Paul Shaffer on Brian Wilson and Metal Beach

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On Dec 16, 2009, at 6:48 PM, Doug S. wrote:

Is Brian or the BBs mentioned in Paul Shaffer's autobiography? Brian was on Paul's album Coast to Coast on the song Metal Beach.
Doug S

On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 8:05 PM, Don Giller wrote:

To answer the actual question, yes:

p. 83, re watching the T.A.M.I concert film in 1964:

...Then came marvelous Marvin Gaye... Lesley Gore rocked pop's first women's lib affirmation, "You Don't Own Me." At th is point I was convinced that it couldn't get any better. But it did. Jan and Dean were great. The Beach Boys were even greater. In fact, the Beach Boys were fantastic, even if Brian Wilson later insisted that they be edited out of the show because he thought their Kingston Trio-style outfits made them look like golf caddies.

p. 239-40, re Paul's "Coast to Coast" CD (and Brian's contribution to it) and playing with the band in 1987:

At this particular "Coast to Coast" session, I was working with Brian Wilson. I had bonded with Brian and his boys when they invited me to the Beach Boys' 20th [sic; me -- that should read 25th] Anniversary Concert in Honolulu. It was my first trip back to Hawaii since my near-fatal accident [me: in 1981]. At first I wasn't going to go. But then I remembered Jan and Dean's top-ten hit that Brian had cowritten, "Dead Man's Curve." One of the unwritten laws of rock and roll is that every surfer must return to confront Dead Man's Curve. My Dead Man's Curve was that highway in Honolulu at the turnoff to the Dole Plantation. I had to go back. The power and pull of surf rock drew me back. The kick of playing with the Beach Boys helped me confront my fear. I was asked to introduce my number.

"As a young lad growing up in the frozen north of Canada," I told the bikini-clad crowd, "I dreamed of a day such as this. I was a shy and retiring teenager when God suddenly gifted me in a way that brought summer sunlight to my dark winter mood. I learned that the Beach Boys were coming to my hometown of Thunder Bay. I bought my ticket weeks in advance. A good two hours before showtime, I was seated i the front row. These were the original five Beach Boys, no sidemen, no keyboards. When it came time for 'Surfin' U.S.A.,' I was on my feet. But because there were no keyboards, the organ solo went to Carl on guitar. I thought to myself --_ Paul Shaffer, you could play that organ solo. You know it note for note. Paul Shaffer, you could be a Beach Boy._ But, alas, I was not called to the stage that night long ago in Thunder Bay. I couldn't be a Beach Boy. But on this sun-kissed beach on this sun-kissed isand, today I am happy to say that I _will_ play that organ solo. Ladies and gentlemen, today Paul Shaffer is a Beach Boy."

It was a nice moment. From then on, Brian and I were friends. At this "Coast to Coast" recording session, though, I encountered a bit of a problem with Dr. Eugene Landy, the clinical psychologist who had attached himself to Brian as his groovy guru/Svengali. Landy also fancied himself a songwriter and had been writing lyrics for Brian's recent songs. He really wanted a piece of the mixed-genre number for my record called"Metal Beach." It was a helluva production, with Joe Walsh, Joe Satriani, and Dick Dale on guitars.

"Got these amazing lyrics, Paul," the good doctor said to me. "And Brian loves them."

I looked over the words with quiet suspicion. They hinted at psychological subtexts that were beyond me. They didn't come close to fitting the groove. At the same time, though, Brian was under Dr. Landy's spell. Brian was following the doctor's orders.

I needed an idea.

An idea came.

"Sorry, Doc," I said, "but 'Metal Beach' is going to be a surf instrumental. No lyrics."

Landy looked at me with a certain artistic longing in his eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Positive," I answered.

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