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680601 Posts in 27601 Topics by 4068 Members - Latest Member: Dae Lims March 29, 2024, 12:45:28 PM
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1  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Brian has been placed in a conservatorship (likely suffering from dementia) on: February 17, 2024, 10:52:30 AM
This all makes me wonder. Not wonder about Brian's bravery and determination, for he has those to spare.

But I wonder about me, and about so many of us who wanted to see Brian do well. If I look back honestly, the shows I saw him do in 2009 were incredible -- the best ever -- but even the BB50 dates didn't quite reach that level. And everyone could see that he was lagging by the 2013 Beck tour, and each subsequent jaunt saw him do a little worse. Yes, he would rally time after time, and you could always see some of the old spirit and verve. But he was growing older, and the performances objectively declined.

Then we come to 2022, and anyone who saw those shows knew something was seriously wrong. Perhaps it had started a couple of years earlier with the back surgery, but no one could deny the difficulty that he now faced. And I just wonder. Should we have been firmer about pushing back form 2015-2019, when it was clear he was doing okay broadly speaking but going through the motions a bit at the shows? I hate to think that we encouraged him to go out when he was scared and unprepared and uncomprehending.

Who knows. Perhaps he wanted it. But I think those of us who love him, those of us devoted to this man's music, have to be a little self critical now. I wish it wasn't true. But it is.

I see where you’re coming from, Wirestone. You’re one of the few in The Beach Boys world whom I hold a lot of respect/trust for your insights, information, and thoughts, so I do not take what you wrote above lightly. We care for and love Brian, and I think that’s why we’re so passionate about our viewpoints. I honestly don’t know what the right answer is, but here are my thoughts:

At the end of the day, it was up to Brian, Melinda, and his doctors. But ultimately up to Brian. I’ve heard it many times, and wonder how much of it is true, but the statement “Brian isn’t going to do anything he doesn’t want to do.” comes to mind.

If Brian was scared and didn’t want to face the fear, he wouldn’t have performed. If Brian would’ve rather stayed at home watching TV, he wouldn’t have performed. And honestly when he stopped touring most recently, I think that was Brian finally saying he had to stop.

Now, for those recent years he was performing, you have to ask, okay maybe Brian wanted to perform but is that in his best interest given his age, mental fragility, limited mobility, etc? I’d honestly say yes (and I wonder if his support staff including doctors also agreed with this). I’d imagine that those support people around him saw that Brian being active was good for his mental and physical health. You stay at home watching TV all day with no purpose you’re going to check out rather quick. I honestly think that Brian liked being on the road, and thus that’s what he did and it kept him active and alert and physically moving (even if it was from the bus to a chair). As someone watching a loved one currently die of late-stage Alzheimer’s, I can without a doubt say that I’d rather see this person out and about smelling the roses (while they can), than cooped up indoors watching movies on Lifetime.

No, I don’t think we should have been firmer in pushback. Why? Because we are fans who have no idea what is happening in Brian’s head, we don’t sit in on appointments with Brian’s support team at UCLA. We aren’t Brian Wilson.

What I do know is that Brian’s path in life has led him to this point now. Brian Wilson, the once 300+ pound cocaine addicted, prisoner of Landy, mind shattered by LSD, hears voices of negativity, taken to court countless times, taken advantage of countless times, etc etc…that man is still alive at 81. And for the last 30 years he has been on a healthy course of life: making music, putting smiles on countless audience goers, facing his fears. And that path also includes his last years of touring.

No, if collective “fans” had any say in how Brian had run his life for the last 30 years then I doubt Brian would be alive right now. I think everything that happened to Brian was meant to happen to Brian - the good, the bad. But the last 30 years, at moments sometimes imperfect, I think have been the best situation Brian could have ever found himself in. And even his last years on tour, he was out there trying - trying to recapture youth? Trying to make his audience happy? Trying to live another day.
2  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Brian has been placed in a conservatorship (likely suffering from dementia) on: February 16, 2024, 08:23:10 AM
Heartbreaking. Prayers for Brian and his family.

