BeachBoys.com: The Complete Guide

REVIEW: Don Was -- obviously drooling over the fact that he gets to produce the reclusive Brian Wilson, put together this rosy tribute, and had full access to the man himself, as well as several other rock-music kingpins such as Tom Petty, Lindsey Buckingham, and others, all of whom get their chance to extol the wonderfully intricate, yet deceptively simple music of the main Beach Boy. Shot in oh-so-serious black and white, Brian is shown to be lucid and forthcoming about his music, his father, and himself. Other interested parties include his frail-looking mother Audree, former wife Marilyn, (an insightful interview), his once-estranged daughters Carnie and Wendy, and his brother Carl (a highlight is Brian with his Mom and Carl singing "In My Room" around a family piano). Punctuating the narrative are several low-key studio performances of Brian singing (in a very unpolished voice) many of his classic songs, with a sharp, if undistinguished backup band. Despite the obvious bias of the producer, the video never becomes mawkish or worshipful of it's subject, and the laid-back approach works extremely well at illuminating how Brian Wilson is today. And while hard-hitting questions are never broached, and several Beach Boys are AWOL, I Just Wasn't Made For These Times currently stands proudly as the definitive video biography of Mr. Wilson. Currently available on DVD paired with The Beach Boys: An American Band

REVIEW: This video promo of Brian Wilson in the studio and in concert is a very nice, though slightly flawed document. What's so nice is seeing Brian relaxed, smiling, funny and in charge in the studio, photo shoots, and at home. His dry sense of humor comes through very often, whether in taking a brief bow in the studio, or kidding around during recording, he's obviously having a great time, and seems completely at ease in front of a camera. What is also obvious is how uncomfortable he is in the concert segments, in front of a live audience in St. Charles. The video editors had to do a lot of quick-cutting during the taping in order to get Brian's best, and even then, he is rigid and unexpressionless during such bouncy numbers as "South American." But that's a minor point to me. For the greater portion of this video, there are touching, emotional moments, whether he's smiling at his baby daughters, laughing with the very charming, ebullient Jimmy Buffett in the studio, listening in unabashed wonder as he listens to Ronnie Spector sing "Don't Worry Baby," or (most touching for me) a never-fails-to-reduce-me-to-tears video segment of his deceased brothers Dennis and Carl in a live version of "Lay Down Burden." There are also several "celebrity" pop-ups, including praise from such superluminaries as Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, Eric Clapton, Peter Buck, as well as lesser lights (Sean Lennon, Barenaked Ladies) who almost prostrate themselves with adjectives. Overall, a revealing look at the many complexities of Brian Wilson.

REVIEW: A&E's Biography on Brian Wilson is, in my mind, the best overall introduction to the Beach Boys, and to its founder. It is a slim, 90-minute production that manages to touch all of the bases in the band's career, but also illuminates the life of the shy and reclusive Mr. Wilson, and shows him to be a funny, gentle soul. Biography has done a masterful job of obtaining vintage, rare home video of the Wilsons, both of Brian and his brothers, and wound it together with the obligatory interviews with close friends and family, who all put their spin on the hard-to define Brian. The treatment here works, and I put the credit mostly on the finely-tuned script (narrated by Jeff Bridges), which is succinct and pointed, and on the previously-mentioned home video segments, which show the true side of Brian: a funny, disarming man, always wanting to bring a smile to his friend's faces. some of those interviewed (David Leaf, Bruce Johnston) don't add much of anything new here, and still others seem to have an axe to grind, but overall, I can highly recommend this film to all.

REVIEW: A loving, occasionally transcendent concert, the highlight being Brian Wilson on stage singing live, this Radio City presentation brings together a diverse roster of stars to sing the songs of Brian Wilson. Starting out with the enthusiastic, if ill-chosen Ricky Martin ("Are there any Rhonda's here tonight?") shaking his bon-bon to "California Girls" and "Help Me Rhonda," before being swept off the stage and Chazz Palminteri taking over as congenial host. The rest of the program manages to stay on-track and unified, thanks in part to the more-than-competent accompaniment by Brian's touring band, with acts as diverse as Paul Simon (playing a solo guitar and gently reinventing "Surfer Girl") to Evan and Jaron (who manages to capture Mike Love's dancing style to a "T"), to Billy Joel (a punchy Don't Worry Baby), Elton John, Amy Mann and Michael Penn, Heart, (a roaring take on "Good Vibrations") Vince Gill (gorgeous on "The Warmth of the Sun," wooden on "Surf's Up"), David Crosby, Carly Simon, Jimmy Webb and many more. Surprises include an appearance by the distinguished Sir George Martin, who narrates an video piece concerning Brian's studio genius and influence on the Beatles, and an intense Dennis Hopper, who fittingly narrates some of the past troubles of Brian and the Wilson family. But the most waited-for moment comes at the end, when Brian himself takes the stage to thunderous applause, genuinely thanks the crowd and guests for the tribute, and then launches into a mini-concert, surprising everyone by beginning with the rarely-performed "Heroes and Villains," performing some of "Pet Sounds," and leading the crowd in an all-star finale of "Barbara Ann." The DVD release includes a bonus track of Brian singing "Do It Again" as well. An fine, fun time for participants and viewers alike.

