I'm not being sarcastic, but honestly I thought maybe that "Marcella, hey" part was Ricky.

Now hear me out. It sounds a bit like the guy who sang part of "Here She Comes" and "Barnyard Blues" but maybe I'm wrong.

[Exile]

My feeling is that the surviving BBs are a lot less interested in what goes on these releases than we are.

Of course. I'd say nearly for sure. And I'd say the same for perhaps Bob Dylan and his Bootleg Series. Of all the major artists involved with their archival projects, I'd probably say maybe Pete Townshend is one of the few that would be super hands on. And maybe Mick Jagger with the Stones (at least Exile and Some Girls) as he actually went in and finished previously unfinished stuff for those projects re-issues.

Regarding all of the purported Dennis/Christine McVie recordings, I'm curious: A) How they've never surfaced for the most part, even though some pretty obscure stuff ("Cocaine/Hamburger Tape", etc.) has surfaced. and B) How substantive/finished the material is. How much is noodling/vamping, how much is backing tracks or just piano tracks with no melody/vocals, and what might be in even a somewhat "finished" state.

Also, C) Do they *really* exist, like multiple studio reels of completely unheard collaborations between the two?

The Dennis/Christine material to me, is something I'm filing under "amazing if true" but the thing is what could really be there? As a variation of what the poster above says, is there anything beyond noodling around? And if so, if they were cutting actual songs, were the actually finished. I assume whatever it is, it's not bells and whistles. So at best, hopefully some piano pieces with a decent vocal. And I don't see any duets. Is Dennis early '80s voice and Christine's voice even compatible? It'd be interesting to see what's up with all this.

[TWGMTR]

To generalize, I'd say Brian has tended to take musical riffs/motifs/bits from the past, usually of his own writing, and re-work them into something else. He has also of course remade his own finished compositions (e.g. the GIOMH album, etc.).

Dennis tended to do this sometimes as well (e.g. "Moonshine" vs. "Holy Man", etc.).

Whereas, Al has tended to workshop actual recordings sometimes for decades ("Loop de Loop", "Don't Fight the Sea", "Waves of Love") and then also has re-recorded old unreleased compositions ("And I Always Will", "Looking Down the Coast", etc.).

Meanwhile, Mike has often gone the route of just re-recording both BB hits and his own solo stuff over and over and over.

Carl has had so little output that it's hard to know much of what he may have reworked of his own.

Bruce seems to fixate on old tracks too. It was seemingly partly if not mostly his idea to use "When Girls Get Together" on KTSA ten years after the fact. He even toyed with putting 1963's "The Lord's Prayer" on KTSA. He of course infamously re-worked "Here Comes the Night", and also revamped his own "Ten Years Harmony" as "Endless Harmony." He has messed around with "She Believes In Love Again" multiple times after releasing it on BB '85, recording a solo version that popped up on that weird CD sampler a decade or so ago, and supposedly working on it with Foskett during the TWGMTR BB sessions.

I've got nothing to base this on and I might be totally wrong, but I wouldn't be surprised if the version of "She Believes In Love Again" from the TWGMTR sessions is an overdubbed version of Bruce's solo version from the sampler.

Also to add onto Bruce's obsession with his small list of songs he's written, lets not forget his re-recording of "Disney Girls" as a solo track in 1975 (for some reason credited to Papa Doo Run Run), only to be re-recorded again for his 1977 solo album Going Public and then again in the '90s for his orchestral project. Gotta say, Bruce has written a few tunes and he definitely tries to wring everything he can out of them.

I agree with what is written in this last post almost to the T. And I do think it would have been really cool to see
Carl and Al go out in a unplugged storytellers type of show. They were really the two voices in the Beach Boys to me live in oncert that stood out. Tough to hear them singing at sixties and seventies years of age about be true to your school and cheerleaders. Carl Wilson and Al Jardine solo story teller show would have been something else!

I think a Carl and Al show would have focused less on cheerleaders, school spirit, surfing and woodies, and more on music from the more 'adult' or 'serious' part of their careers.

I know what you're getting at and I dig it, but I don't even think it's that the group had done so much of the early material live, but the way it was presented. Al still does quite a few hits on his solo shows, but the presentation is so much classier than the '80s and '90s Beach Boys, or Mike's group's versions.

Hi.  What an abomination of a cause to play for.  I just signed and contributed.  Despicable gig in my opinion. Glad to see so many signatures.  Ray

Hey there Ray. Hope you're well. I don't know if you currently have Brian's ear, but perhaps you could encourage him and Al to distance themselves from this garbage?

