Stamos In Reunion

[SMiLE Brian]

I want the Beach Boys to just perform the music

How is Stamos on stage going to prevent that?  Regardless of how much Stamos is in the show--which is yet to be seen---I'm not sure how why people are this bothered? With all the people on stage....we're barely going to even HEAR Stamos (except for him probably doing "Forever") at all!  But if people are bothered with just his presence on stage...sheesh.  

Perhaps someone should start a petition to cancel the entire tour now, eh?

I want the music to stand for itself, instead of the cheesy stage shows done in the past that distract from the music.

Where have you been? Stage shows have been cheesy since the mid-70s. When I go to a concert, I am there for the music no matter what the stage show consists of. As for Stamos, he will neither add nor substract anything from the music.

I was born in 1991.  I just want to go back to the pre-endless summer mindset of the band.

They haven't done that since, well.... pre-Endless Summer.

A shame, guess I need to break out my Vinyl copy of "In concert" when it was all about the music.

Mike Love, 1973.

I don't care what he wears as long as the show rocks and is not a cheesefest. Mike has been goofy from day one and I accept that.

[filledeplage]

... can anyone confirm the current working/personal relationship these individuals have with either Mike, Bruce, Al or Brian?  Are they still in contact?  Have they worked with any of these people recently (within the last 3 or 4 years)?  

The short answer to much of the list is yes.

Ricky -- drummer for Bonnie Raitt, who has a new album coming out and is likely to tour behind it

Blondie -- will probably be out touring with the Rolling Stones this year

Matt Jardine -- part of Al Jardine's solo band (which put on an excellent show in NC last year), also works with the Surf City AllStars with Al and David, showed up at the Reagan celebration mini-reunion last year

Billy Hinsche -- Al Jardine's musical director and has toured with Brian and Mike & Bruce as well
 
Eddie Carter & Bobby Figueroa -- also with Al's band

Thanks.  

And another short answer to the issue is that it's easier to add Stamos to the mix than any of these other guys.  He has had a consistent "friendship" with Mike Love for years now and has constantly joined them on stage.  Mike and Brian are making the calls here.  They need to make Brian feel comfortable...the backing band is made up of 95% Brian's guys.  The 5% go to Mike's guys: Cowsill, Totten and apparently Stamos.   How do you merge Ricky, Figueroa, Carter into the band without disrupting the entire group?  It would turn into a different band...not Brian's anymore.  So, this "hostage situation" idea of "we can only get Stamos if we get these other guys" just doesn't really work.  To Mike, Stamos is a guy he knows and has worked with recently...all these other guys are Al's guys that he himself hasn't worked with in a while that cannot join the group because there is no room for them.
Creating the band for this tour should have been the easiest task for Mike and Brian--- and it's very obvious that they definitely took that route.

I am there for the music no matter what the stage show consists of. As for Stamos, he will neither add nor substract anything from the music.

+ 1
 
If Stamos was taking the place of say, a Brian Wilson or Al Jardine...fine...let's have ourselves an uproar.  But as it is...the five main principles have not been disturbed.  Those voices will still blend wonderfully on "California Girls"...so I could care less if Stamos comes along or not.

Justin - As recently as this past September when I got a last minute chance to see Al's awesome band, in Newport, RI, Bobby Figueroa, who sang Sail On Sailor, Ed Carter, and Richie Cannata, were BB backup for a long time and played with Al, whose band I know less well than the other two. They do a great job.  Billy Hinsche is their Musical Director, also, long term BB guy with his own impressive credentials.  It is a hard pick.  Five core guys are still on deck!  
They have all grown in their own businesses and composition.  They could never be the same.  

[SMiLE Brian]

I want the Beach Boys to just perform the music

How is Stamos on stage going to prevent that?  Regardless of how much Stamos is in the show--which is yet to be seen---I'm not sure how why people are this bothered? With all the people on stage....we're barely going to even HEAR Stamos (except for him probably doing "Forever") at all!  But if people are bothered with just his presence on stage...sheesh.  

Perhaps someone should start a petition to cancel the entire tour now, eh?

I want the music to stand for itself, instead of the cheesy stage shows done in the past that distract from the music.

