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Author Topic: When was Brian at his lowest ebb??, !976?, 1982?, 1991?. And why discuss...  (Read 9369 times)
Jaspy
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« Reply #25 on: March 20, 2012, 11:00:03 PM »

To bring other years in here, I think 1977/78 included many low ebbs, too many.
The first Landy era was a no-go, he was back into drugs, the divorce, the stress of touring + recording.
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Jay
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« Reply #26 on: March 20, 2012, 11:15:04 PM »

I do agree that That Lucky Old Sun is a near masterpiece. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Brian Wilson should be remembered for three albums, Pet Sounds, Smile, and That Lucky Old Sun.
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« Reply #27 on: March 20, 2012, 11:29:55 PM »

The Gershwin album is a monster. Really. Probably the most inspired BW production (as opposed to songwriting) for decades. And the vocals are better than anything he's done since before blowing out his voice. Disney is a relatively slight album, but very pleasant and with some inspired ideas. Works better with the Amazon bonus tracks in place of some of the more recent Disney tunes.

The thing is, we see so little of Brian, really. I mean, we're mainly talking about interviews (and some music, but that's really a matter of taste). And there's no question that Brian's interviews over the last 15 years or so have generally declined in quality. But he also gives a lot more of them. It's hard for me to see those two things as unconnected. He's just less interested in that part of the biz, and I don't think it really says much about the man's inner being or creative soul.

Let's put it this way -- there are also interviews where, for whatever reasons, he decides to be engaged. And it's still the same guy there.

http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/videos.html?id=1972020454
« Last Edit: March 20, 2012, 11:33:55 PM by Wirestone » Logged
Jay
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« Reply #28 on: March 21, 2012, 12:01:36 AM »

Did Brian really say that "lollipop of mediocrity" line?  Grin
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« Reply #29 on: March 21, 2012, 12:08:14 AM »

I think it must be sort of awkward for Brian that very obviously drugged-out recordings of him doing music exist that fans could easily acquire if they were so inclined, haha. Things like the infamous cocaine/hamburger sessions, "Teardrops On My Bed", or the various clips on Endless Bummer. How does Brian feel about this or does he more than likely not care?
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« Reply #30 on: March 21, 2012, 04:33:40 AM »

It blows your mind that Brian's outlived his entire immediate family !
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« Reply #31 on: March 21, 2012, 05:11:30 AM »



The thing is, we see so little of Brian, really. I mean, we're mainly talking about interviews (and some music, but that's really a matter of taste). And there's no question that Brian's interviews over the last 15 years or so have generally declined in quality. But he also gives a lot more of them. It's hard for me to see those two things as unconnected. He's just less interested in that part of the biz, and I don't think it really says much about the man's inner being or creative soul.

Let's put it this way -- there are also interviews where, for whatever reasons, he decides to be engaged. And it's still the same guy there.

http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/videos.html?id=1972020454

You forgot about Beautiful dreamer.
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absinthe_boy
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« Reply #32 on: March 21, 2012, 05:24:55 AM »

I do agree that That Lucky Old Sun is a near masterpiece. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Brian Wilson should be remembered for three albums, Pet Sounds, Smile, and That Lucky Old Sun.

I genuinelly view those three as a trilogy.
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« Reply #33 on: March 21, 2012, 02:18:05 PM »


Let's put it this way -- there are also interviews where, for whatever reasons, he decides to be engaged. And it's still the same guy there.

http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/videos.html?id=1972020454

Just watched that interview, thanks for sharing the link. It's one of the best interviews I've seen/ heard of Brian in recent years. Definitely a lot of the same guy still in there from days of yore. I guess how well  he 'performs' in interviews depends on his mood, the interviewer, the kind of questions his energy levels etc, pretty much like the rest of us then  Smiley  Interesting to hear his thoughts about the ultimate mystery ... 
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« Reply #34 on: March 21, 2012, 02:55:10 PM »

This 2010 interview with Peter Ames Carlin is the most fun latter-day Brian interview I've ever read:

http://www.peteramescarlin.com/node/194

Quote
Q: Are you a Stevie Wonder fan?
Have you heard ‘Superwoman’? When I heard that I thought, that guy's really got it on the ball! And ‘He's Misstra Know It All?’ Oh my God! When I heard that I thought to myself, how in the world can Stevie Wonder write that kind of music? In the early-to-mid 80s I bought that album with ‘Superwoman’ and I said - what am I listening to!? That Moog synthesizer, ‘I think I can deal with that, is what went  through my mind. . .’ then he goes into the synth thing and I thought, I’ll never hear anything that good again in my life.’ (made to love cover): I like Carl’s version, too. They’re both good. But Stevie is a fabluous singer, a really good singer.

