New Brian Wilson / Beach Boys Book March 2007 - Anyone know anything about it?

[Zander]

Inside the Music of Brian Wilson: The Songs, Sounds, and Influences of the Beach Boys' Founding Genius: The Songs, Sounds, and Influences of a Pop Legend by Philip Lambert (Paperback - Mar 2007)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inside-Music-Brian-Wilson-Influences...

Hardcover seems a bit steep at £55.00, but then again the paperback is apparently out at the same time at £12.37??? 

Anyway here's the description...

Reviews

Synopsis
Do you remember the first time you heard "Pet Sounds"? It still takes my breath away, forty years later, but I'll never forget that jaw-dropping moment when Brian Wilson's masterpiece first entered my consciousness. It seemed just so far removed from anything that seemed possible in a rock album, so deep and sensitive and finely crafted that it surely came from a world beyond this one... I've written this book because I had to know more about the remarkable creative spirit behind "Pet Sounds" and the Beach Boys. I wanted to know every detail about Brian Wilson's music before and after his magnum opus. Of course, I knew something about the life he has lived, especially the publicity-grabbing circumstances of his difficult childhood, up-and-down relationships with his brothers and the group that made him famous, battles with substance abuse and depression and legal squabbles. But I was sure that his music alone told a story that was interesting on its own and that was naturally interwoven with his biography. That's the story I've set out to tell in this book... Tracing a line from Brian Wilson's very first musical loves (George Gershwin and the Four Freshmen) through to the Smile and Pet Sounds tours of recent years, Philip Lambert's astonishingly comprehensive book details over 50 years in the musical life of one of America's foremost pop composers. Lambert acknowledges the familiar biographical contexts behind many of Wilson's songs, but sheds new light on the birth and evolution of his musical ideas. A huge number of songs are discussed, including the famous ("Help Me Rhonda," "Good Vibrations," "God Only Knows") and the less well known ("Farmer's Daughter," "Boys Will Be Boys" and more). The end result is a remarkable story of musical growth and ambition, sure to appeal to devoted Beach Boys fans. The book also includes a unique Brian Wilson song chronology, listing every musical endeavour to which Brian is known to have made a musical contribution.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Don't see how it could possibly be better than Peter Ames Carlin's book, unless it probes into subjects Peter wasn't willing to touch on.

[Smilin Ed H]

Sounds like it's more about the actual music.

[Andrew G. Doe]

I'm thinking the reason "Boys Will Be Boys" is 'less well known' might have something to do with its never being released.

FWIW, Lambert has also compiled and edited a collection of essays on the music of Charles Ives.

[matt-zeus]

Well, I think it sounds promising! 

[Bicyclerider]

If this is something like "the story behind the songs" - there are Beatles, Stones, and Doors books along these lines, going song by song - I think it's something that would be most welcome.

[the captain]

If this does indeed focus on the music from a technical standpoint--which it seems to, and as AGD's note that he did work on Ives would indicate--I'm thrilled. I find it amazing how little the authors of each of the previous books seem to know or understand about music. I recall getting very angry reading Gaines and noticing he'd use incorrect terms for song types, or dismiss albums out of hand. (I think he said something about Today! and Friends in particular as being virtually worthless albums, musically speaking. Most people would disagree.)

[Chris Brown]

I'm with Luther here, I'll be really happy if this is geared towards BB music geeks.  The Carlin book was actually a bit better regarding the music itself than most BB books I've read, but it sounds like this one might be exactly what some of us have always wanted.

[brother john]

'Do you remember the first time you heard "Pet Sounds"? I was sure that his music alone told a story that was interesting on its own and that was naturally interwoven with his biography. That's the story I've set out to tell in this book. The end result is a remarkable story of musical growth and ambition, sure to appeal to devoted Beach Boys fans.'

Sounds like bandwagoning to me... Is there anything left to say about BW & the BBs? Is there anyone left to interview? Is there a new angle? Tapes in the vaults?

It appears that Phillip Lambert also wrote Sea Cucumbers of British Columbia: Including Puget Sound and Southern Alaska

£55? Do you get a night out with Brian for that? Or maybe just a night out with Phillip?


 

[the captain]

Maybe you get the fuckin' BW doll...

[Andrew G. Doe]

... I'd rather have a sea-cucumber, thanks all the same.

[Carrie Marks]

[Is there anything left to say about BW & the BBs? Is there anyone left to interview? Is there a new angle?

