Beach Boys live in '61-62 without instruments?

[guitarfool2002]

But did anyone ever think about the easiest answer? Maybe a string on Carl's guitar broke and he didn't have any new ones with him. Jon explained why Brian and Al might not have had their gear with them

You'd have to assume then that the fill-in guitarist Mr. Tamblyn that night knew the songs the Beach Boys were going to play well enough to back them up. It would be easier to assume Carl could have borrowed another guitar to play the songs, but that remains to be seen.

I guess there isn't enough information yet to assume much of anything with this, so the Beach Boys showing up as an a capella group that night will have to stand until more info comes out. I just went on the premise Mr. Tamblyn was inferring he played guitar because the Beach Boys didn't have a guitar, which leaves Carl out of the equation, and after Feb 1962 still wouldn't seem logical to me.

[adamghost]

Well we now have independent corroboration that the Mixtures were the house band in '62, and that Larry Tamblyn played guitar with them in the relevant time frame, so Larry's story is holding up pretty well at this point.  This could be a key anecdote if we could find out more about this gig or gigs.

I'll see what I can find out.  I'm going on a tour with them in May so there'll be a lot of road time to kill to shoot the sh*t.

[Ian]

I will add this-as Jon has pointed out there is not a single photo of the BBs with Al in the Nov 61-Mar 62 BB Mark 1 period.  We always hear about how the band started in Nov 61 but I think it is fair to say that at first it may have been more of a lark than a career.  There isn't much evidence that they were playing tons of gigs in that period--more like every weekend since they had class during the week.  No ads exist for the Rainbow Gardens shows-so the dates may or may not be correct (though there is no doubt that they played there).  As to whether they were a 4 piece-we assume they were since Al seems to have left in February-but the exact details are fuzzy. I have never met anyone who actually says they were at one of those shows and what the band looked like.

[Ian]

By the way-speaking of the Mixtures-I saw a piece on them where they recalled playing at Pop Leuder's in Compton with the Beach Boys on a bunch of occasions in 1962.  Obviously Compton was a very different town back then.

[bgas]

Pop Leuders Park?  " at the time Compton had a large white population" ( Mark Guerrero)
Considering that we know little to nothing about the jobs they did, up to the time that Dave starting playing in the band: 
A lot of the shows at that time were multiple artist shows, and really, a group would probably only play one or two songs and then on to the next group; or as may be where there's a house Band like The Mixtures, the house band plays some songs for people to do some dancing, and then the naxt act comes on. The BBs were probably one act among many, doing Surfin and maybe one or two others. How hard is it to play the backing track for Surfin? Especially for a tight band like the Mixtures? 
There are people that saw these shows, we just have to find them.
Just sayin.

[OBLiO]

I would also ask Larry Tamblyn about the gigs in San Diego... if they were backed by the Mixtures in Pomona that Friday and Saturday night they may have travelled to San Diego with them, too. Even if Larry played one night at the Rainbow he might have heard their plans for the following week. Unless that info is already out there and I missed it.

Also, the picture Andrew posted looks like Big Band Ballroom before it was turned into rock and roll venue.

Also thinking that even if someone attended the show, the Beach Boys wouldn't be recognized as such other than some surf band,
except maybe by the musicians on the bill with them.

Does anyone know Chick Carlton from the Majestics? He commented here: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/04/in-rotation-the-mixtures-stompin-at-the-rainbow.html

[bgas]

I would also ask Larry Tamblyn about the gigs in San Diego... if they were backed by the Mixtures in Pomona that Friday and Saturday night they may have travelled to San Diego with them, too. Even if Larry played one night at the Rainbow he might have heard their plans for the following week. Unless that info is already out there and I missed it.

The BBs played the intermission of a Surf movie in San Diego( and the Mixtures hated Surf music)

Also thinking that even if someone attended the show, the Beach Boys wouldn't be recognized as such other than some surf band,
except maybe by the musicians on the bill with them.

Sure, maybe. Maybe not. It's a long time gone anyway, but seeing as how Surfin was a hit on the radio, some people probably saw them and said HEY!!  They might even remember, or land-o-goshen, maybe they took a camera along

[OBLiO]

I would also ask Larry Tamblyn about the gigs in San Diego... if they were backed by the Mixtures in Pomona that Friday and Saturday night they may have travelled to San Diego with them, too. Even if Larry played one night at the Rainbow he might have heard their plans for the following week. Unless that info is already out there and I missed it.

