All things Bruce Johnston

[bringahorseinhere?]

hi filledeplage  ....

good to hear your view..... and yes, my meetings with Brian were between 2002 - 2004, He was Great! as were Jeff, Darian, Taylor, Probyn, Scotty etc etc

I got to talk and chat with em all........ actually I have a picture taken at an airport where I got to get a photo taken with about 8 or so of the band....

Brian didn't travel with the guys....... but they all stopped and gave me a couple of minutes for a photo....... so awesome!

its a crime really, how others abuse the artists to make money and the real fans miss out.......

its a cruel world........and getting worse.......

I don't agree with the current 'meet and greet' packages that have been offered just for a hello and a photo or scribble from the artist, considering, someone

is probably making mega dollars out of it, and the artist gets little if nothing ......

I recall a poster recently catching up with Al Jardine before a show somewhere in a street , who was very surprised, that someone would pay 500 dollars for a

meet and greet package....

obviously the BB's were left or kept in the dark with that side of things........

oh well......

Cheers, RickB

[phirnis]

Why not give the man the benefit of the doubt? Maybe his hand actually hurt from the many mic adjustments he's been doing. Get well soon, Bruce!

[bringahorseinhere?]

lol!  RSI from Microphone adjustment!  or pulling up his shorts!   

RickB

[RangeRoverA1]

Why not give the man the benefit of the doubt? Maybe his hand actually hurt from the many mic adjustments he's been doing.

So what? It's not our fault that he's injured, we're not responsible for that. Plus, what is it to hurt your hand? It's nothing serious, just trivial thing. It's not like he became invalid or another dangerous case. So stop complaining & just do what is your main job is! That is, sign those autographs already! I'm honestly amazed at Bruce's laziness. No comments.

[ontor pertawst]

In all fairness, he had to conserve his hand strength for not playing the keyboard. The man is a pro!

[Mike's Beard]

I heard he damaged his hand pistol whuppin' the last guy that bugged him for an autograph while he was busy.

[ontor pertawst]

It's all well and good to do this to a fan when you're not on camera, on camera  -- wow, he literally does not give one solitary sh*t! Cue Pipeline.

Somebody dig up some footage of him foreclosing on an orphanage.

[EgoHanger1966]

Bruce injured? You be the judge!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15TvTkoEyLc

 

"Hey Bruce, could I please have an autograph?"

"Hi, I'm gonna....My hand hurts right now, it's kind of injured."

Put this through a Bruce Johnston translation service and you get "f*** off!"

[RubberSoul13]

It's all well and good to do this to a fan when you're not on camera, on camera -- wow, he literally does not give one solitary sh*t! Cue Pipeline.

Yeah...I think his 71 years are showing!

[SMiLE Brian]

I am guessing it was one of those "Rude" Bruce days....

[filledeplage]

hi filledeplage  ....

good to hear your view..... and yes, my meetings with Brian were between 2002 - 2004, He was Great! as were Jeff, Darian, Taylor, Probyn, Scotty etc etc

I got to talk and chat with em all........ actually I have a picture taken at an airport where I got to get a photo taken with about 8 or so of the band....

Brian didn't travel with the guys....... but they all stopped and gave me a couple of minutes for a photo....... so awesome!

its a crime really, how others abuse the artists to make money and the real fans miss out.......

its a cruel world........and getting worse.......

I don't agree with the current 'meet and greet' packages that have been offered just for a hello and a photo or scribble from the artist, considering, someone

is probably making mega dollars out of it, and the artist gets little if nothing ......

I recall a poster recently catching up with Al Jardine before a show somewhere in a street , who was very surprised, that someone would pay 500 dollars for a

meet and greet package....

obviously the BB's were left or kept in the dark with that side of things........

oh well......

Cheers, RickB

RickB - Brian's guys are great! I agree.  So cool.  I didn't mean a pay "meet and greet" but one coordinated with one of his tours.  For example, signing on the day of a show, at a Border's or some other brick and mortar (did I write that?) book/record store.  Buy the CD and get that and one other item autographed.  That is fair and accessible.  

