Meeting Brian Wilson

[GhostyTMRS]

Love reading through these kinds of threads.  Personally speaking though, I would never want to meet him.

Why?

I can understand why fans wouldn't want to meet one of their idols. If they happen to be having a bad day or they give you the brush-off, it could taint your opinion of them forever (as illogical as that may be).  I've only talked to Brian on the phone and it was a positive experience and he was in a good mood (thank God!).

I know some people here have had different experiences with Bruce and that's a shame.

My two musical heroes are Brian and Paul McCartney. One of McCartney's security guards explained Paul's technique for getting away from fans if they start taking up too much of his time. He scratches his elbow..which is a signal to his security to get him out of there. They then come over and announce that Paul has an appointment and has to leave. Paul then apologizes to the fan and says he wishes he could spend more time with them but his handlers want him to go. In a way, that's a kind of sweet way to ensure that a fan has a good experience and doesn't think Paul is the bad guy ("He would've hung out all day, but that mean security guard spirited him away!") but believe me...if I ever met Paul I'd be watching to see if he scratched that arm.

[Mikie]

This is such a cool story, Mikie!  Thanks so much for sharing the details of your spending time with BW at his house in 1976, not to mention the numerous other sites you visited. Is Tim still a big BB/BW fan?

Yeah, Tim's still a fan. He's living in Evansville now and lets me know when Brian or The Boys are going to be on the talk shows on TV. He sees them before I do and lets me know ahead of time how the appearances are and about the interview, songs, etc.

And as you probably know, Derek is in heaven now, probably congregating with other hardcore Beach Boys fans that have passed away in the last few years.

[JK]

Just in awe of Mikie's opening post. Wow.

[Mikie]

Thanks, John.    Sometimes my family likes me to recount the story and it's fun to tell. One of the highlights of my life, really. Whether it's a famous politician, sports figure, rock star, or whomever it is, we're amazed at their talent and we put them on a pedestal and have a lot of respect for them. Just meeting them in person and shaking their hand and/or getting their autograph is enough to make most people happy, but if they're in their intimate environment when you meet them in person, well, that's just extra special!

[Vernon Surfer]

I've never seen, let alone met, David.  ALL of the rest [except for Glen] yes.  I outlined my Carl [maybe 2 hours] lunch/meeting here months ago.  Spent about 40-45 minutes with Bruce after a show in Winnipeg 10 years later...a few minutes with Mike maybe 3 or 4 times.  Met Al and Denny along the way...Saw Blondie and Ricky wandering about...but THIS is about Brian and my story is so thin and uneventful it doesn't belong in the same thread as Mikie's...[by the way...whatever happening to that reel to reel tape you lifted at Dick's place?]

Anyway...I went to see Brian do the BWPS concert at Place Des Art in Montreal...was that in '05?  I think so...He did Massey Hall in Toronto in '04.  [that show was magical]  I sat beside Melinda in Montreal.  Just a coincidental thing.  Brian's voice had improved noticeably over the course of that year.  After the show we made our way out back to watch as the 'gang' wandered out to get onto the 2 buses waiting to motor everyone over to Detroit.  That's maybe an 11 hour drive.
I got the Pepsi joke🐼. I was at that concert in Montreal as well. I didn't stick around though. I did see the busses but it was cold and getting late and I had the missus with me. I remember that we were sitting in about the sixth row but the entire first six rows were empty which I thought was pretty weird. I have never any of them but I did speak to Al on the phone once. He was very nice to me considering I had called him at home. Can you believe that he did not have an unlisted number and that I got his number from information?
So out comes Brian and the Misses.  There were maybe 40 of us.  He wandered over with Melinda to say hello.  It was all very cool until some guy stepped out of the pack and started walking right up to Brian.  That was the end of it....and in a flash too.  He and Melinda turned on their heels and immediately made their way to the refuge of their bus.  I think they were travelling with Jeff and his wife?  Everyone else in the next bus.
I got the joke about the Pepsi
Darian, Probyn and Nelson [maybe Taylor too?] all popped over to say hello and shoot the breeze for a couple of minutes.  I think it was Nelson's birthday or within maybe a day or two of it.

Anyway...that's as close as I came to meeting Brian.  We were in Quebec.  They're more likely to drink Pepsi there...so NO Brian didn't asked for a Coke.

[Mikie]

Anybody else have a story about meeting Brian?

[southbay]

Anybody else have a story about meeting Brian?

Sure, I'll chime in.  Nothing special really, but have met Brian on 4 occasions.  The first being on September 1, 1988 at Tower Records on Sunset Blvd which at the very least was a pretty cool place to meet Brian.  He was doing a record signing for the BW88 album. I was 20 years old at the time and in complete awe, I couldn't say a word as this was just around the time Brian was reappearing in public.  Gene Landy was there that day in full-on Al Capone pin stripe suit, which was pretty creepy. In 1991 I met Brian a second time a book signing for his "auto-biography" in LA.  I actually went through the line 3 times and chatted with him about the then upcoming Sweet Insanity.  On this day Kevin Leslie was sticking right by his side.  

