The Smiley Smile Message Board

Discuss, review and rate Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson, released May 2, 2006.

(http://www.smileysmile.net/images/albums/catchawavebook.jpg) (http://www.bestwebbuys.com/1594863202)

On the SMiLE Shop, there is a large thread with Peter posting about his book.

Just a head's up!

Catch a Wave : The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson
by Peter Ames Carlin
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594863202/qid=1139333683/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/102-4632854-1456960?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
Due May 6, 2006

Book Description

Brian Wilson was the visionary behind America's most successful and influential rock band.  And as the leader of the Beach Boys, he sold 100 million records, produced Pet Sounds, and built a catalog of songs that continues to define the sound and feel of American popular music.  He also became one of the culture's most mysterious and tragic figures.  But after spending years lost in a wilderness of despair, Wilson has fought his way back to productivity.  And now with teh release of Smile - the masterwork that nearly undid him - he has returned to music's center stage.
 
Now Peter Ames Carlin, who conducted in-depth, exclusive interviews with dozens of sources and listened to hundreds of hours of unreleased studio recordings and live music, tells a uniquely American story of the band, the music, and the culture the Beach Boys both sang about and helped create.  Carlin brings a fan's passion, a seasoned journalist's objectivity, and a cultural critic's insight to his subject, and the result is a magesterial and authoritative account of the Beach Boys' visionary figure, who has emerged into a new era of creativity.

About the Author

PETER AMES CARLIN's award-winning reportage on Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys has appeared in the New York Times, People, American Heritage, and the Portland Oregonian, where he is currently the newspaper's television critic.  Previously he was a senior writer for People in New York.

Well, hi. Here I am. In the cyber-flesh. I wrote that there book, with lots of help from usual suspects Reum, Hanes, etc. I think it turned out okay, too, though at this point I'm way more interested to hear what other people think about it. But that won't be possible 'til early May (or maybe a few weeks before that, given the way publishing goes).

Anyway.

I'll be happy to answer questions or what-have-you. Fire away.

Thank you, Peter!

Peter,

re: the 66/67 SMiLE-era: who did you get to speak with from that era and (without giving anything away)what is the shortened version of your assessment of what happened? Also, based on your research, how close is the version told by Dom Priore to what you discovered?

Hi Rob: Let's see...I talked to Brian, of course....VDP, Vosse, Mike, Al, Danny Hutton, Carol Kaye, Hal Blaine, Jules Siegel, probably a few others. I read tons of stuff, listened to tons of stuff. What happened....hmm....my sense was that it was a lot more complicated than the version I grew up believing (in which aspiring but fragile Brian is smited by the surfin' troglodytes). Which isn't to say that that version is entirely wrong, or that some aspects of that story aren't exactly right. But what I kept coming back to in every aspect of BW's life is paradox. It goes all the way back: Murry loved his boys beyond belief, but often communicated it by tormenting them. Brian to this day uses "love" and "fear" nearly interchangeably. ("It's good scary," was the lovely line he told me a couple of years back describing the fear he'd felt on the night he finallly debuted 'Smile' in London). Isn't it amazing how sad "Pet Sounds" reads, even though the music itself is so beautiful and inventive it sounds ecstatic?

This is a guy who did his best work when he was the most freaked out. And "Smile" was a horizon or two beyond anything he'd done before, in terms of form/content. This was not an intellectual exercise for him. This was the sound of a guy trying desperately to channel a lot of scary, confusing, screwed-up feelings into a kind of musical art that had never been attempted before. While his family resisted him. While his psyche was fracturing. While he took more and more drugs to escape the foregoing. In a sense, it would have been shocking if it HAD worked out.

That said, I can't really comment one way or another on Dom's recent book...it came out when I was already deep into my own "Smile" research/writing, and so I resisted the urge to dive in and read the whole thing...for weird writers' reasons that are mostly visceral and hard to explain. I had a line on what I'd come to understand and what I wanted to say and sometimes reading another guy's version of the same story can really screw me up. That said, Dom is a cool guy and he figures in my book in his own distinct way.

I can't wait to read your book.  The personal and artistic tragedy at the heart of the Brian Wilson's (and The Beach Boys') story aside, one of the biggest fascinations for me about it is that, as you suggest here, it's enigmatic nature.  There's a sort of 'Rashomon'  quality about it.  It's like a riddle that's never been solved and, I don't know, may never be solved fully and to everyone's satisfaction.  Do you think you've come any closer to solving it, and if so, by how much? 

Peter, does your book address in any fashion Brian's history of having partners who end up being replaced or shut out of Brian's inner circle?  Mike Love, Gary Usher, Andy Paley, Gene Landy, Joe Thomas, Van Dyke Parks, and perhaps others, all stuck with and supported Brian through different trying times, but eventually either left or were told to leave.  Certainly some, like Landy, needed to leave, but in the end, it seems like there is a big price to pay to get that close to Brian.  Even record companies seem to get the boot very quickly.

sounds great!

Charles: Yes, I tried to address Brian's revolving world of friends/collaborators. Again, it seems to come down most often to choices he made for himself, for often obscure reasons, which were then enforced by others, most often at BW's instigation. Despite what I (and possibily you) suspected for years and years, BW is way more responsible for his circumstances than it usually seems. When he wants something -- e.g., Alan Jardine in the Beach Boys, despite Murry's initial success at ejecting AJ in 9/61 -- he gets it. When he's done with someone -- Usher in '63 -- he's more than happy to let Murry have his way. If he'd wanted to stick with VDP and his "Smile" crew (Anderle, Vosse, etc.) in '66/'67 he could have, but ultimately the project (and related circumstances) ovewhelmed him, so he more than happily let Mike, et. al play the bad guy and get rid of them. And on and on through David Sandler (fizzled out when Warner asked Sandler to help BW produce a new Beach Boys album in '73), Andy Paley, etc. etc.