Dig the Memphis-style guitars on this alternate "Slip On Through" and the country-ish psych guitars on "I'm Going Your Way". According to track sheet notations, these were (Mike) Deasy and Eddie (Carter). These two tracks were recorded at the same session at Gold Star, July '69.

On "Carnival", the guys sang each of their vocal parts separately, then doubled them (except for the fifth part) - a rare modus operandi for them, and probably the first time they ever did this. This was recorded on 16-track, so the final tape has four parts doubled and a single fifth part, using a total of 9 tracks for vocals (I think all of them except Bruce were involved with the recording). You can really hear the individual parts much better on this new remix than on the original bootlegged mix.

Hey c-man, I understand if you don't want to (or can't), but who are the instrumentalists and vocalists on "I'm Going Your Way" and "Carnival"?

[1967 - Live Sunshine]

Which shows? Hmm.

I'd have liked to see the March 27, 1965 show at Arie Crown Theater in Chicago. You had Brian near the height of his powers, singing "Please Let Me Wonder" and the band really sounding great.

I'd say 1967 Hawaii shows would be great to see for obvious reasons. I know that for years some "insiders" had pushed this whole thing that they sounded like sh*t, but I don't hear it when I listen to the Hawaii material from the 1967 - Live Sunshine set. "Heroes and Villains" sounded awesome and crazily enough I thought that "Barbara Ann" truly rocked.

The February 28, 1970 show at the Seattle Opera House is of obvious interest to me as well, with Brian rejoining the live group since Mike Love was not there. Surely would've been interesting to see.

From there, well...a choice Blondie and Ricky era show in like 1972 would be nice. Any later '70s shows with an engaged Brian would also be cool. From the '80s on, I think Live Aid might have been cool to see the guys at. I also would've liked to see the 1995 Las Vegas performance where Brian sang "Don't Worry Baby" in the original key (if memory serves), with help from Matt Jardine. After that, I guess I'd have to say the final show of C50 in 2012 would've been amazing.

He mentions his friend Bill Johnston as the person he went surfing with. I thought it was Bill Jackson. I am starting to doubt this story.

No disrespect, but you ever believed the story in the first place? Bill Jackson sounds like one of the most made up names ever! However..."Do It Again" is great nonetheless.

Don't remember double posting, but I musta. Sorry!

[Carl and the Passions]

I figure since no one has responded, that I'll be the one to do so...

As far as we know, there is no photo of Brian, Mike, Al, Carl, Dennis, Blondie and Ricky all together. And definitely not one of all seven of them plus Bruce. The latest first photo we have of the full band in Bruce's first tenure I guess would be this...



Obviously, as one can tell, this is where you get the photo of Brian that was pasted onto the photo of the rest of the guys for the back cover of Carl and the Passions.



Apparently this photo of the "classic five" was also taken the day of that last photo with Bruce...



Now there is indeed a photo of Carl, Dennis, Mike, Al, Bruce, Blondie and Ricky somewhere. All of them on a long sofa or something. It's in one of the books I have somewhere on The Beach Boys, but I haven't any idea which one it'd be in.

Hope this all helps!

I think something else at play,and I'm just guessing, might be that Mike seems to prefer to add relatively younger players to his band. I have plenty of theories for why that is (for another time)

Okay, I'll bite. Why do you think this is?

Posted this on the other board, also wanted to post my thoughts on the book here.

So I bought the book a few days ago and received it earlier. It's a nice addition to a big time Beach Boys fan's library. At least in my case it really helped to get a feeling for the personalities of the guys, particularly Brian and Bruce, with a bit of material on Carl and Mike.

For example, I think Mr. Goldberg really kinda helped paint the picture of Brian as the generally kinda amiably odd guy we all dig. Just with the way Goldberg would describe certain physical movements Brian would make or certain comments Brian made, it tracks with a lot of what we've heard over the years. It also to me showed that Brian, despite all his humbleness, definitely knows he is a big deal, despite sometimes being shocked at stuff like standing ovations. For instance, it was interesting to read Goldberg describing Brian's discussion of how certain people had said "Good Vibrations" was the greatest song ever or something. I can't remember exactly, but it was Brian sounding quite a bit more secure than we sometimes feel. But at the same time, that leads me to how Brian could seem very up and down. And while obviously that is true of any human being, you could see in this book that Brian was already deep into his battle with his issues, sleeping all day, staying out all night, etc.

