Bruce

[HeyJude]

makes sense in light of his weird mixture of cockiness and almost overcompensating humility

I've always noticed that about Bruce too, it's refreshing to me though because I think it shows he has principles he follows, we just don't understand any of them, LOL.

I honestly don't think Bruce gives a sh*t if he's in the Rock & Roll hall of fame or not, it's consistent with his perpetual roll of Mike's back-up man, Bruce obviously has 0 ego when it comes to that.

I think he's of that breed that is happy with the success he's already had and doesn't give a sh*t if people recognize it.  

We had a discussion not to long ago on here somewhere, where we were talking about why Bruce doesn't write anymore.  The conclusion I came to personally was that Bruce enjoys that life and is all about that life but doesn't have the ambition or drive to prove anything to anybody including himself.  

I believe the children refer to that as "based".  As in Based Bruce Johnson.  He's so confident in himself that he has no need to keep writing songs or doing anything to illustrate he still has it... because when he had it, he had it better than most people.  

Interesting theories. I think there's something to this. But he also has shown contempt for fans and scholars (e.g. "bottom feeders"), and it strikes me as true contempt and not just some old cranky guy telling people to get off his lawn.

Paraphrasing what I recall one journalist/scholar mentioning, sometimes when you talk to Bruce and ask him about BB stuff, he seems like he can't decide if he's trying to impress you by talking in detail about how he was there, or if he's going to make fun of you and insult you for wanting to know.

I think, much like Mike, Bruce may well be confident and "based", but also simultaneously with the potential to seemingly randomly become unhinged, defensive, insecure, and angry. The "BJ" nickname episode on the BB Britain board was funny, and I also think if someone doesn't want to be called a nickname, it make sense for them to tell people so. But that whole episode just seemed odd and disproportionate in his reaction. Same thing with the "bottom feeders" comment, and that weird episode where he went apes**t over a YouTube clip of him from UK TV.

[Steve Mayo]

Speaking of Bruce, does he ever play bass anymore?

Both of The Beach Boys bass players from the 1960s find themselves behind a keyboard most of the time - Brian and Bruce. 

He hasn't played bass live since the 60s, as far as I know. He's occasionally *held* a guitar on stage, when playing private shows at venues with small stages that don't have room for an extra keyboard, but it's never been plugged in.
(Of course, there was a third bass player in the 60s -- Al. He played bass in the studio on most of the 63-65 material, and live during the brief period when the touring band was Mike/Carl/Dennis/Al/David.)

he played bass on help me, rhonda when they were in huntington, wv in 1981. i recorded that show and if you have it, well that is bruce on bass.

[Smilin Ed H]

I think, much like Mike, Bruce may well be confident and "based", but also simultaneously with the potential to seemingly randomly become unhinged, defensive, insecure, and angry. The "BJ" nickname episode on the BB Britain board was funny, and I also think if someone doesn't want to be called a nickname, it make sense for them to tell people so. But that whole episode just seemed odd and disproportionate in his reaction. Same thing with the "bottom feeders" comment, and that weird episode where he went apes**t over a YouTube clip of him from UK TV.

And it was a great clip too.

[Juice Brohnston]

Don't know if he's playing here, but looks damn proficient.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2lxGstAel7c

[MikestheGreatest!!]

Put Bruce in the Hall as a solo artist!

[Shark]

Baywatch 1995.  No, but seriously I think the last time he actually played bass live was in the early 80's.  Pretty sure the 1998 Super Bowl performance was pre-recorded, at least instrumentally.

[halblaineisgood]

Is that a Squier bass?

[RubberSoul13]

You betcha...gotta be pre-recorded. Not that Bruce can't, just doesn't seem like he wants to anymore...

[Uncle Jesse]

What I find really interesting about that picture is that Bruce is playing a Squier bass.  For those who don't know, Squier is a sister company of Fender that produces low end entry level models of Fender instruments.  They are typically much more affordable than Fenders and are marketed towards beginners.  So it interests me that someone who has as much money as Bruce would be playing a Squier instead of a genuine Fender.

[RubberSoul13]

What I find really interesting about that picture is that Bruce is playing a Squier bass.  For those who don't know, Squier is a sister company of Fender that produces low end entry level models of Fender instruments.  They are typically much more affordable than Fenders and are marketed towards beginners.  So it interests me that someone who has as much money as Bruce would be playing a Squier instead of a genuine Fender.

I highly doubt Bruce "owned" that bass. It was probably given to him at the stadium, and he probably left it there...

[adamghost]

Stuff like that 1998 Super Bowl or the 1988 “Kokomo” video, that’s just all mimed stuff. But I do think Bruce played live bass after the 60s. How prevalent in the mix he is I don’t know, but he plays bass on “Barbara Ann” on both the Knebworth and Washington DC 1980 shows, and he appears to be really playing. He also weirdly straps on a guitar during “Good Vibrations” during the 1984 Washington DC show, but plays it like a bass. In that case, it looks like he’s really playing the notes, but he’s probably either not plugged in or not in the live mix.

I think both Al and Bruce occasionally were still strapping on a bass in the early 80s.