The BBs played the intermission of a Surf movie in San Diego( and the Mixtures hated Surf music)

Also thinking that even if someone attended the show, the Beach Boys wouldn't be recognized as such other than some surf band,
except maybe by the musicians on the bill with them.

Sure, maybe. Maybe not. It's a long time gone anyway, but seeing as how Surfin was a hit on the radio, some people probably saw them and said HEY!!  They might even remember, or land-o-goshen, maybe they took a camera along

true true true wasn't  trying to be negative, was thinking more of where to focus for best results...

[bgas]

I would also ask Larry Tamblyn about the gigs in San Diego... if they were backed by the Mixtures in Pomona that Friday and Saturday night they may have travelled to San Diego with them, too. Even if Larry played one night at the Rainbow he might have heard their plans for the following week. Unless that info is already out there and I missed it.

The BBs played the intermission of a Surf movie in San Diego( and the Mixtures hated Surf music)

Also thinking that even if someone attended the show, the Beach Boys wouldn't be recognized as such other than some surf band,
except maybe by the musicians on the bill with them.

Sure, maybe. Maybe not. It's a long time gone anyway, but seeing as how Surfin was a hit on the radio, some people probably saw them and said HEY!!  They might even remember, or land-o-goshen, maybe they took a camera along

true true true wasn't  trying to be negative, was thinking more of where to focus for best results...

I hear ya!  Thinking out loud is good, maybe sparks someone else to bring an answer.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I will add this-as Jon has pointed out there is not a single photo of the BBs with Al in the Nov 61-Mar 62 BB Mark 1 period.

 
A remark by Alan's mom leads some of us to believe that such a photo was at least taken. Sadly, it doesn't seem to have survived.

We always hear about how the band started in Nov 61 but I think it is fair to say that at first it may have been more of a lark than a career.

Ummmm... I think that they even asked (never mind persuaded) Virginia Jardine to spring $300 for instrument rental tends to somewhat negate that notion.  

As to whether they were a 4 piece-we assume they were since Al seems to have left in February-but the exact details are fuzzy. I have never met anyone who actually says they were at one of those shows and what the band looked like.

True, true... we're working on a best guess principle here. But what we have fits pretty good. For now.

[Pretty Funky]

This may be a good subject for the LA oldies station K-EARTH (Brian listens I think!) to high light this 50th. Looking for a 61-62 picture.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Something Ian said made a small bell ring in the back of my brain, and I checked. Yes... in 1962, the overwhelming percentage of the shows the band did were over the weekend (Friday night-Saturday-Sunday). Looking at just the Pandora's Box shows, for example, it looks like they had a Sunday night residency there late August-mid November.

This may post inelegantly, but it's an instructive list:

1962 shows & sessions:

January
?? - Surfin'/Luau single released (Candix 301)                                       
Th   25 - Mesa Presbyterian Church Surf Nite, Hawthorne CA                                       
                                             
February
Th   8 - 2nd Morgan session - Surfin'Safari/Surfer Girl/Judy/Karate [World Pacific]                                       
Fr   16 - Rainbow Gardens, Pomona CA [2]                                       
Sa   17 - Rainbow Gardens, Pomona CA                                       
Mo   19 - Academy Fine Arts Theatre, San Diego CA [2 shows] [3]                                       
Tu   20 - Academy Fine Arts Theatre, San Diego CA [2 shows] [3]                                       
                                             
March
Fr   2 - Millikan High Auditorium, Long Beach CA* [4]                                       
   early - Harris Dept Store Deb Teen Fashion Show, San Bernardino CA*                                       
Th   8 - Kenny & The Cadets vocal session: Barbie/What Is A Young Girl [World Pacific] [5]                                       
Fr   9 - Rainbow Gardens, Pomona CA*                                       
Sa   10 - Bel Air Bay Club, Los Angeles CA*                                       
Fr   16 - Santa Monica Hotel, Santa Monica CA [w/The Vibrants & The Bel Airs]                                       
Sa   17 - Santa Monica Hotel, Santa Monica CA [w/The Vibrants & The Bel Airs]                                       
Su   18 - Santa Monica Hotel, Santa Monica CA [w/The Vibrants & The Bel Airs]                                       
Fr   23 - Mira Costa HS, Manhattan Beach CA* [w/Spencer & Allred, Twin Tones and Tommy Terry]                           
Fr   23 -  Rainbow Gardens, Pomona CA*                                       
Sa   24 - Newport HS Gym, Newport Beach CA* [w/The Vibrants]                                       
Fr   30 - Rainbow Gardens, Pomona CA*                                       
Sa   31 - National Guard Armory, Ontario CA [w/The Vibrants]                                       
                                             
