Autographed Albums - the Signed Goat and SMiLE

[TonyW]

Was watching the TLOS DVD last night and saw the bit where Brian was signing Pet Sounds LP covers, each time he signs on the goat, so I look up at the wall at my signed goat then I look to my signed copy of the SMiLE LP cover and rather than signing the obvious place - dead centre where the blind/shade is drawn down on the door to the smile shop Brian has signed right over the top of the words "Beach Boys". Just wondering if other people have signed SMiLE LP covers and where has Brian signed it and is there anything significant in why Brian woud sign over the words "Beach Boys" as if saying "no, its not their album - it's my album".

[Custom Machine]

Brain began his autograph on my bootleg Smile CD by writing "To Rob - Brian" in the white space at the very top.  There was then no room left for "Wilson" across the top, so he signed that right under "Brian" and over the top portion of the words "Beach Boys".  Brian signed this for me in the early 90's, and at the time I recall being surprised that he gave absolutely no verbal or visual reaction to the fact that he was autographing a CD of Smile. 

[sofonanm]

Brain began his autograph on my bootleg Smile CD by writing "To Rob - Brian" in the white space at the very top.  There was then no room left for "Wilson" across the top, so he signed that right under "Brian" and over the top portion of the words "Beach Boys".  Brian signed this for me in the early 90's, and at the time I recall being surprised that he gave absolutely no verbal or visual reaction to the fact that he was autographing a CD of Smile. 

To Rob - Brian Wilson

To rob Brian Wilson

A Smile CD, to rob Brian Wilson.

Ummm....

[Andrew G. Doe]

is there anything significant in why Brian woud sign over the words "Beach Boys" as if saying "no, its not their album - it's my album".

No. 

Time to trot out the all-time #1 BW signing story (I paraphrase slightly) - he was autographing something for Don Henley, and wrote "To a great musician", started to hand it back... then stopped, crossed out "great" and wrote "good" above. I'm told Henley's face was a picture.

[The Heartical Don]

is there anything significant in why Brian woud sign over the words "Beach Boys" as if saying "no, its not their album - it's my album".

No. 

Time to trot out the all-time #1 BW signing story (I paraphrase slightly) - he was autographing something for Don Henley, and wrote "To a great musician", started to hand it back... then stopped, crossed out "great" and wrote "good" above. I'm told Henley's face was a picture.

  it may be his peculiar sense of humour. Aternatively...

[Rich Panteluk]

My smile slick is signed in the following manner.
Smile Slick procured and signed by Frank Holmes (on the bottom middle of the picture) in the late 1900s.
Then signed by mighty Brian Wilson (in the bottom right hand corner) in Edmonton, Alberta Jan 30th, 2004
Then signed by Mike Love (bottom left hand corner) and Bruce Johnston (top left hand corner) Calgary, Alberta September 21, 2006
Finally signed by Al Jardine (signed top right hand corner quite stylishly with the J of Jardine encircling the "Boys" in the title) in Las Vegas April 4, 2008

Thanks to Scott Totten of The Beach Boys band and Scott Bennett of The Brian Wilson band for helping make a dream of mine come true.  Not only are they great musicians and performers - they are both great guys who were very kind to a fan.  Sorry about the hassle Mr. Bennett.

Mike Love was pretty funny when he signed the slick.  I asked Scott Totten and Bruce Johnston if they thought Mike would mind signing the slick as I have heard Smile is not a great memory for Mike, so I was a bit nervous as I approached him (it was already signed by Brian, Bruce and Frank Holmes at that point).  Mike was having a glass of red wine at that moment and I said,"Mike would you mind signing this for me".  Mike saw what it was and faked spilling his red wine on the slick and chuckled "Oops"!  He was just joking and it wasn't mean spirited.  Then he said sure and asked where I wanted it signed.  We has a nice chat and that was that.

The Signed Smile slick is framed and sits proudly in my music room.  It is my most prized piece of memoribilia.

Now if only I could meet Van Dyke Parks again...

[sofonanm]

is there anything significant in why Brian woud sign over the words "Beach Boys" as if saying "no, its not their album - it's my album".

No. 

Time to trot out the all-time #1 BW signing story (I paraphrase slightly) - he was autographing something for Don Henley, and wrote "To a great musician", started to hand it back... then stopped, crossed out "great" and wrote "good" above. I'm told Henley's face was a picture.

That's a great story!

Is this Brian's Zen-like humor? Or just a sudden change of heart on which word to use?

[juggler]

My smile slick is signed in the following manner.
Smile Slick procured and signed by Frank Holmes (on the bottom middle of the picture) in the late 1900s.
Then signed by mighty Brian Wilson (in the bottom right hand corner) in Edmonton, Alberta Jan 30th, 2004
Then signed by Mike Love (bottom left hand corner) and Bruce Johnston (top left hand corner) Calgary, Alberta September 21, 2006
Finally signed by Al Jardine (signed top right hand corner quite stylishly with the J of Jardine encircling the "Boys" in the title) in Las Vegas April 4, 2008

Thanks to Scott Totten of The Beach Boys band and Scott Bennett of The Brian Wilson band for helping make a dream of mine come true.  Not only are they great musicians and performers - they are both great guys who were very kind to a fan.  Sorry about the hassle Mr. Bennett.

