*Merged* Brian Wilson current album thread

[Ron]

2. Zooey is an actress, and a singer

And a songwriter.

And a Grammy-nominated songwriter too. See the previous page for more details on that.  

I think we can pretty much slam the door shut on the bizarre suggestion that Zooey is somehow less than a "real" musician, or somehow is reaping the benefits of something she didn't earn or work for or have the talent to succeed in doing. Things like recording albums, performing, touring, writing songs, being nominated for awards for those songs...all of that stuff "real" musicians aspire to.

Liking or disliking her music is one thing...trying to discredit her qualifications or "cred" as a musician is approaching batshit crazy levels at this point considering the info that's been posted here.

Plus, she's cheap.  $12/hour, $2/hour extra if any of the kids are under 3yrs.

[Shady]

No Foskett vocals, what a treasure this album is going to be 

Does Foskett now have no contact with Brian? I hadn't thought about this, but I guess that's the case.
I like Matt's singing. I hope his involvement works out well for the album (TWGMTR did not for Foskett...)

I imagine they see very little of each they, considering the beach boys hectic tour schedule. I would love to know how brian feels about that, we know jeff doesn't care.

Jeff's falsetto grates me, I hope he's not on this album

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

2. Zooey is an actress, and a singer

And a songwriter.

And a Grammy-nominated songwriter too. See the previous page for more details on that.  

I think we can pretty much slam the door shut on the bizarre suggestion that Zooey is somehow less than a "real" musician, or somehow is reaping the benefits of something she didn't earn or work for or have the talent to succeed in doing. Things like recording albums, performing, touring, writing songs, being nominated for awards for those songs...all of that stuff "real" musicians aspire to.

Liking or disliking her music is one thing...trying to discredit her qualifications or "cred" as a musician is approaching batshit crazy levels at this point considering the info that's been posted here.

Plus, she's cheap.  $12/hour, $2/hour extra if any of the kids are under 3yrs.

The grammies are even less relevant than both The Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame and Rolling Stone put together.

No matter what accomplishments any "real" musician has achieved, the buying public still has the right to dislike them and to not buy their stuff ...... And disliking someone and not wanting to buy their stuff usually comes with reasons. If having an opinion makes one batshit crazy, then please hand me my straightjacket! ..... You can't just invalidate these reasons because they've won a grammy.... Would it make sense for me to sit here and invalidate everyone for not liking Pisces Brothers just because Mike's won grammies? No, it wouldn't.... Generally with the Grammys, it's the major label, big money versions of more authentic things that are awarded the statue. And Zooey certainly fits into that category.... Just like when Bon Ivar got up there and dedicated his award to all those folks who would never receive such an honor because they hadn't been propped up by the suits and ponytails of the dying record biz nor had their CD's sold in Starbucks n such. The Grammies are just the music big league's award show celebrating itself ..... Who cares.... Most musicians couldn't care less about the Grammys these days, nor does anyone watch them.

I don't dislike Zooey completely, but I've never heard anything from She & Him that struck my fancy, so my opinion is a bit slanted, I admit it. But I'm only human.

The actor turned singer thing can be a real stigma. No need to deny it ..... My 2nd favorite singer of all time (behind Carl) is Ricky Nelson, who certainly got some flack early on as a TV character pretending to be a singer, but he persevered and managed to basically overcome it .... I mean, c'mon, how many of us blast Stamos first and foremost because of Full House? Let's try and have some levity here.

[The Shift]

If Brian didn't work with the occasional child actor-turned-musician, we might never have had Smile.

Just sayin'…

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Ha ha...very true John!

[Andrew G. Doe]

I would love to know how brian feels about that, we know jeff doesn't care.

We do ?  For sure ? If you're going to place 100% credence in what someone says in an edited interview, what we're hearing on TSS isn't really the Fire Music because Brian said he burned the tapes. You see my point...

[guitarfool2002]

I would love to know how brian feels about that, we know jeff doesn't care.

We do ?  For sure ? If you're going to place 100% credence in what someone says in an edited interview, what we're hearing on TSS isn't really the Fire Music because Brian said he burned the tapes. You see my point...

If I can find it in print, I'll quote it, but I heard something about those "Fire tapes" that could shed some light on this saga.

The story was that Brian *did* in fact burn the Fire tapes as the legend suggests, but it was his own tape copy of one of the mixes he had made after the session and had taken home from the studio, similar to any number of acetates or tape copies of the day's work that would go home with the artist or producer. If it had been a session in the 70's, it would have been a cassette copy of a rough mix of the kind that has sourced many a hissy and lo-fi bootleg through the years.

So there is some truth to it, if that's what happened, but he did not as was both reported and assumed for years burn the master session tapes or even other rough mixes that were done to either acetate or reel tape and have been released through the years.

