CARL WILSON, LONG PROMISED ROAD
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Long Promised Road: Carl Wilson, Soul of the Beach Boys The Biography Paperback – Illustrated, October 12, 2015
by Kent Crowley (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 263 ratings
3.6 on Goodreads
114 ratings
Long Promised Road: Carl Wilson, Soul Of The Beach Boys tells the story of the youngest of the three Wilson brothers, a consummate musician and singer and a natural peacemaker.
Robbed of a normal childhood by international stardom, Carl marked out his own territory by his devotion to the guitar, rock’n’roll, and rhythm & blues. His electric lead lines ensured the fledgling vocal group were able to ride the surf music wave—before redefining it altogether.
Later, he would sing lead on two of the most admired songs in rock history, ‘God Only Knows’ and ‘Good Vibrations.’ Then, as Brian succumbed to mental illness and Dennis pursued the path of self-destruction, Carl kept the fractious Beach Boys show on the road—literally— while increasingly taking the reins in the studio. He would create a series of underrated albums, including two under his own name, and some wonderfully soulful songs.
And all the while, Carl was the supreme family man, sheltering Dennis from the wrath of Charles Manson and prising Brian from the clutches of Dr Eugene Landy. Fighting against conscription into the Vietnam War, then battling his own problems with drink, drugs, and marital breakdown, he achieved peace, only to be diagnosed with a terminal illness.
In this wide-ranging and thoughtful book, Kent Crowley explores the life and career of the overlooked hero of the Beach Boys story. Drawing on new interviews with friends and colleagues, it provides a unique slant on one of rock’s most enduring family sagas.
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- Print length288 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherJawbone Press
- Publication dateOctober 12, 2015
- Dimensions6 x 1 x 8.5 inches
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Editorial Reviews
Review
” …for Beach Boys fans looking for fresh angles that might reflect back on the band’s music and life, Long Promised Road is full of fun and surprises.” – Pitchfork.com
“Long Promised Road – which takes it title from a song Carl co-wrote with lyricist Jack Rieley for the Beach Boys, his first ever songwriting credit – sheds some much overdue light on this Wilson brother.” – Houston Press
About the Author
Kent Crowley was a writer, musician, and third-generation Southern Californian. The author of Surf Beat! Rock & Roll’s Forgotten Revolution, he wrote for newspapers and magazines including the Los Angeles Times and Vintage Guitar, and worked on books and documentaries on West Coast history, culture, and politics.
Product details
- Publisher : Jawbone Press; Illustrated edition (October 12, 2015)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 288 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1908279842
- ISBN-13 : 978-1908279842
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 6 x 1 x 8.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #193,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #40 in Western U.S. Biographies
- #301 in Music History & Criticism (Books)
- #460 in Rock Band Biographies
- Customer Reviews: 4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 263 ratings
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Customer reviews
4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
263 global ratings
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Top reviews from the United States
5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful Journey
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2023
Much detail and background is covered in this book. At points, even more would have been welcomed. It steers the reader in a good direction, but it is unfortunate that Carl didn’t back this information with his own autobiography. Did enjoy reading this cover to cover.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2023
I LOVED IT !!! It was a good read !!!
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4.0 out of 5 stars Good Beach Boys Book
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2015
The Long Promised Road: Carl Wilson in the Spotlight and in the Shadows left Carl Wilson too much in the shadows. I enjoyed the book and the info on the Beach Boys, however it was a book mostly about the Beach Boys and not about Carl Wilson specifically. In fairness there was more personal info on Carl than anyone else in the book, however there was a lot said about Brian, Dennis and other members of the group and not always in regard to how Carl interacted with them. I was expecting a book that delved into the life of Carl Wilson, not glossed over that life. There was very little info regarding his first marriage and almost nothing regarding his second. The bulk of the book dealt with the 1960s and 1970s with very little said about the 1980s and 1990s. I would like to see a book about Carl Wilson someday, however, as stated at the beginning I did enjoy the book on the Beach Boys.
