. And it's proven to be contagious. How this factors into the SMiLE puzzle exactly, I can't say. But I think these are significant attributes that may have factored in.

I figured you would chime into this thread, Mujan   The topic and questions posed are interesting things to consider. I think one main issue I have with BWPS compared to TSS is the absence of the spooky, drugged-out laughing sounds that I felt creeping into the world of the original SMiLE tapes. That stuff was haunting, to say the least, and it probably either couldn't be properly replicated in 2004, or perhaps Brian didn't quite want to go down that rabbit hole. But yes, I think there would have been much more laughter type of stuff threaded into a finished 1967 SMiLE - absolutely.

Also, I think there's a clear line to be drawn between Cassius Love Vs. Sonny Wilson -> I'm Bugged at My Old Man -> SMiLE songs with laughter. I guess you could possibly throw Punchline in there too at the start of the progression - that one's an odd bird. And Teeter Totter Love as well. I think in most of these cases, there's an element of escapist absurdity, and intentional distracting from real issues at hand... but that ultimately it was Brian poking fun/laughing at things/people who were stressors in his life, as a way of diffusing the stress, and possibly momentarily putting those people who were thorns in his side into a context of an atmosphere of laughter, where seriousness was played down, and where everyone would on equal footing, vulnerability-wise.

It's dependent on how someone reads the meaning of the word pandering, where it can just as easily be taken as suggesting something was done specifically to target or latch onto a specific goal, removing the notion of that artist doing exactly what they wanted to do with whomever they chose to work with. Of course musicians who work in the music business always have an eye toward reaching a bigger audience, and those that claim they do not in terms of "art" or "integrity" could ostensibly stage a show where they appear on stage and press play on a Mac laptop and begin destroying a guitar with a hammer, and call the results the performance. I guess that could be valid too if they get people to pay to see such a thing happen on stage repeatedly. But realistically, at some point even those performance artists would probably feel the need to mix things up a bit to attract more attention to their art, and might try smashing a trombone with a mallet to "mix things up" and attract a wider audience.  

Getting back to this collaboration in particular, I detect hints of some of the sentiments from last summer when some of the news of the collaborators started to leak out, and there were some claims that went so far as to suggest these collaborations were somehow "forced" onto Brian or onto both parties free of choice.

What if - just consider - Brian himself had heard something one of the future collaborators who will appear on the new album had recorded, really liked it or connected with it, and took the lead in reaching out to that musician with an eye toward a collaboration? There were ridiculous claims about him not being aware of some of the artists, then it came out from Brian directly that his children had a hand in suggesting he work with some current artists...don't you think through them he would have heard something, and possibly liked it enough to suggest trying to arrange a working session with that artist?

Since so much is assumed already without knowing the exact way things went down, let's consider Capital Cities. When Brian was deep in the process of writing, demo'ing, planning, etc some tracks for the upcoming album, "Safe And Sound" was getting massive airplay on commercial radio and was a pretty ubiquitous hit song that you'd hear regularly. Let's assume there was a possibility that on a random drive somewhere with the family, or on a random weekend afternoon when the kids were home and listening to music, he heard that record and simply dug the sounds and the groove? "Hey, who's that?" "Oh, that's Capital Cities, Dad!".  Maybe the trumpet hook caught Brian's attention, maybe it was the analog synth rhythm bed of that track, or maybe it had nothing to do with anything like that, but it's a possibility.

So Brian being a musician of note starts asking around and getting more info, getting the ball rolling, and it turns out there is a chance to meet up with Sebu from Capital Cities. Sebu may also have been a personal fan of Brian's work, maybe even as far as considering the way Brian used analog synths and Mini-Moogs and ARP's in the 70's to create Love You and others. So they connected, and what Brian was curious about as a producer and musician was what he heard in Sebu's work and wanted to see what it was all about, like the experienced magician getting a few new tricks from the next generation. And Sebu in return gets to do what many, many musicians have wanted to experience firsthand by working on a recording in the studio with Brian Wilson, to try to catch a glimpse of what it is that creates some of that magic that many have tried to analyze and experience from afar.

