The Smiley Smile Message Board

so i was watchin the kokomo video, and it appears that The love machine can play the sax,

Can anyone confirm or deney this

He played sax on Shut Down as far as I know.

so he can play,

That brings him up a notch in my book,,,,he is now at notch 1

I hope you don't seriously think Mike played the sax solo on Kokomo...that's pure theater in the video. Mike put the sax down back in '65. Before that he did play some on the early tours and on the first couple LP's. Very limited...very primitive...I think he once admitted that he really only knew four notes. The best evidence of his playing is on the live version of What'd I Say from Australia '64...kind of a hard track to find...but its around. He jams pretty well on that one...also sounds decent on the live Lets Go Trippin on the '64 Concert LP. The Lost Concert video shows him droning away on the beginning of Fun Fun Fun. I actually dig the BB's with Mike on sax...they had a raw garage band sound back then.

I believe Richie Cannata played the sax solo on Kokomo. Listen to the new Hallmark CD or any concert recording/taping of the Boys post 1988. Richie always plays the sax.

Now that Richie no longer tours with the Beach Boys, the sax solo does not get played. Instead it is replaced by a keyboard solo. There is a concert video tape of the Beach Boys playing in Philly around '95 or so. Mike plays sax on shut down with Bruce cramming a mic down the bell of the sax. He then made sure the crowd noticed that he was playing the sax solo by arching back and acting like he was giving it all he had. The whole concert is ridiculous, with Stamos, cheerleaders, Mike in a hideous American Flag vest, Carl acting like he can't here through the moniters, Al with his pony-tail, and to top it off, Billy Hinche does the Wipeout rap all "pimped" out.

The only thing that saves this concert is Matt Jardine's take on Don't Worry Baby and Carl's ripping version of Wouldn't It Be Nice.

Actually, Joel Peskin played the sax solo on "Kokomo" (hit single version).  Richie Canata didn't start touring with the Boys unti '91.  Prior to that, Meros usually did the solo on synth, but in '88 Adam Jardine came out and did it at the show I saw.  In '89, when they were touring with Chicago, James Pankow would come out and do it (as on the episode from "Endless Summer" miniseries that year).  This latter is probably the version on the Hallmark CD.

As far as Mike goes, he started playing the sax live again on "Shut Down" in '81, but finally gave it up a few years ago...which I think is related to his softer singing style these days...meaning, I think he just doesn't have the power in his lungs that he once had.  Speculation on my part, but why else would he drop the sax after plyaing it live so many years on that one song?  FYI, Bruce played a bit of sax, too, on the '84 tour (intro to "Be True To Your School"...a song on which Al Jardine played piano that year...and in '82 as well...funny how well I remember some things!).

As far as that Fourth of July '95 Philly show goes...I didn't think it was all THAT bad...to me, "Wipeout" really rocked, despite the semi-silly rap which Billy was forced to do.  Carl and Al rocked out on guitars on that one!

Craig

I've been corrected on the Richie playing sax on Kokomo. But think I remember seeing his name on the credits of the Hallmark album. Oh well, I guess I'm wrong.

But the Philly show, it's worth watching at least once, but I reminds me of why people don't take the music of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys seriously. Don't get me wrong, I would see them in concert, in any lineup, anytime, but it is hard for me to tell someone about the Beach Boys when this type of image is portrayed in their minds. Unfortunately, the Beach Boys, they way they are going, could be an attraction in Branson, Missouri (you know, what Las Vegas would look like if Ned Flanders ran it).

James Pankow plays sax?  You might mean Walter Parazaider . . .

LOL that's funny.  Mike Love is great, though.   

There ya go!

Don't know about the sax, but apparently Mike could really play the skin flute!


 :lol


I kid, I kid...