America's Band

The Beach Boys were formed in Hawthorne California in 1961. During the early days Brian would hold sessions in his bedroom, where he, cousin Mike Love, classmate Al Jardine and baby brother Carl would harmonize. '' Everyone would contribute something, says Brian, " Carl kept us hip to the latest tunes, Al taught us his repertoire of folk songs and Dennis though he didn't play anything added a combustible spark, just by his presence. Mike Love gave the band their first name the Pendletones, which was named after the pendletone shirt, that was popular among the surfers. Dennis was the only one in the band that surfed and suggested they write a song about surfing. The first Wilson/Love collaboration was called "Surfin." Mike sang lead, Brian drummed by tapping his finger on a snare drum( Dennis Couldn't drum yet), Carl played guitar and Al played a double bass. Mike And Brian soon went on to compose more hit songs about surfing and cars, "Surfin USA,"Surfin Safari, Fun Fun Fun and I Get Around etc. The Beach Boys played their first gig at Ritchie Valens Memorial Dance Hall in Long Beach. In 1964 Brian quit touring to focus on writing and producing. Glen Campbell replaced Brian on the Road for a short while, but had his own career to concentrate on. So Bruce Johnston was asked to find a replacement. He couldn't find anyone so he offered himself, and ending up becoming a full-time beach boy. Come 1966, Brian released the masterpiece "Pet Sounds". Around that time Brian also wrote the "pocket symphony" as he described it "Good Vibrations." The Beach Boys soon released more albums "Wild Honey, Friends, and 20/20 and my favorite Sunflower. Sunflower was the album that every member contributed to, although I think it's one of their greatest albums, it was the worst their worst charting album. By 1972 South Africans Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fatarr were added to the Beach Boys line up. Then in the summer of 72' the Beach Boys their families and technicians moved to the Netherlands to begin their next album Holland. I think Holland is a really great album and another one of my favorites. Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks got together one last time to collaborate on the song "Sail On Sailor," which is the first track on Holland. When 1974 rolled around The Beach Boys released an album compilation of pre Pet Sounds hits titled Endless Summer, which went straight up to #1 on the billboard chart. Through the years there's been some line up changes, now it's just Mike love and Bruce Johnston who still tour as The Beach Boys. The Beach Boys are America's grestest rock band.

(photos-scanned by me from The Beach Boys Silver Aniversery, last.fm, The Beach Boys website)