The Smiley Smile Message Board

I thought it would be cool if we all had a thread to talk about the times we've met any of the BB's, or moments during a BB show you've attended that is really close to you. I've never been fortunate enough to meet the guys, or even go to a BB show, so I'd love to hear about your experience!

I'm sure a lot of you have shared your stories before, but I thought it'd be neat to bring it all together.

For the BWPS show I saw in 2004, managed to be first in the queue for tickets, so the best seats in the house happened to be 3 feet directly in front of Brian ! During the encore, Brian reached out and greeted the front row, my friend shook his hand and has been dining out ever since on the tale of how he "shook the hand of God Only Knows" !

 


Really cool story! Thanks for sharing! I don't think I'd wash my hand for a while if he shook it.

While it's hardly an exceptional experience, it's still something that resonates with me - at any concert, when the whole audience suddenly sings along at any point, it sends shivers down my spine (See Bruce Springsteen: Born To Run), but at Wembley, aside from the whole concert being a great experience, Wouldn't It be Nice instantly had that Spine-Tingling moment that was just brilliant - see my recording below

Wouldn't it Be Nice (Live At Wembley Arena): http://soundcloud.com/frederickjamesfrench-pounce/wouldnt-it-be-nice-live-at (http://soundcloud.com/frederickjamesfrench-pounce/wouldnt-it-be-nice-live-at)

I met Brian inside his house at 10452 Bellagio Drive, Bel Aire, California.   

Did you eat sandwiches?

No, but Brian asked me if I had any coke and I told him I only had Pepsi.

Why didn't you bring any?

I did Pepsi off of Bruce's face once.

Been kicking myself ever since!  Think I coulda stayed a lot longer if I'd had some!

meeting Al

I saw "The Surf City Allstars featuring Al Jardine" around 2008 at Manalapan Day, which is some random central NJ town's local "let's sell popcorn on a field and then light off fireworks" thing. Definitely the lowest of the low. They were playing on this tiny tiny stage and there were like 30 people watching. at one point it started to rain. they went into Surfin' USA and the sound guy turned off the lead vocal mic and for about 30 seconds it was going without the lead, just "inside outside USA, inside outside USA, inside outside USA". then they realized the powers that be, some MANALAPAN DAY official decided to cut them off because of the rain. so they stopped playing and immediately started packing up as fast as they could and started running equipment into their trailer which was parked about 100 feet away also on the field. by this time the rain was falling really fast and everyone on the field was just trying to run to their cars, which were parked up to a mile down the road (everyone in Manalapan, it seems, came out for Manalapan Day. I was probably the only person who drove more than 15 minutes to get there).

in the midst of this chaos, I decided to run up to Al and talk to him. I mean, he was right there! so I run over and yell "AL!" and he stops, and turns around and looks at me. he's like, "Yeah?" and then it hits me that I don't actually have anything to say to him. so I just stick out my hand to shake his and say, "I love you, man!" and he says "Thanks!" and then we both run our separate ways because it's pouring, pouring, pouring.

meeting Blondie

I saw Blondie perform earlier this year (maybe January or February) at a small music venue in Brooklyn. he was just sitting at a table in front of the stage, waiting until it was time for him to go on. I saw a few groups of people go up to him and talk to him. one couple was talking to him for a good 20 minutes. I couldn't think of an appropriate method of going up to him to talk. what's worse is I had the In Concert LP in my hand the whole time because I wanted him to sign it. my friend Mikhail who I was with kept prodding me to just go over to him.

me and Mikhail decided to step outside and have a conversation about how we could go up to him and Mikhail just kept on saying "just go up to him and talk!" I made the excuse that he was always already talking to someone else and I didn't want to butt in. when we went back inside Blondie was sitting alone so Mikhail just walked up to him and started talking to him, and I stood silently next to him. eventually Blondie addressed me. I can't remember much of what we talked about but it really seemed like he was just trying to be polite and talk to me because he knew I was a fan. he told me about going out to eat with his daughter, really mundane stuff like that. Mikhail and I eventually walked away.

I still hadn't had my record signed so I went up to him after his performance, with a marker that I had on me for the occasion, and said something like "I think this is one of the greatest live albums ever." and then he signed it and then we said goodnight and that was that.

