Book Description
Tracing a line from Brian Wilson's very first musical loves (George Gershwin and the Four Freshmen) through to the Smile and Pet Sounds tours of recent years, Philip Lambert's astonishingly comprehensive book details over 50 years in the musical life of one of America's foremost pop composers. Lambert acknowledges the familiar biographical contexts behind many of Wilson's songs, but sheds new light on the birth and evolution of his musical ideas. A huge number of songs are discussed, including the famous ("Help Me Rhonda," "Good Vibrations," "God Only Knows") and the less well known ("Farmer's Daughter," "Boys Will Be Boys" and more). The end result is a remarkable story of musical growth and ambition, sure to appeal to devoted Beach Boys fans. The book also includes a unique Brian Wilson Song Chronology, listing every musical endeavour to which Brian is known to have made a musical contribution.
Customer Reviews:
Rock music collections will find it an invaluable exploration........2007-07-08
INSIDE THE MUSIC OF BRIAN WILSON: THE SONGS, SOUNDS, AND INFLUENCES OF THE BEACH BOYS' FOUNDING GENIUS is a pick any Beach Boys fan needs: while Brian Wilson's life has received extensive documentation in other biographies, here the focus is solely on his music, not his life - and what a welcome change that is, for fans of his sound. New stories cover the birth and evolution of Wilson's musical ideas using the history of his songwriting and production to explore his evolution. Rock music collections will find it an invaluable exploration.
well done.......2007-05-16
This book is best suited for those with some background in music theory.
Average customer rating:
- Worth the time investment!
- One of the best books I read
- Couldn't Finish It
- Beach Music
- Captures settings very well
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Beach Music
Pat Conroy
Manufacturer: Dial Press Trade Paperback
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ASIN: 0553381539
Release Date: 2002-03-26 |
Book Description
PAT CONROY, America’s preeminent storyteller, delivers a sweeping novel of lyric intensity and searing truth–the story of Jack McCall, an American expatriate in Rome, scarred by tragedy and betrayal. His desperate desire to find peace after his wife’s suicide draws him into a painful, intimate search for the one haunting secret in his family’s past that can heal his anguished heart.
Spanning three generations and two continents, from the contemporary ruins of the American South to the ancient ruins of Rome, from the unutterable horrors of the Holocaust to the lingering trauma of Vietnam,
Beach Music sings with life’s pain and glory. It is another masterpiece in PAT CONROY’S legendary list of beloved novels.
Download Description
Beach Music is about Jack McCall, an American living in Rome with his young daughter, trying to find peace after the recent trauma of his wife's suicide. Beach Music is about Jack McCall, an American living in Rome with his young daughter, trying to find peace after the recent trauma of his wife's suicide.
Customer Reviews:
Worth the time investment!.......2007-08-04
First let me say this book took me forever to finish. This book is like a fine meal; meant to be savored. Pat Conroy's use of the English language is achingly beautiful and unlike many of the pulp novels that blight the shelves of our Wholesale clubs, this book is worth taking the time to digest. While I can't say it's better than Mr. Conroy's other novels (The Lords of Discipline was amazing); I can say that it's worth every minute one invests in reading it. Highly recommended!
One of the best books I read.......2007-07-18
I read Beach Music several ago. A friend lent it to me in paperback. I enjoyed it so much that I read it three times & decided I wanted the hard copy
Couldn't Finish It.......2007-06-26
Conroy's wife is also a writer and he once said, "I'll hear her cackle with laughter at some funny line she's written. I've never cackled with laughter at a single line I've ever written. None of it has given me pleasure. She writes with pleasure and joy, and I sit there in gloom and darkness."
I can say after trying to read this book, it didn't give me any pleasure either. I made it to the halfway point and realized i was not enjoying it one bit. Perhaps i should make myself finish it but i just couldn't.
Beach Music.......2007-05-07
I am about half way thru this book. It cannot be read rapidly....I have to put it down periodically and catch my breath. Wonderful story and Pat Conroy is an excellent writer.
Highly recommended reading.
Captures settings very well.......2007-05-01
I enjoyed reading this book because it was both an intriguing story and because it gave me much insight into the culture of South Carolina.
