TLOS: any comments from Mike, Al or Bruce yet?

[shelter]

Just wondering...

[Pretty Funky]

Mike may give it a spin after he has read 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' and heard BWPS.

[Alex]

Mike may give it a spin after he has read 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' and heard BWPS.

i.e. Another lawsuit from the Lovester?? I wouldn't be surprised if it happens, but let's hope to hell that it doesn't.

[Beach Head]

Over on the BBB board, Bruce was asked:

"Have you heard Brian's new album? Any thoughts you would like to share with us?"

His one-word response:

"Remarkable!"

[absinthe_boy]

Bruce was really positive about BWPS, but then in the run up to that release he was convalessing after his heart bypass operation...so he had time on his hands! I remember Bruce saying he'd bought a copy for Mike, who said he was too busy to listen!

I would have imagined Bruce would have more to say about TLOS.

[Dutchie]

bruce isnt the person to take sites or say a "bad" thing about a fellow member. Mike isnt positive about any new song brian makes ( wonder why  ) and from Al i dont know.

[elnombre]

Bruce has said quite a few unkind things about Brian over the years, usually in reference to him perceiving him to be a shadow of his former self.

[Dutchie]

OK, thanks missed those

[phirnis]

If I remember correctly, Bruce once said about BW's solo records to be little more than just a nice way to keep Brian occupied. Even though it might've been true at certain times in the past (or even present?), it struck me as kind of rough on his part. On the other hand Bruce himself has been very critical even about his very own musical output. He seems to be downright embarrassed by almost any song he's written, Disney Girls excluded.

[absinthe_boy]

Bruce says it like it is.

In recent years he's said of Brian, "He's improved a bit but he isn't back to what he was" and really...that is probably true.

TLOS is, however, remarkable. He's right there too.

[Amy B.]

I'm glad Bruce said something about TLOS, and I'm glad he still takes enough interest in Brian's work to listen to it. We all know from his previous comments (pop Rachmaninov and all that) that he's a fan, and since he came to the BBs a bit later, he probably is a little bit more in awe of Brian than the guys who grew up with Brian and worked with him since they were teenagers.

I don't know what to make of Mike's lack of comment (so far) on TLOS and claim not to have listened to BWPS. You'd think he probably would listen, if only out of curiosity. And I would think that TLOS, being fairly un-commercial, would not be Mike's cup of tea. Maybe it's a case of "if you don't have anything nice to say..." and I can respect that. I always thought it would be nice if he at least acknowledged what a hurdle it was for Brian to work on Smile again, but I don't think that's in Mike's DNA. Saying nothing is better than what he said about Brian's first solo album. I thought he should have been more gracious about that one, even if he genuinely hated it.

[shelter]

Bruce says it like it is.

Probably.

But then again, what has he done the last 25 years?

[lance]

My sentiments exactly. Brian coasting does a more than bruce working hard.

My guess is that when Love gets around to saying anything about it, he'll either say he hasn't heard it or say that it was good MUSICALLY and all but lacks that sort of boy-girl thing that makes it COMMERCIAL.

[The Shift]

"'Took the Diamond from my soul and turned it back into coal'?

"C'mon Bennett, what are these lyrics supposed to mean?

"Whaddya mean you can't explain 'em!"

Bennett either couldn't or wouldn't explain them and shortly afterwards walked off the project. Within months Brian had scrapped the That Lucky Old Sun project, and claimed to have burned the tapes.

Subsequently the band gathered in Brian's home studio to record a self-produced album that would be but a poor reflection of the music Brian had been working on for months.

That Lucky Old Smiley Smile was, commented Foskett, "a bunt instead of a grand slam".

[Roger Ryan]

"'Took the Diamond from my soul and turned it back into coal'?

"C'mon Bennett, what are these lyrics supposed to mean?

"Whaddya mean you can't explain 'em!"

Bennett either couldn't or wouldn't explain them and shortly afterwards walked off the project. Within months Brian had scrapped the That Lucky Old Sun project, and claimed to have burned the tapes.

Subsequently the band gathered in Brian's home studio to record a self-produced album that would be but a poor reflection of the music Brian had been working on for months.

That Lucky Old Smiley Smile was, commented Foskett, "a bunt instead of a grand slam".

Yes, but wouldn't the album have been called "That Lucky Old Sunnier Sun"? 

[Rocker]

And I would think that TLOS, being fairly un-commercial, would not be Mike's cup of tea.

I think it is very commercial. Some of the songs have real hit-potential imho

[Sheriff John Stone]

I always thought it would be nice if he at least acknowledged what a hurdle it was for Brian to work on Smile again, but I don't think that's in Mike's DNA.

Maybe Mike doesn't think Brian put much "work" into BWPS. Or, that it would've been more of a "hurdle" to compose an album of all new songs, instead of re-recording 38 year old ones...

[Amy B.]

[Maybe Mike doesn't think Brian put much "work" into BWPS. Or, that it would've been more of a "hurdle" to compose an album of all new songs, instead of re-recording 38 year old ones...

I'm talking about the psychological aspect of revisiting something that represented such a profound failure for someone who was touted as this great genius. Whether he was a big part of "finishing" it or not, the fact that he was willing to present it after all these years was a big deal. In terms of workload, well, he did a hell of a lot of work in the 60s, and just performing it night after night couldn't have been easy.
Compose an album of new songs? He just did that, and as I said, time will tell whether Mike comments on that or not. I know there's a lot of talk about "Brianistas," but this backlash where Brian (who has been releasing music consistently) just can't win, and Mike (who has been sitting on an album for years) is beyond reproach is just too much sometimes.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I know there's a lot of talk about "Brianistas," but this backlash where Brian (who has been releasing music consistently) just can't win, and Mike (who has been sitting on an album for years) is beyond reproach is just too much sometimes.

In regard to Brian and Mike being compared as solo artists, songwriters, or composers, there is no comparison. And I don't see anybody making them.

[joe_blow]

Bruce does like to talk about I Write The Songs. If you remember the WOTS podcast where he commented on Disney Girls, he happened to slide in thta i Erite The Songs sold 25 million...I still can't figure that out.

[The Shift]

And I would think that TLOS, being fairly un-commercial, would not be Mike's cup of tea.

I think it is very commercial. Some of the songs have real hit-potential imho

Not sure they'd be hits given today's fickle X Factor type market, but it's certainly a commercial sounding album. Throw in the Wilson/Bacharach track What Love Can Do (I can't get that turn out of my head!), Just Like Me And You and a fully realised Message Man and I reckon you've the strongest collection of new work from any Beach Boy camp since POB (excepting BWPS, cos it seems the done thing to except it!).

[absinthe_boy]

While the Mrs and I were driving up to Stratford to see Hamlet a couple of weekends ago, the pop music station she was listening to played something by Bruce...kind of a disco tune...and then the DJ went into how it was by Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys.

[shelter]

While the Mrs and I were driving up to Stratford to see Hamlet a couple of weekends ago, the pop music station she was listening to played something by Bruce...kind of a disco tune...and then the DJ went into how it was by Bruce Johnston of the Beach Boys.

Pipeline maybe? Bruce's disco version of that song was a small hit in some countries...

[The Shift]

Aye, think I heard it on Radio 2 recently, on a yester-year chart type prog. Must have been a minor UK hit.

[Amy B.]

When I say it's not commercial, I'm thinking of the whole album, with the narratives and all of that.