Jon's new book

[Aegir]

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

[Jon Stebbins]

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

Both of my previous Beach Boys related books had a great deal of unpublished info in them, this one is no different. There's also a few previously unpublished photos.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

[Ian]

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

[Wrightfan]

Got it today but haven't gotten too far.

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

[Jim V.]

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

BUT.....

There is one thing that bothers me.

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

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

[Jim V.]

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

[Jon Stebbins]

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

BUT.....

There is one thing that bothers me.

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

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

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

[ghost]

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

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

[Paulos]

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

[ghost]

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

[rab2591]

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

[Paulos]

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

Thanks, that's so helpfull!

[Jon Stebbins]

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

Thanks, that's so helpfull!

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

[Paulos]

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

Thanks, that's so helpfull!

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

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

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

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

[Jim V.]

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

BUT.....

There is one thing that bothers me.

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

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

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

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

[Ed Roach]

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

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

[MBE]

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

[Jay]

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

BUT.....

There is one thing that bothers me.

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

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

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

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

[brother john]

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

BUT.....

There is one thing that bothers me.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Dove Nested Towers]

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

[Jon Stebbins]

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

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

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

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

[Howie Edelson]

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

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

Tremendous f u cking job.

He's three for three.

[TV Forces]

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

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

[Mr. Wilson]

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

[Rocker]

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