Most embarrassing Beach Boys moment caught on tape?

[Steve Mayo]

July 5th, 1981, Long Beach. Caught with their pants down on national TV.

i  agree...the absolute nadir of any tv offerings.

[Lonely Summer]

25th Anniversary Special. Brian squinting and reading Mike's cue cards along with Love himself.

25th Anniversary Special. Belinda's dress.

25th Anniversary Special. Carl's pants

25th Anniversary Special. Joe Piscopo

25th Anniversary Special. Mike's outfit


This was watched by 8 million viewers.

What's wrong with Carl's pants? They weren't Bruce's shorts! And I liked Belinda's dress - kept hoping it was gonna fall off (she probably had a swimsuit underneath).

[STE]

Recording / rehearsing the vocals to "Spring Vacation"

Is this one one of them sizzle reels? Trying to find it...

I believe it was part of a news report at the time the album was being released. I think it was Russian news actually..

[filledeplage]

Good morning America with Joan lunden from December 1980 is a real train wreck!!

Hi Ian - I remember seeing that GMA segment, when it aired and getting the feeling that Dennis really needed help.  In 1980 Dennis still looked pretty healthy.

The way it was set up was that it aired between 7 - 9 am Eastern Standard time, in New York, and the cutaway was in Los Angeles which was three hours behind.  So they would have been in that studio at maybe 4 am or earlier in their time zone.  So, if Dennis was on an all-nighter, he had not slept.  

My biggest problem was and is that it was apparent Dennis was not in any shape to be interviewed by Joan Lunden, who was just starting out as an anchor on GMA, and that they didn't re-focus the camera on the other side of the couch where Al and Mike were, and "get Dennis out of Dodge" and discretely remove him from the interview. There was concert footage.  It was left to Carl, whom Dennis was attempting to use as a pillow and instead discretely and more professionally handling that bi-coastal interview.  They could have directed the interview and the camera to Al on the other side of the couch and walked Dennis off-camera.  

That interview imploding, gave a tabloid presentation of the band.  Shame on ABC. Someone was in trouble and they chose to focus on misery instead of the music.
  
It looks worse than it was because of the lack of discretion on the part of the network and speaks more to them rather than the band, with a band member in the middle of an addiction struggle. And, who took advantage of that struggle in an unprofessional manner, no better than the worse tabloid.  It still makes me angry.
 
JMHO.  

[HeyJude]

25th Anniversary Special. Brian squinting and reading Mike's cue cards along with Love himself.

25th Anniversary Special. Belinda's dress.

25th Anniversary Special. Carl's pants

25th Anniversary Special. Joe Piscopo

25th Anniversary Special. Mike's outfit


This was watched by 8 million viewers.

What's wrong with Carl's pants? They weren't Bruce's shorts! And I liked Belinda's dress - kept hoping it was gonna fall off (she probably had a swimsuit underneath).

I guess I was always the nerd pouring water on everyone's hopes; I remember realizing that the 25th TV special was clearly pre-taped and not live, so whatever they left in of Belinda Carlisle was not going to result in her dress completely falling off.

Not quite embarrassing, but perplexing, was Carl's weird duet with Gloria Loring. I know she had a hit right around the time of the TV special, but I remember thinking "Who the F is this, and why are people singing their own songs on a BB special?" Of course, I now realize that clearly a small selection of guest stars (including Carlisle) most likely only agreed to appear on the show if they could plug their own thing too.

At least on the Loring song, Carl sang it with her.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Good morning America with Joan lunden from December 1980 is a real train wreck!!

Hi Ian - I remember seeing that GMA segment, when it aired and getting the feeling that Dennis really needed help.  In 1980 Dennis still looked pretty healthy.

The way it was set up was that it aired between 7 - 9 am Eastern Standard time, in New York, and the cutaway was in Los Angeles which was three hours behind.  So they would have been in that studio at maybe 4 am or earlier in their time zone.  So, if Dennis was on an all-nighter, he had not slept.  

