Brian's lack of vocals after Friends

[Jim V.]

So in the early years of the band, it seemed as though Mike Love was basically the lead singer, with an occasional lead by Brian or Dennis. Then around '64 Brian started taking on more leads, and it could be said that they were co-lead singers through around Pet Sounds. We will never know who would have exactly done what on SMiLE but we know Brian had the leads on "Surf's Up", "Heroes and Villains", etc. Then it seemed from Smiley Smile to Friends a situation where Carl seemed to be having more leads. And of course, Dennis and Al were lurking around there too. But anyways, after Friends it is like Brian nearly disappeared vocally.

He takes the lead on "I Went To Sleep" but that seems to be it. He then sings a few lines on the single "Breakaway", and does a bit of writing on Sunflower, and he is definitely heard in the backing vocals, but the closest we got to a lead was a bit at the beginning on "This Whole World" and some of the later portion of "Cool Cool Water".  Anyways, what happened? Why didn't he choose himself to sing lead? Was it just that he felt Carl's voice was better suited to those songs, or was it that he didn't want the spotlight? Or just that he didn't have the will to go in there and do it himself? It seems like the leads he did take were goofy songs, like "Good Time", "Games Two Can Play", and a few other things, like the part on "Take A Load Off Your Feet" on Surf's Up. Sure, "'Til I Die" is the exception, along with his co-lead on "Surf's Up" (which is from years earlier obviously).

On Carl and the Passions and Holland he's either barely audible or not there. I don't get it. Was this a reaction to possibly not wanting to be a "Beach Boy"? Or some of the reasons I stated above? I honestly don't believe that in the early 70's that he didn't wanna be in the band, I just feel like he wanted to step back.

Oddly enough though, he returns in '76 and decides for the next few years that his new raspier voice was now much more apt for lead vocals, and its just kinda not something that makes sense. I don't know.

I'm sure this has been covered before, but its always been intriguing to me, and its for this reason I would like to hear stuff we haven't heard from that era with Brian on vocals such as "Where Is She?" from '69 and "California Feelin'" from '74. It seems like its a special moment that unfortunately he no longer wanted to share with the world.

I hope that isn't retreading old stuff, and hopefully this will spark some conversation.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Actually, Brian was on quite a lot of So Tough and was on a bit more of Holland than originally thought.  It's just that he sounded different and was harder to pick out in the mix. Once you know what to listen for it's impossible not to hear it any longer.

Oh, before I forget...Brian's part in Marcella that some thought was "Marcella Babe" and I thought was "What's in her head" apparently is actually "Marcella Hey".

[Andrew G. Doe]

None of 'Brian's' vocals are actually Brian. They're all Alan. 

[MBE]

Well on 20/20 and Sunflower he's still pretty prominent. Time To Get Alone, This Whole World, I Went To Sleep, Add Some Music, Deirdre, All I Wanna Do, At My Window, and Cool Cool Water all have him taking at least one lead line. I also cannot imagine songs like Forever, Our Sweet Love, even Do It Again without him. He did sing on a lot of outtakes including Were Together Again, Old Man River, Games, I Just Got My Pay, My Solution, Won't You Tell Him, Awake, Silly Walls, H.E.L.P., Good Time etc. By 1972 he wasn't singing as much lead but he did a little on California Saga and Magic Transitor Radio. I love Brian's voice in this era so yes I wish he sang three or four more leads from 20/20 on but it's not like you can't hear him particularly while Steve Desper was still there.

[pixletwin]

What MBE said. The late 60's - early 70's was prolly my favorite era for Brian's vocals. Maybe because of (or in spite of) the sporadic sprinklings of his vocals here and there.

[adamghost]

I just keep thinking of hearing an outtake once a long time ago from 1970.  Brian sings half the song and then just goes "ahhh, I can't sing this bitch" and then walks away.

All of the reasons suggested so far carry some weight, but I bet a lot of it has to do with the physical effort of putting down a good lead vocal.  It's a bit like exercise; the less you do it, the harder it is to do, and to put down a lead, you really have to invest yourself in every corner of a melody. It's not just pitch, it's attitude, it's sounding like you care.  Think about Brian's lead vocal on "I Went To Sleep: -- most of Brian's vocals from that period for that matter.  They just aren't forceful at all.

I think that has a lot to do with it, and all of Brian's issues -- insecurity, laziness, focus, physical decline -- play into that inability to really pull it together and send a lead vocal out there, yet he's still writing songs that require a lot of vocal ability, and so...Carl.

