The Smiley Smile Message Board

Just wanted to say I got Jon's new book and it looks great! I am going to be doing an Elvis Records FAQ for the same series next year. It is a great format and Jon looks like he got all the facts down perfect. Always nice to see a real fan with a balanced view get something out there. Congrats Jon!

Looking forward to it!

Awesome news!  :)

Just had the time to read some. He mentions us from the board which is cool and but more importantly hr really breaks a lot of myths. He tells the truth about Brian today which is refreshing, he also gives every member of the band proper credit. I like that Jon doesn't copy others template (which has also been my longstanding rule as a writer) his prose is fresh and original. Honestly he didn't pay me to say any of this  :P but I knew if he did a group book he would do them justice and he did.

Any news yet on a publisher for your book Mike?

Brilliant!

AGD is looking at it right now and hopefully he will have some leads for me. I wish I could tell you more but I do have a few Elvis projects that have been sold. They aren't done but at least I'm working on some good things. The Beach Boys book is my baby so that is number one for me though. Keep your fingers crossed!

For now though I am glad to say with Jon's book that, while it's completely different, many of our ideas mesh so it helps get my viewpoint across in some ways. In other words I think my book will be better accepted because of his book.

Now you got me intrigued.

Just got a notification from Amazon that I'll be getting Jon's book on Monday. Can't wait!

What is the title and what is its focus? And don't say Beach Boys. Be more specific! I will definately buy it, I have enjoyed reading The Real BB and The Lost BB. It would be nice to get an in depth book on Carl, by the way!

The Beach Boys FAQ - All That's Left to Know About America's Band.

Excerpt from the description at my online bookshop:
"In "The Beach Boys FAQ", Jon Stebbins explains how the band impacted music and pop culture. This entertaining, fast-moving tome is accompanied by dozens of rare images, making this volume a must-have for fans. "FAQ" volumes are a delectable fusion of expert research and fast-paced entertainment. This is a one-stop-shop for devoted fans eager to leave no stone unturned."

Thanks to Mike Eder for the kind words about my new book. So many of the ideas and concepts in this book were vetted and argued out on this board. I'm sure not everyone will agree with all of the opinions expressed, it is a fairly subjective work, but you can be assured my views are from the heart and not hostage to any band politics or fear of being on the wrong side of whoever is currently in power in the Beach Boys world. Most of all this book celebrates the things that are truly great about the Beach Boys...their songs.

Here's the Amazon link...
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0879309873/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_Si4Bob1ZYW10R

And here's the publisher's link...
http://www.halleonardbooks.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=332994&lid=1&keywords=FAQ&menuid=10283&subsiteid=168&

Jon: I don't know if you have any direct sway in this, but do you know if a Kindle version will be available?

Thanks, and the book sounds great.

Cool, I've just stuck it in the cart.
Going on vacation next week and need some good reads - perfect timing!
I also clicked on the "we want kindle" link.

Oh Poo!
For some reason it ships slower than everything else - although it says it's available for Amazon Prime.
Might not have it before we leave!  :'(

I would expect the publisher will make a Kindle friendly digital download version available, but as you said that's beyond my control. I am working on a new edition of the Dennis Wilson - The Real Beach Boy  book (slowly but surely) and we are definitely making that available in Kindle and all digital formats once its ready to go.

Just ordered a copy!

Me too.....

Got me a nice paper and ink copy of Jon's book on order, never needs batteries and is easy to read. ;D

Got notice from Amazon that it shipped today and I should have it tomorrow.

Cool - have got into reading stuff on my phone lately so will definitely get The Real Beach Boy kindle edition when it's available.

Last night I picked up the only copy that my local Barnes and Noble had on the shelf. Looks like it is going to be a wonderful read!!

Must get this!

This review appears to be the first. I don't think the guy read the whole thing...but nice to see an independent opinion formed. Let me know if you see anything else out there...
http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-16120-when_summer_ended.html

I can't wait to read it!

http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-16120-when_summer_ended.html

Must say that the quotes in the review make me more excited than ever to read this one.
You certainly have a way with words, my man!

Question -- is there a lot of new information in this book that someone who has been reading Beach Boys messageboards daily for years wouldn't know? Any new quotes or pictures at least?

Both of my previous Beach Boys related books had a great deal of unpublished info in them, this one is no different. There's also a few previously unpublished photos. But this book is not a quote heavy book like the Dennis and David bios, its more of a book written straight from my head and heart, with a lot of well researched details and lists of details. Its info heavy, buy also written to be entertaining in a much different way than my other books.

Got my copy and it is a fun read (though I have only read a quarter of it so far).  Opinionated but factual-which is a nice combination.  What I like about Jon's writing-is that he is always honest-if he thinks an album was atrocious he isn't afraid to say it.  He also gives every member their due and reminds people that while Brian was a genius, other members were talented too.