Isn't that scenario as a possibility just as valid as suggesting the two artists were crammed together to sell records and appeal to other demographics and fan bases? It's not discounting at all wanting to sell records and reach bigger audiences, but it's a different angle to view how it all came together and what could have happened to lead up to a collaboration being released as a single.

At some point, the most simple explanation - whether some want to believe it or not - of an artist like Brian hearing something new that he likes through whatever means (his family, a friend sharing a link, randomly hearing something on TV, etc)  then reaching out to the artist who created that work might have been what led to some of these collaborations.

It's just a different spin on it rather than suggesting something or anything was "forced" into happening for reasons other than choice or wanting to work with someone where there is mutual admiration for their works.

One thing to consider, for those who are bummed about Brian having newer artists doing vocals on new Brian material: IMHO... It's plainly obvious this could have been a Beach Boys album, and if Mike had just relented and not made his ego-driven writing demands, we probably would have a new Beach Boys album featuring only original Beach Boy members singing, with the added bonus of the absence of 1960s Beach Boy song title/lyric references in the lyrics. Most likely.

So, if one is in the camp of wanting to complain about Brian having other non BB-related vocalists on NPP, ultimately then, this is one more reason to be bummed at Mike. I don't see how the two can be mutually exclusive.

I'll choose to enjoy what we have with NPP, and I hope it kicks ass. I for one would rather have Brian getting to release more of his artful and sad songs without having to deal with a bandmate mock firing a gun to his head to mock the sad songs, even if that means some newer artists' vocals and less original Beach Boy member vocals.

Turning Point / So Long sounds kind of like a slow-paced version of Why Don't They Let Us Fall in love by The Ronettes

Totally. Wow, good observation!

My memory of BW88 is actually that the booted lyrics are the Landy-ized ones. That is, the producers recorded them to appease him, but they made sure to use the better, earlier versions when compiling the final album. According to the Tim White book, Gene remixed the entire album, too, but his work was rejected.

As for the credits removal, I tend to believe it was because Brian and Melinda reached an agreement with Landy and Morgan to give up their interest in Brian's solo songs. I would assume they paid them, too.

With Landy going in and tinkering and trying to make remixes, and the back-and-forth hot mess of choosing/rejecting/re-choosing mixes, I wonder if that led to the presumable vault master tape disarray which caused multiple wrong mixes to be used on the BW88 2000 reissue? Anyone? That would seem to make sense.

I'm sure it contributed. IIRC, only two mixes were incorrect, though -- Melt Away, which was missing a vocal on the tag, and Let It Shine, which supposedly sounded different (I could never tell).

The problem with the reissue mixes was down to the fact there is no single, banded & sequenced master. As Mark explained at the time, the songs were stored individually on racks, and almost inevitably, wrong mixes were pulled.

As for pulled credits, Landy's on the 1985 album reissue were removed after negotiations involving monetary recompense. I'd assume the same applied to Brian's first solo album credits.

Thanks for the info, AGD.

Regarding Landy's credits being bought out, I suppose that would make him and Charles Manson the only known cowriters in the band's catalog who have their names missing from the credits of songs they actually contributed to, due to having been bought off? It always strikes me is weird that that can happen, since, while I completely understand the band wanting to watch its hands of those people, it's not accurate in terms of who actually contributed, in some fashion, to the songs.

Century Deprived - there might have been a lot of factors for different reasons that the authorship was bought out.  Manson reportedly intimidated ( an understatement) Dennis/and or the band, for recognition and publicity.  

Landy's work might not have been his actual work but his scheming and more subtle intimidation and crossing the line, professionally.

Not all work has authorship credit if it is a "work for hire" in which case the boss/owner owns the work or the invention.

