*Merged* Brian Wilson current album thread

[KittyKat]

The feedback on the Facebook posting has been mostly negative. These are medium to hardcore Brian fans, so I'm not sure who they're hoping to win over with these duets. I don't know if those artist's fan bases are going to be running out to spend a dollar or so on an iTunes download. Maybe they'll check it out on Spotify or YouTube. It makes it somewhat more likely that the middling Brian fan might pass on this album, mostly because it sounds like a muddled concept. Not a duet album (not with only three duets), not a Beach Boys Mach II-minus-Mike-n-Bruce, not a Jeff Beck collaboration. 

[Wirestone]

You know, if we were hearing early reports of the BW88 album, people would be furious about a project that featured guest appearances from Lindsey Buckingham, Terence Trent D'Arby, Jeff Lynne and the lead singer from the Dream Academy.

There is nothing new or unusual or concerning here. The album will rise or fall on its own merits.

[halblaineisgood]

.

[Sheriff John Stone]

The feedback on the Facebook posting has been mostly negative. These are medium to hardcore Brian fans, so I'm not sure who they're hoping to win over with these duets. I don't know if those artist's fan bases are going to be running out to spend a dollar or so on an iTunes download. Maybe they'll check it out on Spotify or YouTube. It makes it somewhat more likely that the middling Brian fan might pass on this album, mostly because it sounds like a muddled concept. Not a duet album (not with only three duets), not a Beach Boys Mach II-minus-Mike-n-Bruce, not a Jeff Beck collaboration. 

Brian Wilson wants to be on the radio, even though he doesn't listen to the radio. At least the radio stations they...er...he's aiming for. He wants a hit. He can't do it by himself. He's proven that.

I remember the Brian "I've never written a single note or word of music because I think it will make money" Wilson. I don't know if HE has changed. Let's just say that THINGS have changed. Simply put, very simply put, Zooey, Kacey, and Lana (oh Lana, oh Lana dear) give him a better chance at achieving that. Actually it's his only chance. And if they don't work, you still have Frankie "I'm a cork on the" Ocean. Hey, what better name to be working with Brian Wilson, the genius behind The Beach Boys.

[Don Malcolm]

Brian Wilson wants to be on the radio, even though he doesn't listen to the radio. At least the radio stations they...er...he's aiming for. He wants a hit. He can't do it by himself. He's proven that.

I remember the Brian "I've never written a single note or word of music because I think it will make money" Wilson. I don't know if HE has changed. Let's just say that THINGS have changed. Simply put, very simply put, Zooey, Kacey, and Lana (oh Lana, oh Lana dear) give him a better chance at achieving that. Actually it's his only chance. And if they don't work, you still have Frankie "I'm a cork on the" Ocean. Hey, what better name to be working with Brian Wilson, the genius behind The Beach Boys.

Nice post, Sheriff, right on the money IMO...and, hell, Brian really should just do what he wants at this stage. If we think and wish and hope and pray he and the ladies will give us some flavors of emotion that might not happen using the usual format. And if it's good and it sells, possibly we'll see BW out there with the ladies, which would be a very nice turnabout for all the years that M&B trotted out Stamos.

[clack]

Brian wants to reach beyond his already existing fanbase, and have an actual, played-on-the-radio, licensed-to-TV-and-movies hit. Having Lana Del Ray sing on one of his songs gives him a shot, if that song is great (granted, a big if).

[Wirestone]

The feedback on the Facebook posting has been mostly negative. These are medium to hardcore Brian fans, so I'm not sure who they're hoping to win over with these duets. I don't know if those artist's fan bases are going to be running out to spend a dollar or so on an iTunes download. Maybe they'll check it out on Spotify or YouTube. It makes it somewhat more likely that the middling Brian fan might pass on this album, mostly because it sounds like a muddled concept. Not a duet album (not with only three duets), not a Beach Boys Mach II-minus-Mike-n-Bruce, not a Jeff Beck collaboration. 

Brian Wilson wants to be on the radio, even though he doesn't listen to the radio. At least the radio stations they...er...he's aiming for. He wants a hit. He can't do it by himself. He's proven that.

I remember the Brian "I've never written a single note or word of music because I think it will make money" Wilson. I don't know if HE has changed.

He was saying exactly the same thing to Joe Thomas back in 1996-1997. He wants hit records, and he wants them played on the radio. That's the only way Brian can truly measure success. If he truly cared about anything else, he would have never worked with Joe, and he would have deserted major labels decades ago. The fact that he clings to both suggests to me that these things are really and truly important to him.

[JohnMill]

Eh I don't know what to think.  In the grand scheme of things these collaborations probably don't matter much as Wirestone stated.  Then again I understand the antipathy from Beach Boys and Brian Wilson fans as it's probably more than fair to criticize Brian Wilson for such moves.  In 1983, Paul McCartney caught all types of hell from Beatles fans and the press alike for his collaborations with Michael Jackson some going so far as to term the McCartney-Jackson collaborations as the work of a "desperate pop star looking to remain relevant with modern audiences".  It's worth remembering that Macca was just entering his forties around 1983.  For an artist in his seventies to be collaborating with artists young enough to be his grandchildren is certainly going to raise some eyebrows.

