{"title":"Beach Boys Books","description":"\u003cp\u003eBrian Wilson heard symphonies in his head and spent a career trying to get the rest of the band to hear them too — Pet Sounds, the abandoned SMiLE sessions, the decades of recovery. This shelf covers the whole story.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrowse the full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/music-books\"\u003eMusic Books\u003c\/a\u003e library for more.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"i-am-brian-wilson-a-memoir-hardcover-1","title":"I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eBrian Wilson\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eBen Greenman\u003c\/b\u003e (With)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThey say there are no second acts in American lives, and third acts are almost unheard of. That's part of what makes Brian Wilson's story so astonishing.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs a cofounding member of the Beach Boys in the 1960s, Wilson created some of the most groundbreaking and timeless popular music ever recorded. With intricate harmonies, symphonic structures, and wide-eyed lyrics that explored life's most transcendent joys and deepest sorrows, songs like \"In My Room,\" \"God Only Knows,\" and \"Good Vibrations\" forever expanded the possibilities of pop songwriting. Derailed in the 1970s by mental illness, drug use, and the shifting fortunes of the band, Wilson came back again and again over the next few decades, surviving and-finally-thriving. Now, for the first time, he weighs in on the sources of his creative inspiration and on his struggles, the exhilarating highs and the debilitating lows.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eI Am Brian Wilson\u003c\/em\u003e reveals as never before the man who fought his way back to stability and creative relevance, who became a mesmerizing live artist, who forced himself to reckon with his own complex legacy, and who finally completed \u003cem\u003eSmile\u003c\/em\u003e, the legendary unfinished Beach Boys record that had become synonymous with both his genius and its destabilization. Today Brian Wilson is older, calmer, and filled with perspective and forgiveness. Whether he's talking about his childhood, his bandmates, or his own inner demons, Wilson's story, told in his own voice and in his own way, unforgettably illuminates the man behind the music, working through the turbulence and discord to achieve, at last, a new harmony.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBrian Wilson\u003c\/b\u003e, best known for his work with the Beach Boys, is one of popular music's most revered figures. The main creative force behind some of the most cherished recordings in rock history and one of the most influential composers of the last century, Wilson became a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2007. A father of seven, he lives with his wife in Beverly Hills, California. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e BrianWilson.com \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eBen Greenman\u003c\/b\u003e is a contributing writer to the \u003ci\u003eNew Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e and a \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author. He collaborated with Questlove on his hip-hop memoir \u003ci\u003eMo' Meta Blues\u003c\/i\u003e and cowrote George Clinton's memoir. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children.\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 336\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.3 x 9.3 x 6.2 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 11, 2016\u003c\/div\u003e\n","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49613412991131,"sku":"9780306823060","price":40.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1041\/7172\/files\/I-Am-Brian-Wilson-A-Memoir-Hardcover_c36d1984.webp?v=1790165475"},{"product_id":"the-beach-boys-hardcover","title":"The Beach Boys - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eBeach Boys\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e'There's love in the music and people can relate to the love, regardless of whether you're two years old or 92 years old. For me, music is about love. Love is the message I want to share. I hope people feel that in my music. That makes the hard work worth it.' - Brian Wilson\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"The only official book on the California legends\"--Ultimate Classic Rock\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e \"Fans of the Beach Boys are about to get the inside track.\"--American Songwriter\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHere, for the first time in print, is the history of The Beach Boys, by The Beach Boys.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheir only official book, \u003ci\u003eThe Beach Boys\u003c\/i\u003e by The Beach Boys is the ultimate chronicle of one of the world's greatest bands. Through their unique sound, complex harmonies, sensational live shows and use of innovative recording techniques, The Beach Boys became woven into the cultural fabric of America and influenced generations of musicians globally. This book documents how it happened.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston together provide a combined career narrative especially for this book, and through meticulous compilation from sources worldwide, Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson's words are equally represented. Documenting how they went from a Hawthorne garage band to a global phenomenon, they tell the astounding story of their ascent: perfecting their harmonies, initial fame as a surf group, and then their ultimate progression as pioneering recording artists to become one of the most musically complex ensembles in history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTheir text is accompanied by iconic images, never-before-seen negatives and rare ephemera. Given unprecedented access to their personal archives, \u003ci\u003eThe Beach Boys\u003c\/i\u003e by The Beach Boys offers intimate insight into the lives of the group. Also opening their archives are Brother Records and Capitol Records, all of which assist in illustrating their remarkable journey.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExpanding the narrative are a host of contributors who have been involved with or inspired by the band's music, including Peter Blake, Lindsey Buckingham, Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, Ray Davies, Bob Dylan, Def Leppard, the Flaming Lips, Bobby Gillespie, David Lee Roth, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Jim Kerr, Roger McGuinn, Graham Nash, Jimmy Page, Carly Simon, Pete Townshend, Rufus Wainwright, Thom Yorke, and many more.