(Book). A half-century after their first single release; "Surfin;" the Beach Boys continue to define California popular culture and the sunshine-infused sound that will forever be its living soundtrack. But beyond innocent harmonies touting the delights of catching waves and cruising to the drive-in; the Beach Boys are responsible for some of the most sophisticated pop/rock music ever made. Brian Wilsons acclaimed production; the 1966 LP Pet Sounds ; was both a creative triumph that inspired The Beatles best work; and a commercial disappointment that was widely misunderstood by the bands U.S. fans. The Beach Boys followed that with perhaps the greatest three-minute rock single ever; "Good Vibrations;" which wowed the critics; was a worldwide number one hit; and ushered Brian Wilson down the path of substance abuse and mental illness. Brian then leapt into the abstract madness of Smile ; his epic psychedelic masterpiece that was ultimately scrapped in a 1967 sea of paranoia that nearly drowned the Beach Boys as an act. As the 1970s dawned; the endless summer of nostalgia designated the Beach Boys as its favorite sons. They recorded a critically lauded string of albums even while coping with the knowledge that their creative leader; Brian Wilson; had become a semipermanent recluse and a casualty of his own excess. Still; the Beach Boys continued through controversy; conflict; and death; rising again and again to find more popularity and more commercial peaks into the 1980s and beyond. As the new millennium unfolds; the Beach Boys are still here and continue to be a popular concert attraction and one of rocks most compelling and important stories. In The Beach Boys FAQ ; Jon Stebbins explains how the band impacted music and pop culture. This entertaining; fast-moving tome is accompanied by dozens of rare images; making this volume a must-have for fans.
#1532413 in eBooks 2011-11-01 2011-11-01File Name: B0072BTC8Q
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