God Only Knows BBC Music ad

[mikeddonn]

I think it's pretty cool!  My wife (not a Beach Boys fan, although can appreciate them) thought it was great, especially when Brian appeared.  She bought it, I bought it then went to Asda and bought a physical copy.  Hopefully this gets to number one.  As a Foo Fighters fan I also love the fact Dave Grohl is on there too! 

[Larry Franz]

Brian Wilson is still a relatively well-kept secret.

He's really not

"Relatively", compared to some of his musical peers or performers of a certain age. If Facebook is good for anything, it's gathering statistics:

Bob Dylan          6.3 million likes on FB
Paul McCartney   6 million
Elton John          5.6 million
Neil Young          3 million
Keith Richards    1 million
John Fogerty      594,000
David Crosby      322,000
Brian Wilson       188,000
Ray Davies           53,000

[Jim Rockford]

Almost 2 million views.

[Cyncie]

Trending on Facebook.

[guitarfool2002]

It was picked up by some American news outlets like USA today, and several other prominent sources too, I saw it before leaving this afternoon. I'll need to check if it's gotten to more news sources as of tonight. Keep in mind the news is not always on top of things, that's painfully obvious, and this to their possibly wrong thinking may be a UK-centric story only. What they don;t realize for some reason is that in 2014 if you have One Direction appearing for a few seconds, you'll get literally a few million American teen and pre-teen girls flocking to it. And they are in this clip, so do the math. 

What I cannot understand...I REALLY cannot understand...is the sales being limited to the UK. Seriously, do they want to cut themselves off at the knees and lose potentially millions of dollars which would go to the charity? And why wouldn't they want artists like Elton John, One Direction, Lorde, any number of them to help sell this and raise more money outside the UK if it means millions more in charity funds through sales and downloads?

I had the same experience earlier today, I wanted to buy and order a hard-disc copy of this. I checked all the sites mentioned in the original announcement, like Amazon, HMV, etc...came up empty. I'm holding money in my hand wanting to buy this disc, there are potentially millions wanting to download it, etc.

Maybe by now or even tomorrow they'll get the message at the BBC and related distributors and actually offer it for sale to the rest of the world.

If there is some silly reason why they haven't done so as of today, I can't wait to hear it.

[Pretty Funky]

For those of you who know where to find these things, any increase in sales of the original or even the PS album on itunes, Amazon etc over the last 48 hours?

[Shady]

Brian Wilson is still a relatively well-kept secret.

He's really not

"Relatively", compared to some of his musical peers or performers of a certain age. If Facebook is good for anything, it's gathering statistics:

Bob Dylan          6.3 million likes on FB
Paul McCartney   6 million
Elton John          5.6 million
Neil Young          3 million
Keith Richards    1 million
John Fogerty      594,000
David Crosby      322,000
Brian Wilson       188,000
Ray Davies           53,000

Irrelevant

With respect, I could give a damn how many likes on facebook Brian has compared to anyone.

At the end of the day the man's work is recognised worldwide.

Brian's never been one to get his name out there, he let's the music do the talking.

[Niko]

Brian Wilson is still a relatively well-kept secret.

He's really not

"Relatively", compared to some of his musical peers or performers of a certain age. If Facebook is good for anything, it's gathering statistics:

Bob Dylan          6.3 million likes on FB
Paul McCartney   6 million
Elton John          5.6 million
Neil Young          3 million
Keith Richards    1 million
John Fogerty      594,000
David Crosby      322,000
Brian Wilson       188,000
Ray Davies           53,000

Irrelevant

With respect, I could give a damn how many likes on facebook Brian has compared to anyone.

At the end of the day the man's work is recognised worldwide.

Brian's never been one to get his name out there, he let's the music do the talking.

For some reason Franz excluded The Beach Boys - their facebook page has 1,972,000 likes.

I think that's relevant.

[Larry Franz]

Brian Wilson is still a relatively well-kept secret.

