I Am Brian Wilson: New Autobiography

[Charles LePage @ ComicList]

How about this title? "Ladies and Gentlemen, My Name is Brian Wilson, and I an the One Behind the One in 21-1!"

Paul Heyman makes everything better.  EVERYTHING.

[HeyJude]

And Matt lasted how long, exactly ? Two, three gigs ?

Matt Jardine was at the most recent gig Brian did, in December in Las Vegas. I'm the first to admit that the announcement of Matt joining, followed by appearing at two gigs, followed by an eleventh hours falsetto replacement guy (the Fendertones dude), then followed by another seemingly semi-permanent replacement (Ike), all while Matt did appear at at least one gig with one of his sidebands with Carter, Hinshce, Probyn Gregory, etc., suggested something unexplained, to us anyway.

If there were a serious falling out on either side, I doubt Matt would have appeared with the band in Las Vegas, even if just as a guest. Granted, Matt also appeared with Mike and Bruce in 2013 only months after the C50 fallout, so maybe Matt has more of a David Marks-ish attitude at this stage of just staying friendly with everybody.

[Heysaboda]

Damn straight, the luvster is a greedy and nasty guy. (IMO so I don't get flamed by AGD)

Oh pshaw! That is undoubtedly one of the most entertaining experiences on the board!!  

Smiley Smile Dot Net -- where I go to see words like pshaw, consarn it, tarnation and gee willikers!!!    

[HeyJude]

A quote from AGD from the previous Brian autobiography thread (http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,15517.msg364439.html#msg364439):

You're making a very basic error here - assuming that Brian will be actually writing the book, or even directing the overall flow. I'm willing to wager a large sum that the compositional process will follow this basic framework:

1 - Co-author does the research and makes a list of topics to be covered...
2 - Brian is interviewed...
3 - Based on Brian's responses, Fine produces a rough-cut...
4 - Brian - or more likely, his 'people' - review this and request changes, inclusions and excisions...
5 - Fine 'remixes' his text...
6 - Text is reviewed again...
7 - steps 5 & 6 are repeated until the text is deemed acceptable by Brian's management...
8 - book is published...
9 - we tear it apart...
10 - lawsuits commence.

I'm always pleased to hear about a new book regarding the Beach Boys.  I'm almost always pleased to read these new books.   But I harbor no illusion that this will be anymore an unfiltered look into the life of Brian anymore than the first "autobiography" was.  The filters this time around may have better intentions, but they are filters none the less.

Frankly, even much more lucid and talkative "celebrities" couldn't sit down and actually WRITE much of anything. Even genuinely intelligent people often can't string a paragraph together, let along write a book. I'm talking from all the different angles, from style to content to grammar, and so on.

I would imagine few "autobiographies" involve the subject actually sitting down alone and even doing a rough draft. I've actually found Fine's writing to be pretty informed as the band and Brian go (his Rolling Stone article during C50 was one of the only revelatory pieces written about the tour). I actually wish they had simply contracted Fine to write an "Authorized Biography", not unlike the Marks/Stebbins book.

I would imagine, or at least HOPE, that both Brian and Mike's "people" are well aware of the history of the group, and the history of litigation, and even more specifically the history of litigation pertaining to "autobiographies." If anything, I'm worried too many punches will be pulled in both books concerning anyone who is still living and thus can still sue. I'm frankly expecting more blunt pictures of Carl and Dennis in both books than I am of Mike or Brian (or Al, etc.) in either book. Dead people nor estates can sue for slander or libel.

[guitarfool2002]

Some random thoughts on points made in this thread:

- First, this new info could very well be the title and release date of the book, or as proven by the months leading up to the official announcement of No Pier Pressure's release date, complete hogwash. Right? Remember all of the speculations, the websites announcing dates for the new album to drop, sites taking pre-orders and advance payments, retailers listing sketchy info, etc...much of that if not all of it (I can't recall if anyone got it right) was pure nonsense. Again, if this according to Amazon UK or whoever else is publishing this info turns out to be true, then it was true - so be it. If not, perhaps the official announcement from someone like the actual publisher of the book itself would be worth waiting for if the album's release "leaks" were any indication.

- Next, some of the talk about co-writers and autobiographies and the nature of writing such a book in general. How many books which are published as autobiographies by non-authors are written entirely by that non-author without a co-writer, researchers, and collaborators in general? I have a few shelves full of music bios and autobiographies, and offhand there are not many autobiographies that were written solely and exclusively by the subject himself or herself.

