Brian, Al, and David Meet and Greet Summer 2013

[Doo Dah]

I posted this in another thread but I'll post it here, too.

Well, this is the signature that Brian signed in front of me in person:





This is the signature on the BB50 program that I bought at the BB50 concert:





I feel very confident that Brian signed the BB50 program. You can see the upward tail at the end of Wilson. Also the 'bump' in Brian. Brian might have been tired but he signed the programs. He had to sign many, too. My opinion.

I don't know what happened in N.J. but I'd like to see the photo they were given. My only concern is that they signed one photo and then made copies from it. Still an autograph. I don't want to speculate on what happened when I wasn't there.

Signatures can change over time but you still have some elements that remain the same.

The two sigs are like night and day.
As you saw Brian sign in front of you, we'll presume that one is real. But the BB50 doesn't appear to be signed by Brian, but is more likely Jeff signing to appear as Brian
Any recent ( last 10-15 years) signature not personally witnessed is suspicious....

Whataya wanna do with it? Pawn it or sell it?



I'll have to have my guy come in to have a look at it...

[ontor pertawst]

"Brian Wilson signatures don't actually have any value right now except the sentimental value the owner may ascribe to it... maybe if this were historically important... also, something about the Civil War that was previously scripted."

Then we'd have to watch the horrible spectacle of the doughy young man that shall remain nameless trying to do Brian's Fun, Fun, Fun fade falsetto.

[Doo Dah]

Ontor - in the words of Chumley...AWESOME! 

(for the record, I have Ray Manzarek's signature on my Kurzweil K1000 - he signed it after playing it during a Manzarek / McClure gig in Cleveland...outta take that baby down to the boys @ Pawn Stars)

[Justin]

I posted this in another thread but I'll post it here, too.

Well, this is the signature that Brian signed in front of me in person:



This is the signature on the BB50 program that I bought at the BB50 concert:



I feel very confident that Brian signed the BB50 program. You can see the upward tail at the end of Wilson. Also the 'bump' in Brian. Brian might have been tired but he signed the programs. He had to sign many, too. My opinion.

I don't know what happened in N.J. but I'd like to see the photo they were given. My only concern is that they signed one photo and then made copies from it. Still an autograph. I don't want to speculate on what happened when I wasn't there.

Signatures can change over time but you still have some elements that remain the same.

The two sigs are like night and day.
As you saw Brian sign in front of you, we'll presume that one is real. But the BB50 doesn't appear to be signed by Brian, but is more likely Jeff signing to appear as Brian
Any recent ( last 10-15 years) signature not personally witnessed is suspicious....

They are different but they share a few key elements.  Mainly the shaky/uneasy lines that form each letter.  Jeff definitely has signed on behalf of Brian but his attempts at his signature is a little bit more obvious..see the pictures below.  Each of the Brian sigs on those items are NOT by Brian--most likely Jeff.  You can see how wildly different they are from Brian's actual signature.  Those are more night and day than the one SloopJohnnyB posted above. 








A friend of mine got something signed by Brian--in person just last week.  This was  the result:



Looks like when Brian is in a rush or just not interested in signing---the less pronounced the signature is (as this last picture proves).  This often is the case when Brian is signing more than one item in a row.  His first signature is the best but as he continues to sign...the less letters there are and the more squiggles there are.

[mikeddonn]

The signature on the back of that cd booklet is the 'Jeff' one I have on my C50 programme along with the rest of the group.  Cost me £75! Leaves a bit of a sour taste.  I would rather have paid the same for the signatures less the fake Brian one.  The reason I kept it is it still looks good framed.  Fortunately I have a few other Brian autographs personally obtained.

[MarcellaHasDirtyFeet]

Listen, Brian chose Jeff to write those signatures for him. Do you know better than Brian does? This is exactly the kind of support that Brian needs to make autographs these days. Would you rather he stay home and refuse to sign anything anymore? You must be blinded by your love of Love.