We don't know all the factors that led to those decisions, but perhaps "throwing money at the problem" disconnected the relationships which was essential to cut the ties as between and among the two charlatans.  

This band, with a public "wholesome" image doesn't need to be tied to murderers and "unprofessional professionals."

Absolutely understood, and by no means was I trying to come off as judgmental or contrarian about those decisions that were made. They make perfect sense, or at least they make perfect sense to me, even with my limited knowledge of not being an insider. I was just pointing out that is an odd and unusual situation, that a person could contribute something to a song (or presumably a movie), but not be credited due to a payout. I imagine it may happen more often then I realize, and probably has happened many times outside of this band, but I hadn't heard of the practice of it until this band.

And yes, regarding Manson and Landy… Charlatans they were indeed.

My memory of BW88 is actually that the booted lyrics are the Landy-ized ones. That is, the producers recorded them to appease him, but they made sure to use the better, earlier versions when compiling the final album. According to the Tim White book, Gene remixed the entire album, too, but his work was rejected.

As for the credits removal, I tend to believe it was because Brian and Melinda reached an agreement with Landy and Morgan to give up their interest in Brian's solo songs. I would assume they paid them, too.

With Landy going in and tinkering and trying to make remixes, and the back-and-forth hot mess of choosing/rejecting/re-choosing mixes, I wonder if that led to the presumable vault master tape disarray which caused multiple wrong mixes to be used on the BW88 2000 reissue? Anyone? That would seem to make sense.

I'm sure it contributed. IIRC, only two mixes were incorrect, though -- Melt Away, which was missing a vocal on the tag, and Let It Shine, which supposedly sounded different (I could never tell).

The problem with the reissue mixes was down to the fact there is no single, banded & sequenced master. As Mark explained at the time, the songs were stored individually on racks, and almost inevitably, wrong mixes were pulled.

As for pulled credits, Landy's on the 1985 album reissue were removed after negotiations involving monetary recompense. I'd assume the same applied to Brian's first solo album credits.

Thanks for the info, AGD.

Regarding Landy's credits being bought out, I suppose that would make him and Charles Manson the only known cowriters in the band's catalog who have their names missing from the credits of songs they actually contributed to, due to having been bought off? It always strikes me is weird that that can happen, since, while I completely understand the band wanting to watch its hands of those people, it's not accurate in terms of who actually contributed, in some fashion, to the songs.

My memory of BW88 is actually that the booted lyrics are the Landy-ized ones. That is, the producers recorded them to appease him, but they made sure to use the better, earlier versions when compiling the final album. According to the Tim White book, Gene remixed the entire album, too, but his work was rejected.

As for the credits removal, I tend to believe it was because Brian and Melinda reached an agreement with Landy and Morgan to give up their interest in Brian's solo songs. I would assume they paid them, too.

With Landy going in and tinkering and trying to make remixes, and the back-and-forth hot mess of choosing/rejecting/re-choosing mixes, I wonder if that led to the presumable vault master tape disarray which caused multiple wrong mixes to be used on the BW88 2000 reissue? Anyone? That would seem to make sense.

"Save The Day" from Sweet Insanity?  Sure looks like Landy had is hand in those lyrics!

I'd assume you're right.

"Lennon said it best... give peace a chance"

Blechhh! Almost sounds like Brian was channeling Mike with his mega-corporate Radio Shack baseball cap ironically singing Lennon's anti-possesion anthem "Imagine".
Not. Cool.

I think the idea that Landy or Morgan contributed much of substance to the lyrics on BW88 is laughable.

How do you know that?  Looking forward to your response.

Meanwhile, it's known that a couple of Landy's credits were rescinded before the re-release of the Brian Wilson '88 on CD (Rhino). I noticed that Morgan has been removed from the Love & Mercy credits. So obviously some of the credits were B.S. I guess the publishing company knows who wrote what/when and who didn't.  Not sure Brian knows - he folded like a wet noodle in court concerning the Mike Love Sea Of Tunes lyrics. But I don't think the general public knows who actually wrote what. You can get writing credit for only contributing two words, so.......