One person found this helpful
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3.0 out of 5 stars CARL WILSON BIO– not much bio, but a lot of Beach Boys
Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2015
I’ve been waiting for this book to come out for some time. So I’m rather disappointed to find out there’s not really a biography of Carl Wilson at all. It’s more of a year to year diary of the professional activities of the Beach Boys. Also this author seems to be very interested in the technical aspect of Carl Wilson’s guitar playing and ability. It would be a good book for guitarists to buy or someone who is interested in the techniques.
But unfortunately there’s very little in this about Carl Wilson’s personal life–about his childhood, marriages, children, character, worldview or personality in an in-depth manner. Most of what you’re reading is information that the author gleaned from other often-quoted past articles.
I don’t know how you can call this a biography –what it is mainly is more like a magazine piece put together around his guitar technique and his management of the Beach Boys.
This book would be a good resource for authors trying to write original books about the Beach Boys. He’s gathered together a great deal of information and done a good job with that. But if you already know alot about the Beach Boys and you really were expecting something new or insightful you’re going to be disappointed here. The great events of Carl’s life–his divorce, his drug addiction or the death of Dennis are either tossed out with one sentence or With a few paragraphs.
Apparently the author did meet Carl Wilson once. The purpose of his writing this book was to showcase Carl’s leadership and artistic management of The Beach Boys, along with his production, composing, singing and guitar virtuosity. So the book becomes a case for Carl’s talents and abilities but that doesn’t make it a biography.
The one good thing that I got out of the book was that my always positive evaluation of Carl Wilson’s character and artistry as a singer and musician has held up. But you could have gone to any old magazine article and found that out.
When somebody decides to do a real biography on Carl Wilson, they will find this book useful for the bibliography.
I love the Beach Boys and I enjoy reading anything about them, even if there were only a few stories or facts that I didn’t already know.
65 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2015
This book, Crowley’s “Long Promised Road,” gives me lots of information that explains why The Beach Boys are who they are. It allows me to focus on Carl Wilson – his life as a musician, the environment in which he grew up, his being a guitar player, his sound and the fruits of all these combined. Speaking of Carl’s environment, the Kent Crowley book about Carl Wilson gives me an easy-to-understand picture of what went on in his family, the music scene at the time, all that was happening to define California culture (had to be an influence on Carl), and even what was going on in California’s guitar making scene (particularly the references made to the Fender electric guitar). I own and play several guitars and amps, Fender being among the brands.
I’m sure Carl played and probably owned or had access to many more guitars and amps than I will ever encounter in a lifetime – unless I played everything on the wall and on the sales floor at our local music stores. I have to admit, that my interest in guitar playing and that “Beach Boy sound” is a huge reason I like this book. Now I’m really hearing and paying more attention to Carl’s guitar riffs in my favorite Beach Boys songs! It makes me want to plug in my Fender electric and play those riffs myself.
Just reading this book keeps that distinct Beach Boys sound in my head. The references to Carl’s role as the band’s lead guitar player and major contributor to The Beach Boys sound is, in my opinion, really inspiring!
Crowley put a lot of information in this book and I found it easy to soak up being a guitar enthusiast and a fan of The Beach Boys. From the info in Crowley’s book, and from personal experience, I can easily see how living in such a family and community environment can affect the outcome of the anyone’s life. Before reading the book, I wasn’t even aware that Carl was a lefty who played guitars right-handed! (Chapter 3 – I learned something new.)
After reading the book, I can say that I got much more out of it – especially a better appreciation for Carl Wilson as a musician. Thanks to Crowley’s book, I have new things I can share with my music buddies, new stories to tell, and what’s more, an even greater urge to plug in my guitar and play those Carl Wilson guitar riffs myself. I’m sure he had influence from major guitar players mentioned in the book, and sure enough, he apparently used that influence well.
I’m sure many, especially guitar enthusiasts like myself, will appreciate the information “The Long Promised Road” provides. Thanks, Kent Crowley, for your book and the effort you apparently put into it.
I often check out “box opening” reviews so I thought I should throw this in: When I first opened the book c/o Amazon, I was first impressed by the quality of the paperback. Then I was drawn in by the very obvious photo section in the middle of the book (I’ve always appreciated books with lots of pictures). I appreciated the free, 2-day shipping deal with Amazon Prime, got the book on a Tuesday afternoon and started reading it that night.
