Bruce Johnston as a member of the Beach Boys

[bossaroo]

Bruce is kind of the Dick Cheney of the Beach Boys: he nominated himself for the job after an "exhaustive search", and he's really in it just to make a buck. 

[Andrew G. Doe]

Bruce is kind of the Dick Cheney of the Beach Boys: he nominated himself for the job after an "exhaustive search", and he's really in it just to make a buck.

Whatever else Bruce is "in it" for, it sure isn't just for the $$$. Aside from the royalties for "I Write the Songs" (six figure check twice a year), his adoptive father was a VP in the Rexall drug company. Bruce isn't hurting for cash.

[BananaLouie]

Bruce is credited in the liner notes for Holland, I think he contributed vocals for the tag of Leaving This Town and someone mentioned Sail On Sailor and California, Bruce also appeared on 15 Big Ones singing backup and playing piano on tracks like Blueberry Hill and Just Once In My Life and he was on Love You, so it's like he never really left the band between 72-79.

[MBE]

I think the live shows changed radically when he left in 72. Also he didn't need the money per se, but I think that is still what drives him.

[Smilin Ed H]

I've read - possibly here - that the group tried to replace him with Billy Hinsche around 1969.  Does anyone know the full story - or maybe I should ask if anyone is prepared to tell the full story?

I'd assumed that he was a little tired of some of the excesses going on and had perhaps made his feelings known.

Exactly why did he leave? I know the story is that he objected to the way BW was made to seem present when he wasn't there all the time, but I've also heard it suggested that the 'hipper' element (Carl, Dennis and Reilley) thought he was square and wanted him out, but if that was the case, why did they have him back to sing on tracks on CATP and Holland - not to mention use tracks he sang on for the concert album?  If he was so unhip for Dennis, why use him on POB (Well, yeah, he could sing... ).  If Carl, Dennis and Reilley had so much power, why not step in and defend Blondie when he had his altercation with the Lovester....?  Why leave at a time when your songs were being given a platform for your songs and when the band was back in critical fashion and the concerts were taking off? 

[MBE]

I have heard that many people who were not big into TM were fired at this time. Desper and Bruce among them.

[NHC]

I've read - possibly here - that the group tried to replace him with Billy Hinsche around 1969.  Does anyone know the full story - or maybe I should ask if anyone is prepared to tell the full story?

I believe it was because Billy's parents insisted he go on to college which he did (UCLA?).

[NHC]

I'll figure out how to use this "Quote" thing yet.  Maybe in time to comment on the release of Mike's fifth album or even Al's first.

[Aegir]

Code:

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I'll figure out how to use this "Quote" thing yet.  Maybe in time to comment on the release of Mike's fifth album or even Al's first.
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[Wilsonista]

In most of the reissue projects since the turn of the millennium, there has been a little paragraph somewhere in the liner notes that says:

The Beach Boys are: Brian Wilson, Carl Wilson (d. 1998), Dennis Wilson (d. 1983), Mike Love, Alan Jardine and Bruce Johnston (1965-72, 1979-date).

Some of the more recent projects (rightly) add David Marks (1962-3, 1997-8)

You don't get something like that in a BRI sanctioned product without everyone involved nodding their corporate heads... so if it's OK by the rest of the band, then it's fine by me. Bruce is a Beach Boy. And so is David.

Then what's his beef with Chaplin and Fataar - why doesn't he consider them Beach Boys?

[Wilsonista]

I think I went a bit too far bringing up the fact that Bruce won an Emmy. That reason itself wouldn't really have much of an effect of whether Bruce is a Beach Boy or not. I was just bringing it up to prove that he is a solid song writer/producer...and even though the Emmy might not mean so much now as it has at some point it's still recognition.

Past all the arguments and what not, in my opinion I think he's a member of The Beach Boys. For the same reasons mentioned above. 

The debate of where his place in line of 'the best beach boy writer/producer' is a whole other thread...

I say Bruce is most certainly a Beach Boy for the above reasons.  David Marks is for the same reasons and I'm glad he is finally getting a bit of mainstreem recognition (rooftop celebration).  Now if only they would acknowledge Blondie and Ricky!  Why do the BB's continue to ignore the fact that they were in the band?

Because B & R never played on any big hits. The lack of acknowledgement toward David was criminal when you consider the part he had in their legacy. He played on every album up to LDC so therefore he's on every big hit single up to In My Room. Chaplin and Fataar's BB batting average wasn't that good.

Having said that, I loved the Flame's album.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

See, the problem with that logic is that they were an integral part of the band during the time they were there; not just playing, but singing, writing, and producing.

Personally, I think of other, more sinister reasons why BRI doesn't consider them Beach Boys, but I'm not going to go there.

[Wilsonista]

David was practically a founding member of the band, something I suspect Stebbins's book will comfirm. 

[MBE]

Marks was there during their first era of sucess. Bruce was there the longest. Glen was certainly the most sucessful on his own. Yet R&B are much more musically vital to me. Their singing producing and performance added so much to the band. Bruce played his role and so did David. This is merely based on my preferences musically.