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Post by John Manning on Feb 2, 2019 2:39:45 GMT -5
Did nothing come of this 1993 songwriting collaboration exercise?
Wikipedia references to it are slightly ambiguous:
“Wilson and Jellyfish only had one songwriting session that was unproductive. Manning* described the experience as "utterly surreal".”
Does this mean they had several sessions, of which only one was unproductive, or that they had only one, which was unproductive?
If the latter, could someone with the know how fix Wikipedia to read:
“Wilson and Jellyfish had one songwriting session, which was unproductive. Manning* described the experience as "utterly surreal".”
(If the former, tell me more!)
* Absolutely nothing to do with me!
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Post by AGD on Feb 2, 2019 4:06:35 GMT -5
Just the one session that was both surreal and unproductive, thus:
A excerpt from Peter Whitfield's essay that was posted on the Brian Wilson message board on 02/18/06:
Thanks to Darian Sahanaja I was able to speak by phone with Roger Manning at his home in the San Fernando Valley a few nights ago, and during our hour-long conversation I brought up those hoary old Brian Wilson stories that had refused to go away. He was more than happy to look back with pride on a time which he remembers as being stressful but not without its surreal moments. Roger and Andy were regarded in the business as two of the hottest new kids on their block, a fact that hadn't escaped the attention of Don Was, who at that time was firmly in the Brian Wilson camp.
Don asked them if they would rendezvous with him and Brian at what Roger recalls was a warehouse/storage facility with a small studio attached, in Santa Monica (sounds like the old Brother Records building that I visited back in '85?). After the introductions were over, Don retired to a back room to take a long telephone call. During this time the other three sat uncomfortably around a small table and exchanged the occasional grin, until an assistant entered and switched on the TV, which was showing a programme they all liked, and this helped to break the ice.
Don returned and they adjourned to the studio where Roger sat at the piano and began playing a melody that he and Andy had worked on the previous day. With no lyrics at that stage, Roger began repeating a simple phrase, "Wish it would rain" which seemed to galvanise Brian into action. He pulled up a stool next to Roger at the keyboards (Roger describes it as the most nerve-wracking moment of his life, especially since there was no daylight between them and, as he puts it, "Brian was sitting closer than my girlfriend had ever gotten to me"). Brian agreed that the words were a good fit, and began singing a backgound vocal behind Roger's lead, consisting of the same phrase. Gradually, they found a groove and Brian's voice began to soar at full volume. Then, straight out of left field, Brian changed the whole complexion of the song by shifting it into a doo-wop celebration, singing "Oh I wish, I wish, I wish it would rain..." which completely fried Roger's brain. He was now in heaven.
Needing a bridge, and sensing that Brian was cooking on all thrusters, Andy and Roger asked him to oblige. Brian's reply was quite unexpected: "O.K., let's insert Surfer Girl bridge here..", which left everyone else nonplussed but as Roger later reflected, the song had by then developed a feel not unlike the Beach Boys classic. However, the anticipated creative evolution of the bridge then failed to materialise, meaning that they were stuck, quite literally, with the bridge from "Surfer Girl". After minimal tweaking, no amount of coaxing would persuade Brian that any further work on the bridge was necessary. Roger recalls laughingly, "It wasn't at all what we expected - we were looking for a great hook and he ended up giving us something that sounded like it had come straight out of The Beach Boys Big Note Songbook, something a new music student would probably learn in their first week". Undeterred, they pressed on until suddenly, another assistant appeared behind Brian, tapped him on the shoulder and said "Excuse me Mr Wilson, it's time for your nap". At which point he rose to his feet, shook hands with Roger and Andy and explained "Sorry but I have to go - I have to continue with my recuperation". Don Was assured the guys that Brian would be back to finish the song, but needless to say it didn't happen. He was seemingly courting all manner of Hollywood celebs at the time, and he did return at a later date, showing up at Roger's with Kim Basinger, wondering if they would be interested in kick-starting her musical career. They passed on that one.