Buying it, I believe I got way more for my money!
5 people found this helpful
HelpfulReport
Top reviews from other countries
Lee Marshall
5.0 out of 5 stars Ya gotta read the ‘good one’.
Reviewed in Canada on December 4, 2016
When it comes to the Beach Boys there are certain things which are crystal clear…at least to most fans who know the group well. Brian Wilson was the clear creative force which drove the group and provided the foundation for both its sound and its success. Dennis Wilson was the sex-symbol who also was gifted with an enormous amount of creative talent. His Pacific Ocean Blue l.p. proves that to be true. Mike Love is more the over-rated and self-important ‘no-go showboat’. Al Jardine remains the original group’s best vocalist in 2016. Bruce Johnston is still not considered a full member by a lot of the core fans, David Marks is always welcomed as a guest whenever he plays with Brian’s band or with Mike’s version of the group and Carl? The late great Carl Wilson…historically the most important singing voice in the ‘choir’…was far more creative and way more important to the long term sound and success of the Beach Boys that he receives credit for.
For Beach Boys fans, just like ‘I Am Brian Wilson’… … …THIS is a must read.
H. D. Brazier
5.0 out of 5 stars Sets the record straight
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 1, 2015
Unlike most Beach Boys fans, I got into them in the mid seventies, when most people saw them as a spent force. My favourite albums to this day are Sunflower, Surfs Up and Holland (with the exception of that terrible Pied Piper Bonus disc). I must admit that I went along with the Brian is a genius story. It was only when I paid more attention to the who did what that I realised that most of my favourite tracks had either Dennis or Carl behind them. In fact The Beach Boys Love You album is proof that post Pet Sounds, Brian is the Emperors new clothes story personified. This book sets the record sraight. In fact this sample from the back of the book gives a good summary: “Then as Brian succumbed to mental illness and Dennis pursued the path of self-destruction, Carl kept the fractious Beach Boys show on the road-literally-while increasingly taking the reins in the studio. He would create a series of underrated albums, including two under his own name, and some wonderfully soulful songs.” In addition, the book goes into detail on what an excellent guitar player Carl was, something that I didn’t really appreciate, as I didn’t really get past what a fantastic voice he had. I would recommend this biography, not only for the story of a remarkable man, but for rock aficionados and anyone that is interested in learning that the Beach Boys weren’t just the touring band for music written and produced by Brian and the session musicians now referred to as the wrecking crew.
12 people found this helpfulReport
Hughcr
4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating reading!
Reviewed in Australia on April 18, 2016
Excellent research detail. A fascinating read which fills in many gaps in the Carl Wilson story.
A. Pisko
5.0 out of 5 stars … Boys “nerd” and i found this to be a terrific read which expanded my knowledge of the band as …
Reviewed in Canada on November 7, 2016
I am a bit of Beach Boys “nerd” and i found this to be a terrific read which expanded my knowledge of the band as well as, my appreciation of Carl Wilson’s talent and skills. I read this after reading Brian’s book and i have to say that they are a great combination for Beach Boys fans.
One person found this helpfulReport
Jurg
2.0 out of 5 stars A missed opportunity
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 5, 2015
The first thing I noticed when looking at this book is the very white paper that’s been used. The pictures are in black and white or coloured but all very well printed.
The book has 21 chapters. 11 pages of notes and sources so you can check everything if you want. He has done some interviews (wrecking crew members for example) but no sons or wives and David Marks being the only Beach Boy.
All the familiar Beach Boys’ related themes pass the revue. So what was the author’s intension? Writing a biography about Carl or a book about the Beach Boys? This falls a bit between the two. A book about the Beach Boys with a focus on Carl. A fan doesn’t get a lot of new information and reading it becomes boring after a while. How is it possible that the last chapter (only 14 pages long) covers his last 20 years. In that period of time he wrote his two solo albums and worked on the Beckley – Lamm –Wilson album. That alone would be enough to fill half this book. A shame and a missed opportunity!
16 people found this helpfulReport
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