RANTS
archive three

9/14/99

Just a general update to the page today.  It seems as through Brian will continue his tour, despite his current legal problems with Joe Thomas. I hope this doesn't change the status of most of his backing band members. I think the group of musicians he has with him now are definitely keepers.

Otherwise, time keeps going by. Hopes for a new album seem slim at the moment. The possible live/studio album that was being tossed about last month shouldn't be a casualty of the legal problems. But I have a bad feeling about it. Hopefully Brian owns the tapes.

Conditions for the creation of new material seem positive. The Wondermints should definitely work with Brian. But, given the strange mental and politcal currents that swirl around the man, who really knows!

Finally, if you haven't seen it, check out the BW interview at allmusic.com. It's one of the best recent ones I've read.

9/5/99

Not much good happening in the world of Brian D. Wilson lately. Two lawsuits, the first from Brian (with Melinda as conservator) trying to break a contract with Joe Thomas. The second, from Thomas, seeking damages from Melinda for defamation and "sabatoging" his relationship with Brian.

It's easy to read a lot into these cases. Speculation has been rampant on message boards. But we don't know much, and I think applying blame to specific parties for specific actions (of which we don't know the truth) is premature.

My overwhelming feeling is one of sadness for Brian. I think he deserves better than this at this stage in his life. Joe Thomas and Melinda Wilson should remember his welfare in this difficult time. I think they both honestly believe they are doing the best thing for Brian, but are to a certain extent blinded by their respective stakes in the matter (as musical partner and wife, respectively).

Brian has given us some of the most enduring music of the century. He deserves better from those around him.

8/15/99

I return, and likewise the page returns. It's been a busy summer for me, and it promises to be an even more hectic autumn. This page will remain, though. Keeping Brian Wilson and Beach Boys pages running has become a top priority, now that the Beach Boys: An American Band webpage has been taken offline.

The American Band webpage was THE quality news source for at least two, maybe three years, about Brian and the boys. After Mike Wheeler abdicated control of his page sometime in '96, the responsibility of providing quality BW info was left to a newer crop of pages--Anne Wallace's, John Barone's, and Bret Wheadon's. Anne seems to have lost interest, Mr. Barone is honorably puttering away, but Bret has decided, for unknown reasons, to end his time on the web.

It's a tragedy. This page, limited as it is in scope, can't hope to compete with the exhaustive information and reviews Bret provided. It has given me new motivation...to keep on working on this page. The changes may be slow, but I promise they will be made. Hopefully it will inspire people out there to make pages of their own. Hopefully some of those pages will be as good as Bret's.

Coming up on this page: tomorrow, I'll recap the summer's BW/BB news. It's been slim, but there are some interesting new developments on the horizon. I'll correct the complete song list--some links on it are now out of date--and hopefully begin adding some new content.

It's a new season...so join me!

5/19/99 
The complete compositions are up.  It's taken a lot of time and effort, but there they are for your enjoyment.  Again, feel free to email me with any questions or concerns about the list.

I'll be on extended hiatus from the page in the next three months or so, since I'll be on break from college and not have constant net access.  I'll probably do a few updates, but they will be minor.

The song of the day archives are no longer listed at the front of the page.  They are now part of the complete composisitons list.  There's a link at the bottom of reviewed songs that will take you to me comments and the lyrics.

For now, that's it.  Thanks a lot.

5/14/99

Whew.  Here I am.  I was planning on updating the page last night, and had an entire rant typed out, but the computer crashed and the program I use to design this page was on the blitz, too.  I'm right in the middle of finals period here at the University, so things are hectic.  However, I am back, and the next few days will see some far-reaching additions to the page.

I finally got the Brian Wilson tour hat last week.  Given the difficult process I went through to get it, the headgear is nice.  I've been wearing it everywhere, but have yet to have anyone comment on it.  Like they would.  Still, the fanatic can hope.

There's not a lot to comment on, really.  I've been somewhat distant from BW-BB music the last couple of weeks.  Last night I bought the White Album (it's by the Beatles, for those of who who may not know) and have been enjoying that.  It and the BB music from that period ("Friends" and "20/20") have some interesting similarities.  However, that's not really in the scope of this page, so email me privately if you want my insights. (As I'm sure thousands of you will soon do).

I'm planning on putting up a "tour special" section on this page, with some information about BW's tour, and my thoughts on the recording of his Ann Arbor concert.  That will most likely happen in the next couple of days, along with the long-promised complete compositions list.  It will happen, but my ambitions for it have grown a little bit since the page began.

Finally, if any one wants to write an essay about Brian or his recent music, I welcome any and all submissions.  One excellent essay has allready been posted, so come on people!  Let's hear some opinions.  I'd especially welcome some musicological analysis (technical-type) of Brian's recent songs.

5/5/99

I'm tempted to go on and on about the concert tape--yes, I still am listening to it, and it's still excellent.  But I think I'll probably put my musings on the concert in a separate section on this webpage.

I have to note, though, that I have exchanged email with the BW fan club.  They have agreed to send me my Brian Wilson tour hat and a mailer for me to return the Violent Femmes CD they sent me in error.  They were very professional about it, and I think it's my duty to report they corrected their mistake.  Of course, they still haven't sent out a new copy of the Brian Wilson newsletter.  I'm waiting.

Also, continuing with the follow-up theme of this rant, I purchased the Ben Folds Five CD "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner," over the weekend.  It really is a good album, although somewhat shorter than previous BFF releases.

Back to the concert tape...Brian is starting his encores now with a laid-back, emotional version of "Caroline, No."  The vocal quality is actually better than the I Just Wasn't Made for These Times album--and the spiritual energy that suffuses all of Brian's best work is there.  In abundance.  Whew.

ing here listening to a muddy (but still quite audible) tape of Brian Wilson's Ann Arbor show of 3/9/99.  It's amazing to hear.  Brian sounds excellent, the band and backing vocalists are top-notch, and the song selection is impeccable.  I have a number of other BW solo performances on tape, and there are strengths and weaknesses to them all.  This one stand out for one simple reason:

Brian does it for over 2 hours.  That's the amazing part.  Sure he misses notes here and there, but he's on top of the vast majority of songs and is an important mix in the vocal blend.  He is the glue that holds the concert together.  I never thought I'd see the day when he leads an excellent band through his catalogue to an adoring audience--but this is it.

Real highlights "I Get Around," with Brian growling out the lead, "South American" with energy to spare, "Back Home," with more loose energy from BW.  And that's only in the first half of the concert.  In the second half, "Lay Down Burden" is an absolute gem, slowed down, and almost a cappella in parts.  Great.

But I'll talk about this more later, I suppose.  A very nice tape, though.  A very nice performance, more importantly.

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