The Beach Boys FAQ: All That's Left to Know About America's Band (Faq Series) [Paperback]

Jon Stebbins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2011 | Series: Faq Series

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 Wilson's 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 band's 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 rock's 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.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

JON STEBBINS is the author of Dennis Wilson: The Real Beach Boy (ECW Press 2000) and The Lost Beach Boy (Virgin Books 2007). His liner notes credits include the 2008 Sony Legacy edition of Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blue. Stebbins has also written and produced shows for BBC TV, including the documentaries The Beach Boys: Wouldn't It Be Nice? and Dennis Wilson: The Real Beach Boy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Backbeat (September 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879309873
• ISBN-13: 978-0879309879
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #245,861 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Nobody shares the Beach Boys insights with the passion of Jon Stebbins September 28, 2011

By PERRY D COX

Format:Paperback

Indeed, there are many volumes published to date about this truly great and legendary beloved band. But scarcely do I encounter such passion and love for the Beach Boys as I feel whenever I read Jon Stebbins accounts. Not that the book is all sugar and no spice. Indeed, he details with great color the many ups and downs of the eclectic and always interesting Beach Boys story. What separates this book, and this author, from many others for me is the fact that he details with such passion and respect for the entire cast. Even if the subject isn't exactly flattering. He also finally addresses many of those nagging questions we've all had about "this" or "that" concerning American's band. In preparing this book, it's obvious Jon's objective was to concentrate not only on the proper and accurate chronology of their story from the beginning, but along the way he stops and remembers those little queries and spotlights them beautifully and insightfully. It's a great aspect and approach that I really find fun and refreshing. That is the heart of this book and it is what makes it such and enjoyable experience. It adds new perspective and a clearer focus. It's also a great source reference for the music, film and other media releases.
It's normally appropriate to try and find something negative about a book to give the appearance of being a "real critic". But honestly, there's nothing I didn't enjoy from cover to cover. This book has something interesting to say on every page from the earliest days in Hawthorne, California to the current much talked about reunions of one form or another. There's a lot more to praise here, but that only makes my review too long. All of us fans can be thankful that Jon Stebbins has the God given talent to put books together like this. He's such an asset to us all as well as to the love and respect of the Beach Boys.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner from Stebbins September 29, 2011

By Mark G Dillon

Format:Paperback

I couldn't wait for this book. Jon Stebbins has written two of the essential books about The Beach Boys: The Real Beach Boy - the definitive biography of Dennis Wilson - and The Lost Beach Boy, a revelatory look at the life of David Marks, whose contribution is often overlooked. And my expectations for The Beach Boys FAQ were completely met. First of all, it's a great book just to look at, with tons of fantastic photos I'd never seen before. And it's a compelling read, with Stebbins the scholar and passionate fan sharing his unfiltered opinions on the group's output. It's also a highly useful resource, with lists of who sings what song, important characters in the Beach Boys story, and even the specific instruments the band members played. This is an essential purchase for any fan. I highly recommend it.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great and Honest! September 14, 2011

By Holy Ocean Girl

Format:Paperback

Jon Stebbins new Beach Boys FAQ book is an eye opener in many ways. The author's honesty is apparent throughout this expansive and entertaining book. There are no punches pulled, and some of it is very critical...yet the best of the Beach Boys music and its creators are described in such a loving way, that its clear this is written with passion and the insight of someone who truly knows his stuff. There is a balance here that is refreshing and I'll always come back to this book as one that sets the record straight on the long career of the Beach Boys.