Bruce Johnston's idea for a new Brian Wilson album...

[LostArt]

I just saw this on the BBB board.  Apologies if you all have seen it already (I know that some have).  Typical Bruce.

Album idea for Brian from me:
As Brian's voice sounds very relaxed and unstrained on his Gershwin album, I'd recommend a fully orchestrated 'next' album along the lines of Natalie Cole's seven times platinum "Unforgettable: With Love".......
Brian's album could be a mix of 'standards' and a few great classic Beach Boys songs ("Warmth Of The Sun"...."God Only Knows"....and possibly one more BW/BB song). I'd expect Brian to record the BB songs in much lower keys for 'extra' warmth to his vocals. We all love his great falsetto voice from the early days but the lower range would be much more appropriate for this kind of an album. I would hope that the album's orchestral arranger would be at the level of a Nelson Riddle. I'd expect Brian only to focus only on his singing (and not arranging & producing). Finally, I'd have David Foster as the producer. David would be my first ten choices!
I know Brian would enjoy the great songs, beautiful orchestral arrangements, and a top world class producer. There would be zero pressure on Brian....All he would have to do is sing in his warm natural 2010 voice.

Bruce Johnston
Montecito
September 7, 2010




AGD:
My 'mind set' about a new Brian Wilson album is from my early days as a staff producer at Columbia Records (pre-Beach Boys!).....
I was wondering what recording direction an almost seventy years old (....I'm just weeks younger than Brian myself!!) beloved super music success story like Brian Wilson could take.
I think Brian could successfully record a 2011/2012 album not unlike Willie Nelson's 1978 Stardust album (but updated in the approach and song selection). It would be very wise to have a producer like David Foster for Brian. David is so amazing at everything he does and perhaps Brian would please all of his fans with a 180 degree music direction change (along the lines of Michael Buble......David is Michael's producer). As I mentioned in an earlier post to you, I know Brian would enjoy just singing while everyone else does the 'heavy lifting' of arranging & producing this project...........A music icon like Brian starts to become ageless now (like Willie Nelson) and a project like this could really work.
Andrew, this idea of mine is not new or even original but it's worth considering. My 'production ears' heard the 'relaxed' Brian Wilson vocal range on his Gershwin album and it really got me to thinking about a one or two future album recording direction. As you pointed out, Brian has one more Disney album to record and perhaps he could give my album idea a try after that.
I was very successful suggesting to Mike Love to use his soft baritone voice for singing the lead on "Kokomo" instead of having Carl Wilson singing the verses in a higher key. Most people don't realize that Mike has three vocal ranges: a very commercial higher lead voice, a quasi bass doo wop voice, and his soft 'Kokomo' voice. This is a vocal band and it's important to know everyone's vocal range.
Back to Brian: With so many Brian Wilson solo albums released over the recent years, you need to take great care in the artistic direction. Perhaps Brian could invite Tony Bennett to duet on "The Warmth Of The Sun"....Could you imagine Brian & Tony dueting with that great song over an amazing full orchestral arrangement? (I am such a fan of "The Warmth Of The Sun" and there is a sweet Beach Boys recording of Willie Nelson an us singing it together).....

Bruce Johnston
Montecito
September 8, 2010



Rick:
Thanks for the compliment but there are much better orchestral arrangers than I could ever hope to be. Whoever arranges the music must be at the level of Nelson Riddle (I'm not even close!) and anyway, there should be no Beach Boys connection other than a couple of very known Brian Wilson 'classic' songs from the early days.
Brian will do better standing alone in front of a great microphone singing classic world class songs (with amazing arrangements and being guided by a brilliant producer on the 'other side of the glass' (but guiding Brian ever so slightly).

Bruce Johnston
Montecito
September 8, 2010

[Roger Ryan]

I know Bruce is being sincere and earnest here...but this just makes my stomach churn! A number of reviews already think that Brian has gone the lazy "standards" route with BWRG; David Foster producing Beach Boys remakes so Brian can duet with Tony Bennett would be the most dismal sort of career-ender imaginable.

Attention all former/current Beach Boys: as attractive as the idea may seem, no further classic BB song remakes are required!

[Ron]

Like you said, I feel Bruce is being sincere, and I think he's a really nice guy so I'm not going to argue with his opinion. 

[drbeachboy]

After reading Brian's remarks about David Foster and "Fairy Tale", I doubt that Brian is too anxious to work with him. Maybe vice-versa too.

[bgas]

If a "Beach Boys connection " is needed for an arranger, how about Rick Henn?  He works as an arranger/conductor with an orchestra in Southern California and he and Brian have history! 

[Runaways]

i'd pass on that one. 

[phirnis]

I reckon even an 80-minutes album of Brian singing the Hokey Pokey over and over again would be more interesting than this.

[Smilin Ed H]

Sounds dreadful.

Buble?  Henn?

[The Madcap]

I reckon even an 80-minutes album of Brian singing the Hokey Pokey over and over again would be more interesting than this.

I think we're more likely to get an 80 minute Shortnin' Bread CD than an 80 minute Hokey Pokey CD

also, I'm not too fond of Bruce's idea.

[Emdeeh]

I'm not a fan of "standards" (especially with orchestral backing) at all.....

[Myk Luhv]

Welp, here's another terrible idea from Bruce Johnston. Is anyone surprised given his contributions to The Beach Boys?

[Mikie]

Bruce.........Bruce.........Bruce. 

Best thing anyone could encourage Brian to do right now is a good Rock & Roll album.

[Smilin Ed H]

Write your own stuff and get it released, Bruce. Please.

[Wirestone]

After reading Brian's remarks about David Foster and "Fairy Tale", I doubt that Brian is too anxious to work with him. Maybe vice-versa too.