How and why this is even an issue kind of boggles my mind, to be honest about it. If this book is supposed to be somehow different in nature from what is the generally accepted standard of celebrity memoirs or autobiographies, then I'd suggest looking for other things to point out for critique, if that's the intent.

A few months ago I bought Carole King's autobiography, what she called a memoir. Interesting read, well-written by Carole herself...notable for the fact that in the introduction, she specifically describes how she had to basically research her own life history, how she asked others who were there with her or witnessed some things in her career firsthand to help her fill in the missing pieces of her memories, and also at the end of that paragraph basically puts all her cards on the table and says she may get some things wrong, and if so for her fans and readers to feel free to fill in or correct some of those points. That's the truth of the matter, essentially, that someone famous like Carole King when writing her own story has to ask others about things that happened in her own life because she simply can't remember.

So in this case, having a co-writer or researcher or whatever else is being speculated working on a Brian Wilson memoir is different...or should be different...exactly how does that work? Even in terms of Beach Boys memoirs, Brian would not be the only band member working on a memoir with a co-author and researchers, or am I missing something?  

- Finally, that framework laid out could apply to any number if not the majority of autobiographies and memoirs which have been researched, written, and published. Just change the names, you'll have a framework of how everyone from Tom to Dick to Harry had an autobiography put together and released.

But this issue of "filters"...

I see it discussed as if this book is somehow "old hat", like it's been done already, like the new will be a repeat of the old but with different filters...or other issues connected, whatever the case I'm not understanding the points being suggested.

We have two memoirs-autobiographies from the two most visible and well-known surviving band members in the works. Both being done with co-writers if we look at publicly published credits so far with co-writers Mr. Fine and Mr. Hirsch, doing the collaborative writing.

Consider what previously published "versions" of these stories and memoirs do we have available: One was supposed to be an autobiography but which later was exposed as a complete fraud that the actual subject never read nor did he have much if anything at all to do with its creation. And that, as mentioned, can be shown by simply reading some of the absurdities and ridiculous passages in that book.

The other was more of a multimedia version of events via a TV movie about the Beach Boys that billed itself as an "official" biography and history of the band depicted in film, yet the actual film was beyond a trainwreck, it was absolutely awful and so far off the mark with some events and how some key players were profiled that it could have been termed slanderous if it weren't so bad it was actually comical, in the Ed Wood style of "so bad it's good". Well, let me rephrase that, it was so bad it's simply not worth watching again.

So from one of the band members soon releasing a book, the previous book was a complete farce that the subject himself disowned, while the previous "official" recounting of history from the other band member turned out to be a cartoon-like hack job that was simply not true to reality yet advertised as the true story of The Beach Boys.

Talk about filters? Let's talk about filters.    

The good part for us as fans is that we're hopeful to be getting something above those previous projects from all parties involved, a more direct telling of events with more history to share. If there is any kind of "it's already been done, we've already heard this..." kind of attitude in play, I'd suggest perhaps that isn't the case and these new books will indeed offer something new. Gotta give 'em a chance to actually come out and be read, though, before dismissing them.

[Jim V.]

I wonder if all the other involved parties (the beach boys) will proof read before release.......

hell, we wouldn't want an autobiography followed with a lawsuit now would we?....

RickB

Did that happen in 1991 ? No. Will it happen in 2015 ? No.

BTW, while I applaud the non-use of an obvious BB related phrase/song title... that's really not a good title.

And no, I can't think of a better one so I'll STFU now. 

How about Last Wilson Standing? I think that's a great title. Yeah, I'll take credit for it. Thought of it all by myself. Yep.

And hey, Mike's book doesn't use a Beach Boys title. His book is called Good Vibration. Not Good Vibrations, so Mike didn't do it either. Riiiiiight.

[Shady]

Brians book or Harper Lee's sequel to "to kill a mocking bird". What's the bigger literary event of 2015

 

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

I wonder if all the other involved parties (the beach boys) will proof read before release.......

hell, we wouldn't want an autobiography followed with a lawsuit now would we?....

RickB

Did that happen in 1991 ? No. Will it happen in 2015 ? No.

BTW, while I applaud the non-use of an obvious BB related phrase/song title... that's really not a good title.

And no, I can't think of a better one so I'll STFU now. 

How about Last Wilson Standing? I think that's a great title. Yeah, I'll take credit for it. Thought of it all by myself. Yep.

