The Smiley Smile Message Board

The commonly shown photo that was to be the back cover of Smile includes Bruce Johnston. I think I remember reading somewhere that he was unable to be photographed with the band due to a contract with another label. Is this true, and if so, how would that photograph have been able to be used?

The contract issues I believe only extended through "Pet Sounds".  The legal problems that prevented him from appearing on the cover of PS didn't exist by the time the "SMiLE" back slick was put together.

I think that contract issue is a real shame.  I think had Bruce been on the cover of Summer Days and especially on the iconic cover of Pet Sounds, he would never be thought of as a "second class" member the way he sometimes seems to be.

Alright. Thanks for the info!! I remember seeing outtakes from the Pet Sounds photo sessions (and, I think the Summer Days shot as well) with Bruce in them), but remembered reading that his first appearance on a Beach Boys' record cover was Friends. While this is true, its somewhat misleading, as his picture was on the back cover of Wild Honey.

At any rate, I also find it interesting that the Smile rear photo didn't feature Brian.

Well I would hope to the vast majority of us, there will always be six Beach Boys.  I love that shot that they used for the inlay of the SMiLE LP with all six of them and Mike in his huge cowboy hat.  That would've made a really nice sleeve for a 45 or something back in the sixties.

Come to think of it I seem to remember reading in one of my books on "Pet Sounds" (I think the Kingsley Abbott one) that Bruce was only blocked from appearing on the cover of Beach Boys albums.  Contracts like this can be very weirdly worded.

Point In Case: The Partridge Family in 1971 shot a commercial for Kellogg's Rice Krispies and it featured close ups of all of the cast with the exception of Susan Dey.  For years I wondered why Susan Dey arguably the second most popular member of the cast wasn't prominently featured in the commercial.  It turned out that Dey (a professional model before she joined the show) was under contract to a rival advertising agency and they would not allow her to be featured in close ups or seen endorsing a Kellogg's product.   

Wasn't that just for front covers ? Remember he appeared on the backcover of Pet Sounds

Yeah, he was there on the boat and there are some pictures of everyone that would have made a better album cover (although I can't believe that Al didn't go or they didn't cancel the photoshoot because he was sick).

"F**k it, it's only Al, lets just do the shoot"

I remember Carl stating in an interview that they sneaked him on back cover since he was made up in Japanese garb and makeup.

i've never thought as bruce as a second class beach boy.  That spread shot of all of them in that stable or whatever is how i picture the beach boys

D =

And how many Kleenex do you get through?

Has anybody seen the "raw" version of this photo anywhere? I've only seen the high-contrast one on the album...

I'd like to see that too..it's funny it hasn't turned up anywhere.

He was also seen with Dennis at the piano. No makeup etc.

Al wasn't there for the All Summer Long photo session either. They added his photos later.