Jeff Foskett speaks about leaving Brian's band and joining Mike's band

[Cam Mott]

Or it could just be Jeff wanted a change for the reasons he gave and so he was available and Mike hired him because he was available. Something like that, just face value. I don't know nuthin'.

[urbanite]

Why did Jeff Foskett want to give Melinda Wilson a big FU?

[ontor pertawst]

One "Chocolate Shake Man" too many.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

One "Chocolate Shake Man" too many.

 

Yes!

[SMiLE Brian]

That story is going to be in H&V part 2 by Steven Gaines.

[HeyJude]

I think, among the many variations being suggested here, there are several that may or may not be getting confused.

One is that Jeff leaving Brian’s band and joining Mike’s has the appearance of a big F-U. This is where I think the majority can agree. Regardless of the intentions or motives, given the current climate in the BB universe, this *specific* case has the appearance of a big F-U. Not even just a person switching bands. But this particular guy doing it, at this particular time. Brian’s “right hand man.”

Another is that it may not have been exactly calculated as if he left one guy for the other, but at least an additional motivation was to “send a message.” Jeff’s recent interview actually makes this theory more plausible. He admits he had burn out on Brian’s tour, that too much was being asked of him. So one plausible theory (and duh, it’s mostly theories folks; that’s what these discussions are about) is that not simply leaving Brian’s band, but then jumping to Mike’s band, at least has the fringe benefit (if not motivated by) sending a message to Brian’s camp. The message? We can only guess. But if he’s jumping to a band that plays largely the SAME music, with a MORE rigorous tour schedule, the message could be that “I’m not burned out on playing Beach Boys music. I’m not burned out on being the falsetto guy. I’m not burned out on being on the road all year. I’m burned out on YOU, burned out on YOUR TOUR.”

I don’t think anyone is suggesting Jeff shouldn’t take the gig. But when we’re simply guessing at motives and messages and politics, as Jon Stebbins put it, the info is all there. It’s all there to at least infer the possibility if not likelihood that this isn’t just a guy making a change and moving to a different job.

Also worth positing is that in these situations, people can give each other plausible deniability. An employer can have certain motivations in offering a job to someone without mentioning all those motivations to the potential employee. Sometimes they still both understand their motivations without stating them. Sometimes not. According to Jon Stebbins’ and David Marks’ book, just ask David Marks. He clearly didn’t fully grasp back in 1997 all of the reasons he was being asked to re-join the touring band.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Why did Jeff Foskett want to give Melinda Wilson a big FU?

That's what I would like to know. We are constantly being told (as fact) that Brian Wilson makes his own decisions, Brian Wilson does what HE wants to do, Brian Wilson doesn't do what he doesn't want to do, and that he has no handlers running his life. And now we're being told that Mike Love and Jeff Foskett pulled a "Fu-- You" TOWARD MELINDA? Why her and not Brian Wilson?

[Mikie]

Or it could just be Jeff wanted a change for the reasons he gave and so he was available and Mike hired him because he was available. Something like that, just face value.

YA THINK?  Or is it more fun to add more variables to the equation and create more drama just for the sake of conversation? That happens here quite a bit.

Jeff Foskett, the consummate Christian type, wouldn't lie. If, and I say IF he left little small details out in that interview, they were on purpose so as not to slander or burn bridges behind him. I'm sure he has many stories (one I heard was that Jeff was tired of fielding Melinda's incessant phone calls to follow up with him on Brian's health and status) while on the road when she wasn't there. Jeff's part time job was Caregiver. He got tired of it. Who wouldn't?

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Jeff Foskett, the consummate Christian type, wouldn't lie. If, and I say IF he left little small details out in that interview, they were on purpose so as not to slander or burn bridges behind him. I'm sure he has many stories (one I heard was that he was tired of fielding Melinda's incessant phone calls to follow up with Jeff on Brian's health and status) while on the road when she wasn't there. Jeff's part time job was Caregiver. He got tired of it. Who wouldn't?

Exactly. He all but said it in the interview.

[joe_blow]

Some of the posts here are talking about C50, burying hatchets, coming together, etc. Maybe a picture can be worth a thousand words, so with that...if the significance of this photo isn't immediately noticeable for anyone, look closer:

Pretty crappy of Brian to throw a big party, then not invite Mike to it after Mike let him back in the band and everything...

Come on, folks. Mike obviously volunteered to TAKE the picture, with Bruce adjusting the tripod.

[Pretty Funky]

Jeff Foskett, the consummate Christian type, wouldn't lie. If, and I say IF he left little small details out in that interview, they were on purpose so as not to slander or burn bridges behind him. I'm sure he has many stories (one I heard was that he was tired of fielding Melinda's incessant phone calls to follow up with Jeff on Brian's health and status) while on the road when she wasn't there. Jeff's part time job was Caregiver. He got tired of it. Who wouldn't?

