That "uncool" guy wrote some of the coolest lyrics to what might be the greatest "fast" song (I Get Around) in the Beach Boys' catalogue.

I thought Brian wrote most of those lyrics, with the exception of the "round, round, get around" part. I could be remembering wrong. Anyway, minor point.
I guess it's hard to know what to do with yourself when you aren't holding an instrument. Michael Stipe, to me, is an example of a cool frontman, but I think he's a natural mover. Nothing looks staged with him.

Surely did, and he was on the money - especially the transition into "Cast Your Fate To The Wind", which was so smoothly executed that it took me maybe 30 seconds to realise he'd done it. When he wants to, he's still got it.

Was it like his performance of Rhapsody in Blue on the BWPS DVD?
Which part is "Cast Your Fate To the Wind"? Or maybe that can't be verbalized. Is it the really fast part?

As much as a lovable, great work as I think it is, there aren't a huge number of converts from it.

Who knows, though, maybe it wouldn't have converted many people in 67, either.

It's not exactly Fun, Fun, Fun, though, you know? It's not something that's going to have mass appeal.

I had, of course, heard of Brian Wilson. In fact, I liked the BBs music and even owned Pet Sounds. But I wasn't a major fan and didn't know most of the more obscure music. Shortly before BWPS was released, I heard Pet Sounds for the 100th time, but for some reason, I heard it on a new level...so I was primed and ready to become a more major fan. I had heard OF Smile as "the lost album," and had heard GV, of course, and H&V, which I had on a compilation.

But that was it. The first time I ever heard most of the Smile songs was when I went to the Nonesuch Web site to hear the tracks for BWPS. Upon hearing "Our Prayer," I almost cried. And that was Brian's band.

Later, having whetted my appetite to hear more, I bought the GV box set. It was only then that I heard the 1960s Smile tracks. Of course I love them. But I also love the 2004 stuff. I can see how, if I had heard and become accustomed to the BBs Smile tracks, BWPS would have sounded odd or maybe even inferior. But as a relatively new, unjaded listener in 2004, BWPS was a revelation. It's because of the sheer quality and beauty of that music. That's the only thing I had to judge it on.

99.9% of the population has never heard the Smile songs, even the ones that were released on CD, like Cabinessence. I was one of them when BWPS came out. I was blown away by the album. It is good music. It's a great piece of work. Bringing nothing to it (not being an audiophile, not being a BB fanatic with bootlegs, not owning the GV box set), it is one of the best albums ever made.

If, in 100 years, a group decides to perform Smile live, well, why not. It's terrific music. It's a great work that can even stand alone from the Beach Boys, even Brian. And it deserved to be released in a completed form.

Wait a minute-- is it that Brian is firing on one cylinder or that he's actually more "with it" than people think but just doesn't really have the energy and passion that he used to.

What about all those stories that Brian is shockingly "all there" when the interviewers leave and he becomes comfortable?

The question is, would he be "all there" in a room full of BBs or would he clam up and shut down, which he seemed to do fairly often, starting in the early 70s?

Am I missing something?

Isn't it true that:
1. The Beach Boys haven't made a decent album since the 70s.
2. Two of the more talented Beach Boys are dead.
3. The Beach Boys' voices aren't what they used to be.
4. By and large, the Beach Boys haven't been comfortable in a room together in a long time.
5. The most talented Beach Boy, while still alive, is arguably not functioning to full capacity.

So given all of this (and especially number 4), why hope for a reunion? I don't understand.
 
The other thing, about the Beach Boys breaking up and the Wilson brothers doing their thing, is interesting. Vocally, it would have sounded different than the Beach Boys, but it would have been great to hear what they would come up with.

I agree that it's legitimate to dislike the 80s sound, just as it's legitimate to dislike the 70s sound or the 90s sound. If Imagination represents the 90s sound, then I'd rather hear the 88 album.

It's true that the 88 album has a lot of 80s cliches, but to me, it has a lot more drive to it than the adult contemo sounds of Imagination. I don't know, maybe I've softened to the 80s sound. It can be a lot of fun. And the 88 album has the added attraction of Brian's harmonies and some very good songs-- more good songs, I think, than Imagination. It's not exactly Rick Astley.

There were some 80s albums that ignored the "80s sound." The albums REM made between 1983 and 1986 are good examples. You can't tell that Fall on Me was made in 1986 just by listening to it.

I actually enjoy Brian's first solo album quite a bit. I

I agree with you about the 88 album. I didn't buy it for a while because I kept hearing about how "80s" it is. Well, it IS very "80s," but it's also very Brian and even recalls some Spector.  I think it's excellent, particularly Rio Grande.

And here we have it again, a chance for me to force my dream onto others!

It is that very thought that makes me wish all Brian would do would be to record what he wants, when he wants, and release it with or without the assistance of labels. Internet singles are not exactly an expensive thing to create and release, and frankly, his sales would probably be about the same that way as if he got a deal and went through the traditional in-stores method of selling. Besides, without an entire album to finish, but only a song or two as he got to them, he might show some enthusiasm for the music he did, as opposed to the results like GIOMH.

That's a great idea. Brian would just have to worry about one song. "Hey, let's go in and record that song I wrote the other day!" Like those Christmas songs that were on his site. All the hardcore fans are sure to download it, and if it's a success and he amasses a dozen and there's a demand, they could eventually put it onto an album. Have you posted this idea on the blueboard? I mean, it's worth a shot.