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA group collaboration, \u003ci\u003eThe Beach Boys\u003c\/i\u003e by the Beach Boys is, in effect, The Beach Boys' autobiography. Like their music, it is poignant, frank, often humorous but always sincere. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFinally, here is The Beach Boys' own story.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Beach Boys\u003c\/b\u003e manage to defy decade, genre and form. They cannot be limited to songs about surfing, girls, California, or hot rods. Everything strove to go beyond - perhaps key to the Beach Boys' durability; their ability to go further, to keep going until they reached a place that had not previously been reached in rock and pop music. The band's longevity, experimentation and continuation of influence are without equal.\u003cbr\u003eOne of the most critically acclaimed, commercially successful and influential bands of all time, the band are embedded within the cultural landscape of America and loved throughout the world. The Beach Boys spearheaded numerous genres, helped to legitimise popular music, and have had the most Billboard Top 40 hits from any US band (thirty-seven), and today their music continues to be revisited, reassessed, and reimagined. \u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 408\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.5 x 12.44 x 9.92 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 02, 2024\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49628935487643,"sku":"9781905662852","price":72.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1041\/7172\/files\/The-Beach-Boys-Hardcover.webp?v=1790252217"},{"product_id":"i-am-brian-wilson-a-memoir-paperback","title":"I Am Brian Wilson: A Memoir - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eBrian Wilson\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eBen Greenman\u003c\/b\u003e (With)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe astonishing memoir of Brian Wilson, of the legendary music group The Beach Boys.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e As a cofounding member of The Beach Boys in the 1960s, Wilson created some of the most groundbreaking and timeless popular music ever recorded. With intricate harmonies, symphonic structures, and wide-eyed lyrics that explored life's most transcendent joys and deepest sorrows, songs like \"In My Room,\" \"God Only Knows,\" and \"Good Vibrations\" forever expanded the possibilities of pop songwriting. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Derailed in the 1970s by mental illness, drug use, and the shifting fortunes of the band, Wilson came back again and again over the next few decades, surviving and--finally--thriving. Now, for the first time, he weighs in on the sources of his creative inspiration and on his struggles, the exhilarating highs and the debilitating lows. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eI Am Brian Wilson \u003c\/i\u003ereveals as never before the man who fought his way back to stability and creative relevance, who became a mesmerizing live artist, who forced himself to reckon with his own complex legacy, and who finally completed Smile, the legendary unfinished Beach Boys record that had become synonymous with both his genius and its destabilization. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Today Brian Wilson is older, calmer, and filled with perspective and forgiveness. Whether he's talking about his childhood, his bandmates, or his own inner demons, Wilson's story, told in his own voice and in his own way, unforgettably illuminates the man behind the music, working through the turbulence and discord to achieve, at last, a new harmony.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBrian Wilson\u003c\/b\u003e, best known for his work with the Beach Boys, is one of popular music's most revered figures. The main creative force behind some of the most cherished recordings in rock history and one of the most influential composers of the last century, Wilson became a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2007. A father of seven, he lives with his wife in Beverly Hills, California. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e BrianWilson.com \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eBen Greenman\u003c\/b\u003e is a contributing writer to the \u003ci\u003eNew Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e and a \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author. He collaborated with Questlove on his hip-hop memoir \u003ci\u003eMo' Meta Blues\u003c\/i\u003e and cowrote George Clinton's memoir. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children.\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 336\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.9 x 8.9 x 5.9 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 10, 2017\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49628986114203,"sku":"9780306825798","price":20.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1041\/7172\/files\/I-Am-Brian-Wilson-A-Memoir-Paperback.webp?v=1790252604"},{"product_id":"god-only-knows-the-story-of-brian-wilson-the-beach-boys-and-the-california-myth-paperback","title":"God Only Knows: The Story of Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys and the California Myth - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eDavid Leaf\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Essential reading for anybody who cares \u003cbr\u003eabout Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys and \u003cbr\u003ethe evolution of rock \u0026amp; roll.\"--Jason Fine, \u003cbr\u003eformer Editor-in-Chief, Rolling Stone \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn intimate look at Brian Wilson's rollercoaster of a life and career, it's told through the eyes of those who were there during Wilson's most legendary productions including \u003ci\u003ePet Sounds\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eGood Vibrations\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginally published in 1978 as \u003ci\u003eThe Beach Boys and the California Myth\u003c\/i\u003e, this groundbreaking study was both the first full-length book on the band and the first to recognize Brian Wilson as one of the most significant and influential artists of the 20th century. Covering the turbulent family strife and internal conflicts as well as giving proper attention to the remarkable music, the book was an instant classic.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRevised and updated, \u003ci\u003eGod Only Knows\u003c\/i\u003e covers the decades since the 1985 edition, including Brian's first acclaimed solo album, his startling return to live performing, the landmark Pet Sounds tour, the \"All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson\" (which Leaf wrote and produced) and the triumphant and miraculous \u003ci\u003eBrian Wilson Presents SMiLE\u003c\/i\u003e world premiere in London.