Jeff Foskett speaks about leaving Brian's band and joining Mike's band

[ontor pertawst]

Foskett complained that a bunch of stuff he shouldn't have had to do was pushed on him because of his relationship with Beck. He also mentions about how he realized he couldn't handle the whole "Brian thing" himself. You can read it how you want, but it sounds to me like he felt Brian's management was leaning on him too much.

I think he was referring to all the pressure of constantly having to be around Brian on tour, supporting him, and placing him above everything else. Which isn't a knock on Brian, because he needs that kind of attention, but doing that for 15 years has to be very stressful on Jeff.

Good thing it isn't stressful at all having to constantly be around Mike on tour, supporting him, and placing his bright yellow Sunday outfit above everything else. It'll be fun to hear the exit interview comparing and contrasting both gigs!

[JohnMill]

Jeff F. has now given us his account.

I'm sure there are others.

My guess is if history is any indication they would tend to corroborate each other.  In all honesty though as we've discussed when you get right down to it.  A whole lot of heroes and only a couple of villains in this town and most of the villains moved on to other plains long ago.

[bossaroo]

Mike (and Bruce) come across as total bad guys for the way they forced Brian, Al, and Dave out of their own band. Say all you want about "set end dates", BRI licensing terms, blah blah blah... the fact is that Brian (and Al & Dave) wanted to continue touring and recording as Beach Boys, a claim which Brian Wilson has every right in the world to, and Mike prevented it from happening. Maybe Brian wasn't technically "fired", but by his own admission he was hurt and confused and "sure felt like being fired."

Jeff's joining up with the M&B Revue in the wake of all that, after being Brian's "right-hand man" for most of the last 2 decades ...just seems to me like a really lame decision. but more power to him. he's exactly where he wants to be, and exactly where he belongs.

nothing personal, but I really do prefer Brian without any of the current "The Beach Boys"

[bgas]

http://www.desertsun.com/story/life/entertainment/music/2014/09/22/beach-boys-brian-wilson-jeffrey-foskett/16070181/

Great article here addressing some questions many had regarding Jeff's departure.  I very much enjoyed the read!

Nice little story. Good to get Foskett's take on his firing 

One of your lamest attempted gags yet. Stick to collecting...

He's really something, isn't he?

My sources don't require me to toe the party line to stay connected

[SMiLE Brian]

Smileholland loves Bgas' jokes.

[Bicyclerider]

Foskett complained that a bunch of stuff he shouldn't have had to do was pushed on him because of his relationship with Beck. He also mentions about how he realized he couldn't handle the whole "Brian thing" himself. You can read it how you want, but it sounds to me like he felt Brian's management was leaning on him too much.

It sounds to me like Brian was leaning on him too much, not his management.  And it was interesting how even if he could have taken a less prominent role in Brian's band and with Brian himself, he said he didn't want that - to be "just one of the guys" from his previous more central role.  So the only option was to leave.

[Mr. Cohen]

My sources don't require me to toe the party line to stay connected/

Amen! That's the one big change here. I wasn't visiting the board much for a few years, and I came back recently to see this strange, almost anti-Brian sentiment take hold. Weird...

[SMiLE Brian]

Exactly, this place is getting odd as an anti-BW BBs board. If it continues, rename this place the Kokomo board.

[Mr. Cohen]

They sound like Murry from An American Family when he's drunk at the "Wouldn't It Be Nice" sessions. "Beethoven? I'll show you Beethoven!"

[Cam Mott]

We're all playing the world's tiniest violin for you.

[SMiLE Brian]

Is the violin playing Pisces brothers?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Exactly, this place is getting odd as an anti-BW BBs board. If it continues, rename this place the Kokomo board.

Because not everybody dumps on Mike, that automatically makes this an anti-BW board? The two are not mutually exclusive.

For the record, anybody who has known me for some time knows that I am a die hard Brian mark...I just have a balanced view of things.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Mike (and Bruce) come across as total bad guys for the way they forced Brian, Al, and Dave out of their own band. Say all you want about "set end dates", BRI licensing terms, blah blah blah... the fact is that Brian (and Al & Dave) wanted to continue touring and recording as Beach Boys, a claim which Brian Wilson has every right in the world to, and Mike prevented it from happening. Maybe Brian wasn't technically "fired", but by his own admission he was hurt and confused and "sure felt like being fired."

