Brian Wilson meets his fans (1988)
On September 24, 1988, at the parish hall of Our Lady of the Visitation in Greenford, a West London suburb, Brian Wilson paid an unannounced visit to the annual convention of Beach Boys Stomp, a UK fanzine founded a decade earlier. This is a photograph I took that afternoon, unearthed while I was looking through some boxes of old stuff recently.
Brian was in London to promote his first solo album, with his notorious shrink, Eugene Landy, by his side. Somehow the convention’s organisers, Mike Grant and Roy Gudge, persuaded him to attend their event, overriding Landy’s objections, while managing to keep it a secret from the 325 attendees until the curtains parted on the small stage to reveal him seated at a Yamaha DX7 keyboard.
The pandemonium and applause lasted several minutes. Brian absorbed it all with equanimity before giving us solo performances of three songs. Two of them, “Love and Mercy” and “Night Time”, were from the new album. The first, though, was “Surfer Girl”. Yes, really. “Surfer Girl”. The song he’d written and recorded in 1963. Later he claimed it was actually his first attempt at songwriting. The Beach Boys’ first hit ballad, it reached the top 10 in the US and became the title track of their third album. Its doowop-influenced coda gave a clue to the riches of harmony singing to come, with a repeated question — “Do you love me, do you, surfer girl?” — that could much later be read as a hint of insecurities beneath the sunkissed surface.
His voice was a little unsteady to start with, but the falsetto was still in working order. “Thought we’d give you a little surprise today,” he said after that opening song. The other two were performed with increasing confidence and, in the case of “Night Time”, the encouragement of a steady 4/4 handclap from the audience.
The photo tells the rest of the story. Physically in decent shape, far removed from the heavily bearded 300lb creature he had been, Brian shook many hands before making his departure. In a troubled life, in that humble setting, it seemed like an unexpected but real moment of grace.
thebluemoment.com 
Great posting, I just love stories like that, of which I have some of my own. Thank you
How wonderful!
A lovely story that brought a big smile to this face.
Thank you, Richard. Brian really did seem in good shape for a brief period back then. Would you possibly consider re-publishing your 1974 MM profile “Brian Wilson: From Surf to Symphony” on this blog?
Thanks for the memories Richard. Whenever the closing titles to the eponymous movie begin and Brian sings Love and Mercy I can be relied upon to blub. Rob Steen
That sure looks like Charles Manson behind the barrier ! I was lucky enough to see Brian perform with The Wondermints in the grounds of Buckingham Palace . Both band and Brian were excellent.
Hi Richard ,
You may remember that I was big into both great Swing Singers , but only those with exceptional Arrangement facilities.
Hence the very first record that I ever bought was Mel Torme singing a dedication to the Songs of Fred Astair.And what made that Album so great was the arrangements by Marty Paich (& his sextet—no Piano).
Then I discovered Buddy Greco , who before going Solo Singer Arranger , he’d been appointed at 19 by Benny Goodman , as his pianist & Arranger.
Hence what made me love Buddy so much , was his outlandish arrangements of the Standards..
He also had such a Romantic side to his delivery of Ballads.Dave Brubeck told me directly that he considered Buddy as the most Romantic Jazz Pianist ever ( I replied “I thought that was Bill Evans , but Dave insisted saying that Bill didn’t Sing).
Anyway , this brings me around to Brian Wilson.
Whenever someone or something reminds me of a Standard , my Mind /the computer on the top of my head , immediately brings up my favourite version of it.
So , The Gershwin Brothers song “They Can’t Take That Away from Me” , always came up with the Buddy Greco version.
Then about 3/4;years ago , BBC4TV , broadcast one Friday night , a “Live’ Concert by Brian Wilson.
Towards the end , he did his version of that Classic Standard.
It’s the most singalong version ever.
And ever since , when ever that Standard is mentioned , I don’t immediately think of the Greco version , but I think of the Brian Wilson version.
How about that then!
So , to take the matter further;-
Antonio Banderas is now spending more of his time in Málaga , his home town.
Because he’s made a serious investment in the old Cervantes Theatre (seating 1000).
And he’s besotted with a New Musical Comedy I share co ownership of.
“Andalucían EnglishMan”.
The story of the UK Gangsters who populated the Costa del Sol a few decades back.
The centre is about Ronnie Knight and Barbara Windsor , their Thriving Nightclub & Indian restaurant.
Their liaison with Jesus Gil , the Alcalde (Major) of Marbella (he also owned Atlético Madrid , as does his son still).
Which led to a successful Piano Bar in Puerto Banús.
Antonio Banderas wants desperately to play Jesús Gil.
We have also written a part for Dodgy Donald Trump (DDT) .
You see , it’s perfectly timed , just after he bankrupted 2 Casino’s in Atlantic City , and just before his first trip to Moscow , where he became a Russian Asset (The Pee Tape etc).
Up till that point , DDT had only known failure & bankruptcy.
So quite a story line.
The Songs are a mixture of “Juke Box Musical” & some brilliant new stuff.
Hence the Inclusion of the Brian Wilson “Singalongversion of “They can’t take that away from me “.
All the Cast Join In.
It’s Brilliant.
Which brings me to my last point.
My very first contact with your goodself , was with regard to a Muso living on the Costa del Sol.
His name being Pawel Rosak.
Of Polish extraction , but born & raised in Cambridge.
His only claim to fame is that he was Gerry Rafferty’s keyboard player for the period of 5 Albums.
After that he did the same for David Soul.
And ever since playing solo , on this coast , which is a tough existence.
He has put together, 8 tracks , for consideration for a CD deal (which I’m close to securing with my good friend Jordi Puyol of Fresh Sound Records , in Barcelona).
Therefore , between what I , Pawel plus the juke box approach , have generated , We’ve a surplus of material for the Musical Comedy.
My final request is this:-
Would you please give me an honest appraisal of the 8 tracks , composed by Pawel.
If Jordi Puyol does agree to go ahead , then his World Wide Distribution Network , would come into effect.
And his French Distributor is particularly enthusiastic , because he views it as , Warsaw ‘s Answers to Michael Franks.
Blimey O’REILLY!
What Have I (might) Have Done?
Lovely photo Richard. So many gigs and events I wish I’d taken a camera to in those pre-smartphone days. Imagine the number of selfies BW would have had to pose for in more recent times.