Brian Wilson: Songwriter 1962-1969

[filledeplage]

I have much affection for the Friends album and as I wasn't even born when it was released it's historical context means nothing to me. However I would label the songs more as "nice" then "great". It's hard to forget they come from the mind of the man who less than two years earlier had conceived "Good Vibrations" and "Surfs Up".

You have great taste in music for someone so young...but you are approaching their music from a different vantage point.

If you watch and can make out what Carl and the guys are saying on the Paris - Gaumont Palace Youtube, which I think was a mini documentary you can see the feelings, expressed very candidly by the guys about the whole "being in the box" musically and the desire to "break out" from the stereotype they were saddled with at the time.  It is in two parts and you will see clips of live concert, including one of my favorites, "Country Air" from Wild Honey and interviews which look like they were held in a hotel room with two twin beds pushed together.

My initial impression was that "Friends" (with a very sweet single by that name) was sort of what what called "experimental music" at the time, and the Boys, trying to fly in another direction.  It is listed as the first album that they did under Reprise.

You might get the flavor of where they were even a couple of years later.  Someone mentioned that they had no business releasing anything in 1968 and I would beg to differ, and I would suggest that it was/is impossible to separate any of what was going on in time, from the music. 

The US was ready to explode with war protests, and the murders of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King...Any attempt to inspire calm was the socially responsible thing to do, even though it might not have been the creative intent.  It was also a place for some of Dennis' work as well.  Some of the cuts are fine work, although not a commercial blockbuster.

I have not seen the film and to listen to what the comments are...if someone involved with the Band thought it was the wrong time, maybe it was.  That is an "informed" opinion...Instinct and intuition are very important in looking at the big picture.

Timing is everything in that business...   

     

[MBE]

I think Brian's 1967-69 work is among his very best and I am NOT a fan of Bruce Johnston's taste or really of him period. He's not the devil per se but he is very narrow in view. A real sell out actually.

[Rocker]

1968 was the wrong time to put out anything by the Beach Boys.....

Hmm, have to disagree with you there... 
There's never been a bad time for them to release something they believe in.

I don't think you know what I mean....

[bgas]

1968 was the wrong time to put out anything by the Beach Boys.....

Hmm, have to disagree with you there... 
There's never been a bad time for them to release something they believe in.

ahh, yes, maybe so.
Tho, MAYBE,  you don't know what you mean either! Else you would have expressed it in terms that made it clear for all to see the inner workings of your most devious mind


I don't think you know what I mean....

[Mr. Cohen]

Here's why Friends should've been released: it had great fucking songs on it! Who cares if it wasn't cool or hip? Will that matter in 100 years? I personally like it better than Sgt. Pepper's. While Sgt. Pepper's has two or three songs that are probably better than anything on Friends, as a whole, Friends wins out. I'd rather hear a cracking 1:40 pop song than another "Within You, Without You".

[Mike's Beard]

This thread inspired me to listen to the whole Friends record today for the first time in quite awhile. My views on it have not changed. It's a lovely, mellow outing, the first sparks of the whole band collectively writing material which would fully blossom into the 70's and scaled back as they may be Brian's production instincts are still intact. The title track may well be their most overlooked single. However I still maintain the musical and social climate surrounding the album's release made it possibly the worst choice of direction they could have picked from a commercial standpoint. I see a parallel to the Kinks great 68 release "Village Green Preservation Society". Both wonderful, beautifully realised efforts from big name groups on the wane saleswise, both totally at odds with what was 'in' at that time. As posted before, 42 years later it makes no bit of difference to their enjoyment now, but back then what they really needed was music with power. Both Ray Davies and Brian have never been one to follow the crowd and jump on bandwagons and that's what makes them unique and great.

I have much affection for the Friends album and as I wasn't even born when it was released it's historical context means nothing to me. However I would label the songs more as "nice" then "great". It's hard to forget they come from the mind of the man who less than two years earlier had conceived "Good Vibrations" and "Surfs Up".

You have great taste in music for someone so young...but you are approaching their music from a different vantage point.



      

Will you marry me?  

[Myk Luhv]

Sometimes I'm not sure who I dislike more for their crass commercialism, Bruce or Mike... Though at least Mike can write songs that are not uniformly awful!