More on this later....gotta clean up the kitchen now.

pac

Wow, Peter, that sounds great and very interesting !! Can't wait for your book !!

One of the better things about the Gaines book - he coigned the phrase "Brian's New Best Friend". Respect.

Peter --

Will your book primarily be a Brian Wilson bio or will it focus time (not necessarily equally) on all six Beach Boys (YMMV on the number, up to 9)?  That is, will you only be addressing BB issues if Brian is on the stage?  I would especially be curious about the prime touring years (1971-4) and Denny's last years with the band.

Peter,

Thanks for coming here and talking with us. I was wondering how you tackled the Landy years. Will there be any new insight into what the Landy/Wilson relationship consisted of? Will you be going in depth into Brian's stay in Hawaii during his rehabilitation? Who did you talk to about that era?

Thanks and I look forward to reading your book.

Jeff: The book is primarily about Brian, but there's stuff on all the guys, to the extent that their lives intersect with BW's. But that's quite a bit, it seemed. There's a certain amount of stuff about the non-BW touring years in the early '70s, but it's not a huge chunk of material. Mostly I was trying to figure out what Brian was up to during those years, but i was also interested in how the Beach Boys figured in the larger cultural scene of the '70s, and how they adapted the themes they'd been working since the early '60s to fit the post-Woodstock era.

Landy....yeh, I tried to figure that out. It's a trick because many of the major players (particularly E.E. Landy himself) are either unwilling or legally restrained from speaking on the record. BW speaks about it a bit, and other witnesses have their own memories and impressions. But again, I came away with the sense that it was a little more complicated than it seems at first. Someone said: even Landy wasn't Landy until Brian made him that way. That stuck with me.

That sounds related to the answer to my question.  The people who, on the surface, appeared to use Brian were being manipulated by Brian at the same time.

Did Marilyn contribute anything to the book? Do we investigate his marriage and love life? What about Melinda? Any dirt on her?

Bubba: I spoke to Marilyn briefly, but mostly ran up against her current husband Daniel, who for reasons I never quite understood resisted my many, many, many attempts to do a full-bore interview with Marilyn. Carnie was more cooperative. Melinda too. As for "dirt"....again, this is complicated stuff, and it's not always easy to say who's doing dirt to whom. Or why there is always a kind of Murry-like figure in Brian's life, who others can point to and say: he/she is the problem.

EXACTLY! People just love to point the fingers.

I know I do....


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PAC,

I know you don't want to give too much away about your book's contents, but just a question...

Does Mike or Al comment on Brian's SMiLE tour?

Can't wait for the book! Great title, btw. Really strong.

I'll be buying it for sure!

Any new revelations about Brian's "lost years", i.e. the period after Spring but before Landy?

Run: Mike had a lot to say about Brian's 'Smile,' but we didn't talk specifically about the tour. He was more interested in the album itself, and certain legal rights and privileges that might or might not have been violated.

Mr. Fear: I think those "lost years" were really about the death of Murry. And Dennis's life took a turn in mid-73 too, and not for the better. His ex-wife Barbara identifies that as the point where a cloud came over him. You could see it in Brian too: he put on a ton of weight, his personal habits got out of whack. And he didn't regain his balance 'til the next Murry -- E. Landy -- appeared.

 :o

I never made that connection, but you are right -- everything in the BB world changed after Murry died.  Holland was finished before his death -- and they never made another artistically valid release after.  Dennis never took charge like before.  Brian disappeared.  Carl lost his battle for the heart of the touring band.  Could it be that Murry's death and not Endless Bummer was the watershed event for the band?  I could see that argument.

I'm excited... ;) Can't wait to read your book....!!

Very much looking forward to this book!

What did Mike say about the SMiLE-music? Not the legal issues or the history, but the music itself?

Get the book!
Be surprised!

Yes, I agree with Ian, buy the book. And not just for yourself, but also for friends, relatives, strangers, etc.

But regarding Mike's views on "Smile," they seemed to be evolving. For instance he wanted to make clear that just because he didn't understand VDP's lyrics didn't mean he didn't like them, or that they shouldn't be used. It was an interesting interpretation, and one that made VDP gape in wonder when I repeated it to him. But you know how these things go.

Well, that'll make Cam Mott very happy!!  ;D

Can't wait for the book!

Sounds great, i'll be buying.

 8) Don´t worry, I will definately buy it.

I'm sure a wider view and better understanding will make us all happy. I'm looking forward to it too.

That phrase sounds familiar...all our resident authors use it. :)

Seriously, this sounds like the most interesting and illuminating Beach Boys related book ever.

Peter, apologies if this has been asked before, but how did you get into the Beach Boys universe? Were just a long-time fan, or were you already involved with earlier projects?

Andreas: Mostly a longtime fan. I came in with the "Endless Summer" crew in '74, got deeply into the BW myth/legend in '76 and stuck around ever since. Books, bootlegs, lots of shows, the whole thing. I met Dennis on the street in Seattle in '76, and the other guys (sans Brian) at a show I was reviewing in '87. Then I was writing a profile of Brian for People in '98 and got to hang out with him for a day or two, and that really started my serious writing about him. You can check out americanheritage.com (search for brian wilson) to see a recent example.

