Beach Boys Mythbusters

[Andrew G. Doe]

Myth - Brian Wilson is a genius.

Fact - Brian Wilson is a hard-working guy.

Helluva delayed echo in here... 

[mtaber]

Andrew...
  Andrew...
     Andrew...
Doe...
  Doe...
     Doe...
 Pure Genius AND a hard-workin' guy...

[TdHabib]

Myth - Brian Wilson is a genius.

Fact - Brian Wilson is a hard-working guy.

Helluva delayed echo in here... 

Delayed echo eh? That's how Imagination's vocals sounded so good.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Myth - Brian Wilson is a genius.

Fact - Brian Wilson is a hard-working guy.

Helluva delayed echo in here... 

Delayed echo eh? That's how Imagination's vocals sounded so good.

Nah, that was being stacked 88-high. 

[punkinhead]

A correspondent of mine told me that, during the Pet Sounds and Smile sessions, Brian Wilson would make tapes of himself singing all the vocal parts in order to provide reference for the rest of the band. He even said that Terry Melcher and Neil Aspinall heard acetates.

Is there any truth to this? If so, do we have any bootlegs? The only thing I've heard resembling this is the Don't Talk thing he recorded for The Wrecking Crew.

Perhaps this is the alt. version of Here Today that's on the PS Boxed set with Brian's vocals only

[Andrew G. Doe]

Myth: The Beach Boys play 150-200 shows a year.

Fact:  Granted, I don't have the figures for the years post-1999, but these are the top 10 touring years 1963-1999 (for all shows, North America & overseas)

1966 - 153
1964 - 144
1987 - 142
1988 - 141
1999 - 139
1963 - 132
1993 - 131
1968 - 119
1983 - 116
1965 - 115

So, never close to 200... and since you asked, the years of the fewest dates 1963-1999 are:

1976 - 48 (yeah, that surprised me too)
1977 - 50
1998 - 51 (not that much of a shock)
1971 - 64
1994 - 66
1996 - 68
1997 - 68
1978 - 73
1980 - 76
1992 - 79

In 1962, the band played 78 dates, but I think we can excuse them.

[Cam Mott]

Point taken but that is still a lot of dates in a year.  I guess. To me anyway.

I suppose individual BBs might have played 150-200 dates a year if you include non-BB ESB, etc. dates.

[bgas]

In 1962, the band played 78 dates, but I think we can excuse them.

To be fair: 
78 is the number of pretty much,definite, known dates.  There are countless more that haven't been documented yet (and may never be);
 I've been told they played many many dates where they'd set up in a parking lot and play, then move on to another lot and play again.
Problem being, Murry booked them, Murry's gone. ( unless someone has his diary, or Audrees', to go along with his glasses that were sold on ebay)
We need to find all the people that saw them on those lots, and get them to testify!! 

Too bad Al and Brian don't have  better memories as relates to show dates.
Still, "new" shows pop up now and then; it's likely we'll be up to 150 before you know it.

[Andrew G. Doe]

In 1962, the band played 78 dates, but I think we can excuse them.

To be fair: 
78 is the number of pretty much,definite, known dates.  There are countless more that haven't been documented yet (and may never be);
 I've been told they played many many dates where they'd set up in a parking lot and play, then move on to another lot and play again.
Problem being, Murry booked them, Murry's gone. ( unless someone has his diary, or Audrees', to go along with his glasses that were sold on ebay)
We need to find all the people that saw them on those lots, and get them to testify!! 

Too bad Al and Brian don't have  better memories as relates to show dates.
Still, "new" shows pop up now and then; it's likely we'll be up to 150 before you know it.

78 is actually being generous in that Ian & I are according a two or three song set the status of a 'show': check it out -

http://www.esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs6162.html

[Jay]

I can't believe that they only played 48 dates in 1976. 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

It tripped me out that they played more shows in 1998 than they did in 1976, that's for damn sure.

[Mike's Beard]

I can't believe that they only played 48 dates in 1976. 

I would post that they where probs busy making 15BO's but that would only account for approx 5hours, 17minutes and 2secs of the year. 

[bgas]

In 1962, the band played 78 dates, but I think we can excuse them.

To be fair: 
78 is the number of pretty much,definite, known dates.  There are countless more that haven't been documented yet (and may never be);
 I've been told they played many many dates where they'd set up in a parking lot and play, then move on to another lot and play again.
Problem being, Murry booked them, Murry's gone. ( unless someone has his diary, or Audrees', to go along with his glasses that were sold on ebay)
We need to find all the people that saw them on those lots, and get them to testify!! 

Too bad Al and Brian don't have  better memories as relates to show dates.
Still, "new" shows pop up now and then; it's likely we'll be up to 150 before you know it.

78 is actually being generous in that Ian & I are according a two or three song set the status of a 'show': check it out -

http://www.esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs6162.html

You can look at it that way; but in 1962 that's very often all they played.
The shows at the Broadway Stores are a good example of that, for sure. Or the June shows at Dykstra Hall, UCLA; where they , maybe, played two songs, and the house band laughed at their low level of music ability.( but of course they got better over time)
Still, in the day, many artists only played one or two songs, their hit(s), and then it was on to the next artist on the bill. Everybody starts somewhere, eh?
Personally, I call each and every one a Beach Boys date. And there are more to add, but finding/confirming them...

[Andrew G. Doe]

In 1962, the band played 78 dates, but I think we can excuse them.