Bruce on the other hand also really got a bit of a decent description from Goldberg. And he kinda comes across as a cocky, seemingly insecure son-of-a-bitch. Really kinda coming across as very "Hollywood", feeling like he's a hot sh*t music scene big shot, seemingly always talking down to Goldberg for whatever reason. Condescendingly, if I remember correctly, he would tell Goldberg he should feel lucky to hang with Brian, and that you had to a be really good guitarist to learn "Disney Girls", not to mention what Bruce did with the "Out in the Country" master tape. Overall it just seems like Bruce gets threatened by people in the inner circle who might steal his thunder. Witness how bitchy he's been to Dave Marks all the way from the early '70s all the way through to nearly the turn of the millennium. Then you have Bruce dismissing Blondie and Ricky as sidemen. It's just interesting that of all of The Beach Boys, Bruce often seems to be a huge ass-kisser to the group's perceived leaders (Brian and Mike) while being not so wonderful to others who could or did fill his spot in the group. Goldberg has an interesting rationale for why Bruce might act like this, which I'd never thought off, and does make a bit of sense.

Carl comes across, as usual, as a generally nice guy, seemingly always friendly and willing to help. Mike comes across as a professional, who kept his promise to Goldberg to do a lead vocal for his tune.

Overall an interesting book that I'm sure I'll pick and thumb through it again, to see if I missed any other interesting stories.

[Pet Sounds]

I'll have to A/B this version of "Waves of Love" to the previous version. It sounds pretty similar. It's definitely the "saxophone/soundcheck" version found on the first pressing of the 2012 CD (the one with the buried Carl vocal), with possibly some mix variations.

The other two are cool to hear. "Jenny Clover" is another Al piano ballad in the mold of "And I Always Will." Al's voice sounds great; the song is okay. I have to give it more listens.

"Middle of Nowhere" very much *screams* NINETIES!!!!! This reminds me of what "Summer in Paradise" could have sounded like with better production. But yeah, it's very early-mid 90s. The closest comparison in the BB world I could think of is that it sounds a bit production-wise and style-wise like the 1997 "The Wilsons" album. Nice Matt lead and backing from Al. Very much sounds like an attempt at a "The Jardines" album.

I don't think either of these songs are as good as the best stuff on "Postcards", but they're nice to listen to and more indicators that Al probably has like 50 more tracks buried that we've never heard.

With all due respect, I just cannot see how you think what we are calling the saxophone version of "Waves of Love" the soundcheck recording. The entire thing seems much cleaner and more thought through than the other version. It has Carl's vocal couched in harmonies (improving it greatly) instead of standing alone, it has Al singing in a much more reasonable key, and just overall has a much more "considered" arrangement in my opinion.  It just sounds more 2010s than the other one. The other just kinda rides along with it's "Help Me Rhonda" type organ part and and sounds like something that woulda...for lack of a better phrase....something that woulda been recorded at a soundcheck.

Now perhaps I'm wrong, but I think that despite what I feel many on this board may think, it may have been backwards.

This back and forth seemed strangely familiar, and sure enough we had this same debate back in 2012 regarding the variations of this song. Which is totally fine and all in good fun.

To be clear, I don’t think any version of the song is purely a raw soundcheck performance. Every version has been sweetened/overdubbed, etc.

What I recall hearing back years ago was that “Waves of Love” began as something Al laid down during a soundcheck; this is presumably where Carl was present and added his vocal contribution. From there, varying amounts of additional overdubs were added to the different versions.

What I’m saying is that the “saxophone version”, meaning the version in the lower key and with Carl’s vocals buried in a stack of voices (the version included on the first US copies of the 2012 CD, and a variation of which is now on Dvoskin’s Soundcloud), sounds MUCH closer in *ambience* to what a soundcheck recording would sound like. Meaning, everything is wetter in the mix (more echo/reverb). The basic track elements of this version are the only thing in any version that sound plausibly like they could have been tracked during on on-stage soundcheck sort of setting. Even on this version, clearly more vocals have been overdubbed, with some stacked Al vocals being most obvious.