In the last decade or so I started thinking about Brian and the BB's in terms of American cultural history, both regarding their work (which I think echoes/extends the more dreamy, utopian aspects of the American character) and their lives (which reiterates the less pleasant facets). The tension between these two themes is what makes the music so indelible, I think. And what makes them, and particularly Brian, such fascinating and powerful characters.

Naturally, the story of "Smile" became the real pivot point to the whole story. It's all there, from the transcendence offered in the music to the fascination/anger it always seems to evoke.

It sounds like you have a great perspective on things. Definitely looking forward to the book!

Hi Peter.  Any thoughts on Andy Paley, and how he fits into - and was subsequently ejected from - Brian's world?  My observation is that he was really good for Brian, both musically and personally, and his loss is nobody's gain.  It's a piece of the puzzle that, well, puzzles me!

I really look forward to this book as well.  I was wondering, what you thought of Van Dyke and which Beach Boy was the coolest?  Did you talk to Bruce?  He seems to take one side one day and one the other. 

Also, does it go to the present day?

Susan: Andy is a cool guy and he and Brian did a lot of good work together. I'm particularly fond of the '90s stuff, and never really understood why it didn't come out. Why they went their separate ways kind of depends on whom you ask. It's like so many BW relationships, from VDP to David Sandler to Joe Thomas and beyond. Eventually they run out of steam and that's it. Brian's pretty good at not coming off like the heavy in these situations. But it sure does happen a lot in his life, doesn' it?

Forces: I love VDP, he's a terrific guy. Bruce I met briefly in '87, interviewed on the phone in '98 and then talked on the phone with/emailed a bunch enroute to his deciding not to do an invu this summer. I'm not sure what to think of him at this point, so I'll deflect that. Which of the BB's is the coolest? Hmm. Living or dead? Does David Marks count? or Blondie and Ricky? Or whoever is in the group right now?

Narrative-wise, the book goes up to the Fall of '05.

[koff]

Peter,

I noticed on the Smile Shop where you said a lot of your conclusions are "interpretive" . . . which is always a necessary thing, to a degree, in writing history or biography.

But it'll be interesting to see how the masses jump on you when the book comes out. Writing books based on people's memories is a dicey game.

I suspect you'll get hammered from both sides . . . Brian vs. Not . . . but it all comes with the territory (as you well know).

I'm really looking forward to reading this one. Great to have new Beach Boys scholarship in the pipeline.

M.

I really am very much looking forward to reading the book.

Peter, did Hal and Carol (were those the only two Crew you interviewed?) contribute anything new, beyond the usual accolades along the lines of what we read in the PS box set notes?  I'd love to have a conversation with Hal, man I can't even tell you.  Oh, hey, your publisher isn't interested in any additional scholarly beach-boys related books, is it? 

Hi Mark: Sure, I expect people from every given side to find stuff that they disagree with. The Brian world positively bristles with partisans with strong opinions, yes? Including the observers. (see also: the armed militias patrolling the which 'smile' songs were supposed to be in what order debate) Naturally I want everyone to love, like or at least respect my version of events. But is that realistic? I dunno. I hope so.

 AEijtzsche: I don't know if I got any serious revelations from Hal and Carol. A few interesting tidbits, for sure. And when it comes to selling beach boys books....you're on your own. Took me years (literally) to get mine going.

I'm sure I won't have any problems getting a huge buzz going for "Santa Ana Winds:  The Danelectro Bass Technique of Al Jardine  The untold heartbreak, trouble, and ultimate triumph of the under-rated Beach Boy:  An info-novel"

I still like the Monster In A USA Hat name.

Waiting for a Bus -- the Life of Al Jardine.

Man, I tell ya, in all seriousness, I would love to write Al's biography.  He's my favourite Beach Boys and I have a feeling he's got a compelling story to tell.

He would just get sued if he tried to tell it to anyone.

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If anyone wonders who is the person who actually rated the book a "5" it was me. It is a major contribution to the understanding of Brian and the Beach Boys from a 21st century perspective. There is a tendency to isolate Brian from the Beach Boys, and this to me is like taking California out of the USA. The Beach Boys are first and foremost a family.In fact they are a family business. Brian on his own is a major composer of songs and albums.

I think Peter has been able to understand the complexity of the family situation like few people have. Certainly, his timing is impeccable. There is a Brian renaissance and his reputation has been redeemed.

The version of the book I was fortunate to read is likely subject to some rewrites. As it read, it was the best longer treatment on Brian and the Boys I have read.

Thanks Peter.
This book will sell a lot of copies on release.

I know she didn't want to talk to Peter Ames Carlin, but the one "participant" in the BW/Beach Boys story whose book I would like read - would be Marilyn Wilson.

It's probably in her (and the Beach Boys) best interests that she doesn't write her memoirs.  But, oh, what stories she could tell...

I bet. And why hasn't Mike Love ever stepped up? (wrote a book)

I mean, these days, all you gotta do is talk while you eat steaks. Everyone else does the typing and listening.

The problem with Brian and the BB is that of the six blind men trying to describe an elephant. I've noticed that no matter what you say, or relate, or how authoritative your sources, someone will pop out of the woodwork and deny your story - hell, I've even been told "Brian doesn't remember that much, don't rely on what he says" (and it wasn't who you might think...). Everyone, but everyone, has their own story. The Heritage article was impressive. I'm awaiting this book eagerly. It has Brian's active particpation, which I don't think too many other books have had, at least not recently.