[guitarfool2002]

I'll put in my quarter and play for now.

So discrediting Zooey's musical "cred" or legitimacy as a musician and songwriter was a failure, so now the tactic is to discredit the Grammy award in general?

That is silly and pointless. Well, actually it's more of a grasping at straws kind of thing to still try to show Zooey is somehow less than "worthy" or whatever the case trying to be made around her appearing on a Brian Wilson song, but same difference. Her songwriting got nominated for a Grammy...but the Grammys don't mean anything so it's still a case of bashing Zooey by trying to discredit the award(s) she was nominated for. I get it. 

No matter what the opinion of the Grammys is or might be, are many musicians refusing either their nominations or their award in general, even in 2014? Are there many musicians winning and sending the award back because it's meaningless?

Ask Alan Boyd and Mark Linett how they feel about their Grammy awards. Then tell them directly how you think winning the award doesn't mean anything in the music business, even beyond the nomination itself.

Go to the official Mike Love website, click on the "About" icon, and read his bio. Or, just read it as I repost it here. Notice  the *FIRST ITEM LISTED* on that official Mike Love bio:

Grammy® Winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Member, Michael Edward Love, grew up under the Southern California sun where he soaked up a life of music, surf, sand and sport. Beginning their singing careers as teenagers, Mike and his cousin, Brian Wilson, frequently sang at family get-togethers and holiday gatherings. These early influences served as the inspiration to form the legendary group, The Beach Boys, which first consisted of Mike and his cousins, Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson along with neighbor David Marks and High School friend Alan Jardine.

I guess it doesn't mean anything to Mike or his legacy to have a Grammy award either, right? 

Damn, that was my last quarter.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Here's $3.50... keep going!
Seriously,though, i completely agree

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I'll put in my quarter and play for now.

So discrediting Zooey's musical "cred" or legitimacy as a musician and songwriter was a failure, so now the tactic is to discredit the Grammy award in general?

That is silly and pointless. Well, actually it's more of a grasping at straws kind of thing to still try to show Zooey is somehow less than "worthy" or whatever the case trying to be made around her appearing on a Brian Wilson song, but same difference. Her songwriting got nominated for a Grammy...but the Grammys don't mean anything so it's still a case of bashing Zooey by trying to discredit the award(s) she was nominated for. I get it.  

No matter what the opinion of the Grammys is or might be, are many musicians refusing either their nominations or their award in general, even in 2014? Are there many musicians winning and sending the award back because it's meaningless?

Ask Alan Boyd and Mark Linett how they feel about their Grammy awards. Then tell them directly how you think winning the award doesn't mean anything in the music business, even beyond the nomination itself.

Go to the official Mike Love website, click on the "About" icon, and read his bio. Or, just read it as I repost it here. Notice  the *FIRST ITEM LISTED* on that official Mike Love bio:

Grammy® Winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Member, Michael Edward Love, grew up under the Southern California sun where he soaked up a life of music, surf, sand and sport. Beginning their singing careers as teenagers, Mike and his cousin, Brian Wilson, frequently sang at family get-togethers and holiday gatherings. These early influences served as the inspiration to form the legendary group, The Beach Boys, which first consisted of Mike and his cousins, Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson along with neighbor David Marks and High School friend Alan Jardine.

I guess it doesn't mean anything to Mike or his legacy to have a Grammy award either, right?  

Damn, that was my last quarter.

Once again: I was not trying to discredit Zooey but merely describing the way some folk tend to try and discredit her off hand, much like they do with Stamos. And I am free to feel however I want about the Grammies.... Please tune in each year. The ratings could use you.

And we weren't talking about Mike Love anyway.... Not like anyone tries to discredit him around here, or anything like that .... No never!

[?]

Yeah...  I don't think a Grammy means anything.  Nothing against Zooey, I'm sure she's fine at what she does.

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

GuitarFool, Pinder enjoys squabbling. It's the only reason he's here. So just deny him the pleasure.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Okay, please, no more bullshit about Zoey not having a career in music.

IT DOESN'T MATTER. She could be the damn janitor and if she sang well I wouldn't care, and from what we have to this point, I have no worries.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

GuitarFool, Pinder enjoys squabbling. It's the only reason he's here. So just deny him the pleasure.

No. It's just not cool that it's ok to disagree with some folks and with others it's hell to pay. It's not cool that some folk can disagree with you and trash your opinion, but merely disagreeing with them is a high crime.

[Ray Lawlor]

I'll put in my quarter and play for now.

So discrediting Zooey's musical "cred" or legitimacy as a musician and songwriter was a failure, so now the tactic is to discredit the Grammy award in general?

