2 Brian Wilson interviews, showing his extreme mood changes

[Trauma-san]

Check this shit out, here's a Sad Brian interview about his new album, and a Happy Brian interview about his new album.  I feel so bad for this guy, he's STILL going through crap.


First, Happy Brian interview...


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Wilson's learning to Smile
By Peter Holmes
June 27, 2004

LINK: http://comiclist.com/smileshop/posting.php?mode=newtopic&f=1&sid=89d00c8a9dc06fa7dece33d956e9a257

BEACH Boys leader Brian Wilson has been lauded as one of the most gifted of the post-Tin Pan Alley songwriters.
In the early to mid 1960s Wilson peeled off clean-cut, summery, harmony-glazed tunes such as Surfin' Safari, Surfin' USA, Surfer Girl, Little Deuce Coupe, Fun, Fun, Fun, I Get Around, Help Me Rhonda and California Girls. Yet it was never going to be enough for this tortured soul.

Damaged by years of childhood abuse at the hands of father Murry, Brian's brothers Carl and Dennis resorted - variously - to fast food, alcohol, sex and drugs. Brian, meanwhile, immersed himself in all four. An album, Smile, said to be a psychedelic, progressive epic, was never completed, and became the stuff of legend.

Now Wilson, the one-time recluse, has re-emerged. His albums are sporadic and patchy. However, he brings an old-fashioned sense of innocence, joy and songcraft to the modern landscape. And those golden, multi-tracked harmonies remain the envy of bands around the world.

On the eve of the release of his new solo album, Getting In Over My Head, and the completed version of Smile, the legendary musician reflected on his music and his life:

WHEN you performed at Sydney's State Theatre in 2002, you had us all singing Row, Row, Row Your Boat. What inspired that? Yeah, I thought I'd try that, because I love that song, and I love the audience to sing it.

What do you remember of Australia? I just love the orange rooftops, and the people there appreciate my music a lot.

You've finished Smile and recorded a new album. It sounds hectic: Well, it's been very busy. We had to learn Smile, re-write it and finish up the songs and melodies and lyrics. It took us quite a while.

You've written so many songs. Is it difficult not repeating yourself? It's a little more difficult because I'm running out of melodies! It frustrates me. I keep working at it.

Are you nervous about the reaction to your new album? I'm a little worried, but I'm confident people will like the songs.

Do you enjoy hearing yourself sing? It's a kick. I love to hear myself sing, yeah. Many singers don't. Because they're too self-critical. I used to be, but not anymore.

Do you hear complete arrangements in your head before you record? No. I have to do it as I go in the studio. It's always been that way for me.

Have you mastered the recording studio? I feel like I have.

What makes a great lyric? Just creativity and making sure it has a lot of love in it. Love lyrics.

Why is music so cynical today? People have run out of music and songs, so now it's all rap music and MTV kind of stuff.

You once recorded a rap for the Sweet Insanity album: Right. A song called ... I forgot the name of the song! Was it called Smart Girls? Smart Girls! Right. You could call it lite-rap.

Do you feel sorry for today's bands? Yeah, I do feel sorry for them because it's tough trying to do something original.

Has it all been done? I believe so. It's very sad - it makes me want to cry. We have run out of songs. The younger people try very hard to be original, but its very tough for them.

Most of your lyrics are full of hope and joy, yet you say writing is painful. Well, painful because you have to rack your brain to get those lyrics, to squeeze them out ...

Your brother, Carl, appears on the new track Soul Searchin. Was it hard to sing? I wanted to sing along with him, so I sang the bridge, then he sang the verse and the rest ... Me and Carl on the same record, even though he died - he's on the same record as me. I really cried for a while before I sang it.

How do you get in the mood to sing in the studio? I try to work myself up, telling myself I can do it, I can do it. I keep telling myself that until I do it!

Do you remember when you first heard your voice double-tracked? Oh, it was wonderful. I couldn't believe it. A great sound. We always use that technique.

Tell me about the title track of the new album: That was about a guy who was getting into sex too much. He thought he was getting overwhelmed by sex.

You had an awful upbringing. Is this why your music is full of love? Uh, yeah, I think so. I think it affects people because there's so much love in it.

You are a self-taught musician. Can you read sheet music? I understand - because I learnt from Rosemary Clooney and Phil Spector - how to make love music. I can't read music, but I can write it.

The Four Freshmen inspired you as a boy. Nobody knows about them today. The Freshmen are out date. Nobody likes the Freshmen. I stopped listening to it. It's old music and brings back too many memories.

Do you talk to your old bandmate and cousin Mike Love? I don't talk to him anymore.

Is that because of your dispute over songwriting credits? No, it's because my brother Carl died and we stopped talking to each other.

Will you tour Australia and perform Smile? Probably. We might come down in December.

Do you ever hang at the beach? I don't go to the beach anymore. I don't like it.

Are you happy? I'm very happy. All the time. I thank God for my happiness every day.