My biggest problem was and is that it was apparent Dennis was not in any shape to be interviewed by Joan Lunden, who was just starting out as an anchor on GMA, and that they didn't re-focus the camera on the other side of the couch where Al and Mike were, and "get Dennis out of Dodge" and discretely remove him from the interview. There was concert footage.  It was left to Carl, whom Dennis was attempting to use as a pillow and instead discretely and more professionally handling that bi-coastal interview.  They could have directed the interview and the camera to Al on the other side of the couch and walked Dennis off-camera.  

That interview imploding, gave a tabloid presentation of the band.  Shame on ABC. Someone was in trouble and they chose to focus on misery instead of the music.
  
It looks worse than it was because of the lack of discretion on the part of the network and speaks more to them rather than the band, with a band member in the middle of an addiction struggle. And, who took advantage of that struggle in an unprofessional manner, no better than the worse tabloid.  It still makes me angry.
 
JMHO.  

Not seen it for a good few years, but as I recall, Brian gave one of his very finest deer-in-the-headlights performances too. Neither of them should have been there.

[HeyJude]

I think it's the GMA interview from 1980 where I came away not sure if Jerry Schilling should be lambasted for booking the interview in the first place, or commended for coming out with the band on camera and trying to hold the thing together.

If I recall, there is a funny moment where in the midst of all the chaos, Lunden asks Brian what he's listening to lately, and he 100% deadpan answers "Be My Baby", and you can tell the other guys aren't sure if they should find that funny or be beyond annoyed.

To cut the guys a tiny bit of slack, I've talked to people who have done TV interviews via satellite, and it *is* extra disorienting when you're doing an interview and can't see anything and can only hear the interviewer through an ear piece.

[filledeplage]

I think it's the GMA interview from 1980 where I came away not sure if Jerry Schilling should be lambasted for booking the interview in the first place, or commended for coming out with the band on camera and trying to hold the thing together.

If I recall, there is a funny moment where in the midst of all the chaos, Lunden asks Brian what he's listening to lately, and he 100% deadpan answers "Be My Baby", and you can tell the other guys aren't sure if they should find that funny or be beyond annoyed.

To cut the guys a tiny bit of slack, I've talked to people who have done TV interviews via satellite, and it *is* extra disorienting when you're doing an interview and can't see anything and can only hear the interviewer through an ear piece.

Hey Jude - Just re-watching again, Dennis asked if "this was ABC?" (It was.) And, "Say hi to David." That would be David Hartman, who was the co-host, so Dennis, though impaired, had some focus and was not so out-there that he did not acknowledge the absent co-host.  But she started with Dennis which I think was dumb (unless Dennis was Joan's favorite?)  Looks as though Dennis may have stepped on his mic.

But they had Gerry sit next to Dennis, who jumped in to add some commentary.  I was under the impression that they could "see" each other because it was a live broadcast, but it played later in the other time zones.

GMA - 1980  -  8:46 a.m. EST - it would have been 5:46 Pacific time.

http://youtu.be/aaQWQ7Zc4cQ

Hope is copies. 

[HeyJude]

I can't say for certain whether the band had a "visual" of the other side of the conversation. But often, especially back then (and I would guess often still now), even in live interviews, an interview subject who isn't in the studio with the interviewer will only have audio; no video. Probably a lot of reasons for that. Technical limitations. Avoiding the delay between audio and video via satellite. Also, making sure the interview subject looks at the camera and not at the monitor.

[bossaroo]

Help Me Rhonda sessions

Australia '78

Hey Little Tomboy

plenty of Dennis footage

almost any Mike Love vocal after the 6os, some before

almost any live performance footage of Mike, ever

basically just about anytime Mike has ever opened his mouth or appeared on camera. honestly... is there anyone more cringe-inducing than Mike?? he's right up there with Ted Cruz, Bill Cosby, etc.

[HeyJude]

I did play "Hey Little Tomboy" for a non-fan once, someone who knows plenty about the BBs because of me, and I think they nearly vomited.