Where have you been? Stage shows have been cheesy since the mid-70s. When I go to a concert, I am there for the music no matter what the stage show consists of. As for Stamos, he will neither add nor substract anything from the music.

I was born in 1991.  I just want to go back to the pre-endless summer mindset of the band.

They haven't done that since, well.... pre-Endless Summer.

A shame, guess I need to break out my Vinyl copy of "In concert" when it was all about the music.

It is always about the music. By the way, he doesn't just stand up there. He plays, along with the rest of the band members. I've seen the Beach Boys many times between 1969-2007. Blondie & Ricky made a difference. John Stamos, not so much.

Fair enough, see you at the reunion concert drbeachboy.

[Mikie]

I'm not taking sides either way, but how was that different from Mike Love's stage act? Or for that matter, any number of male musicians who play live rock and roll?

I've put up with Mike's on-stage "act"; all his repetitive schticks, dumb wardrobes, hats, prancing around like Jagger, endless bantering ("anti-Democrat - vote Republican") and ("Brian is home sitting on his ass while we're here working hard") since 1973. Many years! I know he's calmed down a little with old age, but one distraction is enough. It's really about the music, isn't it?

[drbeachboy]

I want the Beach Boys to just perform the music

How is Stamos on stage going to prevent that?  Regardless of how much Stamos is in the show--which is yet to be seen---I'm not sure how why people are this bothered? With all the people on stage....we're barely going to even HEAR Stamos (except for him probably doing "Forever") at all!  But if people are bothered with just his presence on stage...sheesh.  

Perhaps someone should start a petition to cancel the entire tour now, eh?

I want the music to stand for itself, instead of the cheesy stage shows done in the past that distract from the music.

Where have you been? Stage shows have been cheesy since the mid-70s. When I go to a concert, I am there for the music no matter what the stage show consists of. As for Stamos, he will neither add nor substract anything from the music.

I was born in 1991.  I just want to go back to the pre-endless summer mindset of the band.

They haven't done that since, well.... pre-Endless Summer.

A shame, guess I need to break out my Vinyl copy of "In concert" when it was all about the music.

It is always about the music. By the way, he doesn't just stand up there. He plays, along with the rest of the band members. I've seen the Beach Boys many times between 1969-2007. Blondie & Ricky made a difference. John Stamos, not so much.

Fair enough, see you at the reunion concert drbeachboy.

Indeed, and hopefully at more than one. As dates & locations are added, we should all get together before and after the shows. We may bicker and have differences of opinion, but we are the core of Beach Boys' fandom.

[I. Spaceman]

One of these days, someone should write a book about The Beach Boys' "hardcore fans". It should bear the name "Sense Of Entitlement".

[SMiLE]

Do Mike and Bruce's tours feature the gimmicky bulls**t from the 80s-90s tours?

[Justin]

... can anyone confirm the current working/personal relationship these individuals have with either Mike, Bruce, Al or Brian?  Are they still in contact?  Have they worked with any of these people recently (within the last 3 or 4 years)?  

The short answer to much of the list is yes.

Ricky -- drummer for Bonnie Raitt, who has a new album coming out and is likely to tour behind it

Blondie -- will probably be out touring with the Rolling Stones this year

Matt Jardine -- part of Al Jardine's solo band (which put on an excellent show in NC last year), also works with the Surf City AllStars with Al and David, showed up at the Reagan celebration mini-reunion last year

Billy Hinsche -- Al Jardine's musical director and has toured with Brian and Mike & Bruce as well
 
Eddie Carter & Bobby Figueroa -- also with Al's band

Thanks.  

And another short answer to the issue is that it's easier to add Stamos to the mix than any of these other guys.  He has had a consistent "friendship" with Mike Love for years now and has constantly joined them on stage.  Mike and Brian are making the calls here.  They need to make Brian feel comfortable...the backing band is made up of 95% Brian's guys.  The 5% go to Mike's guys: Cowsill, Totten and apparently Stamos.   How do you merge Ricky, Figueroa, Carter into the band without disrupting the entire group?  It would turn into a different band...not Brian's anymore.  So, this "hostage situation" idea of "we can only get Stamos if we get these other guys" just doesn't really work.  To Mike, Stamos is a guy he knows and has worked with recently...all these other guys are Al's guys that he himself hasn't worked with in a while that cannot join the group because there is no room for them.
Creating the band for this tour should have been the easiest task for Mike and Brian--- and it's very obvious that they definitely took that route.