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Post by John Manning on Feb 2, 2019 4:24:38 GMT -5
Brilliant!
What a shame nothing came out (as usual?) - from the reviews it sounds like jellyfish’s very next album was a homage to BBs and others 60s bands’ styles.
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Post by Autotune on Feb 2, 2019 7:10:55 GMT -5
“A very powerful computer with a very small printer” or words to that effect. That’s how one of the Jellyfish guys described Brian back then.
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shadownoze
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Post by shadownoze on Feb 2, 2019 9:40:13 GMT -5
On Manning's later solo album, The Land of Pure Imagination, he has a track called Wish It Would Rain that is gloriously beautiful, with a contrapuntal chorus of vocals that definitely has its roots in Brian Wilson's grey matter. There is no credit for Brian (or anyone else), but after reading the above account, it seems clear that a memory of Brian's suggestions stuck in Manning's head until it finally found a home.
Give it a listen; you'll be glad you did.
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Post by sneakypete77 on Feb 2, 2019 12:03:10 GMT -5
Thanks Andrew, for reminding me of happier times when I posted that Brian/Jellyfish article on the Blueboard. Jeez, can it really be 13 years since I wrote that? I haven't been much active on these kind of forums since that time, but reading that excerpt again gave me a smidge of motivation to maybe join up and join in.
Anyway, about a year after, in June 2007 I managed to hear a part of that session featuring Brian, Roger and Andy when I met with Roger at Darian's house. Can I say firstly that I am deeply indebted to Darian for all of his help and kindness that he has shown to a very ordinary and very grateful Beach Boys fan from the (today anyway) gloriously sunny north-east of England. He arranged for Roger to drop by in the afternoon, and by that time we had also been joined by my long time buddy Domenic Priore and writer/author Brian Chidester.
Roger produced a cassette which contained over an hour of Brian, Andy and he noodling around on piano. We got to listen to about ten minutes of it, including the "Wish It Would Rain" refrain, but sadly not the hilarious part featuring Brian's proposed bridge to the song. I say song, but it really was just a very rough instrumental by Roger, with no lyrics other than those few words, repeated over and over with subtle changes in pitch and pace. The one thing that does stand out in my memory is that of Brian suddenly embarking on a long wordless harmony on top of Roger's piano playing, which gradually soared into the upper stratosphere and became just a little disconcerting. After Roger had left I do recall one of us suggesting that Brian had seemed to be howling at the moon.
Bearing in mind that he was just easing himself into this, at a time when his life was still being controlled by others, I'd have to say that it was brave and gutsy on Brian's part to have even attempted something like this. Both Roger and Andy were lost for words when Brian departed to have his pre-programmed nap, but for Roger at least, it proved to be a landmark day.
He did indeed finish his demo of "Wish It Would Rain" but put it away in a box until it was ressurected and reworked for his first solo album. And yes, it's a beautiful song. Happy days.
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Post by jiggy22 on Feb 2, 2019 14:04:08 GMT -5
Wow, that song is utterly beautiful. It kinda sounds like something Brian could have written for the Holland album, had he been more involved.
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Departed
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2019 14:16:15 GMT -5
On Manning's later solo album, The Land of Pure Imagination, he has a track called Wish It Would Rain that is gloriously beautiful, with a contrapuntal chorus of vocals that definitely has its roots in Brian Wilson's grey matter. There is no credit for Brian (or anyone else), but after reading the above account, it seems clear that a memory of Brian's suggestions stuck in Manning's head until it finally found a home. Give it a listen; you'll be glad you did. Very glad to have heard this, thanks for sharing! I had forgotten about the Jellyfish and how much I loved their Spilt Milk album. Roger Manning’s solo stuff sounds dreamy. |
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shadownoze
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Post by shadownoze on Feb 2, 2019 15:36:22 GMT -5
Well, if you liked that one, try In the Name of Romance, from the same album. It has a resemblance to Disney Girls in meter and even somewhat in subject matter, though it takes a snide turn toward the end. But if you stick with it for about two minutes, you'll again see Roger's gift for stacking vocals and for being a one-man band par excellence. Great producer, too.