I know. I was just having a little fun. 

Well, okay.    Didn't he talk about becoming a pro baseball player at some point in the 70s, or am I just making that up? I have this memory of reading a quote: "I really think I could make it in to the Majors" or some BS like that.

Plus, he has said he believes he is a better background singer than lead singer. 

I actually think your post was pretty right-on...but as for the part I quoted, let's be honest--what HASN'T Brian said at one time or another?

True, but I can see where he's coming from there. As has been pointed out on this thread, Brian did not have as compelling a lead voice as Carl or Mike. It doesn't mean his voice wasn't good (sometimes great, and I personally prefer it to Mike's by a country mile), but maybe it's not a natural lead voice. And he really is a great background singer.

I think Brian would have been a songwriter/producer who would have played piano and sung background on the records of people he produced. Wasn't he trying to move in that direction somewhat in the early 60s anyway? Plus, he has said he believes he is a better background singer than lead singer. 

He did play the keyboard a little bit more in the last few Pet Sounds shows. I think he played an intro to Marcella and a few other things...nothing major, but more than on previous tours.

The video of the making of What I Really Want for Christmas shows Brian playing piano while recording the title track. The piano on the track sounds kind of like Brian's playing, doesn't it?

I'm no musician, butI always wonder when people talk about how well Brian plays piano. In terms of untrained piano players, is he really that great? I mean, sure, he's good. But, for example, here's Paul McCartney playing Lady Madonna:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CSOXEr_xWsY

And Ben Folds Five playing Theme from Dr Physer:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dKRqs-uKVO8

It seems like Brian is called "exemplary" at so many things, but his piano playing more "ordinary." Maybe I'm wrong?

I have my reservations about David Leaf being involved too. That said, I still think it's better to have an overly sympathetic movie than none at all.

The way I see it, most people really have no idea about Brian's life. I was talking to the guy who cuts my hair, and I told him I was going to the BW concert next week. I said, "Do you know who he is?" And he knew the name, but he said, "Wasn't he really messed up on drugs?" And that's really all he knew. He knew Brian was in the Beach Boys and he knew he was really messed up on drugs. Then when I ventured to say that people tend to underestimate the Beach Boys, he said, "Well, they just look like a bunch of boring, clean cut guys." And that's kind of what the general public thinks. Boring, clean cut... surfing music... one of them got messed up on drugs. Not heard from again for years. Then he played the Tonight Show or something last year.
I think Brian deserves better than that.  Hey, "Amadeus" was totally inaccurate, but Mozart became like a pop star for a while there, didn't he? And the movie was pretty entertaining.

You never know. This could be really good-- although I do think it will be hard to satisfy the diehard fans. But that's a small group. Biopics are never literal. They just can't be. But that doesn't mean they're always bad.

I also think that a good actor could absolutely pull off Brian's mannerisms. Look at Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Capote. Look at Geoffrey Rush in Shine. Look at Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind. Some of those are more literal than others, but none of them come off as charicatures.

I think it would be most interesting if focused on the contradiction between Brian's extraordinary talent and his very human flaws-- kind of like Ray. His inability to overcome Murry, his inability to be an adequate husband for Marilyn (despite his love for her), his oddness and his "new best friend" thing, his addictions, his problems with his daughters...juxtaposed with his prowess in the studio and with songwriting. Brian needs more exposure. A lot of people either don't recognize his name or think he's just some weirdo recluse who wrote a few corny surf songs before he went crazy and was never heard from again.

Ah, thanks for the answer!

I kind of had a feeling that this wouldn't get any responses. I guess it's not something that's generally known or discussed.

With that American Spring thread there, I was wondering if anyone can provide info on which voice is which in the Honeys and American Spring. I only have the songs on the Pet Productions CD- He's a Doll, Tonight You Belong to Me, Fallin' in Love, etc.

I assume that the main voice is usually Ginger's. Even though I've heard Marilyn on some BBs songs I have trouble distinguishing her voice in the Honeys. Do Diane and Marilyn have similar voices?

Brian looks totally slim and healthy in that pic. Actually, the best he's ever looked.

He does look healthy, but in photos from that era (including this photo) he always looks like a deer in the headlights. He just looks disturbed to me, and it's sad.

[
Asking money for your own autograph is lame.

I think they should have just had the 300 signed ones and said, "The first 300 orders will get an autographed doll" for the same price.
As for the doll thing, I don't think it's worth complaining over. Some people really want it.
I think people spend too much time and energy criticizing Brian's management over things that aren't worth criticizing.

I think he looked best in the late 60s. That third photo you put up there... he looked very, very good.

I'd say that if Brian approves of the doll, it's fine.

You know, there are only going to be 300 signed ones. When Brian is gone, those things are going to be worth a fortune. I don't intend to buy one and hope that the people who do aren't in it for the money. I'm just saying that it's funny how a doll that gets so ridiculed now will probably become a sought-after object in the future.

I can see Paul being controlling. I can see him insisting that she cook, without help (as Linda did). I can see him saying nasty, hurtful things to her. I can see him getting drunk regularly and possibly having a problem. I can see him continuing to smoke pot. I can even see the bedpan thing as being true (although maybe exaggerated).
But the violent stuff sounds off the wall to me.