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

[Jim Murphy]

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

[PrayForSurf]

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

[bgas]

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%

[PrayForSurf]

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

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%

[the professor]

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.

[Andrew G. Doe]

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.

[the professor]

deleted

[Andrew G. Doe]

Shocking echo in here. 

[the professor]

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

[Jim Murphy]

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."   


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   

[the professor]

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?

[Jim Murphy]

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

[Jim Murphy]

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/

[Jim Murphy]

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!

[The Shift]

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?

[Rentatris]

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....

[Jim Murphy]

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. 

[Catbirdman]

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.

[Jim Murphy]

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.

[bgas]

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

[Andrew G. Doe]

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

[Jim Murphy]

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 

[bgas]

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 

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

[Andrew G. Doe]

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.

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...

[Alan Smith]

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