All things Bruce Johnston

[filledeplage]

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

I just re-watched the YouTube, and clicked on "more from" - OMG!

[Mike's Beard]

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

I just re-watched the YouTube, and clicked on "more from" - OMG!

Yeah looks like this guy is a professional autograph seller.

[EgoHanger1966]

Every time I read the latest thing Bruce has said or done to a fan, all I need to do is put on "Deirdre" and five seconds into it, I'm o.k with the guy and would die to meet him just to thank him for his music. That is, until I read about the next "hand injury" and start the mini-cycle all over again...

[SurfRiderHawaii]

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

Backstage at the C50 Eugene show Bruce was very cool. HE offered to sign the C50 poster I had in my hand. Stupid me, I had walked by Brian and had already talked to Al and David by the time Bruce signed. Missed out on getting all five.  

[Gertie J.]

Every time I read the latest thing Bruce has said or done to a fan, all I need to do is put on "Deirdre" and five seconds into it, I'm o.k with the guy and would die to meet him just to thank him for his music. That is, until I read about the next "hand injury" and start the mini-cycle all over again...

lol

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Every time I read the latest thing Bruce has said or done to a fan, all I need to do is put on "Deirdre" and five seconds into it, I'm o.k with the guy and would die to meet him just to thank him for his music. That is, until I read about the next "hand injury" and start the mini-cycle all over again...

lol

Tears In The Morning does the same for me!

Just put it on and really really listen... How the instruments gradually layer as the song cycles around and repeats for dramatic effect but with Bruce's voice and the players/production simply meaning it more! .... It really is a fantastic work! I'd call it genius if we were allowed to use the term in regards to anything in the Beach Boys universe that's not all Brian Brian Brian!

[clack]

'Tears', 'Diedre' and 'Disney Girls' are so obviously the work of an expert craftsman. Inspiration may come and go, but craft should be able to sustain itself --  Bruce should have been able to crank out songs as good as those year after year.

Why he wrote so seldom, then eventually stopped altogether, is a mystery. Has anyone actually ever asked Bruce?

[Marcella]

I love Bruce's vocal on "At My Window" myself--I know it's not "his" song but a great effort on vocals there. I, too, would like to know what happened to his desire to compose new music.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

'Tears', 'Diedre' and 'Disney Girls' are so obviously the work of an expert craftsman. Inspiration may come and go, but craft should be able to sustain itself --  Bruce should have been able to crank out songs as good as those year after year.

Why he wrote so seldom, then eventually stopped altogether, is a mystery. Has anyone actually ever asked Bruce?

Maybe someone did and this is how the pistol-whipping reputation got rollin'  

[Heywood]

We could sell tickets to see someone ask Bruce why he doesn't write decent songs anymore!

[Jim V.]

I love Bruce's vocal on "At My Window" myself--I know it's not "his" song but a great effort on vocals there. I, too, would like to know what happened to his desire to compose new music.

I think it might jut have to do with the fact that he feels he accomplished enough. He got a Grammy (and may have mentioned that a few times), wrote "Disney Girls" (even though I don't really know anybody outside hardcore Beach Boys fans who even knows of it), and is part of The Beach Boys. He's got a lot of money and I think he's more content to drink a few beers, put on Hannity's show and then jump on stage and clap after. Whatever. I wish he'd write some more stuff. And he has been saying he's gonna write and pitch it to some "country" music assholes, but that ain't gonna happen. Oh well.

[bgas]

And he has been saying he's gonna write and pitch it to some "country" music assholes, but that ain't gonna happen. Oh well.

Country Love, Vol. 2 !!

[bluesno1fann]

But what about Juice Bronston?!?

he's a jerk.

You're a stupid head.

What happened to you, Juice Bronston? This is your last post in around 2 months! I miss you and your super-funny posts! When will you come back to entertain us?

[metal flake paint]

Now, would someone please relate the origin of the pistol-whipping comments?

I honestly cannot remember, yet the more I think about it the odds that Bruce is a pistol whipping, bully-boy are more than probable. Let's look at the facts;

Bruce got the plum job to replace Brian on the road despite not being able to play the bass.
Despite being hired strictly as a live only replacement due to being under contract to another record company which forbade him to record with The Beach Boys, Bruce was singing on their records within mere weeks.
Bruce got to sing more lead vocals on Sunflower than Brian, Mike and Al.
Bruce got to produce the band's late 70's records despite not having a clue as to what was fashionable sales-wise at the time.
Bruce is the only guy Mike lets perform with him as the current Beach Boys despite doing next to bugger all on stage.

The odds that all these things could have happened without the perpetrators being under the threat of a gun butt bashed upside of the skull if they didn't comply is statistically speaking impossible.

