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Author Topic: Favorite/Best Beach Boys-related book?  (Read 14090 times)
NatureShowInStereo
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« on: February 28, 2012, 01:18:59 AM »

I was going to make a thread in the Book Reviews thread, but I couldn't, so I'll make it here!

I've read WIBN:MOS and The Wilson Project (good pair, right?), but I was wondering what you guys liked as far as books go. What should I read next? I've got some money on my Paypal and want to buy the best Beach Boys book available. What's good and what do you like about it?
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hypehat
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« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2012, 01:24:54 AM »

I keep coming back to Peter Ames Carlin's Catch A Wave. As far as an all-encompassing biograph goes, it falls into few of the traps most do. It's funny and well-written, represents The Beach Boys in a truthful manner (which does mean he lays into them at points), and is light on errors and incorporates a lot of sources.

On the other hand, if you fancy some literary popcorn, try and find Heroes & Villains by Steven Gaines. Whilst poorly researched and inaccurate/opinionated at times, it is also extremely gossipy if you like that sort of thing.
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« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2012, 02:13:17 AM »

Too many books to choose from and unfortunately a lot of them repeat the same old stuff.  The Gaines book was one of the first I got and is a good read. It's warts and all but has some really good contributors.  Note to Hypehat - that's at least 2 copies in NX!

Otherwise search out copies of these 2

The Beach Boys and the California Myth by David Leaf - Published originally in 1978 it tends to sell expensively now
but is a unique view of mostly Brian's world.

Look! Listen! Vibrate! SMiLE! by Dominic Priore - This a photo heavy book charting the times around SMiLE's inception. Dominic Priore is a 60s enthusiast who contributed a lot to the SMiLE myth.

And of course every library should have
Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, The Complete Guide to their Music by AGD & John Tobler
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hypehat
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« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2012, 02:56:06 AM »

Note to Hypehat - that's at least 2 copies in NX!

 Grin nice to meet you!

Oh yeah, if you can find a copy of LLVS!, do it. A lovely artefact.
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« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2012, 03:11:22 AM »

Depends.

- 'Catch a Wave' is the best book, the one that I always recommend to new fans that are curious about the story behind the band.
- 'Heroes and Villains' is the most entertaining read.
- AGD's book is the one I've read most often, and the one I always take with me on long trips.
- The FAQ book because my name's in it.  Grin
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« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2012, 03:28:26 AM »

On the other hand, if you fancy some literary popcorn, try and find Heroes & Villains by Steven Gaines. Whilst poorly researched and inaccurate/opinionated at times, it is also extremely gossipy if you like that sort of thing.

All great books, but I'd recommend H&V as a must read - it's all about the people and politics behind the music and the BB image, and as a result, occasionally drifts into some things we didn't need to know.  The opening chapter provides, if anything, an evocative and accessible account of Dennis's last weeks.  The section on the Australian tour is engaging stuff, not to mention the Grillo/Rieley wars, and the inevitable Manson section is handled deftly.

I think it's well researched (again, re the people - I do agree some assessments of the music are contentious), but I'm interested to hear if it's now considered an unreliable tome (and which bits).

It's pretty old now (1986) and more recent research/gut-spilling may have worked to it's detriment.  Oh, and it's said a fair bit of it was ripped off to inform WIBN:MOS.



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« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2012, 05:46:21 AM »

All great books, but I'd recommend H&V as a must read - it's all about the people and politics behind the music and the BB image, and as a result, occasionally drifts into some things we didn't need to know.

Downside though is that Gaines obviously isn't familiar with the music at all. It's been a few years since I've read the book and I haven't got it here at the moment, but from the top of my head I recall that he thought that Party was brilliant, that he called Today an album of mediocre car songs and that he writes about an untitled Beach Boys album that went to #1 in the mid 60s.
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« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2012, 06:58:49 AM »

"Catch a Wave" gets my nod too.  In addition to the above, it's also newer than the others mentioned.

I'm curious what people think of Timothy White's "The Nearest Faraway Place".

I haven't re-read it since it came out but at that time it seemed interesing and informative.
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« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2012, 07:05:12 AM »

I agree that Gaines makes a number of mistakes on the music, but as to the facts of the story, his research seems to be pretty accurate -- and it is very detailed.  He spent a long time -- close to a decade -- talking to pretty much all of the key people.  Gaines interviewed almost everyone who was close to the Beach Boys in the 60s and 70s -- including Brian, Dennis, Carl, Mike, and Al, as well as Audree Wilson, Stan and Stephen Love, Marilyn, Karen Lamm, and many others (even Steve Desper).  Because of that I think his book is really the primary information source on the band as people.  Some of the key sources are now dead, and the ones that are alive would be much less reliable now on the key subjects than they were when Gaines talked to them.  For this reason (and because Gaines is a good storyteller), H&V is still -- and probably always will be -- the best biography.

