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The Beach Boys
(Book). Beginning their career as a popular surf band, The Beach Boys had emerged by 1966 as America's preeminent pop group, the only act able to challenge the success of The Beatles with both mainstream listeners and the critical community. This book reconstructs their evolution to one of the best-produced groups of the '60s, and also profiles Brian Wilson, one of the most gifted songwriters, producers, and arrangers in popular music. The book's easy-to-browse, day-by-day format details their entire concert history, all known recording sessions, their broadcast history, and all records issued in the U.S. and the U.K.
- GenresMusic
1 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 28, 2007
This is for anyone who's ever wanted to know a day by day overview of the Beach Boy's lives (outside of a masturbation schedule). Studio time, tour reviews, detailed Smile sessions, musician lists (actual copies of the musician union tallies), amazing pictures, this book has it all and more. Although pricey and I had to hit on the girl at Chapters a month before she'd give me the 30% off on this book (even the po' gotta read) it is totally worth it. I mean, just to have a chronology of Mike Love's hairline and assortment of fucking retarded costumes is value enough.
What it really does is relieve the myth that Brian was useless after Smile fell apart. Albums like Friends, Wild Honey and Love You are championed after years of critical neglect. Also it gives so much of an identity to each album that you realise that what Brian was doing with his songs was creating a Beach Boys ideology. From youthful fun in the sun, to spiritual existentialism, to an analysis of american culture, to the ability to cope with darkness by appreciating the brightness of simplicity. In the end you realize all of the BB albums parallel the lives of the Wilsons Those who are already converted should understand this statement. Those who want to know should thumb through this book. It is best when you've heard all the albums before and you can literally hear what is written (like the hidden sounds of orgasm on 20/20), but it also works as a way to pinpoint albums you may be curious about.
When it comes to Beach Boys fans we are usually separated by what i call a "Dairy Difference" of opinion: some like the cream and others like the cheese. I like the latter, but this book bridges the two.
What it really does is relieve the myth that Brian was useless after Smile fell apart. Albums like Friends, Wild Honey and Love You are championed after years of critical neglect. Also it gives so much of an identity to each album that you realise that what Brian was doing with his songs was creating a Beach Boys ideology. From youthful fun in the sun, to spiritual existentialism, to an analysis of american culture, to the ability to cope with darkness by appreciating the brightness of simplicity. In the end you realize all of the BB albums parallel the lives of the Wilsons Those who are already converted should understand this statement. Those who want to know should thumb through this book. It is best when you've heard all the albums before and you can literally hear what is written (like the hidden sounds of orgasm on 20/20), but it also works as a way to pinpoint albums you may be curious about.
When it comes to Beach Boys fans we are usually separated by what i call a "Dairy Difference" of opinion: some like the cream and others like the cheese. I like the latter, but this book bridges the two.
December 13, 2007
I guess the problem is that the BBs did not do as many interesting things as the Beatles and Bob Dylan did. So this eventually makes your eyes go crossed and you now realise you're not quite as huge a BBs fan as you thought you were.
Pure pop madness.
Pure pop madness.
May 12, 2019
This is an extraordinarily comprehensive day-by-day account of the Beach Boys career. It is also very accurate. Like most books of this nature, the author refrains from comments and judgments, hence it is a rather dry read—unless you do a lot of research about the Beach Boys.
Which I do.
So I love this book!
Which I do.
So I love this book!
July 28, 2008
Awesome-Awesome!
July 8, 2011
An exhaustive account of an underrated band who's story is stranger than fiction.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews