Why do The Beach Boys have anonymous bandmembers to the public at large?

[bluesno1fann]

I think a good "anonymous" supergroup comparison to the Beach Boys is Pink Floyd. How many regular people know who Roger Waters or David Gilmour are, never mind Nick Mason or Rick Wright? And Floyd has had two of the biggest selling albums of all time in Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. Despite this, they were able to tour in the 1980s and 1990s to stadium size crowds without Roger Waters, their principal songwriter,

Syd Barrett and Roger Waters seems quite famous to the general public. David i'm not too sure, but definitely not Nick or Rick

[bgas]

I think a good "anonymous" supergroup comparison to the Beach Boys is Pink Floyd. How many regular people know who Roger Waters or David Gilmour are, never mind Nick Mason or Rick Wright? And Floyd has had two of the biggest selling albums of all time in Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. Despite this, they were able to tour in the 1980s and 1990s to stadium size crowds without Roger Waters, their principal songwriter,

Syd Barrett and Roger Waters seems quite famous to the general public. David i'm not too sure, but definitely not Nick or Rick

They were able to tour because everyone knew David Gilmour would be there!

[bluesno1fann]

I think a good "anonymous" supergroup comparison to the Beach Boys is Pink Floyd. How many regular people know who Roger Waters or David Gilmour are, never mind Nick Mason or Rick Wright? And Floyd has had two of the biggest selling albums of all time in Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. Despite this, they were able to tour in the 1980s and 1990s to stadium size crowds without Roger Waters, their principal songwriter,

Syd Barrett and Roger Waters seems quite famous to the general public. David i'm not too sure, but definitely not Nick or Rick

They were able to tour because everyone knew David Gilmour would be there!

I think it was because it was Pink Floyd touring, and Pink Floyd was a massive name by then and everyone wanted to see them.
The general public were for the most part unaware of the problems Pink Floyd had in the 80's, they were even unaware of Rick Wright's departure until the Final Cut came out!

[Andrew G. Doe]

This topic brings up something I'd often wondered: On a few occasions I've read things where Brian says he was driving around with VDP, or someone, and this thing I read said they'd go to a drive-through to get a burger, or something. Whenever I read that I wondered, did anyone at these drive-throughs ever recognize him?

In a way it must have been kinda nice to be so wealthy and "well-known" but still have lots of anonymity. The Beatles went through hell because they couldn't go anywhere without half the population recognizing them and screaming/running after them. On the other hand, being a BB, if you wanted to you could still lead something kinda-sorta resembling a 'normal' life.

But did they ? Two anecdotes spring to mind: during the making of the 1968 comeback special, Elvis kept saying how he was trapped inside because he was recognised wherever he went. Steve Binder pooh-poohed that and bet him that he could stand on a Hollywood street corner and no-one would recognise him. Elvis took him up on that, and no-one did. After 20 minutes EP got bored.

Secondly, The Queen is probably the most recognisable woman in the world (doubt me ? There are tribes in Papua-New Guinea who have never heard of Gaga or Madge, but have pics of EIIR in their homes), yet she can go shopping in local villages when she's in Balmoral or Sandringham untroubled. One woman did remark  once "you know, you look exactly like The Queen", to which Her Maj replied "yes, it has been remarked upon several times". I think she's a lot more fun than she lets on...

My point ? Celebrities like The Beatles and - from the sublime to the unspeakable - Katy Perry might be mobbed if they go out in their star threads (and so they should - it's their job), but if they don't try so hard and dress normally, chances are no-one would notice (especially the latter, who looks close to plain without the slap).

[SMiLE-addict]

I have read stories about where certain Beatles would go somewhere and be relatively unnoticed. Such as the story about John Lennon (in 1969 I think) who went to a flower stand at an outdoor market in Paris to buy flowers for Yoko, and the woman selling him flowers had no idea he was John Lennon (for all we know, she didn't even know who John Lennon was). But there were other people in the market who knew him (including someone who took a photo), it's just that they decided to leave him alone.