Indeed. One of those paragraphs in particular (in the Yahoo article) is very hard to read. I hope he can find happiness and comfort from his support group, family & friends who are all caring for him.
3  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: RIP Melinda Kay Ledbetter Wilson (1946-2024) on: January 31, 2024, 12:32:28 AM
Oh man Cry. As Brian asked us, I will definitely say a prayer for her, and I'll be praying for Brian and his family.

I can't begin to express my appreciation for her efforts in Brian's life over the years - through the good and the bad, Brian was able to create some very incredible and high quality records. More astonishingly, he was able to bring his music to so many cities/venues over the last 2+ decades. That Brian has been able to live a life free of drugs/alcohol/abuse for the last 3 decades is wonderful. And I really hope that Melinda was happy during that time.
4  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: The Board Is Back on: January 28, 2024, 09:15:54 PM
I'd imagaine there would be issues with how old the software this board uses when it comes to making all pages secure. The software is now 9 years out of date.

Correct.  Someday maybe I will be able to fix that.

Hi Chuck, is there a roadmap/plan that could be put in place for such a transition? And could the mods here help facilitate any work moving forward to help this happen? Could our community as a whole do anything to help this happen?

And man this place and its mods sure do live rent free in some people's minds. Once this boards issues are figured out it'll be nice for the universe as a collective whole to not be subjected to posts about "Chuckie" and the "mods" from the EH forum.
5  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: The most stunning Beach Boys AI I've heard yet on: January 28, 2024, 09:06:14 PM
On the forum where they pat themselves on the back daily for their supposed positivity and inclusion, Dae Lims is getting completely shellacked for his work there.

Kinda blows my mind that a lot of people can't see the talent/time it takes to make these tracks - nor see anything remotely positive about it. Or see the imagination behind creating these harmonies, etc.. I mean I don't think that everyone has to like this stuff, and there have been tracks I haven't liked, but it's kinda crazy seeing the dogpile of hate.

People have made Smile mixes for how long now? People have been using Brian Wilson's very own work/voice to create their own fantasy album(s) for how many decades now? I know this is a whole other universe of technology/creativity, but at its heart it is the same thing: a fan trying to create something that never was.

As Guitarfool said above: But if a fan does work like this who clearly knows the music on a level beyond collecting records and being a fan, and can import the precise musical details into the work and be musically and sonically accurate in doing so, it's a work of art unto itself.
6  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Is This An Error? on: January 26, 2024, 01:57:17 PM
I googled this crime and found an interesting tidbit from Karmafrog on reddit:

"Scott was far from blameless, but I'll just say there was some very selective release of information and omission of context by the prosecution, and the media coverage that resulted.
....

Some of what I know is second hand through a (female, and very feminist) lawyer who viewed the entirety of the tape, not just what was released. She was outraged at how it was portrayed.
"

Those closer to Scott are probably more willing to forgive based on context that those of us in the nose-bleed section aren't privy to.
7  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: The most stunning Beach Boys AI I've heard yet on: January 24, 2024, 08:33:51 AM
Dae Lims presents AI Dennis Wilson singing Holy Man, with special guests the AI Beach Boys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jnPAXYUQnM

I don’t want to gush about this, but when I listen to this it feels like the first time I heard some of my favorite beach boys tracks. Anyone else feel this way?

And yet it’s fake…And I don’t really care. This hits me right where stereo ‘Don’t Worry Baby’ hits me. That coda made my jaw drop to the floor.

Dae Lims, you’re really doing something special here. With all the terrible things AI can be used for, you’re creating something so beautiful - in the true spirit of the band itself.
8  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: The most stunning Beach Boys AI I've heard yet on: January 09, 2024, 06:48:34 PM
Dae Lims definitely deserves credit for putting all this overblown AI technology to creative use producing most rewarding results.  I'm still not entirely clear how he utilizes the tech though.  Is he singing the vocals himself and then running his voice through an AI genorator to change his voice to whomever he wants?  If that's the case then you have to really appreciate his skill.  Because I'm assuming you have to adopt the phrasing and tonality of the desired singer's voice to really pull off sounding like them.  In this most recent offering you can really pick out "Carl" and "Al" in the appropriate places.

