Don Was Talks Brian Wilson, NPP, IJWMFTT Film - New Interview w. Photo

[guitarfool2002]

In the latest issue of Tape Op magazine, there is a lengthy interview with Don Was that covers basically his entire career and artists he's worked with. These excerpts are his comments on Brian Wilson, and in the article there was also a great candid photo of Don and Brian in the studio during the NPP sessions, Don playing his classic P-Bass.

FYI - Don Was is now the president of the legendary jazz label "Blue Note", and has his offices in the Capitol tower in Hollywood. Pretty cool.



Q: You played bass on Brian Wilson's recent record, No Pier Pressure, too.

Was: Yeah, I did. That was a trip - I've known Brian for a long time. You can't name any record producers who were ever better than Brian Wilson. There are other great ones, but no one's made better records than he made. It's beautiful to watch him in action and take instructions from him. Just to see him in such good shape, and really be in command in the studio, it's great. It was a beautiful session.

Q: You made a documentary on him, I Just Wasn't Made For These Times, and the studio sessions in that film were amazing. I thought it was a wonderful, sympathetic way to put the spotlight back on him.

Was: Thank you, man. Music fans hear people say, "Oh, Brian Wilson; he's a genius." But if you put on "Surfin' Safari", you might scratch your head. It's a good record, but...I thought "Let's focus on his music and actually explain to people why he's arguably the greatest genius in rock n' roll history." I think it was a good layman's introduction to Brian. I'm really proud of that endeavor.

Q: I thought it was nice to get him into the studio and tracking those songs to see how he reacts. He just blooms when he's around music.

Was: He really came to life. That movie was shot over the course of a month. Not every day, but a couple weeks went by and we'd shoot some more. Just being around some action and music that sounded good, you can see his spirit is completely altered by the end of the movie. He's speaking differently, more confidently. Yeah, he comes to life when he's making music. There are a lot of guys I know like that.

[The Shift]

Nice answers from Was, respectful to the core. And Brian does look pleased there in the photo!

Thanks for posting

[Peter Reum]

I was a contributor to the Don Was BW film, and Don had a love for Brian that came through thoroughly. Don flew me to New York City, put me up in a beautiful hotel room facing Central Park, and had taken the top floor of the hotel for his shooting various pieces of mine. I got to meet John Hall from Orleans and Graham Nash with David Crosby. When I saw the final film, I was glad I took part and stepped outside my comfort zone. The Don Was film/cd, and Van Dyke Parks work with Brian on Orange Crate Art really helped to get Brian back into prominence in music at a crucial time before he began touring. Here's to Don and Van Dyke!

[ash]

That clip of Brian and Van Dyke at the piano playing/singing Orange Crate Art is one of my favourite things. I'd have liked to have heard the whole album played like that.

[guitarfool2002]

That clip of Brian and Van Dyke at the piano playing/singing Orange Crate Art is one of my favourite things. I'd have liked to have heard the whole album played like that.

Me too on both counts. First time I saw the film, that performance floored me.

[Lonely Summer]

I think it's important to note, too, that Was got more than short answers out of Brian in his film. It was nice to see a lucid, coherent Brian talking about things like ego and humour. Most interviewers don't have a clue how to get Brian to talk, but it's clear to me he will open up when he's interested in the topic.

[Cam Mott]

God bless Don Was.

[petsoundsnola]

The dichotomy of the various interviews of Brian in IJWMFTT was striking.  When Brian was talking about his dad, he seemed out of it and his speech was slurred.  When he was sitting on the couch with Melinda talking about ego and humor, he was lucid and uncharacteristically verbose.  Maybe the couch interview was done later in the process, combined with Melinda by his side and the interesting topic, which put him more at ease. 

[guitarfool2002]

When Don Was says Brian was in command in the studio during the NPP sessions, giving instructions, and in good shape, I believe him. He was actually there, for one.    How did the other versions of events surrounding those sessions take hold as much as they did?

[mikeddonn]

When Don Was says Brian was in command in the studio during the NPP sessions, giving instructions, and in good shape, I believe him. He was actually there, for one.    How did the other versions of events surrounding those sessions take hold as much as they did?

I believe Don as well, and Kaci and Zooey. Always loved Don's admiration for Brian, right back to the early 90s.

I take it you don't believe Jeff Beck's take on events (he was there too)?  I'm sure the 'other' versions were just part of the big conspiracy to discredit Brian.

[Lonely Summer]

The dichotomy of the various interviews of Brian in IJWMFTT was striking.  When Brian was talking about his dad, he seemed out of it and his speech was slurred.  When he was sitting on the couch with Melinda talking about ego and humor, he was lucid and uncharacteristically verbose.  Maybe the couch interview was done later in the process, combined with Melinda by his side and the interesting topic, which put him more at ease. 

