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Poll
Question: Rate Dennis Wilson: The Real Beach Boy
5 - 14 (63.6%)
4 - 6 (27.3%)
3 - 1 (4.5%)
2 - 0 (0%)
1 - 0 (0%)
0 - 1 (4.5%)
Total Voters: 17

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Author Topic: Dennis Wilson: The Real Beach Boy  (Read 23003 times)
Charles LePage @ ComicList
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« on: February 14, 2006, 11:24:14 AM »

Discuss, review and rate Dennis Wilson: The Real Beach Boy, released March 1, 2000.

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donald
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« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2006, 08:59:49 AM »

A very readable and enjoyable (and a bit sad) acount of the life of Dennis.

Includes considerable history and story involving others as well.

My favorite of the 2 published books on Dennis that I am aware of (the other being Dumb Angel, which is not a bad book either)
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« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2006, 11:31:18 AM »

Hey I didn't see anything about the other book about Dennis called Denny Remembered? What about that book?? I have the honor of having the author autograph a copy of this book.


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« Reply #3 on: July 16, 2006, 11:43:35 AM »

'Denny Remembered' is an enjoyable enough 'tribute' and a nice addition - but doesn't really warrent serious reading, does it ? Not a patch on Jon's book ...
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« Reply #4 on: April 17, 2007, 12:14:27 AM »

Splendid read. I am not a very keen reader unless I like the subject matter and this book took me less than 48 hours to read (which for me is pretty amazing). I really enjoyed every bit of it and it wasn't just accounts stolen from other books, it had some really interesting facts and arguments and stories that you wont find in any other book on the band. I think this book is much better than Dumb Angel in that it focuses almost entirely on Dennis whereas Dumb Angel tends to go on about the band a bit too much and doesnt particularly focus on Dennis enough (for my liking anyway). Still both very good books but this one is by far the best on Dennis. If you are unfamiliar with the life and music of Dennis Wilson then this is the book to read. Enjoyable for both beginners and experts of The Beach Boys and Dennis Wilson.
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« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2007, 05:38:36 PM »

Took me less than a day to read it...I couldn't put it down. It's awesome.
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« Reply #6 on: May 02, 2007, 06:21:13 AM »

I checked Amazon but couldn't find this book. :/
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« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2007, 06:39:50 AM »

I checked Amazon but couldn't find this book. :/

are you sure? I did find a few...
Which one do you mean? "Remembered" of "The Real BB"?

The Real Beach Boy:
http://www.amazon.com/Dennis-Wilson-Real-Beach-Boy/dp/1550224042
and - boy-o-boy - are they cheap or what?

the British version of Amazon offers one for a more reasonable price:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dennis-Wilson-Real-Beach-Boy/dp/1550224042

Denny Remembered":
http://www.amazon.com/Denny-Remembered-Dennis-Wilson-Pictures/dp/0964280833
or
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Denny-Remembered-Dennis-Wilson-Pictures/dp/0964280833
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« Reply #8 on: May 03, 2007, 01:17:19 PM »

I was looking for the Real Beach Boy, and yeah I forgot to mention that I did find it, except for a realllly high price. Razz
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We would like to record under an atmosphere of calmness. - Brian Wilson
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« Reply #9 on: October 24, 2007, 04:04:01 PM »

Fantastic read.....I can guarantee once will not be enough
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« Reply #10 on: December 30, 2007, 05:42:07 AM »

I can't believe the review of this at this website: http://www.beachboys.com/booksI.html

Here's his review:

"Another theory about [Brian's] trouble centers on his charismatic brother, and this theory would help to explain Brian's attitude towards Dennis.  There are some who believe it was Dennis who inadvertently nudged Brian over the precipice.  "I think Dennis was very much responsible for Brian's breakdown," says filmaker/photographer Ed Roach, . . . "Brian couldn't stand that Dennis got all the attention.  Dennis got the adulation, and that's what drove Brian away from the stage.  Brian was so much less appreciated on stage, and he really resented Dennis for it." [page 55]

