The group was formed in Hawthorne, CA in 1961 and relied heavily on their harmonies with a Chuck Berry beat. The original band consisted of three Wilson brothers, a cousin and a friend. The Wilson boy's dad was the manager. One of their earliest successes, 1963, was Surfin' USA.
Although the Beach boys were consistent hitmakers, and had some monster hits, their biggest smash -- considered to be a masterpiece by many rock music historians -- was released in October 1966 and it dominated the pop charts.
Even though Good Vibrationswas their biggest success, it also marked a time when their hitmaking capabilities faded. Releases immediately after that monumental hit were only reaching the Top 20. Then, a funny thing happened -- 22 years later. The Beachboys had yet another #1 hit. No question about it, the song got a supercharge from Tom Cruise and his film Cocktail. See if you remember this one from 1988.
While the glory days are behind them, some incarnation of the Beach boys seems to stay active and available for concert dates. I think that, arguably, the Beach boys are one of the most important and popular of the music groups ever to come from the USA.
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Steven L. Smith
Bellingham WA Home Inspections
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