Got it today but haven't gotten too far.

One spoiler though: Mr. Stebbins does NOT like John Stamos  :lol

Hey Mr. Stebbins, I ordered the book months ago, long before the release date, fro m Amazon, and got it this week. I am very impressed, especially with a few of the random anecdotes I'd never read before.

BUT.....

There is one thing that bothers me.

What is this business about The Beach Boys not having enough guitar? I assume maybe you were writing that section as possibly an "average rock fan", but I just can't agree with you when you say that if Wild Honey was more guitar-centric it would've been better. Or if that they kept David Marks in the band, it would've helped Brian with SMiLE. I guess we will never know, but I find it hard to believe that a lead guitar ala Clapton, etc was one of the pieces that was missing from from Brian's most progressive era. Personally, I think it is possible that "Barbara Ann" might be even more reviled if it was turned into a 10 minute guitar workout with David and Carl trading licks. Yes it might have made them more FM friendly, but more "mature"? Not in a million years. I just don't think that was a "misstep" in the Boys career. But to each his own.

Anyways great book, can't wait for The Real Beach Boy to get put back out there.

Also, what the sh*t is "Bobby, Dale, and Holly"??

Hey, thanks for ordering the book, I hope you enjoy it. Yes, i do feel strongly that one of the essential things that left the Beach Boys in the popularity dust in '67/'68 was that they wrote some great rock songs that pleaded for something stronger than the tiny thin weak guitar sounds ala the Wild Honey LP. People constantly go on and on about how the BEST live Beach Boys period was when they had Blondie and Ricky, part of that was a more rocking sound with a more muscular guitar tones from Blondie and Carl. My point is they could have gotten to that point sooner if David, who became a fabulous virtuoso guitarist, was still there to utilize in '67. I don't expect everyone to agree with that, but I always think about that when listening to Wild Honey...which is a great record that always feels like its missing something to me.

Hmm David Marks on Wild Honey, I can see it.

Maybe if Al smoked a little pot here and there he'd get more creative with his playing. Ladies and gentlemen, Al Jardine, original member of The Beach Boys, known for 50 years of unheard guitar playing.

I'm in Australia and seem to be having difficulty finding anywhere that is going to stock Jons book, Dymocks had never heard of it and amazon.com has some weird thing about not shipping to Oz, any suggestions from the Smiley Smile Aussies?

Move to a country where you can get a steady supply of Jon's books.

Just ordered mine! Can't wait to read it!

Thanks, that's so helpfull!

Have you tried ordering it directly from the publisher?
http://www.halleonardbooks.com/product/viewproduct.do?itemid=332994&lid=1&keywords=FAQ&menuid=10283&subsiteid=168&

Thanks for that link Jon, also after conducting a proper google search I also found these 2 places selling it in Australia:

http://www.booktopia.com.au/the-beach-boys-faq/prod9780879309879.html (http://www.booktopia.com.au/the-beach-boys-faq/prod9780879309879.html)

http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Beach-Boys-FAQ-Jon-Stebbins/9780879309879 (http://www.fishpond.com.au/Books/Beach-Boys-FAQ-Jon-Stebbins/9780879309879)

Hmm. You know what? I can see your point. They definitely were at their most muscular as a band with Blondie and Ricky. And maybe Wild Honey might've been more commercial if it had a stronger guitar presence to beef up the sound. I don't know if it'd been better but who knows.

Wasn't just Blondie & Ricky -(although again, I haven't had a chance to read the book yet.  I'm sure Jon goes into this)- but there was a definite Latin influence in the band at that time.  Wouldn't be surprised to find out that Carlos Munoz had something to do with this...

Jon I liked reading that too though it hadn't occured to me. Question do you think David would have got as good as he did had he remained a Beach Boy?

I think I see what you mean. I, for one, was always confused about the group not including the signature guitar riff in their version of I Was Made To Love Her that was in the original Stevie Wonder version.

If Brian Wilson had been a guitar player instead of a piano player then its likely that all the BB songs including those on Wild Honey would be more guitar-driven.

But he wasn't, he was a piano player, and if he hadn't been he would have written different songs, and the BBs wouldn't have been anything like they were, and you and I probably wouldn't be nuts about them in the way we are. (Actually, probably not true...) ;D

If I want to hear guitars I'll listen to a guitar band, not listen to the Beach Boys and wish there were more guitars. I think the arrangements of the whole Wild Honey/Friends era are perfect the way they are, complete with all many and varied guitar parts.

Jon. you have a straightforward, unvarnished style that is in refreshing contrast to more typical puffery. Gets right to the heart of things without pulling any more punches than necessary. Looking forward to perusing this thoroughly at my leisure!