Quote
Q: [...] and you should really check out the albums they made from Woody Guthrie's old lyrics...this one called "My Flying Saucer," it's so not what you expect from the "This Land is Your Land" guy...
Do you think there’s anything real to UFO’s? Or is that just something people say? In general, have they established that there are really UFO’s? They have pictures, don’t they? Is that stuff real, or do they know for sure? (John Lennon said he saw one over New York City in the '70s...)  No kidding!!!! He said he saw a UFO? (throws back his head and guffaws really loudly) Maybe that thing liked the Beatles! They wanted to get his autograph. Jesus, there are so many things out there people don’t understand, it’s a weird trip.
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« Reply #35 on: March 21, 2012, 05:03:27 PM »

This 2010 interview with Peter Ames Carlin is the most fun latter-day Brian interview I've ever read:

http://www.peteramescarlin.com/node/194

Quote
Q: Are you a Stevie Wonder fan?
Have you heard ‘Superwoman’? When I heard that I thought, that guy's really got it on the ball! And ‘He's Misstra Know It All?’ Oh my God! When I heard that I thought to myself, how in the world can Stevie Wonder write that kind of music? In the early-to-mid 80s I bought that album with ‘Superwoman’ and I said - what am I listening to!? That Moog synthesizer, ‘I think I can deal with that, is what went  through my mind. . .’ then he goes into the synth thing and I thought, I’ll never hear anything that good again in my life.’ (made to love cover): I like Carl’s version, too. They’re both good. But Stevie is a fabluous singer, a really good singer.

Quote
Q: [...] and you should really check out the albums they made from Woody Guthrie's old lyrics...this one called "My Flying Saucer," it's so not what you expect from the "This Land is Your Land" guy...
Do you think there’s anything real to UFO’s? Or is that just something people say? In general, have they established that there are really UFO’s? They have pictures, don’t they? Is that stuff real, or do they know for sure? (John Lennon said he saw one over New York City in the '70s...)  No kidding!!!! He said he saw a UFO? (throws back his head and guffaws really loudly) Maybe that thing liked the Beatles! They wanted to get his autograph. Jesus, there are so many things out there people don’t understand, it’s a weird trip.

Un-believable interview. He seems so... Normal? Crazy? Down to earth? Eccentric? I can't decide. The parts about Dennis sorta break my heart, though. I mean, sure he was passionate. I mean, unstable. But he was right. Right? I feel like Dennis is the only one who took the "long view," and it sounds like even Brian "didn't get it." Poor Dennis.
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hypehat
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« Reply #36 on: March 21, 2012, 05:35:32 PM »

Haha, the bit in that interview where Carlin says 'Brian, you seem to survive everything' and he replies 'No, that's not true. Some of these radio advertisements drive me crazy.'


He's like us!  LOL
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All roads lead to Kokomo. Exhaustive research in time travel has conclusively proven that there is no alternate universe WITHOUT Kokomo. It would've happened regardless.
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« Reply #37 on: March 21, 2012, 06:38:04 PM »

Quote
Un-believable interview. He seems so... Normal? Crazy? Down to earth? Eccentric? I can't decide. The parts about Dennis sorta break my heart, though. I mean, sure he was passionate. I mean, unstable. But he was right. Right? I feel like Dennis is the only one who took the "long view," and it sounds like even Brian "didn't get it." Poor Dennis.

I feel the same way.
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« Reply #38 on: March 21, 2012, 11:01:49 PM »

Weird day for Brian with Peter! He spoke glowingly about him to me.  Maybe he was talking about the later years as far as the meetings went. Wish I knew the issue Dennis was upset about.
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Jay
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« Reply #39 on: March 21, 2012, 11:25:24 PM »

Great interview indeed.  Grin OK, maybe I was wrong with my previous argument in this thread.
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Jay
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« Reply #40 on: March 21, 2012, 11:36:52 PM »

Weird day for Brian with Peter! He spoke glowingly about him to me.  Maybe he was talking about the later years as far as the meetings went. Wish I knew the issue Dennis was upset about.
Perhaps he was alluding to the fact that by 1980-83, Dennis had basically "surrendered" to the others in regard to the creative fight over material(much in the same way that Carl eventually did)? By 1981-82 Brian and Dennis were both "kindred spirits" in that they were both in a dark place. Maybe they found happiness in a destructive, generally f***ed up way? Did that make any sense at all?
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Jaspy
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« Reply #41 on: March 21, 2012, 11:47:24 PM »

Yes, Dennis obviously wasn't always an easy guy to get along with.
Sometimes the nicest guy, sometimes the biggest ...
Brian seems to have very mixed feelings about him.
I mean, this isn't the first recent interview where he expressed negative sentiments against Dennis.
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« Reply #42 on: March 22, 2012, 03:56:53 AM »

Maybe it has something to do with the company Brian keeps? You know, "Drugs are bad, they ruined SMiLE, they ruined my mental health. Drugs are bad, Dennis took drugs, Dennis gave me drugs, ergo Dennis = bad."

