Cool Article on Where Within the San Diego Zoo the Pet Sounds cover was taken

[Cam Mott]

Excellent.

[NHC]

You know, I've had my original copy of that album since May 1966, and have a framed "decorative" version of it on the wall by the piano, I've seen the cover a million times, and I never once noticed that building to the left of Carl until now!

[Pretty Funky]

I think mention has been made of 'The Beat' story on the shoot in the past. A link was posted on one of the PS stories today. Pages 2

No mention of Bruce of course.

http://krlabeat.sakionline.net/issue/2apr66.pdf

[buddhahat]

Nice story.

Got to be the same large white goat (the one that looks like it's balancing on the tortoise), right?!

Paging our resident Sherlock Holmes AKA Guitarfool .... Identify that goat!!

Edit: Damn my eyes, that goat is balancing on that tortoise! I guess it's a smaller than I originally thought and perhaps not the white goat from Pet Sounds.

Cool pic, though.

[schiaffino]

...

When I first saw the cover of Pet Sounds in 1966 there is no way I would have guessed that 12 years later Brian Wilson would go missing and finally be found under a tree in Balboa Park, less than a mile walk from the entrance to the Zoo, (and even closer to the Children's Zoo, as the crow flies), looking like a homeless bum, dirty, passed out, and nearly comatose, with no wallet, money, or ID.

Really? Is it just a coincidence or could there be a reason for that? So many potential theories...

[Cool Cool Water]

http://www.popspotsnyc.com/beach_boys_pet_sounds/

Thanks for linking this!  

[Custom Machine]

'The zoo superintendent John Muth, an ex marine sergeant major, said the Beach Boys are not welcome back and never will be.'

 

Yeah, pretty funny when you consider the the BBs Pet Sounds cover photo is easily the most widely circulated and most famous photo ever taken at the San Diego Zoo.

[Custom Machine]

OK-here is the San Diego Union article from the Sunday May 13 1966 newspaper-in Frank Rhodes column:  "The Beach Boys, American counterpart of Britain's Beatles gave the San Diego Zoo a very bad time.  The six millionaire-musicians (including one fill-in) came down from Hollywood to take a cover picture for their forth-coming album 'Our Freaky Friends.' Before they left, said zoo public relations director Bill Seaton, the caged animals were 'about to crack up.' Zoo officials were not keen about having their beloved beasts connected with the title of the album, but gave in when the Beach Boys explained that animals are an 'in' thing with teenagers. And that the Beach Boys were rushing to beat the rock and roll group called The Animals.  The Beach Boys 'two with long Beatles hair and all wearing funny boots' arrived with an art director, a cameraman and four girls, Seaton said. After posing with a baby elephant and a baby gorilla, the boys went on a tour of the zoo.  'First off' Seaton said 'one of them bounced a carrot off the head of one of our tigers. Another tried to stick the head of an antelope through some iron bars.  Then they went around handling puppies and baby chicks, putting them down in the open and walking off. A few young girls who saw the Beach Boys acting like this were certainly disillusioned.  The cameraman and the art director were awfully nice guys, but things just got out of hand and they couldn't control the situation.' The zoo superintendent John Muth, an ex marine sergeant major, said the Beach Boys are not welcome back and never will be.

Sounds to me like a clash of generations.  I have a feeling the writer and the people at the zoo weren't rock fans.  I also think Brian and the other guys recognized this and were putting on some squares-with their remarks about the animals, etc

So who were the ne'er-do-wells bouncing a carrot off a tiger's head, trying to stick an antelope through some iron bars, and leaving baby chicks in open spaces?

Dennis would come to mind and the most logical culprit, but who's next, a disgruntled Bruce Johnston, upon realizing that as a "fill in" he was going to be left off the album cover?