That theory would make sense if it did...but it doesn't. Brian Wilson gained fame and all of his cache in a guitar driven band. His first TEN hits were guitar songs. Am I not mistaken to think that he wrote those songs on a piano and managed to allow them to be re-worked and then released as guitar songs? Would it have been so strange that after a slight shift to keyboard driven sound that Brian might have experimented with a more guitar present sound again? Not at all. i love Wild Honey and Friends too. That's not the point. The point is Brian was ignoring an arrow in his quiver which unfortunately was one reason the Beach Boys lost significant popularity in a certain environment called 1967/68. That is history.

Every book that Jon has written has greatly advanced the cause -- and FAQ is no exception. I love this book for a thousand reasons, but mainly because it's fun. Loving the Beach Boys is fun. Yeah, the music is God-drenched, their story is horrific -- yet biblical, they're the ultimate hometown heroes -- yet (at times) total ass h oles, but loving it all -- or even hating some of it -- is a blast. That's what this book is about. Writing a book like this was a double-edged sword -- does he make it a "101 Beach Boys for Dummies" -- or does he write it for "us." Luckily, as always, Jon wrote for HIM, and it somehow perfectly covered all the basis. In addition to spelling it all out with historical accuracy, this book is hysterical. This is what it's like to hang out with Stebbins and talk about Rock (one of my favorite things to do in life.) I love the fact that an 11-year-old can pick up this book (the way I did with the Byron Priess book) and be turned on to a whole new world -- yet with no spin, all the facts -- and with GREAT HUMOR, too.

As much as this book is a testament to the band, it's also a testament to the SmileySmile board. Although we've all had our moments here (idiocy and brilliance) this place is unparallelled in "Rockdom." No other band has an online community so well-versed in their lives and careers -- not Elvis, The Beatles, not The Stones, not The Who, and not Zeppelin. We are the standard bearers here. Jon did the impossible; he wrote a book for the kid who knows nothing AND for us -- and he NAILED IT.

Tremendous f u cking job.

He's three for three.

Aww man.. I just got this book and opened straight to the page where Brian's wonderful Christmas album is harshly dismissed in four sentences.  No mention of the fantastic title track or the wonderful harmonies/production throughout..  I hope I can get through a book that is going to crap on things I love.  This book might keep people from checking that album out, if they haven't already..  a true holiday delight (in my humble opinion.)    Even "Looking Back with Love" gets more love than this.

Anyway, I just got this and the Beatles FAQ 2.0 (not written by John).  It's too bad the Beach Boys book isn't as big as the 2.0 Beatles book since it covers a much longer time period..  It's cool to see these books, though..  I can't wait to dive in. .. though I have to be ready to get mad.  Mostly because I want people to like the Beach Boys and Brian's music and I'll have to be like "dude, despite what the book says, check this LP out."

Just ordered mine today..Wonder how long it will take to get it to my house..? 400 pages ..? should be interesting..And i agree.. BW Xmas lp is a nice record..I enjoy it very much..

I really want that book ! I guess I'm waiting a little while though and order it together with Brian's Disney album.

You're talking about personal taste here. Personally I like guitars better than pianos. Had Wild Honey had more guitar, I would probably like it better. But that doesn't mean it would objectively be better. (I think had they recorded it in real studios it would have been better IMHO ;D.)

My favorite tracks on it are I'd Love Just Once to See Her and How She Boogalooed It - no pianos :).

Something was bugging me about this thread, and about the excerpts posted from the book, and then I figured it out.

Jon cares _a lot_ about what people think of the band. He wants the general public to think of the band as cool, and he wants them -- even retroactively -- to burn up the charts. It seems to be one of the motivations behind the Marks and Dennis books, too. Hey, look at these cool guys who were part of what seems like a boring oldies band, and who could have made it as cool as they were!

I respect this opinion, and for people who are a little closer in time chronologically to the band -- or people who actually live the SoCal lifestyle -- perhaps it really hits home.

But to me, I've never liked the band because they were cool. I thought the music was good. And I think most music fans in their 20s and 30s see Brian and the BBs music -- at least the unquestionably great stuff from the 60s and early 70s -- as good. It just seems like the overall battle for the BB's legacy 1.) cannot possibly be won, and 2.) has already been won. That is, the pop culture silliness of latter-day Beach Boys is just a fact, as is the cheesiness of Mike. No amount of retroactive grumping about keyboard-based albums can change that. But secondly, discerning folks know how great the work is, and appreciate it for that.

Why else would the Smile Sessions be coming out? Why did the Pet Sounds sessions come out? Why did the POB double set? Record companies don't issue these things out of the goodness of their hearts, or to be educational. They do it because there's a market. That is, enough people want to buy this weird, arty music in expensive packaging.

These are the facts: People get fat. People go crazy. People get old. People disappoint us. People die without fulfilling their potential. And in the rock and pop world -- one that is obsessed with youth -- all of these things are unforgivable. But they are also unavoidable.

