The Beach Boys Network

Brian as backing vocalist/duet partner - a growing list? [Smiley Smile Message Board]

Posted: 24 Sep 2008 03:45 AM CDT

Someone on another board posted the following list of Brian's work as either a duet partner or backing vocalist on other folks' recordings. I've added several more to the list, taking additions particularly from Andrew G. Does list of guest appearances, over on the Bellagio site (http://www.btinternet.com/~bellagio/guesting.html).

I love Brian's backing vocals on so many of these tracks and it's surprising how busy this "reclusive rock genius" has been over the years. But how many others are out there? Can anyone add to the list?

Some of these, I know, might not merit much listening as on Sakamoto's We Love You - I can't recall being able to hear Brian in the mix at all - but some others such really be regarded part of his tremendous contributions to listenable music. Love his contributions to the Richard Ashcroft and Neil Diamond tracks, for example.

Maybe Capital can put out a 2/3CD compilation of this kind of work (though I suspect there's more chance of ESQ getting there first! You listening David?!?!?!?)

Anton Fig - Hand On My Shoulder (with Brian Wilson)
Belinda Carlisle - California (with Brian Wilson)
Bill Medley - In My Room (with Brian Wilson)
Brian Setzer - Little Deuce Coupe (with Brian Wilson)
Brian Wilson - A Friend Like You (featuring Paul McCartney)
Brian WIlson - How Could We Still Be Dancin' (featuring Elton John on Lead)
Brian Wilson - I'm Into Something Good (with Carole King)
Brian Wilson - Soul Searchin' (featuring Carl Wilson on Lead)
California Music - Jamaica Farewell (with Brian Wilson)
Carnie Wilson - Heaven (with Brian Wilson)
Carnie Wilson - Your Are So Beautiful (with Brian Wilson)
The Dotted Line - No Wrong Notes in Heaven (with Brian Wilson)
Eric Carmen - She Did It (with Brian WIlson)
Eric Carmen - Hey Deanie (with Brian WIlson)
Jan & Dean - (When Summer Comes) Get A Chance With You (with Brian Wilson)
Jeffrey Foskett & Brian Wilson - Everything I Need
Johnny Rivers - Help Me Rhonda (with Brian Wilson)
Linda Ronstadt - Adios (with Brian Wilson)
Mike Love - Be My Baby (with Brian WIlson)
Nancy Sinatra - California Girls (with Brian Wilson)
Neil Diamond - Delirious Love (with Brian Wilson)
One World Project - Grief Never Grows Old (with Brian WIlson)
Paul Schaeffer - Metal Beach (with Brian WIlson)
Richard Ashcroft - Nature is the Law (with Brian Wilson)
Ringo Starr - In A Heartbeat (with Brian Wilson)
Ringo Starr - Without Understanding (with Brian Wilson)
Ryuichi Sakamoto - We Love You (with Brian Wilson)
Ryuichi Sakamoto - Calling From Tokyo (with Brian Wilson)
Steve Dahl & the Dahlfins - Net Surfin' (with Brian Wilson)
Styx - Fooling Yourself (Palm of Your Hand) (with Brian Wilson
Tammy Wynette - In My Room (with Brian Wilson)
Taylor Mills - Raven (with Brian Wilson)
Taylor Mills - Cradle Me (with Brian Wilson)
Wilson-Phillips - In My Room (with Brian Wilson)
Wilsons - Everything I Need (with Brian Wilson)
Wilsons - Miracle (with Brian Wilson)
Wilsons - Monday Without You (with Brian Wilson)
Wilsons - TiI I Die (with Brian Wilson)
Wondermints - Ride (with Brian Wilson)
Wondermints - So Nice (with Brian Wilson)

Re: Clay Aiken comes out [Smiley Smile Message Board]

Posted: 24 Sep 2008 12:50 AM CDT

Quote from: Luther on September 23, 2008, 07:45:37 PM

I'm sure it's not the least surprising news ever...but I can't think of less surprising news off the top of my head. But I say good for him: having to be "on" all the time, acting to be something you're not, can't be any way to live.

Exactly. I never understood why he didn't come forward sooner. I mean, he's in the music industry, which is probably the least homophobic career path he could've chosen.

Re: Clay Aiken comes out [Smiley Smile Message Board]

Posted: 24 Sep 2008 12:30 AM CDT

How/why is this "news"? Roll Eyes

Brian Wilson - That Lucky Old Sun (CD 2008) ["brian wilson"]

Posted: 23 Sep 2008 10:22 PM CDT

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Re: Questions about Dennis's death [Smiley Smile Message Board]

Posted: 23 Sep 2008 10:14 PM CDT

I remember in the British Wouldn't It Be Nice documentary someone (Ed Roach?) saying that the theory was he hit his head on a cement dock coming up.

Re: TLOS: any comments from Mike, Al or Bruce yet? [Smiley Smile Message Board]

Posted: 23 Sep 2008 10:07 PM CDT

Quote from: lance on September 23, 2008, 09:50:51 AM

Quote from: Dancing Bear on September 23, 2008, 08:15:39 AM

Quote from: lance on September 23, 2008, 07:58:12 AM

the problem with what you said otherwise, is that even in his prime Brian hardly wrote loads of hit albums. Three years or four years that was pretty much it. TLOS is his highest charting album since 15 Big Ones and before that Pet Sounds!