[shelter]

A Dutch record collectors fanzine called Platenblad had a four page article about the Friends album a few years ago, I think they described it perfectly:

The album is like a nice summer day with nothing going on, but at the end of it you realize that you've had a great day and that life is beautiful.

[filledeplage]

This thread inspired me to listen to the whole Friends record today for the first time in quite awhile. My views on it have not changed. It's a lovely, mellow outing, the first sparks of the whole band collectively writing material which would fully blossom into the 70's and scaled back as they may be Brian's production instincts are still intact. The title track may well be their most overlooked single. However I still maintain the musical and social climate surrounding the album's release made it possibly the worst choice of direction they could have picked from a commercial standpoint. I see a parallel to the Kinks great 68 release "Village Green Preservation Society". Both wonderful, beautifully realised efforts from big name groups on the wane saleswise, both totally at odds with what was 'in' at that time. As posted before, 42 years later it makes no bit of difference to their enjoyment now, but back then what they really needed was music with power. Both Ray Davies and Brian have never been one to follow the crowd and jump on bandwagons and that's what makes them unique and great.

I have much affection for the Friends album and as I wasn't even born when it was released it's historical context means nothing to me. However I would label the songs more as "nice" then "great". It's hard to forget they come from the mind of the man who less than two years earlier had conceived "Good Vibrations" and "Surfs Up".

You have great taste in music for someone so young...but you are approaching their music from a different vantage point.



      

Will you marry me?  

My second marriage proposal on this board!  

"It's Rainin' Men - Alleluia!"

You are a sweetie - you  made my day!  

[Mr. Cohen]

It's hard to forget they come from the mind of the man who less than two years earlier had conceived "Good Vibrations" and "Surfs Up".

Well, the album has a bossa nova song, waltzes, an exotica track, old school Beach Boys harmonies, cocktail music from Mars ("Passin' By"), experiments in dissonant jazz, a prayer, some white boy funk mixed with a roller rink organ ("When a Man..."), and organ drone poetry. Jesus, man, what else do you want? And yes, there are less instruments on the tracks, but you can't deny that some of the arrangements are very inventive. "Be Here in the Mornin'" is a very dynamic arrangement. It nearly has as many twists and turns as "Good Vibrations". I mean, it's not quite there, but it's still impressive.

[Mike's Beard]

This thread inspired me to listen to the whole Friends record today for the first time in quite awhile. My views on it have not changed. It's a lovely, mellow outing, the first sparks of the whole band collectively writing material which would fully blossom into the 70's and scaled back as they may be Brian's production instincts are still intact. The title track may well be their most overlooked single. However I still maintain the musical and social climate surrounding the album's release made it possibly the worst choice of direction they could have picked from a commercial standpoint. I see a parallel to the Kinks great 68 release "Village Green Preservation Society". Both wonderful, beautifully realised efforts from big name groups on the wane saleswise, both totally at odds with what was 'in' at that time. As posted before, 42 years later it makes no bit of difference to their enjoyment now, but back then what they really needed was music with power. Both Ray Davies and Brian have never been one to follow the crowd and jump on bandwagons and that's what makes them unique and great.

I have much affection for the Friends album and as I wasn't even born when it was released it's historical context means nothing to me. However I would label the songs more as "nice" then "great". It's hard to forget they come from the mind of the man who less than two years earlier had conceived "Good Vibrations" and "Surfs Up".

You have great taste in music for someone so young...but you are approaching their music from a different vantage point.



      

Will you marry me?  

My second marriage proposal on this board!  

"It's Rainin' Men - Alleluia!"

You are a sweetie - you  made my day!  

Back atcha' 

[Mike's Beard]

It's hard to forget they come from the mind of the man who less than two years earlier had conceived "Good Vibrations" and "Surfs Up".

Well, the album has a bossa nova song, waltzes, an exotica track, old school Beach Boys harmonies, cocktail music from Mars ("Passin' By"), experiments in dissonant jazz, a prayer, some white boy funk mixed with a roller rink organ ("When a Man..."), and organ drone poetry. Jesus, man, what else do you want? And yes, there are less instruments on the tracks, but you can't deny that some of the arrangements are very inventive. "Be Here in the Mornin'" is a very dynamic arrangement. It nearly has as many twists and turns as "Good Vibrations". I mean, it's not quite there, but it's still impressive.