I’m not sure if he does a breakdown of every track he works on, but he has streamed hour+ long breakdowns on YouTube where he goes into great detail about how he puts these together. Here is the one for the Like I Love in You:
https://www.youtube.com/live/N4EZSHqPVwQ?si=0hPO7cTuVajOo7yy

Speaking of which, that’s one of my favorite BW solo tracks - and this latest AI track is phenomenal!! Couldn’t have asked for a better mix.
9  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Thank you to Melinda and everyone else in Brian's life on: December 30, 2023, 09:43:48 PM
Quote
man who had a lifetime of heavy drug use

I'm not sure that "lifetime" is a totally fair descriptor.  Wouldn't it be more accurate to say that, over the course of approximately 15-20 years, Brian had periods of heavy drug use?  Without a doubt, though, drug use comparable to Brian's during those bouts would have and did kill many of his peers, cf. Elvis, Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Keith Moon and many others.  It is indeed a minor miracle that Brian is very much alive at 4 score and 1.5 .  I agree that Melinda deserves a big share of the credit for Brian's survival, but it does "take a village," and Carl Wilson as well as friends such David Leaf and all the Peter Reums and Jeff Fosketts and Darian Sahanaja's in Brian's life have made their own contributions as well.  But you know who, I think ultimately deserves the lion's share of the credit for Brian Wilson's survival?  One Brian Douglas Wilson. There's a tendency to see Brian as this rather helpless, semi-passive player in his destiny.  But I do think most of this boils down to Brian's own will to survive and actions of surrounding himself with the right people and making healthier choices

Yeah "lifetime" is probably not the best descriptor. Also want to add that I forget if Brian's voices tell him to "kill himself" as I wrote above - I do know they say absolutely horrible things, but I'm not 100% on what I wrote above.

Everything else I totally agree. I hope my previous post did clarify that I think Brian is a huge part of his own survival (hence my mentioning how his big heart has helped him overcome so much with the help of others). If I've learned anything from my years of being a fan, it's that most everything I've read/heard about Brian Wilson (especially from his detractors) is false - he is the furthest I could think of being helpless/vegetable. After hearing all that nonsense for years on end, and then watching him control soundcheck one night before a concert, I gotta say that's a man in control - and it's awesome to witness.
10  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Thank you to Melinda and everyone else in Brian's life on: December 30, 2023, 10:44:24 AM
Great post, Rab and it mirrors my thoughts to a T!! I've met Melinda twice and she was very genuine in my eyes.

Sadly, some fans don’t appreciate the care Brian has been given since 1991. I often wonder if these fans wish Brian had never met Melinda. In the spirit of the season, it makes me think of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ where George Bailey gets to see what life would be like without him. While some fans despise Melinda’s presence in Brian’s life, I wonder if these fans have taken the time to wonder what Brian’s life would look like had he never met her. I’m sure they’d envision a life full of re-blossoming creative power that leads Brian to creating a series of solo albums that rival his genius on Pet Sounds. Or perhaps Brian reunites with The Beach Boys and they create a resurgence of commercial success unrivaled by any of their contemporaries. Or perhaps it’s a life of small creative achievements accompanied by Brian living a happy single/bachelor lifestyle until he’s 90 years old.

Yet the stark reality is that Brian has severe mental issues that aren’t treated/solved by Brian being best-buds with creatives in the studio. His mental issues were never treated by fame. His mental issues could never be alleviated solely by him never getting remarried.

Brian is a person who, *with* medication, hears voices that tell him to kill himself. He is a person who, when given the reins to his life, nearly killed himself with an overabundant diet of steak and cocaine. In a world where Brian never meets Melinda, who is the person who facilitates Brian’s physical and mental care (to the point where he beats ALL the odds and is living into his 80s)? Who is the person who manages Brian’s financial wealth (to the point where his children’s children’s children will never have to worry about money)? Who is the person who helps manage Brian’s music career (to where he has 10+ quality solo albums and an incredible live performing career post-91)?