Not just a couple. All of Landy and Morgan's songwriting credits were removed. I'm not saying that's accurate or correct, either.

I also didn't say that I knew anything about the authorship of those songs. Please note that I began my post with the words "I think."

But given Landy's desire to be credited for everything, and to insert himself into every part of Brian's life, I think the idea that he truly co-wrote Brian's best songs of the period is nuts. There were reports from the sessions that Landy would try to rewrite lyrics to songs on the fly -- and there are extant boots of BW88 tunes with alternate, worse lyrics.

I've also seen the alternate lyrics to most of those songs, and it's not surprising that some were changed by Landy or to appease Landy. Some were lame before (or just used for demo purposes) but it seems like for the most part the lyrics were improved for the released versions.

Also, check out the differences between the liners for the first issue and the re-issue. The only mention of Landy or Morgan on the re-issue liners, including song credits, were for Landy as "Executive Producer". That's it! The producers of the re-issue made sure 99% of Landy's credits were removed. Somebody must know the truth here!

Song Credits - BRIAN WILSON '88

Side A
 
1. "Love and Mercy"   Brian Wilson/Eugene Landy/Alexandra Morgan 2:52
2. "Walkin' the Line"   Wilson/Landy/Nick Laird-Clowes 2:37
3. "Melt Away"   Wilson/Landy 2:58
4. "Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long"   Wilson/Landy 3:15
5. "Little Children"   Wilson 1:48
6. "One for the Boys"   Wilson 1:47
7. "There's So Many"   Wilson/Landy/Morgan 2:46

Side B
 
1. "Night Time"   Wilson/Landy/Morgan/Andy Paley 3:34
2. "Let it Shine"   Wilson/Landy/MorganJeff Lynne 3:57
3. "Meet Me in My Dreams Tonight"   Wilson/Paley/Andy Dean 3:05
4. "Rio Grande"   Wilson/Paley 8:12

Song Credits - BRIAN WILSON '88 CD (REISSUE)

1. Love And Mercy
(Written by Brian Wilson) © 1988 Beach Bum Music (BMI)
Produced by Brian Wilson and Russ Titelman

2. Walkin’ The Line
(Written by Brian Wilson and Nick Laird-Clowes) © 1988 Beach Bum Music (BMI) and EMI Music Ltd (PRS)
Produced by Brian Wilson

3. Melt Away
(Written by Brian Wilson) © 1988 Beach Bum Music (BMI)
Produced by Brian Wilson and Russ Titelman

4. Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long
(Written by Brian Wilson) © 1988 Beach Bum Music (BMI)
Produced by Brian Wilson and Russ Titelman

5. Little Children
(Written by Brian Wilson) © 1988 Beach Bum Music (BMI)
Produced by Brian Wilson and Russ Titelman

6. One For The Boys
(Written by Brian Wilson) © 1988 Beach Bum Music (BMI)
Produced by Brian Wilson

7. There’s So Many
(Written by Brian Wilson) © 1988 Beach Bum Music (BMI)
Produced by Brian Wilson and Russ Titelman

8. Night Time
(Written by Brian Wilson and Andy Paley) © 1988 Beach Bum Music (BMI) WB Music Corp. obo Twilite Tunes (ASCAP)
Produced by Brian Wilson and Russ Titelman

9. Let It Shine
(Written by Brian Wilson and Jeff Lynne) © 1988 Beach Bum Music (BMI), SBK April Music (ASCAP)
Produced by Brian Wilson and Jeff Lynne

10. Meet Me In My Dreams Tonight
(Written by Brian Wilson, Andy Paley and Andy Dean) © 1988 Beach Bum Music (BMI)
Produced by Brian Wilson
Co-Produced by Andy Paley

11. Rio Grande
(Written by Brian Wilson and Andy Paley) © 1988 Beach Bum Music (BMI)
Produced by Brian Wilson and Lenny Waronker
Co-Produced by Andy Paley

Alexandra Morgan also had songwriter credits for "Being With The One You Love" and also "In My Car" and "Let's Go To Heaven In My Car".

http://albumlinernotes.com/Brian_Wilson__Reissue_.html

Who wrote the lyrics to "Save the Day"? Those have to be the worst lyrics I've ever heard on a Landy-era Brian song, released or otherwise.

