All hail Jeff Foskett

[onkster]

"Letting someone wait all night" for an autograph? Nobody put a gun to their head and made them wait.

[SMiLE Brian]

So what if Jeff hates Love You, I like it and thats all that matters. A lot of insiders aren't too crazy about that album as well because they saw how messed up Brian was at the time.

[Aum Bop Diddit]

Wow.  Thought I was relating a nice story.  Anyway, to me, Foskett's action speaks for itself.  Those who need to disparage have their own agendas, as do Jeff, Brian, myself, all of us.  All I will say is at best we see a very small portion of the picture.  If I had witnessed that I would have deemed it very cool.

I will add that my only experience with Jeff Foskett is seeing him on stage, where he is immensely talented and comes across with a big heart and love of Brian and his music.

[ghost]

when jeff records a suite version of mona / ding dang / johnny carson / solar system i'll forgive him.

[Jon Stebbins]

Unlike my sour grapes assessment in the David Leaf thread...I can say without hesitation that Jeff is one of the kindest and most generous people I've met in the Beach Boys world. A story I've told before...i took some flak for leaving out a few insiders in my Dennis Wilson book, a few people (non-family) were miffed that their name was not included and a couple did not hesitate to let me know they felt slighted and accused me of being a fraud...yada yada. Jeff, a guy I did not know...and whose name was not mentioned in the book, but who knew and toured with Dennis, approached me at a Brian show shortly after the publication of my DW book, and just THANKED me and shook my hand, and congratulated me for doing such a great job of telling Dennis' story. He said he appreciated the effort I made in bringing some positive attention to Dennis. Many times since then Jeff has gone out of his way to help me, support my work, and to do kind things for me and for my family. He's never asked me for anything in return. I guess we only have our own experience to judge people from, and I've heard others pan Jeff and praise Leaf to the heavens. But just wanted to say...Jeff's been really cool to me.

[puni puni]

The guy said there was himself and a few other guys. Hardly a screaming horde of girls begging for Jeff now is it? Couple people, hey guys what's up, oh you're fans huh, alright then what Beach Boys song did I cover from the Today! album?

that's silly

[donald]

Last year, as we stood front and center for the encore at a Brian show, Jeff saw my wife holding up the Pet Sounds lp cover.  He reached out to her , grabbed the album, placed it on Brians keyboard and handed him my marker,  just before they left the stage, Brian signed it, Jeff smiled and handed the album back to us.  We thanked them and they smiled, nodded, and waved to us as they left.  Simple and sweet as that.  I first met Jeff many years ago when he was playing with the Beach Boys.  We spoke for a while before the show.  A nice guy in my book.

[egon spengler]

All hail indeed. I flew out from Virginia to Brian's three night at the Hollywood Bowl in 2008. Night 1, just went to the show and then back to my hotel. Night two, I sat in a different section and was let out after the show past a door marked "Artist's Entrance." Not foolish enough to keep walking, I hung our for a while and eventually met and chatted with Jeff, Probyn, Darian, and Taylor (*swoon*), and saw Brian dart into his bus. I realized on my way back to the hotel that there's no barrier, security, ticket gate, or anything separating the backstage entrance from the street. So before night 3, I picked up a copy of Pet Sounds and a sharpie and hung out at the entrance. Jeff saw me again as Brian's bus pulled up, motioned me over (!), brought me right to the bus door, and introduced me to Brian. I got to shake the hand that first played those heaven-sent God Only Knows chords, told him how much his music meant, and now have a signed copy of Pet Sounds hanging over the piano in my music room. After that, Jeff can pretty
much do no wrong in my book.

[onkster]

Jeff seems pretty damn great, to me.

Wasn't there someone here who had the unfortunate chutzpah to yell "I hope Jeff Fos-quits!" during a quiet moment during one of the SMiLE concerts?

Fer shame...

[Ron]

I still to this day do not understand the "thing" about getting autographs. I have never even asked for one and the respective "stars" seem to respect that. I prefer to have a chat and a beer etc, you can't go down the local supermarket and by a bag of those memories.