But let's face it, even when the Beatles went places as plainly dressed as they could, and tried their hardest to be/act anonymous, there would always be at least a couple people around who would recognize them. They might just decide to leave them alone. The BB's, on the other hand, were so completely ordinary-looking, with so few people really aware of who they are and what they looked like, that they could go out into the public anonymously much easier than the Beatles. It's all relative.

[Lonely Summer]

I have read stories about where certain Beatles would go somewhere and be relatively unnoticed. Such as the story about John Lennon (in 1969 I think) who went to a flower stand at an outdoor market in Paris to buy flowers for Yoko, and the woman selling him flowers had no idea he was John Lennon (for all we know, she didn't even know who John Lennon was). But there were other people in the market who knew him (including someone who took a photo), it's just that they decided to leave him alone.

But let's face it, even when the Beatles went places as plainly dressed as they could, and tried their hardest to be/act anonymous, there would always be at least a couple people around who would recognize them. They might just decide to leave them alone. The BB's, on the other hand, were so completely ordinary-looking, with so few people really aware of who they are and what they looked like, that they could go out into the public anonymously much easier than the Beatles. It's all relative.

And I'm sure that's true today,too. If Mike went out in public without his baseball cap, no one would recognize him.

[urbanite]

I saw Paul McCartney and Heather Mills walking down a relatively busy street in California probably 8 years ago or so, he didn't appear to have bodyguards, and nobody bothered him. 

[Sam_BFC]

My Mum and sister saw David and Victoria Beckham one Sunday in Marks and Spencer's at the height of their fame sans bodyguards etc as well.

[bgas]

My Mum and sister saw David and Victoria Beckham one Sunday in Marks and Spencer's at the height of their fame sans bodyguards etc as well.

Who?

[wantsomecorn]

My Mum and sister saw David and Victoria Beckham one Sunday in Marks and Spencer's at the height of their fame sans bodyguards etc as well.

Who?

One of the worlds most famous soccer players?

(You can tell he's famous because I said soccer, and am clearly an American who cares f-all about the sport.  )

[bgas]

My Mum and sister saw David and Victoria Beckham one Sunday in Marks and Spencer's at the height of their fame sans bodyguards etc as well.

Who?

One of the worlds most famous soccer players?

(You can tell he's famous because I said soccer, and am clearly an American who cares f-all about the sport.  )

Oh. Soocer. Who gives a rat's ass. This is, last I checked, a BBs board

[G.C]

I love Peter Gabriel!

[joe_blow]

This topic brings up something I'd often wondered: On a few occasions I've read things where Brian says he was driving around with VDP, or someone, and this thing I read said they'd go to a drive-through to get a burger, or something. Whenever I read that I wondered, did anyone at these drive-throughs ever recognize him?

In a way it must have been kinda nice to be so wealthy and "well-known" but still have lots of anonymity. The Beatles went through hell because they couldn't go anywhere without half the population recognizing them and screaming/running after them. On the other hand, being a BB, if you wanted to you could still lead something kinda-sorta resembling a 'normal' life.

But did they ? Two anecdotes spring to mind: during the making of the 1968 comeback special, Elvis kept saying how he was trapped inside because he was recognised wherever he went. Steve Binder pooh-poohed that and bet him that he could stand on a Hollywood street corner and no-one would recognise him. Elvis took him up on that, and no-one did. After 20 minutes EP got bored.

  Has there been a better film made than Elvis meets Nixon? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ3Tu-VSOPI&list=RDqQQPky5BzqU

[bluesno1fann]

My Mum and sister saw David and Victoria Beckham one Sunday in Marks and Spencer's at the height of their fame sans bodyguards etc as well.

Who?

One of the worlds most famous soccer players?

(You can tell he's famous because I said soccer, and am clearly an American who cares f-all about the sport.  )

Oh. Soocer. Who gives a rat's ass. This is, last I checked, a BBs board

I may not be a Soccer fan, but how can you not know who David Beckham is???
He's one of the world's most famous people, and is an household name!

