Brian's piano playing on 2012

[Justin]

I only really noticed Bruce's keyboard playing on Disney Girls, and it was set to a tacky, 80s DX-7 kind of sound, so good on them for mixing it low the rest of the time.

I have a feeling that is the setting that his keyboard is always on. It probably blends really well into the background without intruding on any other instrument--be it another keyboard or a guitar.  It's a very light/soft/benign kind of sound that doesn't have the harsh tonality if it were left on a regular "grand piano" setting which would probably clutter up the sound scape significantly considering there are just so many instruments being played at once.  That's another reason why I think Bruce is almost never heard--the setting he keeps it in blends in with the group and is only audible for himself.

[Les P]

During the 8 June 2012 show, on several songs Brian was beating the sh*t out of the keys; couldn't hear him in the mix, but it looked like he did in Knebworth during 'Keeping the Summer Alive'.

I couldn't hear him either but yes, he definitely played a lot.  I thought it was interesting that during "Then I Kissed Her" he was using only his left hand, playing the repeating bass line.

[keysarsoze001]

Plenty of performers do the sort of thing Bruce does lately. Think of Paul Simon touring with his crack band, which is usually very large. He always has his acoustic guitar in hand, but doesn't contribute a ton to the overall sound. Just what would he do if he just had the microphone in front of him, you know?

[Aegir]

Bruce never played when he didn't have to, he just likes clapping.

check out this video from 1971. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otj3g2LeZpM

[Jon Stebbins]

Al's banjo is audible on California, Bruce's keyboard audible on Disney Girls, Brian's piano is there a little bit on some things, like Surfer Girl....other than that its pretty much David's guitar solos as far as any principal's instrument standing out in the mix.

[Autotune]

I'd bet Brian's keyboard is more in the mix than Bruce's.

Definitely heard Bruce's a little more at the Hollywood bowl, especially during "Disney Girls". Still, you can hear Darian and Scott above everyone else.

You can hear Bruce's keys all over the current live Disney Girls.

Also, there's a video recording of a 1989 show without Carl. Hampton Beach, I think.
It was rainy, and during Barbara Ann one of the cheerleaders slipped on the wet floor and had to grab Bruce's keyboard in order not to fall. The cluster that was produced was easily audible, thus leading the world to know that Bruce's keyboard was actually working.

[adamghost]

I only really noticed Bruce's keyboard playing on Disney Girls, and it was set to a tacky, 80s DX-7 kind of sound, so good on them for mixing it low the rest of the time.

I have a feeling that is the setting that his keyboard is always on. It probably blends really well into the background without intruding on any other instrument--be it another keyboard or a guitar.  It's a very light/soft/benign kind of sound that doesn't have the harsh tonality if it were left on a regular "grand piano" setting which would probably clutter up the sound scape significantly considering there are just so many instruments being played at once.  That's another reason why I think Bruce is almost never heard--the setting he keeps it in blends in with the group and is only audible for himself.

I think this is 100% correct. 

I did ask Alan Boyd once a long time ago if Bruce J. was audible at all on the Knebworth album, and he said that Bruce was indeed in the mix.  I was surprised at this because I couldn't pick him out.  There is a spot on one of the 1980 shows where he plays the little melodic run in the verse to "Good Timin'".  You can see him turn up the volume on the Wurli, lo and behold you hear those three notes, and then he turns it back down, poof, gone.  I've seen Al J. do the same thing in "Heroes and Villains," where he had a little part that was important to the whole sound, and the rest of the time, he was down.

[Jonathan Blum]

I still think it's a shame that you go see The Beach Boys and all the playing is basically done by ringers.

So, like on Pet Sounds, then?  :-)

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[Lonely Summer]

I only really noticed Bruce's keyboard playing on Disney Girls, and it was set to a tacky, 80s DX-7 kind of sound, so good on them for mixing it low the rest of the time.

