<p>Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Study of the Beach Boys’ evolution through television appearances and documentaries. Includes narrative lectures and exclusive interviews conducted by David Leaf with the Beach Boys colleagues, the recorded legacy of the band, documentaries and other filmed documentation of the group, and excerpts from the literature (both popular and scholarly) on Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. Letter grading.</p>

Music Industry

Herb Alpert School of Music

MSC IND 6 - Good Vibrations: Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys, and the California Myth

Good Vibrations: Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys, and the California Myth

Understand how a musical group becomes iconic and ultimately something of “a brand” too, one which continues to be managed to both increase its value and crucially, at the same time, not diminish or tarnish its significance.

Delve into the complex psychology of being in a family band and how that affected their story.

Though the various tellings of their story, see that, regardless of the circumstances that lead to the creation of great art, it is ultimately the art that survives and thrives, long after the “origin” story has become a larger-than-life myth.

Study one of the most important artistic musical groups of the 20th century through their work, the first completely self-contained group in rock.

Contextualize the Beach Boys story within the music industry of the 20th Century, their impact on America, American culture and on the British music scene, especially the Beatles.

By focusing on the music, we will take a “deep-dive” look at how their career unfolded, evolved, exploded, went underwater and was ultimately memorialized in media: television, film, promotional video, documentary, on the concert stage and even in narrative films.

Follow Brian Wilson’s miraculous artistic renaissance.—a surprising ‘2nd Act—in which he finished his legendary SMiLE album after abandoning it for 36+ years.

Learn about the influence, importance and timelessness of the music composed, arranged and produced by Brian Wilson.

Learn about how the Beach Boys went from #1 to irrelevant in a matter of months, their various comebacks and how they ultimately became enshrined, for better and for worse, as “America’s Band.”

Understand the rivalry as the Beach Boys battled the Beatles for artistic supremacy.

General Catalog

Good Vibrations: Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys, and the California Myth

MSC IND 6

5 units