Sunday, March 22, 2015

5 things you didn't know about the Beach Boys

 In 1961 brothers Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson joined force with cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jadine to form the Beach Boys. The group created the California surf sound that became part of the American culture of the 1960's.
That culture blossomed with other groups like Jan & Dean and the Ventures among others. The beach sound also inspired the beach movie craze that made household names of Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon. After 5 decades the rest of that beach culture is gone but the Beach Boys still remain as an icon American band.
There has been plenty written about the Beach Boys in their 5+ decades. The following are a few things that are not so widely know about the award winning group.
A year before the rest of the nation heard of the murderous Manson family they had an encounter with the Beach Boys. In the summer of 1968 Dennis Wilson, the Beach Boys' drummer, met and befriended Charles Manson. He allow Manson and his “family” live with him at his Sunset Boulevard house. After awhile Mr. Wilson came aware of how unstable Manson was but afraid to ask him to leave. So, Mr. Wilson just walked away from the house letting the lease expire.
Before they became a husband and wife singing team the Beach Boys played a part in getting the Captain & Tennille together. In the early 1970's Daryl Dragon was a part-time keyboard player with the band. In 1971 Daryl “Captain keyboard” Dragon met Toni Tennille. The two of worked on a play that Ms. Tennille wrote before she also joined the Beach Boys on tour.
49 years after the Beach Boys released the album Pet Sounds, in 1966, it is still considered the number 2 greatest rock albums of all-time. The album introduced us to such icon songs as Wouldn't it be nice, God only know and Sloop John B. Paul McCartney of Beatles said of the album that it was a direct influence behind Sgt. Pepper.
Among the 6 times that Dennis Wilson married one of them to the Shawn Love, the daughter of cousin Mike Love. The marriage drove a wedge between the cousins and that took out mutual restraining orders.

Before they were known as the Beach the group recorded under the name Pendletones. They had also considered the names Carl and the Passions or Kenny and the cadets.  

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