posted 09-27-2005 11:26 PM         

Getting there: The monument is located in the City of Hawthorne, between the Hawthorne Airport and the 105 Freeway. Get off the San Diego (405) Freeway on the El Segundo Blvd exit, then take El Segundo Blvd east (about a mile and a half) to Prairie Avenue. Turn left (north) on Prairie, and go 4 1/2 blocks to 119th Street and turn right (east) on 119th. The monument is just two short blocks away, but 119th moves a bit to the left (north) when it passes Doty Ave., so remember to hang left on Doty to reconnect with 119th street a few yards to the north. The monument will be on your left (north) side, next to the freeway fence

posted 09-28-2005 07:26 PM         

Looking closely at the monument it looks like there are 6 Beach Boys on it. Do you know much about this? I assume they included Bruce Johnston on the monument, as he later joined the group in 1964, when Brian Wilson decided to spend more time in the studio, and quit touring. Originally the Beach Boys were 5, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson.

I have seen them many times over the past 30 years, and actually once many years ago when Brian joined the tour for just a few shows, and was on stage in Detroit the night we went to that particular show, just after he got out of one of his personal battles with his inner demons. So I can say I actually saw all 6 of them on the same stage, which only happened a few times in their whole career. Although Brian was somewhat "out of it" that night, I still remember it as one of those "moments in rock history".

posted 09-28-2005 07:59 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by prowlrman:
TUIB,

Looking closely at the monument it looks like there are 6 Beach Boys on it. Do you know much about this? I assume they included Bruce Johnston on the monument, as he later joined the group in 1964, when Brian Wilson decided to spend more time in the studio, and quit touring. Originally the Beach Boys were 5, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson.

I have seen them many times over the past 30 years, and actually once many years ago when Brian joined the tour for just a few shows, and was on stage in Detroit the night we went to that particular show, just after he got out of one of his personal battles with his inner demons. So I can say I actually saw all 6 of them on the same stage, which only happened a few times in their whole career. Although Brian was somewhat "out of it" that night, I still remember it as one of those "moments in rock history".

Just saw them last year here in Phoenix, although only Mike and Bruce are really the only 2 original Beach Boys in the group, but none the less..it's always the early 60's once again when those guys are on stage!!!

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I didn't notice there were 6....

I always regreted I never got to see the Beach Boys or Jan and Dean....probably the two most popular groups ever in my formative years(far more than the Beatles).....I was about 12-15 years old when they were at their most popular and I listened to their 45's all the time....listened to the little AM radio I carried all the time....I wanted to go surfin'....I wanted to take Linda surfin....I wanted to ride the wild surf, drive a hot rod to Surf City.....seemed like the perfect life to me....I spent lots of time building model cars at the little desk in my bedroom while listening to a stack of their 45s on the record player....about every 20 minutes you had to reload them, but it was as kool as it could be for me....I spent every moment outside riding my Sting Ray bicycle and my Hang Ten skateBoard....Surfin' USA was my theme song in the spring of 1963, it was on the radio every few minutes that spring and summer.....life was great in the summer of '63

posted 09-28-2005 08:24 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by tangled up in BLUE:
Apparently many years ago, the city of Hawthorne had the childhood home of the Wilson family leveled....recently a monument was erected on the bare lot....

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In my book, the B. Boys brick monument ranks right up there with other must see destinations...

posted 09-28-2005 10:43 PM         

Larry, I'm surprised you didn't jump in with this interesting piece of rock history....

I've seen the Beach Boys in concert nearly a dozen times. My wife and I were introduced to their former keyboard player in the early 90's by a mutual friend. We were invited backstage for one of their shows at the Minnesota State Fair. During the middle of the concert, the keyboard player asked us to go get him some mini-donuts. We obliged and he invited my wife on stage with him during one of their songs. It was pretty fun and something we'll not forget.

posted 09-28-2005 10:58 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by jkburns:
...and who can forget that legendary rocker John Stamos on drums for the Beach Boys.......

Kevin

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posted 09-29-2005 03:25 PM         

Check out his website...I don't think he is newscasting. You will see as you search his website that he is actively touring across the country.

My wife and I also saw Brian when he opened for Paul Simon 2 years ago, and he was great. He has dealt with mental health issues for many years, and finally getting back to some sense of normalcy in his life. (if you call being the brainchild behind the Beach Boys normal!)

There has been a an on-going rift between Brian, Al Jardine and Mike Love for a few years now. Brian tours as "Brian Wilson" Al Jardine tours as "Al Jardine and Friends" and Mike Love and Bruce Johston still tour as the Beach Boys, as Mike owns the rights to the name.

Another tid bit is that the current (at least for the past few years) keyboard player is John Cowsill. Look at that last name and think back some 30 + years to band that was a family, which I believe inspired the Partridge Family show, and did a number of songs such as "the Rain, the Park and other things" and the theme from HAIR, and their name was The Cowsills...well...one of the family members NOW is an honorary Beach Boy.

posted 09-29-2005 05:07 PM         

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Originally posted by Bcoffman Gray Ghost:
Isn't Brian Wilson doing the news now on Fox News Network? Sure has gone downhill tho!

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posted 09-29-2005 10:34 PM         

This is not the same Brian Wilson. I admit a fairly close look a like, but if you read the text in the link above from an article just written by him on 9/26/05 about the recent hurricane events, you will quickly find he is a born and raised Texan...not Southern Cal, born and raised Beach Boy WILSON.

Article excerpt:
The People of the Lone Star State
Monday, September 26, 2005
By Brian Wilson

Never ask someone if they are from Texas. Because if a person is from Texas, they will tell you in short order. If they are not from Texas, asking will only make them sad that they had the poor fortune to be born someplace else.

I am a Texan, born and mostly raised on the desolate plains of the Permian Basin (search) in the western part of the state. People always want to know, what's so great about being a Texan? ..... (article continues)

Even though I haven't lived in my home state for more than 20 years, this is why I still want to be known as a Texan. ..... (article continues)

Brian Wilson is a congressional correspondent for FOX News and anchor of the Sunday edition of "Weekend Live."

posted 10-01-2005 12:27 AM         

quote:

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Originally posted by Bcoffman Gray Ghost:
From www.foxnews.com

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BGG,

Yup, you had me going there for a minute..you have to admit that putting glasses on the Beach Boy Brian does make them look very much alike...maybe he is leading a "double life"

Ed, I thought "chain pulling" was only something you and A/C do to each other....

(guess this is the closest icon we have to "tongue in cheek")