This shark behavior such as Rubber Soul13 mentioned with the tripod video, for image of signing authentication is just over-the-top.  I'm glad it was mentioned.  When they show up, and it is bad faith, and not for real fan interest, it is just such aggressive and predatory behavior.  It is done to only make money and not to have a true treasure and a few words.

Once you hit 50, everything starts to hurt.  It is hard to imagine that in your 20's and 30's.  

Osteo-Biflex! Big boomer product! That, and rock and roll music!  

[Mike's Beard]

In fairness, it's not as if the guy is a piece of public property, there to sign his name to whoever asks at the drop of a hat.

[ontor pertawst]

Definitely, he's perfectly in the right to just scowl or ignore it! Hell, I would. I hate bus rides!

But for some reason, if you're a dick to some fans, some fans will think you're being a dick. That must be pretty oppressive, huh? The thought that it just takes a few bad cab rides, a few lousy tips or bad nights and suddenly you have a rep for being "difficult." Moral: never become famous, never form a band, don't take long bus rides. Not asking people for an autograph as they get off a bus can help, too. Do your part, America.

[Niko]

Just to pitch in here, when I met Bruce a few months ago a few hours before a show, he was incredibly friendly and talkative. He talked with me until it was time for him to go, telling me stories and such. It was great, a real fun memory.
Shame he has those rude days though. If he were like he was when I met him his reputation might be a little better. To be fair though, I did make it clear I was a superfan, and I didn't actually ask for an autograph.

[RangeRoverA1]

Once you hit 50, everything starts to hurt. It is hard to imagine that in your 20's and 30's.

We didn't discuss the different age situations, did we? Also, it's not like Bruce's hand hurts because he's 71, it's only an accident. Age has absolutely nothing to do with amount of traumas/illnesses one get. I know old people who are totally healthy &, vice versa, young people who have considerably weak immune system etc. So let's not defend Bruce with no reason behind it. I again shall emphasize that it's a very insignificant thing to injure a hand. If you're famous & people want to get autographs for good concert memories why not make them happy & do it? Seems more than logical to me.

[RubberSoul13]

Once you hit 50, everything starts to hurt. It is hard to imagine that in your 20's and 30's.

We didn't discuss the different age situations, did we? Also, it's not like Bruce's hand hurts because he's 71, it's only an accident. Age has absolutely nothing to do with amount of traumas/illnesses one get. I know old people who are totally healthy &, vice versa, young people who have considerably weak immune system etc. So let's not defend Bruce with no reason behind it. I again shall emphasize that it's a very insignificant thing to injure a hand. If you're famous & people want to get autographs for good concert memories why not make them happy & do it? Seems more than logical to me.

I would guess that the hand remark was a bunch of bullshit. Didn't you hear how he obviously just shifted what he was saying? He started out saying "I'm gonna..." and then he probably saw the cameras and took a minute to pick up the vibe, and made up this BS story about his hand. He was PROBABLY going to say: I'm gonna go put my clothes down and grab a drink, meet me back at the door in fifteen minutes.

[ontor pertawst]

I think he was grasping for "I'm gonna... knock you out!" until he saw the camera. Once a roughneck surf thug, always a roughneck surf thug.



"Hyah!"

[RubberSoul13]

*Turtle-neck surf thug 

[Jim V.]

Personally I think autographs are kinda worthless. I'd much rather have a photo taken with said person.

That said, if I'm Bruce Johnston I sign whatever comes my way, since honestly, I'm not that famous. Let's be honest he is probably the least noteworthy Beach Boy except for Blondie or Ricky. And there's even people that know of Blondie now cuz of "Sail On, Sailor" and The Band and the Rolling Stones.

[RubberSoul13]

Personally I think autographs are kinda worthless. I'd much rather have a photo taken with said person.

That said, if I'm Bruce Johnston I sign whatever comes my way, since honestly, I'm not that famous. Let's be honest he is probably the least noteworthy Beach Boy except for Blondie or Ricky. And there's even people that know of Blondie now cuz of "Sail On, Sailor" and The Band and the Rolling Stones.

