All things Bruce Johnston

[Heysaboda]

Okay seriously, I've never heard "Going Public" and I don't care much for "surf music" except for what the BB's did.

Does anyone really recommend "Going Public"?

[Lowbacca]

Does anyone really recommend "Going Public"?

Not recommend it, no. Simply because it's pretty lame (but it's not bad, music-wise).

[Mike's Beard]

Okay seriously, I've never heard "Going Public" and I don't care much for "surf music" except for what the BB's did.

Does anyone really recommend "Going Public"?

There is some pretty good stuff on it, alas there are also a couple of abominations on it too. Anyone who doesn't dislike Tears In The Morning should find some songs on it they'd like.

[Doo Dah]

He's sort of the Beach Boy "Neil Sedaka" - with all the good and bad that that infers. Nowadays he's the Neil Sedaka PA system roadie...'little to the right...little to the left...a little up...that's right...'

I vaguely recall him writing something on the BBBritain around '04 or so, talking about moving to Nashville, writing more and pitching his songs to the Nashville community, etc. Did any of that ever happen? The song writing stuff I mean.

Agreed on him losing his mojo. Wealth has a way of squelching that 'drive' that every creative person has at the onset of their career.

[PongHit]

He thinks the president of the USA is a socialist asshole: http://youtu.be/u5Ji6EsgLOQ

"Obama? Unless you're interested in never having any money," said Johnston in a video clip when asked about the President. Johnston reportedly called Obama "an asshole" and suggested the president was a Socialist… "Wait until Obama doesn't have to try anymore," said Johnston. "You're f***ed."

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beach-boys-bruce-johnston-blasts-obama-20120511

[Peadar 'Big Dinner' O'Driscoll]

Does anyone really recommend "Going Public"?

No! completely devoid of any soul - I would recommend listening to this song though just as a warning against ever listening to the album - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJuVCs_z4bg&pxtry=2

and I like tears, deirdre, disney

[Mikie]

Yeah, Ponghit, any creds I had left for Bruce Johnston after that little debacle were lost. And his vocals are less than stellar on a good day. Thought he did a good job on Disney Girls on the C50 tour CD, but his lead on Wendy sounded like a wretched old man. I'm truly amazed they included it on the CD. So what, Bruce had 2 or 3 leads on the C50 tour? The rest of the time he was standing there with one hand on the keyboard and the other adjusting the microphone stand. And when he wasn't doing that he was walking across the stage in his white shorts clapping and waving to the crowd. Actually, he wasn't walking across the stage much like he use to.

Anybody see that Youtube clip where Mike was standing there singing and Bruce came running up to him out of nowhere and stopped dead in his tracks, Mike looked at him funny like, "What are you doing here?" Then Bruce did an awkward 180 back to his spot behind the keyboard? What the hell was that? He looked like a little kid running up to his Dad holding an ice cream asking for a bite and getting rebuffed. Guess Bruce had a strong impulse that he wanted to be near Mike at that moment. Butt kisser.

[Lowbacca]

Yeah, Ponghit, any creds I had left for Bruce Johnston after that little debacle were lost. And his vocals are less than stellar on a good day. Thought he did a good job on Disney Girls on the C50 tour CD, but his lead on Wendy sounded like a wretched old man. I'm truly amazed they included it on the CD. So what, Bruce had 2 or 3 leads on the C50 tour? The rest of the time he was standing there with one hand on the keyboard and the other adjusting the microphone stand. And when he wasn't doing that he was walking across the stage in his white shorts clapping and waving to the crowd. Actually, he wasn't walking across the stage much like he use to.

Anybody see that Youtube clip where Mike was standing there singing and Bruce came running up to him out of nowhere and stopped dead in his tracks, Mike looked at him funny like, "What are you doing here?" Then Bruce did an awkward 180 back to his spot behind the keyboard? What the hell was that? He looked like a little kid running up to his Dad holding an ice cream asking for a bite and getting rebuffed. Guess Bruce had a strong impulse that he wanted to be near Mike at that moment. Butt kisser.

To be fair, he sang quite a bunch of decent/beautiful parts in all kinds of tunes (GOK, FFF, GV, etc.) during the C50 (as he does with the Mike & Bruce show), plus his standard slot in the harmonies on many songs.

[TimmyC]

I agree with alot of what's been written here but a couple of things:

- It's absurd to say that Bruce Johnston is talentless. He is incredibly talented even if he hasn't really done much outside of touring in the last 20 years or so.

