The Smiley Smile Message Board

Anyone ever heard of this??

http://buzzardbook.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/282/ (http://buzzardbook.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/282/)

Never -  I guess Jon S is the guy who might be able to shed any light.

I can confirm that the footage survives, and that I've seen it and its probably the most amazing DW footage I've ever seen, but I'm not at liberty to reveal who has the lone copy.

Thanks Jon !
Can you tell us what you can see on the footage and how long it is?

this must have taken place 1-13-77
You know even a year earlier I couldn't see Dennis acting quite like this. Please tell us the rest of what happened?

what exactly is the get down?

Dennis looks absolutely great in this footage, physically he's in excellent shape...and he doesn't come off as drunk as I remember it, but yes he's drinking. Something about Murray Saul's rap(the get down) and demeanor, voice, whatever, trips a switch inside DW's psyche. He reminds him of his dad. Total emotional meltdown ensues. This footage is maybe the best evidence of how messed up Dennis really was. It vividly illustrates his deep deep emotional pain. There's nothing else like it.

"and that's where things went terribly wrong". Where can I get the rest of the story? It gives a link to get more details, but the link is dead.

Jay I think the rest must be in the Buzzard book. I haven't read it but Jon gives us a good idea. Poor guy. Murray had the same name so maybe that is it. He was also around 50 then so he was older etc.  I am a little too young to remember these "get down" things though I remember how big WMMS was. I was in Cleveland from when I was born in 1976 until mid 1989. I am surprised I never heard of this before, it seems to be an early sign of the hard times to follow.

You know, I'm kind of torn on whether I'd ever want something like this to be bootlegged or released officially. The hardcore fan in me is glad it has survived, but there are just some things that should always be private, you know what I mean? What do you think? I'm not even sure if I'd want to see it if I were ever given the chance.

Basically I feel that all of us here would probably get something out of it. For people that don't study his career, who aren't truly interested in what made him tick...it's really hard to say. If this film was part of a sober no holds bared documentary I think it could be something important. At the same time if it was first seen by being leaked onto youtube I think it would be in bad taste.

An American Band has some heartbreaking footage and it was pretty effective there. I have said this before but that 1983 footage scared me when I saw it at age 12. I think it really kept me from getting into the drug scene. 

Having said all this, the Beach Boys do deserve some private moments. Landy filmed Brian almost daily, does it mean we should see it? This is a tangled web of a story and I want to figure it out as much as anyone, but where is the line you don't cross?

I'm not familiar with the dark side of Dennis, just saw him come drunk to some concerts.  What's that all about, if someone would care to share some of the Dennis story. 

John, what happened exactly?

Apparently these are examples of "get downs"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td9cy-DZkSc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtkPIG3xP7Q

Wtf... If I had this weirdo screaming this stuff in my face, I'd have a meltdown too.  :)

Well, to be honest, his voice reminds me of when Brian tries to imitate Murry. Maybe Dennis was reminded of his childhood by this as well as, as someone already posted, by the sheer name

Jon, would you say that Dennis's deep emotional pain leading to the meltdown is related to this observation you made in another thread?

As I said above, he reminded him of his father. That's all it had to do with.