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Author Topic: Brian Wilson interview 1968  (Read 5495 times)
leoleoleoleo
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« on: October 30, 2019, 07:20:22 AM »

A few days ago someone uploaded this interview with Brian from 1968 that I'd never heard before. The interviewer is Jamake Highwater. They discuss Smile, Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, religion, meditation, Beatles, Mamas And Papas, and a crazy new instrument called a synthesizer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3OQ4w77l0g&t=1304s

Apologies if this is well known but I've been a big fan for years and never heard this!
« Last Edit: October 30, 2019, 07:21:07 AM by leoleoleoleo » Logged
guitarfool2002
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« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2019, 09:19:49 AM »

*That* should be required listening for all fans of the band and Brian. If I'm not mistaken there are more reels of that in the interview series, with other band members (?)...it's been a long time since I thought about it.

But wow - What a great mythbusting interview on several levels.

Consider what is said around 8 minutes in to the interview. Carl is driving Brian and the interviewer around and they start talking about meditation and meeting the Maharishi. This was January 1968, remember. Brian mentions how he was initiated (to meditation practices) a year before. This is a topic we've hashed out in the past, but it absolutely backs up the fact that members of this band were into learned meditation during what we call "The Smile Era" and it didn't just start after that event when they met the Maharishi in the UK.

It just took other members a year to catch up with what Brian and at least Carl had been learning in LA. Not quite the version of history we hear.

Also, note the point when the interviewer gets into Brian's LSD enlightenment experience, but can't come out and say what it is.

And so much for the image of a zonked-out, zombie-like Brian who stayed in bed after Smile collapsed in 1967 and could barely function. In this interview he's bright, intuitive, and introspective...hardly the image that has been put forth in the past.

Interesting too how Brian described the meeting with Paul McCartney as less positive than a lot of fans think. They just didn't hit it off at that meeting, according to Brian just under a year after the fact. "It didn't work."
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"All of us have the privilege of making music that helps and heals - to make music that makes people happier, stronger, and kinder. Don't forget: Music is God's voice." - Brian Wilson
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« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2019, 09:32:57 AM »

And my memory was correct: In the archives of the New York Public Library, there is a collection of Highwater's materials which were donated through the years. Included among those in the audiovisual collection is this interview with Brian, along with interviews with Mike and Bruce which Highwater references while talking to Brian...among a host of other rock luminaries including George Martin, Zappa, The Dead, Hendrix, etc. from this same era.

Go to this link: http://archives.nypl.org/mss/1395#detailed   and scroll down to section VIII "Audiovisual Material" and you'll see the list of what's available at the library if you happen to be in New York...

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"All of us have the privilege of making music that helps and heals - to make music that makes people happier, stronger, and kinder. Don't forget: Music is God's voice." - Brian Wilson
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« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2019, 09:54:32 AM »

Great find!


There's also this:


Dennis Wilson On Forever : "What About It!?" (July 1973) • The Beach Boys Interview  (other snippets are also on youtube):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU9up-237J4


The user says:

During a July 1973 interview with The Beach Boys, Dennis Wilson is zoning out when suddenly he hears Mike Love mention his tune "Forever."

The full interview is available here - http://www.drdemento.com/online.html?c=e18&s=s
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« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2019, 10:41:03 AM »

I've heard this interview before and it is indeed something of a neutron bomb with respect to the conventional wisdom about the period. Nevertheless, it is still disorienting to hear Brian glowingly describe the Smiley Smile era as "beautiful" six months after the fact.  He talks about Smile almost killing him and obliquely references his paranoia during that project.  We can talk about all the myriad reasons why Smile collapsed in 1967, but ultimately it does boil down to the fact that a (relatively) clear-thinking Brian Wilson simply chose not to finish it at that time and was happier doing other things.    

From the perspective of fans whose minds were and are blown by his peak Pet Sounds/Good Vibrations/Smile work, it's certainly disappointing that he pulled back and stopped giving us more masterpieces.  But if he felt like working that hard was killing him and he just wanted to take it easy and do stuff that required minimal effort, well, by gosh, that was his business.
« Last Edit: October 30, 2019, 10:42:05 AM by juggler » Logged
MyDrKnowsItKeepsMeCalm
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« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2019, 10:58:28 AM »

*That* should be required listening for all fans of the band....