Eh, I wouldn't go that far. He gets more recognition than them off of this board, and more than David too. At the reunion last year, he wasn't given much attention at all, but at the Mike & Bruce shows he does get quite a bit of the spotlight and fans that still don't know his name but can tell he's significantly older than the rest of the band still eat it up because they must get this notion of "WOW he's ORIGINAL!" in their head. There were young girls up front at the Baltimore show swooning over his water bottle and sweat rag. 

[filledeplage]

Once you hit 50, everything starts to hurt. It is hard to imagine that in your 20's and 30's.

We didn't discuss the different age situations, did we? Also, it's not like Bruce's hand hurts because he's 71, it's only an accident. Age has absolutely nothing to do with amount of traumas/illnesses one get. I know old people who are totally healthy &, vice versa, young people who have considerably weak immune system etc. So let's not defend Bruce with no reason behind it. I again shall emphasize that it's a very insignificant thing to injure a hand. If you're famous & people want to get autographs for good concert memories why not make them happy & do it? Seems more than logical to me.

RangeRoverA1 - most of my contemporaries from the classroom days, ended up with some kind of carpel tunnel as a result of writing on the chalkboard.  It is called "repetitive stress injuries" - and that is from another education.  It is rare for musicians, any less than athletes to use knees, ankles, fingers, etc. to not need to "baby" that limb, etc., as one ages.  And, not overdo it.  It sounds credible. And, just wear and tear over time.  

And, I'd be hard put to pass any penmanship exam at this point in life.  Computers have made us lazy.  If you look at Dennis' autograph, he didn't write that well, but it's sort of a sexy scrawl. Carl had a neatly rounded signature and Brian's is more angular.  I was lucky.  I started early and when my friends and I would see the Boys, and, were teens, and be lucky to get an autograph, eBay was not even on the radar screen.  Now it is a thriving economy and predatory in nature.

But, having been able to get to more shows at this point, I've seen the eBay scavenger type.  They are disgusting.  

If you look at the tour schedule, they are full out.  They did three shows in 24 hours last week, in two states. And did stuff with City Year at all three shows.  

Generally, there is wear as we age, despite athletic involvement.  

[mikeddonn]

I mentioned earlier on this thread about meeting Mike and Bruce.  I'll elaborate on the the second meeting.

They had literally just walked off stage at Edinburgh Castle and down the steps to the backstage area.  I had run along a platform which ran to the backstage area.  I was looking down on them from above and shouted to them, politely of course!  Now at the time I didn't know about Bruce's reputation for pistol whipping! As Mike moved towards me Bruce gave me a look.  In hindsight maybe if he'd have been able to jump up to where I was I might have copped one!  However, by the time Mike had taken my white cap (like the one Bruce is wearing in the photo a couple of posts back) and asked "where'd ye get this?" And I had explained it was at a concert several years earlier Bruce had realised I was a genuine fan.  They both posed for a lovely photo and made me a very happy chappie.

In all seriousness, twice I've met Bruce and I have not been disappointed.  So maybe he did spot the camera and realise it was maybe not a genuine fan, but someone looking to sell something. 

Ontor, loved you're post about what Bruce might be about to say!

[Nicko1234]

I agree with you regarding not "automated" Brian. He's not indeed. As for Bruce being rude & arrogant - well, it's not the 1st time when I read such meeting experiences on this board. I don't favor artists who show different attitude towards different people, i.e. if they like someone - they talk well & polite, but if they see the other one & don't like - then ignore them at best & show signs of bad mood. Whatever the criteria of selection is. I think that's totally unfair to treat people however they want.

We all do that every day don't we.

[Shady]

Bruce injured? You be the judge!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15TvTkoEyLc

 

If the guy had "Goin Public" on vinyl ready to be signed Bruce would've given his john hancock in the drop of a hat

[tpesky]

Cripes Mike's not kidding when he talks about streamed down touring operations. He makes them ride in 1985 Ford Econoline minibus!