THIS PAGE ...

Sleeve Photography: Kenneth Veeder

  THE DEBUT ALBUM, released in the fall of 1962, introduced their early, raw surfin’ sound to a world still coming to terms with the new ‘rock ’n’ roll’ music-style. Two singles released under the new banner of “The Beach Boys” had secured an early audience with the youth population of America with “Surfin’” reaching a high of #75 on the national charts (released on both the “X” and “Candix” labels) whilst the follow-up, “Surfin’ Safari” b/w “409” (the debut release for Capitol), climbed to an impressive #14 position.

  For the subsequent album release, titled after the then-recent hit single, Capitol Records A&R man and producer Nick Venet and the five-piece band, comprising of Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson, cousin Mike Love and neighbour David Marks, headed for Paradise Cove, Malibu, in the North Bay area, seventeen miles north of Santa Monica, to shoot the album cover under the watchful camera lens of acclaimed photographer Kenneth Veeder. Veeder himself had a considerable track record when it came to supplying the photographs for album cover artwork having previously worked with such acknowledged performers as Nat ‘King’ Cole and June Christy, most recently racking up a Top 30 credit on the “Nat ‘King’ Cole Sings / George Shearing Plays” album during May of 1962 (and would later put his name on albums by the legendary Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra), and so the five inexperienced youngsters must have been in enthusiastic mood that sunny day.

Apparently, they rented an old truck from a local beach contractor named Calypso Joe, draped palm fronds over the roof and rear and, according to legend, even airbrushed out the “Calypso Joe” logo from the side of the bright yellow vehicle. Finally, barefoot and decked out in matching white trousers and checked Pendleton shirts, they tucked a single surfboard under their arms and posed for several shots on the sand. According to rhythm guitarist David Marks, when questioned by this author in May of 2005, “Nik Venet saw the guy with the truck on Hollywood Boulevard, pulled him over and asked if he wanted to make $50. He followed us to Paradise Cove with the Capitol photographer, who lined us up and we took a bunch of photos with the hopes that one of them would be used as the album cover. The surfboard was borrowed from Lois Moratta, and her brother Louie still had it up until he died a few months ago, I don't know where it is now …”

  Although David Marks recalls it being Nick Venet who 'found' the truck used for the shoot, it was apparently Capitol Art Designer Edward Thrasher who first saw it parked on Hollywood Boulevard and utilised it for the session. Ed later worked extensively with the group on their 1970's albums for Warner Brothers ...

  Perhaps unsurprisingly, a number of photo shoots were organised around this early period of the groups career, the majority of which featured the five Pendleton-clad group members firmly clutching the obligatory surfboard, although the majority of the pictures which saw an official publication seem to be the results of two particular sessions. The earliest of which, specific date unknown, resulted in the cover for the “Surfin’ Safari” 45 single (released in June of that year) and was apparently studio-based, whilst the latter session, held at Paradise Cove, resulted in the debut album cover and also that of the poorly received “Ten Little Indians” single release and the 1963 “Surfer Girl” album cover. The easiest way of telling the difference between the shoots is that on the former the boys are wearing blue jeans and carry a red board, whilst for the beach shoot they are decked out, as previously mentioned, in white trousers and carrying the white board with blue central stripe that, according to Marks, still exists.

  Additionally, outtakes from this latter photo session feature a number of gloriously unrehearsed, candid shots, five young men (barely out of the ‘boy’ stage) casually relaxing in the golden California sunshine, either sitting on the beach chatting, seemingly unaware of the intruding camera lens, shooting the breeze and kicking around the fine sand as they await further ‘pose’ instructions or alternatively, as one, leaping out of their

palm-laden ‘woodie’, captured in mid-air, as they seemingly head for the breaking waves just out of view (with Dennis, naturally, clasping the surfboard to heart …). Their positions around the truck vary, with Carl and David both taking turns riding in the back, however, one particular picture, taken with the gift only a natural photographer would possess, offers up a differing story altogether …