South Carolinians are the only other people besides Texans who display such a huge level of pride and affection for their home state. Being a Texan, I was always curious to know what their version of state pride looked like. By telling the story of the lives of four boys and two girls, with whom I could see myself being friends if they had all grown up in Texas, Conroy vividly explains SC's particular version.
Conroy's theme is that life does not progress linearly but in a circular fashion. While overtly criticizing the archaism and backwardness of the South's obsession with family ties; Conroy covertly and subtlely gives credence to it, as each character's life story is heavily influenced by his past, his parents' past, and his grandparents' past. He uses flawed characters to show how actions today bear consequences tomorrow; thus, it is crucial that each man confront his own personal demons (lest they be allowed to fester and to hurt others, especially those he loves) and to seek reconciliation with those he has wronged in his past. The optimistic ending teaches us that it's never too late to make amends.
Conroy's story-telling ability is superb and I really enjoyed reading this book.
Book Description
This book presents the best of "Add Some Music," the respected and fondly-remembered Beach Boys fanzine of 1978-1984. Over 40 newly-edited articles, essays, and reviews provide a serious and critical perspective on the music of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys.
Edited by Don Cunningham (editor and publisher of "Add Some Music" during the fanzine's seven-year existence) and Jeff Bleiel (author of "That's All: Bobby Darin On Record, Stage & Screen"), the book features insightful, opinionated commentary on the Beach Boys which has been unavailable for over 15 years.
Highlights include:
Musical analysis of 17 Beach Boys classics, focusing on Brian Wilson's revolutionary and enduring triumphs as a composer, producer, arranger, and bandleader
Critical reviews of often-overlooked Beach Boys albums
Comprehensive articles covering the works of Beach Boys Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine, and Mike Love
Over 35 photos, many of which have been unseen since their original publication
Noteworthy among the 45 articles reprinted and re-edited for this book are Don Cunningham's in-depth analyses of Brian Wilson's beloved and acclaimed songs and productions. "Help Me, Rhonda," "Surfer Girl," "Good Vibrations," "Don't Worry Baby," "Heroes and Villains," "California Girls," and "Sloop John B" are among the classics covered.
Many Beach Boys aficionados consider "Add Some Music," a serious journal about the band's artistry and history, to be the best fanzine ever published about the group. The articles now collected for the book "Add Some Music To Your Day" stand up as exceptionally perceptive commentary on the Beach Boys -- writing which has never before received wide distribution.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2002-03-12
A collection of intelligent and informed essays from the late, lamented magazine. Not necessarily for the casual fan, but rabid BB admirers will find tasty food for thought in these pages.
Over forty articles, essays & reviews with critical analysis.......2001-09-11
Don Cunningham and Jeff Bleiel edit Add Some Music To Your Day, about analyzing the music of the Beach Boys. Over forty articles, essays and reviews provide critical analysis of albums and songs in a coverage which will delight Beach Boys fans. A highly recommended pick.
Great Read!.......2000-08-20
Don Cunningham and Jeff Bleiel have assembled some of the best Beach Boys writings here in this book, "Add Some Music To Your Day." I wasn't around to read these the first time in the "Add Some..." fanzine, but this is GREAT stuff. BRAVO!
Mr. Cunningham's Excellent Critique.......1999-12-30
Because I have begun my doctoral thesis on this very subject, I found that this critique has opened windows that heretofore I have only imagined. Mr. Cunningham must have known his subjects well (or developed a preternatural insight into their oeuvre) and also must possess an astounding knowledge of music, both classical and modern. I would recommend this book to anyone with more than a superficial interest in the subject.
Customer Reviews:
Endless Scandal.......2006-07-29
No doubt, Steven Gaines knows how to write a page turner. I sailed through this book in record time, unable to put it down between chapters. It's written in a captivating, addictive style that promises to hold the attention of anyone who's remotely interested in the Beach Boys.
Gaines does, however, exploit the Beach Boys' cult of personality by emphasizing the seedy, the sordid, and the scandalous. Not in a mean-spirited way, but in a way that offers little attempt at counterbalancing the beautiful with the ugly. It's mostly one seamy story after another: Murry, the jealous, abusive father; the Wilson family's dysfunction; Brian's experimentation with LSD; Dennis's alcoholism; unscrupulous managers; marital infidelity; infighting among the Boys; Brian's psychoses; and the list goes on. Titillating stuff for some readers.
