Continuing this year-long experiment into hour-long introductions, I realize I may have given the Beach Boys a short shrift earlier. They are far more than just pre- and post-Pet Sounds. So now I present to you: A More Thorough Introduction to The Beach Boys.

The first hour will concentrate on the earliest incarnation of the Beach Boys, when they were still a band. Not just a band but a garage band. David Marks, who was only 13, had replace Al Jardine who had only played on their first song Surfin’. They played their own instruments still, so doing stuff like instrumentals and covers not only made sense – but was fairly common. Mike Love sang almost all the lead vocals (primarily because he couldn’t really do much with the instrument we occasionally carried on stage, the saxophone). The Wilson brothers’ dad was still the manager. Nick Venet, a Capitol Record employee, was still the producer. Brian played bass, and even though he co-wrote the originals, he was just another member of the band.

Over the years, all of this changed. Not just one big sudden explosion, but a slow evolution over time. It wasn’t even a lot of time, but because the record company saw the Beach Boys as a novelty act, they wanted to squeeze as much from the golden goose as they could before it became passe. Between October 1st, 1962 and October 7th, 1963, The Beach Boys released four whole albums: Surfin’ Safari, Surfin’ U.S.A., Surfer Girl, and Little Deuce Coupe. 

By the second album Brian was producing, and by the third he was getting credited for it. While David Marks was not around long, he did end up on several albums, although Al Jardine was slowly brought back to replace him as he frequently butted heads with dad/manager Murray. Brian started singing more leads himself – and having other members of the band step up and do the same. As Brian also found other lyricists to collaborate with, this meant the non-sax playing, nominal leader of the band, Mike Love, had less to do.

Brian’s vision for the sound began to expand too. First he would bring in Mike’s cousin Maureen to play harp on one track. Then he would do a ballad like The Lonely Sea, and have string players on the track. Soon though he was recruiting members of L.A.’s premier studio musicians, The Wrecking Crew, to add to the bass, drums, and guitars that his own band was already playing.

While we are not quite to Pet Sounds, Brian was flexing the independence and control necessary to create the sound he heard in his head. The only problem was that with the constant touring and the record company demands for new product constantly, he just didn’t have the time. But that was about to change…