I think the most important question is this: is Brian living a happier life now than he would be if he had never met Melinda? Or should we ask if Brian would even be alive now had he never met Melinda?

We will never know that. What we do know is that a man who had a lifetime of heavy drug use, nearly died of overdose, who is a manic depressive with schizoaffective disorder is still alive at 81 years old. That is a miracle straight from the creator Himself - and to not credit Melinda or anyone else currently in Brian’s life as an instrument in such a miracle is asinine.

I think what saved Brian, and what still keeps him alive to this day, is the collective love from every imperfect person that has cared for Brian all his life - be it Carl, be it Peter Reum, be it Marylin or Melinda, his children/friends, be it the fans who cheer Brian on through the thick and thin, etc.. Their love coupled with Brian’s big heart have kept him going all these years.

I just hope he's in a good place now. I hope he's enjoying his life with his family and friends. He's given us a lot.  Do I hope that we hear a bit more from him? Sure I do. But if not, and he just wants to relax, fine with me.

This is exactly where I'm at now, too. I just want him to be happy - if that means being on the road, in the studio, or being at home watching The Price is Right. Given his age and physical capabilities, I hope he's doing the best he can right now.
11  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Thank you to Melinda and everyone else in Brian's life on: December 30, 2023, 10:35:59 AM
Hey Lonely Summer, thanks for your post. Your agreeing with me to a point could be a matter of my post intentionally having a very quick overview of Brian’s 70s/80s life (and not being in-depth enough to credit Landy for Brian making a weight/health reversal from his 300 pound era). While I agree that Brian did look better from his 300 pound self, there were also moments in pictures and video where clearly something isn't right - Brian looks healthy, but his eyes look vacant. Brian looks tan and thin, but he's also doped up to the point where's he nearly drooling on a TV interview.

I quickly looked up some Brian Wilson interviews on YouTube - one from 1984, and his Letterman appearance in 1988 - what a stark contrast in demeanor. He seems absolutely mentally with it in 1984, and just 4 years later he's acting like he's a patient of Nurse Ratched. So while there was improvement in the 80s, a quick overview shows he was still on a downward spiral (which I'm sure we'd both fully agree on).
12  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Thank you to Melinda and everyone else in Brian's life on: December 28, 2023, 02:28:19 PM
I was watching the "evolution of Brian Wilson" video on YouTube last night, and I was blown away by the 180º turnaround in his voice (and other band/instrument qualities) from the mid-90s onward. And it's a mostly consistent great voice from the mid-90s onward. It's just crazy to hear it summed up in 10 minutes on that video.

That evolution video showcases the absolute horrific changes in Brian's life during the 70s and 80s - it was crazy to see him going from normal Brian to 300 pounds, ragged looking, to the atrocious skinny ken-doll look that Landy forced onto him. But then in the mid-90s onward Brian just looks like an average Joe. And he sounds great - his songs, his voice, they all have a consistent/coherent polish.

I know it's somehow "cool" in some circles to constantly hate on Melinda...but you can't deny her involvement in Brian's life and his simultaneous vast improvement in health, music, etc. And I realize that it's also the positive influence from so many people in his life during this time (from bandmates to close friends).

Someone wrote in the comment section of that video: "It's so unsettling to see his eyes darken and getting sunken as his inner turmoil deepens, but it's so heartwarming to see them brightening up as if he were a child again as he grows older." - that sums it all up. You can see it in his eyes, you can especially hear it in his music. Obviously he's had bumps in the road during these years, but I can't imagine he'd still be with us if it weren't for the love/support he's had since Melinda came on the scene.

Anywho, it's probably corny, but a huge THANK YOU to Melinda and to all others who have shown Brian love for the last 30+ years. You've given him and all of us fans such an incredible gift.

I'm also immensely grateful for Melinda and for others who have helped Brian. Sometimes I'm amazed that, given his struggles, not only has he outlived both his brothers, but he also gave us a surprise (and rather fine) recording and touring career later in life.