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Post by Autotune on Feb 2, 2019 15:53:59 GMT -5
On Manning's later solo album, The Land of Pure Imagination, he has a track called Wish It Would Rain that is gloriously beautiful, with a contrapuntal chorus of vocals that definitely has its roots in Brian Wilson's grey matter. There is no credit for Brian (or anyone else), but after reading the above account, it seems clear that a memory of Brian's suggestions stuck in Manning's head until it finally found a home. Give it a listen; you'll be glad you did. It is quite beautiful. Thank you so much for posting it. And thanks to Pete for sneaking in! |
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Post by lonesurf on Feb 2, 2019 23:12:49 GMT -5
Sturmer & Manning caught lightning in a bottle back in the early 90's. Check out their track for Ringo on his Time Takes Time. Pure '65 Beatles.
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kirkk
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Post by kirkk on Feb 2, 2019 23:39:27 GMT -5
On Manning's later solo album, The Land of Pure Imagination, he has a track called Wish It Would Rain that is gloriously beautiful, with a contrapuntal chorus of vocals that definitely has its roots in Brian Wilson's grey matter. There is no credit for Brian (or anyone else), but after reading the above account, it seems clear that a memory of Brian's suggestions stuck in Manning's head until it finally found a home. Give it a listen; you'll be glad you did. Indeed - this is a gorgeous song. The Jellyfish are one of those bands I’ve been aware of and have been on my list to check out for years... this track was the push I needed to finally do so. Thank you for posting! |
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Post by bobbreckwoldt on Mar 8, 2022 15:39:46 GMT -5
The original demo from the great Spilt Milk bonus tracks.
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Post by Awesoman on Mar 9, 2022 9:34:35 GMT -5
Wait - Brian was actually dating/hanging out with Kim Basinger? Seems like a completely random pairing. What a bizarre and completely surreal time it was for Brian.
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Post by AGD on Mar 9, 2022 13:40:36 GMT -5
Read it again:
"Don Was assured the guys that Brian would be back to finish the song, but needless to say it didn't happen. He was seemingly courting all manner of Hollywood celebs at the time, and he did return at a later date, showing up at Roger's with Kim Basinger, wondering if they would be interested in kick-starting her musical career."
"He" = Don Was. Remember "Shake Your Head" ?
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Post by lonesurf on Mar 9, 2022 13:55:35 GMT -5
AGD looking like an MI5 operative in the new photo!
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Post by sneakypete77 on Mar 9, 2022 16:07:19 GMT -5
AGD looking like an MI5 operative in the new photo!
Rather than being an operative, he's more likely to come to the attention of MI5 dressed like that  .
Thanks for jumping in there Andrew, the ambiguity was all mine. I penned that thing 16 years ago when I was still very much new to BB message boards and my grasp of talking proper hadn't yet been goodly refined like what it is now.
Mind you, ambiguity aside you'd still need a pretty fertile imagination to even consider Brian romancing Kim Basinger and aspiring to be her music manager back then.
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Post by Matt H on Mar 9, 2022 16:14:39 GMT -5
AGD looking like an MI5 operative in the new photo!
Rather than being an operative, he's more likely to come to the attention of MI5 dressed like that  .
Thanks for jumping in there Andrew, the ambiguity was all mine. I penned that thing 16 years ago when I was still very much new to BB message boards and my grasp of talking proper hadn't yet been goodly refined like what it is now.
Mind you, ambiguity aside you'd still need a pretty fertile imagination to even consider Brian romancing Kim Basinger and aspiring to be her music manager back then.
I looked Kim up on Wikipedia, she recorded an unreleased album in 1990. I wonder if Don had anything to do with that album. |
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Post by bobbreckwoldt on Mar 12, 2022 11:17:14 GMT -5
Lucky enough to see them live and lots of Beach Boys' music prior to coming on stage. Their love of Brian and The Beach Boys was obvious. Setlist at Manchester Academy 1991 |
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