You descibe the album to a T. However for me, that extra something that makes it an outright classic is just missing.

[filledeplage]

Sometimes I'm not sure who I dislike more for their crass commercialism, Bruce or Mike... Though at least Mike can write songs that are not uniformly awful!

Whether or not one likes Mike or Bruce is a personal right, and I support that, but, it is very important to remember that when Brian was absent from public view for the better part of about 25 years;  it was Carl, Dennis, Alan, Bruce and Mike who kept the Band "alive" in the news, in the music world, on tour on colleges campuses, when most bands quit touring and interacting with the public.  

They are responsible for Kokomo, "bringing the magic" to a whole new generation of fans.  I think they were as surprised as anyone about that, but they worked at it, after playing venues which were half-filled at their lowest point.  Brian came back publicly in a strong position because of their continuous work. People forget this.  Had they disbanded (as the Beatles did) when Brian stopped touring, many might have forgotten Brian.  It doesn't diminish Brian's compositional genius.  

Personally, I rejoice that "Brian is Back" in the public eye, composing, and see him whenever I can, but being "balanced" in a 50-year assessment is very important. The Band had to learn to manage without him and learn how to survive professionally, in his absence even though his compositional skill and "vision" was the original catalyst for the band.  

If you watch that Gaumont Palace Youtube interview and mini performance, you will hear them talk about how they have to "tailor the shows" to the audiences...It does not make them a sell out, it shows common sense and being "responsive" to the wishes of that particular audience.  

Carl was right next to Mike, Al and Dennis, and seemed to be on board and seemed to be "into" moving forward creatively and taking new directions.  Maybe they were more relaxed in that setting than in others...but there is a definite dissatisfaction with what was going on with the pressure to "stay in the box" - maybe because it benefited the original record label but stifled their personal creative growth.  Their work and persistence in "staying out there" has made this 50 year saga possible.   JMO    

[Myk Luhv]

I have nothing against Bruce as a contributor to the Beach Boys' sound or even some of his suggestions (chief among them, for instance, is getting Brian to record on an eight-track [if I recall correctly], which possibly would have happened much later without Bruce's intervention). However, I think the songs he brought to the group have basically all been uniformly terrible schmaltz. (And not even in any endearing way!) Of course, any good suggestions he makes seem to swiftly offset by terrible ideas like a disco version of "Here Comes The Night" or having him be a producer for the Beach Boys! Maybe I have a soft spot sometimes for "Disney Girls", however...

edit: noticed a spelling error

[Rocker]

1968 was the wrong time to put out anything by the Beach Boys.....

Hmm, have to disagree with you there... 
There's never been a bad time for them to release something they believe in.

ahh, yes, maybe so.
Tho, MAYBE,  you don't know what you mean either! Else you would have expressed it in terms that made it clear for all to see the inner workings of your most devious mind


I don't think you know what I mean....

Well, I know exactly what I meant. A little thinking about the point the Beach Boys had got to at that point in their career and considering some of the earlier posts shouldn't make it too hard to understand. Let me know if I can help you any further. But on the whole, it isn't important enough to make something out of it that it ain't

[filledeplage]

I have nothing against Bruce as a contributor to the Beach Boys' sound or even some of his suggestions (chief among them, for instance, is getting Brian to record on an eight-track [if I recall correctly], which possibly would have happened much later without Bruce's intervention). However, I think the song he brought to the group have basically all been uniformly terrible schmaltz. (And not even in any endearing way!) Of course, any good suggestions he makes seem to swiftly offset by terrible ideas like a disco version of "Here Comes The Night" or having him be a producer for the Beach Boys! Maybe I have a soft spot sometimes for "Disney Girls", however...

That technical stuff (8-track) is out of my domain, and I liked almost everything they released, because of the vocals, whether the critics liked it or not.  "Here Comes the Night," I find, very useful (alongside the Stones) for "treadmill music."  I have been revisiting that era largely as a result of the discussion on this board, so my thanks are in order.

