Beach Boys at Winterland San Francisco early-mid 70's

[jimmyboy]

I attended a show at Winterland in the 70's. During the show I noticed a lot of scuffling onstage at the foot of the drum riser. It was befuddled Al Jardine and a freaked-out Carl Wilson wrestling with a crying and screaming Blondie Chaplin. From my view,which was quite close, it appeared Blondie did not want to go on. He looked pretty zonked-out on coke or something. I believe they just went on without him. When they came around the following year they played the SF Civic Center and they had striped shirts but no Blondie. Does anyone know anything about that incident?

[SMiLE-Holland]

It's known that in December 1973 an off-stage fist fight between Blondie and Steve Love caused Blondie to leave the group right after. (note: according to AGD's website after the Madison Square Garden gig on Dec. 19th.)
From what I remember Steve's version of the story is that it had to do with Blondie's drug-use, according to Blondie it had to do something with someone calling him nigg*r or something similar.

According to the bellagio-site (http://www.btinternet.com/~bellagio/gigs73.html) the Winterland-gigs took place in November 17th and 18th.

Would be interesting to hear more about these final days of Blondie in the band. Do you have more memories of this Winterland concert, jimmyboy?

[jimmyboy]

thank you for your reply to my question. I recall that Dennis wasn't on drums. this was when he had that hand injury. I think They were promoting the BB Live Warner album..I believe they played Winterland  once before during the "Surf's Up" tour. I remember Al singing "Looking At Tomorrow". I also saw the BB's at the San Jose Civic Auditorium in 63 or 64...I think the Sunrays opened the show. I saw the "Brian's Back" show at Oakland Colisseum the night after Anaheim. I've seen them many times and many configurations. I saw Carl's solo show as well. Thanks again.

[Alex]

It's known that in December 1973 an off-stage fist fight between Blondie and Steve Love caused Blondie to leave the group right after. (note: according to AGD's website after the Madison Square Garden gig on Dec. 19th.)
From what I remember Steve's version of the story is that it had to do with Blondie's drug-use, according to Blondie it had to do something with someone calling him nigg*r or something similar.

According to the bellagio-site (http://www.btinternet.com/~bellagio/gigs73.html) the Winterland-gigs took place in November 17th and 18th.

Would be interesting to hear more about these final days of Blondie in the band. Do you have more memories of this Winterland concert, jimmyboy?

If only Jack Rieley had stayed on as their manager...  grrrrr...that Steve Love!!....

[Ed Roach]

Wow, blows my mind to see those shows mentioned, for a variety of reasons.  (I'll try & view "Endless Harmony" later - haven't seen it in ages - and see if I can tell you where in it you can see some of my footage from that Winterland show.  I'm almost sure some of it is in the titles; the outdoor stuff that's there, I shot in Santa Barbara in March of that year.  But there's also footage from Winterland, Denver, Anaheim and Long Beach in there, too.)  Blondie was indeed out of it, for a variety of reasons.  However, the fight with Steve Love was in New York, and it happened because Blondie's Dad had died, and he wanted time off to go home.  (This was shortly after Murry had died, and everything stopped for awhile after that).  Things weren't progressing well for Blondie that December with the group anyway, though, even before his Dad died, after the fiasco at Winterland.

[jimmyboy]

Hello Ed Roach! Thank you for backing up my story on the Winterland show. Its good to know someone else was aware of it. I love all your posts. I also saw a show in Berkeley wherein Brian was the only Wilson onstage. Early 80's I believe.