New Video: Carl explains his behavior. Press Conference, Perth 1978

[Jay]

Fact is, he was lying through his teeth. As we all know now, he was in the grip of a bad smack & booze habit. Good thing is, this caused him to clean up.

He did indeed lie, but the excuse that he gave was fairly damning in itself. Not only did he "admit" to having been under the influence of Valium, but he then said that he mixed it with alcohol. I'm kind of surprised that he admitted to drinking alcohol onstage in the past. I thought it was pretty admirable that he not only apologised to the various fans who were upset and left the show, but also to his band mates, for basically being a pain in the ass and making it hard on the other guys to give their best performance. I thought it was rather touching that he took special note to more or less apologise for possibly "scaring" Brian. Even if the press kind of backed him into a corner.

[MrRobinsonsFather]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQcB1KfiJ3A

This is the same video but with extra footage with Brian, Al and Mike at the begining

[MBE]

Interesting to see Mike without the hat!

[Pretty Funky]

Interesting to see Mike without the hat!

We sure need some news around here don't we?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Fact is, he was lying through his teeth. As we all know now, he was in the grip of a bad smack & booze habit. Good thing is, this caused him to clean up.

He did indeed lie, but the excuse that he gave was fairly damning in itself. Not only did he "admit" to having been under the influence of Valium, but he then said that he mixed it with alcohol. I'm kind of surprised that he admitted to drinking alcohol onstage in the past. I thought it was pretty admirable that he not only apologised to the various fans who were upset and left the show, but also to his band mates, for basically being a pain in the ass and making it hard on the other guys to give their best performance. I thought it was rather touching that he took special note to more or less apologise for possibly "scaring" Brian. Even if the press kind of backed him into a corner.

Damage limitation - had he 'fessed up and said "I was horsed off my trolley", he'd very likely have been arrested.

[Jay]

It's a wonder that his room wasn't searched, based on his claiming to have taken valium. I know valium isn't an illigel drug, but with the way the press was acting you'd think that the police would have gotten suspicious.

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the fact that this is one of the few films that show Carl openly smoking. Actually, this is the only footage Ive ever seen of Carl smoking.

[Jay]

You know, it would be a shame if this got deleted before somebody got a chance to copy....er, see it.

[guitarfool2002]

The thing about smoking...Carl is smoking in the 1966 "firehat" studio footage shot at Western, he has a smoke in his hand during various late 60's/early 70's tour footage, I know I've seen him filmed with a cigarette other places too but those are just off the top of my head. He was constantly smoking from the 60's onward.

I don't think there is a positive spin to put on this case of Carl who was the leader of the band putting the band's show in jeopardy in any way through his behavior. Naturally due to what was really going on, he could not tell the press in a foreign country what had happened, so he said what he said. But ultimately he did drop the ball, he let down the fans and his bandmates, he was apologetic, and there isn't much positive about the whole deal in that moment, other than the wake-up call that apparently eventually came as a result, which led to Carl taking steps to regain his health.

Sometimes the worst parts of these situations are the effects these issues can have on those around you or who depend on you. If it took a failed concert in front of the public to affect a change, that would be the positive takeaway.

For the record, that other recently posted video from this era features Carl singing GOK in that unusual voice not too far off from this infamous Australian GOK performance, like he's singing through his nose or something, straining to hit what are easy notes for him...then compare it to any GOK from later years. The sweet voice came back.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Young master Stebbins came up with best all-time best description of that - "like Elmer Fudd on valium". 

[guitarfool2002]

Young master Stebbins came up with best all-time best description of that - "like Elmer Fudd on valium". 

That is perfect, even people who haven't heard the actual tapes would know the sound!

[joe_blow]

I think this was from the same concert?

Good Vibrations, not sounding so good....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVFfy-wdEKo

[Ian]

While there is no excuse for bad behavior (or it wouldn't be bad)...put it in context.  The band was barely communicating with each other-after almost permanently breaking up a few months earlier.  Brian was again retreating and had to have minders to prevent him from getting into trouble.  AND those minders were not great to be around and one of them allegedly knocked Carl out at a meeting with David Frost a week before-after which Carl avoided all contact with said individual.   Brother Dennis was not exactly a good influence on that tour either----so I think we have to cut Carl a little slack...Probably one of the most miserable times to be in the band ever (and in a band with all the well known inter-group problems of the BBs that's saying something!!)