When I first heard it - I was sort of surprised, because it seemed so "out of character" for them.  But they have done so many different genres, including Gospel,  "That Same Song" - which is clearly not "surf - girl-y - car" music, that is was not a complete surprise, but proof that they could perform that genre.  During that time of creative change, it was important to keep an open mind, for the music, not for their stereotype...

      

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I think Bruce's songs from 69-71 were ok. Not great, not bad. Some beautiful arrangements. His solo album was awful though. I do sort of like 2 of the songs (Someone to Dance with Me and Think About You). Also his song on BB85 is very solid. Speaking of BB85, that album has grown on me. A few awful songs though, especially California Calling.

[TerryWogan]

Apologies if this is a little off-topic, but I've just watched the 'trailer' for this ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGjRMhzlKe4 )
and noticed a bit of footage I've seen before and often wondered about: from about 2.10 to 2.18 there's a moodily lit clip of Brian at the piano. It looks like it probably dates from '66/67 and puts me in mind of the Inside Pop Surf's Up footage in some respects. Does anyone know what the clip's from? And do we have any idea what Brian's playing at the piano?

If anyone knows anything about the footage it'd make my day .

[Andrew G. Doe]

Taken from the same footage as the 1967 "Surf's Up".

[exposedbrain]

To me Friends has always seemed like an amalgamation of the last for albums (Pet Sounds, Smile, Smiley Smile, Wild Honey). You get some inventive instrumental combinations from Pet Sounds, but filtered through the complex simplicity of Smile (sparser but just as exotic), coupled with the more laid back approach to recording of Smiley Smile/Wild Honey and also the less ambitious (not in a bad way) approach to songwriting of Wild Honey.  I love it, its in my top 5. 
This subject also makes me think about how I read certain a Beach Boys book (Heroes and Villains) when I was 14 or so that thankfully got me into the music, but also caused me to ignore this era of their career for years because it gave the impression that most everything after Smile was mediocre. I can still remember looking at a copy of friends when i was 16 or 17 and passing on it. I didn't get a chance to hear it until 6 years later. Regardless H&V still holds a special place in my heart. I was barred from my local library for a bit b/c I kept it for 2 years.

[DSamore]

This post got me jamming Friends all over and loving it. Thanks. (Not that I needed a reason to listen to more BB...) So tell me people- I pre-ordered this doc and am chomping at the bit to see it! How'd you see it/get it so quickly? I'm dying to see it.

[Andrew G. Doe]

This post got me jamming Friends all over and loving it. Thanks. (Not that I needed a reason to listen to more BB...) So tell me people- I pre-ordered this doc and am chomping at the bit to see it! How'd you see it/get it so quickly? I'm dying to see it.

In Europe it was released 11/1/10. 

[The Shift]

One caveat, however: if you're coming into this expecting whole songs and plenty of them, be warned. This is semi-academic (that's not a criticism - entirely the reverse) and, I'd say, possibly a bit heavy for the casual, Endless Summer, Sounds Of Summer fan.

Any uncommon songs/versions we've not heard before Andrew? Mine's on its way from Play.com.

Well... not BB/BW, but that's the first time I've every heard any of "Fannie Mae".

Okay, have given it a blast (couldn't pay full attention due to looking after the baby at the same time) but I think this is only the second "official" outing for the Fire music (American Band being the first); and the tag to the SMiLE version of Wind Chimes used here sounds like a session extract rather than anything from the Good Vibes box set. Wonder if these were officially sanctioned or were slipped in from SoT?  I'd have to back-to-back them to be sure but anyone with a 20-month-old daughter knows that's unlikely to happen anytime soon!

[Dunderhead]

The subtlety of the Friends album is really marvelous, it's so understated. I think Brian was upset with the Smile sessions, he bit off more than he could chew, it was too esoteric, too pretentious, too ambitious. Smiley Smile, Wild Honey, and Friends were all released within a year of one another (all three remarkably between Sgt. Peppers and White Album), There are only three (technically two) songs on the albums not written by Brian, I think Brian outgrew the Smile project, he shed its skin and salvaged what he could. Smiley Smile was Brian flushing all the bad energy out of his system, Wild Honey is Brian finding his footing again, and Friends is the culmination.

[TerryWogan]

Taken from the same footage as the 1967 "Surf's Up".

So it was an out-take from Inside Pop? I didn't think any were known to exist.