Why is Melinda Opposed to A Reunion?

[urbanite]

Brian had his run as a solo artist, recorded, toured, and been feted by devoted fans.  Why is his wife, with little to no connection to the golden era, opposed to one last time with the guys from Hawthorne?

[sofonanm]

What's the story behind this? (I know nothing about it).

I don't understand why Brian can't do whatever the hell he wants. Is he his own person or a puppet?

[Wirestone]

Well, I think the last time Brian was asked about it, he said he didn't have any interest in a reunion.

[Wilsonista]

Because any time he does reunite with them, it always ends badly.

Because the last time he offered new songs to the BB, Carl bailed.  After having his new material rejected, one can't blame Brian and his people for not wanting anything to do with the BB. Personally, I can see how the Brian camp might find it galling to see some in the BB camp wanting Brian to make a record with them for V2 Records shortly after a BB bailed on the Don Was/Andy Paley sessons.

[MBE]

Personally I think it's ego and power, and she has been poisoned by Leaf. She controlls his career but she wouldn't be able to dictate what the Beach Boys do. Brian seems to have had a great time at the Hawthrone dedication and the rooftop award ceremony. I keep thinking of the last few moments of the BBC doc from 2004 where Al states that he is not "allowed" to see his best friend and Brian when asked says (and I paraphrase) "No I don't want to do a reunion."  He looks off camera and says "Do we?" It sums it up for me. I mean we can't be sure who he was talking to but I bet it was Melinda or Leaf.

[Wilsonista]

Personally I think it's ego and power, and she has been poisoned by Leaf. She controlls his career but she wouldn't be able to dictate what the Beach Boys do. Brian seems to have had a great time at the Hawthrone dedication and the rooftop award ceremony.

I was at the Hawthorne ceremony and it was nice to see them together. But the next day when I saw the actual pictures, I thought "Brian really doesn't look like he wants to be with these people". Indeed, Peter Carlin's account of the event (Peter was also in Hawthorne that day) in Catch A Wave matches my own recollection of the event.

He hasn't wanted to be in the BB for a long time and it's easy (too easy) for him to manipulate the scene and make it look like others (Landy, Melinda) are holding him back. Think of it as "good cop, bad cop".

[Jon Stebbins]

Personally I think it's ego and power, and she has been poisoned by Leaf. She controlls his career but she wouldn't be able to dictate what the Beach Boys do. Brian seems to have had a great time at the Hawthrone dedication and the rooftop award ceremony.

I was at the Hawthorne ceremony and it was nice to see them together. But the next day when I saw the actual pictures, I thought "Brian really doesn't look like he wants to be with these people". Indeed, Peter Carlin's account of the event (Peter was also in Hawthorne that day) in Catch A Wave matches my own recollection of the event.

He hasn't wanted to be in the BB for a long time and it's easy (too easy) for him to manipulate the scene and make it look like others (Landy, Melinda) are holding him back. Think of it as "good cop, bad cop".

I was at both the Capitol Rooftop and the Landmark. At the Landmark in 2005 Brian had some genuinely warm moments behind the scenes with Dave, and a respectful moment or two with Al during the ceremony. It was a good day for Brian but it was nothing like the Capitol rooftop reunion in 2006. On that day Brian and Mike were in great spirits, and shared much laughter together. I watched the two of them share some hilarious moments with David as well. This was genuine fun they were having, Brian was clearly the dominant personality out of the five of them...there was no disguising it. This was a glimpse of the real Brian, not the scripted or remote controlled Brian, but the leader, the funniest one, and the one with the biggest and most outgoing presence. The rooftop gathering was a much more intimate affair than the landmark thing, 50 people... it didn't last as long, and Brian didn't have the kind of pressure to behave a certain way because there were basically no fans up there...just family, capitol employees, some press and a few insiders. It was less than an hour of his time. And during that time Brian was up, making tons of jokes...Mike was friendly and positive towards him. They all seemed to be having fun...slightly silly fun...nothing heavy that's for sure. But that's the most comfortable I've seen Brian in a public setting since the '70's. Lots of hugs for his band mates, lots of laughter between them, and Brian was in control...no one was telling him where to go or what to say.

[Wirestone]

I think, after this point, with roughly 15 years of Melinda and David advising Brian on his career, the results should be obvious. Brian has recorded a half-dozen studio albums and several lives discs, not to mention a handful of DVDs. He's made many successful tours and found friends and collaborators in his current band. We've seen Brian's limitations, too. He's somewhat lazy, less willing to engage with journalists, etc., and not always a font of new songs. But his reputation is arguably at its highest point since the 1960s. He's secured his legacy -- with a lot of help from his wife, friends and band.

He has nothing to gain from a reunion with Mike and Bruce. He seems to have patched things up with Al. But why would he want or need to be a Beach Boy? He didn't want to be one in the 70s -- American Spring was his group then -- and why would the past 15 years convince him that he has to become a Beach Boy again? If anything, the time has proved that he needs them less than ever before.

