The Smiley Smile Message Board

From the Twitter feed of the QI Elves ( @qikipedia : Quite Interesting bits and pieces from the mythical creatures behind BBC TV's QI)

"Only one of the Beach Boys actually surfed"

Now, we all know this statement is not strictly true, don't we ? Could we post some responses to these guys on Twitter (put them up here as well) as I don't think this should be unchallenged ?

It's more or less true. Dennis was the only avid surfer. The others tried it but did not stick with it.

those posers don't know what they're talking about.

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Bruce still surfes. But if you're referring to the original guys - yes.

Keep in mind that Mike claims he surfed too. Remember his claim that he though of the idea for "Do It Again" after going surfing with a guy named "Bill Jackson". I gotta say, could one think of a more made-up type name than "Bill Jackson"? I don't believe for a second that story is true.

Thing is, one need not necessarily surf to enjoy and be a part of beach/surf culture.  Plus (and if I'm wrong I'm sure somebody will correct me), but I don't remember reading or hearing anything claiming that none of the others BBs EVER got on a board.  I've always understood the "only Dennis surfed" thing to mean Dennis was the only avid surfer.  My dad and one of my brothers are pretty avid fisherman.  I don't consider myself a fisherman, but I spent enough time on the lake with them growing up to know a thing or two about it.  Were I a painter, it wouldn't be a stretch if I were to start my career with paintings of flies and rainbow trout.

While I don't necessarily question Mike's story, I'd love to hear about this Bill Jackson guy... Has he ever been mentioned again after the original story where Mike dropped his name?

Bill Jackson. Such a cool name. It doesn't get much more American than that. Kind of like Max Power. Johnny Cash. Bruce Johnston.

Right. As far as I know, each of the boys tried it at least once. Dennis was the surfer, Mike did it now and then (although I don't know if/when he stopped), Bruce is still out there from time to time - and the rest of them, Al/Carl/Brian/David, never got into it, I guess. Those guys (apart from Dennis) never were the surfer type to begin with. The actual surfers who hung out at the beach all day were guys like Dennis, not 'squares' like Carl or Al.
Isn't it crazy how all of this started with a teen garage band searching for a topic to sing about and one of them (who wasn't really in the band) suggested the current surfing craze? From that perspective it's hard to expect any of them to actually give a sh*t about the sport (nevermind actually catching a wave).


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"SURFING?  I DON'T WANT TO GO SURFING, NOW LOOK YOU GUYS!"

I just recently bought the Good Vibrations Tour DVD.  What a strange production.

What is strange about it? It seems very much of it's time. Remember too, that was produced by Saturday Night Live producer, Lorne Michaels. It has a documentary-skit feel to it.

More importantly, it was directed by Gary Weis who did all those SNL short films so it has his style.

He also made another film with a former Beach Boy you guys might have heard of... THE RUTLES! I'm guessing this was good practice.

Many people are now saying the "Dennis was the only Beach Boy who surfed" meme is untrue because Bruce surfs, and I guess a couple of the others tried it etc... But that piece of Beach Boys lore actually comes from the earliest Beach Boys press and interviews during the '62 - '64 period when they were constantly asked about surfing because of the fame they had gained due to singing about it. The answer from the band and their press releases was always "Dennis is the only one of the boys who is a real surfer"...he was a known surfer before the group became famous and he continued to surf into the '70's. Bruce was not a member of the Beach Boys until after all of those surfing hits and after all of that early press had branded Dennis as the band's only legit surfer. The Beach Boys FAQ book has a chapter that looks closely at this subject.

Gary Weis is a terrific director, his SNL film set to "Homeward Bound" is one of the most emotional short films I've ever seen (one of my favorite films period), I'd say pure genius based on basic subject matter. I actually didn't realize or didn't consider that Weis shot the Brian Wilson short!

That's not what I was saying. ;)
Any self-respecting BBs fan would know about which of them surfed and when, and how the image of Dennis as the only surfer came about. I merely wanted to put the quote into a more comprehensive context since most rock music fans (or casual fans of the band) know about Dennis being the only (real) surfer but not about the actual level of the other guys' surfing activities (Bruce, for example).

Dennis was the only real surfer from the founding members but would I be right in saying that both Dave and Carl loved instrumental surf music?

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666: SATAN'S CHILD

No, really, what you said is the truth.

On the Boys '78 tour of Australia - a country with a surfing culture as strong as if not greater than California - hip radio station 2JJ had a surfing program and had a respected journalist ('Reggae' Ellis if I recall correctly) of TRACKS surfing magazine interview both Dennis and Mike about surfing ... Dennis came off really cool, very knowledgeable about the latest trends in the sport, board design and how far Californian surfing had dropped behind the rest of the world at that time - on the other hand Mike came off as a complete guffawing kook ... it was embarrassing.

Yes, absolutely...early on they were hugely influenced by local surf instrumentalists like Dick Dale and the Bel-Airs, as well as some of  the more mainstream instrumental artists like the Ventures and Duane Eddy.

You can add whatever shading to it you desire but "Only one of the Beach Boys actually surfed" is false. Capt. Obvious out.

If Mike didn't surf, how would he have written all those surfing songs?

Clearly this attention to detail
suggests first hand experience.

Didn't Dave also claim that he and Carl were listening to B.B. King at this time? Impressive for a couple of white kids barely into teens in the early 60's, pre-blues boom.

Well for a start he managed to put "Australia's Narrabeen" into Surfin' USA so it tells you straight away that his geography wasn't too good ... and all one had to do in the early 60s was buy a copy of Surfer or Surfing magazine 'cut and paste' a few words and phrases into the song and any kook could be a "surfer".

I have been in favor of a search for Bill Jackson for a long time!

Yeah, maybe those two attributes fit Mr. Love to a "T".  :lol :lol

Yes, its truly amazing -- and without any Wikipedia in those prehistoric days  ;D

My interpretation has always been while others may have gone surfing, Dennis 'surfed'. Much the same as I might write a song, but Brian writes a 'song'. He knows what he is doing and is good at it!

Don't get me wrong, it's incredibly enjoyable but it's just odd in the sense that Brian clearly was not ready to be back on tour at that point and the fact that he barely even moves during the concert performances is completely ignored.

It was part of the "Brian's Back" campaign, ready or not. If you think that's bad, you should see him on the 1980 Tour or after Carl left in the early 80's. He wasn't ready then, either.

You are absolutely right, Mr. Funky. It is unquestionable that Dennis was the only competent surfer & the rest of The BBs - amateurs. For example, I have a collection of my own goosebumps written in 12 years old, but there's no way I'm a writer, let alone acclaimed. So, the "Only one of the Beach Boys actually surfed" statement is strongly valid.
Speaking of Bruce, well, I doubt he is as good a surfer as Dennis, plus he's not an original BB, therefore, can't be counted.

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We know Mike surfed because he did so with Dennis in the American Family movie.  End of discussion!  >:D