Exactly. He all but said it in the interview.

This is it for me. Being a kind of care giver while on the road must be tiring enough. Throw in fact he then has to sing every night would wear you down. The nail in the coffin is if the Beck organization is hitting you up for every detail as well.

[HeyJude]

Or it could just be Jeff wanted a change for the reasons he gave and so he was available and Mike hired him because he was available. Something like that, just face value.

YA THINK?  Or is it more fun to add more variables to the equation and create more drama just for the sake of conversation? That happens here quite a bit.

Jeff Foskett, the consummate Christian type, wouldn't lie. If, and I say IF he left little small details out in that interview, they were on purpose so as not to slander or burn bridges behind him. I'm sure he has many stories (one I heard was that Jeff was tired of fielding Melinda's incessant phone calls to follow up with him on Brian's health and status) while on the road when she wasn't there. Jeff's part time job was Caregiver. He got tired of it. Who wouldn't?

I don't think everybody is adding variables to this equation for pure amusement. Rather, I suppose some are scoffing at the idea that there's no way that politics and backbiting entered into a heated BB equation such as this. I for one can't put the blinders to the degree that I would buy that there's absolutely NO "message" involved in the Foskett move.

There's a difference between noting that something is clearly at least partially a personal/political move versus actually caring that much about it. Same thing with the Blondie/Dave/Al thing last year. Were there politics involved in collecting together as many BB's as possible for that Brian tour? I have little doubt that there was. But that's okay. It was still great to see all those guys on stage together.

Similar with the Foskett thing. Inter-band politics are probably at play to some degree. I can live with that. But I'm not going to pretend it's not happening.

[Heysaboda]

Don't say "spade", that's racist - say "African-American".

A lot of people don't realize that's what the saying was actually referring to...I didn't for the longest time until my uncle set me straight pretty quick.

I always thought it was talking about playing poker.

Goes back much further than that. The ultimate origin is a mistranslation of the Greek word for "trough" as "shovel" by Erasmus in his Apophthegmatum opus in 1533. Plutarch's original phrase (1st century AD) was "calling a fig a fig, and a trough a trough". It transferred into the English idiom in 1542 when Nicholas Udall translated Erasmus thus in his Apophthegmes, that is to saie, prompte saiynges. First gathered by Erasmus: "Philippus aunswered, that the Macedonians wer feloes of no fyne witte in their termes but altogether grosse, clubbyshe, and rusticall, as they whiche had not the witte to calle a spade by any other name then a spade."

There y'go. Bit of learnin' for ya.

Well, this post really kicked my Erasmus!!   

[Paul J B]

Why did Jeff Foskett want to give Melinda Wilson a big FU?

That's what I would like to know. We are constantly being told (as fact) that Brian Wilson makes his own decisions, Brian Wilson does what HE wants to do, Brian Wilson doesn't do what he doesn't want to do, and that he has no handlers running his life. And now we're being told that Mike Love and Jeff Foskett pulled a "Fu-- You" TOWARD MELINDA? Why her and not Brian Wilson?

Sheriff, that's not the first time I've read a post of yours and thought right on.

[Cam Mott]

Or it could just be Jeff wanted a change for the reasons he gave and so he was available and Mike hired him because he was available. Something like that, just face value.

YA THINK?  Or is it more fun to add more variables to the equation and create more drama just for the sake of conversation? That happens here quite a bit.

Jeff Foskett, the consummate Christian type, wouldn't lie. If, and I say IF he left little small details out in that interview, they were on purpose so as not to slander or burn bridges behind him. I'm sure he has many stories (one I heard was that Jeff was tired of fielding Melinda's incessant phone calls to follow up with him on Brian's health and status) while on the road when she wasn't there. Jeff's part time job was Caregiver. He got tired of it. Who wouldn't?

I know, right? Why get our undies in a bunch over something that seems so straight forward? Had a sweet gig, gig got less sweet in reality, missed out on a lot of stuff, decided he didn't want to miss out on stuff more than he wanted to keep slogging it out, made a change. (drops mic)

[Heysaboda]

Why did Jeff Foskett want to give Melinda Wilson a big FU?

Melinda caught Jeff stealing Brian's wheat grass one too many times, that's all.......!

 

[Mr. Cohen]

Melinda caught Jeff stealing Brian's wheat grass one too many times, that's all.......!

What's worse... he was caught drinking it in a castle!

C'mon, no one else likes the castle bit? It's funny!

