What Must They Have Thought?

[the captain]

This is kind of interesting, especially in the bit about Al, whom I think may still be hard to read. Sometimes a Love guy, sometimes a Wilson guy. And in this interview, just "in his own little world ... his own guy."

That the discussion gets into his problems nailing bass or harmony parts is also interesting. Seems hard to believe that Al would be the guy in that band to sometimes miss his parts. Dennis' voices obviously is gruff enough to be all over, Brian at that time sounded like sh*t. Al, the sober guy who has often shown a hell of a voice to the extent of mimicking Brian, AL is the guy who is disliked for missing parts?

[Jay]

 Seems hard to believe that Al would be the guy in that band to sometimes miss his parts.

Are you kidding? In virtually every concert bootleg I've heard, Al screws up the words in at least one of the songs he sings. Sometimes he would screw up lyrics to songs that were back to back. Al even forgets the words to songs he wrote! 

[Nicko1234]

This is kind of interesting, especially in the bit about Al, whom I think may still be hard to read. Sometimes a Love guy, sometimes a Wilson guy. And in this interview, just "in his own little world ... his own guy."

That doesn`t surprise me too much. I like Al and I value his contributions to the band but he does seem to have an ulterior motive to alot of what he does. That`s how I read a lot of his interviews and the comments he makes about Brian, Dennis etc. even when he is praising them. I guess you can`t really blame him after being surrounded by madness for so any years though.

[the captain]

Al even forgets the words to songs he wrote! 

So do I. Does this make me a Beach Boy? Kickass!

[tpesky]

I don't know if Al messed up that much, he always seemed pretty solid..  I can think of a few concerts  I have heard where he flubbed. There is a youtube of WIBN I think from David Frost he destroys, but I dont think any more than the rest of them. Carl flubs Good Timin on 7/4/80 and I have heard him screw that one up before. Mike screws up R and R Music on the It's Ok documentary. Besides, he wasn't even really playing the damn  bass! One song maybe in concert? Barbara Ann?

[variable2]

Probably, Al just doesn't have as good an ear as the other guys, which has nothing to do with quality of voice.  Your mind's ear needs to be able to 'record' pitches to really sing and retain harmony parts well.. which obviously Al could do, but just probably not as naturally as the other guys.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Even if this is true about Al, Dennis and Brian were having much more trouble then Al in the 70s. Maybe even Carl in 1977-78.

[punkinhead]

The thing that comes to mind first when thinking of Al messing up is on Honkin' Down the Highway

[tpesky]

when does he do that?

[Jay]

On the album version. If you listen closely, it sounds like Al, or somebody in the group, says "sh*t".

[Amazing Larry]

(sing to self) Who cares if i gotta spend the night, oh merda

[Dave in KC]

I can't stop thinking about the video to begin this thread. Brian is so wired that while singing(?) Back Home and Carl screeches his guitar to sound like a rooster at dawn during the wake up lyric, well, what a reaction. Brian whips his head around at him and stares, not too nicely. Totally wired. Wasn't expecting it. Wondered what the hell was that! And to think the worst was yet to come.

[Jay]

I honestly don't see what the big deal is in this video. Sure, Brian does shout "AAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRPLAAAAAAAAIIIIINNNNNNNE!", but Back Home seems ok to me. I don't think Mike and Brian are REALLY arguing. I think Mike is deliberately "over acting" his anger, in a playful way. Brian DOES shout out the lyrics to Back Home. But Back Home is supposed to be a gritty bluesy song! It's supposed to sound like that. To me, the weirdest thing Brian does in this whole show is right before Surfer Girl. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=876Sn93CODI&feature=related

[MBE]

It really does blow me away knowing how much care they had taken in their shows up to 1976-77 and how poor they were at disguising their problems. Brian seemed better even in 1973-74 in the interviews I've heard. What the hell happened when Landy started with him? Dennis was the picture of health as late as the It's OK special. Why I point this out is that the declines happened so fast and so publically. I guess it never ceases to amaze me. I must admit I am riveted to this type of footage, but it's really sad knowing how great they all were.

