When Brian Wilson co-hosted my radio show, we celebrated his “Smile” project, which he amazingly completed 40 years after starting and shelving it. At the end of the show, I jokingly said, “OK, now quit fooling around and write something new.” He actually asked me if anyone would be interested, and I thought he was kidding. But he wasn’t. “Without a doubt,” I told him, and he left with a, well, a smile on his face.
The fabulous news is that Wilson just booked six nights at London’s Royal Festival Hall in September to unveil a new concert piece commissioned by South Bank Centre called “That Lucky Old Sun.” At this moment, it consists of four separate pieces connected by spoken word. Very cool, right?
Coincidentally, MusiCares (see Q&A, page 37) is putting out a Wilson tribute DVD that features Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jeff Beck, Richie Sambora, John Legend and others.
MusiCares provides a safety net for music people in times of need. Hopefully, it has heard about Question Mark’s (96tears.net) house burning down and is helping him out.
In other news, there’s new music due from Apples in Stereo, but as of press time it wasn’t clear if our coolest song in the world this week is to be included on the album. It is called “New Magnetic Wonder,” and leader Rob Schneider has assembled a new band for it.
He went on Stephen Colbert’s show in December to debut his “Stephen Stephen” tribute as part of some typical cockamamie Colbert comedy bit, and it was typically hilarious.
And finally, Perry Farrell’s new band Satellite Party works an unreleased Jim Morrison vocal into a song on its debut album, due out in May. See you on the radio.
COOLEST GARAGE SONGS
1. “Stephen, Stephen,” Apples In Stereo
2. “Goodbye Rock And Roll Band,” the Novaks
3. “Teenage Head,” the Morlocks
4. “Sayonara Blues,” the Woggles
5. “Within You Without You,” the Beatles
6. “Ain’t No King of Rock and Roll,” the Nomads
7. “Long Live the Weekend,” the Living End
8. “Favorite Son,” Green Day
9. “Runnin’ Around,” New York Dolls
10. “So Romantic,” the Charms
COOLEST GARAGE ALBUMS
1. “Broken Boy Soldiers,” the Raconteurs
2. “CBGB Forever,” various artists
3. “State of Emergency,” the Living End
4. “Strange Magic,” the Charms
5. “One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This,” New York Dolls
6. “Last Man Standing,” Jerry Lee Lewis
7. “Shine On,” Jet
8. “Rock and Roll Backlash,” the Woggles
9. “Sinner,” Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
10. “Love, Not Reason,” the Paybacks
Underground Garage
When Brian Wilson co-hosted my radio show, we celebrated his "Smile" project, which he amazingly completed 40 years after starting and shelving it. At the end of the show, I jokingly said, "OK, now…