Lucky Old sun review thread!

[Andrew G. Doe]

When the band did "I'd Love Just once To See You", I had a small smile at the thought of, oh, maybe 1700 people thinking "what the **** is this ?"

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Surprise for me was the inclusion of a few bars from a 1976 archive track that very, very few have ever heard.

Do you happen to know the name of that track? My curiosity is piqued.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Check out the 1976 Rolling Stone article 'The Healing Of Brother Brian'. November, as I recall. 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Oh snap! The "mama-mama" thing, right? Wow....

[Andrew G. Doe]

"Mow-mama-yama-holy-halleluja"

[Wirestone]

Brian Wilson Inc.:

"There's no tune we won't reuse."

Seriously, though, that's awesome.

[Rocker]

"Mow-mama-yama-holy-halleluja"

Cool, I always wondered if that track really exists and how it would sound like.

[brother john]

Taylor Mills was absent from most of the two sets, and the mix was better for it. During the encore J Foskett introduced everyone, and told the audience that she was ill and could only sing from stage left, and pointed towards some dark shadowy corner from where she had been contributing to some of the later tunes. He didn't say what was wrong with her, but I guess she was either wheelchair-bound, or has some hideous Elephant Man-like facial disfiguration.

I agree that there were a couple of moments of Too Much Sugar-ish excess that went of for far more bars than was necessary, but maybe they will be stripped back for a cd release.

I've just read the Guardian review mentioned above, and the journalist spends most of the time complaining about 'nostalgia fatigue' and doesn't mention TLOS until the final paragraph. He also says the hall was visibly half full and that ticket sales were sluggish. I have to correct that piece of transparently tabloid-style hype (I thought Alexis Petridis was supposed to be a proper writer) and say that as far as I could see the place was visibly full, and before I went I checked availability of tickets for the last night and there were very few left.

For what its worth, I really enjoyed the Paul McCartney cover at the end. The arrangement was pretty much a basic band romp with a strolling bass, but was probably better than the original, which is pretentious. And yes, a welcome change from L&M. 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Interesting. Was this the first concert where he *didn't* perform L&M?

[eden]

The narration was pre-recorded (sounded like a very peppy Brian) and played over a video showing animations whilst the band performed the music over this live.
Here's the narration parts taken from the show programme...


ROOM WITH A VIEW

Just now I was thinkin' 'bout another perfect day
Wishin' it would come again your way
Down below a sparkled city scatters by the bay
Tells you your suspicions are at play
One by one a carpeted star spangled city sleeps
Like so many dancin' diamonds with a beat
Each of them a home with walls of stories they could tell

Meet the crack of dawn
A freeway starts to roll
An owl hoots its last goodbye to a coyote on patrol

Each day keeps me guessin'
Will you take what I'm confessin'?
WILL YOU FIND A HEART BEAT IN L.A.?


VENICE BEACH

Venice Beach is poppin' like live shrimp dropped on a hot wok
Hucksters hustlers and hawkers set up their boardwalk shops
Home for all the homeless hopeless well heeled and deranged
Still nothin' here seems out of place or strange
There's an old smudge of a beatnik by the bay,
lookin' like a dog who's had his day
Like a dream he drifts away
He'd like to go out on the pier to hear the reedy carousel
It's got a melody that sets you free and says let's set a spell
JUST TO HEAR THE HEART BEAT IN L.A.


CINCO DE MAYO

Down on Olivera Street
A Mexicano cry
A grito! Te quiero!
Te quiero! Te adoro!
That is where the Anglo gets his Latin lover's sigh
Adios muchachas y boleros - and goodbye

Salsa rumbles rafters in a chop shop filled with cars
Custom chopped and channeled with a drag race in their stars
City of Angels
Be all you can be
Be Moveis
Be A-list
Be seen just to see your part
REPEAR THE HEART BEAT IN L.A.