As for the "Brian's Angels" reference.  As a huge "Charlie's Angels" fan, Brian casts out well as Bosley, Murray Wilson as Charlie (giving instructions over an intercom seems to be right up his alley) and we need to find roles for the other Beach Boys as well.  

[Sheriff John Stone]

The feedback on the Facebook posting has been mostly negative. These are medium to hardcore Brian fans, so I'm not sure who they're hoping to win over with these duets. I don't know if those artist's fan bases are going to be running out to spend a dollar or so on an iTunes download. Maybe they'll check it out on Spotify or YouTube. It makes it somewhat more likely that the middling Brian fan might pass on this album, mostly because it sounds like a muddled concept. Not a duet album (not with only three duets), not a Beach Boys Mach II-minus-Mike-n-Bruce, not a Jeff Beck collaboration. 

Brian Wilson wants to be on the radio, even though he doesn't listen to the radio. At least the radio stations they...er...he's aiming for. He wants a hit. He can't do it by himself. He's proven that.

I remember the Brian "I've never written a single note or word of music because I think it will make money" Wilson. I don't know if HE has changed.

He was saying exactly the same thing to Joe Thomas back in 1996-1997. He wants hit records, and he wants them played on the radio. That's the only way Brian can truly measure success. If he truly cared about anything else, he would have never worked with Joe, and he would have deserted major labels decades ago. The fact that he clings to both suggests to me that these things are really and truly important to him.

And in some ways, I find that sad. Not in all ways; of course recording artists want their stuff to be heard. It's human nature. I remember Bob Dylan saying in an interview, and I'm paraphrasing, "I don't want them (records) put in boxes in a warehouse somewhere..." But the way Brian appears so desperate, and in my opinion he appears very desperate, it's a side of Brian that I don't particularly care for.

I still long for the Brian Wilson who recorded music because he had something to say - musically. He made albums to express himself. Repeat - HIMSELF. Not ideas that others were feeding him; his ideas. I don't know if that quote of his about not recording music to make money was entirely true; he was much younger and much poorer then....and more driven. Of course he was recording music for reasons other than art. But don't you think that his art was always at the root, at the heart of the songs.

Why is Brian recording this album? Does HE have anything to say? Sometimes, not all the time but sometimes I wish that if Brian didn't have anything that he really wanted to express musically, maybe it would better to just NOT record an album. Now people will say how do I know whether it's any good until I hear it. You can't pre-judge. Yes I can. People opine that Brian can record whatever he wants and who am I to decide for him what he should record. That's not the point. They are missing the point. Fans are allowed to have expectations or wants or desires of an artist. Most of it is based on history anyway. That's called being a fan, short for fanatical. We're allowed to think and feel anyway we want about an artist or the artist's music. And, hey, wouldn't it be great to proven wrong.

Wirestone, this wasn't directed at you. I just piggybacked on your post to vent. I just felt like saying something.

[KittyKat]

His chances of getting played on radio with or without these duet partners is slim to none. It's not him, entirely, it's the way the industry works now. What radio format would play his music? The same with the likelihood of getting a chart hit. And even if he gets a chart hit, it would sell in the thousands, not the millions. So, Brian really shouldn't be trying too hard to achieve something that no longer tangibly exists for him or his peer group.

[Pretty Funky]

It would not surprise me in the least if it is part of a campaign to raise interest in both the movie and album. Brian plus Al, David, Blondie and Beck equals old guys and less interest.

Brian and some new-blood raises the potential interest in the album plus the young, new listeners may then want to check out that Brian guy's life story on the big screen.

[JohnMill]

It would not surprise me in the least if it is part of a campaign to raise interest in both the movie and album. Brian plus Al, David, Blondie and Beck equals old guys and less interest.

Brian and some new-blood raises the potential interest in the album plus the young, new listeners may then want to check out that Brian guy's life story on the big screen.

I guess it depends on how you define interest.  Older groups and musicians are still able to draw in young audiences (thereby generating interest) to their concerts year in and year out.  Concerts by popular acts of the sixties and seventies aren't anywhere near the "exclusive baby-boomer" gatherings that some may have predicted them to be and that would include the C50 tour of 2012.  Lots of positive feedback on that tour from ticket buyers of all ages.  Now the draw of Brian Wilson as a solo artist is another matter entirely and unfortunately this very talented musician suffers from the fact that he never really established himself as a solo act during his prime years much like many of his contemporaries did once the successful bands they came up with in the music industry folded.

The main problem is with as KittyKat mentioned is the way radio is formatted today where acts of Brian Wilson's generation has been marginalized to the point of having virtually no presence on the airwaves. 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Something that nobody seems to pick up on...many are going on and on about not liking this move because Brian is shooting for having a hit, but nobody is talking about how this also might mean that Brian just may well be really working his ass off in order to make that happen, not just ' oh, let's get a guest here and not bother trying to sound decent' like he did on GIOMH. Or rather, what was done for him.