I'm also impressed with your realistic attitude regarding how people will take it. My dear ol' dad had a favorite saying - "can't tell someone something they don't want to hear". Hope you've cultivated a thick skin, or invested in body armor.  ;D Rest assured, the book will get a fair  reception amongst the likes of us. As for other boards... (glances meaningfully to the west... and shrugs).

No doubt I will buy this book.   

I can't wait for Peter's book to drop. Having hepled out some behind the scenes (Peter would sometimes ask Bob Hanes a question which in turn would come to me cuz Hanes knows how anal I am about information) I have been looking forward to this addition to our BB/BW knowledge base.

Peter has been nice enough to exchange e-mails with me towards the end of last year and I'd like to thank hime for putting up with my questions which he answered gracefully.

Thinking about the SMILE period, I have been discussing with Mr. Hanes my thoughts about the people surrounding Brian during this process. It seems to me that those around Brian at the time (Parks, Anderle, Vosse, etc) were embarrased about the "Little Deuce Coupe - Fun Fun Fun - All Summer Long" Brian Wilson. They were helping Brian expand his horizions but, it also seems that there was alot of "Hey Brian, you don't want to be THAT guy! Do other things, but not that "internal combustion sound (as Van called it)." You could tell that really didn't care for BW previous output before PS.

And Andrew Doe's comment about 6 blind men is never better illustrated than a scene from Beatiful Dreamer. Brian describes his utter terror during his first LSD trip and his freaking out. Yet Lauren Daro laughs about the story with a sly "This is wonderful." He tells how Brian freaked and HE WAS LAUGHING about it. Some freakin' friend. I think that  counter to what Mike Vosse said, there does seem to be alot of "FUN" at Brian's expense. I alsothink that BW was getting farther out in order to gain exceptance from this group. Being cool was and still is and objective that people want to obtain. Too bad it's a pathetic pursuit.

Anyway, can't wait for the book Peter. If it's as good as the spread in AH magazine, it's gonna be killer!

Bob Flory

I was afraid this would happen...how much will the book sell for ? At $6.00 an hour, I DO have to ask...But it does appear that the ultimate BW bio has been written and will be released just in time for my birthday...thanx Peter

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594863202/qid=1141520417/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/002-0736183-0348013?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

Just a thought: has anybody thought of inviting Brad Elliott or Stephen McParland to the board seeing that AGD seems to have taken his leave?

Moved this here.

As for the second thing...I don't know about McParland, but Brad...is next to impossible to get a hold of it seems. At least it was a few years ago. Don't know the whole story myself, just something to do with people who ordered books from him.

You're right on the money, there. Stoners always think that what's good for them is good for everybody and they are too "out there" to take into account the seriousness of playing with the mind, or, as Murray said, "playing with God".

None of those guys in the doc seemed to understand the danger of what Brian was doing to himself. Brian didn't either.

As someone who experimented in High School and who has suffered immensely from it in years since, I will exclaim, quite sincerely...

JUST SAY NO!

Agreed - and a lot of them left him when the going got rough (though you wouldn't think that to see them in the documentary).

Amazon.com is now showing September 19, 2006 as the release date for this book.  What's up with that?  I was expecting it next week.

Regarding the pub date: I'm only just hearing about that this morning (Apr 27) via unofficial channels (e.g. this bulletin board) so I'm trying to check. More on this when I know more.

Regarding the drug issue: I think you guys are oversimplifying things a bit. And maybe being a lot harder on Brian's mid-60s pals than I would be. For one thing, the Brian of '64/'65/'66 was a master of the universe: a powerful, highly successful young guy whose occasional breakdowns weren't all that different from the ones displayed by other creative/temperamental types in Hollywood. Lots of guys were experimenting with drugs in the mid-60s, for good or ill, and the vast majority of them emerged unscathed. And Brian's drug use in that era wasn't all that extreme, anyway. A lot of pot smoking, perhaps, but not  nearly as much acid as people seem to think. Probably the most damaging thing he did was take fistfuls of speed. . .which were and remain legal, although not in the way he was doing them. Later he snorted up mountains of coke and did heroin here and there, but that was more an attempt to self-medicate for his untreated psychiatric problems.

Ultimately I think you guys, like most everyone in the BB family, want to blame drugs for the organic psychiatric problems he already had. Brian's drug habits were symptomatic of his problems, not the cause of them.

Word from Rodale as of today is that Amazon's September pub date isn't correct...we're still shooting for late spring. Still a couple of hurdles to clear between here and there, but that's still the plan.

Thanks Peter!

Exactly.

Stephen McParland, IIRC, has taken somewhat of a backseat to the whole BB domain. It is highly unlikely that he will make any appearance here, or anywhere. I can always ask him, but I'd say don't hold your breath. Similarly, I have been a hard core fan since 1981, and I am struggling to get motivated or to get enthused about the band. Possibly because another literary project I am in the middle of is taking up nearly all of my free time. Additionally, the people to whom I am speaking are very approachable and forthcoming about _any_ question I ask them, and that juxtaposed to the usual BB "I cant say X, Y or Z because of reason A, B, or C" response has seen my interest in the BB world take a sharp dive.  Sorry to ramble, but I had to let that out.

Mind you, the vocals by the BBs get me everytime, no matter how disillusioned I may be with my fandom. And BWPS is still my favourite CD of all time.