I think AGD's book is the best on the music.

Peter Ames Carlin did a good job uncovering some new sources, particularly about the early years when Brian was in high school.  But he spends way too much time talking about song lyrics, many of which were written by Mike and thus of limited interest in relation to Brian.  I thought his book overall was a disappointment.  Also I am much less interested in the story of the band after Dennis died.
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« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2012, 07:15:39 AM »

I was going to make a thread in the Book Reviews thread, but I couldn't, so I'll make it here!

I've read WIBN:MOS and The Wilson Project (good pair, right?), but I was wondering what you guys liked as far as books go. What should I read next? I've got some money on my Paypal and want to buy the best Beach Boys book available. What's good and what do you like about it?
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« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2012, 07:22:53 AM »

A friend of mine recently made the leap from casual fan into the post-'67 eras.
I handed him copies of three books: 'Heroes And Villains,' Byron Preiss' book and Stebbins' FAQ.
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« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2012, 07:39:33 AM »

I'm curious what people think of Timothy White's "The Nearest Faraway Place".

I haven't re-read it since it came out but at that time it seemed interesting and informative.

I really enjoyed "The Nearest Faraway Place." I wouldn't use it to turn on new fans though, unless they are already really into music or California culture, because the beginning of the book is very detailed on California history, surf culture and Wilson family history. I could see where that level of detail could be boring or a turn-off to someone who's not really into it. But for people who are into the band, I highly recommend it. There are a lot of really interesting original interviews. White seemed to form a really good relationship with Brian and especially Dennis. He used interviews from the mid-70s through the early nineties when the book was published; they seem really honest. There is some pretty candid stuff, like Brian talking about his divorce and a really touching moment where Dennis talks about how lucky he is to even know Brian, let alone be his band mate and brother. Since the book is about 20 years old now, there is information that has been debunked, but it's still a great read.

As far as a basic bio, I agree with the majority here. "Catch A Wave" covers all the bases in a mostly accurate and very readable way. I will say though, at this point, I have never read a Beach Boys book that was complete garbage, although Brian's bio comes close. There typically is something of value in every book. Whether there are pictures I've never seen or interviews I've never read and even just a new perspective to view a song, member or band as a whole with.
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« Reply #12 on: February 28, 2012, 08:01:09 AM »

Nearest Faraway Place
Back to the Beach (edited by Kingsley Abbot)
Andrew's guide
Jon's biographies
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« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2012, 08:52:25 AM »

I'm curious what people think of Timothy White's "The Nearest Faraway Place".

I haven't re-read it since it came out but at that time it seemed interesting and informative.

I really enjoyed "The Nearest Faraway Place." I wouldn't use it to turn on new fans though, unless they are already really into music or California culture, because the beginning of the book is very detailed on California history, surf culture and Wilson family history. I could see where that level of detail could be boring or a turn-off to someone who's not really into it. But for people who are into the band, I highly recommend it. There are a lot of really interesting original interviews. White seemed to form a really good relationship with Brian and especially Dennis. He used interviews from the mid-70s through the early nineties when the book was published; they seem really honest. There is some pretty candid stuff, like Brian talking about his divorce and a really touching moment where Dennis talks about how lucky he is to even know Brian, let alone be his band mate and brother. Since the book is about 20 years old now, there is information that has been debunked, but it's still a great read.

As far as a basic bio, I agree with the majority here. "Catch A Wave" covers all the bases in a mostly accurate and very readable way. I will say though, at this point, I have never read a Beach Boys book that was complete garbage, although Brian's bio comes close. There typically is something of value in every book. Whether there are pictures I've never seen or interviews I've never read and even just a new perspective to view a song, member or band as a whole with.

Agreed with everything here.

The Nearest Faraway Place is a very worthwhile read: It's true the first part is about the history of the Wilson lineage and the history of California - but it sets such a great background for the Beach Boys story. Also, White does a fantastic job painting the picture of the LA music scene during the early-late 60s. I highly recommend this and Catch A Wave.

I also recommend 'Inside The Music Of Brian Wilson' if you are into recording/writing music. Jon's FAQ is a great read too - though it doesn't follow The Beach Boys in a chronological order, every chapter has great information.
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« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2012, 09:30:08 AM »

I'd recommend anything on the Beach Boys with the exception of Brian's 'autobiography', which may be the most expensive toilet paper I've ever purchased.
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« Reply #15 on: February 28, 2012, 09:46:49 AM »

A friend of mine recently made the leap from casual fan into the post-'67 eras.
I handed him copies of three books: 'Heroes And Villains,' Byron Preiss' book and Stebbins' FAQ.

