Scratch it, Carl

Last night I was watching the Gopher men's hockey game against Vermont on Fox Sports (Minnesota 5, Vermont 1). Between periods I was surfing up the dial and passed through Fox News. O'Reilly was on with a sort of greatest hits show where he was running what he considered some of the best bits in the history of his show. One of the bits was an interview with Mike Love and Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.

I don't know exactly when the interview actually took place but one of the questions to Brian noted that Brian was then within a week of turning 70 years old. Bill asked both Brian and Mike if when performing they ever thought about and missed Carl and Dennis, Brian's brothers and Mike's cousins. Dennis died in 1983, Carl died in 1998.

Brian was pretty much on his best behavior anyway but at this question he seemed to sit right up and some of the fog left his eyes. Still, his reply is classic soft focus Brian, "A lot of times, at every concert at least twice." It is left to Mike Love to give clarity: "Nobody sang 'God Only Knows' more beautifully than Carl Wilson."

Balanced and fair I would say.

There is commentary in that video on the what the Wikipedia article on the Beach Boys calls Brian's life long burden and barrier to a more active public life, "mental health and substance abuse issues". The video is from 1967 and already Brian is not part of the performance. I believe that is Bruce Johnston on bass.

Here is an earlier video in which all of the original members of the band perform.

Brian wrote that song when he was 19.

I was trying to decide whether to include that one or the next one, I couldn't decide.

In the Deuce Coupe video Mike introduces Brian as "our leader". In the O'Reilly interview Bill says to Brian, "You're a genius, you know that right?"

In other hockey news, this afternoon in Durham, NH, the top ranked and undefeated Gopher women's hockey team pummeled the University of New Hampshire 10-2. Brandt had 3 goals and 2 assists, Kessel had 2 goals and 3 assists, they remain tied for the national leadership in points with 43. New Hampshire's leading scorer has 11.

In French football today at Auxerre, FC Nantes has scored a road victory by 0-2 over AJ Auxerre. AS Monaco is at Clermont on Monday night and can regain a tie for the Ligue 2 lead with a victory but for now FC Nantes is clear and in first place in Ligue 2 after 15 games of the 38 game season.