The Beach Boys To Release Brand New Album 'That’s Why God Made The Radio'
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Written by Elliott Batte
The founding members of The Beach Boys, one of the world’s most legendary bands in popular music history, have reunited for a global 50th Anniversary celebration, including a new album release, a major international tour, and commemorative catalogue releases. Both entitled That’s Why God Made The Radio, the album is released on June 4th, and is preceded by a single on April 30th, both on EMI Records.
Beach Boys Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and David Marks recently completed their recording sessions at Los Angeles’ Ocean Way Studios for 'That’s Why God Made The Radio', the band’s 29th studio album (including 2011’s 'The SMiLE Sessions'), the first in decades to feature all of the band’s surviving original members. Produced by Brian Wilson and executive produced by Mike Love, the album’s eleven new songs illustrate The Beach Boys’ unique and evocative West Coast story with the band’s timeless signature sound.
The album’s lead single, 'That’s Why God Made The Radio', showcases The Beach Boys’ soaring harmonies in an upbeat, beaming ode to music’s radio champions around the world.
“Radio was my whole education,” says Brian Wilson. “Chuck Berry, Rosemary Clooney, The Four Freshmen, Phil Spector, Little Richard... To hear That’s Why God Made The Radio on the radio would be a thrill beyond belief, it really would.”
“I got a lot of my appreciation for all of the creativity in the world, in terms of music, through the radio,” says Mike Love. “For all of us who grew up in the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and beyond, the radio has played such a huge, important part in our lives. When we were kids, we’d sneak out of the house and go and sit in Brian’s car and listen to the local radio stations on his car radio.”
The album’s other new songs include ‘Think About The Days’, Isn’t It Time,’ ‘Spring Vacation,’ ‘Private Life Of Bill And Sue,’ ‘Shelter’ ‘Daybreak Over The Ocean,’ ‘Beaches In Mind’, ‘Strange World,’ ‘My Life Suite’, and ‘Summer’s Gone.’
The Beach Boys’ collaborative approach to writing and recording their new music is evident throughout the album, with all of the band members participating to create its glorious harmonies, lyrics, and arrangements.
“We’ve come full circle,” says Al Jardine. “Sharing our memories and our present in the studio has been really remarkable. I can especially feel it when we’re all singing around the mic together, because we all hear each other and we really lock in.”
“We have reunited as a band, but we never ‘un-reunited’ as friends,” says Bruce Johnston. “To be back in the studio with these guys is like a prayer that’s been answered and I am thrilled to be sharing it with everybody.”
“This is more like a family reunion than anything,” says David Marks. “When we’re together, we get along great. The chemistry always works the same as the last time we were together, and the five of us become a single element.”
The Beach Boys’ 50th Anniversary Tour, the band’s first major outing to include Brian Wilson in more than two decades, began this week in Tucson, Arizona, with other dates confirmed throughout Europe with more to be announced soon. If you’re in the US, you can catch The Beach Boys at any of the following dates:
April 26 - Grand Prairie, TX at Verizon Theatr
April 27 - New Orleans, LA at New Orleans Jazz Fest
April 29 - Raleigh, NC at Raleigh Ampitheater
May 2 - St. Augustine, FL at St. Augustine Ampitheater
May 4 - Hollywood, FL at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
May 5 - Tampa, FL at David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Performing Arts
May 8 - New York, NY at Beacon Theater
May 9 - New York, NY at Beacon Theater
May 11 - Pittsburgh, PA at Bendum Center for the Performing Arts
May 12 - Uncasville, CT at Mohegan Sun Arena
May 13 - Uncasville, CT at Mohegan Sun Arena
May 15 - White Plains, NY at Westchester County Center
May 17 - Bethlehem, PA at Sands Bethlehem Events Center
May 19 - Atlanta City, NJ at Borgata Hotel Casino
May 21 - Chicago, IL at Chicago Theatre
May 27 - Las Vegas, NV at Red Rock Casino
June 1 - Berkley, CA at Greek Theatre
June 2 - Los Angeles, CA at Hollywood Bowl
June 8 - The Woodlands, TX at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
June 10 - Manchester, TN at Bonnaroo Music Festival
June 13 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH at Blossom Music Center
June 15 - Columbia, MD at Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 16 - Camden, NJ at Susquehanna Bank Center
June 17 - Bethel, NY at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
June 19 - Toronto, ON at Molson Ampitheatre
June 20 - Montreal, QC at Bell Centre
June 22 - Bangor, ME at Waterfront Park
June 23 - Saratoga Springs, NY at Saratoga Performing Arts Center
June 26 - Boston, MA at Bank of America Pavilion
June 29 - Darien Lakes, NY at DTE Energy Music Theatre
July 1 - Milwaukee, WI at Marcus Ampitheater (Summerfest)
July 3 - Virginia Beach, VA at Farm Bureau Live
July 10 - Morrison, CO at Red Rocks Ampitheatre
July 13 - Woodinville, WA at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery
July 14 - Eugene, OR at Cuthbert Ampitheater
July 15 - Stateline, NV at Harvey's Lake Tahoe Ampitheater
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