April
Mo   2 - Bel Air Bay Club, Los Angeles CA*                                       
Wd   4 - Womens Club, Inglewood CA*                                       
Mo   16 - session: Beginning Of The End/One Way Road To Love/Visions/My Only Alibi [Western] [6]                  
Wd   18 - Newport High School, Los Angeles CA* [w/The Belairs, The Vibrants, Dodie & Dee Dee, and The Fabulous Biscaines]                           
Th   19 - demo tape session: Surfin' Safari/409/Lonely Sea/Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring [Western] [7]               
Fr   20 - Redondo High School, Redondo Beach CA [w/The Vibrants & The Bel Airs]*                                       
Sa   21 - Redondo High School, Redondo Beach CA [w/The Vibrants & The Bel Airs]                                       
Su   22 - Barbie/What Is A Young Girl Made Of ? Kenny & The Cadets single released (Randy)                                       
Sa   28 - The Wink Martindale Dance Party* (local TV)                                       
                                             
May
Fr   4 - Womens Club, Inglewood CA                                       
                                             
June
Fr   1 - Dykstra Hall UCLA,  Los Angeles CA [The Renegades]* [8]                                       
Mo   4 - Surfin' Safari/409 single released (Capitol)                                       
Su ?   ?? - Wagon Wheels Junction Roller Rink, Oxnard CA* [9]                                       
Fr   29 - Dykstra Hall UCLA,  Los Angeles CA [The Renegades]*                                       
                                             
July
Sa   14 - Radio KOXR Diaper Derby, Oxnard CA                                       
Sa   14 - Hawthorne High School Canteen Dance, Hawthorne CA* [10]                                       
Wd   18 - Jodie Gable's birthday party, Burbank CA* [11]                                       
Sa   28 - Azuza Teen Club, Azuza CA [12]                                       
                                             
August
Wd   8 - Surfin' Safari session: Ten Little Indians/Chug-A-Lug/The Shift [Capitol]                                       
Mo   20 - Broadway Store, Los Angeles CA*                                       
Mo   20 - Broadway Store, Del Amo, Los Angeles CA*                                       
Tu   21 - Broadway Store, West Covina, Los Angeles CA*                                       
Tu   21 - Broadway Store, Pasadena CA*                                       
Wd   22 - Broadway Store, Orange County, CA*                                       
Wd   22 - Broadway Store, Whitter, Los Angeles, CA*                                       
Th   23 - Broadway Store, Westchester, Los Angeles CA*                                       
Th   23 - Broadway Store, Crenshaw, Los Angeles CA*                                       
Fr   24 - Broadway Store, Long Beach CA*                                       
Sa   25 - Broadway Store, Hollywood CA*                                       
Sa   25 - Broadway Store, Valley, Los Angeles CA*                                       
Sa   25 - The Reseda Jubilee, Reseda CA* [w/Jan & Dean] [13]                                       
Su   26 - Pandora's Box, Hollywood CA* [14]                                       
   ?? - Annual Surfer's Ball, Los Angeles CA* [w/Dick Dale]                                       
                                             
late summer
   ?? - Cinnamon Cinder, Los Angeles CA* [15]                                       
                                             