That is silly and pointless. Well, actually it's more of a grasping at straws kind of thing to still try to show Zooey is somehow less than "worthy" or whatever the case trying to be made around her appearing on a Brian Wilson song, but same difference. Her songwriting got nominated for a Grammy...but the Grammys don't mean anything so it's still a case of bashing Zooey by trying to discredit the award(s) she was nominated for. I get it. 

No matter what the opinion of the Grammys is or might be, are many musicians refusing either their nominations or their award in general, even in 2014? Are there many musicians winning and sending the award back because it's meaningless?

Ask Alan Boyd and Mark Linett how they feel about their Grammy awards. Then tell them directly how you think winning the award doesn't mean anything in the music business, even beyond the nomination itself.

Go to the official Mike Love website, click on the "About" icon, and read his bio. Or, just read it as I repost it here. Notice  the *FIRST ITEM LISTED* on that official Mike Love bio:

Grammy® Winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Member, Michael Edward Love, grew up under the Southern California sun where he soaked up a life of music, surf, sand and sport. Beginning their singing careers as teenagers, Mike and his cousin, Brian Wilson, frequently sang at family get-togethers and holiday gatherings. These early influences served as the inspiration to form the legendary group, The Beach Boys, which first consisted of Mike and his cousins, Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson along with neighbor David Marks and High School friend Alan Jardine.

I guess it doesn't mean anything to Mike or his legacy to have a Grammy award either, right? 

Damn, that was my last quarter.

I am fairly well versed in all the awards the Beach Boys, singularly and collectively , have won over the years; Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the group, Songwriters Hall of Fame, Kennedy Center for Brian, Ella Award for Mike , Rolling Stone Band of the Year in 1974 (?) ect. , ect.  I know Bruce won a Grammy for "I Write the Songs" , Brian won one for the Fire Music and one for the 'SMiLE Sessions" ; did the Beach Boys win a Grammy recently that I am unaware of and somehow missed ? Did they win some lifetime achievement Grammy the night they performed "Good Vibrations" on the Grammy's ?  I was in Brian's music room on his birthday last year; that is where he keeps all his hardware, and I only spotted two.....what am I missing ? Did they overturn the award from 1966 (Winchester Cathedral over Good Vibrations)  ; as they should ?   

[bonnevillemariner]

If Grammys are how we determine what's good music, I must hate a lot of good music and love a lot of crappy stuff.  I've hated "I Write the Songs" since before I knew Bruce wrote it, and the Fire music from Smile gets skipped every time I play that album. 

[KittyKat]

The Grammys suck. Always have. I'm not impressed by anyone for having a Grammy. Or unimpressed for not having one.

[guitarfool2002]

There were four names on the Grammy award for the Smile Sessions from 2012: Brian Wilson, Mark Linett, Alan Boyd, and Dennis Wolfe for production and Mark again listed for his engineering, in the historical category. Those are the only winners who I think would have received the actual "trophy" award, the same way I don't think a specific artist gets the trophy if an album's producer or engineer wins an individual award. I could be wrong.

"The Beach Boys" or individual band members except Brian have not been awarded a Grammy.

[Dancing Bear]

So Zoey was brought in to atract a younger audience. Big deal. Jeff beck was also, but to atract a different audience. Brian has already finished Smile, revisited Gershwin, Christmas and Disney, made a new concept album, reunited with the Beach Boys... His folks are looking for a new angle to make a buzz, that's all. Zoey sings in tune and if the tune is good it will be a good track, and if it's crap it will be a crappy track. she is a non factor, musically.

[Ray Lawlor]

There were four names on the Grammy award for the Smile Sessions from 2012: Brian Wilson, Mark Linett, Alan Boyd, and Dennis Wolfe for production and Mark again listed for his engineering, in the historical category. Those are the only winners who I think would have received the actual "trophy" award, the same way I don't think a specific artist gets the trophy if an album's producer or engineer wins an individual award. I could be wrong.

"The Beach Boys" or individual band members except Brian have not been awarded a Grammy.

Thanks for clarifying that.  I was fairly certain that the group had never won ;Pet Sounds / Good Vibrations got snubbed for God's sake !

[the captain]

I find the almost singular obsession with Deschanel's participation interesting. Even if we're sticking to younger collaborators (as opposed to Beck, Was, ex-Beach Boys), we've got kacey Musgraves, Lana Del Rey, Frank Ocean, the guy from Fun. (Name escapes me ).

No opinions on that? Just all Zooey, all the time. For people interested in questioning credibility (and I'm not), Del Rey can't even play an instrument, yet it's Zooeys shortcomings?

