New ESQ Issue

[Ed Roach]

Really interesting new issue of ESQ just arrived.  It's a discussion of various releases with "a group of like-minded musicologist/historians", and contains some great photos.  I've been skipping through it, but am looking forward to reading it cover to cover.

[drbeachboy]

I received it today. Read it cover to cover in one sitting. Of course, I agree with most of the album critiques, but also disagree with a few. Jon, wish you would have commented on All Summer Long. Your observations while writing about it here, really hit the nail on the head. It was the perfect embodiment of Summer in California and of 1964 on the whole. Great work guys!

[Ed Roach]

I received it today. Read it cover to cover in one sitting. Of course, I agree with most of the album critiques, but also disagree with a few. Jon, wish you would have commented on All Summer Long. Your observations while writing about it here, really hit the nail on the head. It was the perfect embodiment of Summer in California and of 1964 on the whole. Great work guys!

Kind of bizarre that you reference "All Summer Long"...  Always been a favorite of mine, ever since I first played the album in Brooklyn when it came out.  What a memory you invoked, though; Jon can tell my story about when Dennis & I first read the script to "American Graffiti".  (I will say that Dennis mistakenly said to me, "It's a drive-in movie!  Let them just use what they want!"  When he & I saw its premiere in Westwood, I almost lost it when the credits rolled with that song!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2smDXr13EJE

[Emdeeh]

Just got the new issue today. Interesting concept, and I look forward to reading it.

[Lowbacca]

I received it today. Read it cover to cover in one sitting. Of course, I agree with most of the album critiques, but also disagree with a few. Jon, wish you would have commented on All Summer Long. Your observations while writing about it here, really hit the nail on the head. It was the perfect embodiment of Summer in California and of 1964 on the whole. Great work guys!

Kind of bizarre that you reference "All Summer Long"...  Always been a favorite of mine, ever since I first played the album in Brooklyn when it came out.  What a memory you invoked, though; Jon can tell my story about when Dennis & I first read the script to "American Graffiti".  (I will say that Dennis mistakenly said to me, "It's a drive-in movie!  Let them just use what they want!"  When he & I saw its premiere in Westwood, I almost lost it when the credits rolled with that song!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2smDXr13EJE

Hey Ed, thanks so much for that! It'd be great if you could elaborate on what Dennis (and the other boys) thought about American Graffiti or any connections (/stories) between the band and the movie (besides the obvious two songs on the soundtrack and reference in dialogue), production-wise or anything. Please.
It's my favourite film of all time, hands down, and "All Summer Long" being played over the end credits is one of the most brilliant soundtrack decisions I've ever come across. Perfectly mirrors the bitter sad/sweetness of something sacred suddenly and irretrievably lost (innocence, youth, summer), juxtaposed to an inherently positive outlook on life and its pleasures and value. That is what American Graffiti to me is about* and it also paraphrases some of the best work Brian did (especially) in the early to mid-60s.






* I once wrote a paper on the loss of innocence in American Graffiti for a similarly-themed seminar but I can't seem to find it right now.. (anyway, there was only a slight mention of the Beach Boys in there).





EDIT: For anyone who's interested and/or a fan of the film: there's a published version of the American Graffiti script with a couple of great photos in it.

[southbay]

I received it today. Read it cover to cover in one sitting. Of course, I agree with most of the album critiques, but also disagree with a few. Jon, wish you would have commented on All Summer Long. Your observations while writing about it here, really hit the nail on the head. It was the perfect embodiment of Summer in California and of 1964 on the whole. Great work guys!

Kind of bizarre that you reference "All Summer Long"...  Always been a favorite of mine, ever since I first played the album in Brooklyn when it came out.  What a memory you invoked, though; Jon can tell my story about when Dennis & I first read the script to "American Graffiti".  (I will say that Dennis mistakenly said to me, "It's a drive-in movie!  Let them just use what they want!"  When he & I saw its premiere in Westwood, I almost lost it when the credits rolled with that song!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2smDXr13EJE

Hey Ed, thanks so much for that! It'd be great if you could elaborate on what Dennis (and the other boys) thought about American Graffiti or any connections (/stories) between the band and the movie (besides the obvious two songs on the soundtrack and reference in dialogue), production-wise or anything. Please.
It's my favourite film of all time, hands down, and "All Summer Long" being played over the end credits is one of the most brilliant soundtrack decisions I've ever come across. Perfectly mirrors the bitter sad/sweetness of something sacred suddenly and irretrievably lost (innocence, youth, summer), juxtaposed to an inherently positive outlook on life and its pleasures and value. That is what American Graffiti to me is about* and it also paraphrases some of the best work Brian did (especially) in the early to mid-60s.