Actually, Jon Stebbins was able to get some great, never-before-told stories for the Lost Beach Boy.  Jon interviewed people who were around at the time of the Beach Boys genesis who haven't gotten as much ink as some of the other, more obvious, characters.  He also asked a different set of questions than the stock ones, so there are some new annecdotes from the cast of regulars as well -  Mike Love and Al Jardine both contriuted information to the Lost Beach Boy that they've never, to my knowledge, talked about on the record before.  Carl's best friend and early BB road manager Ron Swallow added some priceless moments to the book, including a wild Denny story from an early tour that's never been told.  And he personally witnessed the final show down between Murry Wilson and Jo Ann Marks.  Mark Groseclose, who died in 1988, left taped interviews to his sister Kathy, who gave Jon access.  Mark has a ton of stories about Carl, Dennis, David and playing with Beach Boys...not to mention some great photos including a great pre-Beach Boys Carl.

You point is correct...it's been done to death.  But to answer your (probably rhetorical) question - YES.  There is new stuff to be uncovered and talked about.   David's been just getting going on clearing the webs from his memories and he's got a lot more that didn't make it into the book, too.  I know Andrew Doe is constantantly delving into grey areas and questioning the status quo. The key is  not using old sources to come up with new information...which many of these authors seem to do.

The Lost Beach Boy is now available for pre Sale at Amazon:

UK - release date March 8th
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lost-Beach-Boy-Jon-Stebbins/dp/1852273917/sr=8-2/qid=1166911570/ref=sr_1_2/026-4244438-4762806?ie=UTF8&s=books

US - release date May 29
http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Beach-Boy-founding-members/dp/1852273917/sr=8-1/qid=1166911613/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-6415355-3637461?ie=UTF8&s=books

[Shady]

If it is a song by song analysis of all the tunes..I'm hitting pre-order.

[the captain]

... I'd rather have a sea-cucumber, thanks all the same.

[Zander]

I hope the book is something like Ian McDonald's Beatles book "Revolution in the Head" or a book like "A Hard Days Write". For some reason, I don't think I'm gonna be impressed with this book...

[shelter]

I hope the book is something like Ian McDonald's Beatles book "Revolution in the Head"

I agree. That's probably the best book anyone ever wrote about pop music.

[chris.metcalfe]

Agreed. 

Apart from Andrew's books, of course!

[Andrew G. Doe]

Tracing a line from Brian Wilson's very first musical loves (George Gershwin and the Four Freshmen) through to the Smile and Pet Sounds tours of recent years, Philip Lambert's astonishingly comprehensive book details over 50 years in the musical life of one of America's foremost pop composers. Lambert acknowledges the familiar biographical contexts behind many of Wilson's songs, but sheds new light on the birth and evolution of his musical ideas. A huge number of songs are discussed, including the famous ("Help Me Rhonda," "Good Vibrations," "God Only Knows") and the less well known ("Farmer's Daughter," "Boys Will Be Boys" and more). The end result is a remarkable story of musical growth and ambition, sure to appeal to devoted Beach Boys fans. The book also includes a unique Brian Wilson song chronology, listing every musical endeavour to which Brian is known to have made a musical contribution.

Looks interesting, but the claims made for it (as indicated) are a lot to live up to. Frankly, it's pretty much standing up and inviting pot shots. That song chronology looks most intriguing.

Ummmm... a thought has just occured - given that his Ives book was a collection of essays by other, might this not be in the same format. Which gives rise to a second thought... 

[Andrew G. Doe]

"Philip Lambert's infinite need to delve deeper into the musical oeuvre of Brian Wilson - by understanding the technical basis of his sound worlds; exploring the music Wilson heard as a child - creates a different type of biography, taking the perspective from within Brian Wilson's music, instead of from his personal life, though they are interwoven."

Hmmm... I'm looking forward to this, for any number of reasons.

[Peadar 'Big Dinner' O'Driscoll]

This was quite technical from what i remember. almost unreadable for some one not into the technicalities of the music.

[JScott]

Looking forward very much to this book. Hopefully it will be sort of a cross between the Greg Panfile "Mind of Brian" essays,  and Walter Everett's "The Beatles as Musicians" books (although less theory-intensive.)

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

"Philip Lambert's infinite need to delve deeper into the musical oeuvre of Brian Wilson - by understanding the technical basis of his sound worlds; exploring the music Wilson heard as a child - creates a different type of biography, taking the perspective from within Brian Wilson's music, instead of from his personal life, though they are interwoven."

Now that sounds awesome. I loved the Granata PS book mentioned by Brother Woody for the same reasons...as a musician/songwriter myself, this is right in my realm of interest.

[Zander]

Ok, I've changed my mind after recent posts. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS RELEASE!

I set my sights so low that I wouldn't be disappointed by the outcome! Eg. The Beach Boys Review DVD book thing...