Chapter 16 - The Party 3

WHILE RECORDING THE ALBUM with Keith there were lots of parties, but the one that takes the cake was that bash up at Mickey Dolenz’s tree house in Laurel Canyon. You had to walk up this long and winding driveway to a hobbit-like wooden door which was ajar, so Stephen, Blair and I just walked right in. Before my eyes was a "who's who" of rock and roll majesty. Seated on the floor playing his banjo was Doug Dillard, next to him was the notorious Phil Specter in dark shades and blue shark skin jacket. I thought I recognized Joe Walsh, who was in a band called the James Gang, talking to some beautiful Swedish girl in the corner. 

Seated at the organ in a bathrobe and fresh out of his "room" was the one and only Brian Wilson. He just kept staring into space playing the same riff repeatedly saying, “This is what my brother Carl used to do.” He would bang out some surf progression and sing in a wavering falsetto. I couldn't believe this was the same man that created all of those unbelievable hits like Good Vibrations and Surfer Girl. Nevertheless, I was glad to be in the presence of such greatness. There were plenty of chemical refreshments and I did help myself to a few of the said party favors. The women were ungodly the alcohol was the best and free. It was the epitome of the high life, a real rock and roll Hollywood party. So, what do you expect?

There was another young musician there named Mike Staton aka Billy London, who used to play guitar and sing with his brother Jeff. I met Mike in Nashville years later when ex-Silverspoon guitar player, Michael Kennedy (who will be discussed later in detail) told me there was a Hofner Beatle bass on eBay in Franklin, Tennessee, the next town over from where I live now. It was the Fourth of July, and nobody was bidding on this 1970 gem that was advertised as being owned by Les Paul's nephew. So, I put a bid on it for $500 and I ended up buying the bass. I drove over to his house and when he opened the door I thought that he looked familiar. He invited me in, and I saw an array of guitars and amps and even a pedal steel guitar. We talked about old times in LA and people that we might have known when it hit me. After he told me he played with The Monkees I said, “Weren't you at that party at Mickey Dolenz's house in 1974?” “

“The one with Brian Wilson in his bathrobe and Phil Spector running around like a madman."

"You were there?" I said.

 “Yes!”

It was amazing we would meet again over eBay after thirty years. He is a great rock-a-billy singer and guitarist and probably knows more about that kind of music than anyone I know. We stayed good friends until his premature death from complications of Covid 19. I still have the bass. 

After that party, Keith and Ringo got in touch with Brian Wilson and somehow booked a gig at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Almost everyone from the sessions at the Record Plant showed up, including Nilsson. Ringo was there and I believe he played the drums while Brian, in his trademark blue and white bathrobe, was playing keyboards, Nicky Barclay and the rest of her band, Fanny, sang back-up vocals and once again I was playing bass. I think Stephen was playing acoustic guitar and Blair played the grand piano. I'm not sure how any of it sounded because I was too star-struck to have had any capacity for the audible, or as James Joyce puts it, “The ineluctable modality of the audible”, but I suppose we pulled it off and we sounded passable, all the while I knew history was being made and I was trying to slow down the hands of time to bask in the glory of the beautiful moment. 

    Harry at the microphone next to Keith was trying to help the struggling rock star with his lead vocals, especially on Don't Worry Baby. Keith was a gentleman and a first-class prankster but had a bit of trouble staying in tune. At the Record Plant Stephen, his brother Jon and I would spend hours in the studio with him trying different vocal techniques we had picked up over our short stint in show biz, and he did get a little better, but it was a far cry from decent. If you have a chance, pick up a copy of the book Full Moon by his main man, Dougal Butler. It is an insightful read about the life and times of "Mooney".

     That was a gig that should have lived on, but it was never filmed or recorded, as far as I know. In a way it is a shame that we didn't have the internet or You Tube. A lot of things might have survived that are now only in the fading minds of those who were there. But I can say without a doubt that this was the only time that Nilsson ever played live, at least in the 70's and unfortunately it would be one of the last live performances of Silverspoon as well.