The second version (the version issued on the download version of the album back in 2012, and an alternate mix of which was also included on the Japanese SHM CD in 2012) sounds essentially *completely* re-recorded in a studio setting, with only Carl’s vocal from the other version flown in (and done so in a rather odd fashion, more on that in a moment). The key is different, and everything is dryer and punchier. The key is higher, so Al’s voice, while still sounding quite good, does sound a bit strained in places. Al’s vocal also sounds newer (meaning he sounds older), also suggesting the first “saxophone” version likely includes a 90s Al lead vocal while this second version includes an Al vocal cut probably in the late 2000s. It also sounds like what they did on this version is to extract Carl’s vocal from the vocal stack of the “first” version, and then isolate it and fit it into the higher key of the “second” version. This is why, to me, Carl’s more isolated vocal on this version has always sounded a bit odd.

Now, further complicating things is that I don’t think even Al or Dvoskin have been consistent on which version is *THE* version of the song they want to establish. When confusion first reigned back in 2012 when both versions were simultaneously released via CD and download respectively, I believe Al mentioned in an interview that it was the saxophone/CD version that was the “error” so to speak. That was the version they didn’t want to release, and it was in fact the second, higher key version issued as a download that was the “finished” version. Supporting that this was the case back in 2012 was that it was that second version that was issued later in 2012 on the Japanese SHM CD, along with an alternate mix of that same version. Also supporting this was that they kept this second version up as the download version of the song, and of course a digital download is something that can much more easily be fixed/replaced if something is in error, as opposed to CD pressings which are out there and obviously much harder to recall or replace.

Everything (other than the screw-up of releasing two vastly different versions happening in the first place) up to this point made sense to me. Regardless of which version one likes more (I like both, truly), that second, higher-key version certainly sounded like a more dense version with more going on, and sounded much more like a modern in-studio recording, and it was clearly attempting to more prominently feature Carl’s vocal contribution. And Al was seeming to establish *that* version as the go-to version. So it made sense that *that* version was the “final” or “finished” version that they were trying to establish.

The new alternate mix on Dvoskin’s Soundcloud is a variation of that “first” version, however. Now, we don’t know for sure which version Dvoskin and Al were very recently shown on Facebook “finishing up”, but I have a suspicion they have now gone back to that first saxophone “soundcheck” sounding version and are working with that one again. Which makes perfect sense only in that everything these guys seem to do with this song tends to make NO sense.

Ironically, I’d wager it’s quite possible whatever version Al and Dvoskin issue in the future is going to be yet *another* mix of one version or the other, which will mean we’ll likely be up to FIVE different mixes of this song.

Hey there HeyJude, I admit when I first read your response, I was once again somewhat like "argh, he just does not get it! How can he not hear what I'm hearing." But after truly reading through it again, I must say that I see what you're saying in here. I understand what you mean vis-à-vis Carl's vocal and how it was couched in harmonies when it was recorded, but then extracted and then possibly pitch shifted, which leaves us with the slightly wonky sounding version on what I'll call the "organ" version (to differentiate from the "sax" version). However, where I think we part is how we hear the tracks in question. The organ version to me sounds like an open air stage with the organ getting a natural room reverb and Al just kinda going for it in a key that doesn't quite work for him. However, one point that you bring up that may hadn't crossed my mind was that both of these versions have probably had significant overdubbed and vocal work. But I still stand by the fact that I think the opposite of you. But that's what makes this board interesting.

I suppose the easiest thing to do would be for one of us to contact Larry Dvoskin on Facebook or Twitter, and perhaps maybe I'll do that some time. He always has kinda seemed up to discuss The Beach Boys and his work with Al. In fact didn't he once say that "Waves of Love" was their Pet Sounds? Though who even knows. If we asked Al, I have a feeling that things would get even more complicated! He'd probably say it's an unreleased cut!

I'll have to A/B this version of "Waves of Love" to the previous version. It sounds pretty similar. It's definitely the "saxophone/soundcheck" version found on the first pressing of the 2012 CD (the one with the buried Carl vocal), with possibly some mix variations.

The other two are cool to hear. "Jenny Clover" is another Al piano ballad in the mold of "And I Always Will." Al's voice sounds great; the song is okay. I have to give it more listens.

"Middle of Nowhere" very much *screams* NINETIES!!!!! This reminds me of what "Summer in Paradise" could have sounded like with better production. But yeah, it's very early-mid 90s. The closest comparison in the BB world I could think of is that it sounds a bit production-wise and style-wise like the 1997 "The Wilsons" album. Nice Matt lead and backing from Al. Very much sounds like an attempt at a "The Jardines" album.

I don't think either of these songs are as good as the best stuff on "Postcards", but they're nice to listen to and more indicators that Al probably has like 50 more tracks buried that we've never heard.