REVIEW: An utterly disarming concert film/documentary of Brian's 2001 tour, along with supplementary footage of Brian's induction into the Songwriter's Hall Of Fame, Brian participating in Neil Young's Bridge School Concert, and interspliced with backstage interviews and rehearsal footage from the course of the tour. Comparing this video with Brian's earlier concert footage from Imagination reveals that Brian has grown much more comfortable on stage over the past few years; he jokes with the audience and with his band; he dances several times (much to the delight of the crowd); and flashed several genuine smiles during the show. Brian's delightful sense of humor is very much in evidence throughout the program, and the genuine good-will between himself and his band is infectious. If I have any gripes about the video, it's that it's too short: a mere 77 minutes, and half of it is backstage banter. For those who missed Brian's tour and want to see the whole concert, all that's here is an abbreviated substitute. For all the press Brian received during his Pet Sounds concerts, many buyers may assume that this is a recent, complete show, but it's neither. But that shouldn't dissuade fans, who'll find a very nice portrait of Brian, with loving tributes from his band and celebrities like Pete Townshend, Neil Young, Sheryl Crow and Ronnie Spector. As Brian himself commented about this video, it's probably the most honest, accurate portrayal of Brian that we've seen on film. Sensitivity warning: there are several strong profanities included in the course of the film, which might offend some viewers.

REVIEW: If there was ever any doubt that Pet Sounds is one of the greatest, if not the greatest rock album ever, this document should put those doubts to rest. This live concert, culled from a sold-out 6-show run presented at the Royal Festival Hall last year, is absolutely fabulous. The Beach Boys never played Pet Sounds live in it's entirety, and here, with the wonderful band supporting a healthy, reinvigorated Brian Wilson, well - it rectifies a staggering oversight on their part. This is an album that begs to be played in its entirety; to hear the ebb and flow of emotion that permeates each piece, to see the childlike joy and wisdom that each song resonates with is a revelation! Understand that I never considered Pet Sounds to be the seminal album it is until I heard it live! Now it seems to ring with life and meaning. And to see Brian's face during certain moments: pure happiness during "Sloop John B," and exhilaration during the band's extended jam on "Pet Sounds." The only thing missing is a couple of dogs barking at the end as the sound of a train roars thorugh the audience. (Maybe there were dogs barking, but I couldn't hear them.) In addition to this wonderful concert, the producers of the DVD have made a stunning 40-minute long documentary on the creation of Pet Sounds with long interviews of Brian, Tony Asher, Carol Kaye, Hal Blaine, and others who took part in it's creation. The stories are funny, heartwarming, and intuitive; they create a fine tribute to both Brian, and the collaborative nature of any album. Sad that none of the surviving Beach Boys were included, but it's a great documentary nonetheless. The concert closes with "Good Vibrations," which makes a fine link for the planned Smile concerts next year, and after seeing this document, I can't wait!

REVIEW: An awsome, three-hour experience, the DVD companion to SMiLE is a reverent, and worthy addition to the album - with the video split into two major segments: the first DVD containing the 90+ minute documentary "Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson & The Story of Smile" written and produced by David Leaf and others, and the second disc containing the full performance of SMiLE recorded live in concert. "Beautiful Dreamer" is the lovingly-made testament to how Brian Wilson conceived, abandoned, and then found the courage to, after nearly forty years, finish his masterwork, in the process, discarding several personal demons which had literally haunted him. To see the literal unfolding of Brian from a scared, almost paralyzed individual who was terrified of revisiting the long-abandoned project, transformed into a smiling, energized, and liberated soul is the triumph of this documentary. Video taken at several stages of the process show Brian seemingly disconnected from his surroundings during the first vocal rehearsal; reconnecting with Van Dyke Parks in his efforts to reconstruct and reshape the incomplete score; his gradual emergence during the band rehearsals; the terrifying doubt which gripped him before the first performance in London, and the triumphant aftermath are all shown with numerous interviews with band members, his wife, long-time friends and associates (some of whom have no real reason to be here.. Jeff Bridges offers nothing more than a brief comment on how "cool" SMiLE is). The clips with Brian are sometimes illuminating, but more often short declarations which are filled in by those around him. I was moved to tears by the end, as it becomes obvious how painful and difficult this process was for both Wilson and Parks. Mike Love is painted to be the obvious villain in the story, and strangely, the drug angle is heavily downplayed. The bonus interview segments have extended interviews with Van Dyke and Brian, which is strange and disjointed, and some softball questions thown at Brian by David Leaf.

