Brian's voice

[Jay]

I was just thinking about something. If Dr. Landy had made Brian  take voice lessions as far back as 1976, do you think that Brian could have saved his falsetto? If you listen to the unreleased "Sherry She Needs Me", it seems pretty clear that Brian had some kind of falsetto, even if it was weak. If he had taken voice lessons, do you think he would have a falsetto today?

[Wirestone]

He does have a falsetto today. Listen to the demos of Midnight's Another Day and FSHMSG on his website. He's doing them like crazy in the background vocals.

Now, it's a more strained sound, and it certainly isn't at his beck and call in concert, but it still hangs around there (in the studio, at least).

Sadly, I don't think voice lessons would have helped one way or the other in the 70s and 80s. Much of that damage was cigarette and drug related. The fact Brian still has it now might be related to the fact that he currently takes lessons. (Or was as of a few years ago).

[Magic Transistor Radio]

One of my favorite vocal performances of Brian in recent years was the bridge to 'Make a Wish'. His falsetto is pretty sharp there.

[MBE]

Well the big damage was done on purpose in 1975, but let's say from 1976 Brian never did drugs or smoked. I think then it would be better then now at least to some extent.

[mikeyj]

Well the big damage was done on purpose in 1975, but let's say from 1976 Brian never did drugs or smoked. I think then it would be better then now at least to some extent.

MBE, I've heard it before and you just mentioned it again that the damage was done on PURPOSE in 75 or so... And Ive seen a clip on YouTube from Largo in 76 or so where Brian sings Back Home and he sings in a real rough and gruff voice on PURPOSE... So was this his attempt (according to what you or others know) to sound more manly or something?

[MBE]

Well basically he just started smoking obsessively because he suddenly decided he hated his voice. He was at a phase where he was irrational and the major change happened in a fairly short amount of time. More then one friend of his told me this exact same story. Since there is no other explination that makes sense. considering the brief time period. I think that's the truth.

[Amy B.]

When did Brian start smoking? I know that Carl apparently started quite early, but you never see photos of Brian with a cigarette in the 60s, do you? Not even in the studio. The Beatles were like chimneys, and didn't care about the presence of photographers.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

There's a pack of Marlboros on the console next to Brian on several pictures taken during the Pet Sound sessions. As for how much he started smoking in 1975, never forget that was also the peak of his cocaine addiction, at least at that time. I had a brief dalliance myself a few years ago, and that sh*t makes you chain smoke, so I'm sure that did Brian no favors either,

[Chris Brown]

There's a pack of Marlboros on the console next to Brian on several pictures taken during the Pet Sound sessions. As for how much he started smoking in 1975, never forget that was also the peak of his cocaine addiction, at least at that time. I had a brief dalliance myself a few years ago, and that sh*t makes you chain smoke, so I'm sure that did Brian no favors either,

I thought I read somewhere (might have been the WIBN "bio") that Brian was indeed chain smoking, 4 or 5 packs a day.  Combine that with the cocaine and its no wonder his voice became so damaged so quickly.

[the captain]

One of my favorite vocal performances of Brian in recent years was the bridge to 'Make a Wish'. His falsetto is pretty sharp there.

Are you serious? The GIOMH version? It's falsetto, but I wouldn't call it good. Where "sharp" is a good word to define it in the old days--clear, piercing at times, bright--it in recent years is breathy and hollow. Including on that part. If I were him, there is no way I'd have included that vocal. I'd have had Foskett or someone else from the band do it.

And while I think that he did a lot of irreparable damage, the fact is by now he'd probably be losing it anyway. Singers lose range with age, and falsetto often seems to be the first to go from casual observation.

[pixletwin]

One of my favorite vocal performances of Brian in recent years was the bridge to 'Make a Wish'. His falsetto is pretty sharp there.

Are you serious? The GIOMH version? It's falsetto, but I wouldn't call it good. Where "sharp" is a good word to define it in the old days--clear, piercing at times, bright--it in recent years is breathy and hollow. Including on that part. If I were him, there is no way I'd have included that vocal. I'd have had Foskett or someone else from the band do it.

And while I think that he did a lot of irreparable damage, the fact is by now he'd probably be losing it anyway. Singers lose range with age, and falsetto often seems to be the first to go from casual observation.

Thats true. He prolly would have lost his falsetto by now (although I dunno. Pavoratti kept his clear tenor his whole life pretty much.. heck, even Paul McCartney still sings in the same range though his voice wears out pretty quick anymore).

In any case, its a sad tragedy that he destroyed it.

[Sheriff John Stone]

While Brian probably went through a phase where he was self conscious about his voice (among other phases), I just find it hard to believe that he would INTENTIONALLY ruin his voice. I can think of a few other reasons why he was chain smoking, but masochism isn't one of them.

The real damage was done by the cocaine. That's what scorched his vocal chords and did irreparable damage.

There is, surprisingly, one "high" vocal on GIOMH that stands out among his best, and that is found on "A Friend Like You". The "when I look back" part, specifically. I wonder if the fact that it was duet with Paul McCartney had anything to do with it?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Bruce has said in the past that he personally believes Brian was trying to sound more like Dennis. Of course, Bruce says lots of things, many of them not true, so take that with a grain of salt.

[MBE]

While Brian probably went through a phase where he was self conscious about his voice (among other phases), I just find it hard to believe that he would INTENTIONALLY ruin his voice. I can think of a few other reasons why he was chain smoking, but masochism isn't one of them.

The real damage was done by the cocaine. That's what scorched his vocal chords and did irreparable damage.

There is, surprisingly, one "high" vocal on GIOMH that stands out among his best, and that is found on "A Friend Like You". The "when I look back" part, specifically. I wonder if the fact that it was duet with Paul McCartney had anything to do with it?