As for the post-1976 business, he was on record many times as hating his old voice and liking the new one better, and there's no question that Brian sang more forcefully, if nothing else, in the post-BIG ONES period.  Gary Usher commented that when he first heard Brian's singing in the mid '80s after a long break, he was struck by how much stronger his voice was than in the '60s (while at the same time appreciating he'd lost a lot of finesse and range).

[Curtis Leon]

I just keep thinking of hearing an outtake once a long time ago from 1970.  Brian sings half the song and then just goes "ahhh, I can't sing this bitch" and then walks away.

That's probably "Walkin'". It's on Get the Boot if you can find it. Starts with "My folks have a friend who knows a little old lady..." and Brian keeps complaining about how he doesn't like the song.

[Awesoman]

None of 'Brian's' vocals are actually Brian. They're all Alan. 

Does this include the opening lines to "California"?  I've always thought it was Brian.

[Mikie]

It is Brian on the intro to "California".

It's uncanny how close Brian, Carl, and Al sound together in the late 60's. Especially on songs like Breakaway. Those guys could interchange vocal parts, and sometimes without listening close (or knowing each of their voices well) it's a little hard to pick them out. They can intertwine with each other.

[MBE]

Brian wasn't in bad shape weight wise at least compared to 1966-67 until 1972 at the earliest. In 1970 he was almost thin. Walkin' does have a forcefull vocal on it. In fact he's almost sly. Why he gave it up is probably due to the fact that he didn't like the song and said it right out. Also Good Time has very upfront forceful vocals. Yes Brian shouted more after 1975 but check out the Concert LP from 1964 he could belt it out then too.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

None of 'Brian's' vocals are actually Brian. They're all Alan.  

Nah, that's not Alan on He Came Down for sure! I know what you mean, though ^_^

Here's an odd thought. What if Brian hadn't damaged his voice, but everything else stayed the same in regards to his mental status? What would, say, Love You sound with early 70s vintage Brian?

[MBE]

None of 'Brian's' vocals are actually Brian. They're all Alan.  

Nah, that's not Alan on He Came Down for sure! I know what you mean, though ^_^

Here's an odd thought. What if Brian hadn't damaged his voice, but everything else stayed the same in regards to his mental status? What would, say, Love You sound with early 70s vintage Brian?

I still would think that some of the songs were weak but would play it more as Brian had a good voice.

[Musketeer]

I think that his lack of lead vocals from the Surfs'Up through the Holland album had much more to do with his mental state and relations or lack thereof with the other Beach Boys.

His deteriorating voice seems to me to have little or no role.

He didn't seem very shy about singing here even though it's obvious something is going on with that singing voice...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5FmLIBzo0Y

[Ganz Allein]

I think that his lack of lead vocals from the Surfs'Up through the Holland album had much more to do with his mental state and relations or lack thereof with the other Beach Boys.

His deteriorating voice seems to me to have little or no role.

He didn't seem very shy about singing here even though it's obvious something is going on with that singing voice...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5FmLIBzo0Y

Some great pics on that video. Can anyone provide dates and context for the following ones?

- 0:02 to 0:12: Brian wearing a coat and holding what looks like a thin microphone
- 1:01 to 1:30: Brian singing with Marilyn & Diane, all of them wearing psychedelic clothes
- 1:31 to 1:45: A heavier, lightly bearded Brian at a mixing console (1973 Spring session?)
- 2:15 to 2:19: Brian with a blonde girl (Marilyn?)
- 3:20 to 3:25: Brian with one of his dogs
- 3:36 to 3:45: Brian at the drum kit. Is this the "Hal Blaine" performance that Stephen Desper witnessed and later erased at Brian's request?

[bgas]

I think that his lack of lead vocals from the Surfs'Up through the Holland album had much more to do with his mental state and relations or lack thereof with the other Beach Boys.

His deteriorating voice seems to me to have little or no role.

He didn't seem very shy about singing here even though it's obvious something is going on with that singing voice...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5FmLIBzo0Y

Some great pics on that video. Can anyone provide dates and context for the following ones?

- 0:02 to 0:12: Brian wearing a coat and holding what looks like a thin microphone
- 1:01 to 1:30: Brian singing with Marilyn & Diane, all of them wearing psychedelic clothes
- 1:31 to 1:45: A heavier, lightly bearded Brian at a mixing console (1973 Spring session?)
- 2:15 to 2:19: Brian with a blonde girl (Marilyn?)
- 3:20 to 3:25: Brian with one of his dogs
- 3:36 to 3:45: Brian at the drum kit. Is this the "Hal Blaine" performance that Stephen Desper witnessed and later erased at Brian's request?