Basically Brian (and Dennis and Carl, and fans/readers) are getting the "TPS Report" treatment from Mike about drugs.



Brian, did you get that memo about how you took drugs decades ago?



Um, yeah, Brian, so I heard you took drugs decades ago....

And of course, Al is in there somewhere too:



"I was told I was allowed to say I was a Beach Boy on my concert posters....."

 
 
 

Who would Milton be in the BB Office Space universe?

The BB's have lost one member specifically to drugs and alcohol. Carl's death could well have been related to smoking. Everyone else in the band is still alive and presumably clean (though most of them presumably still drink alcohol). Why does it still need to be brought up, *repeatedly*, and sometimes unprompted? I will grant that Mike and the rest of the band may well have known other friends and family through the years who have had drug and alcohol issues, but that doesn't really related to being asked specific questions about the band.

He doesn't really have anything else to talk about, sadly. He has no new music to promote, but seeks to have the steady IV drip of adulation and praise that he got accustomed to at a young age. IMO, Mike feels shortchanged and overlooked by his musical peers and public opinion at large. C'mon, its' plainly obvious, from myriad interviews...  I'd be SHOCKED if he didn't have private conversations with his closest intimates about feeling this way.  He's unfortunately become known as the Biff Tannen town bully of rock and roll. Whether this is a fair image or not, I think he's known that way to many people, and I think Mike absolutely, full well knows that many people feel that way about him. It's quite sad.  So it just became easy to mention drugs incessantly, even at inappropriate times, since the mentioning of drugs makes him look good, which is something he undoubtedly craves (which admittedly, is probably not an intentional thought-out "evil" plan, but just a natural thing that happens when it's brought up), and it gives also him a platform to preach about something which I am certain he legitimately feels very strongly about, too.

Someone else mentioned the Harry Nilsson connection, where Harry became deeply anti-gun after Lennon's death. I think it's true that a similar thing has happened with Mike, and I do think it's a valid comparison...but that said, the fact of the matter is that there are other ego/resentment factors additionally at play in this instance.

Did Mike ever talk so incessantly about drugs in interviews before Dennis' death? If Denny had cleaned up and Carl had never died, I wonder if he'd still go on and on as much these days. Probably yes, is my guess.

I was shocked he managed to get through the Wink interview without this rant, he wasn’t able to keep it to himself for long was he?

 It's not just the drug use he'll use as a hammer, he'll go on about BW being "controlled" by prescription drugs. Because of course, going to India and listening to some guru drone on for a few hundred thousand makes him more qualified than doctors and stuff. If only Dr. Love were in charge of Brian's health, he'd be ever so much more productive and healthy. He'd write so much more commercial music...

 There was another crackpot who never had any regrets who wanted to force him to be in a room with him to write songs, wasn't there... no not Joe Thomas!

Does he even get what Brian's been through and appreciate he's in a much better place now? C'mon fact fans and interview hounds, dig up some magnanimous interview where Mike expresses gratitude to BW's doctors and family for helping him through some bad years and getting productive again. f*cker finished Smile! Surely that's worth the kind of paragraph this guy ladles on Stamos. "That Lucky Old Sun" may not be on the level of "Full House," but it's pretty neat "Cousin Brian" is able to pull off such work without TM. I guess it doesn't really help Mike's narrative that BW is happy and productive on PRESCRIPTION DRUGS (shock horror!) and without memorizing a corny mantra. Brian's recovery doesn't even make it into these rants, for Mike Love the guy was ruined by drugs end of story. No triumphant last act and redemption, no surging strings in the background....

