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I recently became aware that Carl Wilson is credited with background vocals for David Lee Roth's California Girls cover as well as on Tom Petty's great Wildflowers album.  I will have to try and listen for him on DLR's California Girls.

Does anyone know which particular tracks Carl sang backup for on for Wildflowers?


Also, any other notable guest appearances by BB's anywhere that we should know about?

Yes, lots ! Most of the early ones are covered in the Brad Elliott tome "Surf's Up" ...

Honey Bee


Try  http://www.btinternet.com/~bellagio/

Cool., was hoping it was more than just one song.  Thanks for the link.  Wonder if the invitation had anything to do with Carl's own Wild Honey...

Hmm, Carl Wilson working with David Lee Roth. Must've been demeaning to him, thwarting his creativity, hurting the legacy, etc. Probably did it for social harmony! I wonder what Carl thought about the video?

Anyway, I'll say Al Jardine guesting on "Surfer Girl" with Holiday And The Adventure Pop Collective.

Bruce was on someone's cover of All Summer Long a little while back.

The thing about Carl in the background of Petty's 'Honey Bee' is that I can't really hear him at all. He's so far down in the mix. A shame. Carl also sings background vocals on Petty's 'Hung Up And Overdue' from the She's The One soundtrack. Great song and I can actually hear Carl in it.

Of course, it's quite well known that Carl and Bruce sing background vocals on Elton John's 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me' (along with Toni Tennille and Billy Hinsche). You can especially hear Carl on the lines "don't let the sun" in the BG of the chorus. The credits also say that Bruce arranged the vocals. It's interesting to note that 'Don't Let The Sun' was recorded in January '74, a few years after Bruce had left the group. The song was recorded at the late Caribou Ranch here in my home state, which might have been around the same time the Beach Boys were recording there. Or am I way off?

And of course, some of the Beach Boys sang on Chicago's 'Wishing You Were Here'. If I remember correctly, it was Carl, Mike, Al and...Dennis? I watched a long video of the Boys and Chicago playing a new years eve party, '74/'75, and Carl, Mike and Al (Dennis wasn't at the show) singing backup on the song for Chicago. Thing is, I could still hear the recorded track of their vocals being played in the background. So the Boys might have been kinda lip syncing there. Dunno.

Chicago's hit single Wishing You Were Here...backgrounds by Carl, Dennis and Al...there's no Mike on that one.

The Beach Boys guested on tons of songs. I think Bruce sang on The Wall - I know he arranged the vocals for it, at least. Mike and I think Al did backing vocals for Charles Lloyd. Mike, Carl, Al, and possibly Bruce sang on "Good Music" by Joan Jett. I could go on and on.


I saw that video. I remember thinking their vocals were way too good to be live.

the video...? Well I guess it was quite inspiring, cause a year later he's having a ball in the videoclip of RnR to The Resque...and I see some parallels in both vids...  :-D

Doubt the bvs were recorded at Caribou as a few days prior to the session that produced the released version, Bruce assembled  the following stellar cast -

Danny Hutton
Dusty Springfield
Gerry Beckley
Cat Stevens
... and some guy called Brian Wilson.

Unfortunately, no-one sang up to par, and I don't see all these people just happening to be at Caribou - I'm thinking Brother.

Baby What A Big Surprise

A couple of noteworthy late '80s appearances:  Carl and Bruce sing on two tracks on Elton John's REG STRIKES BACK album, most noticeably on "Since God Invented Girls," one of EJ's best late period tracks and one of the very few where he uses his old falsetto.  The whole band (minus Brian, plus Billy Hinsche) also sang backup on Joan Jett's "Good Music" single.  Of all people to get the whole band together to sing, you'd never think it was Joan Jett.  Apparently it just snowballed from one person to the whole band ("he's doing it?  I want to do it too!") although I don't remember where I heard this.  Carl even plays the "Sloop John B" guitar riff on the track. 