Jeff's joining up with the M&B Revue in the wake of all that, after being Brian's "right-hand man" for most of the last 2 decades ...just seems to me like a really lame decision. but more power to him. he's exactly where he wants to be, and exactly where he belongs.

nothing personal, but I really do prefer Brian without any of the current "The Beach Boys"

Doesn't have a clue, does he ?  

[Mr. Cohen]

I'm actually going to Maharishi's in Iowa in a few weeks. And I like "Cool Head, Warm Heart". I'm as balanced as they come. A spade is a spade.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Don't say "spade", that's racist - say "African-American".

[Mr. Cohen]

Hey, I'm trying to Mike Love, not make war.

[SMiLE Brian]

But the real question is how long M&B can keep their sketchy outfit going. Brian and AL are making new music, while Mike is content to tour his solo group under the BBs name. Wouldn't it be nice for Mike to live beyond p*ssy and greed for once since he is far from being a loving cousin to BW.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Don't say "spade", that's racist - say "African-American".

A lot of people don't realize that's what the saying was actually referring to...I didn't for the longest time until my uncle set me straight pretty quick.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

But the real question is how long M&B can keep their sketchy outfit going. Brian and AL are making new music, while Mike is content to tour his solo group under the BBs name. Wouldn't it be nice for Mike to live beyond p*ssy and greed for once since he is far from being a loving cousin to BW.

Brian's making new music...Al's helping. Semantics, I know, but this is going to be a BW album featuring Al, not a BW/AJ album.

Which is fine by me, because I have an extremely strong suspicion that this album is going to blow people's minds.

[SMiLE Brian]

Exactly Billy, this work is going to be amazing. BW is going to amaze us fans here.

[pixletwin]

Don't say "spade", that's racist - say "African-American".

A lot of people don't realize that's what the saying was actually referring to...I didn't for the longest time until my uncle set me straight pretty quick.

I always thought it was talking about playing poker.

[Andrew G. Doe]

But the real question is how long M&B can keep their sketchy outfit going. Brian and AL are making new music, while Mike is content to tour his solo group under the BBs name. Wouldn't it be nice for Mike to live beyond p*ssy and greed for once since he is far from being a loving cousin to BW.

I guess, as long as folk - real folk, that is, not the likes of us - are happy to pay to see him perform.

[HeyJude]

Mike (and Bruce) come across as total bad guys for the way they forced Brian, Al, and Dave out of their own band. Say all you want about "set end dates", BRI licensing terms, blah blah blah... the fact is that Brian (and Al & Dave) wanted to continue touring and recording as Beach Boys, a claim which Brian Wilson has every right in the world to, and Mike prevented it from happening. Maybe Brian wasn't technically "fired", but by his own admission he was hurt and confused and "sure felt like being fired."

Jeff's joining up with the M&B Revue in the wake of all that, after being Brian's "right-hand man" for most of the last 2 decades ...just seems to me like a really lame decision. but more power to him. he's exactly where he wants to be, and exactly where he belongs.

nothing personal, but I really do prefer Brian without any of the current "The Beach Boys"

Doesn't have a clue, does he ?  

I could parse bossaroo's post and disagree with a few bits of terminology here and there, but I'd say I can't flat-out disagree with much of that commentary apart from preferring Brian on his own. The C50 show is far superior to a solo Brian show. In numerous ways.

[John Manning]

Seems to me Jeffrey was maybe being taken for granted, and worn down in the process. He's a musician, not a nurse. Long may he run.

I hope this album blows minds… but I'll be happy if there's even one track that makes me smile… here usually is, and that's priceless.

[HeyJude]

But the real question is how long M&B can keep their sketchy outfit going. Brian and AL are making new music, while Mike is content to tour his solo group under the BBs name. Wouldn't it be nice for Mike to live beyond p*ssy and greed for once since he is far from being a loving cousin to BW.

I guess, as long as folk - real folk, that is, not the likes of us - are happy to pay to see him perform.

The Mike and Bruce tour will only cease I would imagine when Mike Love either chooses to retire, or he is deceased. Or, if the entire organization gets their s**t together and cares enough about their legacy to end it elegantly and with some class and as one united performing unit.

Given how these guys always talk and act, I can never tell whether they care deeply about their legacy or whether they don't give a fudge about it.