Campfire Acoustic Session :Endless Summer TV Series

[Lonely Summer]

This reminds me of an interview I saw with Bruce, probably 1988, where he said the Beach Boys should do two types of albums - one would be a modern update of the Party album; the other would be their last great artistic statement, a Surf's Up for the 90's.
Well, they sort of the did the Party album on the tv show; I do think these clips compare favorably with the 65 album.
I guess it took a lot longer...a lot longer!...for that final, grand artistic album, TWGMTR.

[Custom Machine]

When watching this, I can't help but keep wondering if Landy is lurking literally *just* off camera. He must have been there in close proximity, I would think, right? I don't think Landy would have delegated that to one of Brian's other minders; I'd tend to think Landy himself would want to be there for a network TV appearance.

Yeah, my thoughts as well.

Where were these scenes filmed? The poor video quality makes it hard to really tell if this is staged on a studio, or actually on some little private beach, and if so, which beach?

Filmed at Walt Disney World in Florida, outside on the sand between the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian Village Resort but closest to the Grand Floridian.

In fact, when watching this (in direct contrast to some unnervingly weird Brian solo footage from the time involving no other BBs members), it makes sense how Brian "wanted to be a Beach Boy again" in 2012, and how much it was a real bummer to be edged out of the band. Brian clearly, despite any dysfunctional and unhealthy relationships with some members, gets something positive out of being with those guys. It's just like riding a bike. For better or worse, it seemed that Brian was shining when around his old mates.

This video is from 1988, but, yeah, 2012, two dozen years later, works equally as well, and I agree completely.

[Emdeeh]

Filmed at Walt Disney World in Florida, outside on the sand between the Grand Floridian and the Pllynesian Village Resort but closest to the Grand Floridina.

That's the location for the "Kokomo" video. The 1989 TV series was shot at Universal Studios in LA, so probably a backlot beach setup for the campfire.

[southbay]

Filmed at Walt Disney World in Florida, outside on the sand between the Grand Floridian and the Pllynesian Village Resort but closest to the Grand Floridina.

That's the location for the "Kokomo" video. The 1989 TV series was shot at Universal Studios in LA, so probably a backlot beach setup for the campfire.

Correct.  The entire series (minus the concert footage) was shot at Universal Studios Los Angeles in May 1989.  The concert footage was from the Memorial Day weekend show with Chicago at the Pacific Amphitheater in Costa Mesa, in Orange County California .  So all of the footage for the show was shot within a few days in May, 1989

[UEF]

There even seems to be an additional guitarist who isn’t Jeff, Billy, Al or Carl, in some shots

[Rocker]

The concerts at this time were certainly routine, but they could still blow your mind just like that. Evidence: Al's fabulous lead on "Surfer girl" (released on Songs From Here & Back IIRC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkZPXndEXc4

[Emdeeh]

There even seems to be an additional guitarist who isn’t Jeff, Billy, Al or Carl, in some shots

Looks like their roadie Ab Jackson.

[southbay]

The concerts at this time were certainly routine, but they could still blow your mind just like that. Evidence: Al's fabulous lead on "Surfer girl" (released on Songs From Here & Back IIRC): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkZPXndEXc4

And Carl's fabulous leads on everything, including taking Peter Cetera's lead on "You're the Inspiration" during the 2 bands' encore

[Pretty Funky]

Filmed at Walt Disney World in Florida, outside on the sand between the Grand Floridian and the Pllynesian Village Resort but closest to the Grand Floridina.

That's the location for the "Kokomo" video. The 1989 TV series was shot at Universal Studios in LA, so probably a backlot beach setup for the campfire.

The use of the Jaws beach at Universal Studio is a possibility......and somewhat appropriate I think.

https://youtu.be/JTddx1mRP2E

[Emdeeh]

The Jaws beach was my first thought, as well.

[UEF]

Brian’s scowling face during the bit where kids dance near the fire is a surprise!

The drugs certainly gave him an extra something - when he sings Love and Mercy in other parts of this show he’s almost Axl Rose-like...

[DonnyL]

I also find Brian's rocking and back and forth and the look in his eyes disturbing.  He doesn't say anything crazy but he definitely looks and acts off.  Landy's medication regime perhaps?

Yep, the rocking and "eyes open too wide" look were probably side effects of Landy's overmedication.  Overall, though, he was acting relatively normal.  Loved his "blah blah blah" lyrics at one point. Hilarious.  Despite all his turmoil during that period, his humor couldn't be supressed.  Also, anyone else notice who was the first person to worry that the little girl was getting too close to the fire? Yep, Brian as the conscientious adult in the group. Go figure.

You know, way back in 1995ish when Don Was was plugging his documentary, he appeared on Conan O'Brien's show, and something he said always struck me as very true.  He said something to the effect of "Everything I can say about Brian, I can also say the opposite thing.  And it'd also be true."  So much "conventional wisdom" about BW turns out to collapse under close scrutiny.  "Sweet Insanity" era Brian was supposedly this Landy-controlled zombie.  Yet, here he is in May 1989 acting relatively normal, singing with the group, to some extent leading the group, and spinning anecdotes about Mike's '49 Chevy's windshield, etc.  The same is true for the July 1990 hotel tape.  He's tough to pigeonhole.

I think Brian is just a moody guy.

[Custom Machine]

Filmed at Walt Disney World in Florida, outside on the sand between the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian Village Resort but closest to the Grand Floridian.

That's the location for the "Kokomo" video. The 1989 TV series was shot at Universal Studios in LA, so probably a backlot beach setup for the campfire.

