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Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963 (McFarland) is now available from McFarland, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. 

Of the 83 photographs, 50 have never appeared before in any book about the band.

Here's a look at the Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
A Note About Record Charts

Chapter 1 -- Hawthorne High and Graduation Day
Chapter 2 -- Hawthorne, California
Chapter 3 -- Headed for Hollywood: Dorinda and Hite Morgan
Chapter 4 -- On Our Way to Sunny California: Virginia and Donald Jardine
Chapter 5 -- A Musical Education
Chapter 6 -- Life After High School (July 1960--July 1961)
Chapter 7 -- Someone Should Write a Song About Surfing (August--October 1961)
Chapter 8 -- Pendletones Become Surfers (November 1961)
Chapter 9 -- CANDIX Enterprises, Inc.
Chapter 10 -- "Call Them the Beach Boys"--Russ Regan
Chapter 11 -- A Month of Firsts (December 1961)
Chapter 12 -- Number 3 in LA (January--February 1962)
Chapter 13 -- One Hit Wonders (March 1962)
Chapter 14 -- Making Tracks . . . to the Tower (April 1962)
Chapter 15 -- A Capitol Contract (May--June 1962)
Chapter 16 -- Safari, California Style (July 1962)
Chapter 17 -- Pandora's Box and Azusa Teen Club (August 1962)
Chapter 18 -- Beyond the Boys (September 1962)
Chapter 19-- An Album Debut and the Pressure's On (October--December 1962)
Chapter 20 -- A Sonic Tidal Wave (January--March 1963)
Chapter 21 -- Making Waves in the Midwest (April--June 1963)
Chapter 22 -- 36 Cities in 45 Days (July--August 1963)
Chapter 23 -- The Greatest Second Chance in Rock 'n' Roll (September--October 1963)
Chapter 24 -- "The Warmth of the Sun" (November--December 1963)

Coda:  The Hite Morgan Tapes--Discovery, Illumination, and Litigation

Appendix 1:  The Beach Boys' Personal Appearances, 1961-1963
Appendix 2:  Timeline of "Surfin'" Releases
Appendix 3:  "Surfin'" Chart Position History
Appendix 4:  "Surfin'" Revenue and Expense Stream, and Production Flow
Appendix 5:  Standard Songwriter's Contract for "Surfin'" Dated September 15, 1961
Appendix 6:  Floor Plan of Hite and Dorinda Morgan's Home, 2511 Mayberry Street
Appendix 7:  Floor Plan of CANDIX Enterprises, 6425 Hollywood Boulevard
Appendix 8:  American Federation of Musicians Contract Dated February 8, 1962
Appendix 9:  Letter of Intent and Agreement from Murry Wilson to Hite B. Morgan Dated March 29, 1962
Appendix 10:  Floor Plan of Stereo Masters, 5534-5538 Melrose Avenue
Appendix 11: The Beach Boys' Midwest Tour, April 24--May 5, 1963
Appendix 12:  "Dennis" by Dorinda Morgan

Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index

This looks great! Can't wait to get it. Thanks for your time and effort spent on making this a reality.

Really looking forward to this - should be a great summer read!

How long until this hits the discount bins?

Um.

1 - just ordered it from Amazon US - again - and I'm told "We need a little more time to provide you with a good estimate. We'll notify you via e-mail as soon as we have an estimated delivery date."

2 - on Amazon UK, 2 used and new are listed "from £999.11". WTF ?

I know none of this is down to Jim, but still irritating.

Ok.. Barnes and noble says available July 31... Amazon says June 26... Who do I believe!?

Yeah I ordered one months ago but Amazon is yet to email me a delivery date

Just got an email from amazon US, saying they still cannot advise me of a delivery date and if they can't in ten days then the order will be cancelled. Seriously ?

Wow, based on your table of contents this looks like this is going to be a great, insightful read! I've always been curious to know more of the back story on the early days. You even seem to have touched on a topic I've been really curious about lately, which was the band's mindset after the failure of "Ten Little Indians" and whether or not they'd be just another one-hit wonder.

Definitely ordering this once more info comes in on whether to get it from Amazon or B&N.

Thanks everyone for the kind words of support.

Sorry for the ordering confusion. Let me try to clarify things based on a response I just received from McFarland . . .

The book was published June 9 and was available on McFarland's website for immediate shipment.

I received my author's copies June 10. It looks great and I am very pleased with it.  If you're interested in learning more about the early days--or if you're obsessive about them like I am--I think you're gonna love it. Finally, photographs of Hite and Dorinda Morgan . . . and Judy Bowles  ;D

McFarland's book distributors include Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Baker & Taylor, and Ingram. Distributors order the book directly from McFarland and, of course, cannot fulfill orders until they receive their books. So, there is a bit of a delay while that process plays out. One can also order the book directly from McFarland (1-800-253-2187).

So, please sit tight, be patient, put on Pet Sounds or Lost & Found, go see Love & Mercy again (Absolutely brilliant), and thanks again for your continued support!

First time Amazon's really let me down. I'm going direct to the publishers. Thanks Jim, I really really want to have this book.

No, I really really need to have this book. And so do you.

Jim already has the book.
He has author's copies; but, do "authors" copies have content not in for sale copies?

The author's copies are identical to the others.  It is a courtesy McFarland does (I imagine most publishers do the same).

Thanks Andrew -- I hope the postage is not prohibitively expensive for the trip across the pond.

Chris, I believe Andrew meant "you" in the broader, editorial sense. But I bet you knew that  ;)

Thanks again guys. It was the proverbial labor of love, I hope you enjoy it.

Whether or not I knew it, it definitely reads as if he was talking to you.

Just placed my order with the publisher.  Really looking forward to this one!

Seriously Chris, why the blue flying f*** would I be telling the man who WROTE the book he has to have it ? Have you been acting the idiot for so long it's finally become your default mental setting ?

jeez andy, get a grip!
You do like to spout!   but when  you get caught erring, it's the fault of whomever notices?

Get a room, you two.

C, C, A, J:  It's Sunday morning and I'm praising the good Lord.  We all say
mis-measured intemperate things once in a while.  Let's have a cold beer
right now... (sorry, A)
--Don

I just ordered the book direct from McFarland, really looking forward to reading it.

And a heads up, I found a coupon code from McFarland that takes 20% off an order.  Funnily enough, the code is Murray.  I'm not sure when it expires, but it worked for me.

How much was shipping/handling? 

$2.00 shipping, $3.00 handling (they have them separate).  Grand total with the discount was $36.96.

That sounds as if it's the price to beat then!

Thanks for sharing the coupon code! Ordered.

Forget it - the handling & shipping to the UK the publishers are asking is almost as much as the book itself. f*** that. I don't need it that much, I can wait.

Nothing personal, Jim - I know it's out of your hands.

