The Smiley Smile Message Board

I recently came across this, in a mid-'80s issue of BBFUN (the official Beach Boys fan club newsletter)...thought the next-to-last paragraph in particular was interesting, since I haven't read about it anywhere else:

"I interviewed him when his solo album came out, and ended up spending the day and night with him.  He had a recording session, and he took me and a bunch of people into Brother Studio, and had us singing background on a new song of his, 'He's A Bum.'  A great song, and I hope it comes out someday.  He taught us our part, and we sang it over and over until he was satisfied.  That's the first time I really saw how hard it is to make records.  Later that night, around ten o'clock, Dennis began working on a lead vocal for another song.  He spent at least two hours singing the same verse, over and over again, until he was satisfied with every single word.  I don't think people knew that when it came to his music, Dennis was really a perfectionist.  He had so much talent, and I don't know if he ever acknowledged himself.

"That day with Dennis didn't end at the studio.  Around 1:00 in the morning, when he quit for the day, he said to me, 'C'mon, let's go.'  I didn't know where we were going; I just knew that he wanted to drive my car.  I have to admit that made me a little nervous, not only because Dennis was a speed racer, but because on the back windshield of my car, I had a bumper sticker that a friend of mine had given to me.  It said, 'Warning - I brake for Brian Wilson...When Dennis saw it, I was just humiliated.  I thought, 'He's going to kill me.'  And he looked at it, and got all choked up, like he was going to cry.  And he said, 'I know exactly what you mean.  Everytime I'm driving in my car and one of Brian's songs comes on the radio, I have to pull off to the side of the road.'  To me, the bumper sticker was a mean joke, but when Dennis said it like that, it suddenly took on a whole new meaning.  I never knew whether he was serious or whether he was putting me on, but he got pretty emotional about it...Anyway, he drove to his house in Venice, and we spent the entire night talking.  He played the piano some, played a new song, and he got me to write lyrics to it.  That's another beautiful song that never came out.  I think the lyric was something like 'Drink up, the bartender said, the night is long and you've been mislead.'  And in the chorus, Dennis sang, 'Did it hurt, did it hurt to love again?'.  That was a powerful, emotional experience.  And that's what Dennis could do to you.  

"We talked 'til dawn, never went to sleep.  We discussed different groups we liked, and it turned out we were both big Bruce Springsteen fans.  The next morning, a friend of his visited, and around 10 a.m., I went home and slept.  I will never forget that day..."

I remember that interview. BBFUN conducted some good ones over the years.
DL told great stories about each beach boy like this one about Dennis. Except when it came to Mike: the story was about seeing him naked.

Great story...really gives you an insight to Dennis' character. 


Dr. Lenny....love that Norbit quote in your signature...where did Brian say that?

I wish I could remember... It comes from a questionaire-type inteview from the period between Imagination and BWPS.

THX for posting that..I seem to remember that story..I was a BB fun member for YEARS

Something tells me Dennis Wilson was as much of a BW fan as anybody on this board.   :)

Actually, it's more recent than that, and the quote isn't exactly accurate. It was in the Asbury Park Press in 2007, and here's the quote:

Have you seen any good movies lately?

Well, I've only seen one in the last couple of years. It's called "Norbit" by Eddie Murphy.

How did you like it?

Fantastic movie. Very funny.

What's your favorite movie?

"Norbit."

thanks Aegir!

Interesting taste in movies. We also know, per Breakaway newsletter that he saw and liked Flipper in the 90s.

Feel compelled to point out that this is a primo example of Brian messing with an interviewer's head by telling a huge porky.  ;D

At one point about 15 years ago, Brian was quoted as saying his favorite film was an obscure 1965 psycho-drama entitled MIRAGE. If he saw it first run, it would have been in the late spring / early summer of 1965. Here's a synopsis from IMDb:

An accountant's memory suddenly becomes mixed up starting from the moment the building he is in has a power blackout. He is bewildered that he can't recall even simple particulars of his job and places he does remember don't exist. Believing he has some type of amnesia, he tries to backtrack what happened before the blackout. Aided by a rookie detective and confused by an old girl friend, he tries to make sense of inconsistent facts while people around him are being murdered.

Interesting that this TWILIGHT ZONE-like plot appealed to Brian who might have been experienced something similar to the film's protagonist in the years after the film's release.

My understanding is that that song is a real turd.

A bm usually does come out, if one is patient...

*potty-mouth mode off*

Such cultivated insight Bill. Thanks for your informative contribution.

Actually, the song was called "He's a Bm". Bm isn't as effective as Dm, the saddest of all keys.

What is the other possible meaning to 'I brake for Brian'. The only one I can think of is to break down and cry.

On another note, I just lost a lot of respect for Dennis, that he was a Bruce Springstien fan!  :p

It's a parody on the "I brake for Jesus" bumper stickers that were rife at the time.

Always thought it was a parody of the "I brake for animals" bumper stickers. I got one of those "I brake for Brian Wilson" bumper stickers in '77 from the BBFUN club for entering one of their BB trivia contests. Unfortunately, it washed off the car during the first rain storm after putting it on.

Suprised the blueboard hasn't revived these bumper stickers...

Don't give them ideas. Or Ronnie, for that matter.

:lol

I think it was a parody of the "I Brake For Bigfoot" stickers that were prevalent during the Sasquatch rumors craze in the mid '70's. Brian being reclusive and large and hairy...you can see the humor there...I think that's why Leaf was concerned about Dennis' potential reaction to the sticker.

Wow, I just realized my typo at the top of this chain (and fixed it).  Thanks!   :-D