The Smiley Smile Message Board

http://www.myspace.com/denniscarltour 

This tour kicks off Saturday in Cowtown, and hopefully I will get to go (still a few things to work out).  Anyone else in Columbus going?  If possible, want to hook up?  Rob McCabe, still going?

Alan Boyd will be there too.  Alan, if you pop in, what are we looking at for this tour?

I was fortunate enough to see Alan and Adam and the Chaos Band run through some of the Dennis/Carl material last night.  I think people will love it.  It's a real trip to hear songs that you'd never imagine you'd hear live.  They're really covering a lot of ground, from Friends all the way to the 90s, so there's something for everybody. 

I'm catching their shows at Hodadfest, Taylor MI, Chicago, and Cudahy WI.

Can't wait!  That's gonna be some fun times to celebrate after 2 years of college hell (but I graduate next week YAY!!!)

Not only do they cover a lot of ground, but they cover it realy, REALLY well!

I keep trying to figure out a way to get to a show...but short of a freak snow storm that closes school but miraculously lets me fly out to the midwest, and at a ridiculously low fare, i just don't see it happening...

I saw that Al Jardine claimed that this band does River Song better than Dennis. High praise from a man with very little nice to say about Dennis. I call bullshit.

ABOUT TIME we got something that people on the coasts look at us with envy over.  I can't tell you how many times I looked with envy on what other parts of the country get -- esp California.

Jason -- if I go, I will post my opinion and keep that in mind as I listen.

Al not having anything nice to say about Dennis?  That would be bullmerda.  

From the "Endless Harmony" interviews:

"Dennis Wilson's talents were highly underrated, but he was appreciated by none other than James William Guercio, who produced Chicago and then subsequently managed the Beach Boys....he produced, I think, a terrific album called Pacific Ocean Blue, which actually outsold the Beach Boys' album that particular time out.... I thought Dennis did his finest work on that album"

I've had quite a few conversations with Al over the years about Dennis and his music.  I can tell you that Al most certainly DID appreciate Dennis' work.   But keep in mind, back in the late 70s Dennis was not the easiest fellow to get along with.  I think it was hard for some people in that world to get past the unpredictable, sometimes destructive behavior in order to really hear the music he was creating.  Which in itself got Dennis even more frustrated and more prone to unpredictable, sometimes destructive behavior..... a very sad vicious circle all around.  

One thing I've learned these last few years working with the group and their archives - none of the BB saga is cut and dry, black and white, heroes or villains.... it's all varying shades of grey, and a lot more complicated than I ever dreamed it could be!

By the way, Dennis never got an opportunity to perform "River Song" live, sadly.  Blondie sang it in concert on the 1973 summer tour, and the arrangement was still somewhat "embryonic."  I wonder if Al was sort of remembering that when he made his comment....

Alan

Alan, your input is greatly appreciated. My remark is by no means an attack on the work you're doing in bringing this show to the people. My remarks were made based on accounts I've read about Al and Dennis' relationship. There are many accounts that I've seen of Al being very dismissive towards Dennis and his talents; I've seen and heard very few positives out of Al about Dennis. I'm glad to know that I'm wrong in my remarks.

Do you read the Beach Boys related literature you purchase, Jason? Or any of the interviews you find online?

Some aural evidence of Alan's belief in Dennis' talent:
The "biggest Beach Boys fan" in 51 (52?) states *HAS* to own a copy of 'Hawthorne CA', right? Maybe he should quit polishing the bishop over 'Secret Smile' cover-art for long enough to actually LISTEN to it. Here's what Mr. Jardine says on Disc2, track #14...
"Dennis Wilson's talents were highly underrated"
"He taught himself the piano!"

Most accounts seem to indicate that AJ's reservations were lifestyle and band-welfare oriented. Can't say that I've come across much criticism of any of the music Dennis was making.

Did Al say something about "River Song"?

I never said that Al had nothing good to say about Dennis; his comments over the last few years certainly point up the holding pattern that he was in fact complimentary towards Dennis and his music.

But wasn't Al the same guy who said they could do it without him on the tarmac at the airport in '77? You know what incident I'm talking about.

I'm thinking about getting a band together to do a "music of Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston" tour.

Maybe Al meant they do "River Song" better live than Dennis did on record...

I caught the Chaos Band's tribute to DW and CW last year in Hawthorne, and it was fantastic! I am a huge fan of the "Other Brothers'" music and the Chaos Band does the younger Wilsons' canon justice. GO SEE THIS SHOW if it comes your way!!

Unfortunately, I am not in a position to travel long distances right now, so I am hoping the Chaos Band will consider some venues in the Southeast, especially Atlanta or Athens.