Andrew. 36 Pounds and up to 3 weeks delivery. Page says free delivery on orders over 10 Pounds.

https://www.waterstones.com/book/becoming-the-beach-boys-1961-1963/james-b-murphy/9780786473656

A crusty old man with a very short fuse thanks you. ;D

Too bad it's temporarily out-of-stock...hopefully Andrew got the last one!  :)

Ordered from McFarland. Looking forward very much to this book, Jim.

Bound to be a cracking read and cannot wait to get it. Will it debunk some myths? Or has another book already done that?

I've ordered it on Amazon.com Andrew. Better shipping rate, and much better cover price than amazon.co.uk!!!!!

Tried that twice and always the same response - we'll tell you when we're going to send it.

Hmm....   Every time I go, it's out of stock, except for the copies offered for $2300, $3200 and $5900 each ( won't spend that much) What am I missing?

Mine arrived today, can't wait to dig into it...

Just got the book today and it looks incredible.  And it has a great index!

If it weren't 80+ degrees here, I'd get out the Pendleton shirt that I bought at a thrift shop in the 80s, long before I was a BB fan. 

New coupon code from McFarland:

We’re gearing up for the American Library Association’s Annual Conference this week in San Francisco, and this week’s deal honors the host city. Through June 28, 2015, get 20% off the following books when you enter the coupon code ALA!

Worked for me.

Lee

Amazon - and God - obviously hate me. Me, personally. The proof ? This email, from yesterday:

Your Amazon.com order (#110-3203487-4246668): your approval required
Shopping

        order-update@amazon.com
        Jun 21 at 8:13 AM

To  A G Doe

Hello,

We're still trying to obtain the following item(s) you ordered on July 30, 2014 (Order# 110-3203487-4246668):

  Murphy, James B. "Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963"
  http://www.amazon.com/dp/0786473657

Still want it? We'll keep on trying. To keep your order for this item open, please click the link below. Otherwise, we'll cancel your order on July 12, 2015, if we haven't located it by then.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/css/order/edit.html?ie=UTF8&useCase=approve&orderID=110-3203487-4246668&ref=fxm_em_0

You'll still be able to cancel at any time before we ship it. If you want to cancel the item now, please click the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/css/order/edit.html/?ie=UTF8&useCase=cancel&orderID=110-3203487-4246668&ref=fxm_em_0

If there are other items in your order, they'll be shipped according to the delivery estimates listed in the order details in "Your Account" (www.amazon.com/your-account?ref=fxm_em_0).

Sincerely,

Customer Service Department
http://www.amazon.com/customer-service?ref=fxm_em_0

I'm about 2/3 of the way through the book. Let me say that it's an incredible achievement: meticulously researched, utilizing a mixture of great original interviews and well-chosen archival quotes. It is, obviously, much more of a specialist's book than one for a general audience. It has much more information than the non-geeky (i.e., those like we Smiley Smilers) would want on these pivotal years. But for us, it's a goldmine of new detail. And it certainly has a myth-busting quality. It questions many dates and sequences-of-events that have become accepted as gospel in the world of Beach Boys fandom. In particular, chapter 7 will surely be seen as the critical revisionist chapter, as it calls into question the commonly accepted dates of the first Hite Morgan sessions and the sequence of the events leading to the band's first single release. Jim reveals that the accepted dates stand on flimsy ground indeed.

Another admirable quality of the book, though one that is perhaps a bit uncomfortable for the reader, is that in cases where there are multiple accounts of how a certain event went down--and there is no independent authority to confirm which scenario is actually correct (i.e., a multitude of events)--Jim lets each voice tell its version of the story. He may let his authorial voice speak as to which scenario he finds most likely in some cases, but he allows the mutually contradictory accounts to be told in full. The advantage of this is, obviously, knowing that the truth is likely in there somewhere. But I can imagine it would make the book a bit of a slog for the non–academically inclined, who would likely wish for a more cohesive narrative that didn't repeat the same stories from as many different angles. Lest this sound like a negative, I want to emphasize that this adds hugely to the book's credibility.

Jim, congratulations on this very, very admirable achievement. I look forward to finishing the book, but don't want it to end. I can hardly put it down.

should have bought two copies, you could have saved 30% !!

I am working my way through it but so far it is incredible! A great achievement.  Tons of fresh info and enthusiasm.  And Jim uncovered a wealth of new dates/shows for that crucial year 1962 that eluded Jon and I when we wrote The Beach Boys In Concert.

I guess the publisher only printed about 100 copies, as I ordered it on Wednesday, had the order confirmed and they charged my card.
Today I received a letter  telling me it's on backorder and isn't "projected" to be available until at least July 7th.
What a forlorn laughable little company! I presume they're waiting to get enough orders to pay for another printing....

The publishers' stock is probably mostly on distributor and retailer shelves and racks; they may have gotten a surprising amount of initial direct orders . I seriously doubt they pressed such a low number. 500 would be the lowest feasible number. Even that is too small an amount to fill the distribution pipeline.

I wouldn't laugh at them. I'd congratulate them.

Jim, any information as far as when a digital book may be available. Thank you.

Sure. I'm on backorder and their site shows it available for Immediate shipment.
Either they don't know how to update the site, or they're crooks taking orders for more $$ to print more copies

Amazon just told me that my copy is shipping today!!!!!!!

Dealing with a turnaround time issue is not crooked business.
Bad rapping the publisher does the author no favors.

I do hope your book arrives soon.

I have to say, I just finished it and it was well worth buying! Excellent book

Only worth buying if the sellers are honest in their dealing.
And I say dealing with a turnaround is crooked if they're still promoting the book as being available for immediate shipping while holding my order and not shipping

Thanks everyone for your support and patience . . . the book is being reprinted and more copies will be making their way out soon . . . As I receive more information from McFarland, I'll share it here . . .

ianeh -- I'll ask McFarland when they expect the e book to be available and get back to you.  Thanks for your interest!

Thanks Jesse for your very kind and thorough early review. Glad you enjoyed it. When I read your comments, I immediately thought two things -- this is really well written and McFarland should hire you for publicity!  :)

Thanks Ian for your continued support and enthusiasm. In light of the massive amount of work and time that went into your superb In Concert, I truly appreciate your praise for Becoming. Glad you enjoyed it. A few more pieces of the puzzle.  

I've had some really positive feedback on the book from other sources and am working on some exciting promotional opportunities to help bring the book to a wider audience.

As you read it, please share your honest thoughts and opinions. It lived in my room for eight years, so I am glad to see it finally enter the real world and stand on its own!

I'll offer up my considered thoughts when I actually get a copy (on current form, this should be July 2018...) but the few pages I've read on Google have impressed me deeply.

ianeh
McFarland advises the book is "being published simultaneously in an electronic edition. Ebook sellers are working to release the ebook for their particular platform. While some of these companies may be selling the ebook in as little as a few business days, most advise that it takes up to eight weeks."

