My Latest Essay: POB

[c-man]

Hello everyone...please visit www.beachboysarchives.com.  My essay on the POB recording sessions is now up.  My essay on Bambu will follow next month...

[c-man]

Oh...and comments and corrections are always appreciated.

[mikeyj]

WOW!! Thanks a lot C-man. You never cease to amaze me!!

[Sheriff John Stone]

Great writing, c-man! You should write a book, or have you? It flows nicely; it's easy to follow. There's a lot of detail, but it sticks to the point(s). I must admit, I never read the story about a 1974 bar room brawl or punch from Steve Love which might've contributed to Dennis's change in voice. I like the Van Morrison story/quote. You know, I often wondered if Brian ever heard the songs as they were being recorded, and, wondered if his response/contribution might've been more than "That's great!" Thanks again for sharing your writing...

[DonnaK]

Sherriff, haven't you read Jon's book?? If not, I'll lend it to you.....

[melissalynn]

Great stuff, c-man! Thanks a ton for doing that essay...and I'll sure be looking forward to your 'Bambu' essay!

[busy doin nothin]

Fantastic essay c-man, as always.  Really filled in a lot of gaps for me on one of the greatest albums ever, which is finally getting its due as you say.

[John]

I love the track-by-track credits. But I have to ask: Did Denny really play electric violin on the album? Who said that? I'm not doubting it, but it's just so far-out...

[Leo K]

I am stunned man...thanks.

[c-man]

I love the track-by-track credits. But I have to ask: Did Denny really play electric violin on the album? Who said that? I'm not doubting it, but it's just so far-out...

Apparently he said that in November '76...it was reported by Carol Rose in her Rock Magazine article on Dennis the following May.  If you listen to that track, you can hear it...a really simple but effective part.  Jon has told me Dennis played a really simple cello part on "Tug Of Love" as well.

[John]

Wow.

Thanks for that!

[adamghost]

Outstanding work.

[Custom Machine]

Craig -

Great essay and info on POB!  As always, I thoroughly enjoy reading your meticulously researched material.

I do have some info that may be helpful in establishing the POB release date.  In your essay you state:

RELEASE DATE NOTE: Some sources cite September 16, 1977 as POB's original release date,
but there was at least one copy of the album cover displayed by audience members at the Beach
Boys' September 1st Central Park concert, so the album was obviously already in the stores by
then. A much more likely date for the American release is the 22nd of August, which was a
Monday in 1977 (the day new LPs were released in the U.S. at the time). On the other hand, the
16th of September was a Friday...since new albums were released on Fridays in the U.K., it
seems likely the latter date was that of POB's British release.

I just checked my letter archives and discovered, in a letter written Aug. 22, 1977, that I purchased POB (Where? At the Wherehouse) on Friday Aug. 19.  And, as a huge Beach Boys fan, I always made a point of trying to get a new BB (or in this case, Dennis Wilson solo) album the day it was released.   

Although present day lore often states that albums of that era were released on Mondays, I recall that quite a few years ago when I advised Brad Elliot that I had purchased Sunflower the day it was released, on Friday, August 21, 1970, and had a letter I wrote to a friend that day to authenticate the date, Brad replied that at that time there really wasn't an official day of the week in the US during which an album might be released.  Aug 21 was at least 10 days earlier than the earliest generally cited Sunflower release date of Aug 31, with some sources stating the album had been released in mid September.  Brad used the Aug. 21 date in the liner notes of some BB compilation, (I don't recall exactly which one), although since then the stated release date seems to have reverted to Aug. 31.

[c-man]

Good to know, Rob.  Thanks!

[Jay]

I have a slightly off topic question. Does that Beach Boys KABC-TV broadcast still exist on film?

[MBE]

Not that we know of.

[KokoMoses]

wonderful essay

shoulda been included in the POB CD set!