I had a seat near the front for the 50th anniversary concert I attended. During one of the closing songs when Brian was playing bass, he stopped singing momentarily and contorted his face. (Since Brian has said he still experiences auditory hallucinations even while performing, I assumed that was the reason.) I saw him say to someone seated nearby, "Where's Melinda?" That spoke to me as to what a support she is to him.

Or he wanted to make sure she wasn't getting into a fist fight with Mike's wife LOL But for real that's an awesome story.

My only issue with his recording career is that there isn't more of it! I very much had hoped he would make his rock & roll album Pleasure Island and am sad that that never happened (there is still time, but I highly doubt it will happen). But he has given us so much more than we could've imagined or deserved.
13  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: The most stunning Beach Boys AI I've heard yet on: December 28, 2023, 02:18:07 PM
From the "vaults." Dae Lims unearthed 1960s version of She's Got Rhythm, in mono and with crackles straight from the 45! Wink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUgaztzcizk

First one I've not been overly thrilled about. The quality is great - it's just that Brian's vocal sounds too polished. The track kinda sounds like it would fit perfectly on an early 2000's arthritis prescription medicine commercial. Reminds me of AGD's comment (I forget it he said it or if he heard it from somewhere else) about Soulful Old Man Sunshine sounding like it was made for a shampoo/conditioner commercial haha.

Whereas the MIU version is great because it doesn't sound polished...while Brian is trying to sound like his younger self, he still sounds gruff - has sort of a 'Drip Drop', 'Shortenin Bread' vibe that really makes the corniness of the composition work.

Just my two cents, but as always, smile AD does a fantastic job creating/mixing!
14  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Thank you to Melinda and everyone else in Brian's life on: December 27, 2023, 10:57:15 AM
I was watching the "evolution of Brian Wilson" video on YouTube last night, and I was blown away by the 180º turnaround in his voice (and other band/instrument qualities) from the mid-90s onward. And it's a mostly consistent great voice from the mid-90s onward. It's just crazy to hear it summed up in 10 minutes on that video.

That evolution video showcases the absolute horrific changes in Brian's life during the 70s and 80s - it was crazy to see him going from normal Brian to 300 pounds, ragged looking, to the atrocious skinny ken-doll look that Landy forced onto him. But then in the mid-90s onward Brian just looks like an average Joe. And he sounds great - his songs, his voice, they all have a consistent/coherent polish.

I know it's somehow "cool" in some circles to constantly hate on Melinda...but you can't deny her involvement in Brian's life and his simultaneous vast improvement in health, music, etc. And I realize that it's also the positive influence from so many people in his life during this time (from bandmates to close friends).

Someone wrote in the comment section of that video: "It's so unsettling to see his eyes darken and getting sunken as his inner turmoil deepens, but it's so heartwarming to see them brightening up as if he were a child again as he grows older." - that sums it all up. You can see it in his eyes, you can especially hear it in his music. Obviously he's had bumps in the road during these years, but I can't imagine he'd still be with us if it weren't for the love/support he's had since Melinda came on the scene.

Anywho, it's probably corny, but a huge THANK YOU to Melinda and to all others who have shown Brian love for the last 30+ years. You've given him and all of us fans such an incredible gift.
15  Smiley Smile Stuff / Welcome to the Smiley Smile board / Re: Brian Wilson: The Solo Experience on: December 27, 2023, 10:31:44 AM
"As the band winds down, Brian's keytar lifts from his body and vanishes into the rafters. A grand piano slides out to center stage, and the band members vanish in puffs of smoke."

"Little kids, all in leather jackets and with mini-keytars, rush out onstage to surround Brian. Wearing a terrified look, he plays"

This is epic, thanks for this.

A couple thoughts: I really wish I had gotten to hear Brian Wilson play 'Night Time' live in-person. That is such a terribly overlooked track, "Sun's sinking down, it's gettin' dark" ahhh such a great tune.

