PIERFEST: BRIGHTON BEACHBOYS BRING THEIR BRILLIANT PERFORMANCES OF POP CLASSICS TO BRIGHTON PALACE PIER

When did Brighton Beachboys first get together and why?

We were formed by myself and Ralph Brown one 2001 Monday night in the Hanbury, after Ade and I had been playing our usual gig in The Dragon. Essentially it was the product of us discussing a) how much we loved the Beach Boys and b) what a ridiculous thing it would be to try to emulate them. Then we had to make a number of calls.

Were you all Beach Boy fans at the start?

All to some degree, I think, but some definitely more than others.

Beach Boys albums were groundbreaking in terms of the sound Brian Wilson created, was that difficult to recreate live on stage?

Extremely, but that’s the fun of the challenge. All of the dense instrumental textures, combined with mobile and often difficult vocal lines, need quite a special bunch of performers to pull it off. But hopefully, we make a pretty good fist of it.

Is Wilson aware of your existence?

Yes, we spoke to him just before going onstage at Herne Bay Festival some years ago. Us: “We’re just about to play some of your fabulous tunes”. Brian “Oh, that must be great! You better play California Girls” Ralph interviewed Brian when he first played “Pet Sounds” in Brighton, and let it be known then. Since that point we’ve become great friends with the force of nature that is Stephen Kalinich (the only non-Beach Boy to have co-written with all three Wilson brothers); and indeed, have maintained our connection to Brian through Stevie.

Are there songs that you would like to perform but that you simply cannot replicate?

There are several that we’ve looked at that needed more time – Warmth of the Sun, for example – and others that we’ve always wanted to try – Till I Die and Disney Girls for two – that we haven’t yet got around to. But there’s nothing that we’ve given up on yet!

Since forming the band you have gone on to cover many other artists and bands, how do you go about deciding which you tackle?

Many reasons, including market forces! Since we did Pet Sounds/Pepper, it was clear that audiences are more familiar with The Beatles, so we just followed those in order of album release. Lisa Abbott, who’s joining us for Blue/Tapestry asked if she thought we could get around Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love as a live project. Glen, Tom and I decided to learn The Kinks’ Village Green Preservation Society to support the Hands Off BHASVIC Field campaign. It just made sense to us to approach Bowie album by album as that’s become our stock-in-trade, but it’s nice if there’s a reason. I love the album format – it’s a perfect length and usually logical.

In the upcoming gigs you have put together a set comprising hits from 50 years ago, does that 50-year tag make you feel old? Or perhaps it makes you feel good that you have lived through the golden years of pop?

I’d agree with both of those statements! Although I will add that as a music teacher, I find that a lot of younger people are still really keen to listen to this sort of music.

And speaking of golden years, another set you will be performing is the work of David Bowie, how did you decide what to cover and what to leave out? Did every member of the band get to choose their favourite numbers?

I suppose we did a bit of that…the set came together fairly promptly, and indeed, first time we played, we decided to start with “Heroes” but left the rest to chance. So many incredible songs it didn’t really matter what order we put them in. Again, there are still some obvious numbers that we’ve not got around to, but it’s cool to play some of the more obscure material too. Some you want to make sure that you can do justice to – for example, I’d rather save ‘Fame’ for a point when we can have three guitars on it.

In doing covers do you aim for an accurate impression or is it as much about a new interpretation?

A bit of both, really. I like all of the lines to be present, even if they’re on different instruments, and we listen very closely to the originals. The devil’s in the detail, so if there’s a chime or a bicycle bell or astylophone I like us to have those; but we’re happy to adapt or open things out, too. So the originals are really a starting point.

Will any of you be dressing up as Bowie in one of his many guises?

No, not our bag. Does anyone really want to see a bunch (at least, this bunch) of middle-aged men in make-up and lycra? There may be hints in the dress, but we don’t see ourselves as a tribute band – only inasmuch as the Royal Philharmonic are a Beethoven tribute band. When we played White Album at the Centre Culturel in Lille, they summed it pretty well: “No period wig or costume, no staging or “truer than life” imitation, but a careful and fervent interpretation, as faithful as possible to the richness and finesse of the record’s arrangements”.

Your third gig is an homage to two of the greatest songwriters and albums of the last six decades, Carole King’s Tapestry and Joni Mitchell’s blue. What do you think has been behind the enduring quality of those two albums?

Simply, magical songwriting and great performances. They’re records that are many peoples’ top ten.

Are you performing both in their entirety?

Oh yes. And in order. With a couple of other tracks alongside, too.

Are there any numbers on either that you would rather not perform but feel that you have to? For instance I have a real aversion to Smackwater Jack!

You’re not alone in that, Andrew! But no, quite the opposite – it’s a privilege to get to play them. Thankfully Carole King didn’t do a version of ‘He hit me (it felt like a kiss)’ on Tapestry.

Moving forward has the band any plans to tackle any other acts or their iconic albums, might we see you doing Purple Rain or Dark Side of the Moon?

In fact Adrian’s done Dark Side already, at the Dome some years ago. I’d love to do Groovin’ by the Rascals but I’m not sure if anyone would come! But, yes, we’ve still to play Let It Be which was set up for last year at TOM but is now postponed till Feb 2022; there’s talk of Surf’s Up, Diamond Dogs and Station to Station. And Glen and I are always talking about Scott IV…

The Brighton Beach Boys play :

50 Years ago Today 16 July 8pm

Tapestry and Blue  17th July 8pm

Bowie 23 July

Brighton Palace Pier

For tickets:

http://rebrand.ly/pierfest