Beatles opinions on Dennis Wilson's music?

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Have any of the Beatles ever commented on Dennis' music? If so, what do/did they say?

[Jason]

Are you kidding?

[the captain]

"I fancy the drummer." - Brian Epstein.

[carlydenise]

if only to be as handsome as that bloke from the beach boys...cheers.....

[KokoMoses]

I remember reading somewhere that John Lennon once snubbed Dennis somewhere or was somehow rude or dismissive and it depressed Dennis because he really would have liked to be appreciated for something other than his looks (poor baby)

Anyone know what I'm talking about?

[Jon Stebbins]

May Pang, who was with John at the time, has disputed that, she said John was happy to meet Dennis. Howie Edelson can tell you the story because he interviewed May recently...Howie?

[the captain]

It's hard to imagine John Lennon not liking Dennis Wilson, actually, but musically and personally. Obviously this is only me guessing, but I think John would enjoy and respect Dennis's raw emotional approach to both rockers and ballads, as well as his occasional silliness. And as for their personal lives, well, Dennis would have fit right in during the Lost Weekend, no?

[KokoMoses]

Good to hear!

I wish I could remember where I read/heard that!!

[c-man]

Dennis and Karen clearly had a good time chatting with Paul and Linda at Brian's 34th birthday party.  And I'm pretty sure Dennis can be seen arriving at Wings' L.A. show in the TV special that resulted from that big '76 "Wings Over America" tour. 

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Thanks for the info so far. I definately would be suprised if John didn't respect Dennis' music, or any of the Beatles for that matter. Although, I have read or heard hardly anything regarding this. In fact, I don't recall Dennis saying much about the Beatles either.

[pixletwin]

Its really easy to find quotes of John slagging off Mick Jagger or Bob Dylan or even Elvis... but I can't think of one quote where he slagged off the Beach Boys as a group or Brian as a person. I assume that extended to Dennis as well. I think John had a tremendous respect for them. (although correct me if I am wrong, but the line from Bungalo Bill about the "all American Bullet-headed saxon mother's son" was inspired by Mike Love. Who I guess took a break from peaceful meditation to go kill some animals somewhere in Rishikesh).

[KokoMoses]

I actually think is was in Heroes And Villians where I read that about John/Dennis!

[c-man]

Its really easy to find quotes of John slagging off Mick Jagger or Bob Dylan or even Elvis... but I can't think of one quote where he slagged off the Beach Boys as a group or Brian as a person. I assume that extended to Dennis as well. I think John had a tremendous respect for them. (although correct me if I am wrong, but the line from Bungalo Bill about the "all American Bullet-headed saxon mother's son" was inspired by Mike Love. Who I guess took a break from peaceful meditation to go kill some animals somewhere in Rishikesh).

No, that was not Mike Love.

[Sheriff John Stone]

In fact, I don't recall Dennis saying much about the Beatles either.

Me neither, but he did sing "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" on Party. Was that Brian's choice?

[mikeyj]

In fact, I don't recall Dennis saying much about the Beatles either.

Me neither, but he did sing "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" on Party. Was that Brian's choice?

On one of the boots where they do it live Dennis says "it's a good song"... so no idea if it was Brian's choice or not, so I'm assuming Dennis liked it

[Dancing Bear]

I remember reading somewhere that John Lennon once snubbed Dennis somewhere or was somehow rude or dismissive and it depressed Dennis because he really would have liked to be appreciated for something other than his looks (poor baby)

Anyone know what I'm talking about?

I've read that Dennis once met John 'round the clubs' and the former Beatle didn't recognize him. Well, if your visual reference is Dennis circa '65, and you only meet him ten years later, I can't blame John.

[pixletwin]

Its really easy to find quotes of John slagging off Mick Jagger or Bob Dylan or even Elvis... but I can't think of one quote where he slagged off the Beach Boys as a group or Brian as a person. I assume that extended to Dennis as well. I think John had a tremendous respect for them. (although correct me if I am wrong, but the line from Bungalo Bill about the "all American Bullet-headed saxon mother's son" was inspired by Mike Love. Who I guess took a break from peaceful meditation to go kill some animals somewhere in Rishikesh).

No, that was not Mike Love.

Who was he referencing?

[buddhahat]

Its really easy to find quotes of John slagging off Mick Jagger or Bob Dylan or even Elvis... but I can't think of one quote where he slagged off the Beach Boys as a group or Brian as a person. I assume that extended to Dennis as well. I think John had a tremendous respect for them. (although correct me if I am wrong, but the line from Bungalo Bill about the "all American Bullet-headed saxon mother's son" was inspired by Mike Love. Who I guess took a break from peaceful meditation to go kill some animals somewhere in Rishikesh).

No, that was not Mike Love.

Who was he referencing?

It's some wealthy american that was also at the retreat with them. He took a break from mediating to go hunting. Can't remember his name though, sorry.

[buddhahat]

Its really easy to find quotes of John slagging off Mick Jagger or Bob Dylan or even Elvis... but I can't think of one quote where he slagged off the Beach Boys as a group or Brian as a person. I assume that extended to Dennis as well. I think John had a tremendous respect for them. (although correct me if I am wrong, but the line from Bungalo Bill about the "all American Bullet-headed saxon mother's son" was inspired by Mike Love. Who I guess took a break from peaceful meditation to go kill some animals somewhere in Rishikesh).

No, that was not Mike Love.