As for Carl's appearance on "California Girls," I recall an interview somewhere with Carl where Roth's people had asked Carl if he'd be offended if they asked him to sing on it and he had said "hell no!"  Carl sings the part Bruce Johnston did on the original.  I  had heard somewhere that Bruce is on this track too, but I think that was probably not really the case.

I read a story around the time Roth's CG came out that said Carl was brought aboard on the project by Christopher Cross, who also sings on the backing vox.

And don't forget Bruce Johnston and Toni Tenille singing backing vocals on Pink Floyd's *The Wall* -- one of my fave obscure BB guest shots.

All Life Is One by Charles Lloyd has vocals recorded during the Sunflower era of I think the whole group minus Bruce and Dennis. Brian is very prominent and his vocals are up to the high standard of Sunflower itself. Great song.

Huh. Guess the liner notes for the song on Elton John's Greatest Hits album are lying. Thanks for the bgv info.

and yes, I forgot, you're right, Jon, no Mike on 'Wishing You Were Here'. I was mixing it up since Mike did sing bgvs with Carl and Al (along with the other members of Chicago now that I think about it) on that afore mentioned New Years show that I saw on Youtube. Maybe Mike was vocally subbing for Dennis (who wasn't there).

If you listen to the ending of the DLR California Girls, last 15 seconds or so, you can plainly hear Carl repeating the line; wish they all could be California Girls.  Off hand, I can't specify which other parts he sings.

'The Air That I Breath' with Julio Iglesias.

http://www.alberthammond.net/life-pictures-detail.page?gallery.album=with_other_artists&gallery.picture=Albert_Hammond_001.jpg

Looks like Landy let Brian sing on that one!

I believe Brian even arranged the vocals iirc

Dave Edmund's 'London's A Lonely Town' features Bruce on vocals.  I've also read that Brian is on there too but never saw that confirmed.   In any case, a great song!  Check it out if you haven't heard this gem!

Brian's not on it.

Is it just Bruce AGD?  Really got that BB sound.

By the way, what's your opinion of 'Proud Mary"?  I seem to agree with your opinions much more often than nought!

Wasn't there a problem with Bruce singing on 'The Wall', something to do with not wanting to be associated with a 'druggy' band - the height of hypocrisy if you ask me!

I think there was that kind of problem with the other Beach Boys - initially they were supposed to sing harmonies on 4 tracks of the album (The Show Must Go On / In The Flesh / Run Like Hell / Waiting For The Worms).

Here's an excerpt of an interview with Roger Waters:

The Show Must Go On starts with a close harmony. One of the singers is Bruce Johnston from The Beach Boys. Initially the plan had been to have the whole Beach Boys band harmonize on The Show Must Go On and Waiting for the Worms, but that plan got scrapped.

Roger: 'They agreed to do it. We asked them to do it and they were going to do it but then they went off and toured Japan or something else instead. I think they were quite into doing it; mind you, they hadn't seen all the racialist stuff that comes with the song we were going to ask them to sing. I don't know what they would have thought of that because Bruce Johnston came down and did it so he's credited on it, as one of the backing singers. I really like the sound they make a lot, and it epitomises that sound.'

Recently heard Brian's vocal contributions to Blondie Chaplin's song Hand on My Shoulder on the Anton Fig album called Figments. There is also a hidden track at the end of the CD with just Brian's vocals.   I love Blondie's work and wish Brian would collaborate with him more often.... very nice!!

Great story on how Brian became involved in the Figments project with a clip from the song here:

http://www.antonfig.com/brianwilson.htm

Just Bruce, Curt Becher, Gary Usher and a few other usual suspects.

"Proud Mary" ?  Plod, plod, plod. Mind you, at least he gets to use the "Shortenin' Bread" riff for a whole song here !

The vocal session for the Floyd was cancelled the morning it was supposed to take place, October 2nd 1979 at Sundance Productions. The session was scheduled from noon to 5pm. The vocals were recorded two days later at The Producers Workshop.

Mahalo AGD!