Was David Marks an Founding Member of the Beach Boys?

[bluesno1fann]

I have seen a lot of people saying he is a "original" member or "founding" member, but at the same time, there are just as many people who disagree.
Doesn't help that until the 50th Anniversary, he was virtually forgotten by non-hardcore BB's fans. He wasn't even inducted into the RRHOF with the other BB's!
Anyway, was he a founding member or not? As far as I know, Wikipedia disagrees.

[Phoenix]

In my opinion, yes.  It's just that the circumstances of the band's founding wasn't as straight forward as most bands.

[The Shift]

"Yes" from this camp too. As in my view was Al. It's too close to call, if anyone's mithered anyway, and given that it was more than 50 years ago everyone's earned their chops.

[Magic Transistor Radio]

Fact: When they signed with Capitol Records, David Marks was a Beach Boy
Fact: When they recorded Surfin, or the Hite Morgan recordings David Marks wasn't there (?)

Was Ringo Starr an original Beatle? He was there when they got signed right?

[runnersdialzero]

Didn't he miss the "Surfin'" session solely because his mom wouldn't let him stay home from school? Swear I saw him say that somewhere.

[37!ws]

Here's the thing...

He played and sang with the Wilsons before the Beach Boys existed. As someone actually CALLED a Beach Boy, he was not an original.

[smilethebeachboysloveyou]

David Marks initially started getting more acknowledgement even before C50 because of Jon Stebbins' book about him, which also goes into more detail about the band's formation than anything that had been written before it.  I recommend reading it for the full story on whether DLM is an original member or not, but basically:

1) He played guitar with Carl prior to the formation of the Beach Boys
2) He wasn't at the recording of "Surfin'"
3) His joining and leaving the band had nothing to do with the leaving and rejoining of Alan Jardine, as had previously been thought

[Emdeeh]

Yes, he is. Even when he wasn't officially in the band, he lived right across the street from and interacted with the Wilsons.

[Mike's Beard]

The 3 Wilson brothers, their cousin Mike Love and childhood friend Al Jardine, those are the founding members of The Beach Boys. Those are the 5 kids who formed a band, performed live and recorded a single (even if Al's first stint as a member was for a cup of coffee).
David Marks may have lived a few doors away, learned the guitar with Carl and even jammed with the others but he only became a BEACH BOY when Al left.

Doesn't help that until the 50th Anniversary, he was virtually forgotten by non-hardcore BB's fans. He wasn't even inducted into the RRHOF with the other BB's!

He was written off for too many years as a footnote, "filling in" while Al went to college. He seems to be getting his dues in later life.

[shelter]

I think that technically David Marks wasn't a founding member, since he wasn't part of the group during either the first recording session or the first live appearance, which I think is pretty crucial for being a "founding member". But others have argued that group's line-up wasn't set in stone yet at the time and that Marks was already playing with them before they officially became The Beach Boys.

[drbeachboy]

Marks is a founding member. He signed the major recording contract with Capitol. By the time any of us who lived outside of LA heard of the Beach Boys, it was David who was part of the group.

[Rocky Raccoon]

He was on their first album so I'd say yes.  The band was still in its developmental stage during the Hite Morgan sessions.  When they officially debuted on a major label, Dave was in the band.

[Mikie]

Of course Dave Marks is a founding member and an original member!  He was there at the beginning (first 4 albums and many singles) and he's there now.  And I'm really glad he is. Great guitar player, a good singer, and a good person.  He still represents the Beach Boys very well. 

I just wish Carl and Dennis were still around to see and appreciate Dave's talents on the road and in the studio, and to have a few laughs about old times. David was like a brother to the Wilsons.

[Cam Mott]

That's the way I look at it. Al is an original member and David is a founding member in that Al was a member originally before David but David's name and not Al's is on the contract with Capitol.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Here's a thing: David is always saying that he was on the first five albums. He says it in the Endless Harmony doc, and again in the MIC book. But what Shut Down Vol 2 song(s) did he play on?

[37!ws]

Contract with Capitol has nothing to do with it; they were the Beach Boys before they joined Capitol. They were the Beach Boys upon the release of "Surfin'," which did not have David Marks on it. Let me put it to you this way: David was never a Pendletone.