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I think the general public who maybe just listen to classic rock or oldies radio might just know the names of bands and some, or several, or many of their songs, but anyone who considers themselves a music fan certainly at least knows the names of the various band members. All it takes is a quick look at an album jacket or CD insert. Let's keep in mind, the members of Pink Floyd, for instance, were on most of their album covers (or in the gatefold, in the case of Meddle and AHM) up until Dark Side, so pretty much anyone who had their albums at home knew what they looked like and what their names were.... Even Dark Side had their faces on the posters that came in the sleeve etc etc.... Same with The Beach Boys.

[dellydel]

I think the Beach Boys 'anonymity' is directly related to the lack of BB t-shirts with cartoony versions of the boys with their names under their faces.  T-shirts like this!!



The Beatles have a thousand shirts with their faces on it, it's almost impossible to find a BBs shirt with them on it.

(and by the way, if you like my shirt, go buy it here! http://society6.com/dellydel/Alan--Dennis--Brian--Mike--Carl_T-shirt#11=49&4=78  )   

[Mr. Wilson]

In summer of 1970 I was at old ASCOT raceway in the south bay area of southern California at a dirt bike race. I was standing in line to get something to drink and 5-6 people in front of me was Dennis.. I didn't know this until he walked by me. I went Hey Dennis.! Not real loud but I got his attention.. He went into the crowd and  vanished like a ghost..  He did NOT want to be noticed and I was the only one that did.. Dressed like he appeared  in  Two Lane Blacktop.  In 1976-77-78 at Brother studios Dennis would eat at a little café up the street walking there and back. Very few people knew or at least reacted to who he was..  The Beach Boys back then were easy to meet .. Just go hang around Santa Monica..

[Heysaboda]

.... to Al Jardine's nonappearance on the Summer Days album cover......

This will always strike me a bizarre beyond belief.  I mean, I read Al was sick for the photo shoot, so, GEEZ the brain dead people in charge of their schedule couldn't reschedule it???  Amateur hour.

[Jon Stebbins]

.... to Al Jardine's nonappearance on the Summer Days album cover......

This will always strike me a bizarre beyond belief.  I mean, I read Al was sick for the photo shoot, so, GEEZ the brain dead people in charge of their schedule couldn't reschedule it???  Amateur hour.

Al wasn't at the All Summer Long cover photo shoot either. His photos were "flown in" from a separate shoot. Notice he's not in any of the cover photos with the other Beach Boys.

[Sheriff John Stone]

.... to Al Jardine's nonappearance on the Summer Days album cover......

This will always strike me a bizarre beyond belief.  I mean, I read Al was sick for the photo shoot, so, GEEZ the brain dead people in charge of their schedule couldn't reschedule it???  Amateur hour.

This has mystified me for years. It's funny the things that bother you...

First, if Al was "sick", how long is one USUALLY ill? A day? Two days? And they absolutely couldn't re-schedule the photoshoot?

Second, ironically, the Summer Days album contained two of Al's best and most popular lead vocals, "Help Me Rhonda" - only a Number 1 single - and "Then I Kissed Her", another single.

Third, talk about a lack of respect. Think about how Al must've felt...

[Shady]

Late to this party but many bands are huge but the members are not well known. U2 being an example, Pink Floyd even, all the big ones.

Everyone knows "The Beach Boys" and Brian Wilson is very famous and that's all that matters

[CenturyDeprived]

.... to Al Jardine's nonappearance on the Summer Days album cover......

This will always strike me a bizarre beyond belief.  I mean, I read Al was sick for the photo shoot, so, GEEZ the brain dead people in charge of their schedule couldn't reschedule it???  Amateur hour.

This has mystified me for years. It's funny the things that bother you...

First, if Al was "sick", how long is one USUALLY ill? A day? Two days? And they absolutely couldn't re-schedule the photoshoot?

Second, ironically, the Summer Days album contained two of Al's best and most popular lead vocals, "Help Me Rhonda" - only a Number 1 single - and "Then I Kissed Her", another single.

Third, talk about a lack of respect. Think about how Al must've felt...

There's no way that would've happened if it were any other member of the band who had been sick. They most certainly would have rescheduled the shoot. Mind you, I'm talking about the same era, mid 60s.

Maybe it's stuff like this that led Al to have a big chip on his shoulder for years, as has often been claimed. I can't say I blame him.