News

Genesis Publications Announce The Only Official Book From The Beach Boys

• 13th Jul 2023

Their only official book, The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys is an anthology of one of the world’s greatest bands. It captures the group’s astounding rise from Hawthorne garage band to internationally renowned act, covering every album from 1962’s Surfin’ Safari to the release of the illustrious Endless Summer compilation in 1974. Through their unique sound, incredibly complex harmonies, and use of innovative recording techniques, The Beach Boys continue to inspire musicians. What’s more, they’ve become woven into the cultural fabric of America. This edition documents how it happened.

A limited edition run of 500 copies of The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys is now available for pre-order at www.thebeachboysbook.com. The book will also be published as a hardcover edition for bookstores worldwide in 2024, with more details which will be announced soon.

‘There’s love in the music and people can relate to the love, regardless of whether you’re two years old or 92 years old. For me, music is about love. Love is the message I want to share. I hope people feel that in my music. That makes the hard work worth it.’ – Brian Wilson

Told through the words of Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson and Bruce Johnston, and accompanied by rare and iconic photographs and ephemera, the result is an extraordinary autobiography from America’s biggest band.

THE PHOTOGRAPHY

With unlimited access to the Capitol Records archive, The Beach Boys band archive and their personal archives, The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys has been carefully curated from these unique sources to create an exciting visual journey, combining never-before-seen negatives with iconic images.

‘The environment in which we grew up and the things we chose to sing about primarily, which were the beautiful things about growing up in Southern California – the lovely girls, the lovely cars, the lovely weather and the lovely beaches – it was like an endless summer.’– Mike Love

Outtakes from iconic album sessions are featured, such as Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!) and Pet Sounds, as  well  as  behind-the-scenes  recording  photographs from Smile, 20/20 and more. An abundance of live shots includes the band’s first European tour and rehearsals for the first live performance of ‘Good Vibrations’, which Brian Wilson travelled over 2,000 miles to oversee.

These photographs are accompanied by ephemera from across the years, including tape boxes, tour posters and programmes, handwritten notes and lyrics, newspaper clippings, album advertisements, chord sheets and studio documents – all of which assist in illustrating their remarkable story.

THE MANUSCRIPT

The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys features new text drawn from extensive interviews with Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston exclusively for this edition, and archive text from band members Carl Wilson and Dennis Wilson.

‘We were just having fun and it developed into something else. It’s funny. We were really an accident – but a good accident. And our first record seemed to be enough for us. We sure didn’t think we’d be recording into the next century.’ – Al Jardine

The band members describe their story from the beginning: signing their first recording contract with Capitol Records and creating some of the most flawless, sun soaked singles of all time – ‘Surfer Girl’ / ‘Little Deuce Coupe’, ‘I Get Around’ / ‘Don’t Worry Baby’ and ‘California Girls’ / ‘Let Him Run Wild’, to name a few – as well as sharing their memories  of  making  revered  albums  such  as Pet  Sounds,  and  fan favourites Wild Honey, Friends, Sunflower and Holland. The story follows their journey around the world, from school fundraisers to global tours and landmark shows such as Prague when, in 1969, they were the first Western band to visit Czechoslovakia, and New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1972. Throughout, the band reflects on the making of the songs.

Joining them are a host of contributors who have been involved with or inspired by the band’s music, including Peter Blake, Lindsey Buckingham, Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, Ray Davies, Bob Dylan, Def Leppard, the Flaming Lips, Bobby Gillespie, David Lee Roth, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Jim Kerr, Roger McGuinn, Graham Nash, Jimmy Page, Carly Simon, Pete Townshend, Rufus Wainwright, Thom Yorke, and many more yet to be announced.

THE AUTHORS

The Beach Boys manage to defy decade, genre and form. They cannot be limited to songs about surfing, girls, California, or hot rods. Everything strove to go beyond – perhaps key to The Beach Boys’ durability; their ability to go further, to keep going until they reached a place that had not previously been reached in rock and pop music. The band’s longevity, experimentation and continuation of influence are without equal.

