Beach Boys on Tour 1966 • Surfboards, Stratocasters, Striped Shirts

Mega-thanks Bill!

Your new book is like a personal gift; as if someone had chronicled my personal experience that same time period 47 years ago - -

• The Beach Boys on Tour 1966 - Another Beach Boy fanatic friend and I caught their show in Chicago's Arie Crown Theater during the same tour
• A Photo Journal - You took the photos we never thought to take while backstage
• Foreword by Bruce Johnston - Bruce's first visit back to his Windy City hometown was the excuse we used to get backstage; he was was kind (and patient) to spend time with us (I can't believe I didn't have a list of questions - anyone have a time machine!) 

BUT ... your eye-catching, hard-cover, coffee-table-styled book is so much more than a bunch of nostalgic photos. Any backstage-with-the-Beach-Boys photo-journal would be of interest to hard core Beach Boys fans but this one is special Bill. Unique; one-of-a-kind.

• These never seen before photos capture the boys on the cusp ("a point of transition between two different states") of an amazing new chapter in their history. You document how these still striped shirt surfer boys were about to enter the world of "Pet Sounds."
• The story of how you smoothed your way backstage is a variation on the one my friend and I concocted to see them in Chicago - Bravo!
• A picture speaks a thousand words. Seeing the set-list on Bruce's hand is evidence of who they were becoming. "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow" and "Shut Down" meet "God Only Knows" and "Good Vibrations." Little did they know how different they would look and sound just around the corner.
• Somehow you captured the persona of each band member. The photos of Denny reading your copy of "Surfing East" magazine, then at the piano playing what may later become "Forever" and, of course, talking with girls ... Mike setting up the theremin for one of the first times live ... Alan singing what could be his lead on "Then I Kissed Her" ... the guys backstage, guitars in hand, running through an impromptu practice of the unexpectedly charting "Wouldn't It Be Nice" ...  Carl, eyes closed, lending his signature voice onstage ... Bruce at the keyboard, but mostly on bass ... 

Bill, you have taken us backstage to watch and listen to our favorite band as they prepare for their next show  - - but aslo as they, unbeknownst to them, are about to embark on a lifetime of grand successes and some great struggles. Their surfboards, stratocasters, and striped shirts were only the beginning; we continued to be blessed with pet sounds, wonderful smiles, and the faith-hope-love of "surf's up!"

Thank you, Bill, for the heart and soul you poured into this book - For signing my copy and closing with Matthew 8:27: His followers were amazed. "Who is this man?" they asked. "Even the winds and waves obey him!"

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