BETWEEN PICTURES

Pumps drunk with oil dance like prehistoric locusts on the hills to L.A.X.
People fill their tanks in flights of fancy
Actors waiting tables with a method they can't share
Waitin' for what's next
Waitin' for the big screen in disrepair
I mean despair
I mean that actor standing there
I mean are we all not actors?
and the whole wide world our stage?
Naw - some are worthy writers with the grit to hit the page
NOW JUST PART OF THE HEART BEAT IN L.A.


Another thing I'm not sure has been mentioned was the 'Tequila!' refrain in Mexican Girl and Darian playing 'Love You' style bass synth on one of the TLOS tracks.

Now I've had a day to get over the experience and take it all in a bit I'm really excited to hear it again. The Stockholm S&H's really brought the whole thing to life and the harmony (you know the one) on MAD was unbelievable breathtaking. Oh and the 'At 25 I turned out the light...' refrain broke my heart, it was pure Brian - a beautiful vocal moment in the middle of a very rocking track. I'm hoping that TLOS will be the start of a great period for Brians music, it sounded like the music Brian would have made following the release of Smile in '67. It's a continuation of the same instrumentation but builds on it. I'm very happy with what I heard last night, even the songs we've heard online are hugely better live. MAD is a great song, live with the whole band, strings and horns, it's beyond that.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Taylor Mills was absent from most of the two sets, and the mix was better for it. During the encore J Foskett introduced everyone, and told the audience that she was ill and could only sing from stage left, and pointed towards some dark shadowy corner from where she had been contributing to some of the later tunes. He didn't say what was wrong with her, but I guess she was either wheelchair-bound, or has some hideous Elephant Man-like facial disfiguration.

I agree that there were a couple of moments of Too Much Sugar-ish excess that went of for far more bars than was necessary, but maybe they will be stripped back for a cd release.

I've just read the Guardian review mentioned above, and the journalist spends most of the time complaining about 'nostalgia fatigue' and doesn't mention TLOS until the final paragraph. He also says the hall was visibly half full and that ticket sales were sluggish. I have to correct that piece of transparently tabloid-style hype (I thought Alexis Petridis was supposed to be a proper writer) and say that as far as I could see the place was visibly full, and before I went I checked availability of tickets for the last night and there were very few left.

For what its worth, I really enjoyed the Paul McCartney cover at the end. The arrangement was pretty much a basic band romp with a strolling bass, but was probably better than the original, which is pretentious. And yes, a welcome change from L&M. 

1 - Taylor has the same problem as Probyn's wife - touch of the Aztec Two-Step.

2 - I have to correct your piece of transparently inaccurate reporting: the hall was not full last night - maybe 75%. Saturday is all but sold out, but according to the RFH's own site (and i asked last night at the box office as well), the other nights have many seats empty. Sunday has a 2/3 empty balcony, and the rear stalls are by no means full. Speaking to the band and some of 'Brian's people' recently, they admit that sales-wise, this is a bit of a disaster. The writer was correct - sales are sluggish, in the provinces as well. Bristol are offering a 2-for-1 deal.

[absinthe_boy]

I wasn't there, though I wish I had been. Basically for financial reasons I limit myself to one or two big gigs a year...and 2007 is Genesis and Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds for me.

WOW - tough call. If Genesis had been indoors I'd have been there aswell - I look forward to the DVD release at Christmas ... and ironically I was only put off the Jeff Wayne show by the earlier DVD release, but I'm sure in the actual venue it'll do it justice. Enjoy !

Yeah it was a toughie. It came down, in the end, to the fact that I've never seen Genesis (I was afraid of crowds in 1992, and living in the wrong country in 1998...too young before that) and this may be the last chance. I've also dreamed of a War of the Worlds concert since I was about 4 years old when I first heard the album...plus my wife is happy to attend that. And having seen Brian on the SMiLE tour...well, what could top that?

I even had The Police to consider this year too, another band I assumed I'd never get a chance to see...choices had to be made. Mr Mastercard has been very good to me and in theory I could pop off to the South Bank any of the next few nights...and pay for it later!

I hope TLOS is a work worthy of Brian Wilson, and that it excites audiences and enhances his reputation. But as the Guardian reporter said, "new work by Brian Wilson" doesn't fill everyone with the confidence it might have 40 years ago. I hope every lucky old sun (and daughter) who attents a concert is delighted...I just can't be one this time rond.