-----

(Edit: This is in no way a personal attack on Jon, whose credentials and bibliography are impeccable -- and whose posts are often outstanding. I look forward to receiving my copy of the book. I just find it interesting how different perspectives on this band, its members and its history can be. We all start from such different places!)

Just FYI...the section about guitars and Wild Honey is in a section devoted to my opinion on what were some of the significant "artistic missteps" that hurt the Beach Boys popularity when they occurred. This is a historical perspective and has little to do with trying to make the Beach Boys cool retroactively. To go non-guitar in 1968 might be fun and quirky from a 2011 perspective, but in 1968 it was popularity suicide. That's my point. Its a very simple point. It has to do with the context of 1968...and I know many people have a problem with that because their perspectives want to ignore such contextual arguments because they cannot get their heads around it in a clear way now. I try to remind people that the cultural factors in play when these releases happened are part of why the Beach Boys had such wild swings of popularity, up and down. The missteps section points out things like missing Monterey, touring with Maharishi, going soft on guitars as being significant in the Beach Boys loss of their fan base back then. Its not about me wanting them to be more popular, its just a fact they lost it, and I'm giving plausible reasons why. As far as Friends and Wild Honey being good or not...in my opinion they were GREAT. In the section where I write about each album individually, both of these records are described in a very positive way. I love them both, and that will be clear to you when you read the book. And thanks for the kind words too, I appreciate that so many people care enough to take my writing seriously. I try hard to make it interesting.

Whatever Jon, cat's out of the bag, we all know you want to hear a John Stamos guitar solo in Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder).

Wow...you really know how to create nightmarish imagery. That is a chilling thought.

It would be awesome if David and Carl had dueling shredding guitars as a change up as Carl could really go wild on guitar if he we was given the chance, which wasn't often. I wonder what Carl's and David's relationship was like up until Carl died.  The post Brian period of the early 1970s would have been really interesting to hear with Carl and David playing together.

I'll be joining DJ Dennis King on the radio tonight at 7:15 PST (10:15 EST) to talk about my new Beach Boys FAQ book, and we'll be giving one away to a caller. Join us if you can.

Island Time Radio Show
Hosted by DK the DJ
WBWC 88.3 FM, wbwc.com

Still listed as "not yet released" on the site where I usually order my books and CDs...  :-\

That was pretty cool Jon!! 
I thoroughly enjoyed hearing you on the web/radio; nice to know you're out there getting some promo, maybe you'll be doing more radio? 

And to top it all off?  I called in and won the prize package!!!!

Just got my copy - only up to page xiii but so far it's damn good.  ;D

Trippin on this review...
http://psychobabble100.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/review-the-beach-boys-faq/

kick his ass man

Been skinning and dipping in Jon's book for a few days, and it's a great read. You're a BB fan, you need this book - not so much BB FAQ as BB101. There's stuff that will piss just about everyone off at one time or another (particularly if you're a fan of Stamos) and stuff that will surprise. Essential.

Ah, Stamos is a benign character in the whole of the Beach Boys story. I neither love him or hate him.

I love the book. I agree with Jon that in the late 60's, a little harder edge to their music would have helped with their popularity in the U.S.. Adding that edge to their live shows really helped in the early to mid-70's revival. It's weird that even during that time that they never went that route in the studio. From Sunflower through Holland there are only a handful of tracks that have a hard guitar edge to them.

Terrific job Jon! :)

That's missing the point. The early 60s BBs were a Surf band with a Surf sound. They were primitive and played guitars because that's what they had and because that's what Chuck Berry did.

The first ten hits weren't all guitar songs (BTTYS, WIGUTBAM, for instance, California Girls just outside the 10) and I'd seriously question whether BW 'gained fame and all of his cache in a guitar driven band', and I'd hardly describe Pet Sounds and Smile as 'a slight shift to keyboard driven sound'. What Brian was doing was maturing. He'd grown out of guitars, which is why he didn't use them in the way he had before (though are still all over Friends and Wild Honey).

And I don't think its as simple as saying if the Beach Boys had followed their peers into more guitar-driven work they wouldn't have had the hiatus. There were other reasons: the material (and not just the arrangements), the terrible wardrobe misjudgements, the fact that all the BBS apart from Dennis and Mike were by the standards of the day uncool, that fact that they sang like girls etc.

I know what you're saying, but I don't think any number of guitars would have made any difference.

Its just one factor, and all of the others you mentioned as being significant are equally emphasized in the book...and more.

Guitars would've made "The Little Girl I Once Knew" a hit and "Sloop John B." even cooler. Even The Association was guitar based. The hippest sound in the world in the mid-'60s was the guitar and Brian dumped it save for intros on "California Girls" and "WIBN." Even their "return to surf" -- "Do It Again" -- lacks a substantial guitar track. All these clips of dudes miming to keyboard-based tunes strumming guitars, think about it -- it's weird, no???