I have a feeling that is the setting that his keyboard is always on. It probably blends really well into the background without intruding on any other instrument--be it another keyboard or a guitar.  It's a very light/soft/benign kind of sound that doesn't have the harsh tonality if it were left on a regular "grand piano" setting which would probably clutter up the sound scape significantly considering there are just so many instruments being played at once.  That's another reason why I think Bruce is almost never heard--the setting he keeps it in blends in with the group and is only audible for himself.

Okay, that's interesting. I saw the group live a bunch of times from 1983-1991, and was never sure if Bruce was actually playing that thing. Carl's guitar was obviously in the mix, as was Al's much of the time, and of course Denny's drums in 1983. I'm always reading what a great musician Bruce is, just haven't witnessed it.

I think this is 100% correct. 

I did ask Alan Boyd once a long time ago if Bruce J. was audible at all on the Knebworth album, and he said that Bruce was indeed in the mix.  I was surprised at this because I couldn't pick him out.  There is a spot on one of the 1980 shows where he plays the little melodic run in the verse to "Good Timin'".  You can see him turn up the volume on the Wurli, lo and behold you hear those three notes, and then he turns it back down, poof, gone.  I've seen Al J. do the same thing in "Heroes and Villains," where he had a little part that was important to the whole sound, and the rest of the time, he was down.

[elagpa]

look and hear brian's playing... around 20:20 it's a little bit audible :-O

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJJaeva9r_g

[AndrewHickey]

Bruce has been very audible in the Mike & Bruce shows since John Cowsill switched from keyboards to drums in 2007. Previous to that he used to take the keyboard solo in Rhonda, trigger the flute sample in Sloop John B, and little else that I could tell, but in the shows I saw in 2008 and 2011 his keyboard was in the mix and he kept the handclapping and mic pointing to bits when he wasn't playing an especially prominent part.

On the other hand, he also has no problem miming an instrument -- there was a corporate gig in the UK last year when he faked playing guitar because there wasn't room on the stage for his keyboards -- so he may well not be in the mix much or at all on the current tour, when there are so many keyboard players on stage.

[joe_blow]

I still think it's a shame that you go see The Beach Boys and all the playing is basically done by ringers.

So, like on Pet Sounds, then?  :-)

Cheers,
Jon Blum

I see your point, but at that time, they would contribute more instrumentally to the live show.

[pmb]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDqBMh1FIvM - 0:11 and 4:07 (great performance by the way)

Video shows that although Brian's piano is on and audible, tis indeed low in the mix, maybe more at some shows than others.

[Wirestone]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDqBMh1FIvM - 0:11 and 4:07 (great performance by the way)

Video shows that although Brian's piano is on and audible, tis indeed low in the mix, maybe more at some shows than others.

Very cool.

[dcowboys107]

I know for a fact that on "Do It Again" Brian is audible. Brian is the last to start playing and right when he sits down you can hear him hammering out the opening chords. But for the most part it's pretty low and it's really only noticeable when it stops and starts for the most part.

[Shady]

Does anyone actually know why Brian is low in the mix..

We know for a fact he's a quality piano player. He should get a spot now and then to tickle the ivories

[Justin]

Probably the same reason Bruce is so low in the mix as I wrote earlier on this page.  Both Brian and Bruce aren't really contributing much in terms of keyboards, they play so sparingly throughout the show that the keyboard is mostly there for them to accompany themselves as they sing.  With Scott and Darian taking the lead on all the major keyboard parts, adding Bruce and then Brian to the mix would significantly clutter up the overall sound way, way too much.  There is absolutely no need to have 4 keyboards all perfectly equal to each other in terms of volume.  They can't rely on Brian to be there with his keyboard throughout the show so there's no real point to bring him up in the mix.

[c-man]

Does anyone actually know why Brian is low in the mix..

We know for a fact he's a quality piano player. He should get a spot now and then to tickle the ivories

Well, he does, on the intro to "Marcella".

[Aegir]

I don't think that piano intro has been played during the reunion shows... at least not any I've seen/listened to/etc.