‘I think it’s the heart that you put into what you’re doing that’s important. Each member of The Beach Boys puts their whole heart and soul into what they do, and that is probably the saving grace of the group. Few families are together spiritually and emotionally over art.’

– Dennis Wilson

‘It’s the most wonderful life singing all over the world about the beauty of growing up in California, as seen from the heart and soul of Mike Love & Brian Wilson’s magical songwriting.’

– Bruce Johnston

‘The music on the face of it is very simple. However, musically speaking, a lot of it is quite deep and complex. I mean, it was about going to the beach and having a car and the American experience, but a lot of the songs are master works.’ – Carl Wilson

One of the most critically acclaimed, commercially successful and influential bands of all time, the band are embedded within the cultural landscape of America and loved throughout the world. The Beach Boys spearheaded numerous genres, helped to legitimise popular music, and have had the most Billboard Top 40 hits from any US band (thirty-seven), and today their music continues to be revisited, reassessed, and reimagined.

THE ARTLUXE COPIES – NOW SOLD OUT

The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys is hand-signed by Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston. Strictly limited to only 85 numbered copies, the Artluxe edition is quarter- bound in apple leather and sea blue Toile Ocean cloth. Woven from 100% recycled plastic gathered from oceans and coastlines, the cloth is characterised by its high durability. The binding is completed with coloured foil blocking, metallic blue page edging, and six colour page ribbons. The band’s 400-page, large-format Artluxe edition is presented within a handcrafted, cloth-bound solander case, decoratively finished with screen-printing and foil embossing.

The Artluxe copies additionally include an exclusive limited edition artwork: an archival Giclée print made onto heavyweight, 100% cotton-rag paper. Entitled ‘Good Vibrations’, the artwork reproduces a previously unseen collage of stills from the filming of the song’s recording and mixing at Columbia and Western Studios, Los Angeles, 1966. Each print is hand numbered, blind stamped with The Beach Boys insignia, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the publishers. The print is hand-framed in ash wood and includes a UV-protective glaze.

Page size: 250 x 310 mm (9 ⅘” x 12 ⅕”)

Page extent: 400 pages

Binding: Bound in apple leather and Toile Ocean cloth, woven from 100% recycled plastic gathered from oceans and coastlines; portraits of the band members inset into the cover; metallic blue page edging

Manuscript: 60,000 words

Signed by: Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston

Print size: 457 x 457 mm (18″ x 18″)

Framed size: 533 x 533 mm (21″ x 21″)

Method: Archival Giclée using K3 Lightfast inks

Paper: 100% Cotton Hahnemuhle Photo Rag® 320gsm Certificate of Authenticity: Signed by the publishers Frame: Ash wood with acid-free mount and UV glaze Limited Edition: 85 copies

THE DELUXE COPIES

The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys is hand-signed by Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston. Strictly limited to only 415 numbered copies, the Deluxe edition is quarter- bound in apple leather and sand Toile Ocean cloth. Woven from 100% recycled plastic gathered from oceans and coastlines, the cloth is characterised by its high durability. The binding is completed with coloured foil blocking, metallic blue page edging, and six colour page ribbons. The band’s 400-page, large-format Deluxe edition is presented within a handcrafted, cloth-bound solander case, decoratively finished with screen-printing and foil embossing.

Page size: 250 x 310 mm (9 ⅘” x 12 ⅕”)

Page extent: 400 pages

Binding: Bound in apple leather and Toile Ocean cloth, woven from 100% recycled plastic gathered from oceans and coastlines; portraits of the band members inset into the cover; metallic blue page edging

Manuscript: 60,000 words

Signed by: Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston

Limited Edition: 415 copies

A portion of the proceeds from both editions will go to the Surfrider Foundation.

THE BOOKSTORE EDITION

In 2024, The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys will also be published as a hardcover edition for bookstores worldwide, more details of which will be announced soon.