5 Recent Facts About The Beach Boys

5 Recent Facts About The Beach Boys | I Love Classic Rock Videos

The Beach Boys live in 1964 - Andy Lewin / Youtube

When talking about the unique surf-rock sound of the ’60s, the Beach Boys will always be part of the conversation. Considered as one of the trailblazers of rock music, The Beach Boys’ sound was integral to the genre’s development, including that glorious moment where they traded inspiration with the Beatles to craft some of the most critically-acclaimed albums of all time. Here are some Beach Boys facts you might’ve missed over the years.

Brushing Elbows with Death

Drummer Dennis Wilson was once roommates with the cult leader and infamous criminal Charles Manson. The two lived together in 1968 for spring and summer on Sunset Boulevard.

Surf  “Posers”

While The Beach Boys pioneered surf-rock influences, along with their visual imagery and representation, only Dennis Wilson was actually capable of surfing the waves.

Naming Conventions

Like any other band, The Beach Boys’ branding evolved from an earlier concept. In this case, they were once called the Pendletones, which came from “Pendleton”, a popular shirt of the time, and wordplay on “tone”. The members didn’t have anything to do with this, though, as it was initiated by their labels before the release of their first single.

My Name is Wilson, Brian Wilson

“Pet Sounds” was originally penned for a James Bond film, where Brian Wilson submitted the then-titled “Run James Run” to the producers of You Only Live Once. He was rejected, to his dismay, and instead made its way to the similar-named album to complete the 12-song quota.

Spreading Good Vibrations

Ever heard of music therapy for drug rehabilitation? 1967’s Smiley Smile was used in the ’70s by some rehab centers to calm down addicts and easing them off drug use. This has been backed by science, citing the positive effects of soothing music on withdrawal symptoms, especially anxiety.