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The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Topic: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what? (Read 6731 times)
BillA
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The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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April 26, 2010, 06:52:20 PM »
These are some questions I have regarding the Beach Boys touring band and their shows between 1965 and 1998
1. Who came up with the musical arrangements and who played what part?
2. Who came up with the vocal arrangements?
3. Was the set list and order determined democratically?
4. What was the decision process when there were major changes to the show (elimination of horns in 1971, the big band from 1976 through 1978, the reduction to only 3 or 4 sidemen in 1980, Ed Carter on 3rd guitar in Europe in 1980 and back on bass with no 3rd guitar by the summer of 1980, etc.)
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Jason
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #1 on:
April 26, 2010, 07:20:38 PM »
1. Presumably, Carl, as the leader of the live band, came up with the basic arrangements for the guitars/bass/keys/drums. I believe, when they added horns, Daryl Dragon wrote all the horn charts.
2. Carl.
3. Depends. With every new album they added selected songs to the setlist, although their longevity depended on audience reaction. Stranger things have happened, though. If they were being heckled enough by the audience, they'd play a request - for example, the first verse and chorus of Pom Pom Play Girl in Indianapolis, 1971, or the intro of 409 at Nassau Coliseum, 1979 - the latter ended with Michael telling the audience to "SHUT UP FOR A WHILE!", although he was most likely just saying what the whole band was thinking; Carl, Al, and Bruce were also rather irritated with the crowd that night. At one point in early 1982 they took a lot of requests, which seemed to confirm that even the Carl-less touring band were growing as tired of their meat-and-potatoes set as Carl was. Of course, there were lots of surprises in the shows right up to recently -
In 1976 at a three-show stand at Madison Square Garden, Wild Honey was performed every night, and in the encore on the first night, no less; it hadn't been performed since 1973. It was also played during the band's late 1967 tour, and might have been played in early 1968.
In 1980, when the band played in Miami at a George Bush benefit show when he was campaigning for the Republican presidential nomination, the Boys played Long Tall Texan, and it stayed in their setlist on and off in 1980 and came back with a vengeance in 1981-82 when Carl was out of the band.
In 1981, Sail On Sailor made a surprise comeback in the summer tour, with vocals by Bobby Figueroa. It was one of the highlights of these generally terrible shows. It also came back in 1988 for a few shows. In 1995 in Chino, CA, Blondie Chaplin guested for a few songs and they played Sail On Sailor. In 1997 it came back with Carl on vocals, and was in the set until he had to leave the band in August to continue his treatment for cancer.
In 1982, when Carl returned to the group, he retooled the setlist a lot, beginning the shows with a high-energy medley of It's OK, I Can Hear Music, Wouldn't It Be Nice, and Dance Dance Dance. Also in 1982, Disney Girls came back into the setlist and was quite common well into 1984. Runaway became a big fixture, as did Come Go With Me.
In 1983, Lookin' At Tomorrow came back for a few shows. Also, the band played What You Do To Me from Carl's Youngblood LP, which was a rare instance of Carl performing without his guitar. They also played Imagine at several shows with Michael on lead (it sounds nauseating but somehow works). Brian also began playing It's Just A Matter Of Time on piano, and at a show in Hollywood in November, he played a brand new song, The Boogie's In Town.
In 1988, for a few shows, they brought back Wendy, Sail On Sailor, and Hushabye. They also performed, for the first time ever in concert, This Whole World. Little GTO became a fixture. Do You Wanna Dance came back in full force this year after being played on and off from 1985 to 1987.
In 1990, California came back into the setlist with Al on vocals and was pretty constant in the sets that year. During a few weeks when Michael was in Japan with the Endless Summer Beach Band, Gerry Beckley from America joined them, singing Michael's parts. They also played Sister Golden Hair these nights.
In 1993, obviously there was the box set mini-tour with a good 13 songs added to their standard 28-song list. Also, at Wembley Stadium, they played Little Lady, which was a reworded Lady Lynda. They played Lady Liberty, I believe, at one or two shows in 1986, and it was QUICKLY dropped.
In 2000, It's OK and, surprisingly considering the erstwhile frontman, Heroes and Villains came back to the setlist for a few weeks.
In 2004 during the band's UK tour, Michael, with the help of Chris Farmer and Scott Totten, added a good 30 songs to their usual 25 song set, most of which hadn't been performed in years, if ever. 'Til I Die was considered blasphemy when played by Michael and Bruce.
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Jonas
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #2 on:
April 26, 2010, 08:02:31 PM »
The Real Beach Boy strikes again!
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Jason
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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April 26, 2010, 08:11:13 PM »
Somewhere, in some seedy hotel room, the Lovester farted in response to that post.
