Formed: 1961
How I became a fan
Massively hyped by SFA and others, I eventually saw The Beach Boys as an act worth checking out. I saw a TV documentary on the group and became a fan the second I heard I Get Around and realised they were the band behind it. So then it was straight off to the shops to buy the first greatest hits package I could!
Comments
A quick think and no-one else comes to mind so I'll just say it: The Beach Boys were the undisputed most important band ever to come out of the USA. Just who else is there? And while we're on the subject of praise I'd like to point out that Brian Wilson is without a shadow of a doubt the greatest musical genius of the 20th century. And I don't think this is too much of an outlandish claim since Lennon and McCartney were two separate people anyway!
They weren't the most consistent band but let's ignore that because The Beach Boys wrote well over 100 incredible tunes with more melody and better production than almost anything that's been made either before or since. Their ability to produce both ultra-catchy pop songs and mature (but equally excellent) melodies is unparalleled by possibly any act in history.
Also now I've got into the post-Smile tunes in a big way I'm surprised to discover just how much good stuff the band came out with later on in their career. And now that Smile has finally been released the argument that The Beach Boys are better than The Beatles suddenly looks a whole lot stronger!
Bad points
Their main fault is their lack of consistency, both over their career and within each record. Their early albums may be much stronger than I expected them to be but don't stand up as well as stuff by most of the other acts here whereas a few albums later on were simply not too hot, despite brilliance such as Sunflower, Surf's Up and The Beach Boys Love You from this period. If it wasn't for this inconsistency both before and after Pet Sounds/Smile The Beach Boys would probably be topping this list. I also must complain about all The Beach Boys compilations I've heard, as they arrange/choose tracks in such a way they make it sound like the band only have a handful of good songs! And I should add that, although I like Pet Sounds, I think it is far from their best album and the hyperbole surrounding it distracts people from the rest of their catalogue.
Twenty songs you really should know before you judge this band
All Summer Long (1964)
Assessment
Tunes: 10/10
Final judgement: 9.5/10
The bottom line
What can I say? If you dislike the greatest moments of The Beach Boys then you are an musical idiot quite frankly.
Disbanded: 2012
California Girls (1965)
Catch A Wave (1963)
Cuddle Up (1972)
Do It Again (1969)
Feel Flows (1971)
Fun, Fun, Fun (1964)
God Only Knows (1966)
Good Vibrations (1966)
Help Me Rhonda (1965)
Heroes And Villains (1967)
Honkin' Down The Highway (1977)
I Get Around (1964)
Sloop John B (1966)
Surfer Girl (1963)
Surfin' U.S.A. (1963)
Surf's Up (1967/1971)
'Til I Die (1971)
Wouldn't It Be Nice (1966)
You Are So Beautiful (Live) (1975)
Accessibility: 9/10
Originality: 8/10
Diversity: 8/10
Rockability: 9/10
Balladability: 9/10
Consistency (of b-sides): 7/10
Consistency (over career): 7/10
Live show: 8/10 (I'd imagine!)
Influence: 9/10
Vocals: 10/10
Interestingness: 8/10
Lyrics: 7/10
Work ethic: 9/10
Image: 8/10
