Post #369743 by Registered Astronaut on Thu, Mar 27, 2008 9:15 PM

On 2008-02-27 10:54, The Gnomon wrote:

On 2008-02-27 09:57, bigtikidude wrote:
well, everybody knows that the Beatles and the Brittish Invasion killed surf music in the early 60's

This was largely due, I believe, to the fact that Brian Wilson felt threatened by the Beatles and was convinced that their success would be his downfall. IMO, his fears were unfounded, but because he was convinced, his whole world was adversely affected by it and his music began to suffer.

The Beatles actually liked surf music and did a little tribute to the Beach Boys with Back in the USSR on the "White Album." In the 60's the Beach Boys set the tone (so to speak) for all surf music. Certainly Jan and Dean were pioneers and nothing takes you down the face of a wave like Dick Dale (unless it's the Chantays or the Ventures) or wipes you out like the Surfaris, but the BBs somehow harmonized their way to the top spot. When they began to self-destruct, no other acts stepped up to save the day.

The Beatles OTOH just kept reaching new heights, further supporting Brain Wilson's self-fulfilling prophecy. When the Beatles "landed" I loved their stuff, but I actually loved surf music and the BBs more. Brian Wilson appreciated the creativity and artistry of the Beatles to a point where I don't believe he realized that people would embrace both without either losing any ground. Certainly, the fact that his creative demise was caused by his desperate need to counteract the force that was the Beatles. I saw him on a television documentary a while back explain just that in elaborate detail.

In a way you could blame the Beatles for the disappearance of surf music, but I would have to attribute it just as much or moreso to Brian Wilson. He felt that the sky was falling and hung up his spurs.

Wait! No! You're right. The Beatles did kill surf music. Those bastards!

I feel the friendly competition between The Beach Boys and the Beatles was maybe unnecessary. Without having any books in front of me to properly reference, but having read a few biographies and watched a few docs and listened to gossip from old musicians, it seems they were both jealous and scared of each other, and when Rubber Soul came out Brian Wilson felt like he had to up the ante. Creative competition is always a good thing to push artists, but comparing the two is like apples and oranges. The Beach Boys sound to me, especially with the new Smile record in context, was all about texture, harmonies, rythyms- composition. You can hear that on the remaster of Pet Sounds, Brian in the studio tracking and re-tracking instruments, taking them out, putting them in, changing the cadence. He was studio head, so much so that he removed himself from touring altogether. The Beatles sound more like folk to me, with a big emphasis on singer songwriter type sounds, which is quintessentially pop, and might explain why people can sing a Beatles tune from any era, whereas most people can only recall the poppy, early beach boys tunes (except for Kokomo). I understand Sergeant Peppers was a separation from the 3 minute pop song, and they were the first to do a concept album, and they did it so damn well it was interesting, intellectual and catchy at the same time. But for my dollar, had Brian Wilson not lost himself to cocaine, he might've dropped a record that would stand aside Sgt. Pepper's with pride- but I don't see why he felt like he had to. Liverpool and Hawthorne couldn't be any more different.

[ Edited by: Registered Astronaut 2008-03-27 21:16 ]