Andrew
Sorry it has been so frustrating for you to purchase the book. Hopefully it arrives soon. If I had known, I would have taken a trip across the pond and personally delivered a copy in exchange for a pint. The UK is always a favorite travel destination. ;)

I ordered the book four weeks ago on Amazon and they wouldn't even offer a guess when it might actually be shipped. Finally, just yesterday, I got an email saying I should have the book on Thursday this week. Looking forward to it!

I'd like to say that if there's any book on the BBs - & I read reviews of 'em - that I wouldn't hesitate to get, it's this one. Based on chapters alone, I'm curious beyond. That's a very interesting time frame for me, I've said it before elsewhere on the board. ianeh asked good question, e-book format would be welcome for convenience reasons. Anyway, let me bring this quote of yours, Mr. Murphy:

The main bit is you said when it's published you'll post the photos of Morgans. As it finally happened, will you do that now, as a preview of some sorts? That would be great.

Just received the book and browsed for 5 minutes. At first glance, this is an AMAZING book. Everything I had hoped for and more. The research is exhaustive, annotated thoroughly, and details are presented fairly. If it's a known fact, it's supported. If it's speculation, or if there is conflicting evidence of what occurred, it's explored thoroughly and honestly. This is the Beach Boys history I have always dreamed of.

I only hope it's just volume 1.

I can't wait to devour this over the next few weeks, and I dream of the next installment (The Beach Boys In Bloom: 1964-1965?).

Updating....   I called McFarland this morning, figuring I'd get a refund, then purchase again when the book was available; The person there told me that when I ordered last Wednesday there weren't any copies available. so they generated the Backorder letter and mailed it.
  The next day or two,  they evidently printed more copies as She then told me my package had shipped Friday and it would be here in 7-10 days as it went out Media Mail.
 Lo and behold, it arrived in the mail today.  WAY too quick for Media!!
  Along with the other reports , I'll have to say that it appears to be a really good book. Going to take some time to get thru it tho...

Here's a review of Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963 . . . . Glad to hear copies of the reprinting are making their way out to folks.

http://psychobabble200.blogspot.com/2015/06/review-becoming-beach-boys-1961-1963.html

Just received shipping notification from Amazon.com… how long will it take to cross the pond? Expected July 10. 

If I'd known Jim made deliveries by hand in the UK in exchange for beer I'd've ordered direct. Next time…

:D

Slightly fascinated by the reviewer stating that Murry & Audree vacationed in England. The only person I've ever know say that was Dennis in a late seventies interview: the perceived wisdom is that they went to Acapulco with friends from England. Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice...

Sure there was a thread here in recent years that pinned it down specifically to a business trip to England: Murry was visiting an engineering place in Halifax, West Yorkshire, if memory serves… I never did (yet) get to go there and ask to see the books!

Very glad to hear copies are making their way out, here and across the pond. 

Yes, there was a thread about Audree and Murry possibly going to England . . . Search "Murry England" . . . that's Murry England, not Merry England  :)

As the Psychobabble reviewer noted, the proof lies in Murry's United States Passport records. In hindsight, I wish I had included an image of them in the book, but they got bumped for other things. I'll show them, complete with his passport photos, on the website which is under construction. Happy to find them after trying, albeit unsuccessfully, to find passenger lists from airlines serving LAX in late 1961. That frustrating excursion among the weeds redefined needle in a haystack . . .

Seems to me there should be central repository (museum?) for the Beach Boys' historical documents and memorabilia, along the lines of the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville founded by a passionate believer . . . Intriguing.

Just ordered a copy of the book from Amazon, will let y'all know when it gets here.

You want to donate everything you have to me, and I'll set it up here, in The Gateway To The West?

Two days ago, I finally received the copy I ordered from Amazon and I've spent much of the past 48 hours reading it. Great job, Jim! This is not some hasty, thrown-together fan collection of the same old stuff. It is a weighty, densely-packed volume of incredible research that captures—better than anything else I've seen—what it must have been like for six boys to go from ordinary kids to the hottest group in America. There are many factoids that I did not previously know. My favorite is probably the tidbit that—for the first few weeks/months he played saxophone — Mike Love had the mouthpiece on upside down! It's interesting to see what Hite and Dorinda Morgan looked like, and there are several other photos that have not been seen dozens of times. The detail is amazing. While I may not care to know the physical layout of the music store where the boys rented those instruments in 1961, past experience on this board has shown that there ARE people here who can't WAIT to get that information.
It's also interesting to see just how early Brian wanted out of touring and live performances...he bailed on the VERY FIRST Midwest tour they did. Today may be the first time he really seems to enjoy doing concerts.
Anyway, Jim, thanks for the thousands of hours it took to assemble this. It is a treasure trove for us and should help settle arguments for years to come.

Mike

Congratulations on the book, Jim! A wonderful document about the group's formative years.

Ah..Andrew  ;D

http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,9656.0.html

I contacted said firm several years ago, asking the obvious question. No reply.

Also, am old. Short term memory is fading. Additionally, short term memory is fading.

Ordered the book from amazon last night.  Shipped today!!  Glad it's available again.

Arrived two days ago… "impressed" is an understatement. Congratulations Jim, I'm only a handful of pages in and I'm blown away… in a year of highlights - tours, albums, movies, biographies - this is some icing on the cake!

Geez, I ordered from Amazon two weeks ago, expected arrival between NOW and 7/11, and IT HASN'T SHIPPED YET. arhghghgh....

Me too!

Thanks for highlighting that thread from 5 years ago, been reading it (again) for the last few hours - Brilliant brilliant stuff, possibly one of the best threads we have had on this board.
I recall at the time how damn geeky (sorry far beyond geek) some certain bods on this board can be, with the arguments about the value of the 'loan' etc...etc... were fascinating (and still very much are) the input from Carrie Marks was very welcome in addition to Guitarfools insight into guitars of the time.
Love how someone suggests it would be a great idea to use this as a base for a project AND HEY now we have it thanks to Jim. 

My copy was waiting for me when I got home. Have merely skimmed a few chapters, enough to know I love this book already.

Here is a fine place to express my grateful thanks to the several posters here who offered to buy it for me Stateside.

Spent yesterday dipping in and out of Jim's astonishing book. At times the level of detail is close to overwhelming, but never superfluous. The coda concerning the Morgan tapes is deeply fascinating, and confirms for the first time in public what many of us strongly suspected back in the day, i.e. that Elliott was still taking orders (and money) for First Wave knowing there was a ruling about to be handed down.

As for the observation of JoAnn Marks about Murry & Audree going to England and not Acapulco... so as not to (entirely) spoil that part, let's just say David's inherited his memory for events and dates from his mom.  ;D

If you're at all interested in The Beach Boys, and why they became The Beach Boys (and not merely in name), you need this book. Really, you do.

