The Smiley Smile Message Board

Hey guys,

After rereading some of my books on the BB (Leaf's, Brad's articles), I have seen an incident that has been hinted at but never fully discussed. Yet these and other writers have talked about it endlessly. So my question is:

What happened at the Greek Theatre in LA in 1981 with Brian and the rest of the group? The story going around since it happened was that Bruce was getting ready to do Disney Girls at which time the other members usually departed the stage to allow Bruce a little solo limelight. But Brian refused to get up from the piano and leave, yelling at everyone who tried to get him to leave.

I am not looking for "gossip". It's just when several different writers talk about it in vague terms, you just want to know what was up.

Thanks,
Bob Flory

I read two things back in "the day":  one in Billboard, which just basically said Brian was in a weird mood, and at the start of "God Only Knows" (which he was singing due to Carl's absence), he punched his microphone for giving him feedback, then stalked offstage, leaving Al to take over the lead vocal.  Brian returned later.  Ironically, there was an ad for the Shure SM57 microphone that ran in a few music magazines around the same time, in which several artists, including Brian, endorsed that as their mic of choice.  I wonder if the mic Brian was pictured signing into was the same one he slapped upside the head?

Then, in Creem, I read that Dennis and Mike had a "bloody fistfight" backstage.  That was the exact term used: "bloody fistfight".  It didn't say why, however.

Ed Roach was probably around and could maybe tell you.

I have been trying to find this out for years and nobody would tell me.

Just another day at the office, vintage 1977-83.  :(