The Smiley Smile Message Board

I REALLY don't want this topic to get deleted, but it treads on very shakey grounds. There is a certain recently created blog which currently has a show for download that is claimed to be from Perth, 1978. I have never heard this particular recording. It is NOT the show that is circulating on DVD, and it is NOT the currently circulating show where Carl apologises for his behaviour. On this "new" recording, Carl does a very terrible job at "singing" Darlin'. He misses most of the second verse for some reason, and there seems to be some odd commotion going on during this section. It sounds like something falls down. Also of note is a horrible version of Wouldn't It Be Nice, with what sounds like a plastered Brian singing in a deep bass voice. Also  on this recording is the version of God Only Knows that was a "bonus track" on a certain Hawaii 1967 bootleg. Is this recording new to the public, or is it old news that I have somehow missed? 

Discussing live recordings or bootlegs is just fine.

As for the topic itself. I've heard about it, and it probably circulates, but not widely as far as I know.

Carl, perhaps?  :)

probably the famous Perth show-that he apologized for the next day.  The video that circulates is from Melbourne-taped for TV

Ian is correct, the show on the website is the Perth Entertainment Centre show on 14 March 1978 ... and includes the sound of a (reportedly) stumbling over Carl. Just about all the shows from the 1978 Australian & New Zealand tour are in circulation, in one form or another, the two most prominent being the Perth 15 March '78 show which was booted under the "Surfin' Down Under" title and the Melbourne Myer Music Bowl show from either the 8th or 9th of March that year, the recording in circuation of Melbourne is a selected portion of the show which was recorded for television.  There is also sitting in the vaults of TV New Zealand, and unseen for 30 years, pristine copies of the Auckland show.

Christchurch. The Auckland show was not taped as I remember.

I suggested Ian contact TVNZ earlier this year. Any luck Ian?

Here's what circulates from the 1978 Australia/New Zealand tour.

2/28 Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Christchurch, NZ (50 minutes)
3/5 Festival Hall, Brisbane, QLD, Australia (85 minutes)
3/9 Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, VIC, Australia (55 minutes)
3/14 Perth Entertainment Centre, Perth, WA, Australia (90 minutes)
3/15 Perth Entertainment Centre, Perth, WA, Australia (90 minutes)

The 3/14 show that's being referred to as "newly surfaced" has been around for years.

Honestly no one keeps better track of what's around then yourself.

I got ears, ya know? I hear things. :)

That, and I've way too much time on my hands sometimes.

Sorry for the confusion.  :) I asked about the show where Carl passed out, or fell down, on this very message board about a year ago, and was told that it did not circulate. Obviously somebody was wrong.

Several months ago I offered to bank roll whatever is needed to view and/or copy the films. The offer still stands.

For what it's worth I think we were talking about the film of it.

I would do Mafia jobs to see that film.  ;D

we all hope it doesn't come to that. ;D

For what its worth ... I have good reason to believe that there is more "out there" of the Australian and New Zealand 78 tour - its just in the hands of private collectors who guard it carefully. I have seen a list of what one person has who was very, very, very close to the 78 tour and there are more shows and more TV footage than we know of. The above list is pretty much all that is out there in the public domain. The 3/15 Perth show and the abbreviated 3/9 Melbourne shows are the only ones that ever made "commercial" bootleg release - the others have all seeped out of private collections over the years.

Sorry about the error with the NZ show, off the top of my head I said Auckland when I should have said Christcurch ... oh well, at least I didn't say Wellington!!

Actually, the specific recording that this topic is about was downloaded from a "commercial" bootleg. Unless somebody mis-matched the bootleg artwork with a different show.

One question I have is, what exact song did Carl pass out/fall down during? Or was it between songs? I've heard that Carl fell into the drums during Darlin'. Listening to the recording, there IS a chunck of vocals missing. But why would Carl be all the way back by the drums during a song he was singing lead on? I don't know why I'm so curios about that.

Curious...Are any of these down under gigs worth pursuing?  Sound quality wise, etc? 

Yes...probably a stupid question to ask a bunch of beach boy fanatics....and even dumber for a beach boy junkie to ask!   :P

My understanding is that the film of Carl's infamous collapsing gig will never be shown... because it cannot be shown.

Unless there are safeties, of course.

There was probably some stumbling involved. It wasn't like he dropped straight down from where he was standing. One of the two Aus. '78 shows I have on video features a very unsteady Carl, his ability to balance on his feet is real shaky...and he does actually stumble more than once. I don't have the show in which he actually fell to the floor, however, from the footage I do have i can easily imagine him stumbling backwards, trying to get his balance and ending up near the drum riser as he fell. In these BB's concerts Dennis seems much healthier and physically together than his brothers, which probably only means he had a higher tolerance for the substances they were sharing.

I was just wondering, because Darlin' is a fast paced song. You need to be close to the mike, you know what I mean? On the one Australian show I've seen, Carl is quite unsteady. When he takes a bow(I think after Surfer Girl), Dennis has his arm around Carl, and literally has to help him up. You mention that you have, or have seen, two films from that tour. May I ask for more details? I only know of one show that is circulating.

Dennis isn't in near the shape he was for sat the Summer of 1976 special but you are right he is the picutre of health next to his brothers. Such an odd film. Anyhow listening to Darlin is wild. Honestly its the worst thing I ever heard Carl do by far. I think he does fall during it listening close.

Someone (Steve Gaines ?) described his singing as "Elmer Fudd on valium": hilarious... and sadly, entirely accurate.

Andrew brings up a good point - if there's anyone we should ask about the 1978 Australia/New Zealand tour and its related footage, it's Mr. Gaines.

C'mon bro...credit where credit is due...that was my line...pg. 176 Real Beach Boy book.

Oops... my considerable bad. I am abject.  :-\

C'mon bro...credit where credit is due...that was my line...pg. 176 Real Beach Boy book.
[/quote]

Oops... my considerable bad. I am abject.  :-\
[/quote]Hey I'm just glad the line stuck in your head, considering all the stuff that's in there, that's a compliment.

I thought that Feel Flows from Maryland 1977 was bad...until I heard that version of Darlin'. Ouch.

Does that mean that the original film doesn't exist anymore?