The Smiley Smile Message Board

What was Carl Wilson's last ever performance? And is there tapes of this concert somewhere and if so is it any good? Also does anyone know when the Like A Brother album was recorded? Thanks

Go to Eric's setlist archive page that will tell you. I have heard a little from the last year but not sure if it is from his very last show. He sounded good considering his health. Like a Brother was recorded  about 1994 or so.

Thanks for the answer, I cant believe Like A Brother was recorded that long ago, that really amazes me. Yeah I was just wondering about Carl's last live performance, because Ive got tapes of him from '97 and just wasnt sure if it was his last performance (I checked Eric's page) and according to him the song Ive got is from Carl's last performance (or atleast one of the last performances) Thanks again :)

Hey no problem, always glad to help.  I want to  thank Eric myself because he does a terrific job.

Couldn't agree more. The whole Beach Boys society (or whatever you want to call it) is fantastic, always helping each other out and especially all the people who go to that extra effort to help fellow fans out, ie: Eric's site, AGD's site and all the other sites (the album covers one etc... etc..)

Without looking at the archive, just off the top of my head, I think it was on or around August 27, 1997.  It was definitely 20-something.

Do you own this tape Eric? Also Eric, do you know what concert Jon Stebbins (assuming youve read "The Real Beach Boy") was describing when he was talking about a concert where Brian tried to imitate Mike due to Mike's absence (some TM-related thing). Cheer Eric, and thanks for all the work on your site.

No, I don't have this on tape.  Atlantic City, I believe, was the venue.

I haven't read "The Real Beach Boy" yet...hope to get a copy when it comes out...

I'm not 100% sure if its that concert (August 27) but I can send you a track from that concert if you want (ive only got the one track from the concert - "God Only Knows")

The date of Carl's last show, like the date of Denny's, is one of those strangely gray areas in BB history. On my timeline, I've got it down as 8/29/97 in Atlantic City,  NJ, based on eye-witness testimony, but so many people have said an earlier date that  it makes you wonder.

The show Jon was talking about was Brian in 1970 replacing Mike on a three day late winter tour. The sound quality isn't great but Brian is still (imho) in his prime giving a fine performance.

It isn't any earlier than 8/29/97, because Carl performed at the show in the Woodlands that I was originally going to go to.

Carl's last show was definitely during the Atlantic City run in late August of 1997.

he sounds so good on that 1997 "God Only Knows"... hard to believe he was already pretty sick.

http://uploaded.to/?id=19t7a3

Believe Dennis's was July 04, 1983, no?

I was looking at some old e-mails that discussed individual Beach Boys' final performances with the touring band...here's what we came up with (these may be wrong):

Dennis Wilson: 9/26/83 (Pomona, CA, I think)
Brian Wilson: 6/14/96 (Nashville, TN)
Carl Wilson: 8/27/97 (Atlantic City) or 8/29/97 (that's new to me, but definitely possible!)
Al Jardine: 5/9/98 (Detroit, MI private show)
Dave Marks: 7/4/99 (Kelseyville, CA)...last appearance as official member...he did make guest appearances in subsequent years...the most recent one I know about is 12/8/05 in Wallingford, CT

Glen Campbell appeared as recently as 12/7/05...not sure what his last show was as an official band member.

Ricky Fataar stayed until December of 1974, I think...does anyone know his last date?

Blondie Chaplin stayed until December of 1973...I'm not sure where I remember reading this...

Any corrections are very welcome...

the Keith Badman-book mentions last performances from both Blondie and Ricky. December is correct, but can't remember the exact date now. I could look that up when I'm home, but if someone beats me to it, no problem.

With the Mike&Bruce-show? Are there recordings from that concert?

The DW date was when he was last on stage with the band, playing one song during the encore - his last full show was some weeks earlier, I forget where. Paging Jon Stebbins !

David's last show with the 'real' BB was 10/5/63, San Diego.

Brian's last gig with the band was 9/8/96, Navy Pier, Chicago.

Blondie quit after the 12/19/73 show at Madison Square Garden. Ricky left spring 1975-ish.

A picture of the show was on the Beach Boys Band site, but now it's not there.  :-\

Just checked Badman's book: page 342. If Badman is correct on this, Ricky's last concert appearance was on Dec. 18th 1974 (Warner Theater Fresno, CA). The day after he apparently wasn't part of the group anymore.

Thanks!!  I didn't know that Brian did more shows after Fan Fair...good to know.

Thanks for the upload, bossaroo. You're right, that's one of the best versions of "God Only Knows" I've ever heard...

And that intro by Mike Love is one of the few moments of genuine sincerety I've ever heard from him on stage... in his own Mike Love kind of way...

The GOK version uploaded by Bosaroo earlier in this thread is actually from either August 3 or 4 '97 at the Glen Helen Blockbuster Pavilion just outside Los Angeles.  I know because I was at that show, last time I saw the Boys.  I recognize it only due to Carl's intro of his doctors who were there that night at the show. Carl was treating in LA at the time. I saw and spoke very briefly with Carl that night before the show and can confirm he was in very bad shape. He sat through the entire concert except for the opening Calif. Girls  and God Only Knows. Thanks for the upload, it brought back memories.

Thanks for the post on that show SouthBay.  It's hard to helplessly think about Carl going through what he did with his illness, but it is inspiring to hear about the courage and dignity he exhibited.  I like it that he got his Doctors out to the show and  introduced them to the audience. 

I was at the Glen Helen show, too - thanks for posting that audio clip.

I remember being very moved by just how sweet Carl's voice was that night, despite everything.