But for those like myself who have a high regard for Brian Wilson, this book may be somewhat offensive. Not because we deny the veracity of the scandals, but because they are the focal point of the story. Gaines's intention was to expose the dirt, and he accomplishes his mission in a way that will be entertaining to some, distasteful to others, but a riveting read for all.
Good book whether you like the BBs or not.......2006-07-06
I'm too young to be a core Beach Boys fan, but my parents, their friends, and many in their generation seem to have an affinity for this sun & surf sensation that this band inspired. I was somewhat fascinated by the story of their lives; the turmoil, the magnitude of their fame, and the challenges they overcame - invididually and collectively - to become one of the most successful and recognized bands in history.
More Than Meets the Eye.......2006-03-01
This book lifts the veil of "perfect hometown California golden boys" from the group and exposes the results of a dysfunctional upbringing and extreme overindulgence due to wealth and the ability to create wealth. Dennis hurtled through life, seeming to partake of every drink, drug, woman, and material possession that caught his fancy along the way. One has to wonder why Dennis, who seemingly could have any girl that he wanted, would bother to invest his time with the Manson Family girls, but such is compulsive behavior, I guess.
The real tragedy though was Brian - there are parallels between the stories of Brian and Howard Hughes. Both had so much money (or had the potential to generate so much money) that they could surround themselves with dependent syncophants who would facilitate whatever whim was desired in order to stay on the gravy train, rather than standing up and telling the truth to Brian (or Howard) i.e., that he was slipping into mental instability.
The photos in the book would have been interesting, but were of poor quality (washed out). Is that just in my copy, or have others been similarly disappointed? My only other disappointment was that I'd have liked to hear more about the girls of Wilson Phillips, but maybe that would be veering too far off the subject of the book, The Beach Boys.
pretty good, but.........2005-11-08
this isn't a bad book, it must be entertaining because i read it in a few days. it covers all the drama drama drama surrounding the beach boys. however, i felt like all this was covered, and written much better, in "wouldn't it be nice" by brian wilson. if you read that amazing book, there's really no need to read this unless you just need something to read.
Read this one first, then read "Wouldn't It Be Nice" .......2004-07-23
I read this book recently and thoroughly enjoyed it - Looks like Steven Gaines did a good job, extensively researched, and it reads well...but I don't believe some of it after reading Brian's book. I just finished Brian's version, "Wouldn't It Be Nice," and enjoyed that even more, especially after the preparation from the other book - I recommend reading both in that order.
I grew up in this time period, enjoyed the music and some of the adventures that went with it - I believe anybody else who did also will really enjoy this book, and Brian's book as well.
The title fits well - The father was definitely a villian, sometimes others, sometimes certain Beach Boys themselves.
The Manson family, the "Love" family, and Murry, no doubt about them being villians - and one of the managers in particular, the con artist who claimed to be a newscaster who had won the Pulitzer Prize!
It must've been frustrating, maddening when Brian refused
to tour and got so whacked out from drugs...Their attempts to
FORCE him to recover were extremely brutal and stupid...People
have talked about Dr. Landy's methods being "controversial,"
but the "Love" family continued Murry's psychological torture
and drove Brian right over the edge...
Dennis' story is particularly interesting, but THEN there is
Brian...the mysterious, reclusive fellow who quit touring EVEN BEFORE the drugs...fascinating story, introduced several times in "Heroes and Villians," then told by Brian in "Wouldn't It Be Nice," in greater detail. Fascinating!
Back to Dennis. "Heroes and Villians" opens with the episode just before he drowns, leaves you hanging (I cheated and went to the index, found it continued on page 350)...Then the book goes back to their childhood, continues with the formation of that great, wonderful rock'n'roll group, The Beach Boys.
Think about it: Dennis Wilson comes home from touring, finds Charles Manson and "family" have moved into his house, Manson cons him, and Dennis thinks Manson's a great guy, hangs out with him awhile, survives THAT, then later drowns in a similar manner to the way Brian Jones (Rolling Stones founder) died: Too much drinking, too much drugs, too much recklessness, too much overconfidence...a CLASSIC alcoholic - I know, I quit drinking myself 12 yrs ago and his story reminds me of MANY others...
