The Smiley Smile Message Board

I saw this comment over on a Rolling Stones board I post at and thought it was very cool and worth passing on.  They were discussing a recent Brian gig.



    Quote:

    "The crowd at the Cerritos Performing Arts Center does tend to be sort of sedate.

    Was Brian signing stuff in the lobby afterwards, or did you go backstage?"

"Yeah this is my third time at Cerritos now...first concert there...it's a very hoity-toity kind of place so it wasn't really a place for a rock and roll show, I         think. Beautiful place but I've always found the auditorium to be a very weird room. Something about the square room and the placement of the stage...it doesn't sit well with me for some reason.

Actually, with the signed albums....I got there several hours before the show, hung around the back. Brian arrived with Jeff Foskett, got out of their car and said "no" to me and a small group of 3 or 4 guys. I was stunned. I've never seen Jeff act that way. He said loudly "We don't sign for Ebay" They went inside. The other guys...who I found out were sellers eventually left. I had nowhere to go since I was going to the show later that night...I decided to just stay out there and wait...maybe Brian would come back.

About half an hour later Jeff comes out again on the phone, he turns around to head back to the venue...I scream out if he would sign my SMiLE album. Jeff performs on that album, as you know. He looks over and begins to walk over and says sure. As he approaches me he looks around and says "sorry about earlier..I had to get rid of those ebay guys." We chit chatted about tonight's show...He then grabs my album says "gimme that" and walks back into the venue. Comes back a few minutes later and there it was a PERSONALIZED signature from Brian! I was too bashful to give him both my albums the first time...thinking it'd be too greedy....when he came back out he saw I had another one in my hand and although I wasn't even going to ask him to get that signed also but he just grabbed it...came back AGAIN....and got Sunflower signed. It was amazing."


I'm not surprised -- Jeff as well as the rest of the band seem like the best of blokes.....

You've got to remember where Jeff came from; Brian's Driveway.  He knows what it's like to be a Fanatic.  I mean Fan. 

Very cool story, although I'm wondering how one can tell the difference between an e-Bay troll and a real fan?

Darn sellers have to make getting autographs for the real fans so much harder sometimes. Jeff probably knows the real fans when he sees deep albums like sunflower.

He wears special sunglasses.

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__ZC6F3SCITU/TNRNSZTK5pI/AAAAAAAAD9c/DQDsoj1X8Ug/s1600/They+Live.JPG)

"I have come here to sign autographs and kick ass....and I'm all out of sharpies."

Brian doing Duke Nukem-ism would be even funnier.

"It's time to kick ass and smile, and I'm all out of grins!"

jeff tests your patience by making you wait all night, then rewards you with a scribble of his name. great. make him ruler of the universe please. such a sadist deserves adoration. how about he just went up to the original poster and the ebay guys and asked questions to determine who was legit and who wasn't? instead the power hungry nurse ratchet made you wait all night. yeah, hail jeff alright.

i offer an experiment: a fan awaits brian's autograph through jeff with a Love You vinyl in hand

when jheff sees it, what does he do? will he take it backstage? or say we don't allow this music mr mcmurphy.

I was at the Sheraton Hotel next to the same venue 3-4 years ago for a night and a lot of coloured folk (pardon my ignorance if its not PC) staying at the time which is very un-Cerritos. The idiot in me wanted to ask if they were in a band but common sense won out unfortunatly. The next day I heard Smokey Robinson had played and stayed that night.

Now thats a signature for my GH's album I would have waited for. Dohhh!

Yeah, I'd love to shake Smokey's hand.  He's so fantastic, after you idolize him for all the great, timeless songs he wrote, you can start analyzing stuff like "Going to a Go-Go" and realize that they were just as great, lol.  A real legend, effortless talent. 

That guy posts on the For Elvis CD Collectors-Forum scanned and posted both album covers. Very nice of Foskett indeed

I gather from previous posts on this board that some people don't like Jeff.  I have no personal experience with him or any member of the band, but my theory is that Jeff sometimes acts as the "heavy" for Brian if Brian doesn't want to sign autographs that night. He says "no" to anyone who is there when Brian is with him, gets Brian inside, then comes back out and gathers up albums for Brian to sign without having to interact with the fans. Possible?

I've never seen him do that but I have only spoken to Jeff a couple of times after shows and he always been polite and chatted to me (as do the rest of the band, to be fair), even when looking exhausted, like after the first Smile show at the RFH

He certainly always has one eye on Brian, which if you'd seen the actions of some fans, you'd understand why.

Anyways, top bloke who just looks out for his boss!

Looks out, for what - a cut in the man's will?

"I look at myself as a servant [to Brian], and happy to be that way." --Jeff Foskett, NPR interview

I still to this day do not understand the "thing" about getting autographs. I have never even asked for one and the respective "stars" seem to respect that. I prefer to have a chat and a beer etc, you can't go down the local supermarket and by a bag of those memories.

eyem the same way but i still don't think jeff foskett should be on such a power trip all the time to anyone including the autistic fans that collect autographs and things.


exactly what you would expect someone to say who is trying to get in the master's good graces for doggie treat.  >:D

by the way i get such a creepy feeling rightly or wrongly due to all the stories about this man that i actually feel a need to edit my posts in case he sets the Foskett mafia on me. one of his church groups, pickaxes, you know the deal. all my work is fiction. i am an iguana & a slice of whole grain bread. Whose the man that we admire? johnny carson is a real live wire.