Imagine David Marks returning in '71 and serving as their Terry Kath. It would've been major.

Wtf there's guitar all over Little Girl i Once Knew and California Girls and Sloop John B

Not rock guitar there isn't.

Guys, what are we really doing here? Why were Pet Sounds, Good Vibrations, Smile, et cetera so acclaimed? Because they took the pop/rock formula and turned it on its head. Instead of a guitar we have a cello and a bike whistle and a theremin and animal noises and people chewing on vegetables.

Would Barbara Ann even have been a hit if it had electric guitar and drums? Maybe not.

hell yes it would, the live version in 1965 with brian is GREAT

I'll buy that! Too bad it didn't happen.

But Blondie wasn't so bad, was he?  And I don't think he was ever fully utilized.

I'll agree that it was great. but it was also only a minute long.

But Aegir, even you would have to admit that it's the production and the vocals -- above the instrumentation of "GV" -- that stole the show, and that PET SOUNDS has been given a masterpiece status with an asterisk by the rest of the world (*** Brilliant work that wasn't seen at the time) and SMILE -- well, it never came out, man. But, having heard nearly everything -- SMILE would've been far better with more guitar!!!! 1000 times better. Having tasteful electric rock guitar with balls -- ala say, George Harrison and/or Paul McCartney-- would've benefited EVERYTHING the Beach Boys did after 1964. The guitar was the touchstone sound that connected the youth. It was everything. Listen to PEPPER!!! Having that tool in Brian's arsenal would've been tremendous. But, as we all know, he opted for tack pianos and accordions -- not in addition to, but INSTEAD OF guitars. Imagine electric guitars driving a track like "Darlin'" on Top 40 radio at the time??? Even when they scaled things back at Bellagio, the guitar tracks STILL had the sensibilities and lack of bite of a 50-year-old session dude with a pot belly and a pompadour. It's one of the few things I would've changed musically about the band. I would've rather had that, than Carl earnestly strumming intricate piano chords on his Epiphone -- despite the fact that there were 43 keyboardists on stage at any given time.

I'm just saying, it coulda been cooler -- and it coulda been cooler REALLY EASY.

I'll agree with that. I love the live version of Let the Wind Blow with the awesome guitar solo.

This point is emphasized with incredible enthusiasm in the Beach Boys FAQ book! Other points are considered as well.

No it would not. It is the special sound of the studio version that made it a hit. Is there any 1965/66 single that sounds like that? If there ever was a recording with a happy fun vibe, this is it. Everybody did e-guitar and drums, the instrumentation of "Barbara Ann" and the party atmosphere make it outstanding.

About the guitar or not discussion: As I already said, I prefer guitars to pianos. When I listen to late 1963-1964 BB album tracks I always wish that it was a guitar that plays the rhythm guitar part - alas no, it's a piano playing what should be the rhythm guitar part. But if one claims the late 60s singles would have fared better with guitars on them, I'll just say "Good Vibrations".

If you have your biggest hit with hardly any guitar on it, why, from that point of view, should you go "back" to a guitar sound?

I don't know. Maybe because all your singles after that were bombs and your LP's barely chart??? Is that reason enough to add a guitar track or two???

I doubt anything would have changed their decline in popularity. The clock just ran out on their uber-popularity, they still maintained a more [much more maybe] modest and long lived popularity.

Although hindsight is 20/20, there are dozens of things they could've done. One, for instance, would have been to tour with WB artists upon signing with Reprise. Warners had such a distinctive stamp of coolness and quality, that even today you can still discern between a WB "act" and all others. You never felt that with the Beach Boys. Making a double LP -- that too could've helped -- at the very least it would've gotten them coverage. The bottom line is -- their frontman had a comb-over in 1968. Rishikesh connections aside, it's hard to recover from that. But there are MANY, MANY ways that the Beach Boys could've stayed viable.

C'mon man...you are too smart to actually believe that. To go from Good Vibrations to Smiley Smile in 10 months is like hitting yourself in the face with a hammer.

And also, let's never underestimate the band backing out of Monterey. Forget any talk of the backlash, which was instantly forgotten -- NO ONE was thinking about the Beach Boys long enough to hold a grudge in June 1967. That performance -- and the film of it -- would've kept them on the map. It defined Simon & Garfunkel's presence on the scene in '67, and would've done the same with the Beach Boys. The six-man lineup (dressed in "street clothes") doing a heavily rehearsed set of tunes a la the Heider sessions, would've done wonders. No one would've been accusing them of "chasing anybody" after that. The saddest thing about the Beach Boys is that THEY blew it -- not changing times or fickle fans. It was the fact that they were/are SO provincial that they could never see beyond the now.

Ah, such brilliant statements to read & hear, so early in the morning...
I can almost hear these words rolling off your tounge, my man; wish you'd come back to L.A.!

