Main   The Connection Collection   About   History

This page contains ads and links that earn commissions for CRC.

The Beach Boys

The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The original members of the band were brothers Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. The group became known for their intricate vocal harmonies, catchy melodies, and lyrics that celebrated the joys of youth and the California lifestyle.

The Beach Boys were heavily influenced by the surf music that was popular in Southern California in the early 1960s, and their early hits included songs like "Surfin' USA," "Surfer Girl," and "Catch a Wave." As their career progressed, they began to experiment with more complex arrangements and more serious subject matter, producing songs like "God Only Knows," "Wouldn't It Be Nice," and "Good Vibrations."

Despite several lineup changes over the years, the Beach Boys continued to tour and record new music throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2001 Grammy Awards. The surviving members of the band still perform together occasionally, though they have all pursued solo careers as well.

Truly a classic American rock and roll band.  Before changing their name to The Beach Boys, they played locally around Hawthorne, California, as The Pendletones, Kenny and the Cadets, and Carl and the Passions.  The Wilson brothers, Brian, Carl, and Dennis, attended Hawthorne High. -GSH


The Beach Boys I (1961 - 1962)
  • Brian Wilson - vocals/bass/piano - b. June 20, 1942, Hawthorne, California.
  • Dennis Wilson - vocals/drums - b. December 4, 1944, Hawthorne, California; d. December 28, 1983, Marina del Rey, California.
  • Carl Wilson - vocals/guitar - b. December 21, 1946, Hawthorne, California; d. February 6, 1988.
  • Mike Love - vocals/percussion - b. March 15, 1941, Los Angeles, California.
  • Al (Alan) Jardine - vocals/guitar - b. September 3, 1942, Lima, Ohio.
Album:
  1. "Lost and Found! (1961-1962)" (1991)

The Beach Boys II (1962 - 1963) Albums:
  1. "Surfin' Safari" (1962) - Singles: "Surfin'", "Surfin' Safari"
  2. "Surfin' U.S.A." (1963) - Singles: "Surfin' U.S.A.", "Shut Down"

The Beach Boys III (1963 - 1965) Albums:
  1. "Surfer Girl" (1963) - Singles: "Surfer Girl", "Little Deuce Coupe", "In My Room"
  2. "Little Deuce Coupe" (1963) - Singles: "Spirit of America", "Be True To Your School"
  3. "Shut Down, vol. 2" (1964) - Singles: "Fun, Fun, Fun", "Don't Worry, Baby"
  4. "All Summer Long" (1964) - Singles: "I Get Around", "Little Honda", "Wendy"
  5. "The Beach Boys' Christmas Album" (1964) - Single: "Little Saint Nick"
  6. "Beach Boys Concert" (1964)

The Beach Boys IV (1965 - 1971)
  • Brian Wilson - vocals/bass/piano
  • Dennis Wilson - vocals/drums
  • Carl Wilson - vocals/guitar
  • Mike Love - vocals/percussion
  • Al (Alan) Jardine - vocals/guitar
  • Bruce Johnston - guitar/vocals - b. June 24, 1944, Chicago, Illinois.
Albums:
  1. "The Beach Boys Today" (1965) - Singles: "Do You Wanna Dance", "When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)", "Dance, Dance, Dance", "Please Let Me Wonder"
  2. "Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)" (1965) - Singles: "Then I Kissed Her", "California Girls"
  3. "The Beach Boys' Party!" (1965) - Singles: "Barbara Ann"
  4. "Pet Sounds" (1966) - Singles: "Sloop John B", "Wouldn't It Be Nice", "God Only Knows", "Caroline, No"
  5. "The Pet Sounds Sessions" (4-CD box set) (1997)
  6. "Smiley Smile" (1967)
  7. "Wild Honey" (1967) - Singles: "Darlin'", "Wild Honey"
  8. "Friends" (1968) - Singles: "Friends"
  9. "Stack o' Tracks" (1968)
  10. "20/20" (1969) - Singles: "Do It Again", "I Can Hear Music"
  11. "Sunflower" (1970) - Singles: "Add Some Music"
  12. "Surf's Up" (1971) - Singles: "Long Promised Road"
  13. "Beach Boys '69 (The Beach Boys Live in London)" (1976)
  14. "Surfin' Safari / Surfin' USA" (2-fer) (1999)
  15. "Shut Down / Surfer Girl" (2-fer) (1998)
  16. "Little Deuce Coupe / All Summer Long" (2-fer) (1999)
  17. "Today / Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!)" (2-fer) (1999)
  18. "Party! / Stack-O-Tracks" (2-fer) (1998)
  19. "Smiley Smile / Wild Honey" (2-fer) (1998)
  20. "Friends / 20/20" (2-fer) (1999)
  21. "Concert / Live in London" (2-fer) (1999)
  22. "The 'Smile' Era" (1995)
Brian Wilson decides to quit touring early in 1965 to concentrate on songwriting.
Musicians who toured with The Beach Boys during this era include Glen Campbell, and Daryl Dragon (later the Captain of The Captain and Tennille).

