Question About Brian - 1981 (Peter Carlin, Andrew Doe...)

[MBE]

Well Al knew what the Wilson's were like ten years before and how far they had declined since then. I mean Sunflower and Surf's Up were only a decade old then. I think it did break his heart.
Borrowing from Andrew's site a second here are the early 1981 dates up to where you met them. Carl was still there?
January
16 - Sports Arena, San Diego CA
17 - UC Davis, Davis CA 
18 - Sacramento CA
19 - Washington DC
February 12 - The Summit, Houston TX [w/ Randy Meisner & The Silverados]

[Jason]

I hate to say it, but I firmly believe that Brian was a lot happier when he was 340 lbs and addicted, no matter what Melin...I mean, Brian says.

Bolded for truth.

Wow.. I hope you know how much is wrong about this viewpoint.

I know it's a morbid viewpoint but listening to interviews with Brian from the early 80s compared to the last ten years or so, it sounds obvious. He's more animated in the early 80s.

Board's turning blue again.

[MBE]

As far as demeanor, Brian was more with it. I mean it was slow with him. If you listen to interviews from the sixties or early 70's he is a little shy or awkward, but seems like a nice guy who is pretty intelligent. Steadily from 73-81 he get a little more goofy, maybe Murry dying and cocaine has to do with this, but he's a little louder and more scattered. With some exceptions he doesn't seem totally out of it exactly but he doesn't quite have the same personality. Maybe a little less secure. Still he seems like he could hold a conversation and remember what was said etc. 83-91 he changes again. He seems a bit robotic the slurring starts, his memories aren't as sharp sometimes. He seems a little more aware then now, but a lot less relaxed. Since 92-93 well until Carl died he was a little more upbeat or funny, but he seemed more then ever to be unconnected with his surroundings. At times his memories are sharp, other times not there at all. Less robotic, but also less patient he no longer likes to sit and talk, prefers short interviews.

Now I am not talking about his career here only how he speaks and holds himself. Honestly I do think he is more "gone" since Dennis and then Carl died. Yet I would say he is at least not putting himself in danger. As far as happiness I don't know,  it's hard to tell. Ginger Blake said he's the surrendered Brian now. You know the last time I really saw footage of Brian where he is totally happy? It was a 1983 Beach Boys show where he is singing and dancing to Runaway. He's having a blast. That's the very last of the old Brian to me. Yet that doesn't mean he's not happy at times since then, the less talkitive he got the harder it was to know

Landy did some major damage as did Brian himself, but I feel losing Murry, Dennis and Carl changed him too. Made him less jovial, less vibrant. Again I am not trying to deny that he has done good music or shows etc. In that area he surpassed all our expectations. All I am saying is that his personality has truly altered.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Excellent post, MBE. I think you're pretty much spot on.

There is another time, a fairly recent time, when Brian appears "with it" and happy. And, that would be the performance of BWPS for the Beautiful Dreamer DVD. I've watched it a couple of times, and I can't figure out if Brian is truly energized, motivated, and, well, "nailing it", or, if he's acting. He hasn't been the greatest actor, you know....

[petsite]

BeachBoy - The Brian I met and saw in 1981 was NOT a happy man. He was more animated in interviews and generally cuz he was high or drunk. I know people who listen to the "Cocaine Tapes" and think that Brian is like he was in the 60s. He sounds so cool and animated. Coke does that!

February 12 - The Summit, Houston TX [w/ Randy Meisner & The Silverados]

Carl was with them. My girlfriend has a very southern accent and said "Hi ya'all" to Carl as he was walking out to the bus (purple jacket with flower in his lapel). He said "Hi ya sweetie" back in a southern accent. Carl was SUCH a class act. Brian sang a version of Dont Worry Baby and sounded just like the July 5th show from Long Beach. I remember thinking "What the f**k? Why isnt Bruce singing that?"

[Jonathan Blum]

I know it's a morbid viewpoint but listening to interviews with Brian from the early 80s compared to the last ten years or so, it sounds obvious. He's more animated in the early 80s.

Board's turning blue again.

I kinda don't like the suggestion that if I disagree on this, or think Melinda's right on this, I'm some kind of blue-board zombie.

My wife's been treated for depression.  Is she less exuberant than before she got medicated?  Quite often, yeah.  Is she *happier*, though?  Hell yes.  Because even if the highs are less high, the lows are way way way less low.

And I certainly wouldn't trade the quieter but amiable old guy goofing around with his band onstage in Canberra, or genuinely smiling when I told him what a good job he'd done on "Add Some Music" the night before, for the rapidly disintegrating figure of a quarter-century ago.

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[Jay]

My very first post on this board was a question about this. C-Man was able to help me out a short time later and I thank him for again clearing this up. I think someone may have been there that posts here.