 I don't think there is anything wrong with those signatures-- They look classy, and a heck of a lot better than Brian's real signature.  Brian should really have Jeff sign all his autographs from now on. I mean, it's obvious Brian doesn't like doing it, and so he signs like crap!

[bgas]

Listen, Brian chose Jeff to write those signatures for him. Do you know better than Brian does? This is exactly the kind of support that Brian needs to make autographs these days. Would you rather he stay home and refuse to sign anything anymore? You must be blinded by your love of Love.

 I don't think there is anything wrong with those signatures-- They look classy, and a heck of a lot better than Brian's real signature.  Brian should really have Jeff sign all his autographs from now on. I mean, it's obvious Brian doesn't like doing it, and so he signs like crap!

and while he's at it, let Jeff sing for Brian too! and then, maybe he can ease into his spot at the piano so Brian can stay home; after all, it's fairly obvious he doesn't like to tour....

[Nicko1234]

Listen, Brian chose Jeff to write those signatures for him. Do you know better than Brian does? This is exactly the kind of support that Brian needs to make autographs these days. Would you rather he stay home and refuse to sign anything anymore? You must be blinded by your love of Love.

 I don't think there is anything wrong with those signatures-- They look classy, and a heck of a lot better than Brian's real signature.  Brian should really have Jeff sign all his autographs from now on. I mean, it's obvious Brian doesn't like doing it, and so he signs like crap!

Hilarious.

[HeyJude]

I dunno, the autograph issue is rather dicey for sure. Seems like they would be opening themselves up to a lot of unneeded hassles by faking autographs when they don't need to be selling them in the first place. I have a 2006 west cost PS tour poster signed by Brian and Al in person and Brian's sig is minimalistic as always but not shaky at all. I also have a signed C50 group photo where his sig isn't shaky either.

[hypehat]

Sure, if I had to sign a fresh tonne of tour programmes I don't think my sig would look identical on EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE. Jesus.

I mean, as a contrast, is there a photo kicking around of a signed Smile box? We know BW signed about 100 of them, as there's photos and video of him doing so?

[SloopJohnnyB]

Brian's difference in signatures could easily be related to a health issue such as peripheral neuropathy which can cause numbness, tingling or pain the arms/hands. I noticed during the concert Brian would quit playing piano and just let his arms hang down at his side. His problems with his back could has caused pain and numbness in his upper extremities. We just don't know.

I think bottom line is that if you don't receive an autograph in person you really don't know who might have signed it. It doesn't matter who it is. I don't care if there is a certificate of authenticity or something saying 'this is real'. You just don't know.

[HeyJude]

Brian's difference in signatures could easily be related to a health issue such as peripheral neuropathy which can cause numbness, tingling or pain the arms/hands. I noticed during the concert Brian would quit playing piano and just let his arms hang down at his side. His problems with his back could has caused pain and numbness in his upper extremities. We just don't know.

I think bottom line is that if you don't receive an autograph in person you really don't know who might have signed it. It doesn't matter who it is. I don't care if there is a certificate of authenticity or something saying 'this is real'. You just don't know.

There are folks who are good at authenticating these things sometimes. Brian is just more difficult because his signature is so sparse. I have a number of Al autographs, including several I got in person as well as through his fan club stuff, and they all look very similar but certainly not identical.

[EgoHanger1966]

I posted this in another thread but I'll post it here, too.

Well, this is the signature that Brian signed in front of me in person:



This is the signature on the BB50 program that I bought at the BB50 concert:



I feel very confident that Brian signed the BB50 program. You can see the upward tail at the end of Wilson. Also the 'bump' in Brian. Brian might have been tired but he signed the programs. He had to sign many, too. My opinion.

I don't know what happened in N.J. but I'd like to see the photo they were given. My only concern is that they signed one photo and then made copies from it. Still an autograph. I don't want to speculate on what happened when I wasn't there.

Signatures can change over time but you still have some elements that remain the same.

The two sigs are like night and day.
As you saw Brian sign in front of you, we'll presume that one is real. But the BB50 doesn't appear to be signed by Brian, but is more likely Jeff signing to appear as Brian
Any recent ( last 10-15 years) signature not personally witnessed is suspicious....