Dennis Wilson undoubtedly deserves a well-researched, objective biography that strips away the myth surrounding his life and personality and illuminates his undeniable gifts and talents, while dispassionately chronicling his serious weaknesses.  This is not that book.  In the introduction, Jon Stebbins favorably compares himself with Dennis during a brief meeting they had in 1978, and that explains much of the bias that you read in this unevenly researched book.  Not merely content to heap adulations upon Dennis, the author feels a need to downplay, or even denegrate the other Beach Boys in the process.  He flip-flops between praising and damning Brian for overshadowing, even putting down his younger brother's talents, and credits Dennis for much of the Beach Boys appeal, narrowly sidestepping an outright statement of his belief that without Dennis, the Beach Boys would have been a flash-in-the-pan.  Such apparent bias makes this book tedious reading indeed.  In fact, from reading the opening thank-you's, I'd have imagined that Mr. Stebbins would have much more first-hand accounts to draw from in painting an accurate portrait of Dennis, but most of the book is his own stale recounting of well-known facts, with the occasional "startling revelation" thrown in for sheer effect (see the quote above), which leads me to believe that most of the people he spoke to either didn't cooperate with him, or he merely disregarded their opinions in favor of his own.  In its way, this book is as damaging as Brian's Wouldn't It Be Nice, and its statements should be taken with a grain of salt. Included throughout the book are a good selection of photographs that should be very welcome to fans indeed.
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« Reply #11 on: December 09, 2008, 06:16:18 PM »

Yeah that review is off to me. I think Stebbins along with Andrew has the most well researched and entertaining books.
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Lady
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« Reply #12 on: December 15, 2008, 09:36:24 PM »

I really like this book.   Every time I read it I catch something new.   I think the author walked the line of being an advocate for Dennis even when relaying uncomfortable truths in such a way that it didn't come across as too hurtful to anyone.  I think he did this especially when trying to convey Dennis and Mike Love's relationship.

I hope in the re-issue he goes for it and tells all.  It's just my intution, but I think the author knows a lot more about Dennis than he's telling, and I don't mean gossip.  I mean just about the man himself.

If the re-issue hasn't hit the publisher yet, please put in more Dennis quotes; a few more pages about Dennis and Karen--- possibly using Karen's diaries to help us get a clearer picture of Dennis; more in-depth analysis into why Dennis gave up and chose to sit around a fire and drink with a few unfortunate men instead of being on top of the world as a Beach Boy.; what Dennis really thought of the music he wrote and the reaction it engendered from the other band members;  ...and Jon...did you believe the ghost story?  It was a great closer to the book!

I rated this book a "5" and I think Jon Stebbins is an excellent writer.
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Naive Teen Idol
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« Reply #13 on: May 29, 2009, 08:42:46 PM »

Is this the DW book that has that incredible story about the guy who spent the wildest day in history with Denny in the late 70's?  It's been a while since I read it -- but that was one of the single most amazing accounts I've ever read.  If this is that book--and I know Jon posts here pretty frequently--it's a fabulous read.
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Andrew G. Doe
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« Reply #14 on: June 03, 2009, 11:21:10 AM »

Yup.  Grin
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« Reply #15 on: June 03, 2009, 11:28:14 AM »

Weirdly, I feel like it was actually "Dumb Angel," as I recognized the cover when I saw it online.  But I'll take your word for it, Andrew.  I wish I could remember more of that story, btw.   I just remember it involved some bizarrely fortuitous meeting, them staying up for hours on end getting wasted, making music, and causing trouble, and then never hanging out again.  My initial reaction was: "How awesome would it have been to have that happen to you?"
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« Reply #16 on: June 07, 2009, 02:11:51 AM »

Concisely, Denny befriended the kid, took him home to a party, filled him with drugs... then Brian turned up, and things got wierder. My fave line was the kid saying "I was tap-dancing on Saturn by this time".  Smiley
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« Reply #17 on: June 07, 2009, 03:48:30 AM »

He did see a more sober reflective Dennis one time after. It is in the Stebbins book. A great story showing that even as he was falling apart there was a kind gentle side to him.
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« Reply #18 on: June 08, 2009, 02:44:52 PM »

That party guy, for some reason desiring to remain anonymous, (although he can be seen in all his glory in a great movie on tribute bands), happened upon Dennis' Venetian Estate on a particularly eventful evening, in all probability the night of a full moon...
Alas, I was there that crazy evening, but had forgotten the particulars of the evening, as well as having even met this 'party dude', until we met once again several years back.  He assisted in some way on "Endless Harmony", which was more or less produced during post production at an editing facility in Santa Monica that I was part owner of, called Digital Universe.  This guy regaled me with stories of parties he attended at my house as well as Dennis' abode; however, his biggest revelation was of Dennis & Christine taking over the stage after closing, at a club he worked at in L.A.  (Good God, I've forgotten more than I'll ever know...)
You guys are right on - that story is definitely a highlight of the book - although my photos don't hurt it, either!
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« Reply #19 on: July 15, 2009, 01:40:21 PM »

I would love to find this book. 
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« Reply #20 on: July 28, 2011, 01:37:22 PM »

I loved this book.  I also enjoyed the documentary.  I wanted to cry by the end of the book.  I just wished he would have gotten help.  Such a tragic end to a talented and beautiful man. 
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