Kay's Way: Do You Remember The Beach Boys?

Monday, September 13, 2010

Do You Remember The Beach Boys?

The group was initially composed of singer-musician-composer Brian Wilson, his brothers, Carl and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine.
The group was "born" in Hawthorne, CA near the beach.
Many changes in both musical styles and personnel have occurred during their career, notably because of Brian Wilson's mental illness and drug use (leading to his eventual withdrawal from the group) and the deaths of Dennis and Carl Wilson in 1983 and 1998, respectively. Extensive legal battles between members of the group have also played their part. After the death of Carl Wilson, founding member Al Jardine left to pursue a solo career. Currently, the surviving members of The Beach Boys continue to tour in three separate bands: "The Beach Boys Band" with Love, Bruce Johnston, and a rotation of backing musicians; Al Jardine's "Endless Summer Band" with Jardine, his sons, and several former Beach Boys backup musicians; and Brian Wilson with a 10-piece band including members of The Wondermints and Jeff Foskett, who toured with the Beach Boys in the 1980s and 1990s as a backing guitarist/singer.
Some of their biggest hits include "Surfin' USA", "Surfer Girl", "Little Deuce Coupe", "In My Room", "Be True To Your School", "God Only Knows", "Good Vibrations", "Fun Fun Fun" and "Kokomo". Naturally, since I was born and raised in Southern California, my favorite has to be "California Girls".