•Exclusive Beach Boys’ related interviews/reviews: Jeffrey Foskett, Dean Torrence, Fred Vail, Chuck Girard (Hondells lead), Philip Bardowell, Dan Addington, David Beard, Beach Boys' authors Mark Dillon, Jon Stebbins, Philip Lambert, Tom Smucker...
•As a Jesus-follower, Phil Miglioratti collects stories/news regarding the faith journey of rock musicians (Dylan, Ringo, Bono others) ...
•So, add some music to your day and enjoy God's love and mercy ...
Monday, August 31, 2015
The Pray For Surf Interview with Jim Murphy, author of Becoming the Beach Boys 1961 - 1963
“ On a brisk Saturday in October 1966, my sixteen-year-old brother Richie raced home from a neighborhood basketball game dripping with perspiration and excitement. He burst into our second-floor apartment on Gun Hill Road in the Bronx and demanded, “C’mon, grab your coat. We’re going out. I don’t know what I just heard on the radio, but I’ve never heard anything like it. We’ve got to find that record. We’ve got to find it right now.” I slipped my jacket on and asked, “What’s it called?” He shook his head. “I don’t know. The deejay didn’t say. All I know is that some of the words are ‘good, good, good vibrations.’” Then, with a mix of surprise and skepticism washing over his face like a wave at Orchard Beach, he added, “I think he said it’s by the Beach Boys.””
Later, after buying the 45…
“For the next three minutes and thirty-nine seconds we listened, staring at the revolving black disc with the familiar yellow and orange Capitol swirl spinning at a hypnotizing 45 revolutions per minute. I never heard the word “I” sung quite that beautifully before or since. Whose was that angelic voice? And what instrument made that deep, stuttering staccato sound that reverberated through you, conjuring the song’s title, making you nervous and exhilarated at the same time? What was that otherworldly sound on the chorus? Oscillating up and down like something from a science fiction movie. We didn’t speak. It was like a sacred experience. As if we were alone in St. Ann’s Church and it would have been a sin to shatter the silence. If someone had recorded Heaven this is what it would sound like. The song’s creator once said music was God’s voice. This record seemed to prove it.“
“ A lot of time has passed since that autumn day in 1966. But that day changed my life. It began a life-long enjoyment of the music of Brian Douglas Wilson, one of the twentieth century’s most gifted composers. A man whose rare talent has brought joy and comfort, serenity and solace, earthly pleasure and spiritual transcendence, to millions of people.”
“ This is a tale of talent, teenage dreams, youthful innocence, and musical genius. It is also a story of parental ambition, business mismanagement, diverted corporate funds, employee conflict of interest, and the betrayal of a decade-long friendship. How such jubilant music emerged from these classic struggles is a quintessential American story.”
“ “Mike wrote a song about a soldier who died in the war,” Murry explained. “I heard it over at my sister’s house and I thought it was just darling. But I heard it as a hymn. I went home and composed other lyrics to it.”19 On the handwritten score, Murry credited Mike with words and music, and added the notation “Murry Wilson lyrics.” In 1951, Murry filed the requisite paperwork with the U.S. Copyright Office in Washington, D.C., making Mike the first member of the future Beach Boys to have a song copyrighted.”
From “Becoming The Beach Boys”
ReplyDelete“ On a brisk Saturday in October 1966, my sixteen-year-old brother Richie raced home from a neighborhood basketball game dripping with perspiration and excitement. He burst into our second-floor apartment on Gun Hill Road in the Bronx and demanded, “C’mon, grab your coat. We’re going out. I don’t know what I just heard on the radio, but I’ve never heard anything like it. We’ve got to find that record. We’ve got to find it right now.” I slipped my jacket on and asked, “What’s it called?” He shook his head. “I don’t know. The deejay didn’t say. All I know is that some of the words are ‘good, good, good vibrations.’” Then, with a mix of surprise and skepticism washing over his face like a wave at Orchard Beach, he added, “I think he said it’s by the Beach Boys.””
Later, after buying the 45…
“For the next three minutes and thirty-nine seconds we listened, staring at the revolving black disc with the familiar yellow and orange Capitol swirl spinning at a hypnotizing 45 revolutions per minute. I never heard the word “I” sung quite that beautifully before or since. Whose was that angelic voice? And what instrument made that deep, stuttering staccato sound that reverberated through you, conjuring the song’s title, making you nervous and exhilarated at the same time? What was that otherworldly sound on the chorus? Oscillating up and down like something from a science fiction movie. We didn’t speak. It was like a sacred experience. As if we were alone in St. Ann’s Church and it would have been a sin to shatter the silence. If someone had recorded Heaven this is what it would sound like. The song’s creator once said music was God’s voice. This record seemed to prove it.“
Excerpt 2/
ReplyDelete“ A lot of time has passed since that autumn day in 1966. But that day changed my life. It began a life-long enjoyment of the music of Brian Douglas Wilson, one of the twentieth century’s most gifted composers. A man whose rare talent has brought joy and comfort, serenity and solace, earthly pleasure and spiritual transcendence, to millions of people.”
Excerpt 3/
ReplyDelete“ This is a tale of talent, teenage dreams, youthful innocence, and musical genius. It is also a story of parental ambition, business mismanagement, diverted corporate funds, employee conflict of interest, and the betrayal of a decade-long friendship. How such jubilant music emerged from these classic struggles is a quintessential American story.”
Excerpt 4/
ReplyDelete“ “Mike wrote a song about a soldier who died in the war,” Murry explained. “I heard it over at my sister’s house and I thought it was just darling. But I heard it as a hymn. I went home and composed other lyrics to it.”19 On the handwritten score, Murry credited Mike with words and music, and added the notation “Murry Wilson lyrics.” In 1951, Murry filed the requisite paperwork with the U.S. Copyright Office in Washington, D.C., making Mike the first member of the future Beach Boys to have a song copyrighted.”