when young Brian channels old Brian

[ghost]

Brian has always had a peculiar tone of voice. On the Howard Stern show someone called in just to ask what was up with his voice. But he didn't specifically mean the style of speech but the tone. Or that was how I understood it. Brian had a very manly tone in the 50 packs of cigarettes a day years but before and after that it's had a strange tone, people who know more technical stuff about the voice will surely point out what register or whatever he speaks and sings in most comfortably. I can see why Brian seems to have, at some times, felt insecure as a man. Here he is, this big guy, physically quite large and imposing, but he has one of the sweetest 'feminine' voices in the music world, and he knew it. And he is not opposed to listening to or writing songs from a girl's perspective! Brian must have tripped himself out so many times on these issues. Having two daughters while Carl had sons - Carl was the more feminine Wilson boy in the beginning despite Brian's falsetto. Carl always remained the most feminine in his quiet but confident style, Brian medium, Dennis way over there being a real man. But Dennis seems to have had his own insecurities too...

[send me a picture and i'll tell you]

I remember that interview.  The caller asked asked Howard (as if Brian weren't right there) if Brian had had a stroke, and Howard yelled at the caller and moved on to the next call.

Recently it was, I think, an NPR interview about the Gershwin album -- video of it's been posted on youtube, I think-- and Brian started the interview in a very manly tone of voice, which dissipated after a few responses.

[Autotune]

Brian has always had a peculiar tone of voice. On the Howard Stern show someone called in just to ask what was up with his voice. But he didn't specifically mean the style of speech but the tone. Or that was how I understood it. Brian had a very manly tone in the 50 packs of cigarettes a day years but before and after that it's had a strange tone, people who know more technical stuff about the voice will surely point out what register or whatever he speaks and sings in most comfortably. I can see why Brian seems to have, at some times, felt insecure as a man. Here he is, this big guy, physically quite large and imposing, but he has one of the sweetest 'feminine' voices in the music world, and he knew it. And he is not opposed to listening to or writing songs from a girl's perspective! Brian must have tripped himself out so many times on these issues. Having two daughters while Carl had sons - Carl was the more feminine Wilson boy in the beginning despite Brian's falsetto. Carl always remained the most feminine in his quiet but confident style, Brian medium, Dennis way over there being a real man. But Dennis seems to have had his own insecurities too...

Interesting... As late as 1988, while promoting his solo album, he mentioned how uncomfortable he was with his lead voice and defined himself mainly as a "falsetto singer" (!). Wish I could find the quote.

Also, I  suggest listening to the original version of This Could be the Night (modern folk quartet, I think). Brian seems to have built his mature, shouty, in-your-face rocking tone after that group's lead singer.

[Firemellow]

Interestingly, both Brian and Ozzy appeared as background vocalists on Ringo Starr's "Vertical Man." 

If you want to hear Brian channeling Ozzy, check out "Without Understanding."  Kinda creepy, Brian, singing about "no good vibrations."

[WaxOn]

Brian has always had a peculiar tone of voice. On the Howard Stern show someone called in just to ask what was up with his voice. But he didn't specifically mean the style of speech but the tone.

Actually that's a really interesting point - and something I've wondered about may be related.

When did Brian start talking out of the side of his mouth?
 
He sings in a similar fashion. The first time I remember this was when he did an interview with Mike Douglas back in what - 1976? After his first "bed binge". I was wondering if he'd had a stroke myself back then. It just seemed really odd and I was taken aback - but figured we were lucky he was alive and kicking.

I also wondered if he started doing that to somehow compensate for the deafness in his right ear, and it just became more prominent over the years.

It's odd, but I do believe it has an effect on the tonality of his voice, aside from whatever register he can muster.

[Alex]

Brian was singing out of the side of his mouth back in `63. There`s a video of Surfer Girl where he does that.

[Chris Brown]

Brian was singing out of the side of his mouth back in `63. There`s a video of Surfer Girl where he does that.

Yeah he's been doing that since the beginning, and the reason has in fact been attributed to his deafness - not sure if it's a common thing amongst those who are deaf in one ear, but it makes sense. 

I don't think it's ever really had an effect on his voice one way or the other, aside from maybe enhancing some intonation problems as he's aged - granted, that happens to many artists in their 50's and 60's, even without the history of a ridiculous amount of prescription medications.

[harrisonjon]

How much of the similarity is due to double tracking the 60's vocal, or sweetening the current vocal?

[puni puni]

I remember that interview.  The caller asked asked Howard (as if Brian weren't right there) if Brian had had a stroke, and Howard yelled at the caller and moved on to the next call.

where do i hear this interview

[drbeachboy]

Brian was singing out of the side of his mouth back in `63. There`s a video of Surfer Girl where he does that.

Yeah he's been doing that since the beginning, and the reason has in fact been attributed to his deafness - not sure if it's a common thing amongst those who are deaf in one ear, but it makes sense.  

I don't think it's ever really had an effect on his voice one way or the other, aside from maybe enhancing some intonation problems as he's aged - granted, that happens to many artists in their 50's and 60's, even without the history of a ridiculous amount of prescription medications.

I think he does it because it is an inherited trait. Audree spoke that way all the time or at least in any video I've ever seen of her.