Hey, I'm listening to "Wonderful/Don't Worry Bill" as I write this. It's been hard for me to get back into the BB's, after spending so much of the last couple of years listening to them non-stop, with serious analysis in mind. But "Heroes and Villains" came up on the cd changer the other day and my 4-year-old's eyes lit up, and then so did mine. So I cycled through "Smiley Smile"/"Wild Honey" this morning, then through the second disc of "Hawthorne," and now some choice selections from "Endless Harmony," and all that matters is how great it sounds.  Again.

"Catch A Wave" should ship from Amazon, and be available in US stores, starting on or about June 16. I'm less sure of European/Australian dates, but stay tuned.

You can also go to livewireradio.org, and its podcast page, in order to check out a cool radio show that features me reading a Brian piece and then being interviewed. Some cool musical snippets too, thanks to Ralph Huntley and band. And fans of Pavement and the Jicks take note: Stephen Malkmus is also on the show, and performs a couple great tunes. That's the show broadcast at 8 pm on May 27.

More soon...

And if you're interested, you can learn about all this stuff, and more, on my website: peteramescarlin.com.

A web site I highly recommend.  It not only is good, it LOOKS good.

Read "Catch A Wave" along with me:

http://www.smileysmile.net/uncanny/index.php/2006/06/09/wave_catching_with_carlin

An advance copy?  I'm jealous!  :)

I am jealous too.

I hope the "June 16 or thereabouts" release date is correct. I just placed my order through Amazon yesterday ...

I got an email from Amazon this morning.  Expected delivery date is now July 14-17.  That's better than September!

Jim

I got the email too. July will do nicely!

Hey everyone: A few advance reviews of "Catch A Wave" have started popping up: the usual advance industry pieces in Booklist and Publisher's Weekly, and more recently a much longer piece in the AARP magazine. I'll be noting all this stuff on my website (peteramescarlin.com) as they come up, but if you're interested, here's the link to the AARP piece, plus also some blurbs I boiled down, 'cause I liked them so much. I've also been very gratified to see the very detailed (and still unfolding) reivew on the Uncanny website. Can't wait to see more of that.
 
Anyway, here's the link to the AARP Reivew:

http://www.aarpmagazine.org/books/catch_wave.html


And here are some quotes, only sort of extremely self-serving, and not even all that far out of context:

“This comprehensive and detailed account of the Wilson saga is a step above the standard rock bio. Here is a book that can be read on many levels, including cultural history, psychological study, or even as a crash course in ethnomusicology. As Carlin charts the turbulent story of the band and the intricacies of the Wilson family dynamic, a clear picture of the backdrop of national turmoil and unrest emerges, as the times they were a’- changing…

“Ultimately, the center of this story is Brian Wilson. As his mental health buoyed up and down, so went the fate of the band. Here Carlin hits his stride with an in-depth look, year by year, at Brian, the music, the group, and the times. . . Brian’s redemption, as promised in the title, does not come in the form of friends or family but from the enigmatic Smile, the much-talked-about album that had been languishing for almost 40 years. Finally released to critical acclaim in 2004, Brian was reintroduced to the world as a musical visionary. For Carlin, like Brian Wilson, this is the heart and soul of the book, as it all comes back to the music, and the rest of us are just along for the ride.”

Peter, I am so excided. I can't wait to read your book. All the reviews make it even harder to wait.

BTW can you say if the pictures in your book will contain some rare or even unreleased ones?

Hi Rocker: thanks for your note. In re: photos...Yeah, I think there will be some interesting things in there. I didn't expend tons of effort on getting photos, since I'm all about the words and stuff. But Rich Sloan had some cool images to share and I dug up a few others that you might not have seen before. Plus also my pal Ross Hamilton took some beauteous shots of Brian doing 'Smile' onstage in Portland last summer. Those rock extra hard.

Going through it for the second time, and taking notes.

Initial impression - an essential read, infinitely more credible than Brian's pseudobiography, less labyrinthine than Tim White's equally essential tome. New interview material from Mike, Alan and Brian. This is a major, well-crafted addition to the BB Bookshelf. Top 5, no question. Buy this book.

That said... some easily avoidable errors take a touch of the gloss off. Some are truly arcane (the claim by Tony Asher that Brian had never heard "Stella By Starlight" before December 1965 is somewhat invalidated by his recording it on 10/15/65), others unfortunate (despite what the makers of the Beautiful Dreamer DVD would like us to believe, Macca was NOT there for the Smile premier... and the old canard about Capitol forcing the inclusion of "Sloop" on Pet Sounds is repeated despite being discredited some five years ago).

Or... maybe I'm not the best person to review this book: too much knowledge. I think this might tell you what I think about this book more than any ramblings - I cancelled my amazon.co.uk order and travelled 10 miles to another town to lay hands on a copy. Again, buy this book.

edit - make that 'too much trivial knowledge'.

No Macca was not there the first RFH night and the makers of 'Beautiful Dreamer' were wrong to give that impression...but it's just as well to point out that he was there on one of the subsequent nights lest anyone go away with the impression he wasn't there at all.

According to a publicist for Rodale, "the new on-sale date for the book is July 25 ."  Bummer for those of us in the US.  Even though I have an advance copy, I'm still going to buy the book.  My advance copy is filled with pencil marks as I take/make notes.  It's a fascinating book.

