Wouldn't It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (The Vinyl Frontier series) [Paperback]

Charles L. Granata (Author), Tony Asher (Foreword)

Book Description

Series: The Vinyl Frontier series

This illuminating book offers unique insight into the making of the seminal album Pet Sounds, revealing the intimate processes that went into its creation and featuring brand-new interviews with key players. From conception and composition to arrangement and production, the ways in which Pet Sounds changed the face of American popular music are chronicled. While Pet Sounds carries the tag of being a Beach Boys record, this lively exposé reveals just how little input the rest of the band had in its recording. Illustrating Brian Wilson's prodigious talent, the book chronicles his ability to turn his back on the protest songs and folk-rock of his contemporaries, and even on the bright surf sound of his own creation, in order to reach deep within himself to make music that struck an emotional chord and touched people's souls. Wilson's ability to embrace the rapidly advancing recording technology of the 1960s and to expertly blend rock 'n' roll, rhythm and blues, and jazz sounds with velvety harmonies and sensitive melodies to create a brand-new studio sound are discussed. An intimate portrait of Wilson's family, breakdown, and drug use is included.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 1965, Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys released a revolutionary rock album that would influence the Beatles' Rubber Soul as well as the music of the Who, Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones. As music historian Granata points out in this often passionate, sometimes pedantic history of Pet Sounds, U.S. audiences turned a cold shoulder to this album because it represented such a departure from the pleasing surf melodies that had made the Beach Boys famous. In spite of such a reception, the album showcases the soaring musical genius of Wilson, argues Granata, in what was perhaps truly the first ever "concept album." The innovative combination of folk, blues and jazz blended into the gorgeous harmonies of the Beach Boys. Granata traces the evolution of the album from its writing, mostly by Wilson and Tony Asher, to the long nights of production in the studio. He analyzes dispassionately each song on the album, from the jangly 12-string guitar chords of "Wouldn't It Be Nice?," which open the album, to the closing harmonies of "Caroline, No" that close it. Granata chronicles Wilson's well-known disappearance from the musical scene not long after the album's release to battle the demons of paranoid schizophrenia, as well as his recent solo appearances performing the songs from Pet Sounds. Granata devotedly tells a story whose contours are already well known, so the book at times appears to be a set of liner notes allowed to grow too large.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

In 1965, before anyone thought rock music could be ambitious, let alone artful, Beach Boys leader Brian Wilson set out to record "the greatest rock album ever made." Many fans feel to this day that Pet Sounds , the resulting record, which applied the Boys' jazz-influenced vocal harmonies to Wilson's new, sophisticated songs and inventive arrangements, realized his lofty aspirations. Quite simply, though a flop when originally released, the album, which spearheaded the transition from the single to the LP as rock's primary format, is an enduring popular-music masterpiece. Granata recounts its genesis in a song-by-song rundown with Wilson's cowriter, Tony Asher, and its recording sessions through the eyes of the other Beach Boys and additional participating musicians. Bracketing this detailed examination are concise accounts of the group's pre- and post-Pet Sounds careers. Troubled by emotional problems exacerbated by drug use, Brian Wilson never surpassed Pet Sounds . He has enjoyed its constant critical and commercial rediscovery, however, and listeners who have caught up to his magnum opus should appreciate learning more about it. Gordon Flagg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Chicago Review Press (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556525079
• ISBN-13: 978-1556525070
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #966,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb study of a fabulous album!, September 6, 2003

By 

Barry Elkheim (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wouldn't It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (The Vinyl Frontier series) (Paperback)

I've been eyeing this title since it was announced, and lo and behold I found a copy of the British version at HMV in London while on a business trip (it has the same cover but a different title). I read it on the trip home and though I was familar with Granata's work (from his book on Frank Sinatra), I was awed by its thorough analysis of how Brian Wilson made the best music of his life. As a musician, I appreciated the lucid 'start to finish' description of how Pet Sounds came to be, and the detailed information provided by the writers and musicians. Although I am familiar with the story (what musician isn't?) no one book has ever brought the whole story together as Mr. Granata has here. Beach Boys devotees will be familiar with the Pet Sounds Sessions CD set, and while the booklets included in that set were revealing they pale in comparison to the cohesive story found in this book. Instead of doing what the editors did on the Pet Sounds box set (simply reprinting every interview with every musician - ad nauseum repetitions and verbal stumblings included), the author has selected the most salient points and emphasized them with pertinent quotes that support each topic he discusses. With major commentary from lyricist Tony Asher and others who participated in the sessions, Granata's fresh approach results in one of the most compelling and enjoyable reads on Brian Wilson and his music. Unlike other Beach Boys books that reflect way too much of the writer's self-absorption (the horrid 'Add Some Music to Your Day') or ones that concentrate more on the sensational aspect of the Beach Boys ('Heroes and Villains'), this one hits the mark squarely in the center, focusing on Brian's genius, and how he managed to make his musical ideas a reality. My only gripe is that I wished Granata had included more of the technical details relating to recording and the studios that Brian used. Kudos to Charles Granata for FINALLY bringing disparate elements of the Pet Sounds story together in a readable and erudite volume. This is destined to become THE word on what is definitley the ultimate musician's album. I agree wholeheartedly with Bruce Johnston, who is quoted on the cover: this book is 'Intelligently researched and beautifully written.' In a nut shell: musicians and Brian Wilson fans will LOVE it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Pet Sounds Bible, October 21, 2003

By 

Andrew Kruczek (Dearborn, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wouldn't It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (The Vinyl Frontier series) (Paperback)

I loved this book! I have been a PET SOUNDS diehard for six years now and nothing I've read on the album so far has answered all the questions I had. This book does that and more. He explains why this album was so brilliant. He explains wonderfully the collaboration process between Brian Wilson and Tony Asher. He gives a pre-Pet Sounds examination of the Beach Boys catalog to show how Brian grew artistically as well as a post-Pet Sounds examination of Brian's random spouts of greatness. This book has everything you could want. It is written by a man who truly loves PET SOUNDS and understands every fans need to personally thank Brian for this gorgeous album that changed our lives.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ENTERTAININGLY THOROUGH INSIGHT TO A ROCK CLASSIC, May 13, 2005

By 

PETER XUEREB (SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Wouldn't It Be Nice: Brian Wilson and the Making of the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (The Vinyl Frontier series) (Paperback)

Firstly this book is also known as "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" here in Australia and other territories. I bought it 5 days ago (for a bargain price) to read on my train journey to and from work and finished it today. It is an amazing journey through a masterwork that was highly underated (at least domestically in the USA). It had one particular effect in that section about the early years inspired me to go back to that same store the day after I bought the book & acquire 6 Beach Boys 2fer CD's. I have also ordered also Friends+20/20. I've always intended seeking out the Pet Sounds Sessions boxed set and am doubly inspired to do so.
I found the book to be easy to digest even when it got "musically technical". I love the album having only discovered it in upon it's 1990 CD issue. I've since replaced it with the HDCD remaster including both the Stereo & Mono versions. The research is so thorough that one really "get's inside" Brian's Wilson's head. The only thing missing is a more recent comment from the man himself..it seems everyone else has a say and we are left with older quotes from the album's creator. That's aminor quibble as the other conributors more than fill in the gaps here. I will certainly be listening to this with "new ears". I recommend this book wholeheartedly.