I am there for the music no matter what the stage show consists of. As for Stamos, he will neither add nor substract anything from the music.

+ 1
 
If Stamos was taking the place of say, a Brian Wilson or Al Jardine...fine...let's have ourselves an uproar.  But as it is...the five main principles have not been disturbed.  Those voices will still blend wonderfully on "California Girls"...so I could care less if Stamos comes along or not.

Justin - As recently as this past September when I got a last minute chance to see Al's awesome band, in Newport, RI, Bobby Figueroa, who sang Sail On Sailor, Ed Carter, and Richie Cannata, were BB backup for a long time and played with Al, whose band I know less well than the other two. They do a great job.  Billy Hinsche is their Musical Director, also, long term BB guy with his own impressive credentials.  It is a hard pick.  Five core guys are still on deck!  
They have all grown in their own businesses and composition.  They could never be the same.  

There's no doubt that all these guys are talented, professional musicians----it is indeed a shame they won't be able to participate in the show.  Unfortuantely, there are just too many moving pieces for it to work out.  Mike and Brian both probably made sacrifices when negotiating for this tour that I don't know if the drama about how many past band members/sidemen to also bring on board is something they want to entertain.

[Mikie]

At least, we could get a beer or glass of wine, legally, later in the game...No more paper bags with Boone's Farm. 

Just for old times sake, I think I'll bring a J to the show and pass it down the row.  

Hey, I use to enjoy watching the beach balls bouncing around the crowd, especially in the stadiums.  Sometimes there were frisbees. One hit Dennis once on stage and he got real pissed! Not the 'drunk' kinda pissed either - the mad kind!!

[Jon Stebbins]

It seems that lately when Stamos graces the Beach Boys with his presence he usually plays (or holds) a guitar on the front line. He drums for a song or two, but his main presence is up front with a guitar. Consider this...with David and Al, plus Scott Totten,Nick ,Probyn, and Jeff...if you add Stamos you might have as many as SEVEN guitarists on stage.

[Rocker]

Do Mike and Bruce's tours feature the gimmicky bulls**t from the 80s-90s tours?

I believe they have the car-sounds for I Get Around, etc. I hope they won't use them. Don't know about the other stuff

[Mikie]

I wonder what Stamos would think if he read this (so far six page) tribute to him?  Should we give him a break and let him off the hook or no?  I mean, the guy lost his wife, now he's got....................................about 10 chicks chasing him. Poor guy.

[drbeachboy]

It seems that lately when Stamos graces the Beach Boys with his presence he usually plays (or holds) a guitar on the front line. He drums for a song or two, but his main presence is up front with a guitar. Consider this...with David and Al, plus Scott Totten,Nick ,Probyn, and Jeff...if you add Stamos you might have as many as SEVEN guitarists on stage.

I would assume on this tour he will mainly be a percussionist, but I'm sure he'll be up front for a few numbers.

[Andrew G. Doe]

It seems that lately when Stamos graces the Beach Boys with his presence he usually plays (or holds) a guitar on the front line. He drums for a song or two, but his main presence is up front with a guitar. Consider this...with David and Al, plus Scott Totten,Nick ,Probyn, and Jeff...if you add Stamos you might have as many as SEVEN guitarists on stage.

Six guitarists, seven people holding guitars.

[drbeachboy]

I wonder what Stamos would think if he read this (so far six page) tribute to him?  Should we give him a break and let him off the hook or no?  I mean, the guy lost his wife, now he's got....................................about 10 chicks chasing him now.  Poor guy.

According to David Beard's article, he is well aware of how most male Beach Boys fans feel about him. He wouldn't be surprised in the least.

[SMiLE]

It seems that lately when Stamos graces the Beach Boys with his presence he usually plays (or holds) a guitar on the front line. He drums for a song or two, but his main presence is up front with a guitar. Consider this...with David and Al, plus Scott Totten,Nick ,Probyn, and Jeff...if you add Stamos you might have as many as SEVEN guitarists on stage.

