Favorite BB stories?

[Coda Hall]

Over the years, there have been many famous tales about what went on in the life of the BB. Who could forget the classic, "Dont f*ck with the formula, Bri"? So, post your favorite Beach Boys stories/moments.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Who could forget the classic, "Dont f*ck with the formula, Bri"?

Who indeed. Certainly not the Capitol suit who said it in spring 1966. 

[Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard]

Over the years, there have been many famous tales about what went on in the life of the BB. Who could forget the classic, "Dont f*ck with the formula, Bri"? So, post your favorite Beach Boys stories/moments.

Pretty much any anecdote surrounding the SMiLE sessions. Sitting around smoking hash with VDP in the sandbox, chilling in the arab tent, playing acetates for friends (and knowing which is which just by the grooves), conducting dinner guests in a symphony of silverware, setting a trashcan on fire, and just the mental image of the Boys coming back and with no explanation Brian commanding them to act like chickens and pigs. Everything about that time period fascinates me, and more than anything I wish I had been there. No other sessions for any other album will ever be half as interesting.

Aside from that, theres the story of Brian going missing for I think a solid 24 or maybe it was even 48 hours (havent read that book in years) and they finally found him playing piano at a gay bar. Where did he go before then, how did he end up there, what happened all the time he was there before they found him?

[Jukka]

Mike OD'ing on meditation and the car chase that followed... I mean, WTF?

[SurferDownUnder]

The story about Gary Usher's wife and Brian with the golf club never fails to make me burst out laughing 

[KDS]

I always liked the story of Brian responding to Capital's demands for the next single, which was the in progress Good Vibrations, will prerecorded one to two word answers.

[Joel Goldenberg]

And then there's also Brian painting his face green for his introduction to Warner execs.

[Doo Dah]

Who could forget the classic, "Dont f*ck with the formula, Bri"?

Who indeed. Certainly not the Capitol suit who said it in spring 1966. 

I thought you said it at the '85 sessions.

[phirnis]

I think it was petsite who once shared a story of meeting Brian and Dennis in 1981. Not a particularly cheerful story but for some reason I always found it pretty fascinating.

[Mujan, 8@$+@Rc| of a Blue Wizard]

I think it was petsite who once shared a story of meeting Brian and Dennis in 1981. Not a particularly cheerful story but for some reason I always found it pretty fascinating.

care to elaborate?

[Magic Transistor Radio]

I like the story about Brian asking people to introduce him to John Lennon, several times during a party. John told the others around him "We've met many times. He's not well you know"

Also, Brian recording Shortning Bread with Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop and others. They were kind of weirded out by Brian and left.

Brian going to Keith Moon's birthday party in a bath robe.

[joshferrell]

Dennis Wilson having a relationship with Mike Loves Daughter always makes me laugh,. I'm sure that was a hoot and a holler..

[NateRuvin]

Hmm… I have a few…
1 Brian chopping Elvis' arm.
2 Dennis bringing the gold miners a BB gold record.
3 Alan at the airport, trying to flush a toilet, and when someone finally helped him, he says "Im not too good with computers"

[Pretty Funky]

Hmm… I have a few…
1 Brian chopping Elvis' arm.
2 Dennis bringing the gold miners a BB gold record.
3 Alan at the airport, trying to flush a toilet, and when someone finally helped him, he says "Im not too good with computers"

Not quite...

Jardine is often a little lost. On the plane from Tampa to New York, he couldn't figure out how to flush the toilet, so he had to ask the stewardess. "Oh, that one!" he said. "I'm not very good at computers, either."

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-beach-boys-last-wave-20120621

[NateRuvin]

Hmm… I have a few…
1 Brian chopping Elvis' arm.
2 Dennis bringing the gold miners a BB gold record.
3 Alan at the airport, trying to flush a toilet, and when someone finally helped him, he says "Im not too good with computers"

Not quite...

Jardine is often a little lost. On the plane from Tampa to New York, he couldn't figure out how to flush the toilet, so he had to ask the stewardess. "Oh, that one!" he said. "I'm not very good at computers, either."

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-beach-boys-last-wave-20120621

Ahh… Well, I got the jist of the story…

[KDS]

Also, Brian recording Shortning Bread with Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop and others. They were kind of weirded out by Brian and left.

I love this story.  I think Iggy Pop was the one who said, after Brian had been playing Shortenin Bread for about an hour, "This guy's nuts!!"

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Also, Brian recording Shortning Bread with Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop and others. They were kind of weirded out by Brian and left.

I love this story.  I think Iggy Pop was the one who said, after Brian had been playing Shortenin Bread for about an hour, "This guy's nuts!!"

Reminds me of the commercial with David Robinson and Dennis Rodman. David liked to eat the pizza crust first, to which Dennis replied
"You're weird Dave!" Quite funny, since David is normal and Dennis covered in tatoos, peircings and a different color hair every day!

[NateRuvin]

Mike OD'ing on meditation and the car chase that followed... I mean, WTF?

Is this  a real story?!? I've never heard it!

[Joel Goldenberg]

Yes, it happened in early 1970 when Mike was on a fast. He had to be chased by his family by car and Brian had to take his place for a few concerts.

[HeyJude]

I actually got a Brian story out of Peter Frampton once. I asked him if he had a crazy or funny Brian story as a number of industry folks seem to have, and he said he did have one. Brian was backstage at a Frampton concert probably circa ’77 (during the height of the “Frampton Comes Alive” era I’m sure), and Frampton saw Brian and told him how big of a fan he was, etc. Genuinely a big Brian fan. Then tells Brian “I hope you enjoy the show.” Brian responds, “I’m not staying, I brought my daughters; they wanted to see your show.”

Burn! Frampton seemed to find it hilarious in retrospect.

[shelter]

One of my favorites is that Brian once signed an album for Don Henley, wrote "To a great musician" on it, looked at Henley, scratched "great", wrote "good" instead, and handed him the album...

[J.G. Dev]

Yes, it happened in early 1970 when Mike was on a fast. He had to be chased by his family by car and Brian had to take his place for a few concerts.

Supposedly Mike said he was "tainted by the Wilson blood". I've always loved that line.

[ontor pertawst]

Such a great line. Wasn't he also hospitalized then? Not a subject Wink brought up.

[Andrew G. Doe]

The Bono/diet coke story is a killer.

NY Times, November 19th 2006:

“[backstage at a British awards ceremony] U2’s Bono got down on one knee to express how much Brian had moved and inspired him,” says Sahanaja. “Brian’s reply was ‘Thanks. Can you get me a Diet Coke?'”

And to his eternal credit, he did.  

[KDS]

The Bono/diet coke story is a killer.

NY Times, November 19th 2006:

“[backstage at a British awards ceremony] U2’s Bono got down on one knee to express how much Brian had moved and inspired him,” says Sahanaja. “Brian’s reply was ‘Thanks. Can you get me a Diet Coke?'”

And to his eternal credit, he did.  

I heard a great Bono story from Ronnie James Dio. 

At a U2 show, Bono went on one of his mid song political ramblings, rhythmically clapped his hands, and said

"Everytime I clap my hands, a child dies of hunger"

And somebody in the audience yelled, "Stop clapping your hands, you sick bastard!!"