You are correct! (Apparently my brain is getting senile.) As southbay noted earlier, filming for the campfire scenes took place at Universal Studios in LA in May 1989. The series also featured concert footage filmed at the Pacific Amphitherter in Costa Mesa on May 27, during the BBs/Chicago summer 89 tour.

The BBs Endless Summer was a syndicated series consisting of 8 one hour shows. Executive producer was Steve Binder, director of The T.A.M.I. Show and producer of Elvis Presley's 1968 Comeback Special (officially "Elvis" or "Singer Presents Elvis"). The BB's campfire sessions are reminiscent of the causal sit-down portions of the Elvis special, featuring Presley and sideman conversing and jamming in a relatively unscripted manner.

The series aired in San Diego Saturday nights on a non-network TV station from June 17 thru August 5, 1989, but due to its syndicated nature air dates may have varied in other markets.

[Jay]

The Landy stuff aside, getting Brian back semi-reintegrated with the group for some of that ’89 TV show was one of several examples of how it often takes some third party and some cash and a specific plan to get the guys to all do something together. In ’89, they probably got a nice little deal for supplying that show all that content for their little summer syndication package. On the creative side, it gave them a reason/goal for being together.

Similar thing happened in 2012; Joe Thomas was the guy in that case with the cash and the plan. I have little doubt even smaller events like the SiriusXM thing was down to Jerry Schilling pitching it to them.

I don’t harp much on prospective reunions anymore, I think the band may have missed the windor for doing something as substantive as the 2012 reunion. But it’s interesting to see how they (and many other artists for that matter) don’t always sit around devising fully-realized projects (and finding the money) to get back together. It takes someone else to motivate some aspect of it.

Not to derail the overall "feel good" vibe of this video, but it's so sad how almost all of the great bands of the past have turned into a "corporation" or "brand name". There's no comradery left. No "family" feeling. Other than The Beach Boys, Crosby Stills and Nash and Guns N' Roses come to mind. Each person has their own "team", and money rules at the end of the day.

[Rick5150]

That was once of the coolest things I saw in a while! Thank you.

[Lonely Summer]

This series aired on one our local syndication channels late at night, maybe 11:30 or midnight. Always wondered back then how many people were watching, or how many even knew about it. IRRC, the Beach Boys segments were the only ones that weren't lip-synched.
I think Brian looks great in the campfire segments, but there are a couple songs they taped at what they called Club Kokomo - Rock and Roll Music was one one of them; Brian's eyes looked really weird, like WTF did Landy's goons have him on that day?

[Ian]

I believe the campfire stuff was filmed on May 30 1989

[Rocker]

I think Brian looks great in the campfire segments, but there are a couple songs they taped at what they called Club Kokomo - Rock and Roll Music was one one of them; Brian's eyes looked really weird, like WTF did Landy's goons have him on that day?

I have this one on the Pro Shot List as filmed in Costa Mesa on May 27th for the ES special. Did you mean this or was there another version of RnR Music?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FRQwLSk7Gk

[southbay]

I think Brian looks great in the campfire segments, but there are a couple songs they taped at what they called Club Kokomo - Rock and Roll Music was one one of them; Brian's eyes looked really weird, like WTF did Landy's goons have him on that day?

I have this one on the Pro Shot List as filmed in Costa Mesa on May 27th for the ES special. Did you mean this or was there another version of RnR Music?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FRQwLSk7Gk

That youtube clip is rehearsal footage for the BB/Chicago tour.  Likely also shot in or around May 89 in LA

[Rocker]

I think Brian looks great in the campfire segments, but there are a couple songs they taped at what they called Club Kokomo - Rock and Roll Music was one one of them; Brian's eyes looked really weird, like WTF did Landy's goons have him on that day?

I have this one on the Pro Shot List as filmed in Costa Mesa on May 27th for the ES special. Did you mean this or was there another version of RnR Music?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FRQwLSk7Gk

That youtube clip is rehearsal footage for the BB/Chicago tour.  Likely also shot in or around May 89 in LA

That's very helpful, thanks! Do you know more about this footage? And maybe also the exact date?

[southbay]

Well I remember seeing it air on Entertainment Tonight in the US back in 1989 as part of the media blitz for the tour.  Per the Bellagio website it was recorded somewhere between May 8-11, 1989 at Culver City Studios during Brian's 3 days of rehearsals with the group for the tour.  Not that anybody asked, but I did also attend that May 27 BB/Chicago show at the Pacific Amphitheater that was filmed for the concert portion of the ES tv series. The 2 groups played the following night at the Hollywood Bowl

[Lonely Summer]

I think Brian looks great in the campfire segments, but there are a couple songs they taped at what they called Club Kokomo - Rock and Roll Music was one one of them; Brian's eyes looked really weird, like WTF did Landy's goons have him on that day?

I have this one on the Pro Shot List as filmed in Costa Mesa on May 27th for the ES special. Did you mean this or was there another version of RnR Music?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FRQwLSk7Gk

No, it wasn't that clip - he actually looks very good there.
It still amazes me, Brian's physical transformation in the 80's; as one writer put it, "he was the only Beach Boy that looked as if he could have been a surfer".
But there were times when it looked like he had been overmedicated. Bug eyed, deer in the headlights look. At the time I attributed it mostly to stage fright; but now, i'm not so sure. 

[Rocker]

Well I remember seeing it air on Entertainment Tonight in the US back in 1989 as part of the media blitz for the tour.  Per the Bellagio website it was recorded somewhere between May 8-11, 1989 at Culver City Studios during Brian's 3 days of rehearsals with the group for the tour.  Not that anybody asked, but I did also attend that May 27 BB/Chicago show at the Pacific Amphitheater that was filmed for the concert portion of the ES tv series. The 2 groups played the following night at the Hollywood Bowl

Thank you! I hope I got it right, just updated the list.