Does this mean I'm on Jim's payroll ?

How much should we paying for this in the UK?

Just received my book the other day and finished it in two days.  Fantastic.  It is a must for all fans.  Question -- the book mentions a personal website for James Murphy's stuff that he had to leave out of the book -- becomingthebeachboys.com  but the site does not seem to work.  Anyone know why or has it been taken down already??

Jim hasn't bothered to open it yet

The book arrived today. Looks like a good, informative read. And some photos I haven't seen before.

I'm slow when reading books, so don't expect a review anytime soon. I'm still slogging thru A Game of Thrones.

Once again, thank you Everyone for the support and kind words for Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963.  It's nice to see your first child so warmly welcomed.

I see Amazon U.S. is showing "temporarily out of stock," so, hopefully, that will again be resolved soon. Naturally, I am pleased the book is selling so well, but frustrated folks are running into these snags.  Thanks for your patience.

In addition to working on marketing and promotional opportunities, requesting McFarland to send review copies to key media outlets, general and Beach Boys-centric, corresponding with folks interviewed in the book, just completing a great interview with a national print and digital magazine (more about that later), I have been working on the companion website (becomingthebeachboys.com) which will be operational very soon. My beautiful and immensely talented wife, Bernadette, has tackled the intricacies of creating a website. She has a real flair for design and we are very pleased with how it is coming along. And, as you can glimpse by the book's dedication, she is the secret weapon, the unsung hero, of Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963. She read the manuscript ten, twelve, fifteen times? -- each time making edits, changes, corrections, suggestions. "What about this?"  "You say this on page 63 and then contradict yourself two hundred pages later." You're kidding? That's just a small sampling of her essential input. She is a wonderfully skilled editor and grammarian. "This comma is italicized and it shouldn't be." WHAT?? "This should  be an em dash, not an en dash." What's an em dash? The formatting of the End Notes, the Bibliography, the Index -- all her. A little glimpse into the mechanics of writing a book . . . There comes a time when the End Notes are no longer electronically linked to the manuscript, and they have to be worked on separately. Keeping them straight and chronologically correct, not to mention putting up with the author's whims like, "Oh, let's add a quote and End Note mid-chapter!", is a huge challenge. So, my gratitude to Bernie and, as I write in the book, that she can still listen to the Beach Boys, is a marvelous testament to her exacting commitment to the book. Just extraordinary.

About the website . . . There were many story threads and photographs that did not make it into the book, that will now find a home on the website. I'll write a regular article on the experience of writing the book, the folks I spoke with while researching the book, the hits and misses, the influences, some of the incredibly kind and generous people who contributed enormously to the book.  There were stories about the Morgans, the Dix brothers, Joe Saraceno, Russ Regan, Nick Venet, Jimmy O'Neill, and others, that had to be trimmed from the manuscript. A  good example is Bruce Johnston -- I had a great section about Bruce, treated the same way as the other key players. My thinking was, well, he's a future Beach Boy, so let's include his early story since his life will later intersect with the Boys of Summer. And Bruce has a fascinating history in the music industry and he was so young when he started. I went into the John Dolphin murder; I have all of Bruce's early and obscure 45s; and examined his early career and discography. Anyway, unfortunately, the Bruce thread got cut from the book (writing a book and having it published by a legitimate publisher is all about compromises, you win some battles, you give a little on others, you lose others outright), but I would love for Bruce's story to have another life on the website.   

I'm a little more than halfway through and there are some very interesting questions raised about the Beach Boys formation that I was not aware of previously.

First, the fact that it seems Brian initially viewed The Pendletones as a four person vocal group ala Four Freshmen.  Those four persons were Mike, Dennis, Carl and Brian - after the meeting with the Morgans when the idea of a surfing song was discussed, Brian rehearsed the song with those four as heard on the Garage Tapes.  At one point when Brian is frustrated with Dennis he threatens to get Alan and kick Dennis out of the group.  Then the first "demo" session at the Morgans' home studio was apparently done without Alan.  And then there's the lyric sheet for Surfing' with four names written on it (no Alan).

Second, i'm curious about why Mike, Carl and Dennis accompanied Brian and Al to the Morgans when Al asked Brian's help in recording "Wreck of the John B."  This is the meeting when Dorinda asks about original material and Dennis suggests the song about surfing.  Makes me wonder if Mike Carl and Dennis had the ulterior motive all along to get involved in recording and forming a group.

Third, it's unclear when Brian decided to include Alan in the group.  Sometime after the demo session no doubt, perhaps when he realized he needed another guitar/bass player?  And that Dennis wasn't reliable enough?  Certainly before the instrument rental during the Wilson trip to Mexico.  But it seems odd that after recording rehearsals after the demo session, Brian didn't record any of these rehearsals with the instruments?  So we have no rehearsals taped with Alan present.

I'm sure other questions will pop up as I get further into it!

Here's a link to an article about BECOMING THE BEACH BOYS, 1961-1963, in this morning's hometown newspaper. The writer, John McNamara, is a knowledgeable Beach Boys' fan, although he has a distinct preference for the boys from Liverpool. I won't hold that against him.  :)

http://www.capitalgazette.com/bowie_bladenews/ph-ac-bb-veterinarian-author-0723-20150721-story.html 

Nice article, Jim! Very cool! I just received my copy last week and am about 50 pages through, so far. It is amazing that after 50 plus years that I am still learning new things about a band that I thought I knew everything about. Nice work, and thank you from one Beach Boys fan to another. :)

I may never be able to fully convey just how gratifying it has been to receive so many positive comments about Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963.  I greatly appreciate the kind words and I really like that so many long-time fans of the band are enjoying it. It makes the eight years and thousands of hours all very much worthwhile.

Two days ago, I received a call from Paul Laursen, a Beach Boys fan in Copenhagen. He wanted to thank me for writing the book and commented that (I know this sounds like shameless self-promotion, but it's truly what he said) he believed it was "the best book about the band he has ever read" and suggested a second volume examining 1964-1966. A really nice guy. He asked my help in obtaining one of the Limited Edition Beach Boys plaid Pendleton shirts seen on the book cover! So, I am now scouring eBay for a gently worn shirt in a size large. Paul mentioned he saw the band in November 1966 in Copenhagen (presumably at the Falkoner Centret in Torsdagm on November 3, 1966 -- thanks, Ian!) and they opened with "Help Me, Rhonda." He believed Bruce was not yet a skilled bass player and that Carl took over the bass for "Good Vibrations." He recalled the cheering/screaming from the audience was deafening. 

Pendleton still offers the Blue Beach Boys Plaid shirt, available directly from Pendleton and a number of other outlets. So unless Paul Laursen absolutely requires the tag inside stating "Limited Edition This Shirt is a revival of the Pendleton Plaid Shirt worn by the Beach Boys on their early album covers" he could purchase a new shirt, although a used shirt should be less expensive on eBay. The "Limited Edition" tag was discontinued when revived Beach Boys Plaid became so popular that Pendleton decided to keep the shirt in their line up.