Just funny, I guess. Ocean seems like the strangest fit BY FAR to me, and all of them are interesting for one reason or another.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I find the almost singular obsession with Deschanel's participation interesting. Even if we're sticking to younger collaborators (as opposed to Beck, Was, ex-Beach Boys), we've got kacey Musgraves, Lana Del Rey, Frank Ocean, the guy from Fun. (Name escapes me ).

No opinions on that? Just all Zooey, all the time. For people interested in questioning credibility (and I'm not), Del Rey can't even play an instrument, yet it's Zooeys shortcomings?

Just funny, I guess. Ocean seems like the strangest fit BY FAR to me, and all of them are interesting for one reason or another.

Can't you guys just be ok with people discussing things and maybe us not all being on the same page? Zooey's being zeroed in on only because someone posted that recording snippet.... And get ready for when the damn thing is released! With such a roll call of disparate characters, there will doubtlessly be many such attempts at discussion/dissection. If we're just going to shut down and rage at those who drift away from the party-line, that spells little fun for anyone.

[PhilSpectre]

In the rolling stone article in mentions a fall release. That's exciting!

It mentions Zooey, Frank Ocean, Lana Del Rey, Kacey Musgraves, Jeff Beck, Nate Reuss from Fun and Don Was all makes appearances.

The last track apparently titled "Last Song" is said to be his last song which Lana Del Rey sings on.

Count me another one puzzled by the sudden obsession with Deschanel on this thread.

Jeff Beck excepted, not sure why Brian suddenly needs/ wants all these 'guests' on the new album. Yeah, he's written loads of songs for singers other than himself over the years, but at this stage in his career, for one I want to hear Brian sing, especially as his voice has improved a lot over the last 10 years. I'd understand bringing in other singers more if his voice/ health had deteriorated but he still wanted to carry on working. The only other lead singer I want to hear on a new BW-led album is Al Jardine in particular or any of the other living Beach Boys.

I doubt these 'guests' will shift many more copies for him. After all, Al's album had real luminaries like Glen Campbell, Neil Young, Steve Miller and the Beach Boys themselves and that was hardly a smash in commercial terms. One 'guest duet' I could handle, but this looks in danger of being a 'BW duets with mostly disposable young singers' album. In years to come, how many of these names will even be remembered particularly? This may 'date' the album more than recent others imo.

Will reserve judgement until I hear the record and hope that it's good and that he's able to make a more 'Brian-centric' album in the future.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

In the rolling stone article in mentions a fall release. That's exciting!

It mentions Zooey, Frank Ocean, Lana Del Rey, Kacey Musgraves, Jeff Beck, Nate Reuss from Fun and Don Was all makes appearances.

The last track apparently titled "Last Song" is said to be his last song which Lana Del Rey sings on.

Count me another one puzzled by the sudden obsession with Deschanel on this thread.

Jeff Beck excepted, not sure why Brian suddenly needs/ wants all these 'guests' on the new album. Yeah, he's written loads of songs for singers other than himself over the years, but at this stage in his career, for one I want to hear Brian sing, especially as his voice has improved a lot over the last 10 years. I'd understand bringing in other singers more if his voice/ health had deteriorated but he still wanted to carry on working. The only other lead singer I want to hear on a new BW-led album is Al Jardine in particular or any of the other living Beach Boys.

I doubt these 'guests' will shift many more copies for him. After all, Al's album had real luminaries like Glen Campbell, Neil Young, Steve Miller and the Beach Boys themselves and that was hardly a smash in commercial terms. One 'guest duet' I could handle, but this looks in danger of being a 'BW duets with mostly disposable young singers' album. In years to come, how many of these names will even be remembered particularly? This may 'date' the album more than recent others imo.

Will reserve judgement until I hear the record and hope that it's good and that he's able to make a more 'Brian-centric' album in the future.

WTF???

If someone posts a 10 second clip of a Brian and Lana Del Rey track: I promise you, the "obsession" would suddenly be on her. No genius level math involved here.

The Frank Ocean thing puzzles me.... However, if it were Billy Ocean, I'd be excited )

[KittyKat]

It gets him press in "Rolling Stone" to have all these people on his album. I'm not even sure it gets him press anywhere else.  It might get him more plays on Spotify. Where he'll get fractions of pennies for each play. I wonder if anyone has ever sat down and explained to him that hit records don't exactly exist anymore. Very few people buy downloads on iTunes and Amazon anymore, even fewer buy CD's, and fewer still buy vinyl. He doesn't create a type of music that's likely to get played on terrestrial radio even if it has some type of appeal, because he doesn't fit in the formats that are hot. This may be his last album simply from that standpoint alone. It's not worth spending all that money on an album that has little or no chance of breaking even financially. I doubt Capitol will ever fund a year and a half of off and on studio work again.