I would assume on this tour he will mainly be a percussionist, but I'm sure he'll be up front for a few numbers.

I really hope they are not putting him in Nelson Bragg's position. Assuming Nelson is part of the tour.

[drbeachboy]

It seems that lately when Stamos graces the Beach Boys with his presence he usually plays (or holds) a guitar on the front line. He drums for a song or two, but his main presence is up front with a guitar. Consider this...with David and Al, plus Scott Totten,Nick ,Probyn, and Jeff...if you add Stamos you might have as many as SEVEN guitarists on stage.

Six guitarists, seven people holding guitars.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I would assume on this tour he will mainly be a percussionist, but I'm sure he'll be up front for a few numbers.

Why - there'll be two drummers plus Nelson. Don't need another any more than they need another guitarist. Hopefully he'll only 'play' a very few gigs. Less than one would suit me just fine.

[drbeachboy]

It seems that lately when Stamos graces the Beach Boys with his presence he usually plays (or holds) a guitar on the front line. He drums for a song or two, but his main presence is up front with a guitar. Consider this...with David and Al, plus Scott Totten,Nick ,Probyn, and Jeff...if you add Stamos you might have as many as SEVEN guitarists on stage.

I would assume on this tour he will mainly be a percussionist, but I'm sure he'll be up front for a few numbers.

I really hope they are not putting him in Nelson Bragg's position. Assuming Nelson is part of the tour.

I've heard nothing regarding Nelson being included in the Reunion Tour. Besides, one can never have too many percussionists... more cowbell, anyone?

[SMiLE]

It is still about the music.  Stamos isn't even replacing--as far as we know---any of the core band members.  It's not like they've taken on Stamos in place of the other guitar players or of Cowsill. 
To me, his addition to the proceedings shows just how little Mike thinks of Stamos' musical/vocal value.  "Sure whatever...come on board we got other guys in the band that can actually sing and play."

I'll start to get upset once I see cheerleaders on stage.

With most of Brians band I don't think there would be room.

[drbeachboy]

I would assume on this tour he will mainly be a percussionist, but I'm sure he'll be up front for a few numbers.

Why - there'll be two drummers plus Nelson. Don't need another any more than they need another guitarist. Hopefully he'll only 'play' a very few gigs. Less than one would suit me just fine.

We're all aware that you don't like him or want him included, but if Mike wants him, he'll have him shake a tamborine. Whether he's there or not there, makes no difference to me. I'll go, enjoy the show and not worry about who is on stage as band members.

[GuyOnTheBeach]

Now I'm under the impression that there was some animosity between Brian and Stamos at some point, I take it that's all been sorted now? else I picture Brian ramming the headstock of his bass into Stamos' ribs during one of the hammed up guitar posing sessions songs he plays guitar on

Assuming Brian will be playing Bass that is, hope so, I would pay to see that 

[bossaroo]

i'll take cheerleaders over Stamos anytime, anywhere.

[Beach Boy]

Nothing against Stamos but I can't see his appearance is selling more tickets, it's not like he is Tom Cruise. He was one of the main actors of a cheesy 80s sitcom which I liked as a 5 year old and therefore is really more like a sitcom for children. As someone pointed out at Facebook: It's like the Stones touring with Hasselhoff. I liked John's version of "Forever", especially at Uncle Jesse's wedding but this just doesn't seem right. Do they really need him to sale tickets? This tour shouldn't really be about the money, it should be a celebration of the music.

And btw he performed outside of the US, Wembley 1993. I think they even recorded the SIP video there.

[drbeachboy]

Nothing against Stamos but I can't see his appearance is selling more tickets, it's not like he is Tom Cruise. He was one of the main actors of a cheesy 80s sitcom which I liked as a 5 year old and therefore is really more like a sitcom for children. As someone pointed out at Facebook: It's like the Stones touring with Hasselhoff. I liked John's version of "Forever", especially at Uncle Jesse's wedding but this just doesn't seem right. Do they really need him to sale tickets? This tour shouldn't really be about the money, it should be a celebration of the music.

And btw he performed outside of the US, Wembley 1993. I think they even recorded the SIP video there.

Don't fool yourself, it is always about the money. Even Brian said as much.