Also, Dennis was the rowdy middle child, while Brian is (was) the authoritative, responsible oldest child. I have two older brothers, and I see a similar pattern of family dynamics (Woo! That means I'm Carl!).

Any links to more Brian interviews where he opens up about Dennis, good or bad?
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hypehat
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« Reply #43 on: March 22, 2012, 05:15:29 AM »

I think interviewers (well, at least ones who don't know Brian well, unlike Carlin or Leaf) sort of think it's best not to go there - Brian clearly misses his brothers a lot. Anyone would, and this is Brian Wilson we're talking about here - I think he genuinely has a soft skin when it comes to things like that. It's possibly easier to deflect it with comments like that.

There's a great one recently where Brian (possibly in full put-on mode) describes his own unique brand of musical synthesesia. That's hilarious.

It's been mentioned already, but the interviews Leaf conducted with him for Beautiful Dreamer are very good, considering the subjects broached.

Bad Brian interviews (and god knows there's a lot of them) can genuinely be ascribed to him being bored or uncomfortable, I think. As Wirestone said, even disregarding his lifestyle he's still 70 years old. He's not 'gone' upstairs, he's just 70.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2012, 05:16:33 AM by hypehat » Logged

All roads lead to Kokomo. Exhaustive research in time travel has conclusively proven that there is no alternate universe WITHOUT Kokomo. It would've happened regardless.
What is this "life" thing you speak of ?

Quote from: Al Jardine
Syncopate it? In front of all these people?!
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« Reply #44 on: March 22, 2012, 08:11:31 AM »


Also, Dennis was the rowdy middle child, while Brian is (was) the authoritative, responsible oldest child. I have two older brothers, and I see a similar pattern of family dynamics (Woo! That means I'm Carl!).


I think the sibling/birth order thing might have a lot to do with it. Our perception of our siblings as adults is impacted by our perception of them as children. I hear myself complaining about my older sister, and I think, "Wow. No one else sees her this way." It's because of our relationship when we were kids--she was bossy and somewhat manipulative, as older siblings tend to be. I was bratty, and in some ways she still sees me that way. And we're in our 30s. And the fact that Brian and Dennis were SO different as kids-- the shy and well-behaved Brian probably used to roll his eyes at Dennis, not understanding why this kid kept getting into trouble, saying rude things, etc. As Dennis said, if it wasn't for the music, they really wouldn't have spent any time together.
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« Reply #45 on: March 22, 2012, 08:23:29 AM »

Brian's lowest ebb was when he was found lying in a gutter near a park in San Diego and Marilyn sent somebody to go search for him. What year was that.
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« Reply #46 on: March 22, 2012, 09:30:39 AM »

Sept '88. Greenford, London. STOMP Convention. When he saw the T-Shirt I was wearing.
I think I was the only one wearing one that day.. which is surprising.
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« Reply #47 on: March 22, 2012, 07:31:37 PM »

I think interviewers (well, at least ones who don't know Brian well, unlike Carlin or Leaf) sort of think it's best not to go there - Brian clearly misses his brothers a lot. Anyone would, and this is Brian Wilson we're talking about here - I think he genuinely has a soft skin when it comes to things like that. It's possibly easier to deflect it with comments like that.

Hypehat

What a wonderful and insightful comment on how Brian handles his thoughts when asked about Dennis. "Rude"  You're a great guy Brian.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2012, 07:35:54 PM by Dave in KC » Logged
hypehat
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« Reply #48 on: March 22, 2012, 07:44:35 PM »

I'm not sure who you're trying to insult with that one, but I'm going to cover it with 'f*ck you and the horse you rode in on'.

Also, learn to quote.  Smokin
« Last Edit: March 22, 2012, 07:47:14 PM by hypehat » Logged

All roads lead to Kokomo. Exhaustive research in time travel has conclusively proven that there is no alternate universe WITHOUT Kokomo. It would've happened regardless.
What is this "life" thing you speak of ?

Quote from: Al Jardine
Syncopate it? In front of all these people?!
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« Reply #49 on: March 22, 2012, 09:32:52 PM »

At first I thought I read "I'm going to the park and take a NAP" which would be so Brian. Smiley
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Mike Love autobiography (pg 242-243)
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