* I once wrote a paper on the loss of innocence in American Graffiti for a similarly-themed seminar but I can't seem to find it right now.. (anyway, there was only a slight mention of the Beach Boys in there).





EDIT: For anyone who's interested and/or a fan of the film: there's a published version of the American Graffiti script with a couple of great photos in it.

Excellent post. While AG is not my favorite film, it is certainly in my top 5 and for the reasons you mentioned. Your post encapsulates not only why I love the film, but also a big reason why All Summer Long has always been my favorite album

[Disney Boy (1985)]

American Graffiti makes me sad for reasons other than nostalgia. It makes me sad because it shows what a great director George Lucas was before his career got side-tracked making awful Star Wars movies... Actually sat watching Phantom Menace on TV right now as I type and I'm genuinely struggling to reframe from throwing myself head first out of the window.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

So if I was to pitch up on your doorstep now dressed as Jar Jar Binks, what would you do?

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Reach for the taser gun.

[Lowbacca]

American Graffiti makes me sad for reasons other than nostalgia. It makes me sad because it shows what a great director George Lucas was before his career got side-tracked making awful Star Wars movies... Actually sat watching Phantom Menace on TV right now as I type and I'm genuinely struggling to reframe from throwing myself head first out of the window.

Yes, that as well.
As for the Star Wars films that actually turned out okay (or great, in the case of Empire Strikes Back) - George Lucas did not have much to do with the end product of those, creatively. The very first Star Wars was saved in a nerve-wracking post-production editing process in the first place. Back in the early days of his career Lucas had the good sense of leaving certain stuff to other people (for example friends and colleagues completely rewriting his lifeless dialogue for American Graffiti). It's mainly due to his "screenwriting" and "directing" (and taking zero input from other people) that the Star Wars prequels were mainly sh*t. The man has great imagination and an understanding of how heroes' stories work (besides a brilliant sense for business), but he's never been a particularly gifted director, let alone screenwriter. I'm eternally grateful for Star Wars nevertheless (obviously). But the greatest stories from that universe did not originate from Lucas's mind. We have to thank people like Lawrence Kasdan, Leigh Brackett and Timothy Zahn for those.



...



F*ck, we got way off topic there.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I'll bet there's some fun to be had on Star Wars forums eh?

I might sign up, and give it a bit of the old......

"Oh I just loved Phantom Menace. It was the best one.......IMO"

[SMiLE Brian]

Funny enough, the first Star Wars had cut scenes of Luke hanging out in Mos Eisley with friends that were similar to American Graffiti.

[DMBeard_13]

Ed,
Shoot me an email when you finish reading it.  I would love to print your reaction in the letters section of the next ESQ>


David

[drbeachboy]

Funny enough, the first Star Wars had cut scenes of Luke hanging out in Mos Eisley with friends that were similar to American Graffiti.

And was he reading the new issue of ESQ? I keep coming in here every time a new post shows to read about reactions to the new issue, but it's turned into a freakin' Star Wars thread.

[DMBeard_13]

send me a letter to the editor…

[DMBeard_13]

Keep this in mind for future editions too.

I always want feedback

esqeditor@esquarterly.com

[bgas]

Keep this in mind for future editions too.

I always want feedback

esqeditor@esquarterly.com

really? that's odd. Most folks try and get away from feedback and get more great sounds from their guitars

[joshferrell]

Funny enough, the first Star Wars had cut scenes of Luke hanging out in Mos Eisley with friends that were similar to American Graffiti.

And was he reading the new issue of ESQ? I keep coming in here every time a new post shows to read about reactions to the new issue, but it's turned into a freakin' Star Wars thread.

Maybe Brian's new cd will be titled "Beach Wars" lol

[metal flake paint]

"War Hero" was going to be the title of Brian's '98 solo outing.

[joshferrell]

here's a song Brian should cover on his next cd 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53DQgbj2mIc

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Funny enough, the first Star Wars had cut scenes of Luke hanging out in Mos Eisley with friends that were similar to American Graffiti.