[Andrew G. Doe]

I think this was from the same concert?

Good Vibrations, not sounding so good....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVFfy-wdEKo

Oh f***, I'd managed to forget how bad that was.  That said, "GOK" from the same gig was even worse.

[The Real Barnyard]

I think this was from the same concert?

Good Vibrations, not sounding so good....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVFfy-wdEKo

Oh f***, I'd managed to forget how bad that was.  That said, "GOK" from the same gig was even worse.

Best thing of this recording is the "Hum Be Dum" section. Never heard live before I think.

[Zander]

Haven't seen the press conference before - cheers for posting... 

[WWDWD?]

The clip at the airport and of the press conference were aired on Saturday (Jan 19) at about 9:30am here in Australia. A friend txted me to tune to ABC but I missed the good bits and only managed to catch the film clip to Getcha Back (entertaining in another way) which followed the press conference . Glad someone uploaded it!

[Wrightfan]

Watching this in another window....

...the narrator refers to the room as a "presidential suite." Huh? Australia doesn't have a president. I guess it means corporation presidents, heads of state from overseas with that title, etc, are supposed to have the wherewithal to stay there.

Presidential is usually used in the hotel sense as a definition of grand.

[Wild-Honey]

Watching this in another window....

...the narrator refers to the room as a "presidential suite." Huh? Australia doesn't have a president. I guess it means corporation presidents, heads of state from overseas with that title, etc, are supposed to have the wherewithal to stay there.

Presidential is usually used in the hotel sense as a definition of grand.

Yes.  Prime Ministerial Suite doesn't have the same ring to it 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I think this was from the same concert?

Good Vibrations, not sounding so good....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVFfy-wdEKo

Oh f***, I'd managed to forget how bad that was.  That said, "GOK" from the same gig was even worse.

Was that Brian on piano during the verses?

[SMiLE-addict]

I realize it's a common occurrence, but I've always been mystified at why and how so many rock/pop stars do concerts drunk, drugged or otherwise stoned. I mean, it's one thing if you do it in your private life, but at a concert you've got thousands of people paying (usually) good money to see you, why would you want to show up in such horrible shape? It's like you don't give a crap about your own fans - where's the respect?

I guess some people just get so messed up they don't even give a crap.

/rant - sorry off topic

[I. Spaceman]

Some people become famous because of the music they make and concerts they perform when stoned. Not everyone starts out squeaky clean, then dissipates.

[Jay]

I think this was from the same concert?

Good Vibrations, not sounding so good....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVFfy-wdEKo

Oh f***, I'd managed to forget how bad that was.  That said, "GOK" from the same gig was even worse.

When you get the time, remind yourself about how bad Darlin' was from this show. He basically forgets(?) the entire second first, then let's out this god awful yell in the place of some lyrics. His backing vocals on It's OK are rather horrid as well.

[ontor pertawst]

I realize it's a common occurrence, but I've always been mystified at why and how so many rock/pop stars do concerts drunk, drugged or otherwise stoned.

Lots of reasons, but that whole "addiction" thing might have something to do with it. Insecurity. The need for a crutch, for armor. Then those two drinks to "loosen you up" turn into a bit more. Suddenly, you're eating Benzedrex cottons and shooting Pez into your eyeballs.

[Jay]

It's always amazed me how quickly Carl got himself straightened out. I know that there is a chance that Carl might have seen film of himself from the show and it scared him straight, but still, heroin isn't really something you just drop overnight. Not that I would know.

[Andrew G. Doe]

It's always amazed me how quickly Carl got himself straightened out. I know that there is a chance that Carl might have seen film of himself from the show and it scared him straight, but still, heroin isn't really something you just drop overnight. Not that I would know.

I think that's entirely probable - surely they would have looked at the footage.