All Summer Long

Reviews / Votes

All Summer Long made me laugh and it made me cry because it expresses the innocence of The Beach Boys and their integral bonds with one another. As a family member of The Beach Boys, this story was personal for me - but even I was enlightened as to how this all began. David Beard's loyalty and passion for The Beach Boys shines brightly throughout this book. -- Wendy Wilson * Brian Wilson's daughter; Wilson Phillips * Many people have been touched by The Beach Boys. . . David Beard touched them, shining light on each member and getting to know the 'whys,' the 'hows,' and their evolution. It's very meaningful to see his devotion and celebration of their story - all those years and all those layers. -- Carnie Wilson * Brian Wilson's daughter, Wilson Phillips * Beard presents a clear and celebratory book based on interviews with band members, friends, and acquaintances, focusing on their peak years from 1961 to 1967...Worthy and evocative. * Library Journal * All Summer Long is essential reading for Beach Boys obsessives. A great selection of interviewees and questions which elicit surprising and illuminating answers. -- Brian D'Addario * The Lemon Twigs * The Beach Boys' music is as beautiful as anything human beings have ever composed or recorded, yet their story has been steeped in confusion and rancor for decades. David Beard's lifelong devotion to the group and remarkable library of interviews has allowed him to tell the epic tale in their own words: one foot in the darkness but always striving for the light. -- Gavin Edwards * New York Times bestselling author, Kindness and Wonder: Why Mister Rogers Matters Now More Than Ever * A fascinating view of a band that started out rough, grew and matured, and eventually made some of the best and most polished pop music that's ever been recorded. * Arts Fuse * David Beard, Endless Summer Quarterly editor for more than thirty years, has now collected his interviews with the band and other key individuals to tell the group's story in their own words. This book should be in the collection of every Beach Boys enthusiast and music lover. Music historians and writers will find it an invaluable resource in understanding the musical legacy of The Beach Boys. -- Jim Murphy * author, Becoming the Beach Boys, 1961-1963 * All Summer Long is easily one of the best Beach Boys books I have ever read. David has collected over 30 years' worth of conversations, allowing readers to live almost day to day with those who were there. You're right there in the studio, you're with them on tour, you're with them through the ups and downs, and it's all directly from their point of view. It doesn't get much more authentic than that! -- Giggens * co-author of The Beach Boys Official Coloring Book * All Summer Long now goes on top of the pile as one of the definitive Beach Boys books. Essential for fans, as well as anyone who cares about the history of pop music. Along with scholarly research, take a seat at the table and hear The Beach Boys telling their story themselves. A must read! -- C. Winston Simone * music industry veteran, DSW Entertainment * This oral history . . . benefits from being assembled by the editor of Endless Summer Quarterly. . . .That means Beard had access to plenty of key figures. * Goldmine: The Music Collector's Magazine * For more than 30 years, David Beard has been a guardian of The Beach Boys' legacy. With unmatched passion and rare access, he's preserved the voices, memories, and magic of the band that changed music forever. All Summer Long gathers his most intimate and revealing conversations: a tribute to Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks - the brothers in harmony. Warm, human, and deeply felt, this is the story only David could tell. -- Brent Wilson * director of Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road * No one has a deeper understanding, dedication, and access to the music and people who comprise The Beach Boys story than David Beard. All Summer Long is an indispensable volume in an ongoing story of American music. -- Paul Von Mertens * arranger, music director of Brian Wilson's band * I can't believe that it was more than 30 years ago when I was David's first interview for Endless Summer Quarterly. We have had so many interviews since then, and they have always been a hoot. Check out All Summer Long to read some of those interviews plus interviews from all the other important players who made all those summers so special. -- Dean O. Torrence * Jan & Dean * If you are a completist, this is The Beach Boys book for you. David Beard has been a respectful caretaker of The Beach Boys' legacy for many years through thick and thin. David has amassed a treasure trove of interviews from band members and associates, many of whom are no longer with us, and wisely does not editorialize, letting the subjects speak for themselves. Truly a must-have for the hardcore Beach Boys fan. -- Probyn Gregory * Brian Wilson band percussionist * Beard offers intimate, detailed, and first-person views to one of pop music's most treasured acts. Everything in this book is from the mouths of the Beach Boys themselves. You are a fly on the wall to what it was like to be on tour with them, to record with them, and what their personal lives were like as all the craziness was going on. . . . get ready to feel like you know the guys who made the soundtrack to your life * Endless Summer Quarterly * What stunned me [reading All Summer Long] was how much I didn't know, how much I learned. We all know the basic story, not only have there been books, but even movies. But these interviews are more ground-level. . . . What made this book so important, that resonated with me, is the question of creativity. . . . All of this is clear in this book in a way that I have not seen previously. -- Bob Lefsetz * The Lefsetz Letter *