How big an impact have The Beach Boys had on popular music

A. In terms of musical output and influence, it is difficult to overestimate the impact of The Beach Boys as a musical phenomenon.

Q. How can they be so important

A. You only have to examine the catalogue of singles and albums released by The Beach Boys, and the huge amount of critical analysis of both their recorded work, and the dynamics behind the band's success, to see how vital their input into modern popular music has been. There are parallels with The Jackson Five and Pink Floyd - the Motown legends were driven by an obsessive father figure determined to make his own fame through his children, and the prog giants included a member who's mental fragility eventually overrode his primary musical contribution to the band, and the constant ego-hassles between the main players are the equal of any daytime soap opera. Aside from all that, is the music.

Q. Didn't The Beach Boys invent surf music

A. They certainly popularised the style - mainly thanks to the combination of Brian Wilson's compositional genius in which he combined close vocal harmonies of himself, brothers Carl and Dennis, cousin Mike Love, and family friend Al Jardine, with driving Chuck Berry-inspired rock and roll tunes. The chronicles of Southern California youth lifestyle became a blueprint for a style of pop that has endured and expanded, stamping Wilson's reputation as a genius composer on the world of popular music.

Q. Wasn't Brian Wilson dogged by mental health problems

A. He was - the strain of trying to match the expectations of the brothers' abusive father Murray, combined with the weight of composing and production duties and the band's constant touring schedule meant that Brian had to retire from live performances in 1964, deciding to remain as the principle songwriter, and devoting himself to the increasingly sophisticated production techniques for which the band were becoming world famous.

Q. What are the group's best songs

A. In a catalogue as large and impressive as The Beach Boys, it is difficult to pick out their finest moments, but probably Brian Wilson's own favourite, California Girls encapsulates their sound and their appeal as well as any. Probably their finest song, and indeed one of the finest singles ever released is the groundbreaking Good Vibrations, which was utterly unlike anything ever heard before, both in terms of structure and production.

Q. Wasn't there some tragedy surrounding the band

A. Indeed there was. Aside from the increasing mental health problems suffered by Brain Wilson, a result of the pressure he put on himself to top the genius of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album, drummer Dennis, ironically the only Beach Boy actually interested in surfing, drowned when he dived off his boat while drunk. The other Wilson brother, Carl, succumbed to cancer in 1986.

Q. So have the Beach Boys lived up to that early potential

A. It would be almost impossible for any band to sustain the level of commercial success and musical innovation that characterised the Beach Boys' early output, and they have enjoyed a chequered career throughout the seventies and eighties.

Internal wrangling, with Mike Love attempting to wrest control of the band from Brian have seen ugly legal confrontations, although the two have reconciled, and have written material together more recently. As a live act, The Beach Boys continue to draw large crowds of nostalgia-obsessed fans, and the invention of the CD has meant that the band's considerable back catalogue enjoys regular re-packaging, ensuring their music remains saleable today.

Q. Is there any prospect of a full reunion

Given the absence of two of the Wilson brothers, and the unwillingness of Brian Wilson to work except as a solo artist, that is unlikely. However, versions of the band continue to tour, and Brain Wilson is pencilled in for British concert dates in 2002, which will be a much-anticipated event by all fans of the band's music. Today Brian Wilson stands as a composer and producer of considerable status, and the best of the Beach Boys material is a tribute to his vision and abilities.

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By: Andy Hughes.