And what about this therapist, Dr. Landy? Before I got these books I read some of the reviews posted and noticed that Dr. Landy was perceived as a villian, a 'Svengali,' but look what he accomplished with Brian - I'm not even talking about Brian's
story yet, even in "Heroes and Villians" the story is told of how Brian, after spending, what, 3 years, in bed, paranoid, unable to face the world or function normally...Brian's ex-wife, Marilyn DESERVES CREDIT AS ONE OF THE HEROES (at first) - instead of leaving Brian to rot she gets Dr. Landy to take Brian as a patient. AND HE GETS CURED! What a great story - the short version (some of which is untrue) is in
"Heroes and Villians," the rest in "Wouldn't It Be Nice."
Customer Reviews:
Not Just for Beach Boys fans.......2007-09-08
It shocks me to read some reviews that say this book doesn't have any new information or is limited to just music fans. These people must not have any soul! This book is beautifully written and contains all the elements of a good novel - humour, heart-break, fame, loss, irony, etc. If you didn't shed a tear on the last page as David and Brian stand in their old neighbourhood and, well I won't spill it, but I have no trouble admitting it was a very emotional scene. As for new information about the Beach Boys, this book is full of new facts, dates and information and highlights an entirely new perspective on the genesis of the Beach Boys. You can't be a fan of the Beach Boys and not learn something from this book and you can't be human and not be affected by the 'heart' in this story.
Opportunities Missed but No Regrets.......2007-09-07
I'm a solid Beach Boy fan starting around 1964 so I was never aware of David Marks' story. Also, I had previously read Jon Stebbins' biography of Dennis Wilson and didn't realize it was the same author until mentioned in the book.
With that caveat, this is an enjoyable book but a struggle to make into a complete book. David Marks was a young boy suddenly thrust in the new role of a Rock Star but also managed by a band member's father who felt immature behavior should not be tolerated. Mix that with immaturity and whether resigned or fired, Marks is out of the band. Unfortunately for him, lightening didn't strike twice and for true commercial success of a book, there is just not enough story here. But there is a story, early success, great disappointment, and later depths in alcohol and drugs.
But all that is happening in an exciting era in Los Angeles with famous touches like running into the Manson crew at Dennis Wilson's house, and later haircuts by Jay Sebring who is later killed by the Manson crew at Sharon Tate's house. If you have interest in that era or rock n roll history, this is a worthwhile read and it was for me. But it's not deep or long enough for everyone. Irrespective, overall the Beach Boys come off as regular guys thrown in an irregular world. It is great to see that later in life they kept somewhat in tough and even gave David a job as a touring guitarist. A great book for music lovers only.
Fantastic and insightful book on the Beach Boys early days and the price of fame.......2007-08-26
The early history of the Beach Boys is usually given short shrift by rock writers. As a result, many Beach Boys fans are unaware that David Marks was a member of the band for almost two years and played on the group's first five albums. Jon Stebbins and David Marks insightful book rectifies this oversight and gives us a rich and rewarding look at America's favorite bands formative years. Early tours and recording sessions are recalled with warmth and detail. For Beach Boys fanatics there is a host of new information that was previously unknown. After reading this book, one emerges with a new appreciation for David Marks. The book makes a persuasive argument that guitarist Marks played a pivotal role in the development of the group's early sound and deserves some credit for their success.
The book, however, is more than just another Beach Boys tome. Marks was thrust into the limelight at the age of thirteen and was an ex Beach Boy before his fifteenth birthday. Stebbins and Marks present a fascinating story of life in the fast lane and its pitfalls. It is a story of bruised egos, lost chances, rock star excesses and finally redemption. David Marks life keep you interested long after the Beach Boys have exited the narrative. This is a quite an achievement. I strongly reccommend this book.
THE LOST BEACH BOY redefines Beach Boys history!.......2007-07-22
David Marks and Jon Stebbins have not just given us a new book on the Beach Boys. With their close attention to detail, their access to sources previously untapped - including David himself! - and David's willingness to bare it all, they have created a book that is personal and intimate, and one that redefines Beach Boys history as no other book or film has ever done.
David was the kid who lived across the street from the Wilson brothers. As it turns out he was also a bandmate of those brothers, and an influence in the first couple of years - the first 4+ albums, the first ten singles, including seven hits - an influence far beyond the Beach Boys' mythology that has existed for the last 45 years or so. When David left the band in late 1963 he totally walked away, leaving Murry and the others to craft a story that has become "truth." The only problem was, it was a lie. THE LOST BEACH BOY tells the real story for the first time ever.