And I was playing the "MIU" commercial version, not the unreleased version with the even more epic dialogue bit in the middle. I tried playing that one and they made me shut it off by the time the talking part ended.

[bossaroo]

it's just so damn catchy. I never said I don't love it, just that it's embarrassing

[HeyJude]

The “Can’t Stop Talking ‘Bout American Girls” tape is really awful. I know someone posted some time back that they believed that tape had had the vocal purposely pitch-altered as a joke to sound flat. While I think such a “practical joke” would have been awfully convoluted and obscure regardless of who it was intended for, even if I acknowledge that that’s what it is, it’s still really embarrassing for someone who just stumbles across it with no context.

[HeyJude]

it's just so damn catchy. I never said I don't love it, just that it's embarrassing

They probably need to do an intense studio-centric "Love & Mercy" style film solely on the recording of "Hey Little Tomboy." Someone needs to depict Carl trying to avoid throwing up while he sings his parts, as well as Al (or whomever made the decision) deciding that *that's* the song they needed to pull from the vaults and put on the new album with new overdubs. Not "Can't Wait Too Long" or "Live Again" or even a "15 Big Ones" oldie outtake, but "Hey Little Tomboy."

[You Kane, You Commanded, You Conquered]

For more embarrassing moments, please check out Endless Bummer: The Very Worst Of The Beach Boys, available now at various torrent sites for the low price of $0.00. Also available in 2 disc special 'Love Thang' edition!

[bossaroo]

and how has no one mentioned Bruce and his f@cking shorts??

or Here Comes the Night '79?

or Tears in the Morning?


ugh. the list goes on and on folks

[CenturyDeprived]

Sure we love the guys! But this board is also a place to not only venerate our lovely boys but also make light of their less appealing attempts at being commercial.


I'll get this trainwreck started with this glorious clip from David Letterman in 1994, which I recently discovered (to my horror). Good grief what was the thinking?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aivrroKurUc

Has a famous band ever, ever had a live televised performance, where one lone band member is wearing shorts, while all the other band members are dressed up nicely, in suits or similar? WTF?! 

Bruce just might own as many pairs of shorts as Mike has baseball hats in his closet.

[You Kane, You Commanded, You Conquered]

or Tears in the Morning?


ugh. the list goes on and on folks

Tears isn't that bad...

[bonnie bella]

I have to agree, Bruce's parachute shorts in that Letterman clip are unbelievable - even for that day and age.  

[mikeddonn]

Help Me Rhonda sessions

Australia '78

Hey Little Tomboy

plenty of Dennis footage

almost any Mike Love vocal after the 6os, some before

almost any live performance footage of Mike, ever

basically just about anytime Mike has ever opened his mouth or appeared on camera. honestly... is there anyone more cringe-inducing than Mike?? he's right up there with Ted Cruz, Bill Cosby, etc.

Mike introducing himself and girlfriend Shannon Lee at the start of the July 4th 1985 Liberty Bell show.

"Together we're Lovelee! Get it?"

[The LEGENDARY OSD]

Help Me Rhonda sessions

Australia '78

Hey Little Tomboy

plenty of Dennis footage

almost any Mike Love vocal after the 6os, some before

almost any live performance footage of Mike, ever

basically just about anytime Mike has ever opened his mouth or appeared on camera. honestly... is there anyone more cringe-inducing than Mike?? he's right up there with Ted Cruz, Bill Cosby, etc.

    especially the last three entries.

[Jim V.]

Recording / rehearsing the vocals to "Spring Vacation"

Is this one one of them sizzle reels? Trying to find it...

I believe it was part of a news report at the time the album was being released. I think it was Russian news actually..

I remember when this clip came out. I'm unsure of if "That's Why God Made The Radio" had been released yet as a single, so hearing "spring vacation, good vibration" was a bit disconcerting. While it was cool to see Brian and Mike singing together in the studio, hearing those lyrics brought about visions of Summer In Paradise Part Deux.