They are different but they share a few key elements.  Mainly the shaky/uneasy lines that form each letter.  Jeff definitely has signed on behalf of Brian but his attempts at his signature is a little bit more obvious..see the pictures below.  Each of the Brian sigs on those items are NOT by Brian--most likely Jeff.  You can see how wildly different they are from Brian's actual signature.  Those are more night and day than the one SloopJohnnyB posted above.  








A friend of mine got something signed by Brian--in person just last week.  This was  the result:



Looks like when Brian is in a rush or just not interested in signing---the less pronounced the signature is.  This often is the case when Brian is signing more than one item in a row.  His first signature is the best but as he continues to sign...the less letters there are and the more squiggles there are.

That's my picture. I paid $100 for that last year. Are you telling me that's a fucking Jeff Foskett autograph?   (or I'm just misunderstanding and you're saying it's a rushed, real Brian)

[Justin]

Which one is your pic Ego?  The TTWII CD booklet or the C50 programs?  By the way, sorry for using your pic---it was saved on my computer since last year when the whole autograph issues were coming up.  Your picture was crucial to compare signatures.

And yes, I'm real real sorry to say, friend, that the signature does not look good. mikeddonn also confirms it for the item he purchased as well.  Another friend of mine who's a collector of Beach Boys signatures also claimed the same.  There are a few elements that don't look right: the bubbles on the "B", the lines he makes for the "rian" part in Brian.  The "W" isn't right.  Plus the thickness of the signature is very off from Brian's technique.  Hate to be the bearer of bad news 

[Justin]

And here's the video of Brian signing the Smile box sets.  There are variations on the signature as he signs more and more.   In this particular case, he seems to care about the signature---personally I believe because he cares about the product he's signing.  Brian can be moody like that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7SL2Q780Kw

[Cabinessenceking]

if you pay for a signature you're gonna get a crappy one. If you meet them you may get luckier. I don't see the prob ^^

[ontor pertawst]

I remembering being a kid at some convention or other... Lou Ferrigno walked up to me and started badgering me to pay some ludicrous amount for an autographed picture. I may have been 13 or something, but I looked at him and said "why the f*** would I ever want to do that?" He looked really sad for a second, mumbled, and walked away.

In conclusion, take it from a 13 year old in New Jersey: don't pay for autographs. Why the f*** would you ever want to do that? If they sign your stuff as a memento when meeting 'em, that's nice tho.

[mikeddonn]

Nice examples of signatures Justin.  The Surf's Up one is very similar to most of the recent more sparse signatures of Brian's.  I'd say if anyone wanted a good example from the last couple of years as to how Brian signs then this is the one.  Some of them, depending on speed and how tired he is aren't even as detailed.  However, one could still tell Brian signed it, even a squiggle!  He seems to go back on the bottom of the 'B' and joins to the 'r' from the bottom up and then across.  The 'Jeff' one seems to loop up and through the bottom circle of the 'B' rather than under the 'B' like the way Brian does it.  I also don't know why they would open themselves up to these allegations by selling forged signatures.  Just don't sell them.  Surely it's not to do with the $$$!

[J.G. Dev]

.

[EgoHanger1966]

Which one is your pic Ego?  The TTWII CD booklet or the C50 programs?  By the way, sorry for using your pic---it was saved on my computer since last year when the whole autograph issues were coming up.  Your picture was crucial to compare signatures.

The booklet. I'm pissed. It was always in the back of my mind, but......I went to two shows last year, supported this band because I believe in them...bought TEN FUCKING CD's because Mike Love wanted his precious album to go #1, (the deal was buy ten, get one auto'd)....and this is how they repay their fans? Brian's too mentally ill to sign something? No, just lazy. No excuse. Not good enough. I know Jeff (or whoever) is just doing as he's told, but morally it's messed up. It's wrong. It should stop. I'm tired of all these excuses. I know the man isn't in the best of health - physical or mental - but this isn't fair. Do it to someone who doesn't give a sh*t. I have that booklet framed with a copy of Pet Sounds, hanging proudly on my wall. What a fucking joke, BRI. I hope Melinda or someone reads this (unlikely) and feels very, very badly about themselves and the things they do behind the scenes.

