Jimi Hendrix's comments about the Beach Boys

At the Monterey Pop Festival in the summer of 1967, Hendrix made some comments to the crowd about the Beach Boys, who had opted out of the show at the last minute. I don't remember the exact quote, but it was something like "You've heard the last of surfing music". He also gave a "review" of Heroes And Villains, the recent Beach Boys single: "Don't much care for the Beach Boys. They remind me of a psychedelic barbershop quartet." I've never been a big fan of Hendrix, though I certainly respect his contributions, and "Smash Hits" was one of the first 8-tracks I ever owned. But those comments were ill advised, to say the least. We obviously had not heard the last of surfing music, and Hendrix died a few years later. If he'd lived, I'm certain he would have been asked on an occasion or two to comment on his comments. That would have been interesting, especially in light of the Beach Boys career resurgence and enduring popularity. It doesn't require deep pondering to deduce that the Beach Boys might not have been Hendrix's cup of tea. Some things are simply better left unsaid. The Beach Boys were down in 1967, a lot of people were piling on, and Hendrix decided to jump in after the referee had already blown the whistle. At the time, a lot of folks probably believed Jimi's prophecy for the Beach Boys, so I "almost" have to give him some leeway for an honest opinion, albeit ill advised. It certainly was a divisive thing to say, as if to imply that anyone who liked Hendrix's music couldn't possibly like the Beach Boys, and vice versa. I've always wondered about that. Anyone on this forum feel that way? By the way, I always get a laugh at Jimi's comments about "Heroes And Villains". It was meant as a put down, obviously, but "psychedelic barbershop quartet" was exactly what it sounded like, and that is precisely why I always loved that song, and I suspect others feel the same about it. Jimi nailed it, but not quite as he probably intended.

 

Actually, that line "You'll never hear surf music again" was a lyric from "Third Stone From The Sun", he never said it at Monterey. I think a Beach Boys documentary used Monterey footage while playing the song, which may give the impression that the line came from that performance.

And actually, Dick Dale claims that Hendrix wrote that line as a tribute to him, not as a dig at the Beach Boys. Dale had contracted cancer, and the prognosis wasn't good at the time, so he says his friend Hendrix gave him a shout out in the song with that lyric.

 

Well, I'm not sure if/when he made these statements, but I don't think it was to the crowd at Monterey - the entire audio portion of his performance was released officially and I don't recall hearing him saying this.

There is a line in the Jimi Hendrix Experience track Third Stone From The Sun where Jimi says "... you'll never hear surf music again" but this wasn't performed at Monterey. As an aside, wasn't it Dick Dale who said this line was in reference to him as he was in an accident or something and had been sidelined from playing?

 

I can listen to Hendrix or the Beach Boys. For the most part Hendrix seemed
like a fair minded person, but I'm suprised he would even bother commenting
on the Beach Boys. He was so far from them in every way.

 

Reechie beat me to it by a minute

 

The complete, unedited Hendrix Monterey performance has been available for years and Jimi doesn't make any comments about the Beach Boys. Not sure where you got that from.

The "never hear surf music again" was a nod to Dick Dale whose carrer was on hiatus at the time due to injury. The session tapes bear this out. On the unedited session tape after "you will never hear surf music again" Jimi laughs and says "man, that sounds like a lie to me".

I don't see the "psychedelic barbershop quartet" comment a pejorative though I can see how one would.

What the hell does that mean

 

If you look at Hendrix's line in context then it becomes instantly obvious that this whole controversy is plain goofy:

"Although your world wonders me,
With your majestic and superior cackling hen
Your people I do not understand,
So to you I shall put an end
And you'll never hear surf music again"

It's not a boast on Hendrix's part or a slag against The Beach Boys or whoever. It's a wry joke about one of the consequences of an alien wiping us all out.

 

Psychedelic barbershop...quartet? Sure he wasn't talkin' about the Beatles.

 

Cory,

Could you do us a favor?

Dividing your post up into several paragraphs would make it a heck of a lot easier to read.