He's really not

"Relatively", compared to some of his musical peers or performers of a certain age. If Facebook is good for anything, it's gathering statistics:

Bob Dylan          6.3 million likes on FB
Paul McCartney   6 million
Elton John          5.6 million
Neil Young          3 million
Keith Richards    1 million
John Fogerty      594,000
David Crosby      322,000
Brian Wilson       188,000
Ray Davies           53,000

Irrelevant

With respect, I could give a damn how many likes on facebook Brian has compared to anyone.

At the end of the day the man's work is recognised worldwide.

Brian's never been one to get his name out there, he let's the music do the talking.

For some reason Franz excluded The Beach Boys - their facebook page has 1,972,000 likes.

I think that's relevant.

When in doubt, declare facts "irrelevant". Like it or not, Brian Wilson, a brilliant talent with a decades-long career, who of course is known by many people worldwide, is not as well known as he deserves to be, for various reasons. I hope the movie helps him become better known. Then it won't be necessary to remind readers, as so many news stories do, that he used to be in the Beach Boys.

And clearly, the fact that the Beach Boys, who aren't an individual like Young, Crosby, Fogerty, et al., are world-famous and as a result have been "liked" by a couple million people (even though it's only on that silly Facebook site that millions of people visit daily, which, as I said, makes it an excellent place to find out facts such as who is well-known by the public and who isn't) shows that Brian, the individual who had so much to do with the Beach Boys' success, is a relatively well-kept secret, compared to people like the ones I mentioned.

My surprise that the BBC story hasn't been picked up by the wire services that serve America so far (last I checked) wasn't meant as an attack or criticism of Brian at all, of course, but that's almost too obvious to mention.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Yeah, great tribute to Brian and the band and all, and super that he's being shown so much respect by so many, but I hope I never have to sit through it again...
Brian May doing his screechy guitar act? Jamie Cullum? Chris Martin? Dry heave!! And I don't know who that female singer is at 0:45 but oh man, I cannot bare singers who deliberately put on that sort of croaky voice thing when they sing, presumably under the mistaken impression that it sounds sexy or meaningful or whatever... I'm afraid I just found the whole thing revoltingly twee and suffocatingly middle-class. And yeah i know it's for charity etc. But that's genuinely how I felt watching it and this is an opinion board after all. Implying that if people don't want to say nice things about this video then they shouldn't say anything at all, as some have done, is just daft. Democracy etc.

And as I said, kudos for showing Brian so much respect and all I just don't want to ever see it again.

Heard you the first time. Repetition unnecessary. My point proven.

Heard me the first time? That was my first post on the subject and would have been my only one if not for your odd response. Gee, someone is being seriously defensive about this video aren't they? Time for a Snickers perhaps?

[Andrew G. Doe]

My wider point, granted one obscured by my original post - my bad - was that there are folk here who will find fault with anything and everything, just... because. And like OSD's infantile posts, or Gregg's insistence on Turing any thread against Mike, it's getting thoroughly tedious.

[puni puni]

So cliche. All I can think of is Bad Cover Version. Care of Cell 44 drums just don't work with this song. Thank God for Brian's cameo.

Brian doubled his vocal with echo becasuse thats the way he recorded Carl on the original. 

It only ended up sounding like they were trying to "fix" his vocals again. The context of the video just makes no sense for him to be doubletracked. Now I know this is exactly what happened in the On An Island preview; Zooey only recorded her vocal once. Why is Brian the only one who doubles himself?

[ontor pertawst]

Er, because he's been doing it for decades to get a nice sound?

[puni puni]

I get that, but why doesn't anybody else double themselves in the same song?

[guitarfool2002]

I get that, but why doesn't anybody else double themselves?

You don't get it. Consider this.

I'm one of the few who hated it. Why?

- The overproduction on Brian sticks out alongside every other singer.

I want to address this, not to change opinions or anything but just to share what *I* heard in this recording. And as it was already said what the reasons were and how Brian mixed his segments that way, this is my own impression. Just something to consider.

Each musician got a few seconds of music, a phrase or two in which to work. What I got from watching it several times was that there seem to have been specific attempts to present more than a few artists in a way that brought out what they were known for musically, or perhaps feature the sounds or the style either in performance or sound that they have been known for.