Uh-oh- looks like we have another Georgia Cracker here.  You go to UGA, Emdeeh?

I don't go there, I work there!  8)

Their cover of River song is surreal; very, very surreal.

I'd definitely recommend the show if they play close to you.

I'm hoping to see the show in Covington if I can find someone to come with me. Any thoughts on that show's venue - The Mad Hatter? A quick google search doesn't turn up a page for them.

Mark, I can't help you with Covington.  It may only be 90 minutes away, but I can't go to more than 1 show, and I can't pass up a local one.

OK, I am in unless there is some emergency.  To anyone on this board who is planning on going to the Columbus show:  as of now, a group of us is meeting at either 5:30 or 6 PM that night at the Panda Inn restaurant which is a block away from the club where the band is appearing:

http://cityguide.aol.com/columbus/dining/venue.adp?town=1676&cat=vt%5f45%5fst%5f&page=detailSummary&id=105257534&skip=32&back=search%252eadp%253ftown%253d1676%2526cat%253dvt%25255f45%25255fst%25255f%2526page%253dlistingsLong%2526skip%253d30%2526layer%253dvenues&layer=venues

It's decent food, it's cheap and it's close.  I am waiting to hear from some Columbusites (like Leon Lively) to see if they are interested and in.  Since I haven't consulted everyone, this may change.  If so, I will post any changes.  Plans will be finalized by Friday, I hope.  Please if you are interested in going to this show, PM me or post here, so I have some idea to give to the server.

And Alan, no idea what you guys do before a show, but you are all certainly welcome to come join in with us!  In fact, you would be the guest of honor if you did!   ;D

Jeff - that sounds great!  I may try to take you up on that, and I'll definitely pass it along to the Chaos gang.

Keep in mind, though - we'll be flying in to Columbus pretty close to when we're supposed to get onstage and do the show.  We may be scrambling to get set up in time!  With three keyboard rigs and a mess o' guitars and drums, it takes a bit of doing...

(Man, I can't believe we're really doing this thing.  Wow.)

Alan

Maybe we can go out after together somewhere then...   ;D

(or maybe I can just be happy to get the show and call it good, and not be a greedy pig)

I'm just grateful you're doing this thing. Carl and Denny's music deserves the exposure, and y'all are getting it out there and doing it justice. Please, please, please bring this tour to the South!

It's only in the South to some people, but if anyone is in the central Kentucky area maybe we could combine forces to get there. I'm in Lexington but at the moment still canvassing my friends and acquaintances to find company for a trip.

Just found out....

There's another band, a popular local one, on the docket for the evening.  So the place could be crowded.  Alan, who's playing first?

I think the other band is up first...

Not to contradict, but Adam posted somewhere that due to your complicated rig, in many instance YOU GUYS are the first band.  Might want to check from venue to venue, folks...

Egads, you're right, Susan...

We're up first, 8:15.

Yikes....

Cool!  We get what we want and we can go somewhere else while the night is still young!   :lol

Alan, don't know if you're still monitoring this thread, but just wanted to wish you guys good luck and I'll see ya next weekend!

Update --

I have heard from Leon and he may be in with us (uncertain yet).   I think he is OK with the plans as listed above; under that assumption, let's call it final.  Panda Inn around 5:45 or so (splitting 5:30 and 6) for dinner and going to the show at Polo's afterward tomorrow night.  Looking forward to it!

Alan, here's praying you all have a safe flight.  And Rob, drive safely tomorrow.

Wow, what a night.  The whole day was great for me, as I got to see my girl at two parties (watching your daughter have fun is always the best).  But it only got better.

First off, the dinner went great.  It was the McCabes and I for a long while, and we caught up on the board world as you only can face to face.  About 2/3s of the way through, the band mostly came in to grab Chinese to go and sat with us for a while:

(http://img286.imageshack.us/img286/7963/pandainn8lu.th.jpg) (http://img286.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pandainn8lu.jpg)

Adam was agitated because the sound man was VERY late and so there would be no good sound check.  But we had a good if brief chat.  Most of them left after about 15 minutes, but Alan Boyd hung out a good while longer.  Not only did we get some good BB insight, I learned that he and I have some similar interest in old film and film preservation.   Good conversation all around.  A couple other BB fans showed up from Cincy, and note that they WILL be at the Covington show, so there is some companionship to seek.