And I love this fandom with its alternate histories - I guess that's the joy of having this band be a never-ending entity from the 60s onward. And how absolutely quirky they can be - and yet nearly believable LOL

Looking forward to the second set!!
16  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Is time ripe for a Smile reissue/remix? on: December 17, 2023, 12:08:32 PM
As for remastering/remixing; I have never been crazy impressed with the '66/'67 sound quality of Smile.

There are big differences in sound quality from song to song.  The 2011 remix of Vega-Tables, for instances, sounds really good to me. Old Master Painter / Sunshine is typical of a half-dozen or so tracks that sound fairly lo-fi.  Many sections  of H&V sound like crap.  I suppose that there are number of factors at place: subpar initial recording in some cases, tape deterioration/damage in others, 2nd/3rd generation copies of some material.

IIRC, even in 1967-68, David Anderle was complaining, in his print interviews with Paul Williams,  about the poor sound quality of the H&V 45 mix.  To some extent, the issue may be due to Brian moving away from his method of mostly recording at Western with Chuck Britz engineering to being all over the place with Good Vibrations and Smile, i.e.., a little here at Western, a little there at Gold Star, a bit more at RCA, and then a few at Sound Recorders  etc. etc., and then eventually, by June '67 into the home studio.  


I completely forgot about Vega-Tables - that Smile Sessions mix of that is one of the coolest sonic experiences, especially that second chorus. I’ve always been bummed about how ‘Holidays’ sounds so lo-fi. The marimba on ‘All Summer Long’ from two years prior sounds infinitely better. The BWPS version really makes that song pop, imo.
17  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Is time ripe for a Smile reissue/remix? on: December 15, 2023, 12:09:21 PM
Yeah, I am not the biggest fans of the flown in "Child, Child, the Child" vocals on TSS's 'Look'. And while I'm never bothered by stuff like that on fan mixes, something about it doesn't ring right with it being on an official mix. And look at the backlash that the 2021 mixes of 'Marcela' and 'YNAMOHTSA' got - I'd imagine that controversy would pale in comparison to any official AI vocals.

As for remastering/remixing; I have never been crazy impressed with the '66/'67 sound quality of Smile. I've always found it odd that stereo Pet Sounds sounds like a Dolby 5.1 cathedral of angelic music in comparison to the bare-bones/sparse/tinny sound of The Smile Sessions (with the exception of a few songs, Cabin-essence in particular). Though I think this is less to do the with the mixing, and more with the original instruments and production of the songs.

So if Giles Martin were able to remix Smile, where it sounds like I'm standing in the middle of a Smile cathedral, I would be perfectly happy.
18  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: R.I.P. Jeff Foskett on: December 12, 2023, 12:06:28 AM
ahhh man Sad his voice and harmonies have brought a lot of joy to the fandom. I can see him singing harmonies with the angels right now. Thanks, Jeff, for all of your hard work over the years.

What sad sad news.
19  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: The Board Is Back on: November 23, 2023, 05:05:43 PM
Thanks for getting things back up, Chuck. And thanks everyone for being a part of this forum - some weeks are slow, some are full of posts, but either way, you guys are great. Happy thanksgiving from us in the USA to everyone here, Endless Harmony, and elsewhere! We're all fans of a band that has given us so much to be thankful for (and they keep on giving).
20  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Brian AI Project. on: November 14, 2023, 06:18:30 AM
Not sure if this has been posted here yet, but this is one of the coolest AI tracks I've heard (Old Man River):

https://youtu.be/IJjqmt7wrbE?si=Y1PRvl2MGnYr19KT
21  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Now and Then: are The Beach Boys missing something? on: November 14, 2023, 05:32:58 AM
I am not that impressed by the song…..it’s only ok John…clearly unfinished…and while it brings a smile it doesn’t add to the legacy (but is certainly inoffensive)

Try this version: It's an interpretation by a musician named David Rodriguez under the name DreamerJazz, imagining the song as if the Beatles played it on Ed Sullivan in '64.