Jim, here's hoping you continue the series with a book examining 64-66 up next. Is this something that's on your radar?

That's an interesting observation. My understanding was that Carl claimed bass playing duties on "Good Vibrations" to allow Bruce to play organ. Personally, I always found the bass line in the verses of "Help Me, Rhonda" (particularly the first eight bars of each verse) more difficult than the bass line of "Good Vibrations." If Bruce was able to play bass live during "Help Me, Rhonda", then I'm impressed 8)

125 Dollars.  Pity they don't ship to the UK.  And the import charges would be added to that too.

Nice article. 
And a really good book you wrote with OH so many dates, places and  faces that are new to us all.
 A little too much information for me, at times, concerning the background on all of the folks that aren't the Beach Boys; but I get that this is the book you wanted to write for yourself.

I'm sure you'd bring just as much  to a 64-66 tome( or a continuing series of fiurther editions) but I'm betting you don't have the time or the interest. The early years are yours! 

Did ya see someone spent $655 for a copy of Beach Girl by the Nodaens!  Must have wanted that puppy BAD!! 

Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963 is avialable on Amazon.co.uk now, but £34.50 is a big ask so I hope it comes down in price at some point.

About halfway through the book at this point -- to say it's chockful of fascinating info is an understatement. Jim provides insight into all the surrounding factors in the BBs' rise.

One aspect which I appreciate immensely is that, should a point be debateable, Jim presents the evidence but doesn't impose his own views on the reader. Rather, you're allowed to draw your own conclusions. Most excellent.

Once again, thanks everyone for the support and kind words. I'm glad you are enjoying the book . . . No plans at this time for any additional volumes.

Thanks for pointing that out, Andrew. I kept that in the forefront as I was writing the book. It is an important distinction between "This is what happened" and "This is what may have happened; here are a few scenarios. What do you think?"   

Some good news . . . www.becomingthebeachboys.com was launched today. As a reader's companion to Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963, the site will feature stories and photographs that did not make it into the book. It will also include expanded versions of stories that do appear in the book. 

Under INFLUENCES, up now are articles on the Four Freshmen, the Kingston Trio, and the Four Preps.  Followed soon by Fats Domino, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly. 

There are stories about the Tikis, Bruce Johnston, and a really cool fan letter written to the group by a fifteen-year-old fan on August 14, 1963.

Under DISCOGRAPHIES, first up (in a day or two) will be Murry Wilson, Dorinda and Hite Morgan, and CANDIX Enterprises, Incorporated.  Followed soon by Joseph Saraceno, Russ Regan, and Nick Venet. 

The site also has links to the PSYCHOBABBLE review and an article in my hometown newspaper.

Please feel free to post any suggested topics related to the early years, or the research and writing of the book.

I just posted a new article on the companion website to Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963 (becomingthebeachboys.com) on a brief history of Surf Cinema and George Freeth, Jr., the Father of California Surfing.

http://becomingthebeachboys.com/2015/08/01/surf-cinema-and-george-freeth-jr-the-father-of-california-surfing/

The DORINDA AND HITE MORGAN DISCOGRAPHY was just posted on becomingthebeachboys.com, the companion website to the book.  

At one point, in my naive writing days while searching for a publisher, I envisioned the book containing full discographies for such folks as the Morgans, Murry Wilson, Candix Enterprises, Joe Saraceno, Russ Regan, and Nick Venet. So, I went about compiling these discographies, collecting the records, and photographing the record labels. I did the same for the band's major rock and roll influences such as Fats Domino, Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly. The same for all the songs the band has covered over the years or cited in interviews as influences. Same for Bruce Johnston and Glen Campbell (up to 1963). Just a side hobby to the book. *Groan* What was I thinking?? The reality is that would have made for a 600 page book.  And, truth be told, off the main story. But the discographies of the folks behind the band in the early days make for an interesting side story as they graphically illustrate how involved in the music industry these folks, especially the Morgans, were years before meeting Murry and the Wilson brothers. Once a publisher accepted my proposal, one of the negotiations was word count which translates into page count depending on the font, point size, and page size. Suffice it to say, the discographies were the among the first things jettisoned. Along with the stories now on the website (the Four Freshmen, the Kingston Trio, the Four Preps, the 1963 fan letter, the Tikis, a primer on California Surfing, and lots more to come).  

Although the discographies did not make it into the book, I felt it was important to publish them on the website, sharing them as historical documents for future writers, historians, music lovers, and fans.

So, I am in the process of polishing and re-formatting the discographies and pairing entries with photographs of record labels where available. Next up -- The Murry G. Wilson Discography. But each discography takes a disproportionate amount of time to format for the website, so I am going to alternate with articles and photographs focused on the band.  

And, in a shameless bit of self promotion, if you enjoyed the book, and the spirit so moves you, please take a few moments to leave a review at Amazon. Books and first-time authors rise and fall on such reviews. In the immortal words of the BIG E, thank you, thank you very much.    

Hi Jim,

Just wanted to say I've really been enjoying the cut materials and essays on the website. I found the Four Freshmen essay particularly enlightening and enjoyable. (If I recall correctly, much or most of that did actually make the book, right?) Excited about the Morgan discography. I totally geek out about stuff like that.

I've been away (lost and gone and unknown) for awhile, recently came back to LA and finally had a chance to dig into Jim Murphy's book....

This is amazing! 

Incredibly detailed, meticulously researched, and yet thoroughly readable and entertaining throughout.  Jim not only uncovers a wealth of fascinating info about the formation of the Beach Boys (including biographical profiles on just about everybody involved, from Al Jardine's parents to the Morgans and the Dix Brothers), he paints a vivid picture of Southern California and the LA music business in the postwar years, and really captures a strong sense of what it must have been like for the boys growing up in those days. 

This is truly an essential must-read for any serious Beach Boys devotee, and for anyone with even the slightest interest in Southern California pop music of the era.

Story on Jim himself.

https://www.hillnow.com/2015/08/14/capitol-hill-veterinarian-pens-book-on-beach-boys/

Good press such as that is always welcome, I'd presume. Maybe it will generate Sale$$

 I just had to check the Amazon link; I find it really interesting that there are two copies available used.
it doesn't seem there's been enough time for anyone to read it/ turn around to sell it back. But evidently they have.

Amazon's price seems pretty good.  Was going to mention that McFarland has a 30% off sale, if you buy any two books. promo code "summer"

Thank you Alan for such a great review of Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963, and for everything you have done to support the book. It is greatly appreciated. 

Radio interview with Jim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzsHkZUeN38

snap: also on the WFDU thread.