Thanks!

 

As the other posters have pointed out ,one quote was a line from a song that wasn't even performed at that concert.What is the source of the other? As much as I have seen and read about this concert I've never heard the "psychedelic barbershop quartet" comment before.I suspect it's BS.

 

We've gone over this before.
Jimi NEVER said that @ Monterey.
It was written in the book about The Beach Boys (Heroes & Villains)
A sensationalized book and very controversial.

 

the "psychedelic barbershop quartet" comes from some 1967 magazine article that quotes Hendrix' reactions to some newly released (or newly charted) 45s.

 

All these years, I was under the impression that Hendrix had said this at Monterrey. I'm kind of glad he didn't.

 

It's kind of funny that one of the "texts" in Brian Wilson's web (click here and scroll down to the seventh paragraph; it's really an article from the Chicago Sun Times) still talks about the non-existent Monterry Festival comment: "The Beach Boys canceled a headlining appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival, and Jimi Hendrix told the crowd that it had heard the last of what he derisively called "the psychedelic barbershop quartet.""

It just shows the importance of doublechecking your sources for reliable information (specially if you are a reporter).

 

As Jimi might have said:
"As you all know,you just can't believe everything you see and hear (and READ) can you?????????????

 

I always heard the barbershop comment meant Hendrix liked it and thought Heroes and Villians was cool. Hendrix dug psychedelic things, especially in '67.

 

I love Jimi Hendrix and The Beach Boys...each in different ways. No reason at all they should be mutually exclusive.

For no reason other than they're equally strange bedfellows, I will point out that I recall reading an interview with Jim Morrison many years ago in which he said he was a huge Beach Boys fan. Who would have thought?!

 

One of the biggest Beach Boys fans of all time was Keith Moon.

 

Attributable to Jimi or not, to these ears there is a direct line connecting barbershop quartet - Four Freshmen - Beach Boys.
IMHO, of course.

 

As others have pointed out, Jimi did not refer to The Beach Boys as a "Psychedelic Barbershop Quartet" from Monterey's stage though he could have said it backstage (or in the case of Monterey, under the stage where the dressing rooms were).

A more likely scenario is that he said it during an interview from around the time of Heroes And Villians and somehow, the quote was taken out of context and mistakenly applied to his Monterey appearance.

I have no doubt that he said it but I do doubt that he meant it to be taken as a slam...it was just Jimi's sense of humor. No reason to get excited....

I've read the line several times over the years in different books and it always made me laugh. Jimi had very broad musical taste and I always suspected that he had an appreciation for Brian's mid 60's experimentation as did most of his contemporaries.

 

I'm fairly certain that is an inaccurate quote, altered by someone along the way to falsely suggest Jimi was criticizing the Beach Boys. From what I've read, Jimi did indeed say the "psychedelic barbershop quartet" line, but he never said the part about "don't much care for the Beach Boys." As you yourself pointed out, "psychedelic barbershop quartet" is a very creative and accurate way to describe the Smile-era Beach Boys, and isn't necessarily insulting by itself without the spurious "don't much care" line appended. Obviously some oversensitive and defensive Brian Wilson fan (of which there are thousands) took the original quote the wrong way, and added to it to strengthen his case and drum up a feud where there wasn't one. Some of those Brianistas need to get a hobby... they should focus on the people who've actually insulted Brian, not make up stuff. You know, Randy Newman compared him to a potato once...

 

Or maybe we can get Nick Lowe to say a few words...

 

It's not BS, I can assure you of that. If you read enough about the history of this subject, you'll encounter it. He didn't make the barbershop comment at the concert, he said that on another occasion.

 

Do you remember where that comment can be found?

 

Absolutely. Jimi very much into folk music, classical, pre-war blues, Chess, the British Invasion bands, the Troggs, etc. The guy was a HUGE Beatles fan. I don't think it's a stretch to say that he was a fan of the Beach Boys as well.

I think this thread tells us much more about coryghaffly's taste than Jimi Hendrix's..