Who was he referencing?

It's some wealthy american that was also at the retreat with them. He took a break from mediating to go hunting. Can't remember his name though, sorry.


from wikipedia:

Lennon later told his version of the story in a Playboy interview, stating that: "[Bungalow Bill] was written about a guy in Maharishi's meditation camp who took a short break to go shoot a few poor tigers, and then came back to commune with God. There used to be a character called Jungle Jim, and I combined him with Buffalo Bill. It's sort of a teenage social-comment song and a bit of a joke."[2] Mia Farrow, who was also at the ashram during the period supports Lennon's story in her autobiography; she writes, "Then a self-important, middle-aged American woman arrived, moving a mountain of luggage into the brand-new private bungalow next to Maharishi's along with her son, a bland young man named Bill. People fled this newcomer, and no one was sorry when she left the ashram after a short time to go tiger hunting, unaware that their presence had inspired a new Beatles' song - 'Bungalow Bill.'"[

[lance]

The story I read of the Lennon/D. Wilson meeting(somewhere...maybe here?) was that they met in the late sixties at a restaurant. Dennis introduced himself and John Lennon made a joke about a commercial for a company called Wilson that was airing a lot in LA and that he had seen. Dennis got offended or hurt or something and walked off.

Later, in the seventies, probably with May Peng, they met again and Lennon told Dennis that he had only been joking at the first meeting--but Dennis had no memory of the first meeting whatsoever.

[Exapno Mapcase]

God, I thought this was going to be a Hoffman style thread - Dennis needs the holy benediction of the Beatles before his music can be considered good.   

[c-man]

In fact, I don't recall Dennis saying much about the Beatles either.

Me neither, but he did sing "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" on Party. Was that Brian's choice?

When The Beatles first came on the scene, Dennis was reportedly skeptical of them (like they were just a hype, and they were going to ruin music...kind of what Brian initially thought of Dylan).  He warmed up to them later...I remember a mid-sixites interview ('65?) where the Boys were asked what they thought of the "newer" crop of British Invasion acts like the Stones, and Dennis replied "For me, there's only one English group, and that's The Beatles".  He apparently warmed up to the Stones later, as well:  Carol Ann Harris recounts a great story of cruising along the PCH with Dennis, en route to a Beach Boys gig, with "Midnight Rambler" blasting on his car stereo.

[Roger Ryan]

The story I read of the Lennon/D. Wilson meeting(somewhere...maybe here?) was that they met in the late sixties at a restaurant. Dennis introduced himself and John Lennon made a joke about a commercial for a company called Wilson that was airing a lot in LA and that he had seen. Dennis got offended or hurt or something and walked off.

Later, in the seventies, probably with May Peng, they met again and Lennon told Dennis that he had only been joking at the first meeting--but Dennis had no memory of the first meeting whatsoever.

Yeah, that's close. I thought both meetings took place in the 70s when Lennon was living in L.A. with May Pang (which is why she recounts the story), but I could be wrong. One of the encounters happened at the Troubabour, I think. Lennon's comment upon first meeting Wilson was along the lines of "I've always liked your coats" ostensibly referring to an L.A. clothing store named "House of Wilson" (although a quick internet search reveals that the royal "House of Wilson" had a popular "coat of arms" which could have been what Lennon was referring to - can any of the British fans comment?); Wilson was mystified and thought he was being snubbed. Lennon felt guilty enough about possibly offending Wilson that he apologized for the joke the next time they met, but Wilson had no recollection of it at all.

[Ed Roach]

The story I read of the Lennon/D. Wilson meeting(somewhere...maybe here?) was that they met in the late sixties at a restaurant. Dennis introduced himself and John Lennon made a joke about a commercial for a company called Wilson that was airing a lot in LA and that he had seen. Dennis got offended or hurt or something and walked off.

Later, in the seventies, probably with May Peng, they met again and Lennon told Dennis that he had only been joking at the first meeting--but Dennis had no memory of the first meeting whatsoever.

Yeah, that's close. I thought both meetings took place in the 70s when Lennon was living in L.A. with May Pang (which is why she recounts the story), but I could be wrong. One of the encounters happened at the Troubabour, I think. Lennon's comment upon first meeting Wilson was along the lines of "I've always liked your coats" ostensibly referring to an L.A. clothing store named "House of Wilson" (although a quick internet search reveals that the royal "House of Wilson" had a popular "coat of arms" which could have been what Lennon was referring to - can any of the British fans comment?); Wilson was mystified and thought he was being snubbed. Lennon felt guilty enough about possibly offending Wilson that he apologized for the joke the next time they met, but Wilson had no recollection of it at all.

You're probably right, about both meetings taking place in the seventies.  Dennis himself told me the story of being snubbed by him, however, the place Lennon referenced was called "Wilson's House of Suede", as I recall. 
Howie recently told me the May Pang story, which took place, (if memory serves me), at a restaurant up in Malibu.  I didn't hear this one from Dennis, but it makes sense that there were these two different meetings between them.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

In fact, I don't recall Dennis saying much about the Beatles either.

Me neither, but he did sing "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" on Party. Was that Brian's choice?

When The Beatles first came on the scene, Dennis was reportedly skeptical of them (like they were just a hype, and they were going to ruin music...kind of what Brian initially thought of Dylan).  He warmed up to them later...

I think they were right. Personally, I don't think the early Beatles music is that good.