Can Brian play drums?

[Rocker]

Brian plays the drums on "Funky Pretty", and during the early 60's tours, took over from Dennis when the latter had his featured vocal in the show. OK, so he's not in the Moon/Baker/Blaine class, but yes, he can play drums.

Was Dennis not able to drum and sing at the same time or something?

Actually he could and did but...the kids wanted to get a closer look at him.

After Brian stopped touring, Dennis drummed and sang - there's a great photo in Badman of Mike being a human mic stand. 

I like that picture
There's also footage of the BBs on Shindig (I believe) miming to "Do you wanna dance" and Dennis is also on drums. Iirc a short clip was on "Endless harmony"

[mikeyj]

I like that picture
There's also footage of the BBs on Shindig (I believe) miming to "Do you wanna dance" and Dennis is also on drums. Iirc a short clip was on "Endless harmony"

Yeah that picture is really cool as is that footage of Denny singing Do You Wanna Dance. And from memory there is also footage from that Good Vibrations On Tour DVD of Denny singing It's OK while drumming.

[The Heartical Don]

He drummed on a lot of Love You if I'm not mistaken. I don't know if those are drum machines or he's just doing bass and snare (AGD fill me in!)

Last I saw him play drums was in the Endless Harmony film playing "Be My Baby."

Another riddle solved after all those years. I always was convicted that it was not Dennis (in the main). 'Roller Skating Child' has this strange drum sound, like it is 'lagging behind' a few milliconds behand the 'proper beat', but it is not the type of 'firmness' that other drummers  (like Blondie's Clem Burke, the man with all that hair) did so well. For me it surely gives Love You that lovely amateurishess that makes the record. Even more so: I think that I would adore Love You less had it been a more slick, professional album.

I'd say Dennis did 'Lets Put', and also 'The Night Was So Young', because these songs sound much more delicate.

'Chapel Of Love' from 15BO also has this odd 'lagging' phenomenon, in  the synth work. Perhaps Brian, an undisputed genius, had a 'lagging obsession' in the mid-70s. Who knows?

[Jon Stebbins]

Honkin Down the Highway is definitely Dennis. I'm drawing a blank on Roller Skating Child right now...can't quite remember, it actually might be Dennis too. Although I have video of the 12/77 L.A. Forum show and their live version(with Dennis on drums) of RSC is so much more rocking and powerful than the record, maybe Brian did play the drums on that one in the studio...not sure...Craig? I know Dennis plays drums on two or three Love You tracks, Honkin being the one that sticks out.

[TdHabib]

Honkin Down the Highway is definitely Dennis. I'm drawing a blank on Roller Skating Child right now...can't quite remember, it actually might be Dennis too. Although I have video of the 12/77 L.A. Forum show and their live version(with Dennis on drums) of RSC is so much more rocking and powerful than the record, maybe Brian did play the drums on that one in the studio...not sure...Craig? I know Dennis plays drums on two or three Love You tracks, Honkin being the one that sticks out.

From an old thread I know he played on "I Want to Pick You Up." I saved the thread on a word document...but lost most of those a few weeks ago (a few things were saved, thankfully) when the computer died.

[Chris Brown]

I remember reading Steve's story when he originally posted it, and it's one of my favorites.

It's not surprising really that Brian could play drums quite well.  His sense of rhythm was always impeccable, and he seems to have been one of those people who could pick up any instrument and, after spending a few hours with it, play competently.

[JB Wilojarston]

Honkin Down the Highway is definitely Dennis. I'm drawing a blank on Roller Skating Child right now...can't quite remember, it actually might be Dennis too. Although I have video of the 12/77 L.A. Forum show and their live version(with Dennis on drums) of RSC is so much more rocking and powerful than the record, maybe Brian did play the drums on that one in the studio...not sure...Craig? I know Dennis plays drums on two or three Love You tracks, Honkin being the one that sticks out.

Earle Mankey has said that Brian would play snare or tom parts, so I'm thinking he plays 'drums' on ROLLER SKATING CHILD, LET US GO ON THIS WAY & SOLAR SYSTEM. Those songs have the best sounding snare, too. Earle would send the drum signal to to a speaker set up in Brother's 'echo' room and record that room sound and combine it with the original drum track.  There are probably more LOVE YOU era songs that were recorded in this fashion.

[The Heartical Don]

Honkin Down the Highway is definitely Dennis. I'm drawing a blank on Roller Skating Child right now...can't quite remember, it actually might be Dennis too. Although I have video of the 12/77 L.A. Forum show and their live version(with Dennis on drums) of RSC is so much more rocking and powerful than the record, maybe Brian did play the drums on that one in the studio...not sure...Craig? I know Dennis plays drums on two or three Love You tracks, Honkin being the one that sticks out.

Earle Mankey has said that Brian would play snare or tom parts, so I'm thinking he plays 'drums' on ROLLER SKATING CHILD, LET US GO ON THIS WAY & SOLAR SYSTEM. Those songs have the best sounding snare, too. Earle would send the drum signal to to a speaker set up in Brother's 'echo' room and record that room sound and combine it with the original drum track.  There are probably more LOVE YOU era songs that were recorded in this fashion.

Interesting. What exactly was Earle Mankey's role in the sound of 'Love You'? I have this rare 12" of his, 'Mau Mau', and its sound reminds me strongly of 'Love You'. Was he more than an engineer then?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Earle was more than an engineer - round about the same time he was co-producing and contributing guitar to Helen Reddy's Brother recorded Ear Candy album. Also released two singles, "Mau Mau" & "Bigger Than Life". Was also in Sparks at one point.

[The Heartical Don]

Earle was more than an engineer - round about the same time he was co-producing and contributing guitar to Helen Reddy's Brother recorded Ear Candy album. Also released two singles, "Mau Mau" & "Bigger Than Life". Was also in Sparks at one point.

Cheers! 

[c-man]

Honkin Down the Highway is definitely Dennis. I'm drawing a blank on Roller Skating Child right now...can't quite remember, it actually might be Dennis too. Although I have video of the 12/77 L.A. Forum show and their live version(with Dennis on drums) of RSC is so much more rocking and powerful than the record, maybe Brian did play the drums on that one in the studio...not sure...Craig? I know Dennis plays drums on two or three Love You tracks, Honkin being the one that sticks out.

Dennis on "Mona", "Honkin'", "Wanna Pick You Up", and I think Brian on the others.  "Roller Skating Child" is definitely Brian.  I beleive Brian also drummed on the unreleased "Sandy She Needs Me".

[The Heartical Don]

Honkin Down the Highway is definitely Dennis. I'm drawing a blank on Roller Skating Child right now...can't quite remember, it actually might be Dennis too. Although I have video of the 12/77 L.A. Forum show and their live version(with Dennis on drums) of RSC is so much more rocking and powerful than the record, maybe Brian did play the drums on that one in the studio...not sure...Craig? I know Dennis plays drums on two or three Love You tracks, Honkin being the one that sticks out.

Dennis on "Mona", "Honkin'", "Wanna Pick You Up", and I think Brian on the others.  "Roller Skating Child" is definitely Brian.  I beleive Brian also drummed on the unreleased "Sandy She Needs Me".

I just got an e-mail from Mike Love, stating that he played drums on every track. And all the synths. He's speaking to his lawyer (and preparing another wedding).