Getting In Over My Head (Warner) is released on Friday.

The Sunday Telegraph

[Trauma-san]

And now here's someone's translation of an interview he gave a German newspaper last Wednesday...


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SCARED ALL THE TIME

First there's some chit chat on GIOMH, Soul Searchin' (Brian says he never heard the Solomon Burke version...), Paul McCartney and his admiration for Brian and his music. The interviewer - further referred to as GK - feels like most answers sound "learned" rather than spontaneous. Then, when talking about emotions that music can trigger in people, Brian turns dark...

Brian says he doesn't "need" music as much as he used to. The interviewer then replies confronting Brian with a statement in his 1991 autobiography where he says that all that keeps him from suicide is the fear that there's no music in the hereafter.
Brian: "yes, but all is different now. Most of the day I'm now busy with just surviving. I don't know, everything is so... you know, it all just is so hard. Living. I really find it very hard. I'm scared. I'm scared all the time. Afraid of people, afraid of death, afraid of the unknown, afraid that I don't understand things anymore. That I just don't get it. I have those fears and known of nothing to do against it."

GK: "doesn't it help that everybody applaudes you performing again?"
Bri: "Yeah, that's a comfort. But only some. Allright, enough about this."
GK: "but what is it exactly what's so hard?"
Bri: "I don't know how to live. I feel like a recluse, somebody that's not participating in society, that lives in another time and can't cope. All those expectations. Time and again. It scares the hell out of me."

A bit further into the interview, talking about Landy, Bri says: "he saved me, but I'm not allowed to see him anymore". GK asks "do you miss him?". Bri: "I miss him very much. I think about him all the time, he was the best friend I ever had. He taught me to perform under pressure and he was the last person that I could really laugh with. Now I'm married to Melinda, adopted three children, but I'm depressed. I'm glad with Melinda and the children, but I don't feel as close as I should be. I'm a loner and depressed. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I live with it. It won't get any better."

Apparently, the interview was in the middle of the vocal sections for the new SMiLE recording. "I'm nervous as hell about it. Sometimes it takes two hours for taping one line."

GK: "do you know what your original intention with SMiLE was?"
Bri: "No. At best that Van Dyke Parks said that it should radiate a feeling of old Americana. What that is? A happy feeling I guess... But to be honest I couldn't remember anything of SMiLE, until I had to listen to it again."
Yes, he literally says "I had to listen to it again". Also, he admits it was his manager's idea to get back to SMiLE...
Bri: "what a weird music I thought. Did I really write that?"
GK: "in your autobiography you write that some pieces are locked away in the Capitol vaults because it's bad music. How do you think about that now?"
Bri: "Not bad. Rather too experimental. I would call it corny drug influenced music. The year I worked on it was the hardest in my life. I remember A Whiter Shade Of Pale by Procol Harum was released around the time. I was so over-sensitive to the drama of the organ sound, that I thought it was my own funeral music. If I hear it now, I feel like I'm at my own funeral. Weird, not? Those were hard times. I was mad, and still am. Or, no, not mad, more like insane. Ha!"

GK: "But you sound rather cheerful on GIOMH..."
Bri: "Yes, thos songs are well chosen."
GK: "didn't you select them yourself?"
Bri: "no, I can't take any decisions. I can't say 'no' either. I'm too weak, really, I'm too weak. Everything has to be done for me."
GK, referring to the song 'Make A Wish': "what's your dearest wish?"
Bri: "to be a little happier, and to feel no pressure on me."
GK: "doesn't performing again give satisfaction?"
Bri: "No, I'm just scared I can't assume a satisfying posture. During most shows I just laugh really loud or start playing children's tunes and shout 'Thank You!', while I'd rather beg God to release me. Acting happy while I'm scared, that's it."
And Bri goes on: "When I was in charge, I wouldn't tour anymore. It's just too much. That show in Amsterdam was at the end of the spring tour, I was exhausted and felt like I was going to die. I really dread having to do the summer tour, but my manager says it's good for me and I'm not strong enough to protest."

Bri's assistant Jean Sievers comes by and ends the interview. Bri asks her "did I do well?"

When Brian is ready to step in the waiting limo, he closes with this wish: "I don't hope I'm too much of a burden to my wife and kids. It's hard with someone like me."

[Trauma-san]

Oh, and in the 2nd interview, "Landy" is "Dr. Eugene Landy", a psychiatrist that lived with Brian in the 70's, but was later stripped of his license to practice and had a restraining order placed against him, after he had Brian rewrite his will to leave his estate to Dr. Landy.  Landy is co-credited with writing Wilson songs he had nothing to do with, ghost wrote Brian's autobiography, etc.  Apparently people used to come over to Brian's house and he'd beg them to get Landy away from him, he felt like a prisoner in his own home (which Landy lived in!).  Eventually, his brother Carl had Landy barred from seeing Brian, and Brian married Melinda who now helps him get by. 

[Maradona]

What a weirdo