cigarette smoking in the beach boys

[lance]

Carl's cigarette consumption sure didn't seem to trash his voice like some other singers.

Maybe over the long haul cigarette smoking trashes a voice--and Carl's voice in the late eighties and nineties, while still nice was NOT the same as it had been...But actually, as a former smoker and sometime singer, I found that quitting smoking actually made my voice sound rougher--while I gained in range pitchwise to the tune of a couple of whole tones at both the top and the bottm, my voice sounds rougher and raspier without the cigarettes. And my falsetto has almost disappeared, for some reason. And I know other singers who have told me the same.

[The Heartical Don]

Carl's cigarette consumption sure didn't seem to trash his voice like some other singers.

Maybe over the long haul cigarette smoking trashes a voice--and Carl's voice in the late eighties and nineties, while still nice was NOT the same as it had been...But actually, as a former smoker and sometime singer, I found that quitting smoking actually made my voice sound rougher--while I gained in range pitchwise to the tune of a couple of whole tones at both the top and the bottm, my voice sounds rougher and raspier without the cigarettes. And my falsetto has almost disappeared, for some reason. And I know other singers who have told me the same.

Tom Waits is a case in point. He had a pretty even, tuneful voice when he smoked them by the hundreds. And he quit a long time ago. And listen to him now...

[lance]

proven, 'sfar's I'm concerned.

[Amy B.]

The Fabs were big smokers too.  But Capitol minimized exposure of that fact.
Capitol air-brushed Paul's ciggie out of a photo used for a US 45 picture sleeve and promo photos of them smoking were pretty darn rare in the US....just like for the Wilson clan.

Of course, there is the photo of Murray deep in thougth with pipe in mouth on the back cover of "The Many Moods of..."

Clearly the Beatles didn't care who saw them smoking. They'd puff away during press conferences all the time. I don't think it was any secret that they smoked.

[Dr. Tim]

Indeed, in all their films (Hard Days Night, Help, Magical Mystery Tour, Let It Be), the Beatles smoke like smokestacks.  Remember that smoking was still SOP in those days, even more so in Europe than the US.  For publicity shots they'd ditch the cancer sticks.  Lots of smoking in Dylan's Don't Look Back too.  When I showed some of these films to the young'un I always had some 'splainin' to do.

[sofonanm]

Well, given that all the band (Bruce excepted) have tried at least one hit of maryjane, I'm guessing they've all smoked at one stage or another.

I'm guessing Dennis smoked from, roughly, 1959 to 12/28/83. Brian, for more than 10 years (think he gave up in about 1983). Mike... I'm not so sure. I recall reading (jeez, does this make me look like a geek or what ?) that when he first fell for Suzanne in 1965, he bought her a carton of cigs, then later, whenh they were married, gave her a hard time for smoking. Alan, I've never seen any hard evidence one way or another. In fact, the only photo of any of the BB I've seen with cigs is Carl (koff, in my own book) circa 1965. Brian, of course, smoked like a chimney during the gigs of the early 80s.

Further contributions welcomed.

In some of the '67 Hawaii pictures there's a clearly visible pack of Marlboros on Brian's keyboard top. I think there may be a picture of him with one in his mouth too.

Also - I find it hard to believe that Bruce never took a single hit from a joint. What about Al? Very hard to believe they didn't try it a single time.

[carlydenise]

Whether Mike, Al and Bruce smoked or not, they smoked,.....second hand that is.....

[Alex]

Well, given that all the band (Bruce excepted) have tried at least one hit of maryjane, I'm guessing they've all smoked at one stage or another.

I'm guessing Dennis smoked from, roughly, 1959 to 12/28/83. Brian, for more than 10 years (think he gave up in about 1983). Mike... I'm not so sure. I recall reading (jeez, does this make me look like a geek or what ?) that when he first fell for Suzanne in 1965, he bought her a carton of cigs, then later, whenh they were married, gave her a hard time for smoking. Alan, I've never seen any hard evidence one way or another. In fact, the only photo of any of the BB I've seen with cigs is Carl (koff, in my own book) circa 1965. Brian, of course, smoked like a chimney during the gigs of the early 80s.