Anyways, funny enough, the album comes out and was actually pretty frickin' great. And truth be told, "Spring Vacation" is a really nice, if slightly cheesy song after all.

[HeyJude]

When that short clip of Brian and Mike doing vocals for what turned out to be "Spring Vacation" made it into one of the "Sizzle Reel" EPK things, I don't think anything had been released from the album at that point. The "TWGMTR" "single" was put out pretty late in the game, but I'm not sure if that had come out yet. But nothing else from the album had made it out, and we didn't even know the title "Spring Vacation" at that point.

My recollection is that they didn't even have in-line audio for that short clip of Brian and Mike; it was just the camera mic picking up their voices, and it was only two lines from the song with very slightly alternate lyrics, something like "we like to get around, get up and hit up every hot spot in town." They didn't sound too hot, but it also didn't have any context. It was only two parts of a multi-part harmony, and it sounded like more of a run-through/rehearsal. It was one of the few tracks where Mike would have been there to demo lyrics and vocals from the get-go instead of just replacing Brian & Foskett parts from demos (or, in the case of his flown-in solo track, just adding intermittent BB backing vocals).

[the captain]

When that short clip of Brian and Mike doing vocals for what turned out to be "Spring Vacation" made it into one of the "Sizzle Reel" EPK things, I don't think anything had been released from the album at that point. The "TWGMTR" "single" was put out pretty late in the game, but I'm not sure if that had come out yet. But nothing else from the album had made it out, and we didn't even know the title "Spring Vacation" at that point.

My recollection is that they didn't even have in-line audio for that short clip of Brian and Mike; it was just the camera mic picking up their voices, and it was only two lines from the song with very slightly alternate lyrics, something like "we like to get around, get up and hit up every hot spot in town." They didn't sound too hot, but it also didn't have any context. It was only two parts of a multi-part harmony, and it sounded like more of a run-through/rehearsal. It was one of the few tracks where Mike would have been there to demo lyrics and vocals from the get-go instead of just replacing Brian & Foskett parts from demos (or, in the case of his flown-in solo track, just adding intermittent BB backing vocals).

I wouldn't bet my life on it, but I think we'd heard at least a tease of the title track by then, maybe even the full track streaming? I recall that being the first thing out, followed by that Spring Vacation studio clip ... which I HATED. It was sung poorly and, as you said, not really in a full context. I still don't necessarily love the song, but it's far, far better than that clip made it appear. (Kind of surprising that was included in any promo materials, actually. "Hear the aging Beach Boys sing badly together! Buy now!")

[HeyJude]

When that short clip of Brian and Mike doing vocals for what turned out to be "Spring Vacation" made it into one of the "Sizzle Reel" EPK things, I don't think anything had been released from the album at that point. The "TWGMTR" "single" was put out pretty late in the game, but I'm not sure if that had come out yet. But nothing else from the album had made it out, and we didn't even know the title "Spring Vacation" at that point.

My recollection is that they didn't even have in-line audio for that short clip of Brian and Mike; it was just the camera mic picking up their voices, and it was only two lines from the song with very slightly alternate lyrics, something like "we like to get around, get up and hit up every hot spot in town." They didn't sound too hot, but it also didn't have any context. It was only two parts of a multi-part harmony, and it sounded like more of a run-through/rehearsal. It was one of the few tracks where Mike would have been there to demo lyrics and vocals from the get-go instead of just replacing Brian & Foskett parts from demos (or, in the case of his flown-in solo track, just adding intermittent BB backing vocals).

I wouldn't bet my life on it, but I think we'd heard at least a tease of the title track by then, maybe even the full track streaming? I recall that being the first thing out, followed by that Spring Vacation studio clip ... which I HATED. It was sung poorly and, as you said, not really in a full context. I still don't necessarily love the song, but it's far, far better than that clip made it appear. (Kind of surprising that was included in any promo materials, actually. "Hear the aging Beach Boys sing badly together! Buy now!")

No question, that "Spring Vacation" studio clip was not a well-chosen clip to demonstrate that they've "still got it!"