Having met the guy and the rest of the band, I can say 100% that Probyn is the man!!

Totally agree-one of the most down to earth guys you could meet

Sorry, ghost, I gotta disagree with you this time. Not only do artists not owe autographs to fans or ebayers or anybody ("but...I bought ALL their records!"), but they certainly have the right not to kowtow to every single person outside their circle. If they did, they'd be eaten alive. It's about keeping one's wits while traveling town to town every day for months on end.

Autographs = bonus points, in my book.

And just because somebody doesn't give you what you think you should get for free doesn't make them a Nazi/Nurse Ratched/whatever. Sorry.

Thirded - Probyn struck me as a friendly and coolheaded person. I talked with most BW band members and it was with him that I had the most pleasant conversation.

Whatever ways you can rationalize the mean spirit behind letting someone wait all night just for their favorite musician or whoever to sign their favorite album or whatever. The guy said there was himself and a few other guys. Hardly a screaming horde of girls begging for Jeff now is it? Couple people, hey guys what's up, oh you're fans huh, alright then what Beach Boys song did I cover from the Today! album? oh you guys don't know it eh? GET OUTTA HERE EBAY SCUM. so dude, you're the real fan huh? well son let me tell you about how i was once an obsessive like yourself and i actually stalked brian to his home and just showed up. now look at me! me and the big guy are pals. no no they can't take that away from me.

I was actually thinking about taking Today! to a concert as it is one of my favorite albums by the BBs...

Have Jeff sign it "Smile-Brian Knows Me Too Well"

"Letting someone wait all night" for an autograph? Nobody put a gun to their head and made them wait.

So what if Jeff hates Love You, I like it and thats all that matters. A lot of insiders aren't too crazy about that album as well because they saw how messed up Brian was at the time.

Wow.  Thought I was relating a nice story.  Anyway, to me, Foskett's action speaks for itself.  Those who need to disparage have their own agendas, as do Jeff, Brian, myself, all of us.  All I will say is at best we see a very small portion of the picture.  If I had witnessed that I would have deemed it very cool.

I will add that my only experience with Jeff Foskett is seeing him on stage, where he is immensely talented and comes across with a big heart and love of Brian and his music.

when jeff records a suite version of mona / ding dang / johnny carson / solar system i'll forgive him.

Unlike my sour grapes assessment in the David Leaf thread...I can say without hesitation that Jeff is one of the kindest and most generous people I've met in the Beach Boys world. A story I've told before...i took some flak for leaving out a few insiders in my Dennis Wilson book, a few people (non-family) were miffed that their name was not included and a couple did not hesitate to let me know they felt slighted and accused me of being a fraud...yada yada. Jeff, a guy I did not know...and whose name was not mentioned in the book, but who knew and toured with Dennis, approached me at a Brian show shortly after the publication of my DW book, and just THANKED me and shook my hand, and congratulated me for doing such a great job of telling Dennis' story. He said he appreciated the effort I made in bringing some positive attention to Dennis. Many times since then Jeff has gone out of his way to help me, support my work, and to do kind things for me and for my family. He's never asked me for anything in return. I guess we only have our own experience to judge people from, and I've heard others pan Jeff and praise Leaf to the heavens. But just wanted to say...Jeff's been really cool to me.

that's silly

Last year, as we stood front and center for the encore at a Brian show, Jeff saw my wife holding up the Pet Sounds lp cover.  He reached out to her , grabbed the album, placed it on Brians keyboard and handed him my marker,  just before they left the stage, Brian signed it, Jeff smiled and handed the album back to us.  We thanked them and they smiled, nodded, and waved to us as they left.  Simple and sweet as that.  I first met Jeff many years ago when he was playing with the Beach Boys.  We spoke for a while before the show.  A nice guy in my book.

All hail indeed. I flew out from Virginia to Brian's three night at the Hollywood Bowl in 2008. Night 1, just went to the show and then back to my hotel. Night two, I sat in a different section and was let out after the show past a door marked "Artist's Entrance." Not foolish enough to keep walking, I hung our for a while and eventually met and chatted with Jeff, Probyn, Darian, and Taylor (*swoon*), and saw Brian dart into his bus. I realized on my way back to the hotel that there's no barrier, security, ticket gate, or anything separating the backstage entrance from the street. So before night 3, I picked up a copy of Pet Sounds and a sharpie and hung out at the entrance. Jeff saw me again as Brian's bus pulled up, motioned me over (!), brought me right to the bus door, and introduced me to Brian. I got to shake the hand that first played those heaven-sent God Only Knows chords, told him how much his music meant, and now have a signed copy of Pet Sounds hanging over the piano in my music room. After that, Jeff can pretty
much do no wrong in my book.