My most interesting encounter with Brian was August 1994.  The Boys were playing at El Camino College in Torrance, CA.  I had already been able to chat for several minutes with Carl, Al, Mike and Bruce when a limo pulled up backstage and out popped Brian, totally unexpected.  He walked right up to one fan in front of me.  The fan asked Brian for an autograph and Brian said, "not now". Undaunted, I asked Brian for a picture with him and he said happily, "sure man!"  . He stopped, smiled for 2 pictures with me and signed an album. Why did he blow past the other fan and stop for me?  I have no idea except that he is Brian Wilson and that is what he does. You just never know what to expect with Brian.  He did not step on stage that day, but sat next to the stage between Melinda (they were not yet married) and Audree watching the entire show, eyes closed for much of the concert.

[Douchepool]

What was the fourth occasion?

[southbay]

Sorry. Actually there were 5. 4 was the VIP during C50.  No big deal there.  5 was at the Grammy Museum performance the night of the infamous press release. The interesting thing about that night was (besides obviously seeing the band in a setting I will never see again) overhearing a conversation between Melinda and 2 (clearly friendly) reporters from the LA Times. I'll be honest that at that moment I did not fully comprehend the importance or impact of the conversation that was happening just feet away from me.  Within days it would become obvious.

[HeyJude]

Sorry. Actually there were 5. 4 was the VIP during C50.  No big deal there.  5 was at the Grammy Museum performance the night of the infamous press release. The interesting thing about that night was (besides obviously seeing the band in a setting I will never see again) overhearing a conversation between Melinda and 2 (clearly friendly) reporters from the LA Times. I'll be honest that at that moment I did not fully comprehend the importance or impact of the conversation that was happening just feet away from me.  Within days it would become obvious.

Please to elaborate..... 

[Pretty Funky]

I think its this.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/09/entertainment/la-et-ms-brian-wilson-al-jardine-respond-to-mike-love-on-beach-boys-flap-20121008

[HeyJude]

I think its this.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/09/entertainment/la-et-ms-brian-wilson-al-jardine-respond-to-mike-love-on-beach-boys-flap-20121008

Oh, definitely, I figured it was in reference to what developed with the end of the tour and those LA Times letters. I was just curious more about the specifics of what was overheard in that conversation.

[southbay]

I think its this.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/09/entertainment/la-et-ms-brian-wilson-al-jardine-respond-to-mike-love-on-beach-boys-flap-20121008

Oh, definitely, I figured it was in reference to what developed with the end of the tour and those LA Times letters. I was just curious more about the specifics of what was overheard in that conversation.

Just a general, "don't worry, we've got it covered" type of vibe...

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

This is such a cool story, Mikie!  Thanks so much for sharing the details of your spending time with BW at his house in 1976, not to mention the numerous other sites you visited. Is Tim still a big BB/BW fan?

Yeah, Tim's still a fan. He's living in Evansville now and lets me know when Brian or The Boys are going to be on the talk shows on TV. He sees them before I do and lets me know ahead of time how the appearances are and about the interview, songs, etc.

And as you probably know, Derek is in heaven now, probably congregating with other hardcore Beach Boys fans that have passed away in the last few years.

I miss Derek and Greg a lot. Derek especially caught me out of nowhere. Greg, I had an inkling something was up...had lost touch with him for some years, then he got back in touch with me shortly before he passed. Was glad to hear from him.

[Terry]

I got to meet BW after a Smile performance in Madison, WI in 2004 at a very small meet and greet. Myself and maybe 5 other people were ushered into a long corridor where Brian was sitting by himself. Before entering we told no photos...get your autograph (I got my copy of Sunflower signed!) and get out quickly. Upon entering Brian shouted out loudly to I believe Jean Sievers "Who are these people!?".  She quickly calmed him down by saying they just wanted some autographs at which point Brian yells out "I'll sign your stuff". Very nervous meeting him...bummed I couldn't get a picture with him, but glad I was able to shake my musical heroes hand and tell him how much his music has meant to me..pretty unforgettable night.

[Douchepool]

That's what it was like back when I saw Brian in Glenside back in 2004. About fifteen people rushed into a line, ushered up one by one to have Brian scribble on an item, and then shooed away. A certain Philly-area blueboarder ignored the shooing and basically held the line up for a few minutes while she went on and on about gods know what with Brian, who didn't look the least bit interested (some of you may know who I'm referring to).

I was glad to get something signed and I thanked the man for the music; I don't see myself rushing to another similar event anytime soon, if ever. Hearing the 50th Anniversary meet-and-greet stories made me glad I decided to be a penny pincher.

