Wouldn't It Be Nice - by Charles L Granata (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

When he first started working on Pet Sounds, Brian Wilson said that he was going to write "the greatest rock album ever made." That album, released in 1966, fifty years ago, changed the face of popular music.
From conception and composition to arrangement and production, Pet Sounds was the work of one extraordinary man. Turning his back on the protest songs and folk rock of his contemporaries and even on the bright surf sound of his own creation, Brian Wilson reached deep within himself to make music that struck an emotional chord and touched people's souls. Embracing the rapidly advancing recording technology of the time, he expertly created an original studio sound that would inspire generations of listeners and musicians.
Featuring a detailed track-by-track analysis of the songs and extensive interviews with key personalities, Wouldn't It Be Nice reveals the influences--musical, personal, and professional--that together created this groundbreaking album. Now revised to include new information and recent developments, this is the definitive book on one of the greatest albums ever made.

Review Quotes

"A behind-the-scenes glimpse you won't find anywhere else, including some background on what made Brian Wilson the mad genius he was." --Contra Costa Times


"Granata's book is a simple masterpiece that does justice to the album--dissecting clearly all the complex factors involved while capturing Wilson's amazing inner strength, as well as his turmoil." --Q magazine


"Intelligently researched and beautifully written. This books reminds me how remarkably fortunate I am that Brian, Mike, Carl, Dennis, and Al shared with me the opportunity to be part of the greatest recorded achievements in pop music history." --Bruce Johnston, former member of The Beach Boys


"As a musician who was there at the creation, I can assure you that this is the book to read if you want to understand Brian Wilson and the making of Pet Sounds. Chuck Granata has deftly painted this monumental story with the respect, passion and vibrancy of his subject's greatest music." --Carol Kaye, Pet Sounds bassist

"Chuck Granata has the exquisite wisdom to understand that the real wonder of Brian Wilson is not to be found within the headline-grabbing antics, the legendary lawsuits, or even the classic functionality of either his private or public families, but simply in his music." --Tony Asher, Pet Sounds cowriter

"Edifying without being sycophantic." --The Observer

About the Author

Charles L. Granata is a record and radio producer, music historian, and author of the award-winning Sessions with Sinatra as well as numerous essays on popular music and the history of sound recording. He divides his time between Los Angeles and Livingston, New Jersey. Tony Asher is a lyricist who collaborated with Brian Wilson on Pet Sounds. He lives in Los Angeles.