Would you have included The Real Beach Boy if you could have laid your hands on an extra copy?
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« Reply #16 on: February 28, 2012, 05:47:22 PM »

You know I would.
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« Reply #17 on: February 29, 2012, 12:44:58 AM »

Thank you for the suggestions and ideas, guys!

I should add that I'm not a very new fan and that I'm looking for something that has a little more depth than your quick-version run of the mill BB story (I've seen most if not all of the video documentaries I could find). So there's a lot that I do know, but I feel like there's more out there for me to learn still.
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« Reply #18 on: February 29, 2012, 01:57:21 AM »

I've noticed there are multiple editions of H+V... Any difference between them besides the outer appearance?
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« Reply #19 on: February 29, 2012, 04:30:29 AM »

I'd recommend anything on the Beach Boys with the exception of Brian's 'autobiography', which may be the most expensive toilet paper I've ever purchased.
Took this list off the Whedon site. Read them all except for the Joe Thomas titles. Gary Zenker's Beach Boys A-Z, and many other fan publications that unlike Zenker reprint old articles, aren't here. Kingsley Abbott had done a few, and I remember there was a series called Busy Doin Nothing but I can't track it down or remember who did it. Again reprints I think. I bolded the ones I like best.
A Biography In Words & Pictures Ken Barnes 1976
The Beach Boys: Southern California Pastoral Bruce Golden 1976
The Beach Boys John Tobler 1978
The Beach Boys and the California Myth David Leaf 1978
The Authorized Biography of America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band Byron Preiss 1979
Surf's Up! The Beach Boys On Record 1961-1981 Brad Elliott 1981
The Beach Boys Silver Anniversary John Milward 1985
The Beach Boys Dean Anthony 1985
Heroes & Villains: The True Story of the Beach Boys Steven Gaines 1986
Look! Listen! Vibrate! SMILE! Various 1988
Whale Music Paul Quarrington 1990
Wouldn't It Be Nice: My Own Story Brian Wilson &
Todd Gold 1991
The Wilson Project Stephen J. McParland 1991
Denny Remembered: Dennis Wilson in Words and Picture Edward Wincentsen 1991
Glimpses: A Novel Lewis Shiner 1993
The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and the Southern California Experience Timothy White 1994
The Beach Boys: In Their Own Words Nick Wise 1994
The Dark Stuff: Selected Writings on Rock Music 1972-1995 Nick Kent 1995
How Deep Is The Ocean? Paul Williams 1997
Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys: The Complete Guide to Their Music Andrew Doe & John Tobler 1997
Back To The Beach: a Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys Reader Various 1998
Add Some Music To Your Day: Analyzing and Enjoying the Music of The Beach Boys Various 1999
SMiLE, Sun, Sand & Pet Sounds Various 1999
The Real Beach Boy: Dennis Wilson Jon Stebbins 2000
Dumb Angel: The Life and Music of Dennis Wilson Adam Webb 2001
The Beach Boys Pet Sounds: The Greatest Album of the Twentieth Century Kingsley Abbott 2001
In The Studio with Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys: our favorite recording sessions: a look at various recording sessions by The Beach Boys, 1961 - 1970 Stephen J. McParland 2001
Rock and Roll Hall of Famers: The Beach Boys Mark Holcomb 2003
Wouldn't It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of Pet Sounds Charles L. Granata 2003
The Beach Boys On CD Joe Thomas 2004
This Whole World: The Complete Beach Boys Single And EP Cover Collection Manfred Schmidt & Christian Haschke 2004
Brian Wilson Solo: The Complete Guide To The Solo Works of Brian Wilson Joe Thomas & Kie Miskelly 2004
The Japanese CD Releases of The Beach Boys & Brian Wilson Joe Thomas 2004
The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary Of America's Greatest Band on Stage And In The Studio Keith Badman 2004
The Beach Boys: The Musical Evolution Of America's Band Robert G. Anstey 2004 (The oddest book I have ever read. Certainly the least professional.
Maximum Brian Wilson & The Beach Boys Anonymous 2005
Smile: The Story Of Brian's Wilson's Lost Masterpiece Domenic Priore 2005
Pet Sounds Jim Fusilli 2005
Sloop John B: A Pirates Tale Al Jardine 2005
Brian Wilson: An Art Book Various 2005
Catch A Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson Peter Carlin 2006
The Lost Beach Boy: The True Story of David Marks Jon Stebbins 2007
Inside the Music of Brian Wilson: The Songs, Sounds, and Influences of the Beach Boys' Founding Genius Philip Lambert 2007
Beach Boys Vs.  Beatlemania: Rediscovering Sixties Music G.A. De Forest 2007
The Beach Boys: Essential Interviews John D. Luerssen 2009
The Beach Boys: The Complete History Wiki Editors 2010
My Life With The Beach Boys Jack Lloyd 2010
Brian Wilson: The Lowdown Unknown 2011 CD book I didn't bother with.
The Beach Boys FAQ Jon Stebbins 2011
Also missing is the Steve Desper book which may be the most eye opening as far as giving all the band members their due, and revealing how involved Brian still was in the early seventies.
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The Heartical Don
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« Reply #20 on: February 29, 2012, 06:42:08 AM »