With all due respect, I just cannot see how you think what we are calling the saxophone version of "Waves of Love" the soundcheck recording. The entire thing seems much cleaner and more thought through than the other version. It has Carl's vocal couched in harmonies (improving it greatly) instead of standing alone, it has Al singing in a much more reasonable key, and just overall has a much more "considered" arrangement in my opinion.  It just sounds more 2010s than the other one. The other just kinda rides along with it's "Help Me Rhonda" type organ part and and sounds like something that woulda...for lack of a better phrase....something that woulda been recorded at a soundcheck.

Now perhaps I'm wrong, but I think that despite what I feel many on this board may think, it may have been backwards.

[Postcard]

Middle of Nowhere, Waves of Love and Jenny Clover are available on Larry's Soundcloud page:

https://soundcloud.com/user-418742223

Does anyone know how to download something from soundcloud?

Well that's a huge freaking find Matt H!!! Wow. Props for finding this stuff. I like "Jenny Clover" for sure.

Yet another mix of "Waves of Love," this one a variation on the saxophone version found on my Postcard CD. I like it. I generally just dig the song, but regardless the saxophone version is much better than the other version, with the strained lead vocal and more naked sounding Carl vocal on the chorus.

"Middle of Nowhere" I'm not in love with, but it's still listenable.

All in all, despite what I may have thought, I think there probably is enough material for another Al Jardine album. I think he should put another one out. This material easily outclasses Mike Love's new stuff.

Well, I'll tell ya...I went because my mother-in-law was in town, and she always had a spot in her heart for Ringo Starr, so we took her to see the double-header with Ringo and "the Beach Boys."

Now...one big thing with me is that I just cannot acknowledge Mike and Bruce as "the Beach Boys." They're only using that name because a lawyer said they could. But having said that...the band was spot-on. Mike sounded really good. The band did a really nice Scott Totten arrangement of "Here Comes The Sun" that I honestly am considering buying if it's available anywhere. But...something was off. Again, the music was fine, the band was fine, the vocals were fine...but...it sounded so...sterile, I guess. And as I watched the projections on the screen, I was reminded how Dennis and Carl weren't there. Two Wilsons gone. And Brian wasn't going to show up. No Wilsons. Beach Boys without Wilsons?? Al on the projections...aw, man, he COULD be there, theoretically! Even David Marks! (And John Stamos' presence didn't help things.)

I guess the best comparison I can make...ever watch Mad Men? Did you see the episode where Sal was directing a Patio commercial, and the folks at Pepsi wanted a shot-for-shot re-make of Ann-Margret's "Bye Bye Birdie" performance? So Sal had it done, right down to a singer who looked and sounded like Ann-Margret? It was note-perfect, frame-perfect...but...everybody who screened it ended up not liking it, but they couldn't put their fingers on exactly what they didn't like about it, until Harry Crane spoke up: "It's not Ann-Margret."

You know, Brian and Al are basically doing a Beach Boys show now. No, they don't call themselves the Beach Boys, but it's a night of Beach Boys music. It's not like Al is up there plugging Postcard from California; Brian is not doing songs from BW88. TLOS, Imagination, GIOMH, NPP. So, having said that...
Is there anyone at their shows that thinks "it's just not right without Mike and Bruce?"

Do Brian and Al bill themselves as "The Beach Boys"? Did they publicly state their desire to continue touring with Mike (and by extension Bruce)? I think those two questions answer why people are thinking a certain way. Mike (and Bruce) walked away, not Brian and Al.

I really think people wouldn't think walking away from The Beach Boys was a sleazy move from Mike if he had quit the band to go perform solo or with his Endless Summer Maharishi Pisces Brother Tribute Beach Band. But no, ol' Michael decided to basically quit The Beach Boys so he could go back out on the road without the other true, original Beach Boys, but still get billed as The Beach Boys.

Yeah -- because I can't keep track of where I write that stuff.

I think Jim was asking about why the concert made you feel that way

Haha. Yeah Billy was right. I definitely wasn't complaining about what and where and when you write something. I wanted to know why the Mike and Bruce show was an endless bummer for you.

But having said all of that...of all the concerts I've been to in my life, there was only one time a concert *ever* made me sad and literally made me wish I was anywhere but at that concert.

And it wasn't a Brian Wilson concert.

It was a "Beach Boys" concert I went to last weekend.

I've seen you've written this a few times. What's the reason for this?

Gosh. I'm absolutely heartbroken. And it's just so sad, as Brian's group is (and has been) full of such lovely people. What a shame.

