Ok, I was being a bit optimistic, I know. However, I specified no EXTERNAL influences. By "external" I mean those who are usually at odds with Brian's creativity, and I made a rather extensive list of them. But specifically included, as "internal", Darian, the rest of Brian's band, Al and Blondie. People who have repeatedly proved that they are NOT at odd with Brian's creativity. So no vacuum.
I don't think that Darian, the band, Al (at least now) and Blondie would dream of ever pestering Brian to be "commercial". I wish I could say the same of wives, producers, a couple ex-bandmates, and most fans. We owe that "At My Piano" gem to the unexpected intervention of an entity where somebody actually has some grasp of music (Decca).
I was, voluntarily, optimistic. But in any case I'll have always that doubt... what if? You mentioned Love You. I waited for something like that for more than 40 years. And I know Brian would never have completed Love You without Carl. But for that, there would be Darian. "At My Piano" would never have been completed, either, without him. Nor SMiLE.
I don't think for a second that Melinda or Joe Thomas are at odds with Brian's creativity. Melinda has been nothing but supportive of Brian's creativity (and simultaneously also supportive of Brian's drive for success). Joe Thomas, while I don't appreciate his production techniques, has been the only other collaborator, besides Paley, who has gotten Brian to write original material consistently in the last few decades. And while I completely understand any negativity regarding the production on
Imagination, it has been stated numerous times by a person who actually knows, that NPP was mostly a Brian Wilson production. So while JT had his wrestler hands on the project, Brian was the main guy in the studio calling the shots. Brian was creatively fueled like a Saturn-V before liftoff for NPP. He was on the phone with Kacey Musgraves talking about lyrics, he was coming up with different ideas, leading the band, coming up with harmonies. Guitarfool has done some great breakdowns of some of the songs on NPP - it is clearly Brian going all-out.
As for the "externals" pestering Brian to "go commercial" - Brian has flat-out stated numerous times in recent years that he wants a #1 hit. So Brian himself knows the importance of going commercial. He's not going to get a #1 if all he does is channel his inner
Love You, playing on some fart-synths singing about a Lay-Z-Boy recliner chair. He knows this, which is why he worked with young talent on NPP. If Brian didn't want to do these things he would just refuse to show up. He wouldn't be on the phone with a country artist conversing about lyrics. If Brian didn't want to go commercial he wouldn't have spent hours in a recording studio with Nate Ruess trying to get Nate's lead
perfect. And after all of Brian's hard work and time in the studio, what happened? His fans sh*t all over the record. Hell, they lambasted the thing when just 15 seconds of it had been released on Facebook.
I think at some point, after Brian leaves this world for the next, a lot of fans are going to regret spending so much time wishing Brian was someone else (and wishing Brian was recording something else), when they could've just appreciated the gifts he was giving them while he was here. I've said it numerous times before, I don't care if people don't like everything the man does, heck I don't like everything the man has done. But I think fans could give Brian a lot more credit for what he actually does in the studio. And honestly, I think Brian has the best support around him that he could have right now. He's got a loving family, a loving band. I just wish Brian's fanbase were as kind to him as he is to them.
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