And I'm sorry, I also disagree with your argument as it seems to imply: good songs=commercial appeal. I just don't think that's true. Also, I like TLOS and think it's a very good album, but that's a matter of taste, of course.

Oh, I meant "in his prime" in terms of quality, like 60's and 70's (YMMV).

Quote from: lance on September 23, 2008, 07:58:12 AM

Comparing Dylan to Brian is in some ways apples to oranges-they are somehow different musicians, with different influences, tastes and appeals. There's no doubt that the fact that Modern Times was a decent album helped to make it number one, but I don't believe that most people bought it because it was good. There are probably lots of factors as to why an album hits big; and not least of all the notion that Bob Dylan is a genius and Brian Wilson is the guy who did those rather fluffy surf songs.

Dylan's latter day success ia a bit of a mistery for me too. I guess Bob's been better at self-promoting through the decades.

I agree that his prime was definitely the sixties and seventies, but other than 63-66/early 67, he has always been uncommercial. Your argument seemed to be: if the music was better, he'd reach a broader fan base. I'm saying, the music is good and in his greatest years he did not reach a broader fan base--in fact his albums charted significantly lower than TLOS! In other words, your argument which seems to somehow be equalling appeal with quality is bogus. I'm really not trying to be a dick by any means but the facts are there--Discounting greatest hits style packages he's He's had two top 25 albums in the last twenty--no, make that FORTY! years--TLOS and 15BO. So the quality=broader base of listeners thing doesn't really work.

In terms of chart numbers and speaking only of the USA, he is more popular now than during the Friends, Sunflower or Love You eras--which most people would consider his prime.

Don't forget BWPS, #13 US and # 7 UK.

Re: Compression and Clipping on TLOS - is it that bad? [Smiley Smile Message Board]

Posted: 23 Sep 2008 10:01 PM CDT

Quote from: absinthe_boy on September 23, 2008, 05:59:38 AM

With SMiLE there is plenty of video evidence that Brian was there for the recording, and at certian stages he seems to have taken total control of the sessions much like he did in the 60's.

Are you sure about that? I ask because I'm not sure about that. I thought I read somewhere that Darian and company cut the tracks in a couple of days (four?), and that Brian was not present, only coming in AFTER, which is when those shots were filmed.

Re: Compression and Clipping on TLOS - is it that bad? [Smiley Smile Message Board]

Posted: 23 Sep 2008 09:55 PM CDT

Quote from: Andrew G. Doe on September 18, 2008, 01:11:06 PM

I'm no audiophile nor a vinyl junkie... but the fact is, the first time I listened to my TLOS CD my reaction was "WTF ?? This sounds terrible !" - actually had to stop listening. Listened to it on different systems from my PC to a friends high-end equipment... and it sucked on all of them. Since buying my first CD in 1986, I have never heard such a poor sound from a commercial release. Don't care what Bob Ludwig says, don't care what anyone else thinks - there is something very, very wrong with the sonics on this release. The only way I can listen to it is, why I have no idea, on my iPod. It's tempting to contact EMI/Capitol and complain that this product is faulty - because it is. A CD you can't listen to.

Interestingly, when I listened to the vinyl LP (which I got first, and was all I had for the first week, until the CD came out), I thought IT sounded terrible...very bassy and wooden. I was gravely disappointed. Now, this was on my 20-year old Kenwood system, and a fairly new stylus. When I got the CD, I listened on my really nice 1996 Polk Audios in an acoustically-treated room, and also in my car, and I think it sounds great...provided it's cranked up loud enough, like about 42 dB! Conversely, the POB/Bambu CDs sound rather dull on the Polk Audios, absolutely great on the Kenwoods, and sorta inbetween in my car (haven't listend to the vinyl on that one yet). My point is, I think stuff recorded 20 years or more ago sounds better on sound systems from 20 years ago, reagardless if it's on vinyl or CD, whereas anything from the '90s on that was recorded digitally, whether it's on vinyl or CD, sounds better on systems built for reproducing digital sound...and cranked to at least 40 dB. Which is gonna make us all deaf way before our times, but that's "progress", right?

Re: Black Cab Sessions [Smiley Smile Message Board]

Posted: 23 Sep 2008 09:35 PM CDT

Quote from: RickD on September 23, 2008, 09:18:24 PM

....considering he's still got a camera stuck in his face - not his favourite environment.

I guess it's one of those things that's necessary to do if you want to have a successful solo career. Roll Eyes

Re: Black Cab Sessions [Smiley Smile Message Board]

Posted: 23 Sep 2008 09:18 PM CDT

I agree - considering he's still got a camera stuck in his face - not his favourite environment. I think is says more about the person watching than it does about Brian if they find that dark, evil and sinister. Any suggestions about whose "side" Jeff, Darian et al is on is ludicrous - anyone who has spent more than a few minutes with any of them knows how genuine they are.

I'll bet the "are we going to the hotel" translates to "Where's the food?"