[Mr. Cohen]

Brian: We've been driving for a long time. Are you sure this is the way to the steakhouse?
Jeff: Brian, I told you. We're gonna go see a castle today. Remember?
Brian: A... what? A... castle?
Jeff: Yeah, Brian, one of the most famous castles in the world. It's....
Brian: So there's no steak?
Jeff: Uh... probably not anymore.
Brian: Driver! Driver! Turn the car around! Somebody, please, turn the car around! You've got to...  she doesn't love me!
Jeff: Calm down, Brian. It's just a castle, man.
Brian: Take us to the steakhouse! I want steak.
Jeff: This the problem with you, Brian. You know I haven't visited a castle in over a decade! And oh great, now Melinda is calling me!

[Mike's Beard]

Why did Jeff Foskett want to give Melinda Wilson a big FU?

That's what I would like to know. We are constantly being told (as fact) that Brian Wilson makes his own decisions, Brian Wilson does what HE wants to do, Brian Wilson doesn't do what he doesn't want to do, and that he has no handlers running his life. And now we're being told that Mike Love and Jeff Foskett pulled a "Fu-- You" TOWARD MELINDA? Why her and not Brian Wilson?

Good point and it'll be interesting to hear these vocal insiders views on Howie's comments.

[Bill30022]

I always tend to go for the simplest explanation:

Last year Jeff was burned out so he withdrew.  Being in a band and being a caregiver would more than a handful for a period months, let alone, more than a decade.

This year a spot opened up in Mike's band.

For Jeff this is attractive because it is regular and  an easier gig than his prior one.

For Mike it is attractive because Jeff is a known quantity and adds a little authenticity to the act.

When Jeff joined Mike he was a free agent so the impact of an FU would be quite limited.

Or maybe Jeff doesn't like Al or maybe he does not wish to be part of upcoming "Love You at 38" tour.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Maybe it's as simple as 'I need to you go with Brian to the store'. 'Can you go with Brian to the park and walk all 45 dogs'? 'Hey, can you go with Brian to the deli and pick up two Reubens, some knishes, and  maybe those chocolate rainbow cookies?* Oh, and get yourself something too. Here's the card.' 'f*** this, I QUIT'.

In other words, nothing malicious on either end, just one guy tired of doing everything except play music (since Brian's live workload has decreased).

*Now I made myself hungry.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I always tend to go for the simplest explanation:

Last year Jeff was burned out so he withdrew.  Being in a band and being a caregiver would more than a handful for a period months, let alone, more than a decade.

This year a spot opened up in Mike's band.

For Jeff this is attractive because it is regular and  an easier gig than his prior one.

For Mike it is attractive because Jeff is a known quantity and adds a little authenticity to the act.

When Jeff joined Mike he was a free agent so the impact of an FU would be quite limited.

Or maybe Jeff doesn't like Al or maybe he does not wish to be part of upcoming "Love You at 38" tour.

Simplest explanation is usually the right one. Didn't even think about the Al thing though...

[HeyJude]

I always tend to go for the simplest explanation:

Last year Jeff was burned out so he withdrew.  Being in a band and being a caregiver would more than a handful for a period months, let alone, more than a decade.

This year a spot opened up in Mike's band.

For Jeff this is attractive because it is regular and  an easier gig than his prior one.

For Mike it is attractive because Jeff is a known quantity and adds a little authenticity to the act.

When Jeff joined Mike he was a free agent so the impact of an FU would be quite limited.

Or maybe Jeff doesn't like Al or maybe he does not wish to be part of upcoming "Love You at 38" tour.

It's rarely the simplest explanation, especially when it comes to the BB's. Again, I think the point of the "F-U" is getting too convoluted, because even if one subscribes to the theory that it was intended as an F-U, I think one would also say that Jeff would have taken the gig from Mike even if everything was 100% amicable and he didn't intend even a whisper of an "F-U."

I've been trying to think of another example of something like Jeff leaving Brian's band and joining Mike's, in terms of how it *appears* regardless of the intentions. I dunno. How about if Yoko had divorced John in 1974 and then joined Wings? Meh, I dunno. 

[donald]

 Brian isn't touring much what with his time in the studio on a new LP.  And promoting a bio pic.   Maybe, just maybe, JF needed a steady, high paying gig, and Christian's departure made room for a sweet transition.  It's not always about the money but that can sometimes be a tipping point.  Ever left a job you had tired of when someone else was offering substantially more money?    I have.    Not without some regrets but just for a change and the prospect of more income.

[the captain]

Sometimes fans don't apply the same standards to artists as they do to themselves and their non-artist friends. What's normal for your neighbor or yourself (leaving a job for money, convenience, etc.) is a sell-out, or offensive, or short-sighted, or blighting a legend for an artist.