Does anybody know the "story" on this recording? When and where was it recorded? It actually sounds more like a disguised drug deal than an interview. I've been listening to this recording lately. It's very interesting. Brian talks quite a bit about songs that never ended up being released by The Beach Boys. He even sings a few lines of Stevie and Still I Dream Of It. Brian also says some very interesting things about Carl. He says that it was "foolish" of Carl to quit the group and do a solo album. He also says that the Beach Boys are Carl's "only source of income". I got the distinct impression that there was some tention between Carl and Brian at this time. Brian also mentions that the Beach Boys are going to play in South Africa, and that Carl will probably be there. These shows are not mentioned in Eric Anniversario's Beach Boys setlist archive.
This is interesting. It almost seems that Carl came back to the group out of resignation and defeat? Are there any interviews with Carl when he talks about any of this? It seems that he kept quiet about a few things. If he didn't play SA for ethical reasons that is cool. Just wish he had written and spoken out a bit more than he did.
No, I think the reason Carl didn't play South Africa was b/c he just wasn't ready to return to the band quite yet (or they weren't ready to meet all his demands or come to an acceptable compromise), b/c they played on without him through several shows in the States after the New Year, including a tour of the South and East in March/early April. He did talk quite a bit about it, especially in an interview to Geoffrey Himes (published in the Fall of '83 in Musician, and reprinted in an expanded form in Kingsley's Abbott's "Back To The Beach", revised edition). He came back for a few dates in April, but said they needed a lot of work, hence a weeks' worth of rehearsals and the new show they rolled out in May of '82.
Basically, Carl's demands were: (1) rehearse regularly and bring some different songs into the show (which they did) (2) stop playing all the lucrative casino gigs (for which he said a compromise was struck: he would play all such shows booked on the current tour but none in the future...a threat which obviously fell by the wayside eventually) (3) record a new album (for which they tried to get the ball rolling on that year, but since they wanted to get Brian healthy first, it was a couple of more years before they started it).
This is some very interesting information. Thanks for sharing it.
I always had the impression that Carl "took a break" to do a solo album. I didn't know that he actually QUIT the group. Was there ever the threat/consern that Carl would not return to the group?
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