The Beach Boys V (1971 - 1974)
  • Brian Wilson - vocals/bass/piano
  • Dennis Wilson - vocals/drums
  • Carl Wilson - vocals/guitar
  • Mike Love - vocals/percussion
  • Al (Alan) Jardine - vocals/guitar
  • Blondie Chaplin - guitar/vocals - b. South Africa; formerly with The Flame; later with Rick Danko and others.
  • Ricky Fataar - drums/vocals - b. South Africa; formerly with The Flame; later with Joe Walsh's band.
Albums:
  1. "Carl and the Passions / So Tough" (1972)
  2. "Holland" (1972) - Singles: "Sail On Sailor", "California"
  3. "The Beach Boys in Concert" (1973)

The Beach Boys VI (1974 - 1978) Albums:
  1. "Spirit of America" (1975)
  2. "15 Big Ones" (1976) - Single: "Rock and Roll Music"
  3. "The Beach Boys Love You" (1977)
  4. "M.I.U. Album" (1978)

The Beach Boys VII (1978 - 1983) Albums:
  1. "L.A. (Light Album)" (1979)
  2. "Keepin' the Summer Alive" (1980)
  3. "Ten Years of Harmony" (1981)
  4. "Sunshine Dream" (1982)
Carl Wilson left after the "Ten Years of Harmony" album, but returned before recording "Sunshine Dream".
Brian Wilson leaves for rehabilitation from earlier nervous breakdown.
Dennis Wilson leaves the band; dies in drowning accident on December 28, 1983, at Marina del Rey, California.

The Beach Boys VIII (1983 - 1985)
  • Carl Wilson - vocals/guitar
  • Mike Love - vocals/percussion
  • Al (Alan) Jardine - vocals/guitar
  • Bruce Johnston - guitar/vocals

The Beach Boys IX (1985 - 1988) Albums:
  1. "The Beach Boys '85" (1985)
  2. "Made in U.S.A." (1986)
Brian Wilson leaves.

The Beach Boys X (1988 - 1998)
  • Carl Wilson - vocals/guitar
  • Mike Love - vocals/percussion
  • Al (Alan) Jardine - vocals/guitar
  • Bruce Johnston - guitar/vocals
Albums:
  1. "Still Cruisin'" (1989)
  2. "Summer in Paradise" (1992)
  3. "Stars and Stripes, Vol. 1" (1996) - The Beach Boys meet country music head-on in this disastrous effort, featuring classic tunes from their catalog performed with current country artists.  I didn't care for it, and I'm a big Beach Boys fan.
Hit single "Kokomo" (from the "Cocktail" movie soundtrack).
Carl Wilson died on February 6, 1998.

Brian Wilson solo:
  1. "Brian Wilson" (1988)
  2. "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" (1995)
  3. "Orange Crate Art" (1995) (with Van Dyke Parks)
  4. "Imagination" (1998) - If you're a fan of The Beach Boys' music, you owe it to yourself to pick-up this album...the title track, "Your Imagination", alone is worth the price of the entire CD, and there are plenty of other standouts as well ("South American", to name one).  Brian's vocals sound GREAT and take you back to those wonderful harmonies of the '60s!  You need this album.

Dennis Wilson solo:
  1. "Pacific Ocean Blue" (1977)

Carl Wilson solo:
  1. "Carl Wilson" (1981)
  2. "What You Do To Me" (1983)
  3. "Youngblood" (1984)

Mike Love solo:
  1. "Looking Back With Love" (1981)

Compilations:
  1. "Best of The Beach Boys, vol. 1" (1966)
  2. "Best of The Beach Boys, vol. 2" (1967)
  3. "The Beach Boys Deluxe Set" (1967)
  4. "Best of The Beach Boys, vol. 3" (1968)
  5. "Close Up" (1969)
  6. "Endless Summer" (1974)
  7. "Good Vibrations: Best of the Beach Boys" (1975)
  8. "Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of the Beach Boys" (5-CD box set) (1993)
  9. "The Greatest Hits: 20 Good Vibrations" (1995)
  10. "Perfect Harmony" (1997)
  11. "Endless Harmony" (soundtrack) (1998)

DVDs and Videos:
  1. "The Beach Boys - TheLost Concert" (1964) - VHS
  2. "The Beach Boys - TheLost Concert" (1964) - DVD
  3. "Endless Harmony" - VHS
  4. "Endless Harmony" - DVD
  5. "Brian Wilson - I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" (1995) - DVD
  6. "Nashville Sounds: The Making Of Stars And Stripes" (1996) - VHS
  7. "Nashville Sounds: The Making Of Stars And Stripes" (1996) - DVD
  8. "Brian Wilson - Imagination" (1999) - VHS
  9. "Biography - Brian Wilson" (1999) - VHS

Hartman Recommends:
 I love the 1993 box set, "Good Vibrations: Thirty Years of the Beach Boys".  Although the material after the "Pet Sounds" era is not as memorable as their earlier stuff, this 5-CD set has most of their great songs and includes several previously unreleased cuts and rarities.  Highly recommended for Beach Boys fans.

Links:

Back to Home
Last Revised: September 14, 2000
Advertisement

 Navigation ~ Forums TOS
 Privacy & Legal ~ Sitemap

Home

This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com or its affiliates.

Powered by The Classic Rock Connection
Portions copyright ©2010-2024