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Sixty years ago today – May 16, 1966 – The Beach Boys released Pet Sounds on Capitol Records.  Though the album wasn’t commercially successful upon its original release, it came to be regarded as a high watermark not just for The Beach Boys, but for American popular music itself.  The Beach Boys have just celebrated 60 years of Pet Sounds (as well as its timeless songs including “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “God Only Knows,” and “Sloop John B”) with a Capitol Tower reunion of Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston; a variety of vinyl reissues; and a highlights edition of The Pet Sounds Sessions.  Adding to the celebration is a stellar new book which chronicles the band’s first decade – in their own words, and those of their friends, colleagues, and collaborators.  All Summer Long: Conversations with The Beach Boys From ‘Surfin” to ‘SMiLE’ has been written by David Beard, Editor-in-Chief of Endless Summer Quarterly and longtime Beach Boys historian.  Featuring an introduction by John Stamos, available today via Bloomsbury on Kindle and digital formats, with the physical hardcover edition arriving on June 11.  TSD caught up with David for a chat about All Summer Long.

What was your first introduction to the music of The Beach Boys?

I think it all started when I watched the Jan & Dean television movie Deadman’s Curve. I believe that was some time in early 1980. Then, I bought the Jan & Dean Anthology Album and never looked back. Within a couple of years I was a member of the St John’s Episcopal Church Youth Group [EYC] and the Assistant Minister (who was also the youth minister) Rev. Paul Martin, was a fan of The Beach Boys and The Beatles. By the time I was in the EYC, I had purchased The Beach Boys’ Endless Summer cassette and Paul shared more of the group’s music, which drove my interest.

What was the spark that led to your taking over Endless Summer Quarterly in 1993, an affiliation which continues to this day?

Well, Endless Summer Quarterly [ESQ] was founded by editors emeritus Rick Edgil and Phil Mast at some point in 1987 in San Diego, CA. My buddy—collector extraordinaire—Lee Dempsey knew those guys, attended ESQ conventions, and wrote for that version of the publication when I met him at a record convention some time in 1988-89 (I think). We became fast friends, and by the summer of 1993, he was contacted by Rick and Phil because—as I understood it—they were burnt out and were going to dissolve the publication unless Lee was interested in purchasing the business license and taking over and running ESQ on the East Coast. He asked me if I’d do it with him and I said yes. That was around July of 1993.

As a lifelong Beach Boys fan and longtime collector, I remain grateful for the positivity that you have long brought to ESQ‘s coverage of the band in waters both smooth and choppy. When did the bandmates first become aware of ESQ and did they recognize your passion immediately?

The members of The Beach Boys—at least the touring group—were already familiar with Rick and Phil, although I have no idea what they thought of them or what their interactions and experiences were like. When Lee purchased the business license I was told not to expect to have access to them. So, I never had an expectation of needing to meet them. Once I met them, I thought they were very cool.

Is there one interview of which you remain the proudest?

I’m not sure I would use ‘the proudest.’  Maybe ‘most satisfying’? There are many, but sitting next to Brian in July of 2000 after I witnessed him perform Pet Sounds in its entirety for the first time was a watershed moment for me. He was full of smiles, I did my Paul McCartney impression for him, and he gave me a hug when we parted ways after the interview. My second favorite is when I sat with Brian backstage in 2005 and discussed his high school days in Hawthorne. Both of those examples are him being ‘on’!

What interview or interview subject over the years proved the most surprising?

I think digging into the music that was recorded during the SMiLE period and understanding everyone’s perspective during that time.

Is there a “one that got away,” i.e. someone you never got the chance to interview but wish you had?

Carl Wilson. Cancer took him so quickly …

I’ve never truly believed the advice of “don’t meet your heroes.” In fact, most of the artists whom I’ve admired and, later, worked with, proved to be every bit as wonderful as I’d hoped. You established relationships and friendships with the Beach Boys and those in their orbit, and the trust they’ve placed in you shines through in the book’s text. What was the key to navigating the dynamic between these extraordinary men and their collaborators?

No hidden agenda and the true desire to learn through their memories and perspective.

When did work begin on compiling your many interviews over the years into the book that became All Summer Long?

The summer of 2024.

What do you hope readers learn from All Summer Long?

How truly vital the music, the voices, and Brian Wilson were to music and the cultural significance of it all.

When writing and putting the book together, looking back on 30 years of interviews, did you learn anything new?

Yeah! I rediscovered interviews with Hal Blaine that I completely forgot about, and when stringing the interviews together as a larger-scoped narrative, it provided a wider lens of appreciation for all things musical.

Are there plans for a second volume to continue the band’s story into the 1970s and beyond?

Absolutely, and there are plenty of surprises along the way.

What do you believe the legacy of The Beach Boys is, and will be?

I think those two things are one and the same. The Beach Boys’ legacy is they have impacted so many lives for so many different reasons through a multitude of different genres of music. Their music will live on forever.

Lastly, can you share your favorite Beach Boys album or recording, and a favorite Beach Boys memory?

My favorite album is always changing – it kind of depends on the time and season of the year. My favorite recording is “Cabin Essence” (from the SMiLE sessions) because it truly is a majestic and colorful reminder of American history in recorded format. There many gems in the catalogue, and all are worth their collective weight in gold.

Thanks, David, for taking the time to chat with us!

All Summer Long: Conversations with The Beach Boys From ‘Surfin” to ‘SMiLE’ is available now at Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada.  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.