Bruce on In Concert

[c-man]

There's a really good picture of Bruce (with bass guitar) joining the Boys onstage in Los Angeles, 1973.   It's probably from the same concert.  Left-to-Right, Dennis, Blondie, Bruce, Al, Carl (partially obscured by Al), Mike, and Billy.  It's on pages 8-9 of "The Beach Boys - A Biography in Words & Pictures" by Ken Barnes, published early 1976 (before 15 Big Ones). 

I'd post it, but my scanner won't scan these days...

[Steve Mayo]

[MBE]

Would be interested to see the Brian photo too, because he changed so much from 72-75 it would be interesting to see where he was at. As I said earlier if he did sing it would be the last time he could have done his old parts.

[Rocker]

Great pic Steve ! Thank you !

[Jonas]

Wow, what a great thread!

[Custom Machine]

Thanks so much Custom Machine ! Great report!

I had used up all my film except for one picture by the time Brian came on, and his face is obscured by the overhead hands of a fan in front of me.  This is the only photo I got of Brian on stage

If you care to post it, go ahead...

The photos are on slides.  Just got out my old slide projector (for the first time in years) to check them out, but discovered it doesn't work.  Anyway, when I get around to scanning the slides, I'll post a few here.

[MBE]

Thank you so much like I said pictures of Brian at the time are highly valued.

[Custom Machine]

Thank you so much like I said pictures of Brian at the time are highly valued.

Unfortunately, as I had mentioned before, I had used up all but one photo by the time Brian appeared on stage.  Since I was in the audience, and fans were clapping like mad, it turned out that a fan's overhead hands obscured Brian's face.  Also, he was one of many on stage.  But, I will post the photo, as well as a few others from the concert, after I get the slides scanned.

[Custom Machine]

...and I turned around and all of a sudden we noticed Brian and his wife Marilyn, so we went over and started talking to them.  They were really friendly.  Talked about the new Spring album that will come out on Columbia.

Do you have any more on this? Like every word!

Seriously, what was Brian's demeanor, how did he look, was he "with it"?

How was Brian at the Palladium 4-20-73?  He came across as upbeat and totally normal.  Then again, although I considered him an eccentric genius, responsible for composing some of the most incredibly wonderful music I had ever had the pleasure of listening to, in the spring of 1973 I had absolutely no idea of the true extent of Brian’s mental issues and drug abuse. 

I had the opportunity to talk briefly with Brian on four other occasions after that.  On 4-23-81, at Carl Wilson’s Roxy concert, Brian was once again with Marilyn.  He was upbeat, happy, and, with a huge grin and great exuberance, made a point of reminding Marilyn and showing others at his table that Carnie was pictured on the cover of the Sunflower album with him.  But, it’s entirely possible that “self medicating” with drugs was responsible for the upbeat behavior I witnessed in both 73 and 81.

I next saw Brian at the 7-28-90 ESQ Beach Boys Convention in San Diego.  Overall he was significantly much more subdued than he had been in 73 and 81.  After his performance, BW was seated at a table signing autographs.  My third time thru the line I decided to ask Brian to sign a bootleg Smile CD.  I was one of the last people in line at this time, and upon seeing the CD, with the original Smile cover, Brian had absolutely no reaction to it, other than to sign it while announcing in a loud voice to a couple of his/Landy’s assistants, “This is my last guy, I gotta pee!”  It was a typical comment that one would only expect from a celebrity with the reputation, at the time, of Brian Wilson, or today, from Britney Spears.  (And please clam down if that corollary seems unjustified, but both individuals, as totally different as they are, especially as far as artistic merit is concerned, have earned well-deserved reputations for “unusual” behavior.)