You also forgot that he wore the shortest shorts during the 1980 Knebworth concert when the weather was the usual vile British sort and everyone else present were wearing long-johns and jackets. Bruce was imagining being in Kokomo already back then.

Hmmm, they're some mighty long shorts that Bruce is wearing at the Knebworth concert. Perhaps you're referencing the video footage of Bruce during the Knebworth concert rehearsals

[metal flake paint]

Specific credits for FRIENDS are rather elusive. In general, a mixture of group personnel and session people. "Diamond Head" is likely 100% session musicians while "Anna Lee the Healer" is probably all Beach Boys. Is that Brian's organ on "Passing By"?

Endless Summer Quarterly celebrated the 40th anniversary of Friends, including an excellent sessionography by Craig Slowinski; highly recommended!

http://www.esquarterly.com/merchandise.html#spring2008

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Erm, so I'm not the biggest Bruce fan in the world but....

This is BRILLIANT!! (And I'm not just saying this coz I live in the Channel Islands). Where was the hell was this fun edgy spark when he was in the Beach Boys??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SI9WEVn5YM

[RangeRoverA1]

Erm, so I'm not the biggest Bruce fan in the world but...

This is brilliant! (And I'm not just saying this coz I live in the Channel Islands).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SI9WEVn5YM

Like "Maksha At Midnight", a so-so tune: except for heavily distorted guitars, everything else (melody too) is grating on my ears. I'll give you another "brilliant" example, very groovy:

B. Johnston - The Original Surfer Stomp

Also I like "Soupy Shuffle Stomp" from "Del-Fi..." record (no YT link, but you can easily download it in the Internet). Check it, where'd you hear Bruce doing bulldog imitations, after all?

[Mayoman]

6:18 is one of the funniest Bruce moments of all time. Frozen in his clapping.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_sMw4_R8YE

[dombanzai]

To me, nowadays Bruce just comes across as a bit cheesy and, as they say in the US, schmalzy. I get the impression he's a 'background' man as he plays second fiddle to Mike in his version of the Beach Boys, was very much behind the Boys between 65 and 72, while in The Rip Chords and Bruce & Terry he played a minor role to Melcher, with far fewer lead vocals (which was strange considering his earlier surf forays on his own – Surfin' Round The World album was excellent).

I loved his vocals on At My Window, his other Sunflower offerings were quite decent, while Disney Girls is okay. Most of the time during his first stint, I struggle to hear his voice in the mix, apart from on California Girls and God Only Knows, so although I like him I struggle to see exactly what he brought to the package. Wasn't Paul Johnson approached first before Bruce? I wonder what would have happened if they had turned to David again?

[SurfRiderHawaii]

To me, nowadays Bruce just comes across as a bit cheesy and, as they say in the US, schmalzy. I get the impression he's a 'background' man as he plays second fiddle to Mike in his version of the Beach Boys, was very much behind the Boys between 65 and 72, while in The Rip Chords and Bruce & Terry he played a minor role to Melcher, with far fewer lead vocals (which was strange considering his earlier surf forays on his own – Surfin' Round The World album was excellent).

I loved his vocals on At My Window, his other Sunflower offerings were quite decent, while Disney Girls is okay. Most of the time during his first stint, I struggle to hear his voice in the mix, apart from on California Girls and God Only Knows, so although I like him I struggle to see exactly what he brought to the package. Wasn't Paul Johnson approached first before Bruce? I wonder what would have happened if they had turned to David again?

I think the Boys voices were all individual nuggets of candy and Brian mixed and matched them to great effect. Including Bruce for sure.

[Pretty Funky]

Being PC how I word this but Bruce has an interesting running style during the band intro on the C50 Chiba show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xHcEjoElYZ4#t=58

[jeffh]

I just watched that concert on youtube. Wow, where can I get a copy of it?

[zane7570]

I just watched that concert on youtube. Wow, where can I get a copy of it?

I couldn't find the show for purchase so I downloaded it using this free program http://keepvid.com/ and then burned it on disc. If that program isn't working, there are several other free ones online.

[Pretty Funky]

Bruce does not need to go to Perth now.

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/private-sydney/engagement-between-youngest-rinehart-and-son-of-a-beach-boy-ends-20131011-2vdvl.html

[Doo Dah]

I checked out the moocher's EBAY page. The guy who was hounding Bruce for a quickie. Check this out - irony of ironies!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-BEACH-BOYS-SIGNED-AUTOGRAPHED-RARE-LP-BLUE-WOW-VINYL-MIKE-LOVE-EXACT-PROOF-/181225343194?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item2a31df48da