Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963 -- Available Now!

[Jim Murphy]

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

[GoodVibrations33]

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

[c-man]

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

[bgas]

How long until this hits the discount bins?

[Andrew G. Doe]

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.

[lostbeachboy]

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

[Ian]

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

[Andrew G. Doe]

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 ?

[Jason Penick]

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.

[Jim Murphy]

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  

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!

[Andrew G. Doe]

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.

[bgas]

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?

[Jim Murphy]

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.

[bgas]

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

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

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

[Custom Machine]

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

[Andrew G. Doe]

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

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

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

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 ?

[bgas]

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

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

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

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 mentally handicapped person 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?

[c-man]

Get a room, you two.

[D Cunningham]

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

[gfac22]

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.

[bgas]

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? 

[gfac22]

How much was shipping/handling? 

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

[bgas]

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!

[GoodVibrations33]

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.

Thanks for sharing the coupon code! Ordered.

[Andrew G. Doe]

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.