 I had a very marginal experience in 2004 at the Orpheum theatre BWPS show. I was having a cigarette in the alley, a few yards away there were buses,  I was not looking to catch a glimpse of anyone, nor expecting to, as it was near showtime. I was only looking for a little fresh air before the show, a little privacy before the two hours of being sandwiched between strangers. Suddenly there was a big guy with gray hair, and just as suddenly, both he and I scurried off. Accidentally making eye contact with Brian Wilson.... one of the more awkward things I've ever done. Poor guy was just tryin' to stretch his legs. So was I. Neat-o.

Really cool stuff! Thanks for sharing!

Haha, that sounds hilarious!
Really cool though!

I enjoyed your shaking hands with Al in the rain story. Something about that one really hits the spot.

Same here. Oddly touching.

:lol :lol :lol

I didn't actually meet a Beach Boy, but an amusing close encounter:

This May, a friend and I were at a BB50 gig. A good half hour before it started, we went up to the front of the stage, just checkin' things out. I was geeking out in front of Brian's piano. I look to the right, where I could see behind the curtain, and there was Mike and David talking to some chick. I pointed my finger and turn to my friend and exclaimed, "Mike Love! He's over there!", which was stupid in retrospect. Anyway, I was gawking because, there's a Beach Boy!, and the girl Mike was talking to pointed in our direction. Mike and the girl are looking right at us, and I just had a stupid grin on my face. The woman starts walking towards us, and I was thinking she was coming to bring us back and meet Mike, since we must have seemed like nice young gentlemen fans who worshipped Summer In Paradise or something. Anyway, she's walking closer and closer and I can't believe this is actually gonna happen. Right up until she walks two inches past us, and greets HER FAMILY standing behind us, who then procede to go backstage and meet the guys. D'oh!

Hahaha!
Ouch!

1981 - Dennis at the Brother Offices/Warehouse: he didn't seem to believe me when I told him I didn't drink.

1985 - Carl, Alan, Brian & Bruce at Westlake Audio , final day of mixing the new album. Bruce stood me lunch while being interviewed, Brian played "Rhapsody In Blue" with me in the corner of the studio, eyes on stalks.

2005 - David in Connecticut: socially, and the man is just hilarious. Totally without any ego, too.

2011 - Mike pre-gig and backstage at Epsom Downs: he was fascinated by both my Pendleton BB Tshirt (Surfer Girl pic on front) and my opinion on Brian's touring. He also gave me the skinny on the Smile box, the new album and the C50 tour.*

[* denotes highly improbable scenario]

(PS: these are just first meetings with the band members... there have been others (except DW, of course))

1993-Mike played to me at the Chicago show as he saw I was digging the rare songs. Must have been the first box set show. Signed my ticket after the show "Dr. Love"
1999-Brian phone interview I conducted. Very nice and friendly.
2003-Al phone conversation with him and Steve Desper. Also very kind to me.
2012 Got to shake Al's hand at the Milwauke show as he left the stage
Talked to Bruce a few times on BBB sometimes nice sometimes lippy.

1975: I had become a huge BB fan during the past couple of years, the "dead zone" between Holland and 15 Big Ones. When I heard that the Beach Boys and Chicago were touring together, my friend Tom and I got tickets to see them at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Tom was a Chicago fan and we had both begun to appreciate the other guy's favorite band.
A couple of months earlier, I had seen a classified ad in Rolling Stone for a new BB fan club called Beach Boys Freaks United (BBFUN). I sent off for info, encountered Alice Lilly, and was soon the "state representative" of BBFUN for Texas, a dubious title since I think there were only three members in the whole state at that point.
I somehow learned that the BBs road manager was a guy named Rick Nelson and I managed to track down a phone number for him before the tour started. He actually gave some credence to the "state representative" thing and told me the groups would be staying at the Fairmont Hotel. I asked if I might be able to meet/interview someone; he said it was up to them, but he couldn't commit.
On concert day, Tom and I went to the Fairmont in early afternoon. Tom was wearing a t-shirt with the iron-on logo that came in the Chicago VII album. We sat in the lobby awhile, seeing nothing of interest. Tom finally said he was going to go call a girl he knew in Dallas. I continued to sit in the lavish lobby and was staring blindly into one of the ritzy shops...I suddenly realized that Al Jardine and his wife were looking at jewelry! When they came out, I approached them and shook hands with Al and made some small talk. Then I saw Terry Kath, the guitarist from Chicago, and spoke to him. Jim Guercio entered then and said hello. Tom came back and asked if he'd missed anything. YES! But right then, Dennis Wilson came in and we talked to him. I proudly said I was the Texas rep for Beach Boys Freaks United. Denny looked at Tom's shirt and said, "And you must be with Chicago Freaks United."
Carl and Annie Wilson came strolling through. I snapped a picture of them (didn't even think about getting in the picture) and asked about maybe doing an interview. He said he couldn't do it before the show, but maybe afterwards....
We drove to the Cotton Bowl. I think this was only the second show on the tour, but it was a great experience seeing these two bands mixing it up, including the finale with everyone on stage and Mike doing Jumpin' Jack Flash.
We headed back to the hotel. Word had gotten out and there were lots of young, nubile women there. I actually managed to find Carl and he said we could chat in the hotel bar, which was right in the lobby. While we sat there, the horn players from Chicago joined us, along with their significant others. I had my little cassette recorder and asked my questions of Carl, who patiently answered them. At first, his answers were short, yes-or-no responses, but as he saw I actually had some knowledge of the band, he loosened up a bit. He told me a new album would be out by end of 1975 (didn't happen). I asked him if he could see himself doing this in ten more years and he said no, he couldn't. We talked 15-20 minutes and then we hit the road for home. For my first BB concert, it couldn't have gone much better.