- 1:01 to 1:30: Brian singing with Marilyn & Diane, all of them wearing psychedelic clothes         Whiskey -A-Go-Go
- 2:15 to 2:19: Brian with a blonde girl (Marilyn?)         Ginger

[Jim V.]

I mean, my impression is that a lot of those songs he probably just thought Carl was maybe better suited for the lead. And there's nothing wrong with that.  Carl surely was the man for the job on "You Need a Mess of Help" and some others. It just seems odd to me, that this guy, who from '64 to around '68ish, was basically a co-lead singer, was basically inaudible on two whole albums: Carl and The Passions and Holland (except "California" obviously). I mean the guy still wrote 2 songs each for the albums, and was heavily involved in the production and recording of 3 of them, and he was known as a great singer, so I'm surprised he wasn't even audible to the point of some of his appearances on Sunflower like "All I Wanna Do", "Forever", or whatever. It honestly seems like he didn't wanna be heard. And I must admit, I'm not so sure I buy into the whole "not wanting to be a Beach Boy thing". I think he was happy to be a member, but just wanted to do it on his terms. I mean, even in '74, he was in the recording studio demoing "California Feelin'" with the view of making it a Beach Boys song. I just think maybe there wasn't as much energy or inspiration, but he still wanted to contribute. He just didn't want to fake it.

Well on 20/20 and Sunflower he's still pretty prominent. Time To Get Alone, This Whole World, I Went To Sleep, Add Some Music, Deirdre, All I Wanna Do, At My Window, and Cool Cool Water all have him taking at least one lead line. I also cannot imagine songs like Forever, Our Sweet Love, even Do It Again without him. He did sing on a lot of outtakes including Were Together Again, Old Man River, Games, I Just Got My Pay, My Solution, Won't You Tell Him, Awake, Silly Walls, H.E.L.P., Good Time etc. By 1972 he wasn't singing as much lead but he did a little on California Saga and Magic Transitor Radio. I love Brian's voice in this era so yes I wish he sang three or four more leads from 20/20 on but it's not like you can't hear him particularly while Steve Desper was still there.

So I guess, he really didn't disappear all that much until Carl and The Passions and Holland. So thanks for correcting me.

[Custom Machine]

He didn't seem very shy about singing here even though it's obvious something is going on with that singing voice...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5FmLIBzo0Y

What I find very interesting is how much Brian sounds like Mike in the spoken segment from 0:12 to 0:26.

[Christian]

Some great pics on that video. Can anyone provide dates and context for the following ones?

- 0:02 to 0:12: Brian wearing a coat and holding what looks like a thin microphone
- 1:01 to 1:30: Brian singing with Marilyn & Diane, all of them wearing psychedelic clothes
- 1:31 to 1:45: A heavier, lightly bearded Brian at a mixing console (1973 Spring session?)
- 2:15 to 2:19: Brian with a blonde girl (Marilyn?)
- 3:20 to 3:25: Brian with one of his dogs
- 3:36 to 3:45: Brian at the drum kit. Is this the "Hal Blaine" performance that Stephen Desper witnessed and later erased at Brian's request?

- 1:01 to 1:30: Brian singing with Marilyn & Diane, all of them wearing psychedelic clothes         Whiskey -A-Go-Go
- 2:15 to 2:19: Brian with a blonde girl (Marilyn?)         Ginger

That´s a blonde Marilyn.

[MBE]

I think Brian sounds fine for someone just fooling around on Spring Is Here.
I mean listen to this. His voice is a little deeper then before at that start but his voice is fantastic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZf31lOrNSY

[Andrew G. Doe]

The clip from the Spring promo tape on the video is somewhat slow - maybe 3% or so. Alternatively, the version I heard back in the 70s is that much fast !



- 0:02 to 0:12: Brian wearing a coat and holding what looks like a thin microphone - no idea where, might be '72 by the pea coat (that's a jack plug, btw, not a mike)
- 1:01 to 1:30: Brian singing with Marilyn & Diane, all of them wearing psychedelic clothes - as has been said, Whiskey about summer 1970
- 1:31 to 1:45: A heavier, lightly bearded Brian at a mixing console (1973 Spring session?) - that's a ARP synth, not a mixer: 1971 Spring session (the shirt has a sheet music motif)
- 2:15 to 2:19: Brian with a blonde girl (Marilyn?) - indeed, Marilyn.
- 3:20 to 3:25: Brian with one of his dogs - that's Banana the beagle in the home studio, circa 1970/71, pre/during-Surf's Up
- 3:36 to 3:45: Brian at the drum kit. Is this the "Hal Blaine" performance that Stephen Desper witnessed and later erased at Brian's request? - home studio, Sunflower session, early 1970