Bruce Johnston

[surferbee]

Went to see the Beach Boys in York last night. Met Bruce Johnston about an hour before the show - looking grumpy (him not me!) I shook his hand and said I was a Jan and Dean fan to which he replied 'not me!' - he wouldn't be drawn past this, Didn't seem to square with various interviews I've read. Has there been a fall out somewhere along the line? Ironically he then went on to sing Surf City. (No Little Old Lady this time!)
The show itself had a lot of archive footage cut to show Mike and Bruce as you would expect - quite a bit of Carl who sang God Only Knows on screen to the band's backing. Brian and All almost invisible.
It was sad that Bruce couldn't bring himself to say something nice. (Note I wasn't one of the people who had paid extra to meet the band and have their photo taken.) I just wondered quite what links there are between Jan and Dean and whether Dean's work with Al and David is a problem.
Mike and Dean worked closely together for some time!
Is this a case of never meet your idols> A bad night? Bad timing? Or something more? Any ideas?

[sunny13]

That's really interesting and sad since Bruce grew up there with them and use to practiced in Jan's garage during their High-school years.  In one of Dean's e-mails he sent me, he said that he always enjoyed working with Mike and then also, Mike made a comment on one of my posts  I posted on his site that he is hoping to work with Dean again. 
Recently I went to the May-festival in SC and met with Dean Torrence and David Marks.  It was really great.  Al was there too, but I didn't get chance talk with him.  However, all of them signed a picture. 

[2dean2]

Could it be he was joking . Or maybe a little P.O'd that you was'nt worshiping the BB'S
The only songs the Rip Chords had the did anything were Hey Little Cobra and Three Window Coupe . Both song's are Surf City . So......... Just Sayinnnn.

[jdman]

Yeah. I wouldn't read anything into that. People are moody. Maybe he just wasn't in the mood to talk. Bruce has definitely been a Jan & Dean guy. All the covers he did of them and the things he said in interviews. 

[Mike1965]

Bruce has a big ego. He wrote the song that makes the whole world sing.

[2dean2]

I've always wondered if he shopped that to Brian before Barry.
Oh I think i would've said "Gee it must suck to do most of a set based on Jan Berry's musical influence."

[Moon Dawg]

  There are many reports of Bruce sometimes being surly or churlish at the meet and greets. He went off on an Obama supporter during the 2012 C50 tour. Being Mike Love's flunkie must take its toll...

[Bitman]

Could be grumpy, sensitive, bad night, who knows...Bruce and Terry did a lot of cool stuff and if you'd mentioned one of their tunes (or something by The Rogues - another name B&T used) he might've cheered up.