Surf’s Up!

1. Surf’s Up! The California Sound

2. What do the following images bring to mind?

3. For teenagers around the world, surfing seemed like a promise of summer, good times, and endless youth.

4. The Beach Boys • Dennis, Brian and Carl Wilson • High school students • Amateur musicians • Sang with their cousin Al Jardine • Often performed at school dances • There were hundreds of other talented bands across the country, but why were these young men successful?

5. The Beach Boys • Brian had taken a course in music theory • Began writing songs about the southern California lifestyle, especially about the popular teen pastime of surfing • Blended elements of jazz, pop, and rock and roll • The group exploded as the originators of the California Sound

6. The Beach Boys • The Wilson brothers, along with Al Jardine and Mike Love, recorded their first original song 'Surfin' in 1961 • Adopted the name The Beach Boys and became an instant national phenomenon

7. The Beach Boys – Some Hits ‘Surfin' Safari’ 1962 ‘Surfin' USA’ 1963 ‘Surfer Girl’ 1963 ‘Little Deuce Coupe’ 1963 ‘Fun, Fun, Fun’ 1964 ‘I Get Around’ 1964 • They portrayed a land of perpetual summer, fast cars and girls - Little Deuce Coupe -

8. Jan and Dean • Friends of the Beach Boys • Performed on many of the Beach Boys’ hit songs • Many of their hits were written in collaboration with Brian Wilson • Musically, the characteristics of the two groups were similar • blend of rockabilly beat with jazz harmonzations • lead singer playing off lines sung by other group members. – Little Old Lady From Pasadena – • Unfortunately, a car wreck left Jan paralyzed for over a year, and he was never able to succeed as a performed since

9. Overdubbing • One technique used by both groups to create the multi-layered recordings was overdubbing • This was done to create a balance and texture that was not heard before • Two or more tracks are combined into one, giving an unlimited amount of space to add layer upon layer of sound - Good Vibrations (1966) -

10. Experimentation • Brian Wilson served as composer and producers of their records • He felt the pressure of keeping up with the Beatles • Added a Japanese koto to Pet Sounds in response to the Beatles and the sitar • Fans wanted more songs about cars, surfing, and girls

11. Rejection hurt, but Wilson threw himself into another project, Smile • Personal problems and an addiction to LSD drove him to a nervous breakdown • Gradually fought his way back from these problems, but was never the dominant force that he once was • Since the late 70's, they have been a touring group performing old songs to fans.

12. Summary • Elevated the standards of production by getting everything just right ('Good Vibrations' took 6 months to create) • Later works relied on the studio so much that they could not be performed in concert • Highlighted California as a center for popular music - this made the success of others easier (Jefferson airplane, Grateful Dead) • Elevated the musical standards of rock and roll • Stepped away from the three-chord simplicity of earlier works • Demanded better technique and sophistication of performers • Songs still celebrated good times, but made basic changes to the sound of popular music. - Help Me Rhonda (2011) -