I'm kind of the same way, although I do own a few autographs, that I actually purchased online.  Even Brian's.  They may be fake, I don't know. 

If I saw Brian Wilson, I most definately would not ask him for his autograph.  I'd thank him for his music and shake his hand.  The whole autograph thing is kind of "OOh gimme gimme" and it can be a little disrespectful, even if that's not the intention.  I understand though that there are moments when he's doing signings, etc. that it's appropriate.  If he's sitting at a table with a sharpie, yeah, get an autograph but if you bump into him somewhere, don't ask the guy to do something for you, it's tacky. 

[Cliff1000uk]

Ron-you hit the nail on the head.

The meet and greets are funny as you know he doesn't really want to be there but you'd never pass up the opportunity to get something signed.

On the other hand, seeing someone thrust a guitar into his path, like after the London Adelphi gig, is a bit cringing.

I've said, "Hi" and a "Thanks" (never even shaken his hand) and leave the talking to the band members who are more than happy to chinwag most of the night (esp Probyn and Scotty)

Funnily enough, I gave a friend my pass after one of the TLOS gigs as he'd never met Brian before. What did he come out with? A signed programme and a photo with a beaming Brian!!

[Ron]

I even hear about people trying to get autographs when folks are out to dinner!

It reminds me of the famous Frank Sinatra thing that I may butcher but somebody can clear me up I'm sure.

A photographer or a columnist or something saw Frank Sinatra at dinner one time with somebody, and came over to the table pestering him about something.  Frank got in a fist fight with the guy and got in all kinds of trouble.

Years later, Frank's in his late 50's, somebody's interviewing him and asks him (I believe it's on camera!) what his thoughts were of the guy passing away recently! (I suppose they thought Sinatra would take the time to bury the hatchet).  Sinatra tells them it couldn't have happened to a better guy, and what a jerk that guy was, etc.  !  Whoa!

[18thofMay]

Like I said I cannot understand the fascination with autographs! Rather shake there hand and ask them how they have been etc..

[SG7]

Jeff was always kind to me when I use to see him backstage. I was more in the Mints crowd, so I didn't get to know him as well.

[egon spengler]

people who get autographs are monsters!

[donald]

Although  have gotten several autographs over the years...... yeah....it feels a little intrusive, a little desperate.  Always feels like you are bugging someone with yet another distraction.

Autograph hounds are indeed, probably misguided assholes

[donald]

cool; this thing automatically converts assholes to buttholes.....

does it still do merda sh*t?

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I found him rude and condescending. And the way he spoke to Brian was beyond the pale. Bossing him around and trying to teach him harmonies. Talk about trying to teach your grandmother to suck dick.

So more like (edited Nazi ritualistic chant translating as Hail Victory)  Jeff Foskett

But that's just my opinion.

I'll shut up now

[smile-holland]

@ Iron Horse-Apples: that German comment is not very proper, to say the least. Knowing the context in which that expression was used in the past, you'd do a lot of people a favour by editing that right away.

[ghost]

Have you guys seen that Imagine film? The John Lennon thing? You know that guy that wanders up the property asking John strange questions?

[puni puni]

He asked about lyrics

[acedecade75]

 IS the story about Jeff showing up in Brian's driveway true?  Could somebody elaborate on it?

[Ganz Allein]

Have you guys seen that Imagine film? The John Lennon thing? You know that guy that wanders up the property asking John strange questions?

That dude was tripping. 

[Ron]

That's an awesome scene, the guy said that John's music was all about him and speaking to him.  John basically tells him all his songs were about his self, he was selfish, and on a good day he might write one about Yoko.  Love me some John Lennon, lol. 

: I just made the mental connection that someone with a similar opinion killed him.  sh*t.  I'll never enjoy that scene again.

[Andrew G. Doe]

IS the story about Jeff showing up in Brian's driveway true?  Could somebody elaborate on it?

True.