And the show!  What a great show it was.  Some pix:

(http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/354/ktsachaos0ra.th.jpg) (http://img146.imageshack.us/my.php?image=ktsachaos0ra.jpg)

(http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/1737/sidechaos2il.th.jpg) (http://img119.imageshack.us/my.php?image=sidechaos2il.jpg)

(http://img119.imageshack.us/img119/4259/chaosbass4de.th.jpg) (http://img119.imageshack.us/my.php?image=chaosbass4de.jpg)

(click on the pic for a larger version)

While the Wondermints and Brian's band works to replicate Brian's work as exactly as possible, the Chaos Band takes another approach.  This makes sense, in that Brian worked up elaborate productions with intricate arrangements, communicating emotion like the cry of a child in some ways, very delicate.  Dennis, on the other hand, was passionate like the force of an open vein.  He wore his heart on his sleeve and was about intensity.  So that's how the Chaos Band went -- to replicate the feel of a Denny track as opposed to the sound.  And they nailed the feel IMO.

The show both opened and closed (with one exception) with original material by Adam, Alan, and Evie, and while I didn't know any of it in advance, I enjoyed it.  But the music was a hardcore's dream:  live versions of many songs you never dreamed you would hear.  I didn't make a set list, but let's see:

they did (not in this order)

River Song
Moonshine
Long Promised Road
Trader
Little Bird
Celebrate the News
All I Want To Do
Forever
Got To Know the Woman
Where I Belong
Keeping the Summer Alive
What's Wrong
Baby Blue
Angel Come Home

Final song: Heroes and Villains, closer to the 1973 version than the 1967 version.

PLUS full band versions of Carry Me Home and Wouldn't It Be Nice to Live Again.  And now that I have heard more than a piano doing that song, I want someone to release that sucker somehow -- the band version blew away the piano demo Alan provided us.  I was completely impressed, and came away thinking that had Denny lived, this group could have been for him what the Mints were for Brian.

And as if this evening hadn't been enough, all six stuck around for over an hour to hang out.  So we got to talk with Alan Boyd for most of that time.  It was a great rap that covered the Endless Harmony doc, why Smile died, Brian and Mike's relationship, Alan's stories of working with the band, Phil Spector, and the future of the new BB website.  All six of them were great, but Alan in particular was the kind of guy you want to go to a coffee shop with, get something and kick back a whole afternoon (as opposed to a parking lot in sub-60 degree weather in shorts).  Totally appreciated by us.

And also, one last pic of me and Rob McCabe (I'm on the left):

(http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/9830/menrobmcc0ju.th.jpg) (http://img19.imageshack.us/my.php?image=menrobmcc0ju.jpg)

Bottom line:  if you can see this show, GO!  It is a dream for hardcore fans.  When he said that the following song would test the knowledge of the fans present (introducing Where I Belong), Adam followed it up with "Yes, it's from Summer In Paradise": "Lahaina Aloha".  You know that they are hardcore when they make a joke like that...

Man, Jeff, that was fast!

What Jeff said.  (Maybe I'll add more when I'm not half-asleep!)  Although Jeff did leave out one thing.  The totally bitchin' cover of All I Want to do - Adam sings it better than Mike Love ever could. ;D
Good night!
Rob

I REALLY must have been half asleep because I now realize Jeff did mention AIWTD. Whoops!!!!

 :thewilsons

That sounds like a really cool time.  I'm looking forward to hearing the whole set, since they only did a few songs here before they left.

I really liked their version of "Where I Belong."  For some reason that song in general has been hitting me pretty hard lately, and I thought it was a good choice of a later Carl song.

Glad the meet-up got to work out!

They need to come to Miami...

And then Connecticut...

And a stopover at Atlanta on their way to CT!

Thanks for the reviews, guys. Glad to hear you enjoyed the show as much as I did last year. Can you elaborate on what Alan B. said about the new BB website?

Alan, I hope this is OK -- you never really said it was hush hush...

High level -- details are still being ironed out on legalities of tape ownership before it can go live.  The intent is to sell both downloads and silver CDs.  One of the first projects intended is a Carnegie Hall set.

That's great news!

Happy dance!!!! :happydance

Wow, that's awesome!

Can I also add that their version of "River Song" is awe-inspiring?

crap, wish i had read this thread earlier....i am in ironton, ohio..2hrs south of columbus. i wish i had made the trip rob..could have talked about the ol days from cabinessence.com  :)   <--clue-->  :)

Well, you could still catch them in Covington, KY -- that's basically Cincy.

when are they there?

This Thursday.
http://www.myspace.com/denniscarltour

ok ..thanks...anyone else here going??

I'll be there, probably with at least one or two other folks from central Kentucky. I realize I'm a pretty new registrant (been lurking around for a bit though).