I keep coming back to Peter Ames Carlin's Catch A Wave. As far as an all-encompassing biograph goes, it falls into few of the traps most do. It's funny and well-written, represents The Beach Boys in a truthful manner (which does mean he lays into them at points), and is light on errors and incorporates a lot of sources.

On the other hand, if you fancy some literary popcorn, try and find Heroes & Villains by Steven Gaines. Whilst poorly researched and inaccurate/opinionated at times, it is also extremely gossipy if you like that sort of thing.

Seconded. And if you're a bit on terms with musical theory, then Inside The Music Of Brian Wilson by Philip Lambert is a must-read-and-have.
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« Reply #21 on: February 29, 2012, 05:30:20 PM »

Yeah, I need that book so much but it costs like £30 on amazon and, well, I need food  Grin
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« Reply #22 on: February 29, 2012, 11:23:17 PM »

My recommended BB bbookshelf (ya see what I did there ?):

Essential:

Surf's Up! The Beach Boys On Record 1961-1981 Brad Elliott 1981
Heroes & Villains: The True Story of the Beach Boys Steven Gaines 1986
Look! Listen! Vibrate! SMILE! Various 1988
The Wilson Project Stephen J. McParland 1991
The Nearest Faraway Place: Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys and the Southern California Experience Timothy White 1994
The Beach Boys: In Their Own Words Nick Wise 1994
How Deep Is The Ocean? Paul Williams 1997
The Real Beach Boy: Dennis Wilson Jon Stebbins 2000
In The Studio with Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys: our favorite recording sessions: a look at various recording sessions by The Beach Boys, 1961 - 1970 Stephen J. McParland 2001
Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys: The Complete Guide to Their Music Andrew Doe & John Tobler 2004
This Whole World: The Complete Beach Boys Single And EP Cover Collection Manfred Schmidt & Christian Haschke 2004
Catch A Wave: The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson Peter Carlin 2006
The Lost Beach Boy: The True Story of David Marks Jon Stebbins 2007
Inside the Music of Brian Wilson: The Songs, Sounds, and Influences of the Beach Boys' Founding Genius Philip Lambert 2007
The Beach Boys FAQ Jon Stebbins 2011

Desirable:

The Beach Boys and the California Myth David Leaf 1978
The Authorized Biography of America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band Byron Preiss 1979
The Beach Boys Silver Anniversary John Milward 1985
The Beach Boys: In Their Own Words Nick Wise 1994
The Dark Stuff: Selected Writings on Rock Music 1972-1995 Nick Kent 1995
Back To The Beach: a Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys Reader Various 1998
Add Some Music To Your Day: Analyzing and Enjoying the Music of The Beach Boys Various 1999
Wouldn't It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of Pet Sounds Charles L. Granata 2003
The Beach Boys: The Definitive Diary Of America's Greatest Band on Stage And In The Studio Keith Badman 2004
Smile: The Story Of Brian's Wilson's Lost Masterpiece Domenic Priore 2005
Pet Sounds Jim Fusilli 2005
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« Reply #23 on: March 01, 2012, 12:45:28 AM »

"In The Studio with Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys: our favorite recording sessions: a look at various recording sessions by The Beach Boys, 1961 - 1970 Stephen J. McParland"

Haven't heard of this one. Sounds interesting. Opinions?
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« Reply #24 on: March 01, 2012, 01:17:06 AM »

"In The Studio with Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys: our favorite recording sessions: a look at various recording sessions by The Beach Boys, 1961 - 1970 Stephen J. McParland"

Haven't heard of this one. Sounds interesting. Opinions?

For the info geeks (i.e ME !) - it's a collection of about 100 AFM contracts from 1962-70. Not exactly light reading, but tons of great info.
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