Rest in peace, Nick.

[Chocolate Shake Man]

"The "Little Do Scoop" is a great mis-transcription."


I'm going to use that for a song title

That's nothing. When I was about 10 years old, I was chatting with my friend about Beach Boys songs that we liked and we named "Little Deuce Coupe." Then his little brother who was listening got upset and went and told his mom that we were talking about "little loose poops."

Well that sure brings new meaning to your handle, Chocolate Shake Man!

Sorry, I had to...

[Once Upon a Time in Hollywood]

I know this has hardly anything to do with The Beach Boys but I must say that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was another freaking masterwork by Tarantino! I went with my wife and two friends (a husband and wife) to see it and while they were not impressed, I walked out of the theater awestruck. And the awe has only grown in the time since. Really would like go see it again soon.

But my question has more to do with the soundtrack. Does anybody know what version of the Stones' "Out of Time" was used in that great scene near the end? It could possibly be the original version from Aftermath but I'm pretty sure it wasn't. I have a crap memory but I feel like it was the version with strings from Metamorphosis. Anybody know?

Also, when Denny was mentioned during the movie, of course I had to lean over to my wife and say something like, "yes, it's that Dennis Wilson." Which I'm sure she had already put together in her mind, but I love showing off The Beach Boys connection to anything and everything.

[Sunflower]

Are there any rumblings regarding anything from 1969 coming out this year?

There's been some minor stuff, but nothing close to official. Some think there could be a Sunflower box set or even a Sunflower / Surf's Up set, which would be awesome. But I don't know. It would be cool to some physical product this year from the guys, but if the best we can get is downloads (a la last years sets) then so be it. I'll be happy to buy the stuff either way!

And I just realized I didn't answer your question. I would say its about 99% sure that we will get at least a 1969 set this year, judging by the copyright sets they've done since 2013 (for the 1963 material).

["Love And Theft"]

For a new record, there has been very limited conversation about this release in any of the usual online BB's places.

Really seems to be little interest which kinda surprises me as there is not much else happening in the BB's world.

Talk of chart placings seems pointless when even hardcore BB's fans are not particularly bothered.

I agree that there has seemed to be much discussion of this album.

And I think the reason for it is that there isn't much "there" there with this album. I bought it. I'm a weirdo. I like that there are still new solo albums coming from members of The Beach Boys. However, as far as this one is considered, I think a lot of us could've jokingly guessed the track listing before seeing it and gotten pretty close. When the the biggest surprise to me is the fact that the album contains "California Beach" and "Keepin' the Summer Alive" things are looking iffy. It just seems that Mike doesn't want to challenge himself or his audience at all. Now I'm not expecting him to put out something like Dylan's "Love And Theft" or McCartney's Chaos and Creation in the Backyard at this point (or really at any point), but it'd be nice that if he is gonna do solo albums after all this time, Mike could show his supposedly still supple songwriting skills (how's that for alliteration). Nobody needs a new "California Sun" no matter how cute Totten got with the arrangement. And though I actually don't mind the new "Surfin'", what's the point? Or "Summertime Blues", why? It kinda just seems like Mike is kinda proving his detractors right with albums like this. A smattering of remakes, covers and last but not least, covers of songs he's already covered on other albums, almost 40 years ago. With a large coating of surfin', sun and fun.

[KTSA]

Anyways, anybody in the know *cough* c-man *cough* aware of whether Brian was heavily involved in this one or not? I would be surprised to learn if he wasn't. Actually in general I kinda wonder about Brian's participation on KTSA. He's obviously much more audible then he was on L.A. (Light Album) but I wonder if he was involved much instrumentally or vocally especially on the songs he didn't write.

Yes, and yes.
If it was Brian's idea to record a cover, then he was heavily involved instrumentally and vocally, and probably arrangement-wise: besides "Da Do Ron Ron", examples from those sessions are "School Days", "Little Girl", "Jamaica Farewell", "Stranded In The Jungle" (Brian actually produced the basic tracks for those four, under Bruce's "supervision", a few months before the bulk of the sessions started), "Johnny B. Goode", and "Smokey Places". Two that he apparently WASN'T involved with (at least instrumentally) were "I'll Always Love You" and the Bruce-driven re-recording of "Johnny B. Goode" two weeks after the Brian-driven original.

I know this is really bringing back an oldie, but c-man, if you know, could you let us know what the line-up was for this tune, both instrumentally and vocally?