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFilled with surprising revelations, insight and behind-the-scenes detail, this indispensable book also features forewords by Jimmy Webb, the Bee Gees' Barry Gibb and Melinda Wilson, Brian's wife.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDavid Leaf\u003c\/b\u003e is an award-winning writer, director, and producer, whose feature credits include the Venice Film festival favorite \u003ci\u003eThe U.S. vs. John Lennon\u003c\/i\u003e, the Grammy-nominated \u003ci\u003eBeautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of SMiLE\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003e The Night James Brown Saved Boston\u003c\/i\u003e, and\u003ci\u003e Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is 'Everybody Talkin' About Him?)\u003c\/i\u003e. As well as publishing the seminal\u003ci\u003e The Beach Boys and the California Myth\u003c\/i\u003e in 1978, David wrote the Bee Gees' authorized autobiography. Leaf is also a professor at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in Los Angeles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 448\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.5 x 9.1 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e September 22, 2022\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49629000597659,"sku":"9781913172756","price":27.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1041\/7172\/files\/God-Only-Knows-The-Story-of-Brian-Wilson-the-Beach-Boys-and-the-California-Myth-Paperback.webp?v=1790252622"},{"product_id":"god-only-knows-the-story-of-brian-wilson-the-beach-boys-and-the-california-myth-paperback-1","title":"God Only Knows: The Story of Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys and the California Myth - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eDavid Leaf\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'For thirty years, I've trusted David Leaf with my music and my story' Brian Wilson\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginally published in 1978, this groundbreaking study was both the first full-length book on the band and the first to recognize Brian Wilson as one of the most significant musicians of the 20\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e century. Covering the turbulent family strife and internal conflicts as well as giving proper attention to the remarkable music, the book was an instant classic.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn intimate look at the Beach Boys' rollercoaster career, it is told through the eyes of those who were there during their most legendary productions including Pet Sounds and Good Vibrations. It also includes Brian's first acclaimed solo album, his return to live performing, the landmark Pet Sounds tour, the All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson and the Brian Wilson Presents SMiLE world premiere.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFilled with surprising revelations, insight and behind-the-scenes detail, this remastered edition also features forewords by Jimmy Webb, the Bee Gees' Barry Gibb and Melinda Wilson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 496\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.7 x 7.8 x 5.1 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e March 04, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49629002793115,"sku":"9781915841414","price":20.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1041\/7172\/files\/God-Only-Knows-The-Story-of-Brian-Wilson-the-Beach-Boys-and-the-California-Myth-Paperback_56e347c6.webp?v=1790252653"},{"product_id":"smile-the-rise-fall-and-resurrection-of-brian-wilson-hardcover","title":"Smile: The Rise, Fall, and Resurrection of Brian Wilson - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eDavid Leaf\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eMelinda Wilson\u003c\/b\u003e (Foreword by)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Brian Wilson. SMILE: Excellent! The man is my hero. I love him. I weep when I hear his band, I hear him sing. I love him.\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e --Paul McCartney\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe story of the Brian Wilson's legendary \u003ci\u003eSMiLE\u003c\/i\u003e album from Beach Boys authority David Leaf. The story of \u003ci\u003eSMiLE\u003c\/i\u003e is a story without precedent, appropriate for music that was and remains groundbreaking.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the first book to tell the full story of Brian Wilson and \u003ci\u003eSMiLE\u003c\/i\u003e, including the details of the original \u003ci\u003eSMiLE\u003c\/i\u003e recording sessions and their increasingly legendary status as well as the final release of the album, the accompanying concerts and film, and its afterlife.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e With over two dozen new interviews as well as generous excerpts from his extended 2004 interviews with Brian Wilson and \u003ci\u003eSMiLE\u003c\/i\u003e collaborator Van Dyke Parks, the book tells the story of \u003ci\u003eSMiLE\u003c\/i\u003e by those who were there in 1966 and from the participants in its 2004 resurrection, including all the members of Brian Wilson's band. It also features fan memories of what it was like to see Brian Wilson Presents \u003ci\u003eSMiLE\u003c\/i\u003e and what it meant to them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith a foreword by Melinda Wilson and an anthology of essays from \u003ci\u003eSMiLE\u003c\/i\u003e historians, devotees, and music professors, this book promises to be the definitive word on the subject.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"If I had to select one living genius of popular music, I would choose Brian Wilson.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e--George Martin\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"He's a modern-day Stravinsky, the way he constructs his music.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e--Questlove\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"I don't think there is anyone his equal in pop music.\" \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e--Linda Ronstadt\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"The only real pop genius in the world...\" \u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e--Elton John\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 352\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.6 x 9.3 x 6.3 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 15, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49629019275419,"sku":"9781915841315","price":37.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1041\/7172\/files\/Smile-The-Rise-Fall-and-Resurrection-of-Brian-Wilson-Hardcover.webp?v=1790252688"}],"url":"https:\/\/relix.shop\/collections\/books-beach-boys.oembed","provider":"relix.shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}