Legendary Masked Surfers live

[owen]

Hi,

Dean recently posted an old Surfers' Stomp poster on his Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FOfficialDeanTorrence%2Fposts%2F1163177233727145%3A0

It lists the Legendary Masked Surfers as one of the bands playing. Does anyone have any idea who, apart from Dean, was playing in this band? Was it just a pickup band given the name Dean was using at that point, or was there an actual live version of LMS?

Cheers
Owen

[Admin]

"KMET & Jim Pewter Present The First International Surfers' Stomp, Ten Years Later"

I have an original progarm from the event, which was held on August 26, 1973. The write-up on LMS mentions the recent vocal re-recordings with Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher. It also refers to LMS as a further development of the band California.

This was before their official reunion, so they were not billed as Jan & Dean. Regardless of who may have been onstage with them that day, the band did not play live. Jan & Dean lip-synced to a recorded track.

Given Jan's condition, Dean tried to make a joke out of the performance. But the audience didn't understand the situation with Jan, seven years after the car accident. There was no explanation. They felt cheated by the lip-syncing and booed them off the stage.

[owen]

I had not realised that this was the incident in which Jan and Dean were booed off, and thus inspired to practice until they could genuinely put on a show. In fact I had not realised that Jan was involved in this at all. Presumably he was one of the "surprise guests".

I am puzzled though. The notes in the brochure that you paraphrase indicate that Dean took LMS and California with some seriousness, which corresponds to a contemporary interview I remember (From Hot Wacks maybe), which left me with the impression that he saw one or both as his way back into the 70s music scene. In that case why would he sabotage himself by turning an advertised LMS performance into a botched J&D appearance that nobody was expecting? Why would he not perform Gonna Hustle You and Summer Means Fun to get or keep some momentum going for himself?

Perhaps only Dean can answer this though 

Cheers
Owen

[Admin]

The program also referred to LMS as "the latest reincarnation of Dean Torrence and Jan Berry." It stated that Dean wanted to use "LMS and/or California" to recapture the spirit of the sun and fun era.

Paul Morantz was there for the performance, and was angry that no one came onstage to explain the situation beforehand. Paul said Dean was really upset about the reaction.

[owen]

Thanks Mark. That makes a lot more sense to me now.

Cheers
Owen