Bob Hanes 1947-2010

[LeeDempsey]

It is with great sadness that I report that Bob Hanes, aka "Beach Boy Bob", aka "Rev. Bob Hanes", passed away on July 5th at 1:15 Pacific time, after a lengthy battle with inoperable liver cancer.  Bob's love for Brian Wilson's music was unconditional -- in fact, he called himself an "unabashed Brian Wilson apologist!"
 
Bob was truly my best friend in this thing they call Beach Boys fandom.  I wast first introduced to Bob in 1988 by someone that knew that I had a big Beach Boys collection and was interested in, shall we say, "collector's tapes."  I called Bob long distance, and we must have spent four hours on the phone with Bob playing me stuff from his collection!  He got such great joy out of sharing the music, and bringing happiness to others through the music of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys.  From that point on, we talked on the phone just about every week, although our cross-continent distance prevented a face-to-face meeting.  That changed in 2000, when we were both invited to attend the taping of "Brian Wilson Live at the Roxy,"  and were able to meet in person.  We stayed up into the wee hours of the morning playing Brian Wilson and Beach Boys outtakes.
 
When "Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE" was released, Bob's attitude toward the music changed a bit.  He told me, "I wanted to live to see SMiLE released, and I've accomplished that.  My job is done."  And in some ways it was.  Bob began to spend more time on his other passion, track-and-field coaching, and less on the Beach Boys.
 
Bob became very private in the last months of his illness.  I'd been following his decline, and I'd lob a call in every few weeks, but many times those calls remained unanswered.  Last week I got a call from him.  The cancer had spread, and he was on Morphine to make him comfortable, and although he didn't come out and say it, I knew he was calling to say goodbye.  I just told him that I loved him.
 
For those of you that don't believe in a superior being or in the spirit world, let me share this with you -- I woke up this morning, and I was going to call my country club to make a golf tee time.  I dialed the phone, it rang a couple of times, and a female voice answered and said, "Hello?"  I immediately knew that I had accidentally called Bob's house and gotten his wife Kandy.  Being that it was 6AM on the west coast, I hung up, embarrassed and puzzled at why I would have called that number (a "541" area code instead of a "704" area code).  A few minutes later I checked my e-mail, and at the top of the queue was a note from Kandy from several hours earlier letting me know that Bob had passed away.  I called Kandy back, and we shared a few minutes and a few tears talking about Bob.  She wasn't surprised that God, or Bob, or Karma, or whatever you want to call it, had made me call her a few minutes earlier.
 
Put a Beach Boys or Brian Wilson album on for Bob today.  Rest in Peace, my friend.
 
Lee
 

[c-man]

 

[The Heartical Don]

Thanks for posting the sad news. I didn't have a personal relationship with Bob, but I got to know from context that he was a special man. My condolences to his family and friends, and may he rest in peace.

[A Million Units In Jan!]

I remember Bob from the SMiLE board and the Lil' Smiley Cabin newsletter. I believe he was 'Reverend Bob Hanes, Church of The Harmonic Overdub'. RIP, Bob.

[Rocker]

I only knew him from message boards and remember that he send me a pm one time at the Smile shop. He always seemed to be a nice guy and of course a big fan of the Beach Boys. It's a sad thing that he passed away. Condolences go to his family....

[Matt H]

Although I did not know him well, he was a great guy.  I talked to him on the phone several times around 2000 about various Beach Boys/Brian Wilson stuff, and he introduced me to Darian.  A stand-up guy indeed.

[yrplace]

I only knew Bob from his posts and occasional blogs which were always informative and full of humor.

He was a true fan of the group and their music, and I am saddened by his passing.

Mark Linett

[Jon Stebbins]

I enjoyed hearing from Bob on occasion through the years...and usually completely out of the blue via email or phone. I can't recall much specifically about those BB's related communications other than there was always humor, and always a comfortable and relaxed give and take. I was honored that someone with the knowledge and long history  in the BB's veteran fan network let me know he was supportive of my efforts. And, on the several occasions i needed to run something by him, Bob was more than happy to help...and to joke around a little in the process. I'm real sorry to hear he's gone, and i feel for his family and for  those of you who knew him well. 

[altrec]

Thank you Lee for sharing-Bob was a long-time friend and I loved him dearly. Spent so many hours with him in person and over the phone as he shared BB/BW songs and stories. I learned so much from him not only about that stuff (which is now forever emplanted in my DNA but both of my kids also picked it up) but also we shared many other things we were going through in this life. He was truly a remarkable human being and those of you who know him know what I mean. I'm holding back tears now, but I'm probably going to lose that edge today. And that's ok.. Love to his family, including his amazing wife Kandy, and to all friends of the Rev. Hanes.