David's tenure in the band was short, but oh-so-important in the formation of the California Myth. I won't re-hash the book here, i will just state that there are things that Beach Boys fans have believed to be true for all this time that are, in fact, not. Whoever said this book contains no new information is either someone else who was there and witnessed the early years of the Beach Boys and thus knows all of this from personal experience, or they're delusional. There is a TON of new information on early tours, growth of songs, Brian's deteriorating ability to cope with life on the road, Al's re-entry, Murry's manipulations...and what happened to David after he left the band.
In many ways it is a sad book. It is a story of lost opportunities, lost chances, lost friendships. But it is also a book about redemption: David has come out the other side of all of his problems, and now enjoys a life of love and acceptance, with a wife and friends who love him for who he is, not for who he was or who he might have been. It is a beautiful and, as i said, intimate book, an easy read, and a MUST-read for all Beach Boys fans who are interested in the truth.
boring.......2007-07-20
this book did not have any new or relevant information....seemed kind of whiney to me....could not finish it
Book Description
This book provides pastors, worship leaders, programming directors, and arts ministry leaders with the vision and core values necessary for building arts teams that can create the potential for transformational moments in church.
Customer Reviews:
Very Practical.......2006-02-21
Good book to give you an idea of how to lead and work with artists in worship.
An artful use of an hour on Sunday.......2004-11-10
Every pastor responsible for planning and leading a worship service should buy this book, read it, and then do two things. First, find an artist in your congregation who will help you understand how important this book is. Let that artist, or better yet several artists, teach you how the arts can assist you in creating moments of transformation and wonder during that hour on Sunday. Second, honestly respond to the "Questions to Explore" at the end of each chapter. Write out your answers. Discuss them with your staff or leadership team. They are outstanding discussion starters for weekly staff or leadership meetings or even for use in a retreat setting. Dealing with these questions will intensify the impact of this entertaining and informative read.
I read this book from the mindset of a Christian educator who fears that an hour on Sunday is what the average Christian invests in their Christian education. Nancy Beach has provided a timely challenge for we who teach to embrace the value of creativity. She writes from her passion and experience as one dedicated to communicating the truth of God's Word to a culture overwhelmed by information and to generations who learn as much by seeing and experiencing as they do by listening. If you want to make the most of an hour on Sunday you'll be well served by this book.
P.S. If you lead creative people, the bovine metaphor on page 80 is worth the price of the book!
An Hour on Sunday.......2004-06-30
This is one of the most delightful "how to" books I have read in a long time! This book will help both ministers and lay leaders in the planning of the Sunday morning service. The suggestions given are sound, biblical, and can apply to both a traditional setting or a more contemporary setting. The reader is challenged to make the worship hour on Sunday morning more meaningful by first examining his own heart and motive. The goal is to have the worshiper leave the church changed in a more positive way than when they first came. The advice of this book is both timely and easy to follow.
Many times "how to" books are dry and boring to read. The delivery of the material in this book is as entertaining as it is enlightening. The use of illustrations and drawings are intermingled with the text, many times becoming the text. For example, when the book discusses music, you find the text in a sheet of music, like the lyrics of a song. Humor is very much a part of this book. In the first part of the book, the author gives you permission to skip to a page later in the book if you feel you don't need to read that particular section. When you skip to the page indicated, you are admonished and told to return to the section you wanted to skip. All in good humor, of course. There are also thought provoking questions at the end of each chapter that enable you to celebrate the good things you are currently doing in your organization and encourage you to explore new ground.
Amazon.com
The question one inevitably asks when considering the life of composer Amy Beach is this: How much greater might she have been if she'd had the same opportunities given male prodigies such as Mozart or Beethoven? As it was, Beach's talent was prodigious and widely recognized in her own time. Born in 1867 to a musical family, the young Amy was playing the piano by ear by the time she was four. Had she been a boy, no doubt a brilliant career as a concert pianist would have followed; instead, Amy married a much older man and mostly confined her musical genius to once-yearly concerts and to composing. Beach was prolific and eclectic, writing a Mass, a symphony (her "Gaelic" Symphony was the first work by an American woman composer to be performed by an American orchestra) and chamber music. In later years, after her husband's death, Beach toured the world as a performer.
