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I've read several places that Bruce played in Ritchie Valens' backing band in 1958.  I remember reading somewhere that Bruce played drums.  In an interview with Bruce, he stated that he played keyboards.  That's neither here nor there, but my question is...Are there any photos of Bruce playing with Ritchie?

I've also heard that he played drums, which surprised me!

That's pretty awesome... Listen to the sweet drums on "Come On, Let's Go", that's not Bruce but I always loved that drumline.  If you listen close, the drums stop for the "Wellll....." part over and over again, but one time the guy kind of just hits this extra note in there, love that. (about 48 seconds in)

Wonder if Bruce played that 'style' when they covered this in concert?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLrnU1K2Wso

I believe that the drummer on the "Come On Let's Go" studio track (and probably on all of Ritchie Valens studio tracks as well) was Earl Palmer.

On Mike Deasy's wiki page it states that "While still at high school, he played in bands backing visiting musicians such as Ricky Nelson and The Everly Brothers, and also played in Ritchie Valens' touring band with Bruce Johnston, Larry Knechtel, Sandy Nelson, and Jim Horn.

If this info is reliabie, i can only assume that Larry K was their bassist, as Bruce only mentions being the pianist in interviews...

So if Bruce only played keys, where did all the rumors him playing drums arise?
I think he had to at least a few times, otherwise I can't imagine why it would feel like such a  commonly said "fact"

Not to get it toooooo far off track, and I don't play drums, but maybe back then a lot of that was going around, for instance it's common knowledge that Buddy Holly played drums on stage for Ritchie that fateful night at the Surf Ballroom. 

So maybe different people pitched in and played drums for him?  I know he was using Buddy's drummer on that tour (who ended up in the hospital with frostbite), and played drums himself for Buddy that night, and then Buddy played drums for him later in the show. 

Crazy so many people were ... casually competent at drums, enough to play those songs live at least. 

I saw Ritchie credited for playing drums too: (Scroll up a bit.)

https://www.iorr.org/talk/read.php?1,2122203,2122691,quote=1#REPLY

Actually, one of the Belmonts (Carlo Mastrangelo) played drums for Ritchie that night.  Buddy played drums for the Belmonts.  I've seen all 7 photos taken that night.  Carlo also played drums for the opening act, Frankie Sardo.  There are no photos of the Big Bopper performing that night, but I'm going to assume that Carlo played drums behind him as well since he played drums for the other acts with the exception of the Belmonts, of course.  Ritchie had played drums the previous night at the Riverside Ballroom in Green Bay. 

Don't forget Bob!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x-xklVMx_M

Brilliant! Anyone just spontaneously played drums in them days, I like that. If Bruce did wack drums for Ritchie, maybe the adventurous side took over!

Reviving this old thread based on my recent conversation with Bruce a couple of weeks ago - I asked him about playing drums for Ritchie Valens...not only did he say he never did such a thing ("I have no rhythm" was his exact comment), but he also seemed extremely surprised that anyone would ever think so. Bruce said he only played keyboards in the those days.

Interestingly, in another conversation I had with Bruce a few years back, he told me about a time the Beach Boys were playing Lake Tahoe in the early '80s, and Karen Lamm was in the audience "flipping the bird" at Dennis (they were no longer a couple by this point - they'd split up for the last time in late '78, and their divorce became final in 1980). Dennis then flew into a rage and jumped into the audience to attack her. Unfortunately, this was mid-song, so Bruce said he jumped over to the drums and played them for the remainder of that song.

From the sounds of things, that was the one-and-only time Bruce ever played drums live!

"Attack her"?

I love his music, but.... damn

Maybe "confront" her was the actual word used - either way, I'm sure Dennis got in her face in a loud/confrontational manner.

Kinda ironic Bruce claiming to have 'no rhythm', when his earliest forays into music were with Sandy Nelson.

I think Bruce is the Beach Boy who should really write a book.

I would second that...he's told me plenty of fascinating little anecdotes about his life in music, and there's probably a dozen or so I've read in his interviews.

I find his pre Beach Boys period more interesting, would love a biography or memoir written by the guy.

Looking at this one I can only assume myself that Bruce and Larry K were never in the band at the same time as Larry didn't pick up the bass until he joined Duane Eddy's touring band in '59, by which time Richie had passed on. Larry, like Bruce, was keys in his early days...
Prior to that Larry played in Kip Tyler & The Flips, and when he quit to join up with Duane, it was Bruce who replaced him...

Bruce played in a band that backed up Ritchie Valens, Jan & Arnie, and others at the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona in September of '58. Sandy Nelson played drums.

Anybody know if Bruce ever backed up Eddie Cochran...?

Apparently.

http://www.beachboysstomp.co.uk/bruce-johnston/