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Brian Wilson, Beach Boys, and more






Mike Kowalski: "It Was My Time"

Mike Kowalski explains why he left the Beach Boys Band, and what he is doing now.

Although he took time off for short periods, he has been the primary drummer for the group for 39 years. When asked why he is no longer with the Beach Boys, he commented, "It was time. That was my past, I enjoyed it and am looking forward to the future." He has several gold and platinum records hanging in his music room at home recognizing him for excellence in the recording industry.

Last September, he and the Beach Boys parted ways and Kowalski, 64, moved on to a new and exciting path. His partnering with former band members from the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, and other popular beach sound groups, had resulted in a new group called The OC Beach Band.

When asked about his favorite music from his years as a Beach Boy, without hesitation, he said, "When I Grow Up To Be A Man." After a lifetime of travel, playing music, and raising a family, the lyrics of the song say it all.

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08.18.2008 • Beach Boys • Send feedback » • PermalinkPermalink

I'm Dressed Like Brian Wilson

Kevin Rublee shows us what it takes to be a truly dedicated Beach Boys fan.

clipped from www.dnronline.com

Decked out in a blue vertically striped collared shirt, reminiscent of the band's 1970s fashions, a pair of khaki shorts, a navy blue Beach Boys hat, and a white lei, Kevin was ready to rock out to all his favorite beach-inspired tunes as the concert got under way at 8:15 p.m.

"[I'm dressed] just like Brian Wilson," said Kevin, who picked out his outfit to look like the former Beach Boy.

And while many will return their Hawaiian shirts to the back of their closets until the next surf-related event, Kevin often goes around town dressed up as the band's honorary member.

"He started wanting to dress like them," said Kevin's mother Marie Rublee. "He wouldn't wear anything in his wardrobe but blue and white, and, when we went shopping, he would look on the racks and say this is like Brian Wilson, this is Bruce Johnston, and this is Mike Love.

"He would go off to school as Carl Wilson. ... He's definitely a dedicated fan."

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08.17.2008 • Beach Boys, Brian Wilson • Send feedback » • PermalinkPermalink

Could It Be... Satan?

A German documentary explores the dark side, or at least, some of them, of the Beach Boys.

clipped from www.examiner.com

Yet, according to a documentary from Zeit1, there was a dark undercurrent that infiltrated the decade and extended its influence into the band when The Beach Boys’ drummer, Dennis Wilson, became involved with a cult led by Charles Manson called "The Family." THE BEACH BOYS AND THE SATAN puts the Beach Boys rise to success into context with rarely seen footage of the band, while it exposes the Summer of Love's darkest side and investigates the connections between some of the most controversial characters of that period (Anton La Vey, Kenneth Anger, and Brian Wilson) and their connection to the Manson Family.

The documentary, which hits video stores on September 30, includes interviews with Kim Fowley, Don Was and the creative force behind the Beach Boys, Brian Wilson. Originally released in 1997 THE BEACH BOYS AND THE SATAN has been unavailable for nearly ten years.

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clipped from www.aversion.com

Beach Boys and the Satan gets past he white-bred image of sun and surf pop music so associated with The Beach Boys to look at the dark undercurrents that surrounded the band in the late '60s. Drummer Dennis Wilson's brief pre-massacre fling with Manson's Family and front man Brian Wilson's flirtations with Le Vay and Kenneth Anger are explored in the hour-long video.

Originally produced for German television, the film features interviews with Brian Wilson, Don Was and Anger. It arrives in stores Sept. 30 from Zeit1.

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08.11.2008 • Beach Boys • Send feedback » • PermalinkPermalink

Guard Me, Rhonda

Go behind the scenes and learn about one of the hardest jobs you could ever take on: security guard at a Beach Boys concert.

But the estimated 12,500 people around me didn't seem to need that much securing. They ranged from the woman in the low-cut top who kept sauntering up the aisle, once blowing kisses at the musicians, to the group in the front who rolled their eyes at her act. If she was in her early 20s, they were twice her age and then some. One carried a cane.

The other guys wearing the yellow shirts told me our job is to help people have a good time, more customer service than security. They told me to be polite but firm when I asked people lingering in the aisles to find their seats.

"Mostly you have to be a good listener," said Travis McKenna, head of security for the Grandstand Arena. "You're here to help."

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08.6.2008 • Beach Boys • Send feedback » • PermalinkPermalink

Surf Through The Scripture

A church in Pennsylvania is offering a vacation Bible school blending the beach with the Bible.

A special summer vacation Bible school called "Beach Bible: Surfin' through Scripture'' will be held Aug. 4 to 8 at Fairhaven United Methodist Church in Brookline.

The novel approach at this church is designed to help children ages 4 through 12 "ride the wave of God's love and go home with a new 'Beach Be-Attitude,'" Ms. Kohley said.

A Beach Boys fan, Ms. Kohley said the fun and educational program is a great way to introduce children to scripture and relate its message to their lives in an easy-to-understand manner.

As part of the program, children will learn aspects of surfing and make and decorate their own smaller versions of surfboards out of foam. They will dig in sand pits for shells, make a prayer pail, decorate a fish ornament, make necklaces and receive a pair of sunglasses. Children also will paint a sand dollar and learn about the religious legend surrounding it.

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08.2.2008 • Beach Boys • 1 feedback » • PermalinkPermalink

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