Wondermints music

[SG7]

Yeah and I agree the BWB band would do an AWESOME job on Tracy Hyde!!

[Mahalo]

I was just listening to some of the Mints' stuff, and was thinking how funny it would be if they played a concert wearing pajama's. I think Scott would be funny in the pink bunny rabbit outfit from A Christmas Story.

[the captain]

I was just listening to some of the Mints' stuff, and was thinking how funny it would be if they played a concert wearing pajama's. I think Scott would be funny in the pink bunny rabbit outfit from A Christmas Story.

Too bad Scott isn't a Wondermint, so he wouldn't be there.

[Wilsonista]

Biggest pet peeve regarding how the BW band is named: reviews that refer to l the ENTIRE BW band as Wondermints.

[SG7]

Yes Rob, that gets to me too  when they do that 

[Mahalo]

He's a Wondermint in spirit....

[the captain]

He's a Wondermint in spirit....

So am I. Lotta good it's done me.

[SG7]

 

[Wilsonista]

No offense to Scott, but I'm more of a Wondermint in spirit than he is.

Mind you that didn't do me any good either.

[SG7]

I am more of a Wondermint follower 

[Wilsonista]

Well supposedly Libbyland is about Brian?

Libbyland is an actual place.   Eileen Lucero (who played the recorder solo on the song) had either an apartment or a house that was a hangout for Wondermints and their friends back in the day which they dubbed Libbyland, or maybe it was just one room.  My take on the song is that it's about struggles that musicians have about following their heart and their muse verses following the dollar signs.  Now that I think about it, that's something a guy like Brian Wilson would know very well.



That's Eileen in the center in case you couldn't figure it out.

[SG7]

Thanks for explaining that to me Rob. I've never heard that story before!! Nice picture too

[37!ws]

Wow....can't believe I missed this thread..

Count me in as a Wondermints junkie. I actually heard of Wondermints before we ever dreamed of seeing Brian in concert....and if you guessed it was via Austin Powers, you're right. And I remember in 1997 -- yep, 1997 -- somebody on either rec.music.artists.beach-boys or alt.music.beach-boys said that Brian should go out on a solo tour, get the Wondermints to back him up, and team up with a symphony orchestra to perform Pet Sounds. Weird!

I remember one night in 2001 when my wife and I were at Borders....she noticed a Wondermints CD. I said, "Is it Bali?" It was. I bought it and listened to some of it on the way to work the next day....wow, I was blown away! I was hooked instantly! Right before Christmas that year, I bought Wonderful World of Wondermints at an indy store in Red Bank, New Jersey. (The owner of the store always was a big Beach Boys fan, so I imagine there's a link there.) I hadn't heard of most of those covers, but I loved what I heard. I personally don't care much for the 1995 album, though, as it's too demo-y...although I feel that "Proto-Pretty" [or, as I call it, "a poor man's 'Shiny Happy People'"], "Global Village Idiot" [with its obvious borrowing from "Heroes And Villains"], "Tracy Hide" [of course] and "Playtex Aviary" [simply awesome!] are fantastic tracks that would make a killer EP....and I'd love to hear a studio version of "Proto-Pretty" with real drums...

I took my favorite songs from these three albums, as well as their cover of "The Party" and a couple of tracks from the Cellophane EP, and make a Wondermints car CD...then I heard they had a new album coming out! When Mind If We Make Love To You came out, I checked Best Buy (the site that promoted the album said BB would be carrying it), but they didn't have it, so I ordered it immediately...when it came, I listened to it on my way to church and some odd jobs I was doing during my three-year unemployment....I heard "On The Run" and thought "Yeah, that's going on the revamped car CD!" Then "Ride"...wow, killer! Then "Shine On Me" -- HOLY CRAP, what a killer song! Then "Time Has You," then I started to panic because that's the fourth song in a row (out of four!) that I just loooooved, and I realized that I wouldn't be able to fit all the songs I wanted on one CD!

I'm regretting not shelling out for a flight to LA in 2002 for the concert at the Knitting Factory....I was briefly conversing with Nick's sister via youtube and she says the Mints as a stand-alone band pretty much broke up long ago.   I would easily jump at the opportunity to see 'em perform..

[Surfer Joe]

Don't take this as fact or up to date info, but as of last year when I asked an ultra-reliable source about the chance of another Wondermints album, the answer was that they regard the band as sort of a "completed project", mission accomplished. Tragic.  And then it was added that now and then hints are dropped that another album may happen anyway.  So don't give up hope.  I didn't post this here earlier because I didn't see it come up, and because I didn't- and don't- want to be the source or speak for them, etc.  Just something I asked and was told.

The thing about "near-coyness" or "near-glibness" in the lyrics on that one album is the closest I would have to a criticism of them- I said the same thing in an Amazon review years ago- but I really love that album from stem to stern, and all their others.  I think I brought it up only in context of what I thought were the more mature, emotionally richer lyrics on their next (last album).  Among my favorite songs- "Libbyland", "A Wheel Whirled" (if that's the title), "Time Has You", and "Another Way".

Has anyone mentioned that their cover of "Ooh Child" is actually even better than the incredible original?



Love those guys.

[the captain]

Has anyone mentioned that their cover of "Ooh Child" is actually even better than the incredible original?

A-fucking-men.

[Wilsonista]

Has anyone mentioned that their cover of "Ooh Child" is actually even better than the incredible original?

A-fodaing-men.

Double for me. I was told that the only guys on that were Mike and Probyn.

[SG7]

OMG it would be sooooooooooo cool if they get back together!! All I hope is that I get to see them as the Wondermints  in my lifetime

[Jim McShane]

Double for me. I was told that the only guys on that were Mike and Probyn.

Really?? Wow, that is amazing. I've listened to that song 100s of times and never noticed that. But now that you mention it you may well be right. I can't pick out Darian or Nick in the mix. Damn! 

Oh, one more thing I wanted to say - Mike D'Amico may have the lowest profile of anyone in the 'Mints, but his songs are terrific and he's a great vocalist and musician.

I hope someday I'll get to hear some of their stuff live! Done by the BW band or as a solo act, I'll take either...

[Wilsonista]

Anyone who has seen Mike  in the early BW shows will attest, Mike is a very versatile multi-instrumentalist. Mike did all the instruments on Ooh Child, except for the horns which was Probyn.

[SG7]

I can't wait for the TLOS tour, it will be almost like a Wondermints reunion!!!!!! 

I even got my mom and sister hooked on them. They are quite a contagious bunch 

[adamghost]

Someone once said that Libbyland reminded them of Brian.  I don't know if it was about Brian.....but in retrospect, looking at that opening line and the subject matter....it could very well be about Brian....

Libbyland is about a friend of the 'mints that was around back in the day...you don't know her.

[adamghost]

Someone once said that Libbyland reminded them of Brian.  I don't know if it was about Brian.....but in retrospect, looking at that opening line and the subject matter....it could very well be about Brian....

Libbyland is about a friend of the 'mints that was around back in the day...you don't know her.

Oops...but Rob does!  Shoulda read through before I posted.  Yeah, it's about Eileen...a real sweetie.

[Wilsonista]

A blast from the 90's for the Angelinos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppG3pBWPniQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBcuAu0UcmY&feature=related

[the captain]

A blast from the 90's for the Angelinos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppG3pBWPniQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBcuAu0UcmY&feature=related

Thanks.

[GoofyJeff]

A blast from the 90's for the Angelinos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppG3pBWPniQ&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBcuAu0UcmY&feature=related

Wow, is that Lisa singing with them?   Very cool vids, thanks Rob