The Brian May segment helped crystallize some of this "concept" if that's what it was. Some artists, perhaps to a lesser degree.

Would you expect to have heard Brian May sing something? Or even play a classical guitar passage? I doubt it. His guitar style has been for 40 years to overdub and harmonize his unique "guitar orchestra", stacking upwards of a half-dozen parts in harmony, using that trusty old hand-built red guitar through his trusty old Vox amps. And that's both the sound and the visual that you got from May in his 5 second spot.

Brian Wilson beyond his songwriting and 60's falsetto vocals on all those classics is known for his productions, his production techniques and the sounds that he created in the studio. Beyond playing his composition, you got to hear in his spot the doubled lead vocals, with reverb/echo chamber sounds that he is known for, even beyond this specific song's original production.

So as Brian May offered a few seconds of his stacked guitars, Stevie Wonder did a harmonica solo along with his vocal, etc...Brian Wilson offered a few seconds of his vocal production techniques dating back to 1962. Doubled lead, echo chamber...all that sonic stuff in that first appearance in the clip.

Just something to consider. Brian-as-songwriter was already represented, so he offered a few studio sounds on his vocal.

At least I perceived it that way. 

[startBBtoday]

Any favorite and least favorite performances from the song?

I was pleasantly surprised by Chris Martin. Also really enjoyed the Steve Wonder harmonica and, of course, Brian.

Didn't care so much for the kid who went "la, la, la, lalala" or Dave Grohl.

The horn section reminds me of the movie "Love Actually" for some reason.

[puni puni]

That's a very deep interpretation but I'm pretty sure if Frankie Valli had sang a line, he wouldn't have doubled himself, and if Lennon had appeared, his vocals wouldn't be processed through a Leslie speaker or tube amp. Brian's doubletracked vocals aren't anymore iconic. His falsetto, yeah, but besides that, the only recognizable production or arranging effects he's ever been associated with is slapback echo on prepared basses and four-on-the-floor piano chord strumming.

The most realistic explanation as of recently is that Brian doubles himself arbitrarily, and that whoever else shares his leads are never asked to doubletrack.

[startBBtoday]

That's a very deep interpretation but I'm pretty sure if Frankie Valli had sang a line, he wouldn't have doubled himself, and if Lennon had appeared, his vocals wouldn't be processed through a Leslie speaker or tube amp. Brian's doubletracked vocals aren't anymore iconic. His falsetto, yeah, but besides that, the only recognizable production or arranging effects he's ever been associated with is slapback echo on prepared basses and four-on-the-floor piano chord strumming.

The most realistic explanation as of recently is that Brian doubles himself arbitrarily, and that whoever else shares his leads are never asked to doubletrack.

I don't think it's a deep interpretation at all. The Stevie Wonder harmonica is clearly produced like it would be in a classic Stevie Wonder song. Same with Chris Martin's vocals, Brian May's guitar, etc. Perhaps that's because those artists recorded their parts from their own studios with their own production, or maybe it was the point of the video -- to showcase each artist's style.

The opera singer sang in an operatic fashion because that's what she does. Brian doubletracked because that's what he does, and it's what he's been doing for 50 years.

[ontor pertawst]

I guess that makes imaginary Frankie Valli and hypothetical notdead Lennon way better and that lazy, good-for-nothing Brian Wilson a filthy cheater for using his standard production stuff!

 I hear Grohl sniveled and begged to be doubletracked but they said "under no circumstances, only Brian gets doubletracking. You have to stand over there and look kinda awkward and mime to a single vocal track!" "Why do I have to do that?" "It's your trademark! Now stand over there!" "What if you were to pan my vocal from the left to the right, then... back to the left again?" "No." "Please?" "Just... no."