The second disc has an incredible, vivid 5.1 Surround Sound mix of SMiLE in a carefully filmed concert, and Brian looking 10 years younger in an animated, emotion-filled performance, which is only hampered by the feeling that the concert has been too carefully edited, both sound and performances come across as startlingly clean and mannered. The bonus 20-minute featurette is excellent, showing a revitalized and in-command Brian directing the recording of SMiLE in the studio; obviously reborn through this experience, he's funny, electric, and wearing his old producer's hat with confidence. The other features, being several solo piano performances of Brian and others in the studio is interesting, but not terribly compelling, and the photo album and fan-created video of "Heroes and Villains" are great fun. A great blessing for fans who have been waiting 38 years for SMiLE to come to life.

REVIEW: As with most tribute projects, this Musicares program celebrating the music and charitable works of Brian Wilson is a hit-and-miss affair, and I would love to sit in sometime on the selection process, and see just who was on the "dream list" and how scheduling conflicts, and other problems, led to this particular set of artists and songs. I mean, when the program leads off with a surreal pairing of The Red Hot Chili Peppers and "I Get Around" - you just gotta wonder where it's gonna go from there. But thankfully, we only get one helping of Flea's pelvic thrusts during the show. Highlights for me include Richie Sambora's rattling take on "City Blues"; Jamie Cullum's awesome high-concept gospel revivalism of "Sail On Sailor" with the Levite Camp; Michael MacDonald's pairing with Billy Preston for a soulful "Don't Worry Baby"; Jeff Beck's jaw-dropping guitar improvisations during "Surf's Up" and "Surfin' USA"; Earth Wind & Fire's silky take on "Don't Talk (Put Your Head on My Shoulder)", and Darlene Love's joyful "Wouldn't It Be Nice" (I've always loved her voice). Low spots for me are Shelby Lynne's dead-eyed take on "Surfer Girl"; John Legend's pretty-boy crooning on "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", and the Backstreet Boys thin, five-part whining on "When I Grow Up To Be A Man". Brian and his band finish off the evening with competent, but wooden takes on his usual encore pieces, followed by the obligatory "bring-em-all-back-out" full cast sing alongs. LOTS of high points to the program, definitely worth checking out for fans.

Brian Wilson: That Lucky Old Sun
Capitol Records [DVD]; approx. 150 min.,
Released January 27, 2009

BRIAN WILSON That Lucky Old Sun (DVD)
‘That Lucky Old Sun’ performance (Capitol Studios, Studio A: May 19, 2008)
Filmed performance of entire album by Brian Wilson and his band (5.1 Surround / 2.0 Stereo)

That Lucky Old Sun:
Morning Beat
Narrative: Room With A View
Good Kind OF Love
Forever She’ll Be My Surfer Girl
Narrative: Venice Beach
Live Let Live / That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)
Mexican Girl
Narrative: Cinco de Mayo
California Role / That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)
Narrative: Between Pictures
Oxygen To The Brain
Can’t Wait Too Long
Midnight’s Another Day
That Lucky Old Sun (Reprise)
Going Home
Southern California

"Going Home": Feature-length documentary about the making of That Lucky Old Sun and an exploration of Brian Wilson’s life long personal and creative relationship with Southern California. Directed and edited by George Dougherty.