[brother john]

Taylor Mills was absent from most of the two sets, and the mix was better for it. During the encore J Foskett introduced everyone, and told the audience that she was ill and could only sing from stage left, and pointed towards some dark shadowy corner from where she had been contributing to some of the later tunes. He didn't say what was wrong with her, but I guess she was either wheelchair-bound, or has some hideous Elephant Man-like facial disfiguration.

I agree that there were a couple of moments of Too Much Sugar-ish excess that went of for far more bars than was necessary, but maybe they will be stripped back for a cd release.

I've just read the Guardian review mentioned above, and the journalist spends most of the time complaining about 'nostalgia fatigue' and doesn't mention TLOS until the final paragraph. He also says the hall was visibly half full and that ticket sales were sluggish. I have to correct that piece of transparently tabloid-style hype (I thought Alexis Petridis was supposed to be a proper writer) and say that as far as I could see the place was visibly full, and before I went I checked availability of tickets for the last night and there were very few left.

For what its worth, I really enjoyed the Paul McCartney cover at the end. The arrangement was pretty much a basic band romp with a strolling bass, but was probably better than the original, which is pretentious. And yes, a welcome change from L&M. 

1 - Taylor has the same problem as Probyn's wife - touch of the Aztec Two-Step.

2 - I have to correct your piece of transparently inaccurate reporting: the hall was not full last night - maybe 75%. Saturday is all but sold out, but according to the RFH's own site (and i asked last night at the box office as well), the other nights have many seats empty. Sunday has a 2/3 empty balcony, and the rear stalls are by no means full. Speaking to the band and some of 'Brian's people' recently, they admit that sales-wise, this is a bit of a disaster. The writer was correct - sales are sluggish, in the provinces as well. Bristol are offering a 2-for-1 deal.

Well in that case I retract my statement of fullness - I guess I was overly-influenced by the general excitement of the occasion and just saw loads of happy faces.

And what, may I ask, is the Aztec two-step for god's sake?

[Malc]

Hmmmm - I see in the news to day that Sir Paul of Macca is scheduled to make an appearance on Thursday night, possibly to duet on the encore ?? Just wonderin', as its Brian's night off, as to whether he's told Paul this. Maybe some of the empty seats that night will hastily fill in the hope ...  

[SurfRiderHawaii]

I'm Confused!

Didn't I read an interview with Brian where he talked about how he got the inspiration for this song cycle after hearing Ray Charles classic version of "That Lucky Old Sun"?  And that he downloaded it, learned it and started playing it.  I got the distinct impression that Brian's version would be part of the show but apparently they didn't play it?

Has anyone have any inside info the the song cycle?  AGD?

[chris.metcalfe]

Another positive review from the Independent:

http://arts.independent.co.uk/music/reviews/article2950678.ece

[Roger Ryan]

Has anyone have any inside info the the song cycle?  AGD?

I'm curious as well. Can someone describe how the suite fits together? Is the "Lucky Old Sun" theme interspersed throughout the individual songs? Are the "rounds" all played together or are they interspersed among the songs as well? For that matter, are the spoken word portions interspersed or are they all of one piece? Does the snippet of "Been Too Long" stand on its own as a linking track or is it part of the background music behind the narration? Thanks!

Oh, and a big thank you to eden for posting the Parks poems - those are fantastic!

[eden]

Here's what I can remember about TLOS...

The TLOS refrain was repeated several times. The whole thing broke down into several sections, sort of like SMiLE's movements with actual silence between them. Each section was 3 or 4 songs, some linking instrumentals and some with TLOS lyrics, sort of like vocal rounds, appearing every now and then. The audience applauded during the silences and sometimes at the end of individual songs. I think there was only one naration part per 'movement' except of the final movement (the best one) which sort of started with 'Can't Wait Too Long' intro (the oooohh, beeeeeen toooo loooong bit) which was accompanied by an un-narated video montage of the 3 brothers together (which got some spontaeneous applause when Denny appeared for the firs time and also for Carl). The last 'movement' is the personal one. Oxygen to the Brain I think segued straight into CWTL and then MAD through Going Home and ending with Southern California. It's hard to remember where the actual 'breaks' where in the music but the TLOS 'round' was mostly used to link tracks. I can't wait until a recording surfaces 'cos it was hard to take it all in at the time.