What did he say? I've never heard this!

[Menace Wilson]

Get B-Dub to sing "a few" classic BBs tunes, eh?  And then (just for the sake of bridge-building of course) bring in Johnstone, Love and Jardine for backing vox?  Maybe do a few shows?

[GoogaMooga]

I still hope Brian records that rock'n'roll album he's been talking about for years. I think he has already covered, or will cover, "Proud Mary". I know Brian still has a competitive spirit and wants a chart hit again. Bruce's suggestion is fine, and it will sell, like Rod's albums have, and I would buy Brian's, being a fan, but I didn't bother with Rod's albums. Natalie Cole's album was very successful and I might buy that, mainly for the Nat King Cole connection.

[Wirestone]

Rock and roll album (or at least quite a few tracks for one) is already recorded. If it will be released -- open question.

[GoogaMooga]

Rock and roll album (or at least quite a few tracks for one) is already recorded. If it will be released -- open question.

Are the other BB's on it, or is it by Brian and his new band?

[Wirestone]

My understanding is that Brian kept recording with Scott after TLOS. Heck, he even talked about it in some interviews. "Proud Mary" version number four (following ones cut with Landy, Don Was and Joe Thomas) is already done.

[Mikie]

Rock and roll album (or at least quite a few tracks for one) is already recorded. If it will be released -- open question.

Of course there's already a lot of unreleased tracks anybody here can compile and make a Brian Wilson Rock & Roll album!

[bgas]

My understanding is that Brian kept recording with Scott after TLOS. Heck, he even talked about it in some interviews. "Proud Mary" version number four (following ones cut with Landy, Don Was and Joe Thomas) is already done.

Maybe Brian can just wait til he's cut enough versions of Proud Mary, and then release them all as a Themed Rock and Roll Album, "Brian Wilson Reimagines Proud Mary"

or maybe he could release the four he's done now as an EP...

[filledeplage]

Rock and roll album (or at least quite a few tracks for one) is already recorded. If it will be released -- open question.

Of course there's already a lot of unreleased tracks anybody here can compile and make a Brian Wilson Rock & Roll album!

First, Mikie - What kind of tracks are you talking about?  Are they Brian's "solo" tracks?  Or, are they unreleased Beach Boys tracks?

Second, If they are Beach Boys tracks, do they have lyrics?

Third, One thing I always marveled about was how the lyrics for Good Vibrations evolved.  What seems to be "generally accepted" is that Mike Love wrote those lyrics, while he was touring.  Only someone very "gifted" would be able to accomplish such a task.  If there were no lyrics, would/could Mike be the lyricist? 

Brian has teamed with many different and talented people during his long career, but there is a certain "punch" (a metaphor) that Mike has been able to "apply" to music which makes it "available" to the listener. This was an enormous success and lyrics were done away from the "composer."

Beautiful music, in the old "classical" sense, does not have words which accompany it.  But rock has the combination of the two.
Is it even possible if Brian has melodies written, whether if sent to Mike, in the same manner as Good Vibrations was, in order for
lyrics to be coordinated with them?  Brian has worked with lots of people but it has not come close to the Lerner-Lowe or the Menken-Ashman (RIP)(The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast) partnership that was Wilson-Love.  Mike seems to be able to "get his arms around" what the music is "saying" to him, looking through a different lens.  People have been singing Mike's words for nearly 50 years.   Brian's solo work, while accomplished and fine, does not have people walking down the street who can sing something like I Get Around.  It is the "glue" that hold the melody to the lyrics.  No one is bouncing down the street singing TLOS, even though it is a magnificent work.           

The thread of ranking (according to another thread) has Brian's Gershwin in second place for jazz.  It is interesting that this is the category where the work is "shining."  Jazz and orchestration is not my area.  Maybe Bruce sees a potential for Brian that other people aren't looking at, from a different kind of lens and perspective, and seems to know who in the business might be a good fit, for a different type of album where Brian is the star, in a completely different dimension from the Beach Boys, or the leader of his own band, in a manner that would relieve Brian of the "heavy lifting." It might be nice.   

Most of us (the greedy ones) would love to see that type of joint work done again in some capacity by Brian and Mike even if done like Good Vibrations if the face-to-face is not possible.  I don't know if that is possible or even advisable. (I am only a fan.)

But, it might be a real epiphany for Brian, if Mike were to set some words to Brian's music "independently" that made Brian's melody "rock."  AGD may have a more pessimistic (and probably, correct) view of this.  JMHO              

[The Shift]

Is Bruce being serious? He's taken the piss out of the hardcore fans in the past -  remember his tale about burying a H&V acetate in a time capsule beneath a new tower block somewhere?

The guy does have a sense of humour.... then again, didn't he block the release of a concert vid cos he was wearing an un-hip shirt?

Go figure, we're on Planet Beach Boys here...

[adamghost]

Get B-Dub to sing "a few" classic BBs tunes, eh?  And then (just for the sake of bridge-building of course) bring in Johnstone, Love and Jardine for backing vox?  Maybe do a few shows?

Interesting idea!  I loved Davey Johnstone's backing vocals on the '70s Elton records!  Maybe we could get Nigel Olsson in there as well?

[drbeachboy]

After reading Brian's remarks about David Foster and "Fairy Tale", I doubt that Brian is too anxious to work with him. Maybe vice-versa too.

What did he say? I've never heard this!

All I remember was reading an interview with Brian during GIOMH, talking about "Fairy Tale", saying he was pissed about what David Foster did to his song. Apparently, the song was given to Chicago, given a new title, new lyrics and arrangement. I can't remember which track or album, though. Maybe a Chicago fan here knows more?

Edit: I'm sure it's on one of the Foster produced albums.