Slightly O/T but when I saw them in '81 Al played bass on "Long Tall Texan."

[Myra]

To me the original Beach Boys are Brian, Al, Dennis, Carl and Mike.

[HeyJude]

I'm sure the bass Bruce is "playing" in that '98 show is something rented as essentially a "prop" either by the event organizer or Mike's touring operation.

Bands often use rented gear or gear provided by a venue or promoter (which in turn is often rented anyway) for some shows, especially if they're one-off shows. For instance, whenever you see Al playing a sunburst Strat or something other than his white Strat, it's  *probably* something provided by the venue or promoter, and not coincidentally that often happens when they squeeze a charity show in between two regular tour stops, or instances in the past where Al has come out for one random concert somewhere.

So back to Bruce in that photo, it's even more like to be essentially a rented prop, as he doesn't even normally travel with a bass at all on tours.

I believe I read somewhere that Mike's band actually has venues/promoters provide most of the gear for their shows. They travel with their guitars and maybe a few other bits (guitar effects, etc.), but a lot of the gear you see on stage at a Mike show (like perhaps amps and drums and keyboards) is stuff the promoter provides. Normally, I'd think Mike's production company would buy all the gear which you'd think would be cheaper in the long run (they could then charge promoters more if the promoters don't have to provide all the gear), but I would imagine they've crunched the numbers and determined that transportation for a stage full of gear from show to show is not only expensive, but difficult if not impossible when they're doing runs of 14 shows in 14 nights and whatnot. It's probably hard to get a stage full of gear half way across the country overnight.

[Toursiveu]

When Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers were inducted in 2002, the original line-up was inducted : Tom Petty, Mike Campbell (guitar), Benmont Tench (keyboards), ex-bass player Ron Blair (who later replaced his own replacement and is now part of the group again), ex-drummer Stan Lynch, but also Ron Blair's successor, Howie Epstein (who died a few months after the ceremony)...

Funny thing is that two members of the group were not inducted : current drummer Steve Ferrone (who joigned them in 1995) and also multi-instrumentalist Scott Thurston (in the band since 1990)... BUT... they were there at the ceremony, playing with their bandmates, with Steve Ferrone on tambourine while Lynch was on drums... It must have been really weird for them! 

[KDS]

When Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers were inducted in 2002, the original line-up was inducted : Tom Petty, Mike Campbell (guitar), Benmont Tench (keyboards), ex-bass player Ron Blair (who later replaced his own replacement and is now part of the group again), ex-drummer Stan Lynch, but also Ron Blair's successor, Howie Epstein (who died a few months after the ceremony)...

Funny thing is that two members of the group were not inducted : current drummer Steve Ferrone (who joigned them in 1995) and also multi-instrumentalist Scott Thurston (in the band since 1990)... BUT... they were there at the ceremony, playing with their bandmates, with Steve Ferrone on tambourine while Lynch was on drums... It must have been really weird for them! 

Same thing will likely occur with Deep Purple this year.  Steve Morse and Don Airey are not included, but will likely perform with the current lineup.

[marcella27]

makes sense in light of his weird mixture of cockiness and almost overcompensating humility

I've always noticed that about Bruce too, it's refreshing to me though because I think it shows he has principles he follows, we just don't understand any of them, LOL.

I honestly don't think Bruce gives a sh*t if he's in the Rock & Roll hall of fame or not, it's consistent with his perpetual roll of Mike's back-up man, Bruce obviously has 0 ego when it comes to that.

I think he's of that breed that is happy with the success he's already had and doesn't give a sh*t if people recognize it.  

We had a discussion not to long ago on here somewhere, where we were talking about why Bruce doesn't write anymore.  The conclusion I came to personally was that Bruce enjoys that life and is all about that life but doesn't have the ambition or drive to prove anything to anybody including himself.  

I believe the children refer to that as "based".  As in Based Bruce Johnson.  He's so confident in himself that he has no need to keep writing songs or doing anything to illustrate he still has it... because when he had it, he had it better than most people.  

Interesting theories. I think there's something to this. But he also has shown contempt for fans and scholars (e.g. "bottom feeders"), and it strikes me as true contempt and not just some old cranky guy telling people to get off his lawn.

Paraphrasing what I recall one journalist/scholar mentioning, sometimes when you talk to Bruce and ask him about BB stuff, he seems like he can't decide if he's trying to impress you by talking in detail about how he was there, or if he's going to make fun of you and insult you for wanting to know.

I think, much like Mike, Bruce may well be confident and "based", but also simultaneously with the potential to seemingly randomly become unhinged, defensive, insecure, and angry. The "BJ" nickname episode on the BB Britain board was funny, and I also think if someone doesn't want to be called a nickname, it make sense for them to tell people so. But that whole episode just seemed odd and disproportionate in his reaction. Same thing with the "bottom feeders" comment, and that weird episode where he went apes**t over a YouTube clip of him from UK TV.

Can you elaborate on your comment about having contempt for fans and scholars, please?  Did he actually use the words "bottom feeders"!?

[Ron]

Some fans and scholars most certainly deserve contempt