Mike will never (or rarely) mention those things (Brian finishing SMiLE, TLOS, etc), because those things do not have the dual effect of praising Mike Love. He almost never mentions something good about just Brian and/or the situation/lifestyle Brian is currently in; things which don't involve Mike Love. Nearly everything Mike Love says has to have some dual way of coming back to making Mike Love look better, either in a direct or subliminal way. Even when asked about Pacific Ocean Blue as a whole, Mike's answer focused solely on his own (relatively minimal) contributions to the album, when that wasn't even part of the Wink-ster's question! I wonder what would have happened if Wink asked Mike about Al's solo album. I suppose Mike would say he hasn't heard it, but if he had heard it, he'd probably solely talk about writing the original lyrics for the Help Me Rhonda remake, and not mention anything else.  Amiright?  I don't expect anyone to refute that.

I don't see how people can see this as being anything *but* off-putting behavior, unless the Kool-Aid is especially strong at Club Kokomo. And truthfully, I think the defenders deep down know this is lame behavior in general (not just Mike behavior, but human behavior), but just want to keep looking the other way simply because he's in their favorite band. And that's their prerogative. But that's the only real incentive to defend behavior like that. If he was the exact same guy who made terrible music and was never in the BBs, with the same-sized bank account and ego, nobody but nobody (except maybe people with a financial incentive) would defend these types of actions.

Even if inadvertent, it's very negative to bring the stuff up and throw his cousins under the bus for the umpteenth time.

That's your perception, my perception is Mike throws the drugs under the bus for the umpteen thousanth time. But maybe you're right, I'm far from being infallible.

When I listen to MiC disc 4 and skip forward from WIBNTLA to I Bet He's Nice, I do wish Dennis had taken to meditation instead of cocaine, alcohol, and smoking. His voice would have kept up better and he might still be alive. I'm not saying "damn Dennis, that stupid fool", I'm saying "so sad what drugs did to this very deep and sensitive person".

I bet Brian would give the same answer: drugs

I'm pretty sure I did read an interview where Brian did exactly that.

I agree with you that Mike is throwing drugs under the bus… But by doing that he is also repeatedly throwing his cousins under the bus, all while building himself up in a self – aggrandizing way. I've seen few celebrities pat themselves on the back more than Mike (can anyone name more than a few?), so it's pretty obvious that that is just a part of who he is and what he does. It almost seems like it has become his go – to thing to keep harping about, because it fulfills all those things/makes all those points simultaneously. It diminishes the Wilsons, builds him up to look better than them, and all the while he gets to make an actual, legitimate message about drugs being bad, which is inarguably true to some degree.  

Case in point... The infamous lifestyles of the rich and famous video, starting around 3:30.

While it's basically established that that this was recorded at a low point in the Love – Wilson relationship, around 1990, it's hard to watch this and not think there was any ill – will or patting himself on the back when you watch it. It just comes off as extremely snarky, and I don't think I'm imagining it. And I don't see how this is particularly different then all the current day interviews he gives mentioning Wilson drug use. Maybe this is just a little bit worse in terms of the tone and context in which he brings it up. But again, the context of bringing it up this time around (in the current interview) is similarly inappropriate, to use the term that Carl liked to use.

http://youtu.be/dlL7-j-IvVA

[you]

I was glad to see Mike avoiding the old "Brian/Carl/Dennis did drugs" mantra during his discourse about T.M. Maybe he's finally realized he doesn't have to hammer on that to make his point.

Sorry to disappoint.

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/entertainment/arts/2015/03/11/beach-boys-mike-love-opens-career-life/70161422/

That's a pretty awesome interview I have to say. I love this question and answer (emphasis is mine):

TT: "What is the biggest regret you have for about your career and life?"

