The Smiley Smile Message Board

Just making that post in the 'musical similarities' thread got me thinking....

Do we know what Brian made of Blondie & Ricky in the group, and particularly in the studio? Was he a frequent collaborator on their songs instrumentally (he didn't write anything with them, after all)? Or did he avoid them? Have they said anything about his involvement during their tenure with the band? And so forth...

He told me they were cool and talented.

The Wilson brothers loved 'em.

And when I saw Ricky do a cameo apperance on stage at the Brian/Al gig in 2007 in Oakland, Al still seemed to like him too.

Mike, we REALLY need that book from you. It's probably my most looked forward to Beach Boys item besides whatever new vault releases they are gonna put out.

But yeah, the Brian, Blondie, and Ricky situation is always one that I wondered about. They showed up in the band right as he was beginning to enter a period where he didn't contribute very much at all. I think that Carl & The Passions and Holland would have been a lot cooler if Brian would have contributed more in the vein he was writing in at that time. "Mess of Help" and "Marcella" are really nice rockers, and I think it could have been a really commercial sound for the boys if they went further that way in the '70s. They probably could have kept more the fans that dug "Surf's Up" and "Sail On Sailor".

But anyways, I think that had Blondie stayed, it also would've kept them from getting too "dorky" again like they did. His voice added an "edge" to the blend, but still really fit in, especially on "Funky Pretty" and "Sail On Sailor".

When they left the decline begain. It was like they didn't have to answer to the young musicians anymore.
Thanks for the comments on my book.
I submitted it to CGI Publishing located in Canada.  http://www.apogeebooks.com/music.html

Mooger Fooger gave the info. I have not heard back yet, but if anyone who wants to see my book happen wants to email them, it may really help make it a reality. I also submitted to Chris Charlesworth in the UK at Onibus Press. http://www.omnibuspress.com/Homepage.aspx. He told me he wasn't really wanting a Beach Boys book just now but agreed to read it over. Again if anyone wants to vouch for me it would mean so much. I've mentioned before that I am doing an Elvis book for Backbeat so I don't have the time I want to sell The Beach Boys book like I normally would. That's why I've asked for help here, more than I normally would. Thanks again I can hardly wait to release it.

Well I wish I had the ability to help you find a publisher, but alas, I don't. Hopefully somebody will pick it up soon, and I can't see why they would't, as your posts here are always first rate and full of information. I could only imagine what a book would bring.

Sorry for taking the thread off-topic. But anyways, I'd love to see if there was anymore comments from Brian about those guys.

x

Has anyone got a photo of Brian, Blondie and Ricky from back in the day? Never seen them all together.

Thank you for your kind words. I will make it happen.
As far as Brian commenting at the time, I only remember that he mentioned Bruce's argument with Jack leading to Johnston being out of the band. I really cannot remember much beyond that except maybe a quote saying it added a new kind of sound or flavor. Really when he was being interviewed in those years it was more about Spring.

Not all three but Brian, Carl, Marilyn, and Diane got on stage with them in 1970 and I think there is one with Brian and Blondie just in the same frame.

The "Child Of Winter" single has Brian, Ricky, and Blondie on the front!!!!

http://www.albumartexchange.com/covers.php?id=180635&q=beach+boys (http://www.albumartexchange.com/covers.php?id=180635&q=beach+boys)

I recall hearing that Brian was pasted in from this photo (http://beachboyscentral.com/images/splash_04.jpg).

Figgered it was.

Man, people go on and on about how Brian looks bad here, Brian looks bad there, but I do believe he never looked more depressed/greasy to my brain than there.

January 28th 2007 after the Pet Sounds concert. Ricky played on 1 or 2 tracks in the encore.


(http://i43.tinypic.com/mubbzp.jpg)