[Eric Aniversario]

To me, the weirdest thing Brian does in this whole show is right before Surfer Girl. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=876Sn93CODI&feature=related

What is he mumbling/singing?  Sorry can't tell because there is a lot of noise from fans in my room that I'm not willing to turn off right now. haha

[Aegir]

 Seems hard to believe that Al would be the guy in that band to sometimes miss his parts.

Are you kidding? In virtually every concert bootleg I've heard, Al screws up the words in at least one of the songs he sings. Sometimes he would screw up lyrics to songs that were back to back. Al even forgets the words to songs he wrote! 

Yeah, this is definitely Al's greatest live flaw. Even as late as the 90s and today, Al messes up words to songs that he's been singing for decades.

[Sheriff John Stone]

I must admit I am riveted to this type of footage, but it's really sad knowing how great they all were.

Same here, and I'm almost embarrassed to admit it. It's so damn fascinating. Actually, it's the real deal. It's sex, drugs, and rock & roll. This is a true picture, evidence, of a couple of brothers (including Carl?) who are on stage performing under the influence of drugs and alcohol. You read about it, hear about it, etc....But here you can actually watch it.

How would've you liked to have been Mike and Al, or Ed Carter, or Bobby Figueroa, or whoever, and be in that band....Did you notice the wives sitting a few feet away on the side of the stage? Within one year, all three Wilson brothers would be divorced.

Jay, I don't know what Brian was singing before "Surfer Girl". I used it think part of it was "Shortenin' Bread". Seriously. But, again, getting back to MBE's post, I'm riveted to it. I find that 1976-1981 period so fascinating. While I'll never find the answer (like most of Brian's career), I continue to wonder what was going on in his mind. How much was left, how much was lost...

[MBE]

I really do feel for the non Wilson's in the band. It must of been tough to hold a show under those circumstances. Their careers were on the line. As far as what Brian was singing, I think he was just scating out loud. He does play a riff from Boogie Woodie somewhere in the show I forget where.

[buddhahat]

Only had time to watch Airplane. Brian is obviously singing pretty badly. What strikes me is the gulf between the sheer beauty of the song, especially with the added flute part (which I have to say I really like) and Brian's clear ill health at the time. So mike's sort of bigging Brian up which seems in some ways appropriate as the song is great, but then Brian's performance is so terrible. Makes for a weird counterpoint.

[tpesky]

I thought I remember reading somewhere that Brian gave Al one take on Honkin. Al thought he was doing a read through and Brian said that was it.
There have been a few times I have heard where Al flubs a lyric, guess I didn't really make anything of it but it is true.

[Jay]

To me, the weirdest thing Brian does in this whole show is right before Surfer Girl. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=876Sn93CODI&feature=related

What is he mumbling/singing?  Sorry can't tell because there is a lot of noise from fans in my room that I'm not willing to turn off right now. haha

I've been trying to figure it out for a couple years now. It doesn't really sound like any of his songs that I know of. So I don't think he's actually working out a new song.

[Dave in KC]

Oh no, more video of the bad times. This is what is known as a train wreck by one of the world's most famous rock groups live and on stage. I'll bet none of them ever thought such footage would see the light of day. No wonder Bruce stayed gone for as long as he did.

[Jason]

If I remember correctly, the gig was filmed by the folks involved with the Carter inauguration, which was a day earlier. Perhaps it was for a TV special that, thankfully, went nowhere. But as far as filmed gigs go, this is great compared to a lot of other stuff out there.

This concert isn't BAD, it's just inconsistent. Brian was not himself and was crashing, Dennis was in and out of the zone, Carl was off. Michael and Al proved they were the professional working stiffs in the band. For a post-Endless Summer show, there are some surprises songwise. As far as filmed concerts are concerned, this would probably be one of the BETTER candidates for a possible DVD, but of course there would have to be some minor edits so no-one's toes are stepped on (for example, Brian always rubbing his nose). It's not the best show they ever did, but it's entertaining. It's all over the place. The Beach Boys at their best were all over the place.

Besides, any show with an eleven minute Feel Flows is worth greater consideration.