Smart has nothing to do with it in my opinion. If I were in control it might have gone different but my feeling is the group wouldn't have done any better gussied up with guitars. At the time I loved Wild Honey, I thought it had everything going for it that would put it over the top with fans. Blued Soul, "Psycho"delic [to me], the most far out B side I had ever heard, didn't make any dif.

Not "gussied up" with guitars -- but rather intergrating guitars into the musical mix. Big difference. One might even equate it as the difference between the tougher-edged Carpenters tracks and the softer sounding America singles. One is Adult Contemporary one is Classic Rock. Guitars could've proved crucial to getting the band established on early '70s FM radio. As it stands now, "Sail On Sailor" is it. . . barely (and less and less every year.)

When WB was rejecting those '70s albums, rather than saying, "Where's the single?" they should've been asking -- "Where are the GUITARS???"

A great example in how the band could've featured guitar more prominently in the Western/Bellagio era would be how XTC used a Rickenbacker during their "Smiley" pastiche "Pale And Precious."

Imagine "It's O.K." with a blistering guitar track???

Or "Rock And Roll Music" with an actual worthwhile guitar solo! Oh wait...

You didn't say guitars, you said "I doubt ANYTHING would have changed their decline in popularity." I love Wild Honey too...although it feels like its missing something...hmm.

"Pale and Precious", now there's a great song. The best Beach Boys song the group never wrote.

Right, I opine anything which includes the guitars you opine and digeridoo, cow bell, farty synths and everything they actually did try.

In the case of Wild Honey a production quality that did those great songs justice might have been the thing to try.

May have or the vibe and look and ethos and nature of the songs and group may have still not caught on with the fans. The not-you-and-me-and-everybody-on-this-board fans I mean.

I'll be interviewed live on CKWW 580 AM "Detroit's Oldies Radio Station" tomorrow morning at 8:45 PST (11:45 a.m. EST) and will be talking to DJ Charlie O'Brien about my new Beach Boys FAQ book.
You can hear it streaming live at http://www.am580radio.com/

got mine ordered today. can't wait to read it......

And that was their problem throughout their whole carreere. I really think Derek Taylor and Jack Rieley had the right sense but didn't stay long enough to change very much unfortunately.





Same here. I ordered it together with Brian's Disney album. So I should held both in my hands at the end of this month.

Looking forward to reading your book, especially the Myke part! :) Great review, too.

Ive allready gone thru the book 3 times and its a fine book.!.. stuff about BW since he started touring in 99 is revealing + disturbing.. And probably the truth..I met David Leaf in 99 + asked him why BW was touring.. He said if BW wants to be a recording artist he has to tour + promote his work.. I guess U could call that being forced.. Also the incident that happened in 99 backstage was i believe in Anaheim..BW came out for 2nd set + apologized to crowd  + said he would try harder..The incident in 07 with Al Jardine touring.. Made me feel sad for BW..... Maybe BW should stop touring + make records if he wants to + chill..Its time to stop pushing him..maybe.. Noticed the 79 incident with Dennis + Mike is recounted but 81 greek theatre incident never gets a mention anywhere.. By anyone + it was mentioned in L.A. Times.. I know i saw it happen + so did 10 000 other people.. I guess John you werent there that nite.. Same thing just different year.. LOVE YOUR BOOK.. BTW i think i met U once..01 CW benefit .. I was the one wearing the Smile tshirt.. El Ray theatre.. cheers Paul

Thanks to all above for the orders, and the feedback.

What is the '81 Greek Theater incident?

This book sounds like a great overall read. Definitely will buy this book to learn about the real story of Brian's touring.

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,3878.0.html

and

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,6697.0.html

Those 81 reviews left out part of the incident.. Dennis introduced BJ solo spot at end of intro he called Barry Mainilow some names stood on top of BJ piano and waived at everybody and turned around + shook his ass at crowd.. Funny thing was the whole crowd was laughing + Dennis had them in the palm of his hand..!! Dennis left and BJ did his song.. The whole band came back to play again and during 1st song Dennis kicked whole drum set off riser onto Mike.. Song came crashing to a halt.. They took a break then came back without Dennis.. Later Dennis came back onstage.. And yes that BW incident did happen also..Funny thing was ..That show was 10 times better than the Long Beach show. They sounded MUCH better..I dont think Bw had any problems with Microphone either.. He started to sing and then asked Bruce for help.. happened more than once..In My Room in particular.. I dont tell this tale to put down BB.. I think they are the greatest R+R band from America..PERIOD.!!!!!!.. But it is a matter of public record..Paul

Dennis also had the audience in the palm of his hand in Oakland (I think 1976) when he looked out into the crowd and said in a very low tone close to the mic:

"Look at all the big t*ts."   ;D

book arrived today. damn fine book you wrote mr. stebbins! interesting and enjoyable reading.