[wiggbuggie]

wow that lucky old sun sounds really cool from all the descriptions and Im surpsrised to see that brian finished been too long wonder when the actual album will be released any news?

[matt-zeus]

Now i'm getting very excited and glad I got tickets after all!
And now I have the double excitement of a Led Zeppelin reunion to contend with too! 

[Bill Barnyard]

From what I understand, Brian was inspired by Louis Armstrong's version of 'That Lucky Old Sun'; at least that's the version he learnt the song from.

As for 'Can't Wait Too Long/Been Way Too Long'; from other posts it looks like only excerpts were used in the show and as much as I would like to see Brian finally finish this song it probably won't happen. Here's hoping though.

Good response overall.

 

[Roger Ryan]

Here's what I can remember about TLOS...

Thanks eden! That's basically what I wanted to hear. A three or four movement suite combining narration, rounds, linking tracks and full songs is a lot more ambitious than I thought this thing would be. Cool!

[Andrew G. Doe]

Taylor Mills was absent from most of the two sets, and the mix was better for it. During the encore J Foskett introduced everyone, and told the audience that she was ill and could only sing from stage left, and pointed towards some dark shadowy corner from where she had been contributing to some of the later tunes. He didn't say what was wrong with her, but I guess she was either wheelchair-bound, or has some hideous Elephant Man-like facial disfiguration.

I agree that there were a couple of moments of Too Much Sugar-ish excess that went of for far more bars than was necessary, but maybe they will be stripped back for a cd release.

I've just read the Guardian review mentioned above, and the journalist spends most of the time complaining about 'nostalgia fatigue' and doesn't mention TLOS until the final paragraph. He also says the hall was visibly half full and that ticket sales were sluggish. I have to correct that piece of transparently tabloid-style hype (I thought Alexis Petridis was supposed to be a proper writer) and say that as far as I could see the place was visibly full, and before I went I checked availability of tickets for the last night and there were very few left.

For what its worth, I really enjoyed the Paul McCartney cover at the end. The arrangement was pretty much a basic band romp with a strolling bass, but was probably better than the original, which is pretentious. And yes, a welcome change from L&M. 

1 - Taylor has the same problem as Probyn's wife - touch of the Aztec Two-Step.

2 - I have to correct your piece of transparently inaccurate reporting: the hall was not full last night - maybe 75%. Saturday is all but sold out, but according to the RFH's own site (and i asked last night at the box office as well), the other nights have many seats empty. Sunday has a 2/3 empty balcony, and the rear stalls are by no means full. Speaking to the band and some of 'Brian's people' recently, they admit that sales-wise, this is a bit of a disaster. The writer was correct - sales are sluggish, in the provinces as well. Bristol are offering a 2-for-1 deal.

Well in that case I retract my statement of fullness - I guess I was overly-influenced by the general excitement of the occasion and just saw loads of happy faces.

And what, may I ask, is the Aztec two-step for god's sake?

Upset stomach.    Best not to get more than two steps from the bathroom...

[Andrew G. Doe]

I'm Confused!

Didn't I read an interview with Brian where he talked about how he got the inspiration for this song cycle after hearing Ray Charles classic version of "That Lucky Old Sun"?  And that he downloaded it, learned it and started playing it.  I got the distinct impression that Brian's version would be part of the show but apparently they didn't play it?

Has anyone have any inside info the the song cycle?  AGD?

The original "TLOS" was featured very early in the piece. As for how it came to be what it is (which is very fine to these ears)... now is not the time. Later. It's an interesting tale.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Im surpsrised to see that brian finished been too long

He didn't - it was used as the underscore for the 'Wilson Brothers' video segment, maybe 60 seconds. The version we all know.