And was he reading the new issue of ESQ? I keep coming in here every time a new post shows to read about reactions to the new issue, but it's turned into a freakin' Star Wars thread.

[Ed Roach]

I received it today. Read it cover to cover in one sitting. Of course, I agree with most of the album critiques, but also disagree with a few. Jon, wish you would have commented on All Summer Long. Your observations while writing about it here, really hit the nail on the head. It was the perfect embodiment of Summer in California and of 1964 on the whole. Great work guys!

Kind of bizarre that you reference "All Summer Long"...  Always been a favorite of mine, ever since I first played the album in Brooklyn when it came out.  What a memory you invoked, though; Jon can tell my story about when Dennis & I first read the script to "American Graffiti".  (I will say that Dennis mistakenly said to me, "It's a drive-in movie!  Let them just use what they want!"  When he & I saw its premiere in Westwood, I almost lost it when the credits rolled with that song!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2smDXr13EJE

Hey Ed, thanks so much for that! It'd be great if you could elaborate on what Dennis (and the other boys) thought about American Graffiti or any connections (/stories) between the band and the movie (besides the obvious two songs on the soundtrack and reference in dialogue), production-wise or anything. Please.
It's my favourite film of all time, hands down, and "All Summer Long" being played over the end credits is one of the most brilliant soundtrack decisions I've ever come across. Perfectly mirrors the bitter sad/sweetness of something sacred suddenly and irretrievably lost (innocence, youth, summer), juxtaposed to an inherently positive outlook on life and its pleasures and value. That is what American Graffiti to me is about* and it also paraphrases some of the best work Brian did (especially) in the early to mid-60s.






* I once wrote a paper on the loss of innocence in American Graffiti for a similarly-themed seminar but I can't seem to find it right now.. (anyway, there was only a slight mention of the Beach Boys in there).





EDIT: For anyone who's interested and/or a fan of the film: there's a published version of the American Graffiti script with a couple of great photos in it.

Too much, seeing that copy of the script.  Buried deep in my archives, I still have the copy of the faded orange covered draft that Huyck & Katz brought to Dennis in Malibu in spring 0f 1972.  I had returned to New York, to the School of Visual Arts, but Dennis lured me back to L.A. pronto.  Seems he & Barbara had rented a house on Broad Beach, (next door to Steve McQueen & Ali McGraw), and he was going to have to vacate for the summer months.  He wanted to get to share it with me for at least a week.
As if my prior 2 visits to L.A. hadn't blown my mind enough, waking up & running into the ocean, (waving to either Steve or Ali along the way!), and going to sleep with the sound of waves crashing was almost too much.  However, when these two screenwriters showed up one day for their appointment with Dennis, I was floored when he asked me to join them.  I knew that they were involved with these ground-breaking filmmakers who were changing the industry, so to hear them tell Dennis that they wanted his involvement, on whatever level he was interested in, was almost too much to fathom.
Soon as they had left, Dennis was on to something else, and said he'd read the script when he went to bed that night.  I got my chance to read it first, sitting in the sand watching the sun go down.  To say that I instantly recognized what a classic it was would be putting it mildly, however, I contained myself waiting for his reaction.  Next morning he didn't say a thing, and I finally asked him if he'd had a chance to read it.  I was shocked when he said to me, (and I can pretty closely quote, it so seared its way in my brain!), "Yeah, what a disappointment.  That thing is nothing but a drive-in flick!  I'm gonna call the office, and tell them to let them use whatever music they want, but I don't want any more involvement than that!"
Now, granted, it wasn't too long after "Two Lane Blacktop", and his disappointment in that on so many levels.  However, I did all I could to open his eyes, and trust me, I reminded him of that day many times through the years.   

[Rocker]

I'm not really sure that I understood everything, but Ed are you saying Dennis could've been part of American Graffiti?

I'm gonna call the office, and tell them to let them use whatever music they want

Did the Beach Boys have any say in those decisions? As Murry sold the rights to the songs I'd guess that it was the decision of whoever had the rights...

[Ed Roach]

They wanted his involvement on any level, I'm pretty sure to add an air of coolness & status to the production.  Don't know if Kim Fowley was on board yet, but I imagine they would have loved for him to supervise the music.  It never occurred to me that they wanted him in the film, but that's interesting to consider.  Heck, he was practically the same age as Paul LeMat; could you see him as John?

[MBE]

I like the format a lot. I hope I get to participate in something like this one day on the group.