-I think I liked him because he always looked like such a nice, clean cut guy. Well, maybe he's clean cut, but he's not exactly nice (which I know from personal experience). Oh well.

- Around the time of KTSA or so (maybe it was part of the KTSA documentary), he says something about how he loves being a Beach Boy, but then goes on to say that that won't really be his legacy. Instead, his legacy will be his songwriting. And he said it kind of in a way that suggested he had only BEGUN to write that songs that would seal his legacy. What the HELL happened?? I really like SBILA, and one summer night - I even like Happy Days! But what happened to all the songs that he was supposedly going to write that would seal his legacy??

-Even though he dropped his dreams of being a songwriter (apparently), he still seemed to be very interested in the Beach Boys future and in keeping the Beach Boys current with new material and projects. Although it was ham-fisted and it failed, Bruce was instrumental in trying to get Sean O'Hagan on board in the mid-90s. That's not that long ago. There are several other examples of these efforts that Bruce made on behalf of the BBs throughout the year, but that seemed to completely evaporate after Carl died.

-This relates to my last point, but someone mentioned that Bruce sang BVs on The Wall (which I was aware of). The original idea was to get the BBs to do some Wall background vocal work. How AWESOME would that have been? I was more of a fan of The Wall in high school, and hardly ever listen to it now, but to take those voices and plaster them on a Pink Floyd records? That would have been uber, uber cool.

All in all, I like Bruce and am glad he's part the Beach Boys. I really like his voice, and the contributions he's made (although few). Woulda been cool if he ditched M&B and told Brian he wanted to record and tour with him, but I'd also like a million bucks, so....

[EgoHanger1966]

He's sort of the Beach Boy "Neil Sedaka" - with all the good and bad that that infers. Nowadays he's the Neil Sedaka PA system roadie...'little to the right...little to the left...a little up...that's right...'

I vaguely recall him writing something on the BBBritain around '04 or so, talking about moving to Nashville, writing more and pitching his songs to the Nashville community, etc. Did any of that ever happen? The song writing stuff I mean.

Agreed on him losing his mojo. Wealth has a way of squelching that 'drive' that every creative person has at the onset of their career.

Pick another example - Neil Sedaka is extremely, extremely talented - and has a huge backlog of fantastic material. I saw him in concert last December, and he didn't adjust his mic ONCE - so there!!!!!

[Lowbacca]

Agreed on him losing his mojo. Wealth has a way of squelching that 'drive' that every creative person has at the onset of their career.

Bruce had been well off even before he joined the BBs.

[Niko]

This is one of my favorite BB clips. Look at Bruce's face after Al's comment. You can tell he's annoyed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Hvo5wXD1-sw&t=74

[EgoHanger1966]

I can't remember which magazine it was in - a UK one with a review of the Live 50th album - but it had a great little anecdote from Bruce. He sat down next to Brian on the way to a gig - one of the European ones where they traveled together - got 4 inches away from his face and said "I know you're in there!", and Bruce claims Brian laughed "so hard".

[Lowbacca]

I can't remember which magazine it was in - a UK one with a review of the Live 50th album - but it had a great little anecdote from Bruce. He sat down next to Brian on the way to a gig - one of the European ones where they traveled together - got 4 inches away from his face and said "I know you're in there!", and Bruce claims Brian laughed "so hard".

That's . . . weird. Extremely weird. (Was he talking to 1965 Brian?)


But I guess you had to be there.

[Lowbacca]

This is one of my favorite BB clips. Look at Bruce's face after Al's comment. You can tell he's annoyed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Hvo5wXD1-sw&t=74

The moment with Bruce and Al around the mic, where Bruce's voice is flying away with him to unknown heights? I don't read that as Bruce being annoyed, but rather humble about his vocal service to the new record. "It doesn't matter if I ruin my voice for this, it's a Beach Boys record!" Apart from that, it seems like a comfortable moment for both of them.

[Paulos]

Early Bruce stuff is great, Surfers Pajama Party and Surfin' Round The World are a bit generic but I still like them. I really like the stuff he did with The Ripchords too and some of the songs he wrote for The Beach Boys - Nearest Faraway Place, Deidre, Disney Girls. Unfortunately after Disney Girls everything went somewhat downhill.

[Letsgoawayforawhile]

Early Bruce stuff is great, Surfers Pajama Party and Surfin' Round The World are a bit generic but I still like them. I really like the stuff he did with The Ripchords too and some of the songs he wrote for The Beach Boys - Nearest Faraway Place, Deidre, Disney Girls. Unfortunately after Disney Girls everything went somewhat downhill.

