The Beach Boys Biography

They didn't seem as edgy as other bands of their time like the Beatles, but the Beach Boys stayed true to their sound and became one of the greatest bands in American history for their effort. They've had ups and downs from platinum hits to debilitating drug use. Through it all, they have emerged with a massive following comprised of fans from the beginning and those that discovered their music later.The Beach Boys came together in 1961 around the Wilson family piano when brothers Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson and Brian Wilson teamed up with their cousin, Mike Love, and their friend, Al Jardine, and began singing. The harmonies were incredible and they came out with a bang in December of that year with the single "Surfin'" and later with the album Surfin' Safari, but Jardine left before it was released. Friend David Marks replaced him. The band's beachy sounds resonated with a generation ready for fun in the sun.Jardine came back in 1963 to replace Marks and helped record the Surfin' USA album, which was also a hit single. The album made it all the way to No. 2 on the charts and lead to two more albums that year, Surfer Girl and Little Deuce Coupe. The group was lucky enough to have their own songwriters in the band, with many hits written by Brian Wilson. The Beach Boys continued to output hit albums and singles throughout the 1960s. During this time, Brian Wilson began heavy drug use and stopped touring to focus on writing. His drug problem eventually needed intervention and he still struggled years later.Tragedy hit in 1983 when Dennis Wilson drowned. His death was a shock to the band, but they continued to work. They had an incredibly unexpected hit in 1988 with the chart-topping single "Kokomo." By then, parts of the band were still touring, but many had started solo careers and other members had been added. Carl Wilson died in 1998 of cancer. They have released many greatest hits albums in the later part of their career as a new way for fans to experience their popular sound.