What Must They Have Thought?

[Pretty Funky]

Keep in mind he was back, as he stated, to make money. I bet he was getting paid more than the sidemen on stage. At the end of the day he still chose to do concerts. If being stoned was his choice he deserved a talking to from Mike.

Damn right 'you get your ass up to that mic and take a lead' IMO.

[Wilsonista]

Sing from your heart, Cousin.

Why don't you tell Johnny Rivers that?

EDIT: I just watched that clip and others from that show. That is some rather unfortunate viewing.  Proof that everybody is better off not sharing a stage with eah other.

[TdHabib]

Dennis says one of my favorite quotes of all time at the Largo 77 concert:
(paraphrased only slightly) "I would like to make a dedication to all the girls here tonight (small pause)...even Michael!"

[Dave in KC]

Yes, when you've seen the Beach Boys live for as many years and times as I did, you couldn't possibly miss the changes in the bands psyche along the way. It really was amazing they lasted that long as a touring group and despite a few lean years, most nights the venue was full.

[joe_blow]

I'd take that Largo show over today's performances. Brian may have been "out there", but in a single show he sang,played bass and piano,halted the show to thank Mike Love and paraded around with his hands in the air at the end like a champion.

Whatever you say about Brian's shows these days, he mainly sits in front of keyboard and sings what he sees on a teleprompter.

[Dancing Bear]

Again (!), Mike was not arguing or screaming at Brian; it was an attempt by Mike to psych up Brian or keep him interested or whatever. Mike was just playing around.

What makes you say that? Because it sure doesn't look like fun to me.

It's obvious to me that Mike is play acting, over-exaggerating, trying to communicate with a stoned Brian.

Isn't it obvious Mike's joking? What's next, claimimg that Mike was furious at Alan Boyd when he playfully remarked to the camera, about Smile: "Why are you askng ME about that?" 

[Wilsonista]

Again (!), Mike was not arguing or screaming at Brian; it was an attempt by Mike to psych up Brian or keep him interested or whatever. Mike was just playing around.

What makes you say that? Because it sure doesn't look like fun to me.

It's obvious to me that Mike is play acting, over-exaggerating, trying to communicate with a stoned Brian.

Isn't it obvious Mike's joking? What's next, claimimg that Mike was furious at Alan Boyd when he playfully remarked to the camera, about Smile: "Why are you askng ME about that?" 

Actually, Alan himself has hinted that even he isn't too sure whether Mike was joking or not.

I'll give Mike the benefit of the doubt,  but it's still uncomfortable to watch.

[Dancing Bear]

Again (!), Mike was not arguing or screaming at Brian; it was an attempt by Mike to psych up Brian or keep him interested or whatever. Mike was just playing around.

What makes you say that? Because it sure doesn't look like fun to me.

It's obvious to me that Mike is play acting, over-exaggerating, trying to communicate with a stoned Brian.

Isn't it obvious Mike's joking? What's next, claimimg that Mike was furious at Alan Boyd when he playfully remarked to the camera, about Smile: "Why are you askng ME about that?" 

Actually, Alan himself has hinted that even he isn't too sure whether Mike was joking or not.

I'll give Mike the benefit of the doubt,  but it's still uncomfortable to watch.

The Smile quote is even kinda funny, but I guess you're referring to Largo. I look at '77 Brian and I can relate him to the 60's Brian. I just can't do that with today's Brian. I just can't.

[PrayForSurf]

Now, to address Luther's question....It's a simple answer. You actually touched upon it in your post. It WAS therapy for Brian...
..because they really believed in Brian. They must've seen SOMETHING still there...I guess they were trying to be optimistic; trying to be positive...THAT'S what they were expecting with the original Brian's Back in 1976. They (the group) just didn't know how to pull it off - if indeed there was a way...


FYI - - I posted an interview with Warren Duffy who was their PR Director at that time - He talked about that tour and his perspective on each of the band members,

Posted @ http://prayforsurfblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/pray-for-surf-interviewed-former-beach.html

Phil

[phirnis]

edit - sorry

[Jonathan Blum]

I'd take that Largo show over today's performances. Brian may have been "out there", but in a single show he sang,played bass and piano,halted the show to thank Mike Love and paraded around with his hands in the air at the end like a champion.

