You only have to hear the songs “Surf’s Up” and “California Girls” to conjure up an image of lazy days on the beach listening to the Beach Boys, the quintessentially American rock band that hit its musical peak in the mid-1960s. In their music, The Beach Boys embodied everything that people covet about the beach lifestyle, added to the fact that they made their living playing rock ‘n’ roll music. England had the Fab Four Beatles and the hard-edged Rolling Stones while America had the blissful harmonies of the Beach Boys.
The Beach Boys music can be divided in two eras: pre- and post-1964, roughly coinciding with when Brian Wilson decided to stop touring and concentrate on creating on studio albums. The most famous album, Pet Sounds, was the third one released after that break, and the music in it diverged radically from the earlier, straight-up teenage surf rock sound (made famous by songs such as “Surfin’ USA,” “Surfer Girl,” and “Be True to your School”). Pet Sounds, the band’s 11th release, introduced the world to a more complex, multifaceted, and sophisticated sound than the Beach Boys had attempted before.
But the Beach Boys weren’t finished yet. Back in the studio, Brian was working on the song “Good Vibrations,” which he intended to be part of a more experimental album to be called SMiLE. Due to disagreements within the band, Brian’s increasing mental health problems, and substance abuse, the band did not release the album. The mysterious recording, the hoped-for follow-up to Pet Sounds, earned the reputation of the “greatest album never released.”
This was the case until 2011, when the Beach Boys released the SMiLE album as a box set, and the members of the Beach Boys, who had become estranged and had vowed never to play together, decided to reunite for a concert tour in 2012. What better way to celebrate the band’s reunion and return to the stage than with today’s remarkable listing, the Hobie Retro Classic Surfboard #9 of 10 Signed by The Beach Boys + SMiLE Box Set:
The 9-foot, 6-inch SMiLE surfboard is one of only ten ever made. Its unique SMiLE artwork and Beach Boys logo makes it a desirable and ride-able collectible for Beach Boy fans. Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, and Bruce Johnston autographed the board. According to the listing, the autographs have been glossed into the fiberglass of the board, so you never have to worry about them fading. Hang it on the wall or take it to the beach: your choice.
The listing describes the SMiLE box set:
In several sessions between the summer of 1966 and early 1967, The Beach Boys recorded a bounty of songs and drafts for an album, SMiLE, that was intended to follow the band’s 1966 album, Pet Sounds. The master tapes were ultimately shelved, and The Beach Boys’ SMiLE has never been released. Drawn from the original masters, SMiLE Sessions presents an in-depth overview of The Beach Boys’ recording sessions for the enigmatic album, which has achieved legendary, mythical status for music fans around the world.
SMiLE Sessions’ physical and digital configurations include an assembled collection of core session tracks, while the box set delves much deeper into the sessions, adding early song drafts, alternate takes, instrumental and vocals-only mixes, and studio chatter. SMiLE Sessions invites the listener into the studio to experience the album’s creation, with producer, singer and bassist Brian Wilson’s vision leading the way as he guides his fellow Beach Boys, singer Mike Love, drummer Dennis Wilson, lead guitarist Carl Wilson, rhythm guitarist Al Jardine, and newest member Bruce Johnston (who’d replaced Brian Wilson in the touring group during 1965), through the legendary sessions.
Note that the box set includes both an autograph of Brian Wilson and a switch in the lid that activates a little light when you open the box. This unique set is not available in retail stores and is one of only 250 made. And, of course, the music itself is sublime.
“Wouldn’t it be Nice” to own this board? We think so. Well, “Don’t Worry, Baby,” you have another option to own something similar. Since the now-reunited Beach Boys are touring this year, you could buy your own Hobie surfboard, have it custom painted, then cart it to the show and have the musicians sign it.
OK, maybe it is easier just to bid after all.
**Remember, you can now follow eBay stories on Twitter. Navigate to @eBayStories and click follow!
I do remember the Beach Boys mainly because of their music. I was very young in the late sixties. Because I grew up on the East Coast I wasn’t exposed to a saturation of their music. Mostly t. v. and radio. When I finally moved to the West Coast in 1969 their music had already been played out. Every now and then they would play it on the radio just enough where I could never forget it.
One day I met a women in Hawthorne, Ca. Her name was Rhonda. She was always trying to convince me that she was the inspiration for that song by the Beach Boys, Help me Rhonda. When I tried to verify her story she was very tight lipped about it. Over the years she did finally convince me. She said nothing specific. What she did say to me gave me a glimpse of the past history not just the Beach Boys but the whole rock and roll community connected to the future buy the legendary sounds of the rock and roll band, The Beach Boys. Even though I probable will never surf again, that surfboard would look good on anyone’s man cave wall.
Is the music being played anywhere or do we have to buy the album to hear it?
@David: Thanks for sharing the story about Rhonda.
You can buy the box set by searching on eBay here. If you want, you can download the ad-supported application called Spotify.com, and search for the Beach Boys / Smile. Good luck!