It is with great sadness that I report that Bob Hanes, aka "Beach Boy Bob", aka "Rev. Bob Hanes", passed away on July 5th at 1:15 Pacific time, after a lengthy battle with inoperable liver cancer.  Bob's love for Brian Wilson's music was unconditional -- in fact, he called himself an "unabashed Brian Wilson apologist!"
 
Bob was truly my best friend in this thing they call Beach Boys fandom.  I wast first introduced to Bob in 1988 by someone that knew that I had a big Beach Boys collection and was interested in, shall we say, "collector's tapes."  I called Bob long distance, and we must have spent four hours on the phone with Bob playing me stuff from his collection!  He got such great joy out of sharing the music, and bringing happiness to others through the music of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys.  From that point on, we talked on the phone just about every week, although our cross-continent distance prevented a face-to-face meeting.  That changed in 2000, when we were both invited to attend the taping of "Brian Wilson Live at the Roxy,"  and were able to meet in person.  We stayed up into the wee hours of the morning playing Brian Wilson and Beach Boys outtakes.
 
When "Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE" was released, Bob's attitude toward the music changed a bit.  He told me, "I wanted to live to see SMiLE released, and I've accomplished that.  My job is done."  And in some ways it was.  Bob began to spend more time on his other passion, track-and-field coaching, and less on the Beach Boys.
 
Bob became very private in the last months of his illness.  I'd been following his decline, and I'd lob a call in every few weeks, but many times those calls remained unanswered.  Last week I got a call from him.  The cancer had spread, and he was on Morphine to make him comfortable, and although he didn't come out and say it, I knew he was calling to say goodbye.  I just told him that I loved him.
 
For those of you that don't believe in a superior being or in the spirit world, let me share this with you -- I woke up this morning, and I was going to call my country club to make a golf tee time.  I dialed the phone, it rang a couple of times, and a female voice answered and said, "Hello?"  I immediately knew that I had accidentally called Bob's house and gotten his wife Kandy.  Being that it was 6AM on the west coast, I hung up, embarrassed and puzzled at why I would have called that number (a "541" area code instead of a "704" area code).  A few minutes later I checked my e-mail, and at the top of the queue was a note from Kandy from several hours earlier letting me know that Bob had passed away.  I called Kandy back, and we shared a few minutes and a few tears talking about Bob.  She wasn't surprised that God, or Bob, or Karma, or whatever you want to call it, had made me call her a few minutes earlier.
 
Put a Beach Boys or Brian Wilson album on for Bob today.  Rest in Peace, my friend.
 
Lee
 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Very sad news indeed. I am speechless.

[Ed Roach]

Man, sad news indeed.  Went to sleep after watching something on VH1 Classics, and when I awoke and turned the tv on, there was Brian doing "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times", probably his song I relate to most.  Now are they running the Knebworth concert, and, after shedding a few tears for Dennis, (during Surfer Girl, then Help Me Rhonda), they came back from a commercial & Mike introduced Mike Meros... 
I don't know; guess I was lucky growing up, with having to deal with so little death around me.  However, ever since Dennis, (the first major death that I ever had to deal with!), it seems like so many good ones have gone, and continue to leave us every day.  Makes it a little hard to grow older, although I very much do prefer ageing to the alternative...
 

[petsite]

This is the day I have been dreading for so long. Bob Hanes was one of my best friends in the world. We spent hours on the phone since we met in 1993 (thank you Peter Reum for getting me in touch with him). We discussed everything and anything. But it always came back to the music. I had talked to Bob less frequectly during the last few months due to his brave battle and his limited strength. But we shared one last call about 2 weeks ago where we said how much we meant to each other. That was all we needed to say.

I loved Bob very much and my life will indeed be less gratifing without him. But his spirit lives on, and for me will forever be in Brian's music.

Rest now BOB. Your work is done. We can carry on!

Bob Flory

[donald]

I recall reading his postings.      Glad he is well remembered. 

[Emdeeh]

I'm very sorry to hear this sad news. I always enjoyed reading Bob's posts. My condolences to all who knew him and to his family.