To be fair: 
78 is the number of pretty much,definite, known dates.  There are countless more that haven't been documented yet (and may never be);
 I've been told they played many many dates where they'd set up in a parking lot and play, then move on to another lot and play again.
Problem being, Murry booked them, Murry's gone. ( unless someone has his diary, or Audrees', to go along with his glasses that were sold on ebay)
We need to find all the people that saw them on those lots, and get them to testify!! 

Too bad Al and Brian don't have  better memories as relates to show dates.
Still, "new" shows pop up now and then; it's likely we'll be up to 150 before you know it.

78 is actually being generous in that Ian & I are according a two or three song set the status of a 'show': check it out -

http://www.esquarterly.com/bellagio/gigs6162.html

You can look at it that way; but in 1962 that's very often all they played.
The shows at the Broadway Stores are a good example of that, for sure. Or the June shows at Dykstra Hall, UCLA; where they , maybe, played two songs, and the house band laughed at their low level of music ability.( but of course they got better over time)
Still, in the day, many artists only played one or two songs, their hit(s), and then it was on to the next artist on the bill. Everybody starts somewhere, eh?
Personally, I call each and every one a Beach Boys date. And there are more to add, but finding/confirming them...

True - Ian & I found someone who claimed to have valid info for a pep rally date they did as The Pendletones at Hawthorne High in fall 1961, but that unravelled when I contacted people who were students (and cheerleaders) at the time, and they denied it completely. Shame - that would have been a coup !

[adamghost]

It's worth pointing out that the stress of a live gig is only partly bout how many songs you play.  The getting to the gig, setting up, tearing down, waiting around to go on, schmoozing...if you play three songs instead of three hours, it's not necessarily that much less physical effort.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Here's one...how many shows DID they play as the Pendletones?

[Andrew G. Doe]

Here's one...how many shows DID they play as the Pendletones?

As far as I know... less than one. 

[Jason]

Myth: Pet Sounds is the only Beach Boys album that has had every song played live.

Fact: Pet Sounds and Surf's Up are the only two Beach Boys albums that have had every song played live.

[Don_Zabu]

Myth: Pet Sounds is the only Beach Boys album that has had every song played live.

Fact: Pet Sounds and Surf's Up are the only two Beach Boys albums that have had every song played live.

A shame people had to be subjected to a live rendition of "Take A Load Off Your Feet".

[Jason]

Hey, Take A Load Off Your Feet was performed as recently as the 1993 winter "box set" tour!

The real painful one was when A Day In The Life Of A Tree was performed. It was only ever done once, at Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, CA in December 1971. The news of this occurrence somehow remained incredibly tight-lipped until around 2004 or so when a fan who attended the concert leaked his recording of the show on the internet, which had never circulated beyond a tight group of fans. The Boys played their usual late 1971 setlist, heavy on material from Pet Sounds, Wild Honey, Sunflower, and Surf's Up, as well as a smattering of the oldies. Dennis performed I've Got A Friend, as well. But the REAL kicker was named Brian Wilson. He was backstage that night and was called onstage to greet the fans. Then, for some inexplicable reason, Jack Rieley came onstage, Brian sat down at Bruce's organ, and they performed (with Rieley on vocals) A Day In The Life Of A Tree. It was by no means planned. Jack forgot words left and right, his singing was even shakier than on the album cut, and the band were damn close to being laughed off the stage. The show also ran way over its scheduled time; at the end of the main set, before an encore was to be played, the local authorities stepped in, saying that the show had to end in ten minutes or the power would be cut. The setlist is on Eric Anniversario's setlist page - even for 1971, the sheer lack of the oldies is shocking, unless you count the post-1965 hits among the "golden oldies".

[Andrew G. Doe]

Myth: Pet Sounds is the only Beach Boys album that has had every song played live.

Fact: Pet Sounds and Surf's Up are the only two Beach Boys albums that have had every song played live.

Think you'll find In Concert had every song played live too. 

[hypehat]

*boom tish*

But seriously, when did the BB's play That's Not Me live? Or IJWMFTT? Or Pet Sounds? Or Lets Go Away.... etc.

You'd better not be going from Brian Wilson does Pet Sounds Live or whatever, that's cheating.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Myth: Pet Sounds is the only Beach Boys album that has had every song played live.

Fact: Pet Sounds and Surf's Up are the only two Beach Boys albums that have had every song played live.

Epic.
Think you'll find In Concert had every song played live too. 

[Jason]

*boom tish*

But seriously, when did the BB's play That's Not Me live? Or IJWMFTT? Or Pet Sounds? Or Lets Go Away.... etc.

You'd better not be going from Brian Wilson does Pet Sounds Live or whatever, that's cheating.

Tough crowd. 

The Beach Boys only ever played eight of the thirteen Pet Sounds songs live, That's Not Me, Let's Go Away For Awhile, I Know There's An Answer, I Just Wasn't Made For These Times, and Pet Sounds weren't done live by the band. Obviously Brian did them all live, and yes, it counts. If I was cheating I'd say Smile was the third Beach Boys album that had every song performed live.

The original post was poorly worded on my part; it should read -

Myth: Pet Sounds is the only Beach Boys album that has had every song played live by either the band or individual members.

Fact: Pet Sounds and Surf's Up are the only two Beach Boys albums that have had every song played live by either the band or individual members.

[Andrew G. Doe]

If I was cheating I'd say Smile was the third Beach Boys album that had every song performed live.

Seeing as the track listing was never decided upon in 1967, flag on the play.