Sidemen

[lance]

IN the beginning there were the Wilson Bros. plus David Marks and what's his name.

Then, there was Al. Then there was Bruce.

That much I know.

But I always hear about these other people--Darryl Dragon, Billy Hinsche, for example.

My question is this: Who were the "other Beach Boys" on t heir tours? Names and instruments. And did they play on albums, too?(I realize that there is probably a book that I could get detailing this, somewhere, but I don't know what it is and it would be hard for me to find.)

[Andrew G. Doe]

IN the beginning there were the Wilson Bros. plus David Marks and what's his name.

Then, there was Al. Then there was Bruce.

That much I know.

But I always hear about these other people--Darryl Dragon, Billy Hinsche, for example.

My question is this: Who were the "other Beach Boys" on t heir tours? Names and instruments. And did they play on albums, too?(I realize that there is probably a book that I could get detailing this, somewhere, but I don't know what it is and it would be hard for me to find.)

Easy one - Carol Kaye did it all. 

[MBE]

Best line I read all month.

[lance]

Ha. I take it my question isnt so easily answered? Well, any recommendations on a good book for this kind of thing, then? I realize that any book of this kind might have a few mistakes in it...

[MBE]

Lance try Eric's site. Beach Boys Setlist Archive. Just enter that in google. I think everyone is listed there under each show.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Ha. I take it my question isnt so easily answered? Well, any recommendations on a good book for this kind of thing, then? I realize that any book of this kind might have a few mistakes in it...

Not easy at all. To summarise, live the band did it all themselves up until, I think, 1967 or 68, when they added Eddie Carter & Ron Brown. Like the man said, check out Eric's outstanding setlist archive.

In the studio, the band pretty much played the tracks until 1964, when Brian started introducing the musicians he'd been using on his extramural activities. Even so, about the only albums that have little if any BB instrumental contribution are Pet Sounds and Smile: the canard that the band didn't play any of their albums 1964-67 has been disproved by such researchers as Jon Stebbins. On the early 70s albums, once again it was essentially the band plus touring musicians, then with the advent of 15 Big Ones, session musicians began reappearing.

[c-man]

In short: 

you didn't mention Glen Campbell; he played guitar on many of their studio sessions, and filled in on bass guitar & falsetto vocals when Brian first left the road.  After a few months, Bruce took over that spot.

In early '67 they toured Europe with a gaggle of sidemen (strings, horns, keyboards) but from what I've read there was a hassle with the British musicians union and they could not use them there. 

In late '67 they added Daryl Dragon (piano) and Ron Brown (bass, and tambourine when Bruce played bass).  Bruce alternated between organ and bass.

In mid-'68 Ed Carter replaced Ron Brown, and at the same time they added Mike Kowalski on percussion.  By the end of that year they also had a 4-or-5-man horn section playing with them.  Their live sound became quite professional at that point. 

Over the next few years, this was the basic lineup they toured with.  Sometimes Dennis Dragon (Daryl's brother) would rotate on percussion with Kowalski.  When Dennis Wilson couldn't make it or couldn't play drums (because of his hand injury in '71) one of them would take over the drums.  Luther Coffee stood in for Ed Carter on bass at some '71 shows (like the Central Park gig that's been going around on video).  Carli Munoz was brought in on percussion for a tour in '71, then came back a couple of years later on organ.  Of course, Blondie & Ricky became regular BBs in '72, playing guitar & bass, and drums, flute & steel guitar respectively.  Blondie left at the end of '73, and Ricky left in the fall of '74.

When Bruce left in early '72, they moved Daryl up to the organ and hired Billy Hinsche (Carl's brother-in-law) to play piano on the spring European tour.  When they came back to the States that August, Billy played bass, while Daryl's girlfriend Toni Tenille was on piano.  The tour that fall (including the recently-booted Carnegie Hall shows) had Ed Carter back on bass, with Daryl & Toni both still in the band.

In '73 Carli Munoz returned (this time on organ, taking over for Daryl) and Billy Hinsche became a permanent fixture for the next few years on piano.  Putter Smith took over the bass from Ed Carter for awhile, and in '74 and '75 James William Guercio played bass, with Ed Carter returning at the end of '75.  Bobby Figueroa became their percussionist around the same time, and Ron Altbach and Elmo Peeler would alternate on keyboards over the next couple of years.  Mike Meros joined in '79 on keyboards.  Jeff Foskett came aboard on guitar & vocals at the end of '81.

Those are the main players during their best live years.  Many more musicians would join or fill in here and there, but I think I covered the main players.

[John]

In short: 

you didn't mention Glen Campbell; he played guitar on many of their studio sessions, and filled in on bass guitar & falsetto vocals when Brian first left the road.  After a few months, Bruce took over that spot.

Did Glen actually play the bass though? There's a picture in the Badman book which has Glen on guitar and Al on bass, which would make more sense, because that's more likely what both played on the songs in the studio; Al was used to bass.

[c-man]

In short: 

you didn't mention Glen Campbell; he played guitar on many of their studio sessions, and filled in on bass guitar & falsetto vocals when Brian first left the road.  After a few months, Bruce took over that spot.

Did Glen actually play the bass though? There's a picture in the Badman book which has Glen on guitar and Al on bass, which would make more sense, because that's more likely what both played on the songs in the studio; Al was used to bass.

There's other pictures of Glen playing bass with them.  According to one review, he also got a spotlight on the banjo during their shows!  My guess is he and Al switched instruments for a song that Glen sang lead on (maybe Surfer Girl) 'cause it was easier for him to strum the chords while singing lead. 

[lance]

Gee, thanks, those were indeed the years I was interested in; I will also check out that site that was recommended. Again, thanks.

[John]

In short: 

you didn't mention Glen Campbell; he played guitar on many of their studio sessions, and filled in on bass guitar & falsetto vocals when Brian first left the road.  After a few months, Bruce took over that spot.

Did Glen actually play the bass though? There's a picture in the Badman book which has Glen on guitar and Al on bass, which would make more sense, because that's more likely what both played on the songs in the studio; Al was used to bass.

There's other pictures of Glen playing bass with them.  According to one review, he also got a spotlight on the banjo during their shows!  My guess is he and Al switched instruments for a song that Glen sang lead on (maybe Surfer Girl) 'cause it was easier for him to strum the chords while singing lead. 

Cool, thanks for the info! A banjo spotlight, that's pretty cool too!

[Aegir]

In short: 

you didn't mention Glen Campbell; he played guitar on many of their studio sessions, and filled in on bass guitar & falsetto vocals when Brian first left the road.  After a few months, Bruce took over that spot.

Did Glen actually play the bass though? There's a picture in the Badman book which has Glen on guitar and Al on bass, which would make more sense, because that's more likely what both played on the songs in the studio; Al was used to bass.

There's other pictures of Glen playing bass with them.  According to one review, he also got a spotlight on the banjo during their shows!  My guess is he and Al switched instruments for a song that Glen sang lead on (maybe Surfer Girl) 'cause it was easier for him to strum the chords while singing lead. 

There's a TV interview with Glen where he says he played bass and sang falsetto, and how hard it was because the bass is so low and the falsetto is so high.

[the captain]

There's a TV interview with Glen where he says he played bass and sang falsetto, and how hard it was because the bass is so low and the falsetto is so high.

I'd assume he was joking, because that doesn't make any sense.

[Aegir]

Makes sense to me, but then again I'm not a professional musician. Here's the video, maybe I just explained it wrong: http://youtube.com/watch?v=rfPaFIirH1s