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Jay
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #4 on:
April 26, 2010, 09:19:04 PM »
i'd like to know how they ended up doing Merry Minuet at the 4th of July show in 1980. Was it just a spontanious thing? There is a video from 1988 of the group playing Forever with Carl singing. Was this just a one off thing, or was it in the setlist at the time? Brian also came back for a Las Vegas show in 1995, and sang Don't Worry Baby(in the original key, or so I have read), In My Room, and I think he also did Surfer Girl. I've never been able to figure out if he played the entire show, or just came out to do those few songs.
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #5 on:
April 27, 2010, 08:03:37 AM »
Quote from: The Real Beach Boy on April 26, 2010, 07:20:38 PM
In 1982, when Carl returned to the group, he retooled the setlist a lot, beginning the shows with a high-energy medley of It's OK, I Can Hear Music, Wouldn't It Be Nice, and Dance Dance Dance.
Are there any recordings of this?
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #6 on:
April 27, 2010, 08:15:39 AM »
Quote from: PongHit on April 27, 2010, 08:03:37 AM
Quote from: The Real Beach Boy on April 26, 2010, 07:20:38 PM
In 1982, when Carl returned to the group, he retooled the setlist a lot, beginning the shows with a high-energy medley of It's OK, I Can Hear Music, Wouldn't It Be Nice, and Dance Dance Dance.
Are there any recordings of this?
oh yeah..i know for a fact there are recordings of these shows.....
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Wirestone
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #7 on:
April 27, 2010, 09:34:54 AM »
Brian's appearance in 95 was for only the songs mentioned, I believe. Andy Paley was there too. Matt Jardine doubled Brian on "Don't Worry, Baby," so the tapes of the event sound deceptively good.
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TdHabib
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #8 on:
April 27, 2010, 11:10:27 AM »
I've never heard a recording or seen a setlist but I've heard they did "Love Me Tender" right after the King died.
One of the shows where they did "Lady Liberty," Farm Aid 1986, is on youtube in all of its glory.
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I like the Beatles a bit more than the Boys of Beach, I think Brian's band is the tops---really amazing. And finally, I'm liberal. That's it.
Ian
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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April 27, 2010, 01:19:45 PM »
While I am not sure if it was always this way-especially in the late 70s when he had personal problems-Carl was certainly in charge of the band in the early 70s. When Toni Sheare (Tennile) joined in March 1972 on acoustic piano-she recalled that Daryl Dragon told her that she had to audition for Carl at a rehearsal and he'd decide if she'd stay or go. She got the gig of course.
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Rocker
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #10 on:
April 27, 2010, 02:41:38 PM »
Quote from: TdHabib on April 27, 2010, 11:10:27 AM
I've never heard a recording or seen a setlist but I've heard they did "Love Me Tender" right after the King died.
Now that you say it, I seem to remember that I heard the same.
BTW not too long after Presley's dead, Brian cut a version of "Don't be cruel" with the Honeys (or which name they used at that time).
Quote
In 1995 in Chino, CA, Blondie Chaplin guested for a few songs and they played Sail On Sailor.
I'd love to hear that. Is there any direction into which you or someone could
p
oint
m
e ?
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c-man
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #11 on:
April 28, 2010, 05:13:22 AM »
Quote from: Ian on April 27, 2010, 01:19:45 PM
While I am not sure if it was always this way-especially in the late 70s when he had personal problems-Carl was certainly in charge of the band in the early 70s. When Toni Sheare (Tennile) joined in March 1972 on acoustic piano-she recalled that Daryl Dragon told her that she had to audition for Carl at a rehearsal and he'd decide if she'd stay or go. She got the gig of course.
Stamos once said he had to pass an audition for Carl, too.
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c-man
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #12 on:
April 28, 2010, 05:19:24 AM »
Quote from: BillA on April 26, 2010, 06:52:20 PM
4. What was the decision process when there were major changes to the show (elimination of horns in 1971, the big band from 1976 through 1978, the reduction to only 3 or 4 sidemen in 1980, Ed Carter on 3rd guitar in Europe in 1980 and back on bass with no 3rd guitar by the summer of 1980, etc.)
Actually, the horns were still there in March/April '72 (although apparently reduced in force from five to three). The horn section returned (briefly) in late '73, then a new horn section was added in '76 through mid-'78. And returned again, briefly, in late '83 to mid '84.
Ed Carter took a sabbatical, for whatever reason, in early '80, and was replaced on bass by Joe Chemay. According to Bruce in a contemporary interview, at CBS's request, they kept Chemay and soon brought back Carter on 3rd guitar to "toughen up" the sound a bit. For whatever reason, Chemay was gone by mid'80, although he apparently still subbed for Carter sometimes afterwards.