[drbeachboy]

Contract with Capitol has nothing to do with it; they were the Beach Boys before they joined Capitol. They were the Beach Boys upon the release of "Surfin'," which did not have David Marks on it. Let me put it to you this way: David was never a Pendletone.

Hell, the Beach Boys didn't know they were Beach Boys until after Surfin' was released.

[Nicko1234]

Here's a thing: David is always saying that he was on the first five albums. He says it in the Endless Harmony doc, and again in the MIC book. But what Shut Down Vol 2 song(s) did he play on?

Hasn't it been mentioned that he was on Don't Worry Baby? I could be wrong...

[Mike's Beard]

Contract with Capitol has nothing to do with it; they were the Beach Boys before they joined Capitol. They were the Beach Boys upon the release of "Surfin'," which did not have David Marks on it. Let me put it to you this way: David was never a Pendletone.

It's been a few years since I read Jon's book but I seem to remember in it David saying how disappointed he was that he wasn't initially asked to join the band.
I know this is going to come off as snarky but some people need to read the definition of the word 'original' because it clearly doesn't apply to David's Beach Boys status.

[pixletwin]

The founding members of the Beach Boys are Brian, Carl, Dennis, Mike, and Al. Being a neighbor, friend, guitar buddy, doesn't make one a founding member. But David is about as close as a person can get without actually being one. 

[drbeachboy]

The founding members of the Beach Boys are Brian, Carl, Dennis, Mike, and Al. Being a neighbor, friend, guitar buddy, doesn't make one a founding member. But David is about as close as a person can get without actually being one. 

So, if you were to do this for the Beatles, then Ringo is just a replacement member?

[pixletwin]

The founding members of the Beach Boys are Brian, Carl, Dennis, Mike, and Al. Being a neighbor, friend, guitar buddy, doesn't make one a founding member. But David is about as close as a person can get without actually being one.  

So, if you were to do this for the Beatles, then Ringo is just a replacement member?

I am glad you brought that up.

If you asked any person living in liverpool in 1962 they would say yes, Ringo is a replacement member... and I would agree. Yes. Ringo Starr is not a founding member of the Beatles. Not even close.

Having said that, Pete Best was not a founding member either. John Lennon is technically the only founding member of the Beatles. Though since they wouldn't take that name for 3 more years after he started the group I suppose a case could be made that Paul and George are also founding members of The Beatles.

[drbeachboy]

The founding members of the Beach Boys are Brian, Carl, Dennis, Mike, and Al. Being a neighbor, friend, guitar buddy, doesn't make one a founding member. But David is about as close as a person can get without actually being one. 

So, if you were to do this for the Beatles, then Ringo is just a replacement member?

I am glad you brought that up.

If you asked any person living in liverpool in 1962 they would say yes, Ringo is a replacement member... and I would agree. Yes. Ringo Starr is not a founding member of the Beatles. Not even close.

Having said that, Pete Best was not a founding member either. John Lennon is technically the only founding member of the Beatles. Though since they wouldn't take that name for 3 years after he started the group I suppose a case could be made that Paul and George are also founding members of The Beatles.

John, Paul, George and Ringo are the only Beatles most of the world knew when they broke big. To me, it is all in perspective as to when they became known to the masses.

[pixletwin]

Therein lies the descrepancy. Is being a "founding member" defined by when they became famous or when the group made the commitments to be together in group?

By your definition Dave Grohl is a founding member of Nirvana, where I would say he was not (Chad Channing would bear that distinction).

[clack]

The founding members of the Beach Boys are Brian, Carl, Dennis, Mike, and Al. Being a neighbor, friend, guitar buddy, doesn't make one a founding member. But David is about as close as a person can get without actually being one.  

So, if you were to do this for the Beatles, then Ringo is just a replacement member?

I am glad you brought that up.

If you asked any person living in liverpool in 1962 they would say yes, Ringo is a replacement member... and I would agree. Yes. Ringo Starr is not a founding member of the Beatles. Not even close.

Having said that, Pete Best was not a founding member either. John Lennon is technically the only founding member of the Beatles. Though since they wouldn't take that name for 3 more years after he started the group I suppose a case could be made that Paul and George are also founding members of The Beatles.

So, the founding members of the Rolling Stones would be Jagger, Richards, Dick Taylor,  Allen Etherington and Bob Beckwith? Or Jagger, Jones, Taylor, Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, and Tony Chapman?