Or even "...for all MEMBERS of the band...."   Wink

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« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2019, 11:11:49 AM »

I love to hear these old '60s-era Brian interviews. He was so lucid and well-spoken back then.
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« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2019, 07:19:45 PM »

I love to hear these old '60s-era Brian interviews. He was so lucid and well-spoken back then.
The Landy era in the '80s seems to be the point where he became less articulate.
 With that said, it's something of a mistake to equate his late '60s articulateness with lucidity.  David Dalton's story about the Zuma Beach photo shoot in July '67 is a reminder that things were indeed a little "off" (or maybe a lot off) with Brian's mental health even if it wasn't obvious in interviews.
http://www.gadflyonline.com/home/05-06-02/ftr-epiphany.html
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« Reply #8 on: November 03, 2019, 04:05:09 AM »

I love to hear these old '60s-era Brian interviews. He was so lucid and well-spoken back then.
The Landy era in the '80s seems to be the point where he became less articulate.
 With that said, it's something of a mistake to equate his late '60s articulateness with lucidity.  David Dalton's story about the Zuma Beach photo shoot in July '67 is a reminder that things were indeed a little "off" (or maybe a lot off) with Brian's mental health even if it wasn't obvious in interviews.
http://www.gadflyonline.com/home/05-06-02/ftr-epiphany.html


I'd love to see the other pictures Dalton took at Zuma Beach, that he talks about in the article. Interestingly he talks about Bruce being there and Brian not being part of the pyramide, yet both things seem to be inaccurate.
Are his writings from the Sunflower recording available?
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a diseased bunch of mo'fos if there ever was one… their beauty is so awesome that listening to them at their best is like being in some vast dream cathedral decorated with a thousand gleaming American pop culture icons.

- Lester Bangs on The Beach Boys


PRO SHOT BEACH BOYS CONCERTS - LIST


To sum it up, they blew it, they blew it consistently, they continue to blow it, it is tragic and this pathological problem caused The Beach Boys' greatest music to be so underrated by the general public.

- Jack Rieley
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« Reply #9 on: November 03, 2019, 06:56:13 AM »

I love to hear these old '60s-era Brian interviews. He was so lucid and well-spoken back then.
The Landy era in the '80s seems to be the point where he became less articulate.
 With that said, it's something of a mistake to equate his late '60s articulateness with lucidity.  David Dalton's story about the Zuma Beach photo shoot in July '67 is a reminder that things were indeed a little "off" (or maybe a lot off) with Brian's mental health even if it wasn't obvious in interviews.
http://www.gadflyonline.com/home/05-06-02/ftr-epiphany.html

Thanks for sharing that link. Truly fascinating.

That article seems to imply there are many photos from those Zuma Beach sessions which we've never been seen. I wonder if they still exist.

Also, I wonder where all those tapes went with Brian talking on his home recorder. Did Brian or Marilyn discard or lose them, or were they kept? Maybe one day we'll find out…
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juggler
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« Reply #10 on: November 03, 2019, 08:57:35 AM »

Also, I wonder where all those tapes went with Brian talking on his home recorder. Did Brian or Marilyn discard or lose them, or were they kept? Maybe one day we'll find out…

Guessing that the famous "Smog Speech" is part of that oeuvre.
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« Reply #11 on: May 27, 2021, 03:05:21 AM »

I just listened to this interview again (partly at least) a couple of days ago and it seems that this was done during sessions for "Be Here In The Morning Darling". Listen to the instrument (accordion?) in the beginning practicing what appears to be the prominent line from the instrumental:


Be Here In The Morning Darling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2ZbfSLsGx0
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a diseased bunch of mo'fos if there ever was one… their beauty is so awesome that listening to them at their best is like being in some vast dream cathedral decorated with a thousand gleaming American pop culture icons.

- Lester Bangs on The Beach Boys


PRO SHOT BEACH BOYS CONCERTS - LIST


To sum it up, they blew it, they blew it consistently, they continue to blow it, it is tragic and this pathological problem caused The Beach Boys' greatest music to be so underrated by the general public.