ML: "It's not a regret, but the biggest thing that impacted our lives is drugs. ... Other than that, I can't complain. Last year we did 142 shows and we've traveled the world and had great success. There's way more positive things to be appreciative of with our group than negatives, that's for sure."

It's like having a job review, and they ask you to name something you could have done better, and your answer is "I'm kind of upset that other people are such a***oles to me."

I'm willing to give Mike the benefit of the doubt and take note of the fact that like folks like McCartney, he gets asked a lot of the same questions, and he's pre-programmed to give the same answers. Like "What did you have lunch for today?" "Transcendental meditation." Or "What's your favorite track from the 70's?" "Well, one we wrote about a decade after the 70s was 'Kokomo'."

Anyway, I get it, it's easy to go into autopilot on these interviews, especially if it's a quickie interview, probably on the phone, riding to a gig or something. But c'mon man, does it really have to so often be something so negative about *other* people, especially when it cost at least one of them the ultimate price of their lives, while one of them has picked up their life pretty well all things considered? You can't start an answer with something utterly negative (not to mention that the whole drug issue with members of the band is pretty well an "asked and answered" sort of issue at this stage), and then immediately go into "Mr. Positivity" mode.

Agreed. And Team Love is always complaining about "Wilson – based negativity"? Hmm...
There's quite a lot of Love – based negativity, unfortunately. Even if inadvertent, it's very negative to bring the stuff up and throw his cousins under the bus for the umpteenth time.

Giving Landy credit for what he accomplished isn't the same as saying nobody else could have done it.  History just tells us that he WAS the person who did it.  I think people are just saying to his credit he did straighten Brian out (for awhile).

Landy undoubtedly used some strong arm techniques, that may have been the difference between him and other doctors.  He wasn't able to strong arm Dennis but was in a position where he could basically abuse Brian into doing what he wanted.  If another doctor would have been involved he may not have been able to achieve results because his ethics would keep him in line.

I basically agree with that. Landy went above and beyond, too far (at a time when the family knew of no other resource to get results, and maybe they needed someone who was ethically questionable to go that bit too far, to essentially scare and force him into sobriety). I dunno. It sounds awful to in any way, shape or form condone that, but it did work at the time, before it very quickly escalated and got way, way, way out of line of course.

I wish there could have been a better way, and there surely was... but I guess nobody in the family really quite knew what that better way was at the time.

My two cents. I give Landy nearly NO credit in any form. A thousand reputable doctors could have/should have treated Brian.

Exactly, people acting like Landy was the only person on the planet who could treat Brian is just bizarre.

I don't think that he was the only person on the planet who could treat Brian... however, in late '82, at a time of extreme desperation and with the clock ticking fast with Brian's addictions at their worst, I'm not sure the family knew or had access/awareness of anyone else who could have sobered Brian up. I think it was a matter of ignorance of being aware of anyone better, or anyone who would work at all, for that matter (clearly they didn't like Landy in many ways, and it had to be a bite-the-tongue situation made out of desperation).

As I recall, Melinda on the now-deleted-from-Youtube Larry King video said something to the effect of "they had the best doctors at UCLA just minutes away", criticizing the family and Marilyn in particular... a criticism which does sound logical and makes sense to me, in 30 years hindsight... and I'm not sure why the UCLA thing wasn't a valid option at the time.

That said, not to give the family a free pass for handing Brian off to Landy in 1982/1983, but it would seem that they probably had well-intended reasons that made sense to them at the time, wouldn't you think?

It seems to me he answered that he really doesn't have a regret about his life and career.

Seriously, do you really truthfully believe that is true? Even you must admit that it is surely just a quick go-to answer because he doesn't want to discuss anything personal. And you can feel that this is a perfectly acceptable way for Mike to be, but let's at least call it for what it is: avoidance. Nobody has no personal regrets. I don't buy it, and I don't really think that in your heart of hearts you actually buy it either.