[clack]

His chances of getting played on radio with or without these duet partners is slim to none. It's not him, entirely, it's the way the industry works now. What radio format would play his music? The same with the likelihood of getting a chart hit. And even if he gets a chart hit, it would sell in the thousands, not the millions. So, Brian really shouldn't be trying too hard to achieve something that no longer tangibly exists for him or his peer group.

Lana Del Ray can't get played on the radio?

Brian could put out records for a coterie audience of long-time fans, like, say, Todd Rundgren does, but maybe Brian still wants what he's always strove for -- popular success. He still sees himself as a pop artist, not a cult artist.

[guitarfool2002]

The feedback on the Facebook posting has been mostly negative. These are medium to hardcore Brian fans, so I'm not sure who they're hoping to win over with these duets. I don't know if those artist's fan bases are going to be running out to spend a dollar or so on an iTunes download. Maybe they'll check it out on Spotify or YouTube. It makes it somewhat more likely that the middling Brian fan might pass on this album, mostly because it sounds like a muddled concept. Not a duet album (not with only three duets), not a Beach Boys Mach II-minus-Mike-n-Bruce, not a Jeff Beck collaboration. 

What are you talking about? I just logged on here, read this, then went over to Facebook...

I mean, seriously, if you're going to post reports about what's happening on another site or news feed or whatever else, at least make it an accurate report.

For those interested, the majority of reader comments (just under 175 as of 10:49 EST) in that Facebook entry are positive, excited, some fans of Zooey posted heart icons, some fans of Lana are excited, some folks are completely unaware of who any of the musicians are, some are asking where is Jeff Beck, one person is suggesting Brian is producing *two* albums as we speak, some are posting the same stuff as appears in this thread...

But again, let's at least tell the truth when reporting something from another site not everyone may visit, deal?  

I'd personally like to "autotune" this whole thread to remove the errors (deliberate and not), but that's another story.  

[Cyncie]

This just posted to Brian's Facebook:

To my fans: it kind of bums me out to see some of the negativity here about the album I’ve been working so hard on. In my life in music, I’ve been told too many times not to f*** with the formula, but as an artist it’s my job to do that – and I think I’ve earned that right.
I’m really proud of these new songs and to hear these great artists sing on them just blows me away. I love what we’ve done.
I would think that after making music for more than fifty years, my fans would understand that I’ll always do what’s in my heart – and I think that’s why you are my fans. So let’s just wait until the album comes out because I think you just might dig it as much as I do.
Love and Mercy, Brian

[guitarfool2002]

If you want to see exactly what the Facebook "response" is to that post, head over there and read with your own eyes, free of errors, inaccuracies, distortions, and the like. It takes a few minutes and will explain a lot.

EDIT: Cyncie beat me to it! 

[catsaregrey]

This just posted to Brian's Facebook:

To my fans: it kind of bums me out to see some of the negativity here about the album I’ve been working so hard on. In my life in music, I’ve been told too many times not to f*** with the formula, but as an artist it’s my job to do that – and I think I’ve earned that right.
I’m really proud of these new songs and to hear these great artists sing on them just blows me away. I love what we’ve done.
I would think that after making music for more than fifty years, my fans would understand that I’ll always do what’s in my heart – and I think that’s why you are my fans. So let’s just wait until the album comes out because I think you just might dig it as much as I do.
Love and Mercy, Brian

SHOTS FIRED

[Dudd]

Oh snap

[Shady]

Who the hell wrote that on Brian's Facebook 

Awesome message

[18thofMay]

Well done Brian and management!

[guitarfool2002]

And it hasn't been anywhere near "mostly negative", but the few negatives there still seem to have struck a nerve, which is a shame. Just like a lot if this thread has been, a g*ddamned shame.

[bringahorseinhere?]

I LOVE BRIAN WILSON!!!

Just for being Brian Wilson!

Good on him!  a shame he still has to fight for his artistic freedom as he says, after 50 years!!!

Stupid People..... and we are the smartest species???..... 

RickB

[Shady]

Who gets the feeling that the person who wrote that post was also aiming it at this board

... Just a thought

[rab2591]

This just posted to Brian's Facebook:

To my fans: it kind of bums me out to see some of the negativity here about the album I’ve been working so hard on. In my life in music, I’ve been told too many times not to f*** with the formula, but as an artist it’s my job to do that – and I think I’ve earned that right.
I’m really proud of these new songs and to hear these great artists sing on them just blows me away. I love what we’ve done.
I would think that after making music for more than fifty years, my fans would understand that I’ll always do what’s in my heart – and I think that’s why you are my fans. So let’s just wait until the album comes out because I think you just might dig it as much as I do.
Love and Mercy, Brian

I find it incredibly sad that he had to write this. Damn.

At the same time, I'm glad to see that he's really passionate about this album!