In her extensive biography of Amy Beach, Adrienne Fried Block examines both the composer's life and work. Excerpts from various pieces are included in the book, giving readers an opportunity to study her music. Block does an admirable job of explaining to those less musically knowledgeable just what Beach was attempting to accomplish in each piece. Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian is an excellent biography for anyone interested in the life of a remarkable woman; for those who are also interested in music and composition, it's a real treat.
Book Description
Amy Marcy Cheney Beach (1867-1944), the most widely performed composer of her generation, was the first American woman to succeed as a creator of large-scale art music. Her "Gaelic" Symphony, given its premiere by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1896, was the first work of its kind by an American woman to be performed by an American orchestra. Almost all of her more than 300 works were published soon after they were composed and performed, and today her music is finding new advocates and audiences for its energy, intensity, and sheer beauty. Yet, until now, no full-length critical biography of Beach's life or comprehensive critical overview of her music existed. This biography admirably fills that gap, fully examining the connections between Beach's life and work in light of social currents and dominant ideologies. Born into a musical family in Victorian times, Amy Beach started composing as a child of four and was equally gifted as a pianist. Her talent was recognized early by Boston's leading musicians, who gave her unqualified support. Although Beach believed that the life of a professional musician was the only life for her, her parents had raised her for marriage and a career of amateur music-making. Her response to this parental (and later spousal) opposition was to find creative ways of reaching her goal without direct confrontation. Discouraged from a full-scale concert career, she instead found her metier in composition. Success as a composer of art songs came early for Beach: indeed, her songs outsold those of her contemporaries. Nevertheless, she was determined to separate her work from the genteel parlor music women were writing in her day by creating large-scale works--a Mass, a symphony, and chamber music--that challenged the accepted notion that women were incapable of creating high art. She won the respect of colleagues and the allegiance of audiences. Many who praised her work, however, considered her an exception among women. Beach's reaction to this was to join with other women composers of serious music by promoting their works along with her own. Adrienne Fried Block has written a biography that takes full account of issues of gender and musical modernism, considering Beach in the contexts of her time and of her composer contemporaries, both male and female. Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian will be of great interest to students and scholars of American music, and to music lovers in general.
Customer Reviews:
Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian.......2000-05-24
At last, a full-length biography of the "Dean of American Women Composers." Engaging and thorougly researched. The only thing lacking is a discography of Beach's music. Highly recommended.
Book Description
Pet Sounds is, rightly, one of the most celebrated pop albums ever released. It has also been written about, pored over, and analyzed more than most other albums put together. In this disarming book, Jim Fusilli focuses primarily on the emotional core of the album, on Brian Wilson's pitch-perfect cry of despair. In doing so, he brings to life the search for equilibrium and acceptance that still gives Pet Sounds its heart almost four decades after its release.
Customer Reviews:
Three Stars for a book about a Five Star album.......2007-07-17
Pet Sounds is my favorite album and I celebrate its existence by sharing it with friends and family every chance I get. It changed my life about three years ago. It was the perfect music that I had been searching for my whole life. I thought I had found it with the Beatles during childhood, but even they never topped Pet Sounds. If you love Brian Wilson and Pet Sounds as much as I do, you might be disappointed with this book. Fusilli manages to downplay the instrumentals and "Sloop John B." as lesser tracks on the album. He even implies that "I Know There's An Answer" and "Here Today" aren't as great as they could be. Of course, he thinks "God Only Knows" and "Wouldn't It Be Nice" are the best and spends more time on those songs. If you're a real Brian Wilson fan and wish to God that Smile had been released in 1967, right off the Pet Sounds high, then you'd do better to check out "Catch a Wave: The Rise, Fall and Redemption of the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson". While Fusilli's abridged treatment of Pet Sounds is readable, it flirts with being corny and overly-poetic. The trouble with that is that his love for Pet Sounds isn't as close to being blind as most who would read it.
For fans only.......2006-06-09
As a die-hard music fan, I've always been fascinated by the amount of praise and adoration heaped upon Pet Sounds. I've put in countless listens to the album, yet never really "got it." Maybe it's because I never experienced it in the right context, or maybe I've just been ruined on the Beach Boys as a whole having grown up listening to all those fun surf songs as a kid in the 80s.
