Glimpses from a magical week, late September, 2004

[Jason]

I got no issues with Melinda but I can imagine she was brains behind the release of smile, and Brian's smile 

BLASPHEMY! MIKE FAN! BLASPHEMY! DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!

[TdHabib]

I got no issues with Melinda but I can imagine she was brains behind the release of smile, and Brian's smile 

BLASPHEMY! MIKE FAN! BLASPHEMY! DANGER, WILL ROBINSON!

In all seriousness, why don't you cool it Jason, you seem to be attacking Brian fans and stereotypes consistently and it's not very becoming.

[Lowbacca]

You are all most welcome. Jim, exactly right - what interests me now is looking at the periphery and noting how everyone is locked into the music. I miss that version of the band. Bob and Jim were staying at the same hotel that I was, so I got to talk to them quite a bit. Really fine professionals, with chops to spare. Couldn't be better bandmates.

This one has some issues with blank sections and some shootus interruptus, but this finishes out this mini-version of the set.

I'll post some backstage footage from before and after the first show that I think you'll find charming.

http://vimeo.com/24362207

This footage is pure gold. Thanks so much! I love the dancing sound girl/woman in the 3rd movement footage and how Brian asks her "What are you doing?" when she starts spinning in the beginning. 
Looking forward to the backstage footage!

[PS]

That's actually the producer, my friend Maggie Magee, trying to keep Brian's eyes off the prompters and more toward the front row area, keeping his energy level and confidence up ---- essentially cheerleading him on in the absence of a live audience. It worked.

Brian is actually saying, "Looking good" there...

Apropos Maggie, here's a little clip that I should have posted first, as it occurred right before they started Our Prayer. Brian had just changed his shirt (he was wearing black for the first sessions, but I'm guessing that was deemed too dark and colorless for this new, upbeat SMiLE) and Maggie is offering some direction and positive reinforcement. As I've said, Brian was accommodating to a fault, always trying to do exactly as he was directed. Here you can see him responding, almost child-like, to suggestions from Maggie, John, and Darian as they take the stage, ready to start the first movement.

http://vimeo.com/24368229

[Lowbacca]

That's actually the producer, my friend Maggie Magee, trying to keep Brian's eyes off the prompters and more toward the front row area, keeping his energy level and confidence up ---- essentially cheerleading him on in the absence of a live audience. It worked.

Brian is actually saying, "Looking good" there...

Apropos Maggie, here's a little clip that I should have posted first, as it occurred right before they started Our Prayer. Brian had just changed his shirt (he was wearing black for the first sessions, but I'm guessing that was deemed too dark and colorless for this new, upbeat SMiLE) and Maggie is offering some direction and positive reinforcement. As I've said, Brian was accommodating to a fault, always trying to do exactly as he was directed. Here you can see him responding, almost child-like, to suggestions from Maggie, John, and Darian as they take the stage, ready to start the first movement.

http://vimeo.com/24368229

Oh okay, totally mis-heard that. Miss Magee seems like a nice person.  All around priceless, exciting footage... For some reason the highlight for me was Brian checking his cell..  and of course the Brian/Darian moment.

I hope there's even more you would want to share with us...

[PS]

So here is some interesting footage taken on the show date, September 26, 2004, right before the 5:00 p.m. show. In lieu of just hearing ambient sync, I dropped in as audio backdrop an interesting (edited) phone interview that my camera picked up right at that same time coming from Brian's prep room. He recites many of the things we've read him saying before ("I'm not a genius, I'm a clever songwriter...") but these were pretty fresh takes at that moment - after all, the SMiLE CD was released just two days later, if memory serves. So you'll see some casual footage as I wandered around the dressing rooms and the stage area, including a rather telling arrangement someone made of the vegetable props, Mark Linett's recording control room, Probyn chatting with the Rushmore kid, Scott and the Stockholm folks, etc. I'm most touched by the two brief pre-show portraits of the late Markus Sandlund, the cellist who was soon to be swept away by the tsunami (the DVD was dedicated to his memory) and Brian, as he sits awash in the blue light, with his younger self in the background, surrounded by bits and pieces of his music (the harmonica bit from Wendy, Van Dyke's beautiful string arrangements, etc.) - centering himself, lost in thought or jitters - or both.

Finally, you'll get a little glimpse of a last minute band meeting with the director, John Anderson, right before they did the Surfer Girl soundcheck that I've already posted.

Enjoy.

http://vimeo.com/24367561

[Sam_BFC]

Interesting choice of lyrics for the performance of Wind Chimes ('It's so peaceful...').

(Let me also add my thanks for posting these).

[Pretty Funky]

Great clips!

How about those IN CONCERT lockers? Built to last!

[Roger Ryan]

Given how we've discussed this particular word to death on this board, I laughed out loud when John Anderson insisted that Brian sing "colonnaded" and not "columnated" when performing "Surf's Up"!

[Jason]

My initial reaction to that was hysterical laughter as well. Wonder what Brian thought of that.

[PS]

Okay, one last entry from the SMiLE DVD concerts, some backstage footage right after the 2 shows (there's a fade between each segment). Making appearances here are Brian, Maggie, John, Alan Boyd, Stephen Kalinich, Van Dyke Parks, David Anderle, and the band. I get to thank Darian (turning away the camera to have a real moment with him) for essentially fulfilling Lewis Shiner's Glimpses fantasy, and Stephen gives testimony to the emotional power of what we've just witnessed. And some charming moments with Jeff's cousin and friends.

This has been fun for me to revisit this footage again after so many years, and makes me all the more excited for the Box.

Phil

http://vimeo.com/24394172

[Lowbacca]

Okay, one last entry from the SMiLE DVD concerts, some backstage footage right after the 2 shows (there's a fade between each segment). Making appearances here are Brian, Maggie, John, Alan Boyd, Stephen Kalinich, Van Dyke Parks, David Anderle, and the band. I get to thank Darian (turning away the camera to have a real moment with him) for essentially fulfilling Lewis Shiner's Glimpses fantasy, and Stephen gives testimony to the emotional power of what we've just witnessed. And some charming moments with Jeff's cousin and friends.

This has been fun for me to revisit this footage again after so many years, and makes me all the more excited for the Box.

Phil

http://vimeo.com/24394172

Pure gold, thanks so much. I agree about the violin player, by the way. And nice anecdote about Jeff's yearbook. Nuthin' left to say, 'cept: Brian's the man.