The night I found myself in the middle of Rock and Roll History.
It was only in recent years that I realized that I had witnessed a monumental event in rock and roll history.
(Portions of the following taken from "Pure Gold Rock and Roll Trivia" the book. The book contains even more personal pictures).
How it all came together...
I was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for a group called "The Detours."
This is an early picture of the group. We were lucky enough a few months later to add a saxaphone and trumpet player. We were one of the hottest groups in the Texas City/Galveston area between about 1964-1965. We played a few gigs in Houston to packed houses.
Most of us have heard of Johnny Lee of "Urban Cowboy" fame. In those days it was "Johnny Lee and the Roadrunners." They were one of our competitors.
We used to go watch them play just to "steal" the chords to the songs they were playing so we could rush back and learn them. They played one of the biggest venues in the area: "The Texas City Teen Hops." So did we. It was in a gym setting in the Nessler Recreation Center where the accoustics were just about perfect. We had our own dressing room and everything.
We also learned a lot of our music from another local group, "D and the Dominos."
Every member of the Detours was under aged and thus could not get inside the "Grass Menagerie" on a very cool spot on Galveston in the summer of 1963, but we could watch from outside. And write down the chords to the songs they were playing just like we had with Johnny Lee and the Roadrunners. They took a break and came outside to have a smoke. (Tobacco). We began talking to them and the discussion led to them telling us that they were selling their old red jackets with a note and the letter "D" embroidered on the jacket pocket. The idea came up that the Detours could use the same jackets only the "D" could refer to the Detours rather than "D and the Dominos." We bought the jackets. There were six of them.
Another group was becoming popular from the area but their gigs were mostly in Houston and thus they were not direct competition with us.
I don't remember exactly who took the call or how the question came up but the Dynamics asked if they could borrow our Detour jackets for a gig with the Beach Boys.
We agreed. There were four of them. They borrowed four jackets. Which left two.
It was my idea. The trumpet player in our group also lived across the street from me and I asked him if he would like to go to Houston and wear one the remaining jackets along with me and see if we could get backstage to see the Beach Boys.
After all, our two jackets matched those of the Dynamics who were fronting the Beach Boys. Why not?
We both wore the jackets and appeared at the backstage door to the concert. Even back then the security was tight. Girls swarmed over the Beach Boys just like they did the Bealtes a few months later. I told the security guard we were with the Dynamics and were there as back up musicians. (Each of us carried a guitar case for effect). The guy didn't buy it. Frankly, this ticked me off. In my mind we somehow had a "right" to be there in that it was OUR jackets they were using. So I said: "Fine. Let me get your badge number." I pretended to be making a mental note of his badge number. Then I said: "We are union. We get paid either way. You better just hope nothing goes wrong or...it's gonna come back on YOU."
He called us back as we were walking away. And he let us in.
By the time we got our bearings we were backstage and the Dynamics were already performing to a packed house. Their drummer had painted his hair blue and the girls seemed to scream everytime he shook his head. He was doing an imitation of Ringo who had been seen only a few months earlier on Ed Sullivan. It was like the crowd was screaming for the Bealtes when the Dynamics were on stage....when the main act was the Beach Boys for whom they would also go just nuts.
I was only feet away from the Dynamic drummer ... I was peaking through the curtain....when I noticed a familiar face to my left. It was Dennis Wilson! Well, I didn't want to try to talk to him with the music that loud. Plus, I didn't want him to think I was some sort of groupie....so I just walked way backstage and found an old piano. It was impossible to hear the piano with all the music going but I could hear enough to recognize my very poor attempt at "Blueberry Hill" on the piano. I was pretty much by myself at least on the piano. People were walking past me to and from the stage area, but I was pretty much just alone and in my own thoughts. Suddenly, the piano lit up. It was as if I had never imagined myself as being able to play piano THAT well. Turns out, I wasn't. Dennis Wilson had apparently seen the piano on his way back to the dressing room and was sitting on the stool next to me playing the higher keys.
Dennis Wilson was nothing but kind. He just seemed like a regular guy. It was obvious that he knew he was a Beach Boy but it didn't go beyond that. He was not "caught up in himself." I somehow asked him of my friend and I could go backstage to "Ah....we've been wanting to know the chords to "The Warmth of the Sun" and would love to just ... well, meet the other guys....it would be cool. If not, we understand." He said: "I'll go check." And he did.
A few minutes later he came out and told me: "I'm sorry. Tonight is just not a good night." I said: "Well, thanks for trying." And that was pretty much that. We shook hands and he went back into the dressing room.
I only vaguely remember him coming back out and telling us to "Come on in. It's cool."
It was a pretty shabby dressing room. I didn't see all of it but what I did see was concrete floor and an old couch. On that couch sat Carl Wilson and Al Jardine. Carl handed me a 12 string guitar (the first I'd ever seen) and he said: "I understand you want to learn the chords to "Warmth of the Sun." I had honestly forgotten why had asked to be back there. Carl had a 12 string and was showing me the chords as I sat across from him. He was playing chords I could only dream about. If it got more complex than C/A-minor/F/G, I was pretty much lost. As he was showing me the song I noticed another Beach Boy sitting at the far end of that couch. It was Brian Wilson. He was leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands wrapped around his face. He was staring into space.
The knock came. It was time for the main event. The Beach Boys were "on."
I thanked them and got out of the way. They were surrounded by at least two dozen REAL cops when they got to the stage. The girls were running at them...trying to climb over the police. And just a few moments before they had been talking to me. Trying in sincerity to show me the chords to a song.
It has only been within the past ten years that I learned that that concert was Brian Wilson's last live performance officially with the Beach Boys. On the flight to Houston Brian had buried his face in a pillow and just screamed. He was on his way to seclusion. And I had been there. I had seen him backstage. I had thought nothing of his demeanor at the time. It is only since then that I've learned.
As pictured in the book, I had a second meeting with the Beach Boys backstage many years later. Did they remember me? I doubt it.