It does take a certain ability to get Brian to open up like that. I have had a fantasy for many years that I get to sit down and chat with Brian or Bob Dylan, and instead of asking them the same old stuff everyone asks them, find a topic they would warm up to. I'm not sure what that would be, though.

[Aum Bop Diddit]

I was a contributor to the Don Was BW film, and Don had a love for Brian that came through thoroughly. Don flew me to New York City, put me up in a beautiful hotel room facing Central Park, and had taken the top floor of the hotel for his shooting various pieces of mine. I got to meet John Hall from Orleans and Graham Nash with David Crosby. When I saw the final film, I was glad I took part and stepped outside my comfort zone. The Don Was film/cd, and Van Dyke Parks work with Brian on Orange Crate Art really helped to get Brian back into prominence in music at a crucial time before he began touring. Here's to Don and Van Dyke!

You are right -- that was the beginning of the amazing renaissance we have witnessed over the past 20 plus years.

[Sound of Free]

It was a great film. I loved Carl singing Gold Only Knows with Brian playing piano and Audree with them.

[Lonely Summer]

It was a great film. I loved Carl singing Gold Only Knows with Brian playing piano and Audree with them.

It's those kinds of moments that made IJWMFTT special; and then only 3 years later, both Carl and Audree were gone. 

[Rentatris]

That clip of Brian and Van Dyke at the piano playing/singing Orange Crate Art is one of my favourite things. I'd have liked to have heard the whole album played like that.

 In life - sometimes something becomes a mission for you and this is one of mine: I want the WHOLE DAMN SONG! - In the film it is clearly just a segment and it is 99% likely that the whole thing was filmed which means (even it's just on DW's raw footage) a whole audio of OCA played like that exists. I MUST HAVE IT!

 Does anyone have a direct line to DW or any leads or ideas on how to achieve my goal. Trust me, fellow SS's, I will deliver this song to you....somehow.....

[Lonely Summer]

That clip of Brian and Van Dyke at the piano playing/singing Orange Crate Art is one of my favourite things. I'd have liked to have heard the whole album played like that.

 In life - sometimes something becomes a mission for you and this is one of mine: I want the WHOLE DAMN SONG! - In the film it is clearly just a segment and it is 99% likely that the whole thing was filmed which means (even it's just on DW's raw footage) a whole audio of OCA played like that exists. I MUST HAVE IT!

 Does anyone have a direct line to DW or any leads or ideas on how to achieve my goal. Trust me, fellow SS's, I will deliver this song to you....somehow.....

Well, it is the whole song, minus the piano solo in the middle, and the repetition of the first verse. I'm happy with what we have, what I want is more simple piano/vocal versions of the rest of the songs on the album. I've listened to a couple clips of Van Dyke singing them, but I don't like his voice.

[HeyJude]

Someone needs to hook Don Was up with the Criterion Collection. They could do a new HD transfer of the film (the old DVDs are not even anamorphically enhanced!), and load the Blu-ray with extras (director's commentary, DELETED SCENES!!!!!!). I'd love to see more of the Carl/Brian/Audree footage. Hopefully Was still has that raw footage. The film is only 69 minutes long as I recall; plenty of room for bonus footage!

[Emily]

Someone needs to hook Don Was up with the Criterion Collection. They could do a new HD transfer of the film (the old DVDs are not even anamorphically enhanced!), and load the Blu-ray with extras (director's commentary, DELETED SCENES!!!!!!). I'd love to see more of the Carl/Brian/Audree footage. Hopefully Was still has that raw footage. The film is only 69 minutes long as I recall; plenty of room for bonus footage!

That would be great.

[Matt H]

Someone needs to hook Don Was up with the Criterion Collection. They could do a new HD transfer of the film (the old DVDs are not even anamorphically enhanced!), and load the Blu-ray with extras (director's commentary, DELETED SCENES!!!!!!). I'd love to see more of the Carl/Brian/Audree footage. Hopefully Was still has that raw footage. The film is only 69 minutes long as I recall; plenty of room for bonus footage!

Would love to see the footage of "This Song Wants To Sleep With You Tonight," if it exists.

[Lonely Summer]

Someone needs to hook Don Was up with the Criterion Collection. They could do a new HD transfer of the film (the old DVDs are not even anamorphically enhanced!), and load the Blu-ray with extras (director's commentary, DELETED SCENES!!!!!!). I'd love to see more of the Carl/Brian/Audree footage. Hopefully Was still has that raw footage. The film is only 69 minutes long as I recall; plenty of room for bonus footage!

Add my name to that petition.