I just randomly found it as I always scan for BB books at my local Books a Million...(usually there's no BB books at all) So I was ultimately surprised when I saw this (what looks to be) great book. I'm taking it to work with me tomorrow, prolly get a big chunk read. It's amazing, I had some different writings I wanted to throw together and one of them is VERY similar, almost scary, was an article on the Beach Boys and Beatles connection (through songs) such as their performing of Imagine, the Back in the USSR connection, Here There and Everywhere, etc.

BTW, thanks for the shout out to the message board!

Umm.. that BW story about sound system being FUNKY.. I dont buy,, I was there.. The Reason HE swatted the mike + asked for help from Bruce is because BW couldnt do the vocals like the record.... couple weeks before long beach there was same reaction..BW was on stage without Carl.. Tryin to sing Carl + Al"s part.. BW was pissed off ..!!He couldnt do it + nobody came to his aid till he requested it..  I will NEVER understand how they could leave him naked out there + not cover up what he couldnt do.... All the slow songs started with a BW vocal.. When somebody else {Bruce} should have done it.... Sorry i was there + thats my opinion..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks

Good to hear its in a store that normally has no Beach Boys books, I wish I could have spent more time on the Beatles Beach Boys connections and mutual admiration.

So far, great read!

Mine arrived today! Looks great and I'll start to read it tonight. Congratulations Jon!

Mr Stebbins,
I just finished the book, it was a very enjoyable reading and I can and will recommend this fine piece of work. I especially liked the "What's Wrong?"and "No Go Showboat" chapters, not expecting them in a book apparently written by a fan and not a neutral music journalist. It seems that your book "Dennis Wilson: The Real Beach Boy" is out of print, I hope it will be published again in the future. If so, I'll promise you, I'll be the first to buy it.

The whole Beach Boys reading experience made me even more waiting for Oct 28th, when SMilE is at last published after all those years...
 :)

Real quick, I have a brief question:
in the Today section of the book (page 54 I believe); Jon states that "the ending has a semi-psychedelic string fade that was ahead of its time"...my question is: is that fade really considered partially psychedelic? I'm not questioning Jon's approach...but do you really think it is?

I was only 8 years old at the time, but that ending was the first piece of music that blew my mind. ;)

I can see why

For years, I only knew songs from the very first greatest hits album (Best of the Beach Boys), yes, the one released right after Pet Sounds (with the oddly thrown in tune: Louie Louie, which I love because of this album!), which was on an 8-track and later had a cassette of Still Cruisin.....so that's what BB stuff I knew by age 14...then, in 2000 or so, I bought BB GH (20 More Good Vibrations) which introduced me to Please Let Me Wonder, Caroline No, Little Girl I Once Knew, (I already knew H&V which I thought was weird but awesome), and then Wild Honey, Darlin, Bluebirds, Do it Again, I can Hear Music, CottonFields, and Breakaway...which blew me away, especially Please Let Me Wonder...I can't believe I didn't know that for years!

and I'm not saying it's not psychedelic but I'm lacking in the very interesting genre of psychedelicacy besides very well know Beatles, BB, Monkees, and basic oldies you hear on the radio...so I'm not too good at identifying that kinda stuff...Let alone, I thought the song Wild Honey was psychedelic  ;)

I just didn't consider any of the side psychedelic...most it, I considered Phil Bacharach, er, I mean Burt Spector.  ;D

For that period in 1965, that ending certainly was not typical of a rock ballad. So, if it is not quite psychedelic, it was damn close to what was to come by the end of the year and through the next.

Exactly. A harbinger perhaps. Call it neo-psychedelic, impressionistic, or avante-garde...no matter, the last seconds of "In The Back Of My Mind" was a little weird, and ahead of its time.

good call....just read passed the Good Vibes chapter....it's good stuff Jon

I just finished an interview with iconfetch this morning. Tony asked some great questions, and he seems very enthusiastic about the upcoming Smile release and the Beach Boys history in general. Alan Boyd's interview will be up on their site next, and then mine should be up there in a week or so after that.

http://iconfetch.com/great-music-interviews/upcoming-shows/420-beach-boys-faq-jon-stevvins-author-interview.html

Jon Stevvins ?

At least they got it right on the site.

Just put my copy on hold at my local Barn's N Noble!

I'm happily supporting my local bookstore while they still exist!

Mr. Stebbins: Any word on the e-book edition yet? I'm a weirdo & don't like buying paperbacks. I figure, why chop down the trees and waste the ink when we already have computers? I'm sure I'll break down and buy the paperback eventually if your book isn't released online, but I'd really prefer the other option...