Whatever you say about Brian's shows these days, he mainly sits in front of keyboard and sings what he sees on a teleprompter.

Every Brian show I've seen, he's played the keyboard at least a bit, plays bass in the encore set, and had a fair share of unscripted banter.  (Jeff, on "Drive-In":  "This is one of Brian's favorite songs--" "It is NOT!")

He may not be as up as when he was, y'know, COKED UP, but he's clearly there...

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[joe_blow]

I'd take that Largo show over today's performances. Brian may have been "out there", but in a single show he sang,played bass and piano,halted the show to thank Mike Love and paraded around with his hands in the air at the end like a champion.

Whatever you say about Brian's shows these days, he mainly sits in front of keyboard and sings what he sees on a teleprompter.

Every Brian show I've seen, he's played the keyboard at least a bit, plays bass in the encore set, and had a fair share of unscripted banter.  (Jeff, on "Drive-In":  "This is one of Brian's favorite songs--" "It is NOT!")

He may not be as up as when he was, y'know, COKED UP, but he's clearly there...

Cheers,
Jon Blum

Well made out points. However in concert his keyboard playing doesn't seem to go any farther than the into to Marcella, Surfer Girl and maybe Walking Down The Path Of Life. At Largo he seemed to be playing and singing a lot more. As for bass playing, when he starps on the bass nowadays isn't someone in the band really providing the bass lines, while Brian might twang a note or two? I hope I am wrong!

[Aegir]

QUOTING

[Jonathan Blum]

As for bass playing, when he starps on the bass nowadays isn't someone in the band really providing the bass lines, while Brian might twang a note or two? I hope I am wrong!

Dunno about the keyboard, but I was keeping an eye on the bass at the last show -- it looked like he was playing a basic bass line, while Bobby Lizik was doing something funkier up the fretboard on his own bass.  But Brian was definitely playing a proper part -- it looked like a 1-3-5-7 pattern on "Barbara Ann", that sort of thing.

BTW, all this discussion of Largo is making me homesick!  That was on the far side of DC from where I grew up -- I think I went to my first proper concert there, when my parents took me to go see Billy Joel just a few years later...

Cheers,
Jon Blum

[The infamous Baldwin Organ]

I could be wrong, but the last time I saw Brian play (last summer I think), he strapped on the bass for Barbara Ann and looked like he might have been played just the root note of each of the chords (there's only three of 'em!) But to my eyes, it did not look like the bass was plugged in to anything, which would mean it was silent.

The only piano I've seen him do at all four of the shows I attended was either the new intro to Marcella, or Row, Row, Row Your Boat.

I won't pass judgement either way, but a number of fans around me at the shows expressed serious concern over Brian's health because of his lack of movement or general involvement on stage. People were asking if he had recently had a stroke, saying he didn't look well at all.

[Amanda Hart]

I could be wrong, but the last time I saw Brian play (last summer I think), he strapped on the bass for Barbara Ann and looked like he might have been played just the root note of each of the chords (there's only three of 'em!) But to my eyes, it did not look like the bass was plugged in to anything, which would mean it was silent.

I saw him in Chicago last fall and am pretty sure his bass was plugged in, because the guy that handed it to him had real trouble getting to him because of the cord.  During the exchange Brian split his water.

[the captain]

Brian's bass is pretty much inaudible regardless of whether it's plugged in. His is clearly not the bass you hear when he straps it on. That part of shows is obviously just for show, since he's just sort of half-thumping on the root notes of chords while the real bassist plays the audible, more interesting parts.

Well, as interesting as a walking bass in Barbara Ann is, anyway.

[Shane]

Getting back to that original 1977 video... what Brian does in between songs is completely bizarre.  He walks up to the microphone, and literally appears to have a seizure, acting like he got a major electrical shock.  Then he gets this p*ssed off look on his face, and hits the microphone as hard as he can.  The band starts playing the song, waiting forever for Brian to start singing, just vamping until the guy finally decides to come in.

This is the strangest 20 seconds of Brian footage.  EVER.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Getting back to that original 1977 video... what Brian does in between songs is completely bizarre.  He walks up to the microphone, and literally appears to have a seizure, acting like he got a major electrical shock.  Then he gets this p*ssed off look on his face, and hits the microphone as hard as he can.  The band starts playing the song, waiting forever for Brian to start singing, just vamping until the guy finally decides to come in.