[guitarfool2002]

That's a very deep interpretation but I'm pretty sure if Frankie Valli had sang a line, he wouldn't have doubled himself, and if Lennon had appeared, his vocals wouldn't be processed through a Leslie speaker or tube amp. Brian's doubletracked vocals aren't anymore iconic. His falsetto, yeah, but besides that, the only recognizable production or arranging effects he's ever been associated with is slapback echo on prepared basses and four-on-the-floor piano chord strumming.

The most realistic explanation as of recently is that Brian doubles himself arbitrarily, and that whoever else shares his leads are never asked to doubletrack.

No matter what you think of Brian's doubletracked leads as being iconic or not, Brian doubletracks his lead vocals and has for the better part of 50 years. That's what he wanted to do on this, he did it. Simple as that! Maybe in a future interview someone will ask him to explain why, but for now that's his call and he's been pretty consistent in the past 50 years in making that call with his vocals.

I'd also suggest doing some more research and study if you think the only recognizable production or arranging effects from Brian's "sound" are slap echo on bass and whatever "four on the floor piano chord strumming" refers to.  

[The Shift]

Couple o points. First off, I doubt many of these acts were in a studio with Ethan James… hey most likel recorded their lines in whatever studio they usually use with whatever producer and engineer they were with at the time, and emailed the sound file for inclusion wih all the rest - Brian's contribution isn't the only one that sounds aurally different to the others.

Second, I hope one of my earlier posts wasn't interpreted as an attempt to silence opinions. I would however reserve the right to express my opinion that others' opinions leaving me saddened. And bewildered.

[ontor pertawst]

I say we all kiss and make up, affirm the right of the individual to be heard, then gather round a campfire and strum a piano.

[seltaeb1012002]

I guess that makes imaginary Frankie Valli and hypothetical notdead Lennon way better and that lazy, good-for-nothing Brian Wilson a filthy cheater for using his standard production stuff!

 I hear Grohl sniveled and begged to be doubletracked but they said "under no circumstances, only Brian gets doubletracking. You have to stand over there and look kinda awkward and mime to a single vocal track!" "Why do I have to do that?" "It's your trademark! Now stand over there!" "What if you were to pan my vocal from the left to the right, then... back to the left again?" "No." "Please?" "Just... no."

 

[puni puni]

The Stevie Wonder harmonica is clearly produced like it would be in a classic Stevie Wonder song. Same with Chris Martin's vocals, Brian May's guitar, etc. Perhaps that's because those artists recorded their parts from their own studios with their own production, or maybe it was the point of the video -- to showcase each artist's style.

The opera singer sang in an operatic fashion because that's what she does. Brian doubletracked because that's what he does, and it's what he's been doing for 50 years.

Brian doesn't always doubletrack though. He's only ever done it when its suitable. You can hear singletracked Brian on Reimagines Gershwin and Lucky Old Sun -- doubletracked vocals are not his gimmick that he owns and uses without hesitation. It was also never his practice to doubletrack some lead vocals but not others. That's something Harry Nilsson did to a great, seamless effect.

I don't know about Chris Martin, but Stevie Wonder's harmonica sounds like a dry signal to me -- there is no significant production on it. Brian May does a solo because he's a guitarist and his tone + playing style is iconic and immediately recognizable. A Brian May impersonator appears in that parody video doing almost the same thing, playing but not singing.

I say we all kiss and make up, affirm the right of the individual to be heard, then gather round a campfire and strum a piano.

"I strum piano" is something Thom Yorke once said, and it perfectly encapsulates B-Dub's piano "feels". F#m7 for three hours and Emaj7 for another.

Couple o points. First off, I doubt many of these acts were in a studio with Ethan James… hey most likel recorded their lines in whatever studio they usually use with whatever producer and engineer they were with at the time, and emailed the sound file for inclusion wih all the rest - Brian's contribution isn't the only one that sounds aurally different to the others.

Exactly.

[puni puni]

I'd also suggest doing some more research and study if you think the only recognizable production or arranging effects from Brian's "sound" are slap echo on bass and whatever "four on the floor piano chord strumming" refers to.  

OK, there's also clip-clop percussion, 12-string guitars, and 'bah-bah bee doobie doo wah'.