Bonus Materials:
Track-by-track Capitol Studios performance commentary by Brian Wilson and Scott Bennett
The making of That Lucky Old Sun: additional behind the scenes footage from the album’s recording sessions
Yahoo! Nissan Live Sets performance with studio audience Q&A
MySpace “Artist On Artist” interview: Brian Wilson & Zooey Deschanel
Black Cab Sessions” performance

REVIEW: No matter how you might feel about Brian's latest album, the DVD experience of That Lucky Old Sun is not to be missed. For one thing, it's STUFFED full with concert(s), (three, to be exact) interviews, behind the scenes footage, and more. The concert is looser, and less mannered than the SMiLE concert, and it's great to hear the music mixed in 5.1 Dolby - That Lucky Old Sunis nothing if not a densely orchestrated piece of work, and the sound here is nicely delineated. Unfortunately, it's easy to see that Brian's vocals have been either pre-or-post recorded, as Brian's vocal performance doesn't always sync with what we're hearing - it sounds great, but if you're looking for a true "live experience" this isn't it. The second major part of the DVD is the documentary "Going Home," which is an hour-long look at both the genesis of this album, with several illuminating insights about Brian. With a Timothy-White - inspired time line of California's history running through the proceedings, lengthy interview segments with each of Brian's collaborators, interspersed with celebrity pop-ups (Billy Bob Thornton, Micky Dolenz, and others) musing about Brian's influence on the California myth are well-done. There's a real sense of the band attempting to quantify Brian's legacy - and they do a marvelous job of getting inside Brian's head. I felt after watching the documentary that I understood a lot more about what makes Brian tick - no small feat for anyone who's tried to nail Brian down in an interview. But after the full-length concert and weighty documentary, there's much more: a very long behind the scenes look at the recording sessions for the album, with goofing around, singing, playing and discussion shown; a track-by-track commentary by Scott Bennett and Brian Wilson; two other mini-concerts containing not only TLOS music but Beach Boys hits, and audience Q&A sessions that are occasionally enlightening. A very thorough look at the legacy of Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys, and That Lucky Old Sun, this DVD made me fall in love with California all over again.

Brian Wilson: Songwriter 1962-1969
Sexy Intellectual [DVD]; approx. 190 min.,
Released November 23, 2010

Brian Wilson Songwriter 1962 - 1969 is a documentary film in which the rich tapestry of music written and produced by this brilliant 20th century composer is investigated and reviewed. With the main feature running at over three hours in length across two discs, the songs Brian wrote for and recorded with The Beach Boys during the 1960s are here re-assessed to quite startling effect.

FEATURES INCLUDE -
•Historical musical performances and rare and classic recordings re-assessed by a panel of esteemed experts
•Obscure footage, rare archive interviews and seldom seen photographs
•Exclusive contributions from fellow Beach Boys, Bruce Johnston and David Marks; Wrecking Crew musicians Carol Kaye and Hal Blaine; friend and Beach Boys manager Fred Vail; producers Russ Titelman and Bill Halverson; Wilson family friends Billy Hinsche and Danny Hutton, biographers Peter Ames Carlin and Domenic Priore and many others •Live and studio recordings of many Brian Wilson

REVIEW: Brian Wilson: Songwriter 1962-1969 (saddled with the unfortunate subtitle: "Exploring Brian's Muse During A Decade Of Dreams") looks and feels like almost every other Beach Boys documentary put out in the last 20 years: the de rigueur opening shots of ocean waves; a stiff, proper British narrator (who seems completely out of place here); the collage of home movies (with the same clips showing over and over again); the presence of at least one college professor (a dry-as-dust Philip Lambert) sitting at a piano, noodling over chord structures; earnest "experts" (i.e., authors who have written biographies about the subject); a smattering of acquaintances offering occasionally interesting stories, etc. In many ways, the producers have taken the templet for this documentary from Timothy White's exhaustive The Nearest Faraway Place - setting up Brian Wilson as a product of his times, with long opening setups involving California culture and surf and pop music. Not that there's anything wrong with the format - but for an artist who is considered by many to be so unconventional both in his music and his life, there's a shocking lack of anything new or surprising in this documentary - it's a very safe, conventional film. Of the participants, Peter Ames Carlin and Fred Vail come off best - Carlin is articulate and sincere, and Fred Vail has some fascinating, juicy stories to relate, and tells his tales well. Bruce Johnston also makes a few appearances, and while coming across as a strong admirer of Brian Wilson as an artist, his most surprising admission is how strongly he like the album "Smiley Smile". Former Beach Boy David Marks is prominently featured, and takes great pains to insert himself into the Beach Boys narrative whenever possible, but his contributions drop off dramatically after his departure from the band. Carol Kaye and Hal Blaine, part of the studio band, The Wrecking Crew, add little new to what they've previously said about Brian, and the producers feel the need to again trot out the infamous taped Brian/Murray feud from the "Help Me, Rhonda" sessions. This double DVD set is slick, professionally produced, and reverential, but too much of it is material that's already been hashed over; and in the end I felt a little disappointed - nothing here really made me want to go and listen to Brian's music with fresh understanding, or gave me any new insight into what made Brian's music so moving.