You are thinking rational thoughts where Brian was not. Off the top of my head Debbie Keil, and Stephen Kalinich told me the exact same story on it. Brian told me himself that he wanted to sing differently without going into how he achieved it. Cocaine didn't help but the contant cigarettes was the key.

[Chris Brown]

While Brian probably went through a phase where he was self conscious about his voice (among other phases), I just find it hard to believe that he would INTENTIONALLY ruin his voice. I can think of a few other reasons why he was chain smoking, but masochism isn't one of them.

The real damage was done by the cocaine. That's what scorched his vocal chords and did irreparable damage.

There is, surprisingly, one "high" vocal on GIOMH that stands out among his best, and that is found on "A Friend Like You". The "when I look back" part, specifically. I wonder if the fact that it was duet with Paul McCartney had anything to do with it?

You are thinking rational thoughts where Brian was not. Off the top of my head Debbie Keil, and Stephen Kalinich told me the exact same story on it. Brian told me himself that he wanted to sing differently without going into how he achieved it. Cocaine didn't help but the contant cigarettes was the key.

Exactly.  It was a very deliberate effort on Brian's part.  He may have been crazy, but he was a master of self-destruction.  Without the cigarettes and other various drugs, he couldn't have possible sang in such a "manly" tone like he wanted.  His voice was too sweet and clear to sound like he wanted to, not to mention he was very embarassed by his early falsettos for whatever reason.  So he took it upon himself to destroy his voice, and succeeded.  Given the damage that he must have done at the time, it's a wonder he ever got enough of it back to sing so well on the Brian Wilson album in '88 (even more amazing that he still sounds pretty good at 65!).

[Aegir]

I like his falsetto on the Imagination album.

And if Brian had given up drugs in 1975... he'd be better off in alot of other aspects than just his voice.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Where can I get cocaine? Anybody know? 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

 Should've asked me a few years ago ...

Brian told me himself that he wanted to sing differently without going into how he achieved it.

Yeah,then what Bruce said makes sense. Makes me wonder, though...he was doing more coke & smoke at this time, Brian or Dennis? I know in the late 70s they were neck & neck, but how about in 1975?

[MBE]

According to Jon Stebbins and a 1975 article in Preview magazine Dennis was even laying off the drinking in 1975. Perhaps the recent loss of his vocal range made him slow down for a while, but I think it also had something to do with Karen. By the end of 1976 Dennis was again heading in the wrong direction. I don't think Brian and Dennis ever became full blown herion addicts, but Brian's cocaine consumption after his father's death was getting bad. I think Dennis' got really bad by the end of 1977.  I am estimating on all this date wise but I think I have it fairly correct.

[jmc]

Cigarettes were the killer.  He was doing coke in fairly good quantities before 75' and his voice was fine.  As far as I know, he didn't start smoking intensively until 75'.  I think he was going for a manly voice.  It is well known that during the making of the Holland album, and after, he was obsessed with Randy Newman's Sail Away album.  It could be that he was looking for a Randy Newman style voice, which is rough and much deeper than his....more like Denny's voice. 

However, I've also wondered was he trying to damage his voice in spite of Mike Love et al. ?  or, Was he trying change it to please himself (i.e. achieve Randy Newman style)?  I wonder because after his voice changed, on record, he was still tasked with trying to do the old falsetto (e.g.  Kona Coast, In the Still of the Night, She's Got Rythym).  Why would you change it, only then to try and do the things you used to do?

I think this topic (including Denny's voice change) is very interesting because it completely changed the dynamics of the group (vocally and economically).  I can't help but wonder what would have been had his voice remained nearly the same, they went out on the road in 76' for a successful tour and then made Love You with his old voice and so on.  Who knows?

[GoogaMooga]

I read an excerpt from a book which stated that Brian would actually scream himself hoarse to change his voice.

[Amy B.]

Is that where "how loud can you yell" comes from?

I'm trying to imagine Brian's younger voice singing some of those Love You songs. Interesting.

[MDC]

I know I'm in the minority but I don't buy that the change in Brian's voice in 76 was due entirely to cigarette or coke- induced vocal cord damage. I believe Brian truly felt his younger falsetto voice no longer was appropriate for a 300+ pound 34 year old man. Just look at the pictures of him from the Love You era - an angelic falsetto emanating from this bear of man would sound a tad incongruous. To me the best evidence arguing against a physical cause for the voice change is MIU. To me Brian's vocals on Matchpoint or Come out Tonight sound very much like his late 60s-early 70s vocals. I don't think this sudden return to form was due to quitting cigarettes or drugs for a few months. Much more likely is that Brian wanted to (or was forced to) sing in his old (younger) voice.

[the captain]

Brian's late 70s falsetto (MIU) did not sound anything like his 60s falsetto.

And the theory that because Brian got fat, he chose not to sing falsetto, doesn't hold a lot of weight (oooh, bad joke), either. Jeff Foskett was a very big man until a year or two ago. And he sang like an angel. I doubt he thought, "wow, I'm hefty. I need to sing low, scratchy and out of tune."

Brian f***ed up his voice. Whether it was intentional, an unintentional side-effect of his lifestyle or both, that voice was ruined. And he never sounded the same. Sometimes he sounded slightly better than others. But never anything close to his peak.

[pixletwin]

....To me Brian's vocals on Matchpoint or Come out Tonight sound very much like his late 60s-early 70s vocals. I don't think this sudden return to form was due to quitting cigarettes or drugs for a few months. Much more likely is that Brian wanted to (or was forced to) sing in his old (younger) voice.

You have got to be kidding me.