This is the strangest 20 seconds of Brian footage.  EVER.

I had the impression that Mike and Brian were arguing about something. Like maybe Brian didn't want to sing it. Mike gets upset and yells at him. Just after he slaps the mic, he looks over to Al. Al nods, as if to say, its alright, you can go ahead and sing. Then Brian starts. Of course, I have no idea if that's what Brian and Mike were discussing.

[Sheriff John Stone]

Getting back to that original 1977 video... what Brian does in between songs is completely bizarre.  He walks up to the microphone, and literally appears to have a seizure, acting like he got a major electrical shock.  Then he gets this p*ssed off look on his face, and hits the microphone as hard as he can.  The band starts playing the song, waiting forever for Brian to start singing, just vamping until the guy finally decides to come in.

This is the strangest 20 seconds of Brian footage.  EVER.

I had the impression that Mike and Brian were arguing about something. Like maybe Brian didn't want to sing it. Mike gets upset and yells at him. Just after he slaps the mic, he looks over to Al. Al nods, as if to say, its alright, you can go ahead and sing. Then Brian starts. Of course, I have no idea if that's what Brian and Mike were discussing.

Again I completely disagree. Just like Mike was playing around and goofing around, so was Brian. It appears to me that Brian was having a short dialogue with the microphone, then PLAY ACTS like the microphone is electrocuting him! He continues the playing around by slapping the mic, kind of "putting it in its place", like "how dare you do that to me". I know it sounds weird but that's how it ALWAYS appeared to me. Plus, there isn't a lot of logic when you're discussing the effects that drugs had on Brian Wilson.

Yeah, I too liked the participation and animation from Brian back in those days. He was RUNNING around the stage, joking, singing, playing all the songs on piano and bass, showed coordination just in his walking, etc. But, he was still under the influence, so, ultimately, it was artificial - and sad....

[Jay]

It's just terrible, both musically and just in terms of human dignity.

The band can't really have known at every show what condition Brian would show up in. Let's not forget the fact that at the time, Brian was a drug addict/alcoholic. He was just as unstable as Dennis at the time. I feel like the rest of the group always gets blamed for Brian. Let's let Brian take some of the credit for the chaos at the time.

[Jason]

I love you, man.

But in all seriousness, by 1977 Brian's appearances with the band were farcical, by 1979 they were diabolical, by 1982 they were not even worthy of mocking laughter. If the Mike and Bruce show is a "Travelling Jukebox", then the Beach Boys in 1981-82 with a dejected, addicted, uncaring Brian as "leader" were a travelling circus.

[Nicko1234]

I really can`t agree that any of the band members were fooling around at that show. It`s quite clear that Brian was deeply disturbed at this time and shouldn`t have been anywhere near the stage.

[Dave in KC]

Disturbed, yes, but more like fried or baked.  After seeing this clip for a second time it reminds me of the many shows I saw during those "disturbed" years when I would look around the audience and say to myself, " God, I hope these people don't recognize the problems that I'm seeing." I really thought that the end had to be near. That's what is so amazing about their longevity. There were so many incidents both on stage and backstage so many years ago and I have surely put them out of my mind. This clip resurrected those times.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Now, to address Luther's question....It's a simple answer. You actually touched upon it in your post. It WAS therapy for Brian...
..because they really believed in Brian. They must've seen SOMETHING still there...I guess they were trying to be optimistic; trying to be positive...THAT'S what they were expecting with the original Brian's Back in 1976. They (the group) just didn't know how to pull it off - if indeed there was a way...


FYI - - I posted an interview with Warren Duffy who was their PR Director at that time - He talked about that tour and his perspective on each of the band members,

Posted @ http://prayforsurfblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/pray-for-surf-interviewed-former-beach.html

Phil

Thanks for posting this. I found it very interesting. I am also a Christian, so it was cool to hear his testimony.

Something that stuck out to me is that he gives a lot of credit to Mike for keeping the band together. Most people I read say that Carl was the glue that held the group together. Of course, he didn't seem to have control of himself in the mid 70s. I also found it interesting that Al was fired several times only to be asked back the next day! I wonder who wanted him fired the most, and who backed him the most. I would assume that since Al was linked to the Love faction back then that it was Dennis and Carl that wanted him fired and Mike wanted him to stay.