- Jack Rieley
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« Reply #12 on: May 27, 2021, 03:08:57 AM »

I just listened to this interview again (partly at least) a couple of days ago and it seems that this was done during sessions for "Be Here In The Morning Darling". Listen to the instrument (accordion?) in the beginning practicing what appears to be the prominent line from the instrumental:


Be Here In The Morning Darling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2ZbfSLsGx0

This interview took place January 11, and that was two months later. There wasn't a recording session. The sound is one of the Beach Boys messing around with a melodica.
« Last Edit: May 27, 2021, 03:47:05 AM by SaltyMarshmallow » Logged
Gerry
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« Reply #13 on: May 27, 2021, 05:58:55 PM »

I just read the Dalton article again and it made me think that someone should really do a tv series about the Beach Boys where incidents like Zuma Beach etc. are dramatized. They could really get into detail, you know, all the famous and funny incidents involving Brian. Coming to Netflix.
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adamghost
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« Reply #14 on: May 27, 2021, 06:11:49 PM »

Fascinating hearing them ballpark what would become the future when they are discussing the Chamberlin.
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« Reply #15 on: May 28, 2021, 02:04:44 AM »

I just listened to this interview again (partly at least) a couple of days ago and it seems that this was done during sessions for "Be Here In The Morning Darling". Listen to the instrument (accordion?) in the beginning practicing what appears to be the prominent line from the instrumental:


Be Here In The Morning Darling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2ZbfSLsGx0

This interview took place January 11, and that was two months later. There wasn't a recording session. The sound is one of the Beach Boys messing around with a melodica.


According to Bellagio there was a session on January 11, while at the same time the interview took place  Huh
But I'm not good at these dates, so possibly I was wrong. Damn.
But it doesn't seem that any of the other Boys was there, does it? One would think that they would speak as well.
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a diseased bunch of mo'fos if there ever was one… their beauty is so awesome that listening to them at their best is like being in some vast dream cathedral decorated with a thousand gleaming American pop culture icons.

- Lester Bangs on The Beach Boys


PRO SHOT BEACH BOYS CONCERTS - LIST


To sum it up, they blew it, they blew it consistently, they continue to blow it, it is tragic and this pathological problem caused The Beach Boys' greatest music to be so underrated by the general public.

- Jack Rieley
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« Reply #16 on: May 28, 2021, 02:32:31 AM »

I just listened to this interview again (partly at least) a couple of days ago and it seems that this was done during sessions for "Be Here In The Morning Darling". Listen to the instrument (accordion?) in the beginning practicing what appears to be the prominent line from the instrumental:


Be Here In The Morning Darling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2ZbfSLsGx0

This interview took place January 11, and that was two months later. There wasn't a recording session. The sound is one of the Beach Boys messing around with a melodica.


According to Bellagio there was a session on January 11, while at the same time the interview took place  Huh
But I'm not good at these dates, so possibly I was wrong. Damn.
But it doesn't seem that any of the other Boys was there, does it? One would think that they would speak as well.

No, that's just the date of the interview listed. Although there was a Stephen Kalinich session at Wally Heider's that same day not mentioned on the site.

Carl is driving the car they're in while the interview takes place.
« Last Edit: May 28, 2021, 02:43:35 AM by SaltyMarshmallow » Logged
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« Reply #17 on: May 28, 2021, 02:41:16 AM »

I just listened to this interview again (partly at least) a couple of days ago and it seems that this was done during sessions for "Be Here In The Morning Darling". Listen to the instrument (accordion?) in the beginning practicing what appears to be the prominent line from the instrumental:


Be Here In The Morning Darling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2ZbfSLsGx0

This interview took place January 11, and that was two months later. There wasn't a recording session. The sound is one of the Beach Boys messing around with a melodica.


According to Bellagio there was a session on January 11, while at the same time the interview took place  Huh
But I'm not good at these dates, so possibly I was wrong. Damn.
But it doesn't seem that any of the other Boys was there, does it? One would think that they would speak as well.

No, that's the date of the interview. It's announced on the tape.