Yeah, this song rules!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNtCXJshZbg

[punkinhead]

I think Bruce did some great work in his early career and the Bruce and Terry compilation is excellent.

His songwriting for the group started well I think and The Nearest Faraway Place, Deirdre and Disney Girls are all strong songs.

From then on it became patchier but I like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDXqI8XlnMs

I also think his songs for the Doris Day album show him to be a technically gifted craftsman.

It is a shame he hasn`t written more in recent years.

Are you talkin about Doris Day's My Heart album?

I know he did Heaven Tonight (known on the boot market as Let's Visit Heaven Tonight, which Bruce's original version always reminded me of  80s porn music).
And I guess I didn't realize Happy Endings was written by Terry AND Bruce. I never thought much of that song when performed by the Beach Boys but when I heard Terry Melcher sing it, I turned into a sentimental sap! It sounds so heart breaking!
Of course Disney Girls is on there.

That just leaves The Way I Dreamed it and My Heart, which I've not heard either one.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Heart_(Doris_Day_album)

[Nicko1234]

Are you talkin about Doris Day's My Heart album?

I know he did Heaven Tonight (known on the boot market as Let's Visit Heaven Tonight, which Bruce's original version always reminded me of porn music).
And I guess I didn't realize Happy Endings was written by Terry AND Bruce. I never thought much of that song when performed by the Beach Boys but when I heard Terry Melcher sing it, I turned into a sentimental sap! It sounds so heart breaking!
Of course Disney Girls is on there.

That just leaves The Way I Dreamed it and My Heart, which I've not heard either one.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Heart_(Doris_Day_album)

Yep.

These songs are undoubtedly sentimental and cheesy but they show his abilities as a songwriter. I agree completely that the versions of Heaven Tonight and Happy Endings are much better on this CD than the previously available versions.

[jimmy1949]

Its odd we hear so much from and about the BB wives but never Mrs. Johnston.

[Niko]

Its odd we hear so much from and about the BB wives but never Mrs. Johnston.

His son tours with them as help or something.

[Niko]

Its odd we hear so much from and about the BB wives but never Mrs. Johnston.

His son tours with them as help or something.

Sorry, that was my most pointless post to date

[Micha]

Early Bruce stuff is great, Surfers Pajama Party and Surfin' Round The World are a bit generic but I still like them. I really like the stuff he did with The Ripchords too and some of the songs he wrote for The Beach Boys - Nearest Faraway Place, Deidre, Disney Girls. Unfortunately after Disney Girls everything went somewhat downhill.

Yeah, this song rules!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNtCXJshZbg

If only Bruce would write a song as good as that... once!

The only Bruce songs I like are Nearest Faraway Place (is it a song when nobody sings? It's a tune anyway) and Deirdre. Bruce's remarks on Obama though indicate he might be in fact an arrogant asshole. I wish him that he loses all his money.

The divine moment in last year's BB concert I attended was the moment Bruce answered Brian's "God only knows what I'd be without you" at the beginning of the tag, however. And in an interview he cracked a good joke on himself that his vision was so bad he can't tell whether there's an audience or if they just painted the chairs in different colors.

[Gertie J.]

bruce's ex wife was harriet something. what else can be said..

[rogerlancelot]

Chiming in with my own opinions of Bruce Johnston: I think he has (or at least had) a wonderful singing voice and it blends well with anyone (I for one enjoy his and Carl's background vocals on LA). I also loved "Tears In The Morning" from the very first time I ever heard it because that is some fine white soul music on an emotional level. Also love "Deirdre", "Disney Girls" and "Nearest Faraway Place". I dislike Going Public but can honestly say that I have only heard it once all of the way through but I am positive my feelings for it will never change. I admire his physical likeness to Ernie (the muppet from Sesame Street). I disagree with his politics and wish he wouldn't voice them in public. I don't care for "I Write The Songs" but I think that Barry Manilow looks like a wax dummy who is starting to melt a bit and that makes me happy for some reason. Bruce also distanced himself from the group during the Smiley Smile period and Hawaii concerts and probably didn't fit in well with the other members personality-wise which is why they were always looking to replace him back in the day. It is very hard to call him a rock star because he is not really a recognized mega-star that is always on the front page of magazines and plus because the man simply could never actually rock himself ever. Please remind me, somebody, besides singing "Disney Girls" and "Wendy" on that C-50 tour did he actually do anything himself such as really play his keyboard or something? It didn't look like it at the concert I went to at all. As an upside, he was never been accused of stealing anybody's bicycle or ruining SMiLE.