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tpesky
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #13 on:
April 28, 2010, 12:41:28 PM »
Quote from: c-man on April 28, 2010, 05:13:22 AM
Quote from: Ian on April 27, 2010, 01:19:45 PM
While I am not sure if it was always this way-especially in the late 70s when he had personal problems-Carl was certainly in charge of the band in the early 70s. When Toni Sheare (Tennile) joined in March 1972 on acoustic piano-she recalled that Daryl Dragon told her that she had to audition for Carl at a rehearsal and he'd decide if she'd stay or go. She got the gig of course.
Stamos once said he had to pass an audition for Carl, too.
Was Carl drunk at the time??? He had a chance to stop it all then.....
I remember Matt Jardine saying he had to sing for Carl, Al, Bruce, and Mike in a hotel room to audition
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Jason
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #14 on:
April 28, 2010, 02:51:29 PM »
Well, as far as Carl's methods of hiring the backing band members, he took the performance aspect very seriously. He didn't just hire ANYONE. John Stamos was a very capable drummer, and certainly his celebrity added a bit of appeal. When Carl came back to the band in April 1982, he retooled the live band a LOT. He fired Ernie Knapp as soon as he rejoined, but kept Jeff Foskett around when Adrian Baker took his first leave from the band. Foskett was then fired in 1990 over either some kind of alleged "infidelity", or, I've also heard, leaking the so-called "hotel tape" of Brian, Bruce, Stamos, and Foskett himself.
Matt Jardine was around as early as 1983, as both a stage hand and percussionist, I believe. As far as singing, he began singing around 1991 or so when Adrian Baker took his second leave from the band. A few of Michael and Bruce's backup band folks (Chris Farmer, Tim Bonhomme, and I think Phil Bardowell) were hired by Carl as well back in 1996.
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TdHabib
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #15 on:
April 28, 2010, 03:52:51 PM »
Foskett told the story of auditioning for Carl, I've heard it from a second hand source but he said that he was over-eager to impress and played "Surfin' USA" mostly on three strings. Carl deadpanned "My guitar has six strings, I use all of them." Foskett also said that he expected Carl to get rid of him when he retooled the live band, but Carl said "this guy's voice is an asset" and kept him around for his voice. Apparently Carl wanted the original BB vocal mix to be kept, but I doubt Brian could've kept that up or Carl wanted Brian up on falsetto. From everything I've heard, Jeff is a BIG fan of Carl (he even wore a button with Carl's picture on it during his early days of touring with Bri).
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I like the Beatles a bit more than the Boys of Beach, I think Brian's band is the tops---really amazing. And finally, I'm liberal. That's it.
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #16 on:
April 29, 2010, 04:41:25 AM »
Quote from: c-man on April 28, 2010, 05:19:24 AM
Quote from: BillA on April 26, 2010, 06:52:20 PM
4. What was the decision process when there were major changes to the show (elimination of horns in 1971, the big band from 1976 through 1978, the reduction to only 3 or 4 sidemen in 1980, Ed Carter on 3rd guitar in Europe in 1980 and back on bass with no 3rd guitar by the summer of 1980, etc.)
Actually, the horns were still there in March/April '72 (although apparently reduced in force from five to three). The horn section returned (briefly) in late '73, then a new horn section was added in '76 through mid-'78. And returned again, briefly, in late '83 to mid '84.
Ed Carter took a sabbatical, for whatever reason, in early '80, and was replaced on bass by Joe Chemay. According to Bruce in a contemporary interview, at CBS's request, they kept Chemay and soon brought back Carter on 3rd guitar to "toughen up" the sound a bit. For whatever reason, Chemay was gone by mid'80, although he apparently still subbed for Carter sometimes afterwards.
I should rephrase that...it was CBS Records' idea to bring Eddie Carter back in on 3rd guitar to "toughen up" their sound...my statement as written above needed a little clarification!
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LeeDempsey
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #17 on:
May 01, 2010, 07:14:45 PM »
Quote from: TdHabib on April 27, 2010, 11:10:27 AM
I've never heard a recording or seen a setlist but I've heard they did "Love Me Tender" right after the King died.
I know for a fact that at the October 7, 1979 show at the University Of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MS Mike sang "Love Me Tender" and dedicated it to Elvis. This was a couple of years after Elvis died, but I believe that this was the Beach Boys' first gig in Mississippi (Elvis' birth state) after his passing.
Lee
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Re: The Beach Boys Touring Band - Who did what?
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Reply #18 on:
May 02, 2010, 05:21:34 PM »
Quote from: Steve Mayo on April 27, 2010, 08:15:39 AM
Quote from: PongHit on April 27, 2010, 08:03:37 AM
Quote from: The Real Beach Boy on April 26, 2010, 07:20:38 PM
In 1982, when Carl returned to the group, he retooled the setlist a lot, beginning the shows with a high-energy medley of It's OK, I Can Hear Music, Wouldn't It Be Nice, and Dance Dance Dance.
Are there any recordings of this?
oh yeah..i know for a fact there are recordings of these shows.....
ahem...........
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