The Smiley Smile Message Board

I have two in particular. First off, who played keys (piano & organ) on "Here She Comes"? The piano playing is very good. Mr. Dragon perhaps?

Next: Did Dennis play drums at all on Love You? I'm assuming that most of it (except say "Good Time") is Brian himself but some of it ("The Night Was So Young" and "Honkin' Down The Highway" for instance) sounds a bit more proficient.

Anybody know for sure?

On the alternate take of 'Honkin' Down The Highway' you can hear someone counting off the take - Sounds a lot like Dennis. As for the rest, I don't know.

Its definitely Dennis playing drums on the Love You track "Honkin' Down The Highway".

Thanks, Jon. While we're at it, has anybody figured out the exact line-ups on Love You? Obviously 15BO is listed on the back cover but not so for LY. There's flute and sax, some guitars spread out. I would love to know who played what. We've figured out who the vocalists are but who plays the instruments besides Brian?

Probably Billy Hinsche (piano) and Carl (organ).

In an interview in I think,  David Leaf's old Pet Sounds 'zine, Earle Mankey said Dennis played drums on "Mona"

I can see that (or hear it). Much more animated drumming than some other tracks there. Thanks, Andrew.

Andrew, I’ve had a look at the Earle Mankey interview and he made the following observations about instrumentation:

• “I Wanna Pick You Up” was recorded by the whole band with Dennis playing drums.
• Brian played almost everything on the tracks himself, or at least 80% of the instrumentation.
• Brian’s drum tracks were simple patterns using usually just snare/bass drum.
• “Mona” was pretty much a live track including Jay Migliori, Steve Douglas, Ed Carter and Brian.

No mention of Dennis by Earle on this track, but it’s possible he drummed on this too.

OK, back to the archives - I recall seeing it somewhere.  ;D "Pick You Up" & "Honkin'" were cut at the same session (10/13/76) so logical DW drums on both. "Mona" was recorded eight days later, and again on 11/10. Hm.

Interesting - the Love You sessions were quite concentrated: eight of the 'new' songs between 10/13/76 - 11/10/76 (that we know of - currently no session dates for "The Night was So Young", "I'll Bet He's Nice", "Let's Put Our Hearts Together" & "Airplane" (although the tag of that was allegedly recorded 1/12/77 - I say 'allegedly' as the band were out on tour in the east/midwest at the time and the album was assembled for mastering two days later)).

That's pretty much it...Steve and Jay also play the sax & flutes on "Love Is A Woman", and Steve the sax on "Let Us Go On This Way".  I suspect the guitars on "The Night Was So Young", etc. are Carl (maybe Billy on "Honkin'"...since he did the original lead vocal, he may have been there for the backing track as well).  

As for the piano on "Here She Come" (and "Hold On Dear Brother", for that matter)...the intrepid investigation of Ian Rusten has uncovered the guilty party...one Alex Del Zoppo (keyboardist of the band Sweetwater).  No mention of Mr. Del Zoppo on the AFM contracts, which just goes to show they aren't always 100%.

(reels backwards clutching heart, sinks to ground in sobbing heap)

I've read that Brian is actually a pretty good drummer... But on the simple snare & bass drum rhythms on several of the Love You songs it doesn't sound a real drummer at work... So what the deal, are Brian's drumming skills overrated by some people, or did he just choose to keep it that simple?

I never thought Brian was a great drummer - I mean, even if we presumed he sat down behind the kit and showed Hal Blaine or his other session drummers their part, how complicated are they? Brian was never a cymbal man, just bass, toms and snare, and lots of the drumming on Beach Boys records is rudimentary with Hal or similar filling in the blanks with awesome fills, or the percussion providing the interest.... *stating the obvious*

 I haven't heard evidence of his drumming (outside Love You, obviously) beyond playing 'Be My Baby' - I mean, I can do that!

Exactly - you ain't really a drummer if you don't use both hands and both feet, while Brian usually seems to use just one hand and one foot. So I'd like to know if it's true that Brian can really play drums but for some reason just never does it in public.

Brian has always had a peculiar approach toward percussion in general. It can be deeply buried or in your face. For instance, IWFTD the percussion slaps you around alot-WIGUTBAM is unique and on DDD it's mostly a tambourine. Or, there is no percussion-very few fills but then again his music doesn't call for that. BWRG and Imagination seems to have a more pedestrian feel to it when it comes to drumming.

Please...I'm too old & tired to figure out which songs or albums you're talking about when the titles are all abbreviated...:)

I'm Waiting For The Day, Dance Dance Dance, and When I Grow Up To Be A Man.  ;D

Likewise, I'm too old and tired to type full titles ;D

What we need is some old concert footage, where Brian was filling in for Denny on the drums.

Anyone can play basic 4/4 on drums (unless you happen to be missing a limb!). Not to put down Hal, 'cos he was awesome but most of his sound came from his thundering snare/tom-tom roll fillins. His actual hand to foot coordination was minimal.