September
Su   2 - Pandora's Box, Hollywood CA                                       
Tu   4 - session: The Revo-Lution/Number One/Humpty Dumpty/Recreation [16]                                       
   ?? - The Revo-Lution/Number One Rachel & The Revolvers single released (Dot) [17]]                                       
   early - Milton Berle's daughter Victoria's 17th birthday party, Los Angeles CA*                                       
Wd   5 - Surfin' Safari session: Summertime Blues/Land Ahoy/Little Miss America [Capitol]                                       
Th   6 - Surfin' Safari session: Cuckoo Clock/Heads You Win/County Fair/Moon Dawg   [Capitol]                  
Su   9 - Pandora's Box, Hollywood CA*                                       
Th   13 - session: Cindy, Oh Cindy/The Surfer Moon [Western] [18]                                       
Fr   14 - Surfers Ball, Morgan Hall, Long Beach CA*                                       
Sa   15 - Helen Stillman's 16th birthday party, Los Angeles CA*                                       
Su   16 - Pandora's Box, Hollywood CA*                                       
   ?? - Roller Gardens, Oxnard CA* [w/The Casuals - between the 7th & 22nd]                                       
Su   23 - Pandora's Box, Hollywood CA*                                       
Su   30 - Pandora's Box, Hollywood CA*                                       
   ?? - Swing Auditorium, San Bernadino CA* [w/Dick Dale]                                       
                                             
October
   ?? - The Surfer Moon/Humpty Dumpty Bob & Sheri single released (Safari) [19]                                       
Mo   1 - Surfin' Safari album released (Capitol)                                       
   ?? - session: Gonna Hustle You [Western ?]                                       
   early - Leonard's Department Store Grand Opening, Garden Grove CA*                                       
Su   7 - Pandora's Box, Hollywood CA*                                       
Su   14 - Pandora's Box, Hollywood CA*                                       
Su   21 - Pandora's Box, Hollywood CA*                                       
Sa   27 - Hollywood Bowl YDay, Hollywood, CA [w/Soupy Sales, Shelly Fabares, Bobby Vee and others]*                           
Sa   27 - Fox Theater Cystic Fibrosis Benefit, San Francisco CA* [w/Joey Bishop,Jane Mansfield, Don Grady,Troy Donahue, Annette Funicello, Donna Loren,  Bobby Freeman and others]   
Su   28 - Pandora's Box, Hollywood CA                                       
                                             
November
Sa   3 - Pickwick Dance Party, Burbank CA* [20]                                       
Su   4 - Pandora's Box, Hollywood CA                                       
Su   11 - Pandora's Box, Hollywood CA                                       
Wd   21 - Biltmore Hotel, Hermosa CA [w/The Journeymen]                                       
Mo   26 - Ten Little Indians/County Fair single released (Capitol)                                       
Fr   30 - Alfred Goode Auditorium, Bakersfield CA*    [w/The Revlons, Candy Maloney and Ken and The Ho Daddys]                        
                                             
December
Sa   1 - Pacific Lodge Boys Home benefit, Van Nuys Theatre, Van Nuys CA*   [w/Dorsey Burnett, The Lively Ones, Dobie Gray, The Crystallets, Cyndy Malone,The Mixtures, Dick Michals, The Pastel 6 and Jimmy Haskell]
Mo   3 - USC Pep rally, USC campus CA*                                       
Th   6 - The Cinnamon Cinder, Long Beach CA* [grand opening - w/Jan & Dean, The Challengers and Sandy Nelson]                           
Wd   12 - Four Speeds session: R.P.M./My Sting Ray/ Barefoot Adventure [Western] [22]                                       
Mo   17 - Earl Warren Show Grounds, Santa Barbara CA [21]                                       
Th   20 - Civic Auditorium, Bakersfield CA [21]                                       
Sa   22 - Exhibition Hall, Fresno CA [21]                                       
Fr   28 - Surf Fair, Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica CA                                       
Fr   28 - County Fairgrounds, Merced CA [21]                                       
Su   30 - Gold Rush Festival Auditorium, Stockton CA[21]                                       
Mo   31 - Santa Cruz CA* [21]                                       

[Rocker]

But did anyone ever think about the easiest answer? Maybe a string on Carl's guitar broke and he didn't have any new ones with him. Jon explained why Brian and Al might not have had their gear with them

You'd have to assume then that the fill-in guitarist Mr. Tamblyn that night knew the songs the Beach Boys were going to play well enough to back them up. It would be easier to assume Carl could have borrowed another guitar to play the songs, but that remains to be seen.