Wow, what a beautiful story!
Thanks for sharing!

Do you have a setlist from this show?  I also saw Al at a show that had about 30-40 people in Gilroy, CA, around 2007 I think.  It's on the Setlist Archive.  Great but short show, no security, we could do whatever we wanted to do.

Very nice story ! Do you have a transcript from the interview? Or do you remember some other interesting comments Carl made?

Sorry, I don't. they didn't play anything that wouldn't be in a typical Beach Boys sideband show (including Kokomo), other than Wipeout (not the rap version) where Al played keyboard and they called up three people from the audience (including me) to play the drum fill on a snare drum.

Late-90's:

Saw Al Jardine's "Beach Boys: Family & Friends" when they performed at Stone Mountain, GA.  The whole band was mingling with the fans after the show.  I did not talk to Al (he was busy getting hit on by the middle-aged women), but did chat briefly with Carnie, Wendy, Matt, and Adam.  They were all pretty cool.  I used to have my own website and I put up photos I took from their show.  I had randomly received a message from Matt Jardine that they all had seen my website and dug the the page I had made for them.

2004: I have told this story before on these boards, but I spent the summer working backstage at Chastain Park as a runner (pretty much just picking up talent from their hotels and whatever else was needed).  When the Mike & Bruce show came to town, I worked that gig decked out in my ridiculous Beach Boys album covers Hawaiian shirt.  Mike commented "Cool shirt" when he saw me.  Got my photo with him before he left.  Chris Farmer was especially nice.  I spent most of the day driving their tour manager around; he did provide me with some funny stories about the band.  That was a very surreal day for me.

2011: I checked out David Marks' band when they played at Eddie's Attic.  Chatted with Carrie some and Marks' bandmate, Jez (whom happens to lurk on this forum...sup, Jez!).  Marks himself was a cool guy; didn't mind when I told him I took some video of his show.  He was cool with me posting it:

http://youtu.be/JU8z3IuBuPM?hd=1

1987: Murphy's Law Part 1. While staying in LA to hopefully meet the guys via Alice (from BBFUN) while my parents flew on to Hawaii, I get a phone call from them after they arrived that the band is staying in their hotel! Damn. Still got to go to Gary Usher's place and interview him and hear "Spirit of Rock and Roll", "Let's Go to Hevean in My Car" and "Just Say No". Also Bruce was kind enough to forward his phone number so I called him a few days later. Very cool.
1988: Had my first meeting with the band backstage at San Diego Padre stadium. I posted a few pics here taken by fellow fans Phil and Rick who used to run ESQ. Met Al (not my fondest memory moment), and Carl (juxtaposed attitude to Al). Had all the time in the world for me despite them being late). Were seated in front of Shawn Love and the kids.
1989: Got to explore the entire property at Bellagio and got a tour of Ocean Way Studios.
2004: Met Brian at the meet and greet in Antwerp, Belgium. Had a few exchange of words and saw Brian's eyes light up when I gave my heartfelt compliments to him and his music.
2012: Murphy's Law Part 2. Decided to drive to Stuttgart rather than go by train to see the C50 show. While heading back to see the Mönchen Gladbach gig, our friends call us to say that the very train we would have booked, is also transporting the whole band. Damn. Still got to see the band live and be treated like worthless sh*t by security.
2013: Will see what Murphy has in store for my never-ending quest to get my Sunflower gatefold finally signed by Bruce and Mike.