[adamghost]

It's simply possible that Melinda loves Brian and doesn't think it's what he wants...or that it ISN'T what he wants, and she as his de facto manager has to play bad cop. 

I mean, it's cool that folks want the BBs reunion to happen, but every time it starts to edge towards the idea that we fans know what's better for Brian than he or his wife, I get a little irked at that.  There doesn't have to be a deep dark conspiracy to every decision we disagree with.  There could simply be factors we are not aware of.

[Sheriff John Stone]

When Brian had most of his difficult moments with the Beach Boys, he was under the influence of drugs, either illegal or ill-prescribed. I don't think it's a coincidence that Brian has been "better" since he has been off of those drugs, and receiving appropriate treatment. I would like to see Brian enjoy the Beach Boys again now that he is clean from all of the "bad" drugs. He's never really had that opportunity, at least on a long-term (a year?) basis.

I want to see Brian record and perform again with The Beach Boys because I think he did his best work with them, and because, personally, I enjoy EVERYTHING he did with them. I really like all of the Beach Boys' songs he's written and recorded.

[The infamous Baldwin Organ]

I agree with you, Sheriff, and that's an interesting point.

[the captain]

Any speculation on my part seems more arrogant than even I'm comfortable with: I don't know these people and it feels weird second-guessing their motives, all of which I'm supposed to divine from, what?, albums and interviews and personal musical taste? Honestly, I figure if Brian and the guys all want to do a reunion, they'll do one in some form and for some duration or another. If they don't, they won't. Maybe not quite so simple as that ... but maybe not much more complicated than that, either.

[XY]

Perhaps this isn't correct, but from reading interviews + reports from that time around the Capitol gathering/"Warmth Of The Sun" comp. release, I understood that all parties were open for some kind of reunion and Mike put the biggest stones on that possibility.
Regarding Al claiming that he's not allowed to call Brian, I think that was just the usual Landy-era inspired promo-talk. And soon after that, Al did a couple of gigs with Brian and they also recorded together.
When Brian tells in public repeatedly that someone is egoistic, even an ashole, and that after the rooftop fun, then I don't think it's 'manipulation'.

[Jonas]

But why would he want or need to be a Beach Boy?

Because, he IS a Beach Boy.

[Daniel S.]

What's the point of a Beach Boys reunion? None of them can sing anymore accept for Al Jardine. They've all lost their voices, so that means no Beach Boy harmonies. Just a bunch of old men croaking.

[MBE]

Perhaps this isn't correct, but from reading interviews + reports from that time around the Capitol gathering/"Warmth Of The Sun" comp. release, I understood that all parties were open for some kind of reunion and Mike put the biggest stones on that possibility.
Regarding Al claiming that he's not allowed to call Brian, I think that was just the usual Landy-era inspired promo-talk. And soon after that, Al did a couple of gigs with Brian and they also recorded together.
When Brian tells in public repeatedly that someone is egoistic, even an ashole, and that after the rooftop fun, then I don't think it's 'manipulation'.

Yet he just as often says great things about Mike. I recently read or heard an interview where he said they had a visit and that Mike was supportive of Brian doing his own thing.

Let's face it, Brian is very mercurial when it comes to who or what he likes. One day he loves Good Vibrations the next day he hates it. Go back to the sixties he was like that even then, one day Dennis is cool, the next day he's the most messed up person he knows. He got close to people like Usher and Christian, and dropped them all pretty suddenly. On the spring 1970 he had a panic attack but later that year called it the best three days of his life. He just is a moody guy.

As far as Jardine and Brian I do hope things have improved. Regardless of how we individually interpret the matter, he was dropped from the show fairly hastily. Frankly Al was being very sincere in the 2003 interview. It was about as far away from PR as anything I have ever seen. Landy was out of the picture ten years by that point.

[Rocker]

What's the point of a Beach Boys reunion? None of them can sing anymore accept for Al Jardine. They've all lost their voices, so that means no Beach Boy harmonies. Just a bunch of old men croaking.

Well, it would just be a nostalgia-thing. No one should expect great new things happening. And I think that's ok, the Beach Boys have been about nostalgia for more than twenty years now...

 
From MBE:

I keep thinking of the last few moments of the BBC doc from 2004 where Al states that he is not "allowed" to see his best friend and Brian when asked says (and I paraphrase) "No I don't want to do a reunion."  He looks off camera and says "Do we?" It sums it up for me. I mean we can't be sure who he was talking to but I bet it was Melinda or Leaf.

I think the original quote says even more. Brian says earlier that he can't be around Mike for more than 5 minutes. And later he was asked if he thinks the original memebrs would play together again (or something to that effect). Brian goes "Again?" Turns his head and asks "What do you think?" So he doesn't answer the question himself in that moment...



