Part of the Vinyl Frontier series, which includes Jimi Hendrix and the Making of Are You Experienced (1556524714), and Revolution: The Making of the Beatles' White Album (1556524706), and When The Levee Breaks (1556525087)
“Wouldn't It Be Nice is intelligently researched and beautifully written.” —Bruce Johnston, former member of The Beach Boys
“I’ve often played Pet Sounds and cried.” —Paul McCartney
“I consider Pet Sounds to be one of the greatest pop LPs to ever be released. It encompasses everything that’s ever knocked me out and rolled it all into one. Brian Wilson is, without a doubt, a pop genius.” —Eric Clapton
“As a musician who was there at the creation, I can assure you that this is the book to read if you want to understand Brian Wilson and the making of Pet Sounds. Chuck Granata has deftly painted this monumental story with the respect, passion and vibrancy of his subject's greatest music.” —Carol Kaye, Pet Sounds bassist
“Often passionate . . . Granata devotedly tells a story.” —Publisher’s Weekly
“Applies close musical and cultural analysis to the Beach Boys’ 1966 masterpiece . . . as heartbreaking as the songs on Pet Sounds.” —Blender
“Granata’s book is a simple masterpiece that does justice to the album.” —Q Magazine
“Painstakingly researched.” —Relix>/I>
This illuminating book offers unique insight into the making of the seminal album Pet Sounds, revealing the intimate processes that went into its creation and featuring brand-new interviews with key players. From conception and composition to arrangement and production, the ways in which Pet Sounds changed the face of American popular music are chronicled. While Pet Sounds carries the tag of being a Beach Boys record, this lively expos+ reveals just how little input the rest of the band had in its recording. Illustrating Brian Wilson's prodigious talent, the book chronicles his ability to turn his back on the protest songs and folk-rock of his contemporaries, and even on the bright surf sound of his own creation, in order to reach deep within himself to make music that struck an emotional chord and touched people’s souls. Wilson’s ability to embrace the rapidly advancing recording technology of the 1960s and to expertly blend rock 'n' roll, rhythm and blues, and jazz sounds with velvety harmonies and sensitive melodies to create a brand-new studio sound are discussed. An intimate portrait of Wilson’s family, breakdown, and drug use is included.
Charles L. Granata is a record producer, music historian, and the author of the award-winning Sessions with Sinatra: Frank Sinatra and the Art of Recording. Tony Asher is a lyricist who collaborated with Brian Wilson on Pet Sounds.
Music
256 pages, Trade Paper, 5 1/2 x 8 1/2
Distribution Rights: US & CA
$15.95 (CAN $23.95)
9781556525070 (1556525079) Pub Date: October 2003
Chicago Review Press