Hi guys: I've been on vacation for a couple of weeks, in NYC and environs, and so I've been away from the cyberloop. And yes, that pub date has slipped a week or two in the last week or two. But bear in mind that the July 25 "on-sale" date doesn't meant you won't be able to find the book before that. From what I understand, the book shipped from the warehouse sometime in the last week, and some/most/all bookstores are liable to put it out on the shelves the moment it comes in. So feel free to badger your local bookseller mercilessly.

To Andrew....thanks for reading so closely and being so complimentary. And yeah, I did base the McCartney anecdote on Leaf's film, which was apparently an error. I can't remember the precise wording of the "Sloop" anecdote right now, but the larger point of that story was about how essential the song is to the narrative of the album, even given its (seeming) departure from the innocence-to-desolation arc. And the story about Tony introducing Brian to "Stella" comes from both Tony and Brian. Whether that conversation took place in December or during one of their earlier meetings (at Western, between sessions) isn't clear. But they both recall (and Tony describes the conversation they had about the song; how he played it for Brian; how Brian's eyes lit up; etc) that Tony introduced the song to Brian.

I'm sure other errors will have snuck into the book here and there, due at times to varying memories of witnesses, at other times to my own mistakes. It's always embarrassing to have these things pointed out. But it's fair game, and so everyone should feel free to point out where details go awry. I just hope that the niggling errors don't seem to compromise the larger points of fact and (especially)  interpretation, because that's really where the guts of the book are. Because I saw it as a big American story full of big American themes and ideals and failings, and my real goal was to make these connections as real and vivid to readers as they are to me.

That sums up the book very nicely in a single sentance.  I'm almost finisshed with my second reading, and the book is still a delight to read.  Thanks are due to PAC for writing such an excellent book, for discussing the book with us here and for owning up to some slight errors.

More thoughts
http://www.smileysmile.net/uncanny/index.php?s=Peter+Ames+Carlin&submit=Search

Hi to Peter (if he's there)
Just finished reading the book, enjoyed it very much. Even though I have loads of BB books the only one that comes straight to mind as a straight biography is probably H&V by Gaines, though thats 20 years out of date and doesn't really delve that much into the music.
This one seems to fill the gap, pitched somewhere between the Gaines (with less of the sleaze) and Tim Whites book (The Culture and context), so it makes for accessible reading to the non-BB initiated and to the fan.
Its quite a fast paced book which I enjoyed rather than dwelling on the well worn era's it explores some other more forgotten parts of the BB history, though it does pretty much cover everything.
The 1980s in particular makes for grim reading and it hits home just how twisted the BB world is (and i'm one of those fans who attempts to see the good in everything), and it must be said that Carl doesn't come across particularly well but at least theres more insight into his character than has been explored elsewhere. The only real hero of the piece really is Brian (who is eternally imprisoned by someone - Murry, The BB, Landy), with Als soul being saved toward the end (Darth Vader turning against the Emperor thoughts again).
The thoughts on the music are welcomed, seeing as a lot of music biographies can foolishly overlook these quite important details. All in all, a fine read and the nicest looking BB book on my shelf. I'll read it again soon, albeit a bit slower!

I got the book last night and finished reading the last chapters this morning.

Well-written and entertaining it's one of the best books on BW/BB history currently available - still I must admit feeling slightly disappointed.
I guess I was expecting more analysis and interpretation from what I was hoping to be THE book on BW.

A few subjects I was hoping the book might shed some new light on:

1. Brian's complex relationship with new best friends like Van Dyke Parks, Andy Paley and Joe Thomas.

The recent example is Joe Thomas.

We hear about Brian growing close to Joe Thomas, the Wilsons and Thomases buying houses next door to one another in Chicago, Brian letting himself into the Thomas home to use the kitchen and pool while Joe and his wife is out etc. Next thing Thomas skips the Osaka/Tokyo concerts (he didn't like to fly) and then "they never saw Joe again" (pg. 297). Exit Joe Thomas from Brians life - and the book. Okay, "a hail of lawsuits" is mentioned on page 315 but the sad outcome of the friendship between the Wilsons and the Thomases (and other friends/songwriting partners) is never explained.


2. Brian's solo career

The book ends on a high note with the triumph of Smile but BW the solo artist is never really put into perspective. The Christmas album is not mentioned at all and Gettin' in over my head gets only a passing reference. The flirtation with the adult contemporary audience, celebrity duets (Robbie Williams?), frequent change of record labels -  this missing "roadmap" makes BW the solo artists a big question-mark (and talk of another forthcoming rock n' roll album something to look forward to with mixed feelings).

A final comment.

Tony Asher talks about getting to know Brian and the long conversations they had. "We'd ramble on about whatever: girls we had dated, relationships we'd had, heartbreak, and so on" (pg. 77). This seems to be a recurring conversation between BW and his male friends/songwriting partners. For all the talk (and songs) about love I'm struck by how rarely romance and passion (and sex) is mentioned in the book. There seems to be more on Brian's love of steak dinners! - his complex feelings for Diane/Marilyn is hardly mentioned (Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting sleazy tabloid stuff).

The book made me want to listen to BB cd's I haven't played in a long time - for that I thank you, Mr Carlin...

If one of the reasons for the ending of the friendhip between the Wilsons & the Thomas' I was told of is true (and it's stupid enough to be exactly that), then I'm hardly surprised there's no exploration of it. Remember, this is a book with at least semi-official sanction from Brian's camp.

