Pacific Ocean Blue and the WOW! Signal

[Rocker]

I never cared much about on what day an album was released. Usually I'm fine if I know the year. Sometimes though, a specific release day makes you think about the fate of the album.

In 1977 the Beach Boys were hot again. The Brian's Back campaign yielded both a top ten album and top ten single. A lot of pr was done, they sold out stadiums around the world and the band was also getting it's own TV special. Dennis Wilson was about to release his first solo album - the first by any Beach Boy - in the same year.
It seems that Caribou put quite a bit of pr into Dennis' album as well. Magazine articles, radio interviews, record store events, a promo video, even a solo tour was planned. Yet the album barely made the top 100 when released which to me seems a little low.

The other day I saw a Facebook post about Pacific Ocean Blue, mentioning it's day of release - August 22nd 1977. That got me thinking....









A couple of pictures from appearances by Dennis in record stores to promote POB




Just a week earlier the Ohio State University Radio Observatory recorded a signal that when being analyzed by Jerry R. Ehman became known as the "WOW! Signal"; as to that point the strongest contender to be a message sent by alien life.




Although important science news that under normal circumstances would make for long discussions and reportings by both, scientists and laymen, this event was completely overshadowed by August 16th 1977. That day, as is well known, Elvis Presley died.







On the spot this became a media event like no other. What followed were a giant sales increase of Elvis records. Record stores were out of stock and RCA had problems keeping up with orders and had to use pressing plants all over the country. This wasn't just going on for a couple of days but actually quite a while.

The question that comes to mind: Did Pacific Ocean Blue suffer the same destiny as the WOW! signal? Was the chart placement of Pacific Ocean Blue a result of Elvis' passing? As we've seen it certainly took the focus away from everything else.



Epilogue

Mike Eder once told me that when the Beach Boys had a chance to visit Graceland, Dennis broke down crying at the grave of Elvis. Certainly this could be seen as Dennis lamenting the death of his generation's symbol of freedom. After thinking about the events of August 1977, though, one could also wonder if Dennis blamed (or let's say was reminded by) Elvis' death of himself not making a big splash as a solo artist.



What do you think? Am I crazy or do you think there could be something to it? Do you think it's placement on the charts and the numbers it sold wouldn't have been that much different had Elvis not died?

[jeremylr]

Based on Dennis and the label's promo efforts and the strength of the group's name, it's odd "Pacific Ocean Blue" didn't at least chart in the Top 40. But the commercial misfire of "Love You" earlier that spring may have sullied the waters for future BB releases. I'm really intrigued by the Beach Boys' visit to Graceland and Dennis' devastated reaction. Is this Memphis trip mentioned in greater detail anywhere else?

[guitarfool2002]

This is very interesting, ultimately I think if radio stations (at least in the US) didn't play and promote a new release or a single from that new release, any amount of promotion and hype wouldn't have pushed it onto the sales charts and inspired people who weren't already fans of the artist to buy the album. At least it was that way in the 70's. So the question is, did POB get a push from FM radio when it was released? Besides in-store promotion events, were DJ's actively playing any tracks from the album in regular rotation? Likewise if an influential DJ in a major market started promoting an artist or album, other regional stations would take notice and do the same: That's how Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and others finally got noticed, specifically thanks to certain influential DJ's at the time (early 70's) like Ed Sciaky in Philly.

This reminds me of the hype surrounding the final episode of Seinfeld: NBC had a ton of hype that week for the finale, literally it was being promoted everywhere. Then when it was set to air, Frank Sinatra passed away. Not that it took away from the show, but it was something that jarred the promotions machine off-course a bit because it was such a major entertainment news event. It probably didn't affect the actual ratings, but it definitely changed the coverage and conversations that day.

Elvis' passing was very jarring and shocking at the time, and of course record sales for his music skyrocketed as happens when any major artist passes away and some stations were playing Elvis nonstop in the days following the announcement. Maybe it did affect POB's overall impact, but I think unless someone has facts to confirm or deny this, radio airplay and promotion would have been a bigger factor with POB. No doubt the timing was unfortunate.

I think a POB tour would have really helped the sales and exposure too. That never happened.

[Emdeeh]

I do not recall hearing any airplay for POB in the greater Atlanta-area market, not even on college radio.

[Ian]

I think Elvis had a big impact on that generation-even if someone like Dennis seldom mentioned him-his death hit a lot of people hard at that time. As for POB …I always assumed that the problem was that Dennis, outside the BBs, wasn’t that well known. As we know, Dennis has had a whole critical reevaluation in recent years but it is mainly based on material released after his death. Only hardcore fans probably knew about his songwriting talent in 1977.

[guitarfool2002]

I'm curious about one factor that isn't being addressed, call it perhaps the elephant in the room: Dennis' association with Charles Manson. I mention this because first, the actual murders were less than 10 years removed from the time Denny's album was released. Beyond that, the Bugliosi book "Helter Skelter" was published in 1974 and was a major best-seller. Then after that, in 1976 there was a TV movie based on that book and it put the Manson case into a lot of living rooms in full color, and we all know the reactions to it among the general public. And Dennis was pretty deeply involved in that, even though he did not testify in the actual trials.

So was there any backlash against him as an artist due to his association with Charles Manson, especially since the Manson case was more fresh in the minds of the public especially after the book and movie (a year prior to POB's release in that case)? Or even beyond that, did the music and entertainment industry in a more behind the scenes way have cold feet regarding anything connected to Manson that could have stifled the promotion and distribution of things like POB?

I'm not passing judgement, just asking a question that doesn't get asked as often. Ultimately if radio stations didn't play or promote an album in regular rotation in the world that was 1977, it didn't stand much of a chance in terms of sales and popularity. If anyone wants to see what FM radio was like at this exact time, watch the movie "FM" for which Steely Dan did the hit theme song, and check out books like "Hit Men".

[Pretty Funky]

You know, there was so much going on in the US during the mid 70s I really doubt it even rated tbh. I guess ‘the group’ went out touring and recording the year prior (their 15th anniversary) and it didn’t hinder them. I could be wrong. I became a fan in 1978 and it was more an aside, not a hindrance. Dennis and those promoting him possibly read the room and decided it’s not a career ending association. Years later it may be, however I look at Mike and his political associates today and perhaps nothings really changed.
Fortunately most people realise individuals cannot be held responsible for who they may associate themselves with all the time. I look at the Scott Bennett situation. He was actually in Brian’s employment and on tour with him at the time of his crime. Thankfully there was never any suggestion of association other than ‘on tour with Brian Wilson’.

[Rocker]

Thanks for the replies!

So, I guess the best way to start this would be to understand what a reasonable chart placing and number of records sold would've been. And of course radio airplay. Unfortunately the last matter can't be researched as I don't think there's any list about what stations played what singles how often.