I really appreciate your interest, and I forward all requests like yours directly to the publisher. They are a bit vague on the timing of a digital version...the print version is finally getting released in the UK in the next couple of weeks. I'd imagine that soon after the initial big wave of hard copies have sold that a digital download format will then become available. I hope I'm right.

Released in the UK on the 15th of November, according to Amazon!

Hope my meagre finances allow me to pick one of these up. Who needs food, anyway....

Just received my copy. It looks very nice. I'll start reading soon - probably while having In Concert on the stereo. It's good to have an up-to-date book fr the 50th anniversary written by someone who knows what he's talking/writing about. I also look forward to Mike Eder's book and the other one by *I'm very sorry, I forgot your name*.

Could it be:

50 Sides of The Beach Boys by Mark Dillon.

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,10218.0.html (http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,10218.0.html)

Exactly !

Coming to a bookstore near you in June 2012...

Finally reading this book more...and using it in a college essay for my History of Rock class as a resource  :)

Excellent, looking forward to it!

Wright on! Hope you get a good grade.

Thanks Mr. Stebbins.

A wealth of reviews on my new The Beach Boys FAQ book are starting to accumulate... below is a link to some particularly kind comments ...
http://www.thejonstebbins.com/beachboysfaq-reviews.html

And here's a review that appeared in this weeks Scene magazine in London...

 THE BEACH BOYS FAQ: ALL THAT’S LEFT TO KNOW ABOUT AMERICA’S BAND BY JON STEBBINS • BACKBEAT BOOKS, 2011 • 318 PAGES

It’s only fair to preface this review by saying I’m a big fan of the Beach Boys. For me, pop music hit a high watermark with the intricate, unmistakable har- monies of the Wilson boys – Carl, Dennis, Brian – their cousin Mike Love, fami- ly friend Al Jardine, surrogate Bruce Johnson and a rotating cast of band mates. Pair those voices with some of the most inspired music of its time, and you’ve got a listening experience that’s both genuinely transcendent and demonstra- bly appealing to the masses. Now, I’m willing to accept that the Beach Boys are also one of the most polarizing cultural entities of the last half-century and that not everybody feels the same way as me about their contribution to popu- lar music. But if you are fan of the group with an appetite for the minutiae of their career, author Jon Stebbins’ recently released book - The Beach Boys FAQ: All That’s Left to Know about America’s Band – will be indispensible addition to your library. It’s all here, presented in compact, tightly-written essays: the band’s early days, an examination of father Murray Wilson’s impact on the band, inventories of artistic and public relation missteps, evalu- ations of creative triumphs – including commentaries on the making of Pet Sounds, Good Vibrations and the aborted Smile Sessions – chapters exploring the troubled genius of Brian Wilson, the obscured genius of Dennis Wilson and the obstinate genius of Mike Love; as well as lists of band members – past and pres- ent – album track listings, chart performances – in short, pretty much everything promised by the book’s title. Through it all, Stebbins – who’s been involved with numerous Beach Boy-related projects - retains his authoritative voice on the subject without becoming authoritarian, which imbues the text with the appeal of listening to a well-informed friend rave about his favourite musical group. A “one-one-wonderful” effort.

Chris Morgan
Scene Magazine, London

Pretty much done with the book, about the start on the Wilson Bro's being Carpenters...and actually 1/2 through that...It was awesome seeing "official" information about the Cocaine Sessions...some of that info, I had no idea about...just the audio and the Les Chan interview, which took place around that time, right?

I just received my new kindle in the mail yesterday.  After reading this thread I immediately went to the kindle "store" to purchase the new book along with the Lost Beach Boy. 

After surfing around and looking under different tabs links, etc, I found no kindle books by Jon and precious few about the beach boys on kindle.  The only thing of interest to me was the Carlin book, which I have read thrice in hard back.
You can get it on kindle for 10.00 US dollars.

I found a menu where one could request that a publisher make a certain book availabe on kindle.  No promises.

Wtih Borders and others closing, and kindle having such a sparse selection, I guess I'll have to resort to buying paper books through Amazon.

I had hoped I could get most anything on the kindle.  Very disappointed.  (Not with Jon, but with the kindle).

Sorry Donald...I'm lobbying like crazy to make the FAQ book available on Kindle and other digital formats...not sure yet if I have the leverage to succeed. I can say without a doubt the new edition of the Real Beach Boy will be immediately offered as a digital product at the time of its release, on that one i do have the necessary leverage.

The interview I did with Jon about his Beach Boys FAQ book is now posted on our site.  The shortened link is:

http://bit.ly/tqWKzc

There's also some "bonus" content available only to Icon Fetch users - Jon talks about which BB album is his favorite.  Registering is free and takes about 30 seconds.

Don't forget, once you get Smile -- you can leave questions on our site for co-producers Mark Linett and Alan Boyd to answer.  They'll be back on the show in a week or so.

Enjoy!


Tony
Icon Fetch
www.iconfetch.com