[drbeachboy]

That's what it was like back when I saw Brian in Glenside back in 2004. About fifteen people rushed into a line, ushered up one by one to have Brian scribble on an item, and then shooed away. A certain Philly-area blueboarder ignored the shooing and basically held the line up for a few minutes while she went on and on about gods know what with Brian, who didn't look the least bit interested (some of you may know who I'm referring to).

I was glad to get something signed and I thanked the man for the music; I don't see myself rushing to another similar event anytime soon, if ever. Hearing the 50th Anniversary meet-and-greet stories made me glad I decided to be a penny pincher.

Yep, a freakin' cattle call, but the 3rd row center seat was awesome.

[LostArt]

I got to meet BW after a Smile performance in Madison, WI in 2004 at a very small meet and greet. Myself and maybe 5 other people were ushered into a long corridor where Brian was sitting by himself. Before entering we told no photos...get your autograph (I got my copy of Sunflower signed!) and get out quickly. Upon entering Brian shouted out loudly to I believe Jean Sievers "Who are these people!?".  She quickly calmed him down by saying they just wanted some autographs at which point Brian yells out "I'll sign your stuff". Very nervous meeting him...bummed I couldn't get a picture with him, but glad I was able to shake my musical heroes hand and tell him how much his music has meant to me..pretty unforgettable night.

Hey, I was there, too.  While I did manage to acquire Darian's set list from that night's performance, I did not get a chance to go backstage.  My friend and I went out back to where the buses were parked, hoping to see Brian.  Sure enough, after a few minutes the stage door opened, and out comes Brian, ushered by security.  There were maybe 10-15 people back there, but Brian went directly to his bus without a word.  I said "thank you, Brian", and then he was gone.

[Shark]

I met Brian during the C50 tour.  Due to them playing at my place of employment, I was lucky enough to also meet Al and David for the first time as well (they were issued Iphones for the tour and Al was having issues trying to use his). I volunteered to pick up Brian at his hotel room and bring him to the venue.  I was very nervous and did not know what to expect.  When I knocked on the door, Foskett was in the suite with him and answered the door.  He invited me in, saying they would be ready in a minute.  I entered the room and there was Brian sitting on the couch.  He really wasn't doing anything, just sitting there while Foskett got ready.  He stood up and grabbed some cookies that were on the table and asked, "Do you want one?"  I politely declined but figured this was my chance to at least thank him for his music and was able to tell him it was an honor to meet him.  I remember he said "thanks" but there was nothing else I could muster at that point.  Luckily Foskett was ready to go and we started moving.  After we started walking to the vehicle, I noticed how bad Brian was walking.  I was wondering if he was going to need help getting into the SUV, but he was able to do it by himself.  On the short drive we had, he asked a few questions about the venue and so forth.  More than I was expecting honestly.  When we got backstage, he went into his dressing room which is where he stayed until it was time to go on stage.  Everyone else was milling around backstage (I remember Al talking to Mike about trying to get California Saga into the setlist at the time) but Brian remained in the dressing room.  Afterwards, my son (who was about 2 weeks from turning 4 at the time) got to have his picture taken with Brian and walked with us back to the SUV. My hands were shaking holding the camera and I remember Brian saying, "Hurry up!" Lucily the picture didn't come out too badly.
The next day, I brought Brian down from his room to the tour bus without Foskett.  Foskett was in a bad mood that morning for some reason and wasn't with Brian until he got on the bus. In hindsight it was very telling but at the time I didn't think too much of it: Dave, Al and Brian along with some backing band members got on the bus that morning. Mike and Bruce traveled separate.  This was May 2012.

[Shark]

And Mikie-
I also want to add that that was one of the greatest stories I have ever heard.  Great stuff!

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Thanks for sharing that Shark

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Gosh Darn Mikie!!!!

Well I'll be God Damned!    I've been edited.      Any how,    a fantastic story and I had no idea you had such an experience.           To, think, if you played several string instruments and could sing falsetto,   Well,  who knows where you might be working today!

And that's exactly what Jeff Foskett did to get the gig, Don!  I think it was a couple months or so after I visited Brian, Foskett showed up at Brian's house and that was the beginning of his association with the Beach Boys' "inner circle".

Yeah, I was going to mention Jeff Foskett. I wonder how often a fan would show up to Brian's house unannounced,  and receive this kind of hospitality! That is so cool! I was going to mention the others, but they were probably on the road much of the time. So the chances of them being home were much slimmer. Though, I would imagine that the other guys, especially Carl and Al, were very approachable and easy to talk to if they weren't busy. 

[RangeRoverA1]

That's some story in the OP. I will say, tho, that it seems very easy to get to Brian, you just lie to security guy "Yes, he waits us" and you're in. I mean it's very nice they got to meet him but still. I don't believe there are many artists who  invite their fans to the house. or let them be invited. Anyway, good topic, if somebody has story to share - post them.

[Cam Mott]

I miss Mikie.

[RangeRoverA1]

Mr. Mott, did you ever meet Brian? Share your encounter.