Hi Musiclover: Thanks for reading the book, and responding. Even if I'm sorry you felt let down by it in places.  I'll attempt, briefly, to tell you why I made some of the decisions I did.

1. Joe Thomas: That actually seems pretty clear to me, as part of a pattern BW has displayed with creative partners dating back to Gary Usher. He works with them intensely -- the new best friend thing -- and then when he loses interest they're gone. JT appealed to him, it seems, because BW was hoping his grasp on modern m.o.r. would help get him back on the charts. Hence "Imagination." That didn't really happen, and when BW realized that the Wondermints' sense of his work matched his own much more closely (see also: the preparing for the '99 tour anecdote with "Caroline, No") that basically spelled the end of Joe. The lawsuits are just another time-honored Wilson way of saying goodbye.

2. Brian's solo career: I underplayed "GIOMH" in part because it was such a lukewarm addition to the ouervre, and in part because I was far more interested in the "Smile" story, which was taking place at exactly the same time. And (here's an insider note) I had a finite number of pages to fill, and something had to go. The XMAS album came out after I was done writing. And again, it's a pleasant piece of work that neither adds to nor distracts from BW's real legacy. In my view.

3. Romance, etc.: I got into this stuff to the extent that it seemed to impact the creative work taking place. Gaines already wrote the big backstage book, and I wanted to focus on the work itself: where it came from, how it came together, why it fell apart, and where all of that fits into the larger cultural fabric of American popular culture. So that's what I did.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, Peter.

I've always enjoyed reading your sharp commenting on the PSML and was expecting a little more personal analysis and observation
from the book than what is actually in there.

So many roads yet to be fully explored, maybe in another book...

What is that reason?

Chuck, don't you think that he would have posted it there if it were public knowledge?  Seems to me like he is just trying to affirm the one point with a vague ref to his contacts.

Jeff, I've replied to you in private, as your comment and my intended reply have nothing to do with Peter's book.

Peter, is your book now available for purchase?

If it's not available now, it should be quickly enroute to your local bookseller. Or so Rodale would have me believe. By the end of this week should be a solid bet. I hope.

And just for fun, take a spin through this week's "Entertainment Weekly." There's a review of "CAW" there. Not sure what page (the books section, toward the back) but I do know they gave it an 'A'. Which makes me feel warm all over.

I've been waiting for this book since I first heard about it late last year.  So last weekend I ordered it from amazon.com.  ($10 cheaper then any book store would be.)  But now I got an e-mail saying it will ship in "1 to 3 weeks."  And I pre-ordered the thing!  They must have not received many copies.  I hope it comes soon!

I'm stilll waiting for Amazon to ship mine too.   I think the last thing they said was the 14th to the 17th.  Guess that's better than their first estimate of September.

I just got an email from Amazon saying the shipment date has been delayed, and I shouldn't expect to see the book until early August now.

I cancelled the order. Has anyone found this book in an actual store yet?

I just got the email too, this is the second delay.   At this rate, it will turn out to be September when they ship it.

Hey guys: I'm not sure what to make of this exactly, but over on the PAC thread on the main board TV Forces says he got his copy from Amazon yesterday. So maybe you all will get yours sooner than later? I can only hope...

Congratulations, Peter! In the latest edition of People magazine, your book received a nice review, along with a rating of 4 stars, which is the highest rating they give.

No way!  That album is outstanding.  And the title song is a f------ GEM that needs recognition as one of Brian's absolute best.

I had a hard time locating the book.  But did and it was food for thought. 

I love it, too. And I also think that it's great but Peter said in his view it doesn't distract or adds to Brian's legacy, and I think he's right with that point. Brian's legacy was built in the 60s imo and no one will remember him in 20 years because he wrote "Christmassey".

not "Christmasey," the song "What I really Want for Christmas" is excellent..

i bet you when Brian dies, this one will start getting serious airplay in december.

What ever.... 8)

I don't think this will get airplay in december when he dies. They'll play the Beach Boys' Christmas album...

Never said they won't play the Beach Boys..  but this song is a classic and it's
unfortunate your heart is too hardened to love it too.  You lose.

I hope you're talking about some far off December and not the one coming (because that's how it reads!)

WIRWFC should get airplay this year with all the fighting going on around the planet.

I got the book yesterday, and read through it in one sitting. It was the first BB-biography I've read, so of course I can´t compare it to others. But I also can´t imagine how it could have been done better in any way.

It´s entertaining, balanced, funny and at times deeply moving. Thanks, Peter!

Finally bought it today, and am about a third through it. I'll post my thoughts once I'm done. PRetty excited to have it, though.

Hey, I'm glad you guys are checking it out, and seem to like it. Thanks a lot. . . it's great to hear.

What's your problem? I never said I don't love this song ! It's just not likely that they will play Brian's christmas-album. When Dennis died they didn't play POB the whole time(only one or two songs I believe), but Beach Boys-songs, same for Carl. No "heaven" or something. Same will happen with Brian. Except for us fans no one is interested in his solo-stuff and hasn't probably even heard that CD.

Anyway, back on topic. I got the book now and after shutting this computer down, I am going to read it. Can't wait.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060820/1000479.asp

Peter,

I just finished reading your book and I was very impressed.  I thought you struck a proper balance and I believe this is one of the better books about the Beach Boys that I've read.

Good job and the best of luck.