With the eldest cousin leading the way three of the group, Mike, David and Dennis, splash out into the surf (Dennis, having discarded his Pendleton shirt, races fast pace through the lapping waves breaking on the sand) whilst brother Brian, unnaturally wary of the power of the ocean, holds back on the shoreline, timidly watching as his fellow Beach Boys undertake their natural, exuberant desires. For some indeed, the surf was up …

  For the rear layout of the album sleeve photographer Ken Veeder followed the boys back into the Capitol Records recording studios sometime during August and September 1962 and snapped a series of pictures as the group rehearsed, and recorded their music. Of those chosen to appear on the finished sleeve Brian can be clearly

seen in the main shot offering up instructions to his band mates as to the individual vocal harmonies, whilst the accompanying images portray the boys with their chosen instruments … Dennis, long-blond fringe flailing around his tanned young face, pounding away behind his drum kit, David and Carl supplying guitar duties on the rhythm and bass respectively (even at this early stage 15 year-old Carl was demonstrating his musical dexterity) whilst Brian is also shown driving the bass groove. Finally (somewhat bizarrely, with over 40 years of hindsight) Mike is pictured plucking away at the guitar as well (“let’s see, if I put this finger here …”).

  Outtakes from this reel of film also show a barefooted Mike undertaking his limited saxophone duties, a stomping DW dancing around the studio with an unnamed, glamorous blonde (more than likely the girlfriend of Steve Venet, Nick's brother, who visited the sessions around that time), David almost wincing with the efforts to offer up the correct vocal pitch, and a bouffant-styled Venet casually dressed in short-sleeved shirt and whites. Perhaps, most interestingly, in the above-mentioned picture of Mike and his honking woodwind, close study of the background scenario reveals an additional guitar player, although sadly the picture cuts off the head thus avoiding certain identification. Yet, judging by the visible clothing, this headless string-bender appears to be Venet himself, thus confirming a quote from the Capitol executive (in conversation with the Australian author and Beach Boys historian Stephen McParland during 1977) that he did add extra, uncredited instrumentation to the sessions …

  The style of the text, particularly on the front sleeve, sits in nicely with the chosen pictures, with the earthly shades of the blue and green colouring standing out clearly against the Californian skyline and yet whilst the rear sleeve justifiably offers up an explanation to the landlocked souls of America as to the definition of surfing as a sport the large and notably poorly drawn cartoon of the over-laden woodie wagon seems rather unnecessary. A novel idea, yes, but taking up almost a quarter of the rear cover ?

  The sleeve notes themselves, heavy in text, prominently feature above the five studio photographs, offering up the standard introduction to each group member (bearing in mind that, to the majority of the United States and beyond, the five-piece was still relatively unknown), noting along the way that Mike

was (apparently) the lone composer of “Surfin’” and that Dennis sings and plays the drums, presumably in acknowledgement to his lead vocal duties on “Little Miss America”. Rather strangely, the uncredited sleeve notes, possibly written by Venet or one of his team, also suggest that father and manager, Murry Wilson (a long-time songwriter) can also be regarded as a member of the group (offering up the potential notion that Murry himself had the final word as to the content of the finished cover …).

Note #1:

In at least two of the pictures from the beach sessions, including the actual cover, playing in the surf behind the truck, two young children can be seen clearly enjoying the breaking waves, presumably unaware of the photograph shoot being undertaken on the beach. Where are they now, we wonder ? Are they aware of their prominence in music history …

Front sleeve :

Paradise Cove 1962 Rear Sleeve :

Capitol Records Recording Studios 1962

Photography by Kenneth Veeder

Capitol Photo Studios 1962

Note #2 :

Others known to have been present during the debut album recording sessions, but not featured in any of Ken Veeder’s stills, were Brian’s songwriting friend and co-composer Gary Usher, Jerry Capehart, co-writer of “Summertime Blues” and former manager of Eddie Cochran and, subject to differing reports, Derry Weaver, lead guitarist for The Gamblers and composer of “Moon Dawg”. However, Venet often indicated that the latter’s name appears solely on the A.F.M. contract by way of him obtaining further payments via deception. Indeed, no photographic evidence exists …

All rights reserved : No part of this text may be copied, stored or reproduced without written consent of the author. Pipeline Publications (UK) 2006