If COS had come out in 1968

[Relx1]

I have a question for Mark, or for anyone who can answer, or at least hazard a guess. If Carnival had come out in 1968, how was the album going to be promoted? Obviously, there weren't going to be any live shows or tours in support of it, and since Dean did not appear on the record, and Jan could barely speak, how was promotion going to be done for a "Jan and Dean" record that featured neither Jan nor Dean? While today we know that "Jan and Dean" often meant Jan and a bunch of different studio musicians, I assume that information was not common knowledge among the average fan in 1968. If COS had come out back in '68, with Jan's condition at the time, it would have been obvious that he had not sung on the record, and with Dean not appearing at all, I just wonder how this record was going to be marketed to the average fan?

[Mark A. Moore]

I suspect it would have been marketed for what it was . . . Jan returing to the studio, and returning to arranging and producing new music, while recovering from the accident.

It would have been seen as a foundational stepping stone to Jan's solo recordings in the '70s, when he began to sing again; and also continued to write, arrange, and produce original compositions (released on Ode and A&M).

Glen Campbell became a huge star just a few months after singing on Carnival of Sound; and this would only have helped the album's profile. Ron Hicklin and Tom Bahler were all over the Partidge Family records (for example). It would have been appropriate to publicize the studio singers, given how the album was recorded.

Similarly, if Dean's album had come out in its time, it would have rightly been seen as an attempt to keep the J&D name alive while Jan recovered.

They really mishandled that whole situation — which is very clear now with the benefit of hindsight. A golden opportunity slipped away.

In a perfect world, Dean would have accepted the counter-proposal for releasing Save For A Rainy Day on Columbia — putting J&D in the thick of things in '67. That deal would have put Jan's new masters in the hands of Columbia, paving the way for a follow-up produced by Jan — with music that ended up on Carnival of Sound — and Dean would have been a vocalist on the follow-up. And they may well have altered the track line-up.

Had things gone down as they could have, Screen Gems would not have pulled the plug on Dean's material; and Dean would not have had to release "Vegetables" under the name Laughing Gravy. It could have been credited to Jan & Dean — in the same spirit as Save For A Rainy Day.

The above scenario would have given J&D a solid presence in '67 and '68 — a really important time in pop music. It could have been a big springboard for Jan's recovery, and J&D's continued collaboration as artists.

But, compounded by Jan's new challenges, their relationship at the time was simply too strained for them to work together. And they both lost out, as a result.

Very damaging set of circumstances.

[Relx1]

Hi Mark,

Was Jan's post accident condition well known by the general fan in 1968? I assume that if COS was going to be marketed as a "comeback" album for him, most fans had to know the shape he was in? Was this the case, or were J&D sort of forgotten by 1968? I was not born during J&D's heyday, so I have no idea how popular they were in the late sixties. However, by 1968, J&D hadn't had a hit in four years, and surf music was very out of style--look at how unpopular the Beach Boys had become by that time. In that environment, would many people have cared about a comeback from Jan and Dean?

[Mark A. Moore]

Publicity surrounding Jan's accident helped "Popsicle" — a song recorded in 1963 — hit the Top 40 in July of '66. People knew about the accident. Coverage was syndicated nationally. But J&D dropped off the radar pretty quickly after "Popsicle."

We can't know for sure . . . but if the scenario I layed out above had played out (which was a very real possibility at the time), then J&D would never have dropped of the map. Or at the very least, they wouldn't have faded as quickly as they did.

J&D would have gone from "Popsicle" in '66 to "Yellow Balloon" in very early '67 (a really nice progression), without Screen Gems pulling the plug on "Yellow Balloon," which they did, just as it was about to hit the Top 100. (It was bubbling under when they pulled it, and gave a "cease and desist" order for Dean not to use the J&D name).

The self-released Save For A Rainy Day would have been distributed nationally on Columbia in '67 . . . and a follow-up with material that ended up on Carnival of Sound could have come in late '67 or sometime in '68.

So, not so much a "comeback" as a progression, acknowledging Jan's new challenges and recovery, while progressing as artists.

Carnival of Sound is not a surf album. (Remember, "Tijuana" wasn't submitted to Warner Bros. by Jan for inclusion on the album. It's basically a bonus track on the CD). Jan added psychedelic elements to the old J&D sound in a few cases . . . and the Oldies were revisited because it was cheaper to use backing tracks that had already been recorded before the accident (though Jan still spent a ton of money).  Same for "Only A Boy" — easier to tweak something that was already in the can.

The remaining new songs (new original compositions) were much more progressive — soft-psych sunshine pop — and would have fit the '67-'68 era quite well. Especially the title track.

[1Jay1]

According to mark passmore book,both jan and dean promoted the warner brother single through radio stations,so i d like to know alittle more,I m thinking roger christian radio show would have been a good place to start,as he was a big part of this album being recorded

I ve never seen any Tv or video footage from this time,however i have seen a photo of jan berry promoting only a boy from 1967-8,this may have been a photo for a billboard or magazines around this time,

Maybe Somebody may have more info on this,

Would love to conatct some of jans brothers about this time,