Mike Love was pretty funny when he signed the slick.  I asked Scott Totten and Bruce Johnston if they thought Mike would mind signing the slick as I have heard Smile is not a great memory for Mike, so I was a bit nervous as I approached him (it was already signed by Brian, Bruce and Frank Holmes at that point).  Mike was having a glass of red wine at that moment and I said,"Mike would you mind signing this for me".  Mike saw what it was and faked spilling his red wine on the slick and chuckled "Oops"!  He was just joking and it wasn't mean spirited.  Then he said sure and asked where I wanted it signed.  We has a nice chat and that was that.

The Signed Smile slick is framed and sits proudly in my music room.  It is my most prized piece of memoribilia.

Now if only I could meet Van Dyke Parks again...

Awesome story!    It'd be cool to see a photo of your slick! Can you post one?

[PaulHippensteel]

I have seen the Beach Boys in concert several times, starting in 1977. But I have never met any of them and/or personally gotten autographs (I do have some BB autographs I got elsewhere). July 11 is my birthday, so I thought I'd get lucky (I took a "Wild Honey" LP cover to the concert), but it didn't happen.

My next door neighbor was also at the concert, which was at Hoosier Park Casino in Anderson, Indiana. Because his sister belongs to some kind of gambling club he got a backstage pass, so I had him take my "Summer Love Songs" CD to get autographed. The next day my neighbor returned the CD, unsigned, telling me that Mike & Bruce absolutely refused to sign anything for anyone backstage, although they did pose for pictures (he got a picture with Mike & Bruce).

My previous Beach Boys concert was in South Bend, Indiana, on November 11, 2007. About 20 fans waited outside the Opera House after the show. Mike & Bruce went straight from the Opera House to the tour bus without stopping (Mike told the crowd he was sick with a sore throat or something!). The opening act was Eric Burdon; he doesn't like to do autographs either. It took a little effort but I did get Eric's autograph, but that's another story (maybe I'll post it in the Sandbox).

I will pass on a tip that has gotten me autographs from (even interviews with) OTHER ARTISTS. Show up at the venue two or three hours BEFORE the concert and you might catch the artist arriving at, or leaving, the sound check, without security or a crowd of fans.  Presenting a rare item for autograph or asking an obscure (but non-threatening) question is a good icebreaker, and establishes you as a serious fan instead of a "fairweather" fan who just got interested in the artist a week before. I went to a Little River Band concert in the early '90s and before the show I asked Glen Shorrock to sign a Twilights picture sleeve (that was his '60s group long before LRB was formed). Shorrock was so amazed I had the picture sleeve, let alone even knew who the Twilights were, that he put me on the guest list!

I will also comment on the actual 7-11-09 concert elsewhere. Anyone else want to comment on Mike & Bruce's "no autograph policy"?

[harveyw]

I luckily managed to get Brian (and Van) to sign my Frank-Holmes-licensed Smile print during the 2004 shows. Oddly, he signed his autograph over the exact spot that Frank had signed his.

[ESQ Editor]

On my SMiLE art flat, Brian was cool enough to sign, "To David Best Wishes" (across the smile awning), and his name right next to Carl's at the top of the door blind.

[DonnaK]

It's funny that you mention Brian signing the goat on Pet Sounds and that he always does that. I first got to meet him in South Bend last November. Of course I brought my 1966 PS album. When I got up to him, I asked him to please sign on the white goat. He apparently didn't hear me as he started to sign on the brown goat above it. Jeff caught him and said, "No Bri, the white goat", so I kind of have 2 autographs on the album. He signed Bri on the brown goat!!! I also brought a dvd with that I had bought from ESQ and had Probyn and Darian sign it. They were quite surprised to see that someone had purchased it, as they hadn't see it yet!!! Also brought a Jeff Foskett cd for him to sign as well. I didn't think I'd ever get that chance again to get BS, so it was well worth it to bring as much as I could!!!!

Three days later at the Chicago concert, I was lucky enough to get BS passes from the Chicago contest winner and had brought nothing to get signed, so I ran out to the lobby and bought another TLOS program. I had Brian sign it on the page with his photo...the one that shows his beautiful blue eyes. While leaving the theater, Mikey D'Amico was chatting with some guy and I asked him if he'd come home with me!!! He jokingly said "Sure, but you have to drive me to Washington by Tuesday"  We both just laughed the whole time, but it was great to get that close to him!!!! Just a nice guy!!!! ( I was serious about taking him home tho!!!!!)

I ended up making a great trade of my unsigned TLOS program for a signed TLOS vinyl. Someone didn't get a program and had an extra signed vinyl they didn't need, so hence the trade. I think I made out pretty well on one weekend of the TLOS tour!!!! What a treat that was!!!!

[LostArt]

Geez, Donna.  Lucky you.  I knew I should have made it to that South Bend show.  I should be at the Pabst in Milwaukee in October, though.  In the case that you should get backstage passes again, please drag me with you. 
I waited out by the buses after the show in Madison in '04, and Brian came out, but he went straight to the bus.  I was ten feet away from the big guy, and couldn't get an autograph.  Got Darian's set list from the stage, though.

[DonnaK]

There are trade-offs in life tho. I never got to see the original BB in concert back in the day. I had medical problems that prevented concert going. Maybe I'm making up for lost time now that I'm 60!!! I'm making up for alot of things now!!!! At Mayfest last May, I got to hang out a bit with David Marks and his wife Carrie, met Al, Matt, and all the guys that were playing in the band, and got quite a few autographs there as well. You must come out there next spring. It's a fantastic time!!!! Hotel/condo rates are cheap and the beach is right there!!!! Always a great time with fellow fans!!

I must admit, I would seriously consider trading all the autographs I have acquired for a sit down meeting with Dennis!!!!