[Peter Ames Carlin]

Terrible news, indeed. Bob was a great friend to me and everyone who cares about Brian, the Beach Boys and great music. And I absolutely need to point out that he was invaluable in the production of "Catch A Wave," the book I wrote about Brian and the BB. So many of the best, most enlightening voices in that book - particularly Brian's childhood friends - only agreed to talk to me because Bob INSISTED they would. One guy (Robin Hood?) told me when he showed up a trifle late to our talk that he had actually decided to blow me off until Bob called to make sure he'd left on time.

I don't know what I did to deserve Bob's friendship and support, but I'll always be grateful for both. He was a wonderful guy, smart and funny and extremely sensitive to other peoples' feelings. An amazing man, and the world is a better place for his having lived here.

[Cam Mott]

I'm very sorry to hear this. Bob was a very caring man and generous to a fault whether it concerned Beach Boys or your own life trials.

[Alex]

Rest in peace.

[Bill Tobelman]

This may sound weird--but I have the feeling that if Bob Hanes wasn't around, we never would have gotten SMiLE.

[Chris Moise]

I'm very sadded to hear the news. About 8 years ago I was a new poster on one of the early Smile forums. I'm sure I was asking questions that had been asked many times before but sensing my enthusiasm Bob PM'd me his phone number and encouraged me to call him and fire away with questions. I think we talked for well over an hour as Bob patiently answered my questions and played me material not yet commonly available. I've never forgotten that phone call and I'm touched to see he shared his time with so many fans. My condolences to his friends and family.

If you want divinity, the music in every human being and their love for music is pretty much it. It's the big indication of their spirituality and their ability to love and make love, or feel pain or joy, and really manifest it, really be real. - Jeff Buckley

[petsite]

Nice piece:

Preps: Axemen track coach dies at 62
Posted to Web: Tuesday, Jul 6, 2010 12:42AM
Appeared in print: Tuesday, Jul 6, 2010, page C4

Longtime South EugeneHigh School assistant track and field coach Bob Hanes died of cancer Monday at age 62.

The 1966 South Eugene graduate, who still ranks seventh in school history in the pole vault at 15 feet, had coached the Axemen for 22 years, focusing on the pole vault and jumps. He was the inaugural inductee into the school’s athletic hall of fame last year.

In recent years he had success coaching the Beard siblings in the pole vault. Lindsay Beard won the OSAA Class 6A girls pole vault title in 2007-08, and her brother, Charlie, ranks sixth in 6A history with a clearance of 16-5.

“He was an incredibly generous, giving person who deeply cared about the kids he worked with,” said Jeff Hess, South Eugene’s cross country coach and former head track coach.

A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.

[Bicyclerider]

I spoke with Bob on the phone a couple of times and we communicated some through email - he was very generous with his time and willing to share "insider" information with those he deemed trustworthy.  I only wish I had been able to meet him at the end of the US Smile tour at Disney Hall in L.A. as we had planned - I had to leave the same day he was coming in.  He will be missed.

[Les Chan]

 I love reading the glowing tributes to this fine man and friend.  He touched all of us in a very positive manner.   The Rev Bob preached and we all listened to all hours of the morning and night. 

Surf's Up  Forever to Bob!

[Dogbone51]

Bob Hanes was a saint.  In the world of Beach Boys' fans he was truly a generous resource, and never turned anyone down, who asked those same questions, that many of us had grown tired of answering. 

I'd know Bob for many years.  I had only met him face to face two, maybe three times, but I always knew he was one of the "good ones".

When I was informed he was ill, I emailed him, asking to call him, and have a "chat".  Through that couple of hours we spent on the phone, never once did he complain about his ordeal.  Never once did he lead on that he was afraid or scared of what was to come.  He just wanted to continue, as before..to the very end...and I truly believe he did just that.

To say "he'll be missed" is really an understatement.  As someone had said earlier, "I think it was because of Bob that SMILE was finally released"--there might be more truth to this than anyone can imagine.  He truly loved Brian Wilson and was always sharing his knowledge about Brian, and also about Brian's music.  So many of us have absorbed so much information from Bob...that his influence and point of views, will continue to survive in the world of Beach Boys Fans...

This is the best tribute any of us could give him.

Dogbone

[Peter Reum]

Bob Flory's article from the Eugene paper shows how diverse a group of friends Bob had...

[Dove Nested Towers]

Bob was a good friend to me and I am very sad to hear about his passing. He was very kind, welcoming and generous, always willing to lend an ear if needed and unflaggingly enthusiastic about Brian and his music. A true friend. I hope the surfin' is fine wherever you are now, Bob.