I was at the Universal Amphitheater show in '79...sitting right among the Wilson/Martins/Hinches families when Dennis made a comment about Qualludes, Mike got in his face about it, and a little later Dennis pushed his drums off the riser onto Mike, and then jumped over them and chased Mike across the stage as everyone tried to separate them. I will verify that Mike ran away from Dennis and I don't blame him. I'll always remember that Audrey said "Oh Dear." After a break in the show to clean up the mess Dennis came out and said "I love Mike Love." Dennis was gone from the BB's for a long time after that. I think Knebworth was one of the first shows they let him come back.

Well, this is always a fascinating read.
Do you know what exactly Dennis did say about the Qualludes? The "Summer dreams"-movie has him basically offering stuff to the audience. Was that what happened?

I remember that scene from Summer Dreams. There is something about that scene that I have always wondered about. In the scene, the group is performing Rock and Roll Music. Dennis seems to be portrayed as a very incompotent drummer who just beat the hell out of anything and everything on the drum kit when he got to loaded. Is this at all true?

[MBE]

Well Jay I guess your best bet would be to watch Rock and Roll Music from the 1979 Midnight Special. Dennis looks bad but his playing seems fine to me. I will say that with the exception of Knebworth and maybe the Mike Douglas show all of his 80's work sounded much less energetic, like he was loosing steam. I never heard him play that bad like in the movie, but who knows maybe he did on his worst nights.
Sheriff John Stone I am glad you liked my post. You pointing out that ET interview from 83 a while back  really made me watch it again and there is an different Brian there compared to a year or two ealier. Now I am very glad he lost the weight and kicked drugs but something was lost when he went back to Landy and didn't have Marilyn around to make sure the doctor didn't go too far.

[TdHabib]

Excellent post, MBE. I think you're pretty much spot on.

There is another time, a fairly recent time, when Brian appears "with it" and happy. And, that would be the performance of BWPS for the Beautiful Dreamer DVD. I've watched it a couple of times, and I can't figure out if Brian is truly energized, motivated, and, well, "nailing it", or, if he's acting. He hasn't been the greatest actor, you know....

I tend to believe he was motivated--Linnett said he was very genuine that day in a post here awhile back--and I put his word in very good regard..

[Sheriff John Stone]

I remember that scene from Summer Dreams. There is something about that scene that I have always wondered about. In the scene, the group is performing Rock and Roll Music. Dennis seems to be portrayed as a very incompotent drummer who just beat the hell out of anything and everything on the drum kit when he got to loaded. Is this at all true?

It's interesting that they chose "Rock And Roll Music" to portray Dennis in that vein. If you listen closely to "Rock And Roll Music" on Live at Knebworth, Dennis actually falls apart at the end of the song and the song abruptly ends. I thought they might be able to "doctor that up" a liitle bit before it was released.

[c-man]

I've always thought Dennis' drumming was pretty darn good in all the late '70s/early '80s TV appearances with the band:  Midnight Special '79, Knebworth '80, DC '80, Mike Douglas '80, Natl Cheerleaders Competiton '81, Long Beach '81.  Especially the DC and Long Beach shows, his drumming was one of the few highlights.  He did flub it a couple times at Knebworth, but not bad by any means.  And sure, he missed the first half verse or so of "SUSA" at the DC show, but he kicked in nicely. 

[petsite]

Oh c-man. I don't know if I agree with you view of Dennis at Long Beach. He looks like crap and stuggles to keep up, like an out of shape drummer (which he was). If you listen to the whole broadcast, his drumming is pretty bad. Of course the worst of his on tape that I have heard is the Jamacia Music Fes. in Nov 1982. He is really sloppy and Carl has to call out to him several times.

His piano playing on Rhonda in 1981 at Long Beach was awful unlike at Knebworth.

[adamghost]

I remember that scene from Summer Dreams. There is something about that scene that I have always wondered about. In the scene, the group is performing Rock and Roll Music. Dennis seems to be portrayed as a very incompotent drummer who just beat the hell out of anything and everything on the drum kit when he got to loaded. Is this at all true?

It's interesting that they chose "Rock And Roll Music" to portray Dennis in that vein. If you listen closely to "Rock And Roll Music" on Live at Knebworth, Dennis actually falls apart at the end of the song and the song abruptly ends. I thought they might be able to "doctor that up" a liitle bit before it was released.

That's right, and there is a different edit floating around somewhere (it was used in some special or other) where you see what happens more clearly...Dennis ends the song about eight bars early, and then just slumps over the kit.  You hear the band lamely keep going with the percussionist trying to keep the beat, but all you've got are cymbals.  Bruce is raising his hand as if to gesture to Dennis to keep going (this part made it into the DVD), and then when the song ends, you see Mike drop his microphone hand with a look of absolute disgust on his face.  It's quite a moment, up there with the two of them on "Surfer Girl."

[MBE]

adamghost I didn't see it in my copy of the 20th Anniversary Special, is it on yours?

[Rocker]

It's quite a moment, up there with the two of them on "Surfer Girl."

This might be covered before, but do we know what was the reason Carl seemed so angry at the end of "Surfer girl"?