Brian Wilson to tour US for release of legendary album "Smile"

Reuters ^ | August 5, 2004 | Troy Carpenter

[johnfrink]

Former Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson will bring his long-awaited "Smile" live performances to the North America this fall, after debuting the "lost masterpiece" in concert in the United Kingdom and Europe earlier this year.

The tour will kick off Sept. 30 at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis, with 21 dates announced so far.

Shows are scheduled through Nov. 2 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and include a two-night stand at New York's famed Carnegie Hall.

A re-recorded version of the album will be released Sept. 28 on Nonesuch Records. "Smile" was intended as the follow-up to the Beach Boys' classic 1966 album "Pet Sounds," but the sessions were cut short and the project abandoned. It has since grown in cult status as one of rock's most notorious "lost" albums.

In concert, Wilson performs the reconstituted album in its entirety with his 10-piece band and a strings-and-brass ensemble. He'll also perform a separate set of Beach Boys and solo tunes, including material from his most recent solo album "Gettin' in Over My Head" (Rhino).

Wilson is also scheduled to appear Aug. 19 on CNN's "Larry King Live."

[REAGANBELONGS TO THE AGES]

I thought he was dead or a vegtable.

[johnfrink]

He's a shadow of his former self, no doubt about it. But his London performances of "Smile" have been getting rave reviews, and I can't wait to hear the album.

[Revolting cat!]

I thought he was dead or a vegtable.

He is both and is still performing! Isn't that amazing?

By the way, the two or three post-Pet Sounds albums are perfectly listenable without all that "legendary" crapola.

[dts32041]

I thought he got cut off at the knees laying on a railroad track.

I know I know but it had to be said.

[vetvetdoug]

I have been listening to Brian's new album and there are some real bright spots, Desert Ride IMHO is the best. The harmonies are classic Brian Wilson overlays. A critic blasted the lyrics as being shallow, but since when were Beach Boys lyrics "deep"? Today's DJ's may just look over the newest effort by Brian but it is classic Wilson.

[socal_parrot]

I thought this was the "cursed" album where there were weird fires and deaths and such. What if bad things start happening all over again?


Too late!!! Wilson/Phillips has released a new album!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Pet Sounds & Brian Wilson. From a kinder, gentler time.

[DallasMike]

Brian Wilson is an absolute genius. The lyrics may not have amounted to much but the chord changes are amazing.

[JennysCool]

Yeah, it's a pretty fun CD. "Desert Drive" shows he can still make 'em like he used to. The tune with late brother Carl doing the lead vocal is an instant classic. I'm going to be hanging out with Mike Love this weekend -- think I should have him autograph it? :-)

[sharktrager]

Have Mike autograph something from Brian?

Those 2 hate each other.

[JennysCool]

I know. That was going to be the fun part!

[Califelephant]

The lyrics of this Brian Wilson song are stupid, banal and idiotic, but the melody and harmony is just perfect. Whenever I start humming this one, I can't get it out of my head. And it makes me feel good.

LOVE AND MERCY

I was sittin' in a crummy movie with my hands on my chin
Oh the violence that occurs seems like we never win

Love and mercy that's what you need tonight
So, love and mercy to you and your friends tonight

I was lyin' in my room and the news came on T.V.
A lotta people out there hurtin' and it really scares me

Love and mercy that's what you need tonight
So, love and mercy to you and your friends tonight

I was standin' in a bar and watchin' all the people there
Oh the lonliness in this world well it's just not fair

Oooooo-ooooooo-ooooooo
Oooooo-ooooooo-ooooooo-ooooooo-ooooooo
Ahhhhh-ahhhhhh-ahhhhhh-ohhhhhh-ohhhhhh

Hey love and mercy that's what you need tonight
So, love and mercy to you and your friends tonight

Love and mercy that's what you need tonight
Love and mercy tonight

Love and mercy

[william clark]

I thought pretty much all of the useable "Smile" tracks were included in the box set.

[johnfrink]

Pfft, Mike Love. Ask him what it feels like to see Brian selling out Carnegie Hall.

[ErnBatavia]

I thought he was dead or a vegtable.

Actually he does a pretty good job filling in for Brit Hume on FOX...

[Marysecretary]

I thought they were talking about Brian Wilson on FOX. Duuuh.

[miloklancy]

Lots of people have underestimated Brian Wilson in the last several years. I'm a relative newcomer to his work, having only purchased his stuff in the last year and for many years I wasn't even a fan of the Beach Boys. But I have to say Wilson is in great form these days. He does most the backing vocals on his new solo album. Granted there may be some tooling with some of it, but I think he still has his creative spark. And for a man of 62 years, he sounds pretty good.

[Zack Nguyen]

I love "Soul Searchin'" which has the vocal by Carl Wilson. It's good music.

I do so wish that he had completed the Smile album in 1967, though. Drug addiction and schitzophrenia overwhelmed him.

Frankly, the story of the Beach Boys is a fascinating one, and very tragic. Wilson's autobiography "Wouldn't it Be Nice" is absorbing, but you come out wondering how much was influenced by his former svengali, Dr. Eugene Landy. Another good book is "Heroes and Villians", which chronicles that last desperate weeks of Dennis Wilson's life. Even had he not drowned in December 1983, he probably would not have lived long.