Highwater had spoken to other members of the group earlier in the day. Carl is driving the car they're in.


True. It certainly makes sense that an interview wouldn't be held during an ongoing session. Damn, I thought this was an interesting little piece. Well, back to enjoying the interview  Smiley
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a diseased bunch of mo'fos if there ever was one… their beauty is so awesome that listening to them at their best is like being in some vast dream cathedral decorated with a thousand gleaming American pop culture icons.

- Lester Bangs on The Beach Boys


PRO SHOT BEACH BOYS CONCERTS - LIST


To sum it up, they blew it, they blew it consistently, they continue to blow it, it is tragic and this pathological problem caused The Beach Boys' greatest music to be so underrated by the general public.

- Jack Rieley
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« Reply #18 on: May 28, 2021, 05:39:37 AM »

Fascinating hearing them ballpark what would become the future when they are discussing the Chamberlin.

It's really striking how little they used it. Most groups would be all over that thing if they were able to own one. Guess none of them were taken with the sounds!
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« Reply #19 on: May 28, 2021, 08:28:55 AM »

Check out the previous posts, as far as other band members both Bruce and Mike were interviewed for the same project and those interviews are available in the library archives for anyone interested.

What strikes me the most about the interview, aside from Brian being as lucid as he is despite revisionist history from decades later to suggest otherwise, is how several myths are flat-out busted during the interview. I know I mentioned it a few years ago on the original post here, but this idea of how meditation was introduced to the band which has been reported and repeated for decades is simply not accurate. As you'll hear in this conversation, Brian had been studying meditation for at least a year prior to the band meeting the Maharishi that first time in the UK, and it seems at least Carl was too. And this is backed up by several other reports of meditation classes and study groups around LA during '66 into '67 where Brian, members of the Byrds, several other notable music-biz names, and others including other Beach Boys (Carl according to this audio tape) had been learning and studying meditation before it became a "brand" as espoused and promoted by the Maharishi, and before The Beatles made it a household thing.

So I'm still wondering why the narrative still exists that the group's introduction to the meditation practices of the time was when Dennis suggested they meet the Maharishi in December '67 at a concert where the Beatles were attending, and afterward Mike took the ball and ran with it...when Brian and at least Carl among possibly others in the BB's inner circle had been initiated into either a similar or basically the same forms of meditation as early as 1966. Even in one of the original Smile articles from 66-67 it's mentioned that one of the producers around LA and his wife were traveling abroad to study further, but there is no branding mentioned since it was before the Maharishi became the face of the brand he and the organization were trying to develop in order to get more exposure and funding.

I don't know why if the story/narrative which has been told and repeated so often, especially by Mike in various interviews but also by others, is not entirely accurate, it has not been corrected or at least questioned when it comes up.
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"All of us have the privilege of making music that helps and heals - to make music that makes people happier, stronger, and kinder. Don't forget: Music is God's voice." - Brian Wilson
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« Reply #20 on: May 28, 2021, 09:29:27 AM »

I just re-listened to this interview again, and it's worth listening to a second or third time. Just really interesting to hear Brian so engaged, talking about a host of things (many very specific to the exact era the interview is from).

Jamake Highwater is quite a good interviewer who Brian seems especially comfortable with. He seems to talk like a regular guy without the polished interviewer style one might expect from someone granted access to interview/record a major rock star, which is a breath of fresh air. (After just reading the Jamake Highwater wikipedia page, it seems there were definitely some unfortunate skeletons in that fellow's closet involving Hightower impersonating his ancestry and pretending to be Native American, but that doesn't detract whatsoever about what a solid interview this was).  One wonders if Highwater had known about the Native American song lyric concepts that Brian and VDP had recently been crafting (and shelving with SMiLE) if he'd have asked a bunch of questions on that topic.

We know the interview was conducted while Carl was driving, but am I right in thinking that this was driving around Los Angeles?
« Last Edit: May 28, 2021, 09:33:12 AM by CenturyDeprived » Logged
Tom
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« Reply #21 on: June 03, 2021, 04:22:03 PM »

Shame this wasn't played in court during whichever lawsuit it was wherein one of Mike's main arguments was that Brian was inactive post 1967...
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