The Beach Boys are an American rock and roll band. First formed in 1961, they gained popularity for their close vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting a California youth culture of surfing, girls and cars. Brian Wilson's growing creative ambitions later transformed them into a more artistically innovative group that earned critical praise and influenced many later musicians.
The group initially comprised singer-musician-composer Brian Wilson, his brothers, Carl and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. This core quintet, along with early member David Marks and later bandmate Bruce Johnston, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. The Beach Boys have been called "America's Band" and have had thirty-six U.S. Top 40 hits (the most of any U.S. rock band), including four number one singles.
Apart from the Wilsons' father and the close vocal harmonies of Brian's (who was designated the group's leader early on) favorite groups, early inspiration came from the driving rock an roll sound of Chuck Berry and Phil Spector's Wall of Sound. Although surfing motifs were very prominent in their early songs, Dennis was the only member of the group who surfed. He suggested that his brothers compose some songs celebrating his hobby and the lifestyle which had developed around it in Southern California. Some of Brian's songs were modeled after other songs; most famously "Surfer Girl" shares it's rhythmic melody with "When You Wish Upon a Star". In his autobiography, Brian states that the melody of "God Only Knows" was inspired by a John Sebastian record.
Among their string of hits was "Good Vibrations" which Brian described as "a pocket symphony". The song became one of the Beach Boys' biggest hits and a US and UK # 1 single in 1966 — many critics consider it to be one of the best rock singles of all time. In 1997, it was named the "Greatest Single of All Time" by Mojo music magazine. In 2000, VH1 placed it at number 8 on their "100 Greatest Rock Songs" list, and in late 2004, Rolling Stone magazine placed it at number 6 on their "500 Best Songs of All Time" list. It was also one of the more complex pop productions ever undertaken, and was reputed to have been the most expensive American single ever recorded at that time. Costing a reported $16,000, more than most pop albums, sessions for the song stretched over several months in at least three major studios.
Brian own personal problems were always a topic of much speculation. He abused drugs heavily, gained an enormous amount of weight, suffered long bouts of depression, and became paranoid. Several biographies have suggested that his father may have had bipolar disorder and after years of suffering, Wilson's own condition was eventually diagnosed as schizophrenia. Many legal difficulties developed from Wilson's psychological problems. Several law siuts have been filed over the years against Brian Wilson by members of the band.
Many changes in both musical styles and personnel have occurred during their career, notably because of Brian Wilson's mental illness and drug misuse (leading to his eventual withdrawal from the group) and the deaths of Dennis and Carl Wilson in 1983 and 1998, respectively. Extensive legal battles between members of the group have also played their part. After Carl Wilson's death, founding member Al Jardine was fired by Mike Love. Love and Bruce Johnston then leased the rights to the band's name and continue to tour as The Beach Boys.
On June 13, 2006, the major surviving Beach Boys (Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks) all set aside their differences and reunited for a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the album Pet Sounds and the double-platinum certification of their greatest hits compilation, Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of the Beach Boys, in a ceremony atop the Capitol Records building in Hollywood. Plaques were awarded for their efforts to all major members, with Brian Wilson accepting for his late brothers Carl and Dennis. Wilson himself implied there was a chance that all the living members (not having performed together since September 1996) would reunite again. "Help Me Rhonda" remains my personal all-time favorite by a band I grew-up listening to. To find out more go to: http://www.thebeachboys.com/
Research info gathered at: www.wikipedia.org
Visit my ezine: http://www.concelebratory.blogspot.com/
and personal blog: http://www.copyat5.blogspot.com/
The group initially comprised singer-musician-composer Brian Wilson, his brothers, Carl and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. This core quintet, along with early member David Marks and later bandmate Bruce Johnston, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. The Beach Boys have been called "America's Band" and have had thirty-six U.S. Top 40 hits (the most of any U.S. rock band), including four number one singles.
Apart from the Wilsons' father and the close vocal harmonies of Brian's (who was designated the group's leader early on) favorite groups, early inspiration came from the driving rock an roll sound of Chuck Berry and Phil Spector's Wall of Sound. Although surfing motifs were very prominent in their early songs, Dennis was the only member of the group who surfed. He suggested that his brothers compose some songs celebrating his hobby and the lifestyle which had developed around it in Southern California. Some of Brian's songs were modeled after other songs; most famously "Surfer Girl" shares it's rhythmic melody with "When You Wish Upon a Star". In his autobiography, Brian states that the melody of "God Only Knows" was inspired by a John Sebastian record.
Among their string of hits was "Good Vibrations" which Brian described as "a pocket symphony". The song became one of the Beach Boys' biggest hits and a US and UK # 1 single in 1966 — many critics consider it to be one of the best rock singles of all time. In 1997, it was named the "Greatest Single of All Time" by Mojo music magazine. In 2000, VH1 placed it at number 8 on their "100 Greatest Rock Songs" list, and in late 2004, Rolling Stone magazine placed it at number 6 on their "500 Best Songs of All Time" list. It was also one of the more complex pop productions ever undertaken, and was reputed to have been the most expensive American single ever recorded at that time. Costing a reported $16,000, more than most pop albums, sessions for the song stretched over several months in at least three major studios.
Brian own personal problems were always a topic of much speculation. He abused drugs heavily, gained an enormous amount of weight, suffered long bouts of depression, and became paranoid. Several biographies have suggested that his father may have had bipolar disorder and after years of suffering, Wilson's own condition was eventually diagnosed as schizophrenia. Many legal difficulties developed from Wilson's psychological problems. Several law siuts have been filed over the years against Brian Wilson by members of the band.
Many changes in both musical styles and personnel have occurred during their career, notably because of Brian Wilson's mental illness and drug misuse (leading to his eventual withdrawal from the group) and the deaths of Dennis and Carl Wilson in 1983 and 1998, respectively. Extensive legal battles between members of the group have also played their part. After Carl Wilson's death, founding member Al Jardine was fired by Mike Love. Love and Bruce Johnston then leased the rights to the band's name and continue to tour as The Beach Boys.
On June 13, 2006, the major surviving Beach Boys (Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks) all set aside their differences and reunited for a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the album Pet Sounds and the double-platinum certification of their greatest hits compilation, Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of the Beach Boys, in a ceremony atop the Capitol Records building in Hollywood. Plaques were awarded for their efforts to all major members, with Brian Wilson accepting for his late brothers Carl and Dennis. Wilson himself implied there was a chance that all the living members (not having performed together since September 1996) would reunite again. "Help Me Rhonda" remains my personal all-time favorite by a band I grew-up listening to. To find out more go to: http://www.thebeachboys.com/
Research info gathered at: www.wikipedia.org
Visit my ezine: http://www.concelebratory.blogspot.com/
and personal blog: http://www.copyat5.blogspot.com/
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