Awesome book with lots of new information and viewpoints. The definitive Brian-biographie? No, the definitive will be written after Brian has died, but this is the best book on him to date

I just finished this book and I LOVED it. Finally, a really well done Brian/BBs bio in print (Leaf's book is out of print still, Gaines' book is trashy, White's book is a labyrinth, and Brian's "autobiography" is...not). This is the way to go.

Incredible job, Peter. Heck, I'm thinking of re-reading it already...

Getting this on friday, can't wait.

Big and thick. and a great cover , i was so amazed when i saw a load of copies sitting on a shelf in the music section in easons  ;D

I never get cool music books here in ireland, apart from the beatles and zeppelin.

great great read. by far the best book on brian i have ever read. many new stories and quotes that peter must have really had to research to get. great work.
cheers

Yeh, I thought the book was great! A really intelligent, well-written, balanced read. But to be honest, i just came on here to say that No, Brian's solo xmas album was a sack of cack! A bit late to resume the argument but hey ho...

I found It to be a bit boring between the good stuff. I would give 3

5 stars.

It was my first delve into the Beach Boys world. For a newbie like me the insight into Brian's young life and his starting the band was amazing. I really felt like a fly-on-the-wall in the Wilson's home during their startup. Then I felt like a fly-on-the-wall during Pet Sounds, SMiLE, yadayadayada...

At this point I had only owned 'Summer Love Songs' 'Pet Sounds' and 'The Beach Boys Greatest Hits' - so as I was reading about SMiLE/Holland/Friends/Love You I had no idea what the music sounded like....just went off of Carlin's word (stupidly I didn't even think to buy some of the albums during my read ??? ).

Anyways, since reading the book (about a year ago), I have bought most of their Studio albums, compilations, Brian Wilson solo albums, and many more books. Many times when I put a BBs album on I will get Carlin's book and read about that album's history. It is a great reference book and a great redemption story. Very well written as well.

What a fantastic book! Just finished reading this, and I was amazed at just how many highs and lows Brian and the band have been through throughout their 50 year existence. It was interesting to read all the blurbs from Brian's high school friends, especially the anecdotes from Carol Mountain. The testimony from Rich Sloan at the beginning of the book was interesting to view in light of his recollection later in the book about the time he made a trip backstage to visit the Wilson brothers at a Beach Boys concert in the 70s. He spoke about how shocked he was to see them in their current state compared to when he knew them growing up.

I had mixed emotions towards the end of the book. On one hand, it's great that Brian has a new life, a new career, and seemingly has recovered from a lot of the demons that haunted him post-Smile. But on the other hand, the disarray the surviving Beach Boys were in around 2005 makes me further appreciate just how amazing it was for them to reunite this year, do a successful tour, and put out an amazing album. Such a thing seemed pretty unlikely back then, but it makes me all the more thankful that it happened and that I got to experience it.

Thank you Peter for a thorough and truly enjoyable book! It goes without saying that I too found it engrossing, impossible to put down at times!

The 1st BBs-related book I ever read - back in the summer of '07, if I remember correctly. :serenade
In the immediate aftermath of finishing the book I drowned myself in every written word on BW/BBs I could get my grubby hands on. 90% of my BBs library still stem from those couple of months.

Thanks, Mr Carlin!

Same! His descriptions of the albums got me to buy most of the albums. I'd sit there listening to the music while re-reading his book...good times.

Without Carlin's book my Beach Boy collection would be very different.

It's a shame that the Peter Carlin's book ends before That Lucky Old Sun came about.  I would love to read an insider's account of how that album came to be.  I have enjoyed the book.  Mike Love doesn't come off too well, nor does Dennis Wilson.

Hi all,

I read Catch A Wave last September.  I did enjoy the book.  I like the fact that Carnie helped out with this book.  It is wonderul that Smile was finally released.  Brian did have a hard life.  I am glad that he kicked the drug habit many years ago.  I learned a lot about the BB in this book.  Things did turn out very well for Brian.   Mike had a breakdown also.  How Dennis died was scarey.  This books treats them all the same.  Peter Ames Carlin did a very good job.  Landy sounded scarey.  The right people won i that 1991 trial.  Catch A Wave is a must read for BW/BB fans. 

I love the book so much I've reread portions of it many times.

A very wonderful read, from what I recall (I read it 3 years ago.) I was already a big fan of Brian from growing up with the hits to cooling down to Pet Sounds when life got me down, to discovering SMiLE and collecting bootlegs and fanmixes online. This book cemented my undying appreciation for the man. He's been through so much and he's given us so much. I never knew how bad he had it under Landy and with his illness until I read this. Very heartbreaking, yet inspiring. 5/5

My first book I read on The Beach Boys especially Brian that I bought myself! It made me more interested in who he was and how creative he was. I loved it and have read it many times! After I read this book, I found the Heroes and Villains book as well and enjoyed it. This lead me to Jon's FAQ book which also is now a favorite. I may buy Mark Dillon's book next.

Hi all,

This is an excellent book.  A fan favorite. 

Love it--great book; I re-read it all the time. Needed a better copy editor however, to clean up some repetition of various boiler-plate phrases and syntactic constructions. Minor, minor. One can say the same of my published work too!

;D

I got this on audio-book, which is my preferred method of digestion.

I love it. Thought it was really comprehensive and I've listened to it a few times now.

5 from me....

Same here, I've checked it out from my library 3 times!

Hi all,

I bought the book in 2014 at my local Barnes & Noble.  I am looking forward to rereading it in May or September. 

Hi all,

I mean I bought it in 2013.  It is a gem.  I am looking forward to rereading it again next month or in September.