Whatever the case may be, I've always had a strong desire to understand and truly like this album. I don't think I've wanted to like an album as much as anything else without succeeding. Which is why I turned to this book. I saw it as my own personal bridge to Pet Sounds enlightenment...the key to the door I'd been trying to open for all these years.
But after having read this book, all while listening along carefully, I didn't find my answer. I'll admit, I do enjoy the album slightly more than I used to, but I never found the justification in this book for why so much has been written about the album. I could tell the author was a true fan, but this book preaches to the choir, revelling in emotions and excitement associated with the album that don't really transcend to the uninformed. Maybe that's just the nature of the beast in any kind of rock (or any other art medium) journalism, but for the uninitiated, this book just doesn't do the trick.
New Insights to Pet Sounds.......2005-08-06
I've listened to Pet Sounds since the day it was originally released in 1966. Fusilli has the ability to tell the story in a way that makes me thinkn I have never really "heard" Pet Sounds. His insights are a fresh way to hear Brian Wilson's heart and soul int he music of the best rock album of the 20th century.
Phil @ prayforsurfblog.blogspot.com
Pet Sounds is great.......2005-04-13
I'm a huge fan of Fusilli's crime novels(Hard,Hard City;Closing Time; etc.)so I tried this book, even though I'm not much of a Beach Boys fan. It is AMAZING! Fusilli describes Brian Wilson, the album, Pet Sounds, that changed his life, and tells us why it's a great album. By the time you are finished with this book, you want to listen to the album to see if it is as great and unusual as Fusilli says it is. You'll also want to read Fusilli's crime novels because Wilson is referenced in them. A great book by a great writer about a sad, misunderstood album from the Sixties.
Product Description
Updated and redesigned editions of the classic guides to the music of the world s best known acts. Written by experts, each book examines every song in a given artist s recorded repertoire, making it an invaluable guide for collectors and fans alike.
Customer Reviews:
Perhaps not as much depth as I would like, but great for the money!.......2007-03-04
So you're listening to your favorite Beach Boys CD for the umteenth time and you wonder about a certain song and you'd like to get a little bit of background info. Just reach for this book, and read along the song-by-song notes as you're cranking Beach Boys! What fun.
You also get a discography that may alert you to some lesser knows derivative Beach Boys stuff too.
Good as Liner Notes Overview.......2007-01-22
If you liked David Leaf's liner notes in Capitol's release of the two disk sets in the 90's you will love this book. It's is not a biography, or an autobiography, it breaks down each and every song that was mastered and gives you a brief history, as well as tid-bit facts about the recording.
Recommended for the in depth Brian Wilson or Beach Boys fan
Not As Complete As A Major Beach Boys Fan Might Like But Worth Buying.......2006-06-02
I was dissapointed by the small amount of information per song in some cases. Like for example with a masterpiece like "Anna Lee The Healer" you are told that she was a real person but there is nothing else about her and very little else about the song. Still it is definitely more than enough to warrant buying for a fan. It is cool because you get information on every single song the Beach Boys did... along with the albums... including some that Brian gave away like "Surf City".
Compact size, much info.......1999-03-23
A compact guide to the music of the Beach Boys, whose CD catalog has been neglected and mangled. A great overview of all of their songs and albums, some of which are the most important in rock history. This also tells the story of three brothers, their cousin, and neighbor. It covers their successes, trials, and tragedies.
A convenient, informative guide to the Beach Boys' music.......1998-12-02
The Beach Boys' catalog has been mangled and exploited to a nearly unprecedented degree. Even few pop groups' music rewards the persistent listener and collector as does the Beach Boys'. Doe and Tobler do a service to both casual and committed fans; they offer a guide to most of the groups' (legitimate) releases, accompanied by (sometimes amusingly biased) commentary. One of the better entries in this series of cd- sized reference books, and a worthwhile addition to any Beach Boys fan's collection.
Average customer rating:
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Source, The
Nancy Beach , and
Scott Dyer
Manufacturer: Zondervan Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0310500214 |
Book Description
The Source is a comprehensive reference guide for creative directors of seeker-targeted and seeker-sensitive programming teams, including drama, music, movie clips, and message titles.
Customer Reviews:
Add to your Ref. Books.......2000-10-25
Very useful. A time-saver and a good starting point in worship planning. A "must have" for a contemporary service planner.
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