Coming soon ~ live interview podcast with  Jim Murphy, author of Becoming the Beach Boys 1961-1963

http://prayforsurfblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/new-beach-boys-book-new-podcast-with.html (http://prayforsurfblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/new-beach-boys-book-new-podcast-with.html)

Phil@PrayForSurf.net

A new article is up on BecomingtheBeachBoys.com.

This one examines the grand opening and open house of the Capitol Records Tower in April 1956, complete with photographs of the Capitol Souvenir record given to attendees. The material was originally planned for the book when it was slightly longer than Atlas Shrugged, but wound up on the cutting room floor.  Happy to see it enjoy a new life on the website. 

http://becomingthebeachboys.com/2015/08/26/capitol-tower-transforms-la-landscape/comment-page-1/#comment-71

Jim,

Mega thanks for a great interview on the research process for your Becoming the Beach Boys 1961-1963 book. It will stand tall on the library shelf of serious writings on the lives and the history of our favorite band.

Here is the link:
http://prayforsurfblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/pray-for-surf-interview-with-jim-murphy.html

Phil

wish I could find a way to jack the volume. comes thru almost as a whisper for me, and my volumes are set to 100%

Worked fine for me on my cell phone - Hope you can get a listen ...

Is this the link you used?
https://archive.org/details/JimMurphyInterview

Phil

The professor has been behind on this thread but has just now ordered the book on his Kindle device and will be reading it over the next couple of weeks before the semester starts here in Los Angeles. Jim, I congratulate you on your scholarly accomplishment, & I look forward to reading your book and 2 hour discussing the historical and artistic matters with in it. I am sure this will be a very good resource for my class and as a general and inspiring source of information about the Beach Boys. Congratulations.

Speaking generally here, but I'm in the habit of actually reading a book before I congratulate someone for it. Jim's book is indeed wonderful... but I never assumed it would be.

deleted

Shocking echo in here.  ;D

I am reading Jim's book now and really enjoying it.  The details about the boys at school socially in sports, etc., I initially thought otiose, but I see now how it deepens our understanding of Brian and Al (in this case) as innocent young men. I often skip though such details in a book like this, waiting to get to the "music part," but Jim very convincingly presents details that allow us to get to know these young men with an uncommon intimacy and familiarity--totally appropriate to the book's scope and purview.

Jim is a humane prose stylist and a delight to read. Can't wait to get back to it on my Kindle tonight.

Continued congratulations on your successful and meaningful book, sir.

The Professor

Phil
I had a really great time chatting with you about the Beach Boys on Pray For Surf.  Thank you so much for the interview.  Let's "Do It Again" sometime!

Professor
Thank you for the support and kind words.  I am glad you are enjoying it on your Kindle.  In the spirit of learning something every day, I must admit you sent me scrambling to Websters with "otiose."   :P


Here's a link to The Michael Shelley Show on WFMU broadcast August 29, 2015.  My interview with Michael begins at 42:19. 

http://mp3archives.wfmu.org/archive/kdb/mp3jump2010.mp3/0:7:34/0/SH/sh150829.mp3   

Jim, the book is blowing my mine; you practice, to my surprise, the art of micro-history, as in the exposition on the history of Candix records for example. You create a sort of Borgesian vibe, as if the text were written by Ireneo Funes himself.  Stunning, shocking detail about the various personae who played a part in the early history of the BB. No BB knows 1/100th of what you have unearthed.


Compelling reading. I am just getting to the David Marks part now. . . . Gary Usher calls him an "average rhythm player," so I am hoping my favorite BB gets some better press as the reading continues.

Just amazing, humane prose--a delightful, genuine scholarly work. Please pardon me for not knowing of your work and my not having connected with you before.


You make my frequent, tear-filled trips to Foster Freeze meaningful.

Just something about being there. . . . .

Had the delight of reading you while watching Love and Mercy On Demand.

A humble bow from the Professor, who will use you in class.

PS: Does Alan Boyd know your book, and is he a mate?

Professor
Thank you so much for your kind words about Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963.  I appreciate your support and am glad you are enjoying the book. And, yes, Alan Boyd has read the book and you can view his very kind comments further up this thread. It is beyond gratifying to have Alan's support for the book. 


I had a great time talking about the book and the Boys with Howie Edelson last week. 


There are three new articles up on the book's companion website-- http://becomingthebeachboys.com/

Hawthorne's Plaza Theater and The Tingler
Russia Comes to LA and Hawthorne High
Seattle's Spanish Castle and Party Line -- A Research Challenge

A new article is up on becomingthebeachboys.com . . .  

"Murry Promotes the Beach Boys in Sweden in '62, Writes the Morgans"

It features some cool 1962 era memorabilia not included in Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1962, including Murry's signed passport photograph.

There were so many things I wanted to include in the book, but had to cut due to space constraints.  Glad to see them enjoy a new life . . .  

Also, a new book review from The Recoup.

http://becomingthebeachboys.com/

For those of you interested in Brian's and Al's gridiron careers at Hawthorne High School . . .

There is a new article at http://becomingthebeachboys.com commemorating the 56th anniversary of the start of the 1959 football season for the Hawthorne High Cougars.  In this Cinderella season, the Cougars went undefeated in eight regular season games, two post-season play-off games, and squared off against the mighty Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits for the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) championship in front of 14,906 fans at the Los Angeles Coliseum on Friday, December 11, 1959.  In a happy coincidence, dates and days of the week are the same this year as they were in 1959.

This story was originally included in the manuscript and, while preparing it for the website, it quickly became apparent it was too long to make the cut for the book.  But it's a cool football story and a slice of high school life for Brian and Al.   

I have also posted to the website Ian Rusten's review of Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963, from the current issue of Endless Summer Quarterly. Thanks Ian for the enthusiastic and gracious review!

Hi Jim, opportunities for reading in our household are rare, what with be 9-5 being an 8.30-6, two kids, and having to explain why I (seem to) spend more time in Beach Boys World than domesticity.

Somehow I've managed to read the first few chapters of BtBBs and I'm gobsmacked at the detail, the style, the clarity and more.

Transported. It's like you sat through it all taking detailed notes.

Can we expect an annual volume, each covering three years from now on please?

I know this might be a long shot but what is the process to turn books into audiobooks? Is it a massive outlay? - I would certainly be interested in helping fund a kickstarter or something for this. As with the last, esteemed, poster, reading an actual book can be quite troublesome in my life but as I drive to work and whatnot I love a good audio book (I've recently enjoyed Catch a Wave and Fifty Sides of the Beach boys this way)....just a thought....

Gobsmacked?  Oh, I like that.  Thanks for the support and kind words, John.  I'm glad you are enjoying the book, especially the writing.   

Thanks for your suggestion of an audio book Rentatris.  I'm not sure of the process, but I'll check with the publisher. 

For my recent birthday, Bernadette, my lovely other half and first line of defense editor (see the dedication), bought me the Extended Special Edition of TUNE IN, Mark Lewisohn's first of three massive works about the Beatles. 