The whole Melinda-thing is something I don't understand. I don't really think that she is an evil person or influence on Brian. If she was, I think Brian is intelligent enough to realize. I mean the Carlin-book showed us how well Brian can manipulate people and the surroundings in his life. He even did that with Landy! If there's something Brian really doesn't wanna do, he's not gonna do it. If he wants it, he does it. Maybe (!) the Beach Boys are just not important enough for him....

[Sheriff John Stone]

What's the point of a Beach Boys reunion? None of them can sing anymore accept for Al Jardine. They've all lost their voices, so that means no Beach Boy harmonies. Just a bunch of old men croaking.

I know I'm an eternal optimist when it comes to this subject, but, I believe that given one last chance or opportunity to do something great - in the studio or on the stage - that the guys, all of them, would rise to the occasion. I know the voice is a physical thing, but, desire, effort, and emotion can help also.

One quick thing about Melinda and her feelings toward Mike Love....I believe Mike's big lawsuit about the lyrics/credits and getting his due was NOT personal against Brian. But, I don't think Melinda feels that way; I think she resents Mike because of it. I keep remembering that  Larry King interview. Again, Melinda was upset over money....

[Shady]

I wouldn't agree that they 'can't sing', Brian still can sing not just the way he used to, same with Mike and Bruce.

But I see no need for a reunion, they all seem to like what their doing

[Andrew G. Doe]

One quick thing about Melinda and her feelings toward Mike Love....I believe Mike's big lawsuit about the lyrics/credits and getting his due was NOT personal against Brian. But, I don't think Melinda feels that way; I think she resents Mike because of it. I keep remembering that  Larry King interview. Again, Melinda was upset over money....

Ummmmm... and whose decision was it not to settle with Mike out of court for a reported $750,000, but rather fight the case and end up loosing something like $5,000,000 (minimum) ? Another stunning example of the caliber of Brian's management.

[Wilsonista]

One quick thing about Melinda and her feelings toward Mike Love....I believe Mike's big lawsuit about the lyrics/credits and getting his due was NOT personal against Brian. But, I don't think Melinda feels that way; I think she resents Mike because of it. I keep remembering that  Larry King interview. Again, Melinda was upset over money....

Ummmmm... and whose decision was it not to settle with Mike out of court for a reported $750,000, but rather fight the case and end up loosing something like $5,000,000 (minimum) ? Another stunning example of the caliber of Brian's management.

Without the benefit of hindsight, if I was in the shoes of Brian's camp, I would have done the exact thing.  The evidence in Mike's case was not as strong as he would have you believe.  Brian crumbling on the stand was the only thing that blew his defense and thus causing him to lose  the case.
 

[TdHabib]

I always wanted to know the details behind the case, did Brian really choke on the stand, was it just a bad day, or was he sincere?

[southbay]

One quick thing about Melinda and her feelings toward Mike Love....I believe Mike's big lawsuit about the lyrics/credits and getting his due was NOT personal against Brian. But, I don't think Melinda feels that way; I think she resents Mike because of it. I keep remembering that  Larry King interview. Again, Melinda was upset over money....

Ummmmm... and whose decision was it not to settle with Mike out of court for a reported $750,000, but rather fight the case and end up loosing something like $5,000,000 (minimum) ? Another stunning example of the caliber of Brian's management.

Without the benefit of hindsight, if I was in the shoes of Brian's camp, I would have done the exact thing.  The evidence in Mike's case was not as strong as he would have you believe.  Brian crumbling on the stand was the only thing that blew his defense and thus causing him to lose  the case.
 

Right, because nobody could see THAT coming.

[Andrew G. Doe]

One quick thing about Melinda and her feelings toward Mike Love....I believe Mike's big lawsuit about the lyrics/credits and getting his due was NOT personal against Brian. But, I don't think Melinda feels that way; I think she resents Mike because of it. I keep remembering that  Larry King interview. Again, Melinda was upset over money....

Ummmmm... and whose decision was it not to settle with Mike out of court for a reported $750,000, but rather fight the case and end up loosing something like $5,000,000 (minimum) ? Another stunning example of the caliber of Brian's management.

Without the benefit of hindsight, if I was in the shoes of Brian's camp, I would have done the exact thing.  The evidence in Mike's case was not as strong as he would have you believe.  Brian crumbling on the stand was the only thing that blew his defense and thus causing him to lose  the case.
 

Beg to differ: if my #1 witness in this matter was Brian Wilson circa 1994, I would not be dumb - or insensitive - enough to put him in the witness box. As for Mike's evidence, Brian had been saying for decades that he'd written the lyric to "California Girls", and while I remain convinced that he had little, if anything, to do with the other 34 titles claimed, that one would be seized upon as proof of reasonable doubt - and was. Brian's people screwed up big time on that one, both in terms of smarts and compassion.

[southbay]

Agreed, Andrew.  At the point your case relies upon the testimony of Brian Wilson, you are done. And, in California civil trials, the standard of proof is not reasonable doubt, but far less, meaning Mike just had to "tip the scales" in his favor to win.