[Wrightfan]

I'm pretty sure the Brian Wilson signatures on the 50th anniversary program are him. Like some have said, no two autographs are alike and trying to compare autographs and say "they're both similar" is not a good strategy. Age and health definitely play a factor. Here's a good non-music example of how autos can differ in such a short time:



This is a 2002 card signed by Warren Spahn, one of the greatest left handed pitchers of all time. It comes from the Topps baseball company which he signed for.



This is a postcard he signed for me in 2003, just a few months before he died. Notice how different the autograph is? Signed on a similar surface too.

If you're still unsure, there's many autograph authenticators out there if you need peace of mind.

[mikeddonn]

Wrightfan, I would still look at those 2 signatures and think the same guy signed them.  Egohanger, you're correct.  There is no excuse.   If Brian doesn't want to do it he doesn't have to.  But BRI should not be getting anyone else to do it for him and passing it off as the real deal.  Incidentally, did you buy the CD booklet from the store or at a concert.  I was going to buy one of the booklets as well from the online store but went for the programme instead.

[Justin]

Which one is your pic Ego?  The TTWII CD booklet or the C50 programs?  By the way, sorry for using your pic---it was saved on my computer since last year when the whole autograph issues were coming up.  Your picture was crucial to compare signatures.

The booklet. I'm pissed. It was always in the back of my mind, but......I went to two shows last year, supported this band because I believe in them...bought TEN FUCKING CD's because Mike Love wanted his precious album to go #1, (the deal was buy ten, get one auto'd)....and this is how they repay their fans? Brian's too mentally ill to sign something? No, just lazy. No excuse. Not good enough. I know Jeff (or whoever) is just doing as he's told, but morally it's messed up. It's wrong. It should stop. I'm tired of all these excuses. I know the man isn't in the best of health - physical or mental - but this isn't fair. Do it to someone who doesn't give a sh*t. I have that booklet framed with a copy of Pet Sounds, hanging proudly on my wall. What a fucking joke, BRI. I hope Melinda or someone reads this (unlikely) and feels very, very badly about themselves and the things they do behind the scenes.

I hear ya, man.  I'm real sorry.  I'd be pissed too. A bunch of people bought signed copies of Keith Richards' autobiography from his official website a few years ago only to find out later that they were all signed by autopen.  

The very first time I saw this signature was at one of the Gershwin shows.  They were selling the CD in the lobby and I saw these signatures and I knew right away that they were off.  Way too clean and most of all: way too consistent.  As you can see even in the pic of the Smile box sets: the signatures all had variations yet they all shared the same characteristics.  The fake Brian sigs are all exactly the same and for me, the biggest black eye is that both the "i's" in Brian and Wilson were dotted--in each and every signature.  That doesn't match up too well with Brian's real signature.  I remember a fan during the C50 Irvine show had asked a crew member to get Brian to sign his Pet Sounds CD for him.  He got it back and he showed it to me.  It had the fake signature on it.  I didn't have the heart to tell him.  

I'm not sure why Brian stopped signing--but it seemed to be very sporadic.  Some of the C50 tour books were actually signed by him and also some of the 8x10 pictures they had also were signed by him...so it was very inconsistent when he would/wouldn't sign.  It may have to do with what you said: laziness but really, they shouldn't  have Brian sign at all if he doesn't want to.  To have a fake signature on there is unacceptable.

I know this has bummed you out but you still have a good memento from a great tour and you do have authentic signatures from the rest of the band on that booklet.

[Justin]

Nice examples of signatures Justin.  The Surf's Up one is very similar to most of the recent more sparse signatures of Brian's.  I'd say if anyone wanted a good example from the last couple of years as to how Brian signs then this is the one.  Some of them, depending on speed and how tired he is aren't even as detailed.  However, one could still tell Brian signed it, even a squiggle!  He seems to go back on the bottom of the 'B' and joins to the 'r' from the bottom up and then across.  The 'Jeff' one seems to loop up and through the bottom circle of the 'B' rather than under the 'B' like the way Brian does it.  I also don't know why they would open themselves up to these allegations by selling forged signatures.  Just don't sell them.  Surely it's not to do with the $$$!