I'm unsure of her motivation -- an intimidating check on my humility ("Oh yeah? See if you can persuade your publisher to print a 1,600 page deluxe edition.") or a nod and a wink to keep going . . .

A worthy and ambitious undertaking like that would best be accomplished with the cooperation and essential input of Mssrs. Wilson, Love, Jardine, Marks, and Johnston, and the estates of Dennis and Carl and Audree.

Certainly America's Greatest Band is worthy of a comprehensive Lewisohn-esque treatment of their unparalleled musical career. 

You would be the man to do it.

Two new posts are up on the companion website . . .

Presenting the Book to the Beach Boys -- about my recent experience meeting Mike, Bruce, and David.

CANDIX Enterprises, Inc. Discography -- a complete look at the indie record label that released "Surfin'" b/w "Luau" and, as they say, the rest is . . .

http://becomingthebeachboys.com/ 

Thanks catbirdman for the kind support.  Would love to tackle that ambitious project with the Boys' input.

Good stuff there!  Tho that guy between Mike and Bruce doesn't look anything like the picture on your website. 

So, Bruce got a copy and the three of them signed Mike's copy and gave it back to you?   

Looking thru the Candix disco, I had several questions( which I have to ponder before asking) but I would be interested in this one: 
 How can you tell by the Delta numbers that a record was both pressed first and released later( #'s 336/338) ?
or am I reading incorrectly and you simply mean 338  is delta-numbered earlier

Uh, Jim... it's William Canaday Silva, not Wiliam Silva Canaday.

Chris
Yeah, it is a bit confusing . . . . Mike and Bruce each received their own copy. I apologized to David for not having a copy for him as I did not know he was touring with them this time around. David graciously said, "That's okay, I didn't know either."  Of course, I offered to send David a copy. Mike then asked me to sign his copy. And then Mike, Bruce, and David each signed the cover of my own personal copy. I just clarified it on the website. 

Yes, the delta number on Candix 338 is chronologically earlier (42 813) than the delta number on Candix 336 (42 882).

Sorry, that's me in both shots. Contemporary photos, too.

Andrew
My understanding is that his birth name was William Silva. Not sure if his biological father passed away or if his parents separated or divorced. But, in either case, his mother later married a man whose last name was Canaday. I am unsure how old Bill was at the time his mother remarried. Typically, with the stepfather's involvement, a younger child would assume the stepfather's name. But if Bill was older (i.e.; eighteen or older) it might not have made a difference to him. He was known in the music industry as Bill Silva, but he personally preferred his stepfather's name of Canaday. Perhaps he just liked his stepfather more than his biological father. I wrote his name as William Silva Canaday on the website, but will clarify it.

I wanted to interview Silva and searched a loooonng time for him (and his daughter, Kathy) with no success. I also never found a suitable photograph of Silva that would reproduce decently in the book.  I found a photo or two of him years later in a recording studio, but they were really poor quality.

Music Trivia: Kathy Silva married Sylvester Stone of Sly and the Family Stone at Madison Square Garden in NYC June 5, 1974 -- six days before I saw the Who there and two weeks before I graduated high school.  Had I known then I was going to write this book, I would have gotten to the Garden a week earlier  ;D

This is usually where AGD jumps in with " you need a Tardis"   

Silva died in 1978, Jim... and in every single reference to him I've ever seen, in print or on the 'net, it's WCS, not WSC.

Interesting thought: had his mother not remarried Mr. Canaday, we'd be talking about "Surfin'" on Sildix 331...

Hi Jim,

Finally finished reading your book, thanks to a long weekend and (timely) bout of the flu! 

Wow! Loved your fast paced intro, I could feel the cool shade of the subway bridge as you and Richie set off on your GV quest. 

For me, IMHO and in no way a criticism, your book really hits and maintains it's stride in chapter 8 as it delves into the professional and business evolution of our band and I really enjoyed how you deftly worked in your source material while keeping things fresh.

I personally got a big kick out of your "Buyers Guide" detail and tips re collectible vinyl, as well as the run downs and what-nots re the matrix codes and delta symbols - fascinating stuff and a real treat see you mash up the many approaches available to you.

During the days of the working week, I am a mild mannered Business Process Analyst; so thought Appendix 4 was the cats meow, very cool!

Thanks again, and looking forward to spending sometime on your website - A

Jim,

Add me to the list of people who are getting a lot out of your book!  I'd never seen pictures of Hite or Dorinda Morgan, and I didn't know the ins and outs of Candix 301/X 301/Candix 331.  Also, I didn't know anything about the Dix brothers besides their names.  It seems like the worst thing that could happen to a small label was to have a hit.

You covered a lot of ground and kept it well organized.  I didn't get the sense of "hopping around" from topic to topic.  The appendices are all icing on the cake.  It's too bad a little bit is cut off on the right side of the letter of intent and agreement from Murry to Hite.  Was that from microfilm?

There are a very few typos, as often happens in works like this.  Eddie Fischer (p. 234) is the famous Eddie Fisher (married to Debbie Reynolds, etc).  Also, I did not find Gary Usher in the index.  And what was the address of Stereo Masters?  It's 5434-5438 on page 69 and 5534-5538 on other pages.

Again, this was top-notch!

Alan
Thanks for your kind words about the book.  I am very glad you enjoyed reading it.  I think you'll like the additional stories and photos on the website. Let me know what you think or suggest topics for future articles.  And, if the spirit moves you, leave a review on Amazon.  I especially got a kick out of you enjoying Appendix 4.  I spent a lot of time on that, trying to illustrate the record production process and the revenue stream from the sale of a 45 rpm record.  My wife, Bernadette (see the Dedication) did the actual chart.  Way beyond my ability!  I hope you're feeling better now and over the flu.  Thanks again for your support!

mojoman3061
Thank you also for your support and for reading the book so closely and so thoroughly. I greatly appreciate learning about typos and things I can correct with the next printing.  Stereo Masters was at 5534-5538 Melrose Avenue.  It is correct on page 132 and on page 376 (Appendix 10).  It is incorrect on page 69.  I will rectify that when the book is reprinted.  Thanks for catching that, really quite impressive.  I truly appreciate that kind of feedback.

Another eagle-eyed reader, who is mentioned many times in the book, pointed out Eddie Fisher to me.  That's what happens when you're positive it is spelled one way (Fischer, with a "c") and you do not take the requisite three seconds to look it up. Aaarrgghh! Here's another one from the same eagle-eyed reader -- it's Shelley Fabares . . . Shelley with two "e's."  I have it as Shelly in a few spots. I was so obsessive about spelling "Fabares" correctly that I missed the inconsistency.  Gary Usher was inadvertently left out of the index.  That will be corrected in a future reprinting.