A little over a year later, on 11-3-91, Brain appeared at the UCSD bookstore to autograph copies of his new (and now infamous) book.  When I got to the table, I told Brian that my two favorite Beach Boys songs were his song, “God Only Knows,” and Dennis’s song, “Forever.”  He leaned back in his chair, briefly closed his eyes, shook his head wistfully, and said, “Oh, Forever is such a beautiful, pretty song.”  I then told him I loved his vocals at the end of the song, and he said, “You know, I didn’t really plan it that way, it just happened, the inspiration just struck that way.”  I thanked him.  He said, “You’re welcome,” then put his head down as if in deep thought.  Not sure what to do, as Brian’s head was still down as if in deep thought, I picked up the album (my original copy of Pet Sounds from ’66) and the book he had signed, and started to walk away.  After a few steps, I heard Brian yell, “Hey!”  I turned around, and as he motioned the next person in line to step aside, he said, “Thank you!  Thank you very much!”

After BW’s 4-8-00 concert at the Roxy, I had short conversation with him after he had been presented with a platinum record award for Pet Sounds,  He came across as totally normal, confident, and at ease. 

Back to the original question - as far as what other fans and I discussed with Brian and Marilyn on 4-20-73, the only thing I can specifically recall, 35 years later, was talking about the previously released Spring album and plans for a second Spring album (which, other than a single release, never saw fruition).  I’m sure we asked about his forthcoming plans with the Beach Boys, but, 35 years later, I don’t recall the details. 

[MBE]

You do hear interviews as late as 1981 where he seems normal. The one I heard and the several I read from 1973 he seems pretty much his old self if a little muddled. Do you remember what he looked like in 73? Did he have the beard yet? Had he gotten real heavy yet?

[Custom Machine]

You do hear interviews as late as 1981 where he seems normal. The one I heard and the several I read from 1973 he seems pretty much his old self if a little muddled. Do you remember what he looked like in 73? Did he have the beard yet? Had he gotten real heavy yet?

Brian did not have a beard at the 4-20-73 concert.  He was wearing a long black coat with white shirt, so his weight wasn't real easy to ascertain, but, yes, he was definitely getting heavier, but not as heavy as he would become. 

Got a new bulb for my slide projector and discovered that Bruce actually played the keyboard at the beginning of the encore, switching to guitar later.  (Looks like either Carli Munoz or Billy Hinsche on keyboards after Bruce switches to guitar.)  As for my only photo of Brian during the encore, it was not a fan's hands obscuring Brian's face, as I had stated previously, but rather Dennis clapping hands (after he had removed his shirt, following Mike's lead) that obscure Brian's face. 

When I scan the slides I'll post a few here, but it's important to remember that they are 1973 quality, with 1973 consumer technology.  Way back then, the highest speed film (at least that I knew of) was Kodak's High Speed Ektachrome slide film at 160 asa/iso.  But, if you purchased a Kodak ESP-1 push-processing mailer, you could shoot at 320 asa/iso, which would at least give a half way decent result in the available light of a concert.  I used my girlfriend's Yashica Electro 35cc camera, which had no zoom lens, and the 320 asa/iso available light setting on a 35mm compact camera often resulted in rather blurry or overexposed subjects.  Still, looking at the pixs this evening, they were a cool piece of BB history.  The last photo, which includes Brian, was actually slide number 39, three past the general limit of 36, and as a result is only 2/3rds of a photo, with the last 1/3 consisting of the adhesive material that's on the end of the film roll.

[MBE]

Very cool info. I bet Brian looked a lot like he did on the back of Holland.

[Jay]

I just thought I'd bring this topic back up. I'd like to see that 1973 Brian photo too. 

[NightHider]

For us trivia fans.

Just had a look at the wiki Palladium site. According to that, this clip from a certain well known film was shot there.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NpdCnoiZJ0

So what was this clip?  It's been taken down claiming 'copyrighted by NBC'....

[joe_blow]

Does anyone know how the decision to have just Dennis on the album cover came about? I can't imagine the rest of teh band, especially Mike approving this.

[37!ws]

"Hey, let's put the guy all the chicks dig on the cover, with none of the rest of us. And let's make it look like he's peeing on the audience!"

My question is...who wouldn't agree to that???