I read Al's remark as saying that the barbershop style of the song was something they had been doing since the start.
Intersting comments about SU.
“In fact, ‘Heroes And Villains’ at the start, was one of the first things we ever did, really early on, even before we recorded ‘Surfin'; We were working on that song way back in '61. We all became instruments for Brian's barber shop concept. He said, ‘Let's all do this, let's sing this idea.’ Carl would be one instrument, I'd be another. Mike would be another instrument. “
-Al Jardine (Goldmine -“A Beach Boy Still Riding The Waves” July 28, 2000)
HEROES AND VILLAINS BACK IN ’61:
“Yeah, the idea, not the song. We started singing a capella first because we didn't play instruments. With none of us really being players, we would just scat in the car going to a show or something or going to school, anywhere. “
-Al Jardine (Goldmine -“A Beach Boy Still Riding The Waves” July 28, 2000)