Of course you're right, but being a guitarist myself, I might not be very happy to lend my guitar (especially if it's a expensive one) to a teenager. And since "Surfin'" and the early stuff really isn't hard to play, he might just have said that he will do it for them. Maybe that's something Adam should ask him.....

[Peter Reum]

A fascinating thread.....

[Jonas]

Without wishing to seem disrespectful to your bandmate

what the f*** just happened?

[Pretty Funky]

Without wishing to seem disrespectful to your bandmate

what the foder just happened?

Is there a problem officer?

[Pretty Funky]

July
Sa   14 - Radio KOXR Diaper Derby, Oxnard CA


 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Diaper derby?! Dare I ask...?

[Pretty Funky]

Going by confirmed concerts, which is the first actual band shot?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Going by confirmed concerts, which is the first actual band shot?

March 10, 1962, Bel Air Bay Club (that we're aware of). That predates the signing for Capitol by a good four months. The interesting/frustrating thing is, it's obviously taken by someone who was at least semi-pro, which means there may have been others.

[guitarfool2002]

Two things:

I posted two photos on page one - one obviously from summer '62 "One Man's Challenge", just to show the Pendleton shirts and the Fender guitars. I also grabbed one from somewhere...but there was no pedigree. That poor-quality shot of the Boys wearing the checkered jackets, watching a couple twist: Where and when is this from?


AND: Pendleton shirts are apparently back in style today. A boutique in Philadelphia which sells a lot of retro clothes like Levis 501 jeans and Red Wing boots has a major display of Pendleton shirts! They show the Beach Boys connection to their Board Shirt as part of the company's legacy, which I thought was neat. I just thought that was a neat and out of the blue tie-in to this thread, to see Pendleton shirts back in style and on display in Philly.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Two things:

I posted two photos on page one - one obviously from summer '62 "One Man's Challenge", just to show the Pendleton shirts and the Fender guitars. I also grabbed one from somewhere...but there was no pedigree. That poor-quality shot of the Boys wearing the checkered jackets, watching a couple twist: Where and when is this from?

The One Man's Challenge clip was filmed July 28th. The other one ? No idea... but I've seen it before, in better quality. Somewhere.

Ah, got it - p.31 of the 2nd (1985) edition of the Leaf book. Taken at a UCLA dance, early summer 1962, which seems to be Dykstra Hall, June 1st or 29th.

[guitarfool2002]

Two things:

I posted two photos on page one - one obviously from summer '62 "One Man's Challenge", just to show the Pendleton shirts and the Fender guitars. I also grabbed one from somewhere...but there was no pedigree. That poor-quality shot of the Boys wearing the checkered jackets, watching a couple twist: Where and when is this from?

The One Man's Challenge clip was filmed July 28th. The other one ? No idea... but I've seen it before, in better quality. Somewhere.

Ah, got it - p.31 of the 2nd (1985) edition of the Leaf book. Taken at a UCLA dance, early summer 1962, which seems to be Dykstra Hall, June 1st or 29th.

Thanks for the info! The checkered sportcoats were a nice touch for a college show... Seriously I wondered why if Brian taped so many mundane things on his reel-to-reel and copies of that stuff still exists, did he ever carry the tape machine to any of those actual early gigs?

[Jon Stebbins]

Going by confirmed concerts, which is the first actual band shot?

March 10, 1962, Bel Air Bay Club (that we're aware of). That predates the signing for Capitol by a good four months. The interesting/frustrating thing is, it's obviously taken by someone who was at least semi-pro, which means there may have been others.

There is a second photo from this gig that circulates showing Carl, David, Mike and Brian gathered around a single microphone. As AGD stated these would be the two earliest photos that have surfaced, live or otherwise, of the entity known as "The Beach Boys".

[A Million Units In Jan!]

AND: Pendleton shirts are apparently back in style today. A boutique in Philadelphia which sells a lot of retro clothes like Levis 501 jeans and Red Wing boots has a major display of Pendleton shirts! They show the Beach Boys connection to their Board Shirt as part of the company's legacy, which I thought was neat. I just thought that was a neat and out of the blue tie-in to this thread, to see Pendleton shirts back in style and on display in Philly.

I just checked out the Pendleton website. I imagine that back in the day, the shirts didn't cost what they do now, which was anywhere from $50 to $100.00.   Little steep, dont ya think?