Brian most definitely could still sing the same way he did in the 60s, it's just that he chose to sound like Randy Newman, who's distinctive style he idolised in the 70s and 80s.
yes, but Landy was controlling him, he gave him additional drugs to keep him helpless and in control by Landy, That man was suppose to help him and save him, not control him and keep him from his family and social love live
OMG .. yet another BW hidden treasure of a song. Landy or no Landy. Wonderful footage of Brian in action, too. OK .. so Landy's wife did the lyrics .. but they're actually not so bad, either. BUT - it's that magical BW melody line .. especially that verse riff - that's so naturally appealing. Assuming Landy's estate is not playing dog-in-the-manger .. BW should re-record this gem with his awesome BW Band & release it !! Same as he should do with "The First Time"; and "Walk On Water".
Landy had a chance to really help Mr. Wilson and in some way he did but then he had to go and take control and try to be a star - a real therapist would have saved Wilson and then made him healthy on his own tragic
I've known a few ppl that worked with the Beach Boys and theyve each said Brian was far too generous with sharing song credits. If someone so much as recommended a single word change or altering of a lyrical flow.. they received full credit. Examples were very limited with Asher, but sounded as if VDP did nothing more than repeately question BW to think differently. That would make sense considering VDP's complete absence from legit credits on prior/future song writing.
David McGuire Then why do the lyrics on ‘Smile’ sound so much like VDP lyrics and so little like Brian Wilson lyrics? I like BW as much as the next guy, but he’s not coming up with that stuff.
@jadorebri Strangely enough, It is said that Brian was petrified of Landy, and When he was pressured to go back into Landy's care the second time, Landy controlled him with psychiactric medicine and had him on a special diet and vitamins. He was on a tough excercise routine, too. Took control of Brian's mind, money, music, rights, and was well on his way to making himself Brian's sole heir. >:-$ He lost weight, got better, and was almost mind controlled into giving Landy his whole estate.
@musicmatty67: I don't think that's true. The band deserves heaps of credit for being a great band: contributing ideas&arrangements, performing impeccably well, &behaving as his professional friends. That doesn't equate to "carrying" Brian. One can easily list many performances where a leader is surrounded by a small army of others: That set-up is not automatically inauthentic. Brian sings live in performances and on 4 albums now. Pretty miraculous accomplishments, this side of a mental break.
@musicmatty67 well he also was losing half of everything he made to him. and was living in a rented house while landy was in his mansion. all interactions videotaped and surveyed not allowed to talk to his daughters, family or band, so landy could keep taking complete advantage of brian. and overmedicated to not be able to make his own decisions and brainwashed. the way he performed has nothing to do with allowing an evil man like that to stay around.
Thanks for the post, johnnytheg. I've never seen or or heard of this song until you posted it. The fact of the matter is, Landy overstepped his bounds. He was unethical and manipulative. However, the man saved Brian's life and that's huge. Landy became greedy and the deeper in he got the harder it was for him to resist. One of my fav unrealeased Brian tunes is Turning Point which was later released on his GIOMH album with new lyrics.
@alburtise Still no pic of him in early years with glasses, however , in this clip he is also wearing very thick glasses..... Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Greatest Moments: 1988's Heavy Hitters (enter this into your youtube search) :)
@Okiemom50 There are a bunch around the time of Pet Sounds with Brian in the studio wearing the exact same type of glasses as here-if not the same pair.
@alburtise Good luck! A person would be lucky to find such a pic! I have read that he did, and I have read that he didn't wear glasses. As for the glasses in this performance, you may have a point. Over the years, there have been many things that Brian has used to thwart his stage fright. Such as...sitting behind a piano or keyboard.I have long believed it is Landy's "conditioning" that made Brian march to the beat of what ever song he was singing in order to take his mind off being watched.
@clibinarius Yes, that was what prompted the glasses discussion. However, I once saw a pic of him in high school wearing glasses. We were just wondering if he was really WEARING them then, or just goofing off again. :-)
@jadorebri ever since i first read this speculation (which i assume it is -- any evidence to the contrary welcome) i've been chilled by how true it feels. very hard to think about, but it so fits in. i've lost track of whoever first made this observation, but i think they had good intuition.
Beautiful Brian right there! But I always imagine Landy composing with him. Sounds like Landy was like “no! That’s too sad. Make it more upbeat! Who’s gonna like a sad pity 40 year old man?”
"I sleep alone when his wife is our chaperone?" - I always thought some of those pictures of Brian and Landy appeared as if Landy was sexually abusing him... they look like lovers in some of those pictures... its sad...
@Okiemom50 i'd love a pic, if you have one. although a british interviewer once tried to picture brian all "plump and speccy" as a teen, i suspect he was neither. we know he wasn't plump (i'm not saying he wasn't s-weeet that way). a recent interview has brian claiming the pet sounds glasses were FAKE, just a joke, they were "used glasses". so every time i wear my BW teeshirt i feel like the only one in on the joke.... a great mystery solved?
Just fabulous!! Something good was going on her. Brian looks gorgeous and sounds divine. Not sure what happened with Landy, but he surely did some good for Brian. Admittedly, I don't know the whole Landy scoop.
Im so happy u agree,When ever i say negative things about Melinda the golddigger many people come very quick to her defense.Its obvious she married him with all his issues only because he is THEE BRIAN WILSON.Remember she and Landy were good buddies! Peace,Desiree
She was allowed to date Brian. But when she started seeing the issues of over medication and control, she reached out to Carl Wilson to help free Brian from Landy! She really didn't know much about the Beach Boys when she met him.
@stumptacular Your comment about Landy hanging all over Brian is an understatement. He even brainwashed Brian into telling everyone that Landy was his "Partner in Life". Yuck! Such a leach! He told Brian that his family was the whole reason he was ill in the first place. Nice way to take control, huh? :-/
@mahkindofmusic There is no studio version of this song, sadly. On the Brian Wilson "Party" album, this song is featured, but it's just the audio from this recording here. I think this is a charming song. Anyone else think Brian was having a goof with those glasses?
People complain about the late Landy but..Wilson is singing and playing his own piano unlike today. He's much much more of a performer when Landy was in the sceen..today he just sits there and waves his arms and lets the band carry him.
Uhhhh that’s a stretch dude… Landy caused him so much irreparable harm that he was never the same mentally… who cares about the weight loss if he had permanent brain damage from medical malpractice?
@ricfl10137 Perhaps so...but there still should have been some balance of what Landy did do for Brian and where he is today in terms of being a performer. He's nothing today compared to what he is in this video..just seems strange...he should be the better performer today with Landy gone..but he's not.
Landy definitely pushed Brian to go outside of his normal, default way of performing which was not very engaging. So...kudos to Landy for doing that and showcasing Brian in a very appealing way.