And hey, Mike's book doesn't use a Beach Boys title. His book is called Good Vibration. Not Good Vibrations, so Mike didn't do it either. Riiiiiight.

How about just plain "Wilson" superimposed on a picture of a Wilson soccer ball? Can't get more self explanatory than that, huh?

[Wirestone]

Brians book or Harper Lee's sequel to "to kill a mocking bird". What's the bigger literary event of 2015

 

It's gonna be the new Salinger books.

[barsone]

Finally, at long last.  Maybe we'll learn what kind of pizza Brian likes.  That information is way-LONG overdue.

This struck me immediately upon seeing it in the text...  "Along with Brian's own words, his story is told through the people that know him best, including his wife Melinda;his best friend and band leader Jeffery Foskett;"

Now if Jeffrey Foskett IS Brian Wilson's "best friend" then Brian must have absolutely no problems with Mike Love or what Mike is doing with the Beach Boys and for 'BRI'.  I mean think about it.  A "best friend" would never just cut and run and sign on with the 'other side' .  It would demonstrate 'bad form'... a kind of betrayal if you will.

WAY TOO EARLY to suggest that some key players and components will not be included as sources for the book.  If THAT is the case though then the 'new autobiography' might not be all that most of us hope it will be.  It cannot be only a painting.  It has to be a series of 'candid photgraphs' examined.  [wink, wink]  Only then will we learn 'what it was like.'

OH!  Candid photographs!!  Here's another one of mine: 

   

bgas....the skinny lad with the hairy chest in the background.....Who might that be ?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Brians book or Harper Lee's sequel to "to kill a mocking bird". What's the bigger literary event of 2015

 

Just to prove I can be a picky SOB about other stuff too, technically it's not a sequel - at least chronologically speaking - as it was written before TKAM.

[Alan Smith]

Brians book or Harper Lee's sequel to "to kill a mocking bird". What's the bigger literary event of 2015

 

Just to prove I can be a picky SOB about other stuff too, technically it's not a sequel - at least chronologically speaking - as it was written before TKAM.

The original manuscript's flashback squences were worked into a novel that became TKMA.  So, in a way, she wrote both at the same time.

[Aomdiddlywalla]

I wonder if all the other involved parties (the beach boys) will proof read before release.......

hell, we wouldn't want an autobiography followed with a lawsuit now would we?....

RickB

Did that happen in 1991 ? No. Will it happen in 2015 ? No.




BTW, while I applaud the non-use of an obvious BB related phrase/song title... that's really not a good title.

And no, I can't think of a better one so I'll STFU now. 

How about Last Wilson Standing? I think that's a great title. Yeah, I'll take credit for it. Thought of it all by myself. Yep.

And hey, Mike's book doesn't use a Beach Boys title. His book is called Good Vibration. Not Good Vibrations, so Mike didn't do it either. Riiiiiight.

It's Not Easy Being Me .....  ?

[Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard]

Chalk me up as another who thinks Catch a Wave will remain the definitive Brian Wilson biography. Unless Brian really, finally let's go and bares his soul on the more sensitive topics (SMiLE, in-fighting, home life details) as well as murkier ones we don't know too much about (Smiley, Adult/Child, Landy from his perspective) then this will be somewhat pointless.

I'm worried it may end up being like Grace Slick's autobiography: meandering, unstructured, focusing too much on stupid sh!t no one cares about while ignoring the big subjects we all wanted to hear from her perspective (Monterey, Woodstock and Altamont only got like one page each). If Brian's bio turns out like that, I'll be really disappointed. Frankly, these celebrity contributions have me worried. It sounds like it'll just be a puff piece with half the book being fellow musicians telling us what we already know--how influential Brian was to music--while side-stepping the details and nitty gritties that we haven't heard and will never get the chance to if this book doesn't deliver.

[puni puni]

I wouldn't mind a 100-page puff piece as long as the content was interesting and unexpected. Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, David Crosby, Lindsey Buckingham, and Bob Dylan is the same old soft rock we've already heard from consistently for decades.

It will probably another 20 years before BB/BW management gives space for artists like Kevin Shields, Jeff Mangum, R. Stevie Moore, Jim O'Rourke, Ariel Pink, Noah Lennox, et. al.

It was nice to see Robert Schneider pop up in Mark Dillon's book.

[Cam Mott]

So from one of the band members soon releasing a book, the previous book was a complete farce that the subject himself disowned, while the previous "official" recounting of history from the other band member turned out to be a cartoon-like hack job that was simply not true to reality yet advertised as the true story of The Beach Boys.