It seems I won't get a response to my query to you, because (much like the topic at hand), there's avoidance going on here. A person practicing avoidance while defending another chronic avoider.  Heaven forbid, but if Mike had inadvertently directly caused a car crash by speeding, resulting in someone's death, and he continued in subsequent interviews with the "no regrets" stance, you'd also probably continue with your unwavering belief that he actually has no personal regrets, right? That's the next logical step.

The thought that he surely does have personal (non Wilson drug-related) regrets, maybe even (50) big ones, but just refuses to talk about them and intentionally distracts from the question being posed to him is just not ever possible to you, huh?   It's his right to do that, but let's be real here, and not bury our heads in the sand and actually believe that it's anything but that.

I don't know. You read the same thing I did. Why don't you ask him on his next Q & A instead of speculating something beyond his words?

He's clearly not going to answer any questions he doesn't want to answer, because he will just say the same responsibility-avoiding/Wilsons-were-druggies stuff we've heard him say for decades. But good job at avoiding my question I posed to you once again. You've learned well from Doctor Love.

He told you.

Not really. He dodged the question and rephrased his answer to a previous question. Most people's greatest regrets involve mistakes they've made or things they wish they didn't do. I guess Mike has transcended all that and is a perfect being free of such petty human errors. Remorse? Bah! The f*cker can levitate. What could he possibly have done to feel repentant about?

It'd just be refreshing to see the guy fess up to making a mistake or two, acting a little out of line once, getting drunk at an awards show, that kind of thing. Rather than pointing out once again that his cousins did drugs decades ago.

Amen. A substantial part of why there is a great deal of well-documented frustration towards the man, to put it mildly, is because he never publicly admits to doing anything wrong. And I mean ever. It's always somebody else who takes the fall. I should add that it drives me crazy to know people who are like that in general, it's not exclusive to Mike by any means. That's one of the worst traits a person can have.

Exactly. That's my one real complaint with him. I could forget everything else if he just acted a bit more humbly and self-awareness for once. His hardcore defenders on here too, if you would just give an *inch* and admit that the man isn't perfect it'd go a long way.

Mike must be a huge fan/admirer of The Fonz, who also can't ever say he's sorry or wrong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwkU8-d1gIk

Maybe Mike can work in a Fonz tribute and sing "Fonz, Fonz, Fonz" for a few shows.  

It seems to me he answered that he really doesn't have a regret about his life and career.

Seriously, do you really truthfully believe that is true? Even you must admit that it is surely just a quick go-to answer because he doesn't want to discuss anything personal. And you can feel that this is a perfectly acceptable way for Mike to be, but let's at least call it for what it is: avoidance. Nobody has no personal regrets. I don't buy it, and I don't really think that in your heart of hearts you actually buy it either.

It seems I won't get a response to my query to you, because (much like the topic at hand), there's avoidance going on here. A person practicing avoidance while defending another chronic avoider.  Heaven forbid, but if Mike had inadvertently directly caused a car crash by speeding, resulting in someone's death, and he continued in subsequent interviews with the "no regrets" stance, you'd also probably continue with your unwavering belief that he actually has no personal regrets, right? That's the next logical step.

The thought that he surely does have personal (non Wilson drug-related) regrets, maybe even (50) big ones, but just refuses to talk about them and intentionally distracts from the question being posed to him is just not ever possible to you, huh?   It's his right to do that, but let's be real here, and not bury our heads in the sand and actually believe that it's anything but that.

Well in the BS Landy/Brian biography Landy made sure to put something in there about how he was going to SAVE Denny next and obviously ran out of time.

My two cents. I give Landy nearly NO credit in any form. A thousand reputable doctors could have/should have treated Brian. People speculate on what if's here all the time. What if a true doctor, instead of that hack that drugged the hell out of Brian, had helped him.

Interesting, I did not know that Landy ever actually stated that (since I've never bothered to read that fake Brian bio).