Thanks buddy.  The "BW squiggles" signature (as I like to call them) seems to be the standard signature Brian gives out especially when he's in a rush or just not interested in signing.  At most signings I've been to--this is what he's done.  At the various "Lucky Old Sun" signings and  the Smile signing in Long Beach last year--everyone got the squiggle signature.

[EgoHanger1966]

 Egohanger, you're correct.  There is no excuse.   If Brian doesn't want to do it he doesn't have to.  But BRI should not be getting anyone else to do it for him and passing it off as the real deal.  Incidentally, did you buy the CD booklet from the store or at a concert.  I was going to buy one of the booklets as well from the online store but went for the programme instead.

Bought it at a show.

Which one is your pic Ego?  The TTWII CD booklet or the C50 programs?  By the way, sorry for using your pic---it was saved on my computer since last year when the whole autograph issues were coming up.  Your picture was crucial to compare signatures.

The booklet. I'm pissed. It was always in the back of my mind, but......I went to two shows last year, supported this band because I believe in them...bought TEN FUCKING CD's because Mike Love wanted his precious album to go #1, (the deal was buy ten, get one auto'd)....and this is how they repay their fans? Brian's too mentally ill to sign something? No, just lazy. No excuse. Not good enough. I know Jeff (or whoever) is just doing as he's told, but morally it's messed up. It's wrong. It should stop. I'm tired of all these excuses. I know the man isn't in the best of health - physical or mental - but this isn't fair. Do it to someone who doesn't give a sh*t. I have that booklet framed with a copy of Pet Sounds, hanging proudly on my wall. What a fucking joke, BRI. I hope Melinda or someone reads this (unlikely) and feels very, very badly about themselves and the things they do behind the scenes.

I hear ya, man.  I'm real sorry.  I'd be pissed too. A bunch of people bought signed copies of Keith Richards' autobiography from his official website a few years ago only to find out later that they were all signed by autopen.  

The very first time I saw this signature was at one of the Gershwin shows.  They were selling the CD in the lobby and I saw these signatures and I knew right away that they were off.  Way too clean and most of all: way too consistent.  As you can see even in the pic of the Smile box sets: the signatures all had variations yet they all shared the same characteristics.  The fake Brian sigs are all exactly the same and for me, the biggest black eye is that both the "i's" in Brian and Wilson were dotted--in each and every signature.  That doesn't match up too well with Brian's real signature.  I remember a fan during the C50 Irvine show had asked a crew member to get Brian to sign his Pet Sounds CD for him.  He got it back and he showed it to me.  It had the fake signature on it.  I didn't have the heart to tell him.  

I'm not sure why Brian stopped signing--but it seemed to be very sporadic.  Some of the C50 tour books were actually signed by him and also some of the 8x10 pictures they had also were signed by him...so it was very inconsistent when he would/wouldn't sign.  It may have to do with what you said: laziness but really, they shouldn't  have Brian sign at all if he doesn't want to.  To have a fake signature on there is unacceptable.

I know this has bummed you out but you still have a good memento from a great tour and you do have authentic signatures from the rest of the band on that booklet.

Yeah, I just needed some time to cool down. I always knew in my heart of hearts that there was a very good chance it wasn't real. And, for what it's worth, I wanted it as a memento of the "summer of The Beach Boys" - it really was a momentous thing - and it still works as that. I'm not naive, I know this goes on, and there's not much you can do to stop it, but....Jeff, if you're reading this - work on those squiggles!!!!!!

I realize my original comments may seem harsh, and I'm not out to offend anyone - but you try plonking down a Benjamin for a Jeff Foskett autograph.
Maybe if it was on a copy of "Through My Window"...I'd pay a quarter of that.