Really cool stuff!
Thanks for sharing!

Back in November '91, Brian went around the country to promote his "autobiography" WIBN.  Somehow or other I heard that he'd be in Chicago. Since I was going to Champaign, Illinois, for a wedding the day before (or maybe it was after) the signing, I got the book and took my copy of the "solo" Caroline No 45 off the shelf.  I think the notice I had seen spelled out that only the book would be signed but I figured one little 45 that didn't have Beach Boys on the label might be OK.

(Had I known what I know now about the circumstances involved in the release of the 45, I'm pretty sure I would not have brought it.)

So I went to the signing - don't remember if it was a book or record store. Brian was at a table, signing. Next to him was a guy who wasn't exactly introducing himself but who sure looked like Kevin Leslie from the pic in the book's photo section, so it must have been him.

I stepped up to the table.

"Elizabeth," Brian said, looking at the post-it note on the first page.

"Yep, she's my sister," I said. (I figured she deserved a copy because it was her buying Greatest Hits Vol 1 in 1974 that really got me into the BBs. Later, I gave her the book. She wasn't into the BBs that much anymore and by 1991, she thought of Brian primarily as the dad of 2/3 of Wilson Phillips. So I wound up with the book and it's still on the shelf downstairs.)

He wrote "To Elizabeth, Brian Wilson," and as he did so, remarked, "You know, Elizabeth is a Jewish name."

"Yes it is - thank you," I replied, holding out the CN 45.

At which point Leslie sternly said: "Not that. Just the book."

"But it's-"

"No," continued Leslie. "Just the book."

"Sorry man, can't do it, but thanks for coming," said Brian.

"Thank you," I said, and moved on.

That was probably just Brian sharing his Fun Fact Of The Day #27.  ;D

From my earliest days of fandom I had been keen to meet the band. I finally had the chance in 1992.  On the day prior to their concert I drove into Melbourne armed with a $5 phone card and called all of the major city hotels, asking if a Mr. Jardine was booked in to stay. Towards the end of my card's credit I had a positive response so I promptly made my way to the hotel hoping that I'd be able to meet the guys there. When I arrived the receptionist told me that they had been delayed by several hours. By this stage it was early evening so I decided to return home.

The next day following the concert, myself and three of my friends headed to the hotel only to be told that we'd missed the band by ten minutes as they'd gone to see Jesus Christ Superstar. Undaunted we decided to wait, in the meantime chatting with fellow fans.

After some time Carl returned to the lobby. I shook his hand and introduced myself. He was very gracious and friendly, wanting to know everyone in our group, adding that he really liked Melbourne. He signed all of our items, including my copy of Sunflower, and then he bid us farewell.

Both Al and Mike appeared next and were also gracious with their time, posing for photos and signing autographs.

Their attention to their fans left a remarkable impression on me. I'm very grateful to have met them in a relaxed atmosphere, unconstrained by schedule or stopwatch.

Same subject on a previous thread.

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,5776.0.html

That's such a cool story, MFP!

You nailed it - to get to "hang out", rather than than be ticked off a list is a fantastic and really memorable moment - thanks for sharing - A (phone cards  :lol)

Thanks, Alholio71. Simpler times, in retrospect. I sure gave that Telecom phone booth in Elizabeth Street a workout that day!

Ah... so you're the guy I had to set the dogs on when he wouldn't leave.  :old

General point - if you're lucky enough to find yourself in such a situation, the best strategy is to avoid turning into a raving fanboy* and just be cool. Treat them as human beings.

[* unlike me backstage at the London Gershwin gigs when Chris White of the Zombies was pointed out to me, at which juncture I turned into a gibbering banshee and accosted the poor sod, blabbering about what an amazing album Odessey & Oracle is. Sorry, Chris, but at least it gave Darian a huge giggle.]

Met Bruce in 1989.  I was working as the stage manager for VH-1.  We were taping segments of Peter Noone's "My Generation" when Bruce showed up to surprise Peter.  Side note:  Peter was a super nice guy to work & hang out with.  Anyway, between takes I'd mentioned to Bruce that I saw the band the night before in East Rutherford, NJ.  It was a Beachago show.  I also mentioned that I'd seen the 1975 version of Beachago.  Bruce asked me which one I liked better & I told a white lie - the '89 version.  Bruce responded he thought the '75 version was much better.  I found that pretty interesting since Bruce was out of the picture in '75.  Bruce also mentioned that there's a huge trove of Beach Boys video in the vaults that will never see the light of day due to rights issues.