David's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dreamerjazz352/

And here's the track, skip to 1:08 for the song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tSefoJDKsU

It works in this context, sounds a lot like Lennon's 1963 era songwriting, more than the new version.

I ran across this as well! Was very impressed with how well that kid transferred the song to a completely different era.

I said it in another thread, but it's less about the songwriting itself and more about hearing one last "reunion". The song isn't on par with their best work, or even really their middle-of-the-road work, but it makes me a very happy camper hearing John's voice come through clearly on an official record, and hearing 'The Beatles' play their instruments "together" one last time.

'Free as a Bird' and 'Real Love' feel like this for me as well - and granted those have much more defined structure and cohesive songwriting, but they still feel exactly like what they are: Lennon demos with instruments/voices tacked over them. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. And likewise, 'Now and Then' feels like a more polished version of that, only the songwriting isn't as up-to-par.

Anyways, it's a treat to hear, nothing more, nothing less. In an age where vulgar and seemingly talentless music flood the top of the charts, I'll take this any day over that other drivel.
22  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: The board on: November 13, 2023, 05:24:10 AM
I’m back after 6 months without internet access… will be here more often now.

Billy! It’s great to see you back here. Missed you!
23  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Re: Now and Then: are The Beach Boys missing something? on: November 09, 2023, 05:25:33 PM
But I think that’s partially my point: in the crazy amount of years these guys were a band, solo or together, they made a lot of music, much of it still in demo form, and I just thought that while our guys were still alive and breathing it would be interesting for them to find an album’s worth of songs that were left unfinished (or songs they weren’t happy with) to make a “reunion” album of sorts.

Frankly this was more of a thought experiment to get some life back on this forum so thanks for contributing LOL more of an abstract thing, not something I legit think should or could happen.
24  Non Smiley Smile Stuff / General Music Discussion / Re: The Beatles on: November 02, 2023, 06:26:45 AM
For me, I think it’s less about the quality of the songwriting than it is a glimpse at something that shouldn’t even be possible. John’s voice sounds crystal clear in that vocal extraction, and that in itself made me nearly fall out of my seat when I heard it yesterday. Not to mention those beautiful strings.

So I guess it’s more about the idea of hearing the Beatles magic one last time. Perhaps it’s more nostalgia driven than anything. On a YouTube comment from the documentary, someone pointed out that John’s lyric:

And if I make it through
It's all because of you


Is poetically fitting that it’s all because of the rest of the band and the fans that allowed John’s song to “make it through”. Yeah it’s kinda cheesy but nonetheless fitting.
25  Smiley Smile Stuff / General On Topic Discussions / Now and Then: are The Beach Boys missing something? on: November 02, 2023, 06:17:04 AM
There is a lot of (deserved - the documentary released yesterday about Now and Then stomped out any fears of mine that the new single would disappoint) hype in the music world about the upcoming Beatles single (just another hour, I think!?), and it got me thinking: are there any Now and Then moments from The Beach Boys catalogue that could be used for a “reunion” album of sorts?

One song in particular stuck out to me: Thank Him. Smile AD’s AI version of that song is revelatory. While the song is clearly brilliant in its original demo form, using AI to make it sound clean really puts a spotlight on how incredible that song is.

Using Peter Jackson’s* technology I wonder if there are other songs that The Beach Boys could extract vocals, instruments, and then add their own stuff to it in the studio. Get a decent producer (yes, Brian would obviously spearhead the music production, but they’d really need someone to guide the boat as far as band relations and overall cohesive vintage sound go…someone keep Joe Thomas far far away from the studio).

*people call it Peter Jackson’s technology, however I do not know if he was the one who wrote the code for the algorithm or just popularized an already existing technology.

One thing that comes to mind: just because you can doesn’t mean you should. As it seems everything this band touches always has some ridiculous caveat (whether it’s autotune, infighting, etc), I highly doubt a project like this would be as successful as it could be. But in a perfect world, I wonder if something like this could happen: A full album of tastefully completed vintage beach boys demos released in 2023, further showcasing the band’s brilliance.
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