Talk about filters? Let's talk about filters.    

Brian and John Stamos?

[phirnis]

I wouldn't mind a 100-page puff piece as long as the content was interesting and unexpected. Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, David Crosby, Lindsey Buckingham, and Bob Dylan is the same old soft rock we've already heard from consistently for decades.

It will probably another 20 years before BB/BW management gives space for artists like Kevin Shields, Jeff Mangum, R. Stevie Moore, Jim O'Rourke, Ariel Pink, Noah Lennox, et. al.

It was nice to see Robert Schneider pop up in Mark Dillon's book.

Years ago I read an interview with Jim O'Rourke (in The Wire I think) where he seemed very determined to make it clear that he is not a fan of Brian Wilson and only likes some of the Smile/Smiley Smile stuff (IIRC). But I do get your point. Including Kevin Shields would certainly be great, especially since there is that (non-confirmed?) quote where Brian says he loves MBV (can't find it right now so this is a bit vague).

[alf wiedersehen]

I wouldn't mind a 100-page puff piece as long as the content was interesting and unexpected. Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, David Crosby, Lindsey Buckingham, and Bob Dylan is the same old soft rock we've already heard from consistently for decades.

It will probably another 20 years before BB/BW management gives space for artists like Kevin Shields, Jeff Mangum, R. Stevie Moore, Jim O'Rourke, Ariel Pink, Noah Lennox, et. al.

It was nice to see Robert Schneider pop up in Mark Dillon's book.

And what would be the point of those younger artists showing up in the book? So I can read about how much they like Brian? I might as well be in the book. Of the people listed, some actually know and worked with Brian. The others were there when Brian was still a young man, observing his musical evolution.

Do we really need to read "I really like Pet Sounds a lot, and it influenced meeeeee...."? If someone wants to make a book called Young People Praise Brian Wilson, then fine, but what could they possibly have to offer in a biography?

[JakeH]

Chalk me up as another who thinks Catch a Wave will remain the definitive Brian Wilson biography. Unless Brian really, finally let's go and bares his soul on the more sensitive topics (SMiLE, in-fighting, home life details) as well as murkier ones we don't know too much about (Smiley, Adult/Child, Landy from his perspective) then this will be somewhat pointless.

Assuming that the Amazon UK summary is legit, and coming from Brian's team, then it already looks like the book is going into heretofore under-discussed areas. Yes, Brian has of course talked about Murry, but not with the depth or clarity that he’s certainly capable of.  As far as his mother is concerned, Brian has mostly kept his opinions to himself (between the two parents, Murry has hogged all the attention). The apparently current view of his mother as “passive” is without a doubt a negative judgment of her, so that's already one bombshell right there.  With respect to his mother, the question now is whether Brian will only open that door a crack (which was what happened in 1991, and which resulted in litigation), or whether he will kick it down and let the light shine in.

The celebrity contributions might be designed to convince the more casual reader of how artistically significant Brian really is (sort of like the celebrity interviews in the I Just Wasn't Made For These Times documentary in the 90s). Perhaps the book will simply be p.r.-oriented in some sections, and fairly dark and heavy in others. In Brian's case, 400 pages or so are probably not nearly enough to cover everything in depth.

[Gerry]

Maybe you should just wait until the book comes out, read it and bitch about it then.

[Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard]

Maybe you should just wait until the book comes out, read it and bitch about it then.

I'm just speculating like everyone else. I'll most likely buy it regardless, but I dont expect it to be as good as Catch a Wave and forgive me for thinking so.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Maybe you should just wait until the book comes out, read it and bitch about it then.

You're not from these parts, are you ? 

[Gerry]

I really wasn't directing my comment to you specifically , it was just a generalization . I am curious though why everyone thinks Carlin's book is so good, 90% of what I read was old news to me. Much of it taken from periodicals like Rolling Stone, Crawdaddy etc.

[Gerry]

I'm actually from out of town and just passing through.

[Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard]

I really wasn't directing my comment to you specifically , it was just a generalization . I am curious though why everyone thinks Carlin's book is so good, 90% of what I read was old news to me. Much of it taken from periodicals like Rolling Stone, Crawdaddy etc.

Well, I had been a fan for years when I read it, but I didnt know much about Brian except what I'd read online here and there. So for a newcomer, it was extremely informative. And I dont think anyone could deny that it was a compelling read.