The Beach Boys

(Hardback)

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Description

Their only official book, The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys is an anthology of one of the world's greatest bands, The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys features new text drawn from extensive interviews with Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston exclusively for this edition, and archive text from band members Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson. The band members describe their story from the beginning: signing their first recording contract with Capitol Records and creating some of the most flawless, sun-soaked singles of all time - 'Surfer Girl' 'Little Deuce Coupe', 'I Get Around', 'Don't Worry Baby' and 'California Girls', 'Let Him Run Wild', to name a few - as well as sharing their memories of making revered albums such as Pet Sounds, and fan-favourites Wild Honey, Friends, Sunflower and Holland. The story follows their journey around the world, from school fundraisers to global tours and landmark shows such as Prague when, in 1969, they were the first Western band to visit Czechoslovakia, and New York's Carnegie Hall in 1972. Throughout, the band reflects on the making of the songs. Joining them are a host of contributors who have been involved with or inspired by the band's music, including Peter Blake, Lindsey Buckingham, Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, Ray Davies, Bob Dylan, Def Leppard, the Flaming Lips, Bobby Gillespie, David Lee Roth, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Jim Kerr, Roger McGuinn, Graham Nash, Jimmy Page, Carly Simon, Pete Townshend, Rufus Wainwright and Thom Yorke. Beautifully produced in a large format, richly illustrated hardback by the world's foremost rock 'n' roll publishers, Genesis Publications.

Reviews

The environment in which we grew up and the things we chose to sing about primarily, which were the beautiful things about growing up in Southern California - the lovely girls, the lovely cars, the lovely weather and the lovely beaches - it was like an endless summer. Mike Love

We were just having fun and it developed into something else. It's funny. We were really an accident - but a good accident. And our first record seemed to be enough for us. We sure didn't think we'd be recording into the next century. Al Jardine

The music on the face of it is very simple. However, musically speaking, a lot of it is quite deep and complex. It was about going to the beach and having a car and the American experience, but a lot of the songs are master works.'Carl Wilson

I think its the heart that you put into what youre doing thats important. Each member of the Beach Boys puts their whole heart and soul' Dennis Wilson

Author Bio

The Beach Boysmanage to defy decade, genre and form. They cannot be limited to songs about surfing, girls, California, or hot rods. Everything strove to go beyond - perhaps key to the Beach Boys' durability; their ability to go further, to keep going until they reached a place that had not previously been reached in rock and pop music. The band's longevity, experimentation and continuation of influence are without equal.
One of the most critically acclaimed, commercially successful and influential bands of all time, the band are embedded within the cultural landscape of America and loved throughout the world. The Beach Boys spearheaded numerous genres, helped to legitimise popular music, and have had the most Billboard Top 40 hits from any US band (thirty-seven), and today their music continues to be revisited, reassessed, and reimagined.