Jeff seems pretty damn great, to me.

Wasn't there someone here who had the unfortunate chutzpah to yell "I hope Jeff Fos-quits!" during a quiet moment during one of the SMiLE concerts?

Fer shame...

I'm kind of the same way, although I do own a few autographs, that I actually purchased online.  Even Brian's.  They may be fake, I don't know. 

If I saw Brian Wilson, I most definately would not ask him for his autograph.  I'd thank him for his music and shake his hand.  The whole autograph thing is kind of "OOh gimme gimme" and it can be a little disrespectful, even if that's not the intention.  I understand though that there are moments when he's doing signings, etc. that it's appropriate.  If he's sitting at a table with a sharpie, yeah, get an autograph but if you bump into him somewhere, don't ask the guy to do something for you, it's tacky. 

Ron-you hit the nail on the head.

The meet and greets are funny as you know he doesn't really want to be there but you'd never pass up the opportunity to get something signed.

On the other hand, seeing someone thrust a guitar into his path, like after the London Adelphi gig, is a bit cringing.

I've said, "Hi" and a "Thanks" (never even shaken his hand) and leave the talking to the band members who are more than happy to chinwag most of the night (esp Probyn and Scotty)

Funnily enough, I gave a friend my pass after one of the TLOS gigs as he'd never met Brian before. What did he come out with? A signed programme and a photo with a beaming Brian!!

I even hear about people trying to get autographs when folks are out to dinner!

It reminds me of the famous Frank Sinatra thing that I may butcher but somebody can clear me up I'm sure.

A photographer or a columnist or something saw Frank Sinatra at dinner one time with somebody, and came over to the table pestering him about something.  Frank got in a fist fight with the guy and got in all kinds of trouble.

Years later, Frank's in his late 50's, somebody's interviewing him and asks him (I believe it's on camera!) what his thoughts were of the guy passing away recently! (I suppose they thought Sinatra would take the time to bury the hatchet).  Sinatra tells them it couldn't have happened to a better guy, and what a jerk that guy was, etc.  !  Whoa!

Like I said I cannot understand the fascination with autographs! Rather shake there hand and ask them how they have been etc..

Jeff was always kind to me when I use to see him backstage. I was more in the Mints crowd, so I didn't get to know him as well.

people who get autographs are monsters!

Although  have gotten several autographs over the years...... yeah....it feels a little intrusive, a little desperate.  Always feels like you are bugging someone with yet another distraction.

Autograph hounds are indeed, probably misguided assholes

cool; this thing automatically converts assholes to buttholes.....

does it still do merda sh*t?

I found him rude and condescending. And the way he spoke to Brian was beyond the pale. Bossing him around and trying to teach him harmonies. Talk about trying to teach your grandmother to suck dick.

So more like (edited Nazi ritualistic chant translating as Hail Victory)  Jeff Foskett

But that's just my opinion.

I'll shut up now

@ Iron Horse-Apples: that German comment is not very proper, to say the least. Knowing the context in which that expression was used in the past, you'd do a lot of people a favour by editing that right away.

Have you guys seen that Imagine film? The John Lennon thing? You know that guy that wanders up the property asking John strange questions?

He asked about lyrics

 IS the story about Jeff showing up in Brian's driveway true?  Could somebody elaborate on it?

That dude was tripping.  :3d

That's an awesome scene, the guy said that John's music was all about him and speaking to him.  John basically tells him all his songs were about his self, he was selfish, and on a good day he might write one about Yoko.  Love me some John Lennon, lol. 

: I just made the mental connection that someone with a similar opinion killed him.  sh*t.  I'll never enjoy that scene again.

True.

Met Jeff at The Roundhouse before BW's show a couple of years ago, very talkative and pleasant...

This is a pretty telling scenario.  I witnessed one a couple of weeks ago...outside a Beach Boys show...The guys have been generous autographing albums and treasured memorabilia...what seems weird is that some people have the colossal nerve to stand "outside" a venue where entertainers are performing, and are NOT ticket-holders to an event, and seek out autographs, in almost a flash-mob mentality, with tote bags looking for income-generating autographs...

If you are inside an event venue, you actually bought a ticket and are more likely to be a fan...if you are outside on public property, only, and not a ticket holder,  which license to be inside the venue property, it may be more likely that you are an ebay-er.  It is a pretty offensive concept.  While chatting with a person outside a venue, on public property, behind a venue, recently, he was asked if he enjoyed the show, (because it was such an exciting one!) and he said, he had "not seen the show" but had some albums he bought at a yard sale. (Said he could not get a ticket!) Red flag!  The albums did not resemble the same vintage, but, well worn and played ones that I have collected over 45+ years. 

Not long after, when one of the Band members came out, a guy shoved a camera at me looking to take an uninvited picture.  Fat chance.  I guess his mother never told him, that is "Polite to wait until you are asked, or at least have permission."  It was so offensive.  My impression was that some people feel that they don't need boundaries and that they can exploit whomever they wish.  It ruins it for everyone.   

Good for Jeff!   ;)