The March 29, 1962, Letter of Intent and Agreement from Murry to Hite came from an eight feel tall stack of legal documents from all the litigation over the years.  I was really excited when I found it, because, trust me, getting those documents was akin to breaking into Fort Knox.  Years.  That copy was the best I could provide.  Hopefully, it is just a minor inconvenience.  I fought for its inclusion in the book.  I wish I had included additional Appendices (the three-page Capitol contract dated May 24, 1962; the Legends from the Hite Morgan tape boxes; the Standard Songwriter's Contract for "Surfer Girl"; Murry's passport records; 1962-1963 AFM contracts).  In today's environment, publishing a book is a series of compromises.  You win some battles, you relent on others.  I am eternally grateful McFarland Books believed in this book 100% from the onset.  I have McFarland and founder Robert McFarland Franklin to thank for the book being published.  They loved the thirty page proposal from the onset.

Thanks again, mojoman, for your support and feedback.  Let me know what you think of the website.  Hawthorne High alumni are enjoying the article on the 1959 Hawthorne Cougar football season, the so-called Cinderella Season.  A really thrilling sports story.      

Hope this is not stepping on any ones toes, but after reading this book I have to comment on what appears to be a large amount of information in this book that I have read in the 4 year old book/E book written by Stephen McParland.
No mention of his book in this forum subject.
If anyone is interested in going back and reading McParland's book now in it's 3rd edition. This new edition contains an addition 18 pages, also has a lot of information not in Murphy's new book.

Go to this site https://payhip.com/CMusicBooks to check out how to purchase a copy of this book. It is pretty cheap.
That site lists all the book Stephen has done over the years that are all available for download. I think all are reasonably priced.

Jim,

Thanks for being understanding about typos and things that can be corrected.  I didn't want to have a tone of superiority in my post, and I wanted to be sure you understood that I think you've done an amazing job. 

There's one instance each of "Korthoff," "Butalla," and, my favorite, "Murrry" (with 3 R's).  And the address for CBS Television City is 7800 Beverly Boulevard, not 800.  Congratulations on keeping "Fabares" straight, especially since Shelley's aunt Nanette spells it "Fabray."

I'm a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), and baseball is one of McFarland's specialties.  They come to every SABR convention and sell zads of books.

mojoman

Clearly, I should have sent you a copy of the manuscript before publication  :)

Thanks again for the support. No superiority evident at all in your posts. Just good, honest, constructive feedback. The type of feedback most authors appreciate. Despite numerous read-throughs from several pairs of eyes, I have been told that in a document that size, statistically, there are bound to be some typos.  Fortunately, these are easy, albeit annoying, fixes.  Thanks for spotting them and sharing them with me. 

Since your previous post, I have compiled the missing index entry for Gary Usher.   

Usher, Gary  141-145, 151, 155, 160, 162-163, 168-171, 184-189, 192, 199-200, 203-206, 211-212, 214-215, 217-219, 221, 223, 227-230, 233, 238-240, 242, 245, 254-255, 259, 261, 263, 265, 268, 273, 276, 290, 297, 299-300, 302, 316, 318, 322, 334, 345

McFarland is quite the eclectic publisher.  I have steered a fiend of mine toward them as he is writing a book about the history of high school basketball in the greater Washington, DC, area.  It seemed McFarland would be perfect for that.

Thanks again!

Jim:

I have the book on order.  Sounds like you did a tremendous job. 

In the great Hawthorne football article, you introduce Alex Bravo as a former Los Angeles Raider.   At the time of writing he was an ex-Los Angeles Ram and later played for the Oakland Raiders.   http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BravAl20.htm

Great work on that article.

Competition Clutch

Thanks for your support! I hope you enjoy the book.  I'm glad you enjoyed the website article on the 1959 Hawthorne High Cougar's Cinderella season. It was a fun story to write.  As I wrote on cougartown.com (Hawthorne High's alumni website), I finished the football story as a small measure of thanks to all the Hawthorne High alumni who graciously granted me interviews and who so kindly helped me with the story. The story would not have ft in the book so, rather than let it languish in my computer, I thought I'd finish it for the alumni, many of whom still vividly recall that exciting football season. 

Thanks for the head's up about Coach Bravo.  I fixed it in the article. 

Thanks again and please let me know your thoughts after you've read the book.

Ken Sharp interviewed me recently about Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963, for Rock Cellar.  

Here's the link:

http://www.rockcellarmagazine.com/2015/11/06/becoming-the-beach-boys-author-james-b-murphy-interview/?utm_source=Rock+Cellar+Magazine+Subscribers&utm_campaign=046f104901-October+Issue+Email+10.8.15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_951cfef8de-046f104901-159115861#sthash.4DqyGB6v.TlRr6rvr.dpbs

The article includes photographs of Hite Morgan, the Dix brothers (owners of CANDIX, Enterprises, Inc.), and, as sort of a bonus for the Rock Cellar article, a photograph of Judy Bowles that did not appear in the book. Here's Judy as she looked when Brian fell in love with her in summer 1961.  "So I say from me to you / I will make your dreams come true / Do you love me, do you Surfer Girl."

Thanks Ken!

Your book was excellent Jim. Very well researched and even handed. Filled in a ton of gaps. Thank you! A+

Why, thank you, Emily!  That was nice to hear.  I am very happy you enjoyed it. 

When you have a chance, please visit the companion website at http://becomingthebeachboys.com/

A new article and photos coming soon (this weekend) "A Research Challenge: Brian Wilson, Roger Christian, and Ice Cream Sundaes"

Followed shortly thereafter (hopefully) by a Murry Wilson Discography

Great article, Jim, and nice to see that additional pic of Judy Bowles.

Concerning your question for readers about a white label promo of Candix 331, considering how frequently 45 rpm promo copies ended up in the used market, not to mention the fact that Audition copies of Candix 301 are not difficult to find, I'd say that if a white label promo of Candix 331 had ever been pressed at least one copy would have shown up by now.

I ordered the book on Amazon on March 9. Delivery was supposed to be this week. Then I got a notice that states it won't even be shipped until April 20. Not great service.

It's worth the wait. Well worth it.

I second this emotion.

Thanks! Will endure....

Great book that we've only today got round to sticking on the blog. Hope nobody minds:

http://fridaynightboys300.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/becoming-beach-boys-review-and.html

Just found this and thought it would fit into this thread (your book gets a couple of mentions Jim!):

Where "The Beach Boys" Were Filmed: July 27, 1962

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJnUMnEZJIc


And of course the original footage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOg1MxozVPc

Thanks Rocker for sharing that link -- very cool to see the former Azusa Teen Club!

Thanks Smilin Ed H for the post!

 joe-blow, I hope you received the book, thanks for your support, I hope you enjoy it. 

Nice tribute by the videographer.   It would be better if he filmed with less camera movement and recorded his voiceover later so he could avoid repetitive and redundant comments.  Very easy to do with iMovie.