Further contributions welcomed.

In some of the '67 Hawaii pictures there's a clearly visible pack of Marlboros on Brian's keyboard top. I think there may be a picture of him with one in his mouth too.

Also - I find it hard to believe that Bruce never took a single hit from a joint. What about Al? Very hard to believe they didn't try it a single time.

Al must've tried the ganj at least once during the Smiley Smile sessions.

[sofonanm]

Maybe. You don't have to be stoned to be goofy, though.

I'm surprised Al, wanting to be a dentist, wasn't a fan of nitrous. I heard the Beach Boys did lots of whippets - did Al partake? Nitrous is as much a drug high as marijuana.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Barely.

But, Al did smoke weed a few times. Bruce, unless I am mistaken, is the only one of them who never had his cherry popped, drug-wise.

[A Million Units In Jan!]

Just a quick thought-in the Jules Siegel article, he states 'Now, at midnight, the Beach Boys had gone home and Brian was sitting in the back of his car, smoking moodily'.

[sofonanm]

Did Brian continue his smoking habit while running The Radiant Radish? 

Also - has he ever spoken about that place? I don't know too much about it.

[Sheriff John Stone]

A close examination of the big picture of Brian on the "Love You" inner sleeve reveals a blacked out pack of Marlboros between his hands.

I was curious about that picture for years (having bought the album the day it came out); I used to think Brian was holding something more "illegal", but, then I thought, no.....

Also, for years, in Brian's case, I struggled with what I would eliminate the "most" - the mental illness or the drug intake. Well, this topic makes me wonder. Just think how differently the Beach Boys' career might've been if Brian, Dennis, AND CARL never smoked.

[Shady]

Well they defiantly smoked during the today sessions, In the extended bull sessions clip Dennis asks Carl for a smoke

[andy]

Al told me the #1 reason his voice maintained quality is because he didn't smoke or do drugs.

[sofonanm]

Al told me the #1 reason his voice maintained quality is because he didn't smoke or do drugs.

The #1 reason Al remained the dorkiest Beach Boy is also because he didn't smoke or do drugs. 

[sofonanm]

Although... I always thought the California Saga was a really great thing.....

[tpesky]

well dorky or not, he didn't suffer a slow, painful, premature death like Carl and Dennis

[juggler]

IMO, Brian's voice hit rock-bottom around the time he recorded the 'Orange Crate Art' album for VDP.  It's very unfortunate that he apparently resumed smoking during that immediate post-Landy period.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Al told me the #1 reason his voice maintained quality is because he didn't smoke or do drugs.

The #1 reason Al remained the dorkiest Beach Boy is also because he didn't smoke or do drugs. 

Your statement makes me want to say something like "yeah, unlike the late Dennis, Carl, and Brian Wilson", but that's not EXACTLY what I mean, so I'll leave it at that.

[juggler]

well dorky or not, he didn't suffer a slow, painful, premature death like Carl and Dennis

Dennis' death was premature, but no one knows if it was slow or painful.  Smoking undoubtedly damaged Dennis' voice, but it's impossible to make declarations about his health if he hadn't drowned.  For years, Brian was even unhealthier than Dennis, and Brian is alive and well today, so who knows?

[lance]

well dorky or not, he didn't suffer a slow, painful, premature death like Carl and Dennis

Actually, he IS suffering a much slower death than the others...but Dennis? I mean, I know that smoking causes cancer, but can it actually cause a horrible death by drowning at sea? Thank God I quit.

[MBE]

IMO, Brian's voice hit rock-bottom around the time he recorded the 'Orange Crate Art' album for VDP.  It's very unfortunate that he apparently resumed smoking during that immediate post-Landy period.

It's horrible there and on Sweet Insanity.

[sofonanm]

I like Brian's zillion-tracked voice on Orange Crate Art. And I enjoy that album quite a lot too, when I'm in the right mood.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

His vocals on Hold Back Time are among the worst he's ever done, IMHO.